INTRODUCTION:

    1. We are examining, from this book, the relationship between husbands and wives and between Christ
        and His churches.
    2. Today we will see:
        a. The Excitement Of Anticipation.
        b. The Anguish Of Separation.
        c. The Beauty Of Adoration.

  I. THE EXCITEMENT OF ANTICIPATION -- VV. 2-5.

    A. She Anticipates His Voice -- Vs. 2.
        1. Though she is sleeping, her heart is alert to his voice. "It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh."
            a. Even been asleep but anticipating something to happen -- a phone call, a knock on the door, etc.?
                1) Me and the snooze alarm.
                2) Me the night before deer season.
            b. She is asleep, but her heart is awake as she anticipates her beloved's voice.
        2. Illustrates the attraction of husbands and wives.
            a. Gen. 2:24 -- CLEAVE = be glued, cemented.
            b. Such an attraction, the two have become one.
        3. We should have such anticipation over hearing the words of our Lord.
            a. How do we approach Bible study? How do we view the preaching of the Word?
            b. Should be like Samuel -- "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth."
            c. John 10:27 -- "My sheep hear my voice . . . "
        4. Have we been saved so long, are we so familiar with our Beloved's voice that we no longer anticipate
            hearing from Him?

    B. She Anticipates His Presence -- Vv. 4-5.
        1. She desires his presence. He has been away too long, and she is anxious to see him.
            a. Notice how she anticipates the arrival of her beloved.
            b. Vs. 5 -- See how anxiously she awaited him as she approached the door -- hands dripped with myrrh.
        2. Again, the word "cleave" (Gen. 2:24) reveals how husbands & wives should desire one another's presence.
            a. Mother & Dad did everything together.
            b. Today, we have marriages where both mates go their own ways and do their own things.
            c. We're told this makes strong marriages. Then, we wonder why they separated!
        3. A church better not get too far from the Lord.
            a. Matt. 18:20 -- Jesus promised His presence.
            b. Eph. 2:22 -- God has also promised His & the Holy Spirit's presence.
            c. Heb. 13:5 -- We have the promise of His continued presence.
        4. We need the anticipation of His presence in our lives -- personally and as a church.

    C. She Anticipates His Return -- Vs. 6.
        1. When she finds he is gone, she is saddened but anticipates his return.
            a. Vs. 6b-7 -- She searches for him.
            b. Vs. 8 -- She speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem & tells them what to say. She is lovesick!
        2. Husbands & wives must be apart at times -- work, chores, church etc. but should look forward to
            each other's return.
            a. Can't wait for Joni to get home.
            b. Can't wait to get home to her.
        3. John 14:1-3 -- Jesus has gone away but has promiseed to return (Acts 1:11 ; I Thess. 4:16-17).
            a. We should anticipate His return -- I John 3:1-3.
            b. Matt. 6:10 -- Taught to pray for it.

 II. THE ANGUISH OF SEPARATION -- VV. 6-8.

    1. Vv. 3-4 -- This Shulamite woman delays to answer the call of her beloved. When she finally does, he is gone (vs. 6).
        a. Speaks of the anguish of broken fellowship.
        b. Rev. 3:20 -- The sweetness of true fellowship.&nnbsp; (Also, I John 1:7 and John 14:23.)
            c. Vs. 7 describes the torment she endured while searching for her beloved.
    2. Regardless of what society and psychology say, husbands and wives really don't need to spend a great deal
        of time apart.
        a. I Corinthians 7:5.
        b. In O.T. newly married men were excused from military duty for a year so they could be with their new bride.
    3. Concerning Christ and His churches: It shoudl bother us to be out of fellowship with our Lord.
        a. There are things we can do to disrupt that fellowship:
            1) Disobedience, 2) Delay.
        b. When fellowship is broken, it should cause us to be in anguish of soul.
            1) II Sam. 12:13 ; Psalm 51:1-4 -- (As we read this psalm, we can see David's remorse and grief,
                 not at "getting caught," but because of his sin.)
            2) Luke 22:59-62 -- Peter "wept bitterly" over denying the Lord.
            3) John 21:15-17 -- Notice the humility it created in Peter.
            4) James 4:4, 9-10 -- Grief over sin.
        c. Anything that interrupts the fellowship between us and our Lord should cause us anguish.

III. THE BEAUTY OF ADORATION -- VV. 10-16.

        Here we see how greatly this woman adores her beloved. We should so adore our Lord.

    1. She adores his head -- vs. 11.
        a. The head of Jesus wore the crown of thornes.
        b. It will one day wear the crowns of King of Kings and Lord of Lords -- Rev. 19:12, 16.
    2. She adores his eyes -- vs. 12. The eyes of Jesus are:
        a. Eyes of judgment -- Rev. 1:14 ; 19:12.
        b. Eyes of compassion & mercy -- Matt. 9:36-38.
        c. Eyes of conviction -- Luke 22:61-62.
    3. She adores his cheeks -- vs. 13.
        a. The cheeks of Jesus were smitten and spit upon.
        b. The hair was pulled from His beard.
    4. She adores his hands & legs (feet) -- vv. 14-15.
        a. Nails pierced both the hands & feet of our Lord.
        b. When I think of Jesus, I don't think of someone who was physically weak.
            1) MEEK = power under control.
            2) Yet, He fell beneath the weight of the cross because of all He endured for us.
    5. She adores his mouth -- vs. 16. The mouth of Jesus:
        a. "His mouth is full of sweetness."
            1) From the mouth of Jesus come the wonderful words of life.
            2) "Not my will, but thine be done." "Father, forgive them . . . "
            3) John 3:16. Whosoever will may come.
        b. "His lips are lillies, dripping with liquit myrrh" (13b).
            1) It is that mouth that commendeth His love toward us.
            2) That said, "Whosoever will may come."
            3) That said, "I will go to the cross for mankind."
            4) That cried out, "It is finished" before He dismissed His spirit from His body.
    6. Jesus deserves our praise, and we must speak words of adoration toward Him.

  CONCLUSION: