What Will You Do For Love?

What will you do for love?

Song of Songs 5

Marriages in the ancient Near East were usually sanctioned through civil contracts rather than through religious ceremonies

As Christians we enter a covenant with God to the marriage of the Lamb

Love between Israel and God, Jesus and the Church

Bride and Groom

Courtship and individual believer

But love grows cold or indifferent

He knocks, she doesn’t respond

Rev 3:20 he stands outside; not convenient at the moment

Her excuse, I’ve put off my coat

I sleep, he neither slumbers nor sleeps.’’

We should take notice of our own spiritual slumber

Look at it with sorrow and shame that we have fallen asleep when Christ has been near us, wanting to come in

Christ’s disciples, when he had come into his garden, the garden of his agony, were heavy with sleep, and could not watch with him

True Christians are not always lively and vigorous in their faith

You can neglect your duty and grow complacement

You indulge yourself in your ease and become secure and off guard

After a victory we need to be careful, your guard may be down

I’m too tired to do anything

I’ve laboured in vain, I see no results for my efforts Is 49

S of S 5:4 put his hand into the latch

She’s aroused but it’s too late

Calling card the fragrance left behind

It is the voice of my beloved; she knew it to be so, and was soon aware of it, which was a sign that her heart was awake

Church your heart needs to be reawaked to his voice

My sheep know my voice and they follow me Jn 10

She looked for him

He calls sinners into covenant with him and saints into communion

Those whom he loves he will not let alone in their carelessness, but he will find some way or other to awaken them, to rebuke and chasten them

When we are unmindful of Christ, he still thinks of us

Observe how moving the call is

She could not send someone else to open the door (it must be our own act to let Christ into our hearts)

Seek him before it’s too late

How far will you go to look for him again?

Will you put yourself out for him?

Are you really safe in him and do you really know him?

The 10 virgins, only 5 were ready and prepared

Ch 3 the watchmen helped her, this time Ch 5 they beat her, she’s suffering the lose of her protection

veil—a mantle to protect her

Her covering is taken

She was mistaken by the watchmen to be a harlot

The church like Israel plays the harlot

When we become lukewarm we are coming from under the protection of God

Why should he stand around waiting for you?

Has he walked away?

But God said he would never me!

No, but you have left first

Are we serious about him?

What makes him special to you?

Only after she thought she’d lost him did she re-acquaintance herself with his character and looks, she remembered him, Her lover and friend

She calls him as we should by prayer, calls after him, and begs of him to return

She not only prays but also uses other means, she seeks him in the ways she used to find him

Yet still she missed of him: I could not find him; he gave me no answer

She had no evidence of his favour, no comfort, but was in the dark, and in doubt, concerning his love for her.

"Speak a good word for me; tell him that I am sick of love.’’ Observe what her condition was

She loved Jesus Christ to such a degree that his absence made her sick, extremely sick, she could not bear it, and she was in pain for his return as a woman in travail

It is better to be sick of love to Christ than at ease in love to the world

Carnal hearts see nothing excellent or extraordinary in the Lord Jesus, in his person, in his doctrine or in his favour

It’s if there were no more in the knowledge of Christ, and in communion with him, than in the knowledge of the world and in its conversation

There is none like him, nor any can be compared to him

Every thing else is to be accounted loss and dung in comparison of him, Phil. 3:8

He is higher than the kings of the earth

Growth in love, knowledge, and understanding is essential for a satisfying marriage

How well do you know him or understand him?

The passage details a conflict within their relationship (indifference or apathy in the context)

The pain of separation as a result of selfishness, brokenness over the results of his turning away