INTRODUCTION:

    1. Today, a lack of true love for the Lord's churches. Can't love the Lord without loving this church.
    2. If you love someone or something, you're going to want to be around them, or it.
        a. If you love this church, you'll want to be here.
        b. Not speaking of those physically unable.
    3. Can't serve God the way you want to. You'll do it in His way and on His time schedule.
    4. The problem: Many Missionary Baptists don't really have that self-sacrificing love for Christ.
        a. Say they do.
        b. However, it isn't revealed in their actions.

  I. HER ADMIRATION OF HIM -- VV. 3-6.

    A. He Is Sweet To Her.
        1. She says, "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved . . . "
            a. Provides sweetness.
            b. Provides shade.
            c. Provides substance.
        2. Our work, walk, witness of Jesus should be sweetness to us.
            a. I John 5:2-3 -- When you love someone, you don't mind doing things for them (Phil. 1:29).
            b. John 14:15.
        3. Matthew 6:33 -- Speaks of position and priority.
        4. Also speaks of how we should desire His fellowship -- individually and as a church.

    B. He Is Security To Her.
        1. "I sat down under his shadow with great delight."
            a. I've come under his leadership, his strong arm.
            b. Jesus looked over Jerusalem and wept and said,
        2. Vs. 4 -- "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love."
            a. What is the banner of the Lord Jesus over this church?  It is love!
            b. How do we know?  Ephesians 5:25 -- Died for her.  Acts 28:20 -- Shed His blood for her.
        3. He is salvation and security to her. Jesus promised perpetuity to His churches.
            a. Matt. 16:18.
            b. Jesus will have a church upon this earth until the day He returns.

    C. He Is Sustaining To Her.
        1. ". . . for I am sick of love" -- lovesick!
            a. Ever seen anyone that was lovesick?
            b. Teenagers get "lovesick."
        2. That should be our heart toward Jesus -- we love Him so much the world would say we're sick.
        3. "He stays me with flagons . . . " -- A picture of her being fed.
            a. Jesus is everything and gives everything that His churches need.
            b. Phil. 4:15, 17, 19.
            c. Eph. 4 -- The gifts the Lord has given His churches for the building up of the church.
        4. How does He sustain us?
            a. I Peter 2:2 -- Through His Word.
            b. Only the Word will help us to grow.
        5. Vs. 6 -- The picture of sustaining.
            a. Eph. 5:25 -- More than saying, "I love you."
            b. It is being her support, strength, encourager, etc.
        6. Jesus has proven His love for us. Do we prove our love for Him?

 II.  HER ASSURANCE IN HIM -- VV. 16-17.

    A. She Knows Whose She Is.
        1. Vs. 16 -- "My beloved is mine, and I am hiss."
        2. We can know we belong to the Lord.
            a. Individually -- I John 5:13.
            b. As a church -- John 10:1-5.
            c. John 10:26-30.
        3. A true New Testament church knows who she belongs to and where she came from.
            a. Heritage back to Jesus.
            b. Church perpetuity.

    B. She Knows Where He Is.
        1. Hebrews 13:5 -- He never leaves her.
        2. Matthew 18:20 -- Present when she meets.
        3. Eph. 2:19-22 ; I Cor. 3:16 -- He dwells with her.

III.  HER ANTICIPATION IS OF HIM -- VV. 8-13.

    A. She Loves The Voice Of Her Beloved.
        1. "The voice of my beloved!"
        2. We should love the voice of our Lord.
            a. Don't hear it audibly.
            b. We hear it today through His Word.
        3. John 10:27, 4.
            a. As husbands and wives, we should desire to hear the voice of our mate.
            b. We should delight in His Word.

    B. She Loves The Vision Of Her Beloved.
        1. Vs. 8b -- "Behold, he cometh leaping upon tthe mountains skipping upon the hills."
        2. In vs. 9 she gives us a picture of his appearance.
            a. The sight of our mate should be pleasing, even exciting to us.
            b. Where do we get a picture of Jesus? In the Word.
        3. Also presents another thought -- "Behold, he cometh."
            a. She anticipates (with joy) his appearance.
            b. We should anticipate the coming of Jesus with joy.
            c. II Timothy 4:6-8.

    C. She Loves The Victory Of Her Beloved.