Restitutio

by Sean Finnegan According to Jesus no one should call him “Lord” if he or she does not do what he says. In other words, Christ says he wants followers not merely believers. Although hippie Jesus, one-and-done Jesus, American Jesus, prosperity Jesus, poverty Jesus, and part-time Jesus all vie for all attention, we encounter the real Jesus in the Gospels, which have confidence in today because of the massive number of manuscripts that have survived from antiquity. Following Jesus has massive benefits as well, including eternal life, forgiveness of sins, life transformation, and ultimate meaning for your life. The reasons not to follow Jesus pale in comparison. As a result, doesn’t it make sense to take the next step, to confess Jesus as Lord and begin following his teachings? Two requirements of Christianity Believe gospel Follow Jesus What it means to follow Jesus Calling Jesus “Lord” means doing what he says (Luke 6:46-49) Resisting the temptation to fashion a Jesus to suit our desires Getting at the real Jesus through Scripture Reasons to follow Jesus Eternal life (Matthew 19:27-30) Forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7-8) Transformation (Matthew 11:28-30) Reasons not to follow Jesus Too much commitment Don’t want to be called a Jesus freak Don’t believe it is true Taking the next step

by Paris Reidhead One of the most famous classic sermons of all time, Paris Reidhead’s “Ten Shekels and a Shirt” calls into question why you serve God? From his account of missionary work to his observations of historic Christian preaching to other movements occurring in his own day, Reidhead weaves together an inspiring and very convicting message relevant in any age. Are you a Christian because of what God will do for you or do you serve him because he is deserves it? Learn about the pervasive and subtle influence of humanism as well as the cure to such a blight.

Here’s the original paper in pdf form. I presented this talk at the 18th Theological Conference held near Atlanta, GA. In it I present a case for the radical practice of loving our enemies. Whether you believe Christians can and should use violence to defend themselves or others or if you think more along the lines of Christian pacifism, this talk will familiarize you with the main reasons why some Christians hold to nonviolence. Essentially, my case finds its roots in taking Jesus’ command “love your enemies” literally along with the apostles instructions to never return evil for evil. My case is couched in proleptic ethics such that Christians are now, even before the kingdom arrives in all of its magnificent glory, embodying the kingdom in whatever ways we can. In other words, I believe God calls us to live the way we will live then now as a testimony of what is to come. Lastly, I tackle the issue of early Christian history and demonstrate that the writings we have from the first few centuries testify that the church was nonviolent. Please do not judge my position on this as liberal or cowardly (the two most common charges), but realize that I’m basing my beliefs on the testimony of scripture and that it takes a heck of a lot more courage to love one’s enemy than merely reciprocate violently. Below is the paper that went with this presentation along with a detailed set of responses to common objections. Introduction Is it right for Christians to volunteer in the United States’ military?[1] Should followers of Jesus join the police force? Can one who has been redeemed find employment as a security guard? Should disciples keep a loaded gun in the house in case an intruder enters? Is there ever a time when violence is justified? These questions and many like them, for Christians, center on whether or not we interpret the New Testament teachings to prohibit violence or permit it. This work seeks to provide a clear biblical theology for this critical subject.[2] From the title it is clear that my perspective falls on the side of those who see Jesus and the Apostles as teaching something new—the idea of nonviolent enemy love. Now, I realize that the moment I suggest that violence is wrong for Christians, a whole slew of questions and “what ifs” come to mind. Let me start by saying that these types of questions have good answers and we have collected a number of answers to difficult questions on our website.[3] However, it would not be prudent to handle all of the “objections” prior to laying out the case for nonviolence biblically, logically, and historically. Therefore, it is my intention to present both the clear biblical teaching on this subject and the theological framework into which this teaching fits. Though adherents to nonviolence are still unquestionably in the minority, as of late more and more leaders from non-Anabaptist[4] traditions are beginning to speak up. As I have researched this subject, in an effort to gain answers to the tough questions that face Christian pacifism, I have been surprised to find how central kingdom of God theology is to this topic.[5] It’s as if one cannot talk about nonviolence without talking about the kingdom. But, what is it about the kingdom of God that inspires peace-making rather than war-making? In order to see how Jesus understood and applied the kingdom of God theology to his life and ministry, we need to first look at how the kingdom was understood in the Hebrew Bible.   The Kingdom of God in the Hebrew Bible Thou

by Joel Hemphill In this short but revealing testimony, famed southern gospel singer Joel Hemphill tells his journey from oneness to one. Growing up in the “Jesus only” movement, he preached and sung about Jesus as God until the Father began to show him the light. His transparent honesty comes through as he narrates of how he courageously opened his mind to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, he had gotten the most important doctrine wrong for all of these years; he had misidentified God with Jesus and consequently robbed him of his glory. Now that Hemphill has seen the light, he writes and travels proclaiming the glory of God the Father with vigor and passion.

by Sean Finnegan According to Hebrew bible expert, Walter Bruegemann, all of us live by a script. He contends that our society is constantly scripting us with technological, therapeutic, consumer militarism. In the words of the Apostle Paul, we must fight this tendency by refusing to conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The gospel message itself offers us a whole new script. It’s hopeful rather than pessimistic, motivated by love rather than fear, characterized by abundance rather than scarcity, provides us an anchor to weather the storms of this life, gives us lasting purpose, and makes sense of morals. Ultimately, we all have to choose what kind of script we will live by. We are privileged and commissioned to give the world a foretaste of the kingdom through our actions and words, by modeling a new way of doing relationships, by performing outrageous acts of cross-shaped love to a world that is numb, consumeristic, obsessed with sexuality, terrified of extinction, and generally over busy, under paid, and bored. We offer the world a new script. We are the people of God who have a prophetic message to deliver—a message of hope and forgiveness, a message of value and purpose, a message of freedom about a God who is dedicated to fixing up this place and who will one day send his son to make everything wrong with the world right. The Good News kingdom origin is in Genesis creation promises to Abraham Davidic royal line chosen 2 Chronicles 17.11-14 pre-exilic prophets Isaiah 2.1-4 Isaiah 35.4-7 exilic prophets Daniel 2.44 Daniel 7.13-14, 18, 22, 27 post-exilic prophets Zechariah 14.6-9 John the Baptist Message of repentance in light of the coming kingdom Jesus’ ministry gospel proclamation (Luke 4.43; Matthew 4.23; 24.14) teaching the way of Jesus (i.e. Sermon on the Mount) healing/exorcisms radical acts of love to outcasts parables (Matthew 13) calling of 12 and promise to reign (Matthew 19.28) crucifixion 1 Peter 2.21-24 for our sins to show us the way of Jesus to enable us to die to sin and live the way of Jesus resurrection Jesus really is the Messiah (Acts 17.31) defeat of evil (Colossians 2.15) we too will be raised (1 Corinthians 15.20) holy spirit fire of God tongues, prophecy, healing, boldness (Acts 2.4) empowered to live the age to come now fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5.22-23) Effects of Believing the Gospel given a bright future 2 Timothy 1.10 given a new life to live now 2 Corinthians 5.17 Romans 6.4

by Keith Daniel So often husbands make grandiose declarations in the heat of the moment whereby they bind themselves to a destructive or vengeful course of action that inevitably results in shipwrecking their marriages. In this powerful sermon Keith Daniel provides sage advice for husbands and wives to stick together through the toughest times. As always he illustrates the biblical principles he preaches with stories drawn from people who serve as examples for us–both positive and negative. Whether you are married or thinking about getting married one day, this message–though simple–has the power to save you from inestimable misery and pain.

by Sean Finnegan Ephesians 6.12 tells us our struggle is not really against other humans but against spiritual forces. Learn how malignant powers influence people both directly (through demon possession) and indirectly (through the culture). Hopefully, this message will open your eyes to what is happening behind the scenes as Satan works to keep people from believing the gospel message as well as take out those who already follow Christ. At the end, I offer 7 specific examples of how the devil gains a foothold in our lives. Even so, through the power of God we are able to shut down these vulnerabilities and overcome spiritual attacks. “Greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist” –Keyser Söze, Usual Suspects Eph 6.12 ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. Because the struggle for us is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-powers of this darkness, against the wicked spirits in the celestial realm how is it that malignant spiritual powers are behind flesh and blood actions? direct influence of people indirect influence of people specific examples to watch out for direct influence Luke 4.31-36 31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are– the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” though you would think dealing with demon-occupied people would be harder, it’s actually easier we have authority in the name of Jesus to cast them out when the 72 returned they said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10.17) Paul cast out demon from girl in Ephesos (Acts 16.18) “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” indirect influence wake you up to Satan’s influence on our world relevant scriptures about Satan’s massive sway over this age John 14.30: “the ruler of this world” 2 Cor 4.4 “god of this age” Rev 12.9 “the deceiver of the whole world” by nature we dance to the devil’s drumbeat Eph 2.1-3 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience– 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. what indirect means does he use to infect us? horror movies: meditate on torture and evil music, especially rap and pop sing about committing sin where are the songs about how wonderful marriage is after a dozen years? where are the songs about raising children? where are the songs about finding satisfaction in working hard? tv

by Chris Date & Phil Fernandez What does the bible teach about hell? In hell do the damned experience eternal conscious torment or are they annihilated? Phil Fernandes affirms the “traditional” view of a fiery torture chamber whereas Chris Date defends the proposition that God will destroy people in the fire. Obviously, I have a bias on this subject, having examined the many biblical texts that proclaim the wicked will vanish like smoke, be cut off, be no more, be destroyed, and perish. Even so, how do we deal with the two or three difficult texts that talk of an eternal fire or an eternal punishment? Listen in and hear one of the best conditional immortality apologists present a strong case for annihilationism while ably fielding objections and questions from Fernandes and the audience. For more resources by Chris Date, check out rethinkinghell.com: a site that has a spectacular podcast that I highly recommend.

by Sean Finnegan What’s the difference between God and Jesus. Many Christians believe they are mysteriously one in being, but what do the scriptures teach? It turns out the bible clearly distinguishes between these two individuals and their attributes preclude their metaphysical oneness. Listen in to hear the evidence for why Jesus is the son of God not God the son. This lecture was part of a class called “Exploring Scripture.” To access more of this class, Exploring Scripture Class. Who is God? The people meet their God (Deuteronomy 4.32-39; 5.1-10, 22-26) The Shema (Deuteronomy 6.4-6, 13-15; Mark 12.28-34) Verses that speak of Yahweh as the only true God (2 Samuel 7.22; 2 Kings 19.19; 1 Chronicles 17.20; Nehemiah 9.6; Psalm 86.8-10; 135.5-7; Isaiah 37.16,20; 44.24; 45.5-7, 18, 21-22; 46.9-10; Jeremiah 10.10-16; Zechariah 14.9; Mark 10.18; John 17.3; 1 Corinthians 8.4-6; 1 Timothy 2.5; James 2.19; Jude 24-25) Who is God? Are there any other gods besides Yahweh? How many Yahwehs are there? Other words we use to refer to Yahweh: God, Father, Savior, Lord, Most High, Almighty, Redeemer, etc. Why do we call Yahweh Father? Yahweh had a son Who is Jesus? The birth of the Son of God (Luke 1.31-35) The king of the Jews (Matthew 2.1-6) Who did his followers think he was? (Mark 8.27-30) The Son of Man (Daniel 7.13-14, 18, 22, 27) The sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 15.3-4; Galatians 1.4) The Lord at the right hand of God (Psalm 110) Shared Attributes of God and Jesus They are both called Lord, Savior, Redeemer, King, Judge, and Rock They both forgave sins, loved, will establish the kingdom and judge the world We could list many other commonalities between God and Jesus Chart of the Differences between God and Jesus (slide) May we worship the same God that Jesus worshiped (John 20.17; Revelation 3.12)  

by Sean Finnegan Why did Jesus so often tell people to be quiet when they discovered he was the messiah? Christianity is all about telling the world this truth. In fact, Jesus’ last words–the Great Commission–include the mandate to spread the gospel around the world. So, why was it that in his own ministry he was so reticent about who he was? Was it because of humility or did he have another reason? Listen to this message to find out about the messianic secret and the glorious moment when Jesus publicly announced his messianic claim during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. initial narrative (Mark 11.1-11) Hosanna is “Save now”, rejoicing! jubilation! excitement! turn to Zechariah 9 messianic secret examples of Jesus telling people not to tell about him (messianic secret) Demon in Synagogue at Capernaum (Mark 1.21-28) Raising Jairus’ Daughter (Mark 5.21-24, 35-43) Peter’s Confession (Mark 8.27-30) So, casting out spirits he told them “shhhh don’t tell” healing people like Jairus’ daughter he said “shhh don’t tell who I am” even his own disciples he said “shhh don’t tell” ALL THAT CHANGED WHEN HE ENTERED JERUSALEM the triumphal entry as revealing the ultimate secret JESUS IS MESSIAH! But what is a “Messiah?” is it a sensai like Woo who teaches spin-jitsu? is it a power ranger megazord robot? is it an Ariel sea horse? <<slide it is a King like David (1 Chron 17.11-14) three ways: (coded actions) riding the donkey (Zechariah 9.9-10 prophecy) palm branches called “Son of David”, “King of Israel” Gabriel promised Mary that Jesus would rule over Israel forever (Luke 1.31-33) “The Son of David”, “Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!”, “The King of Israel” but the Romans, the bad guys, would not like that, because they wanted to stay in charge so any time someone called themselves a king the Romans would kill them we’ll talk about what happened to Jesus when the Romans found out about him being called the King of the Jews next week Jesus is Messiah! Jesus is Messiah! Jesus is Messiah! is this a secret? is it a secret in your life? we have an opportunity (Easter is coming up) best time to invite friends, relatives, co-workers

by Keith Daniel Hailing from South Africa, Keith Daniel is one of the best preachers I’ve ever heard. His unmitigated passion and lived experience colors his biblical exposition in a way that urges the listener to be better for God. This sermon is not really a sermon but a biography of his father. In it Daniel recounts the remarkable life of his “daddy” who went through not only the Great Depression and World War II, but also came to make piles of money in the business world before realizing that he was about to lose his family due to his insane work habits and his alcohol addiction. Although the audio quality is not very good, the content couldn’t be better. Listen in to the phenomenal testimony of an unlikely man who changed so much that his wife once asked, “I don’t know who you are anymore,” since she was so overwhelmed by the dramatic change in his life.

by Sean Finnegan Why do we believe that Jesus is the Jewish messiah? What is our evidence? Taking a look at contemporary miracle workers like Honi the Circle Drawer and Hanina ben Dosa, Jesus of Nazareth stands out as an exceptional healer and exorcist. Taking our cue from ancient Jewish interpretations of Isaiah 53, we can see how Jesus of Nazareth best fits the prophesied suffering servant. These two lines of inquiry intertwine in the historical Jesus to produce a compelling case that he really is the long-awaited Jewish messiah. Miracles Isaiah 35: The prophet envisions a renewed world when the desert will bloom, the weak will find encouragement, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap, the mute will shout, and all will worship God joyfully. Isaiah 61: God acts bringing good news to the afflicted, liberty to the captives, vengeance to the wicked, and comfort to all who mourn. His people will rebuild, serve as priests, and possess a double portion in the land. As the earth brings forth sprouts, so God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up. Other miracle workers: Honi the Circle Drawer (1st century bc), Hanina ben Dosa (1st century ad) Messiahs Isaiah 53: He will not have a majestic appearance, but he will be despised, forsaken, acquainted with grief. He will bear our griefs and sorrows, be pierced through for our transgressions, be crushed for our iniquities. By his scourging we are healed. Oppressed and afflicted, he remained silent. He was cut off yet found his grave with the rich; thereby, he interceded for transgressors and justified the many. Jewish sources that thought Isaiah 53 referred to the Messiah: Babylonian Talmud ad 180 Targum Jonathan ad 200 Midrash Ruth Rabbah ad 850 Rabbi Moshe Maimonides ad 1200 Zohar via Moses de León ad 1290 Moshe Ibn Crispin ad 1375 Other leaders of messianic movements: Athronges (4 bc), Judah the Galilean (ad 6), the Samaritan Prophet (ad 36), Theudas (ad 45), the Egyptian Prophet (ad 58), Simon bar Giora (ad 69), Simon ben Kosiba (ad 132) Who best fits the Kingdom age and suffering servant prophecies?

by Craig Blomberg This is one of those areas where, as a preacher, I can’t help but be very sensitive.  Although most pastors struggle with just enough to get by, a few have amassed great wealth or even embezzled people’s contributions.  Because of some very public bad examples, people tend to be leery of listening to pastors talk about finances.  However, it’s an extremely significant topic that the bible talks about quite a lot: both how to steward your possessions and how to give.  Join Craig Blomberg as he surveys the bible, basing his remarks on his book Neither Poverty nor Riches.  I think you will be surprised by the breadth of his presentation as well as gain some insight into this important topic.

by Sean Finnegan Have you ever wondered what happened between the Old Testament and the New Testament? When the Old Testament closes the people have returned to their land after the 70 year captivity and are living under the Persian empire, though they have significant freedoms, including the right to worship God in the rebuilt temple. However, when we begin reading the New Testament, the whole scene is different. Now the Romans are in power and we encounter these new religious groups likes Sadducees and Pharisees. Where did they come from? What happened in between? Though you might assume the Romans just took over from the Persians, the story in ancient Israel is more complicated than that. The people fought and won their independence from their Greek overlords and established a kingdom that lasted over a century&#8211;called the Hasmonean dynasty. Often times historians refer to this time as the Maccabean period, named after the revolutionary freedom fighter, Judah the Maccabee. Understanding this interim is crucial for New Testament studies and explains why so many Judeans in Jesus&#8217; day were naming their kids John, Judah (or Judas), and Simon. This lecture was part of a class called &#8220;Exploring Scripture.&#8221; To access more of this class, go to Exploring Scripture. If you can&#8217;t see the slides to this lecture, click here. Overview from Abraham to the Return from Exile Abrahamic Covenant Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Egypt as a good place to sojourn Egyptian oppression, Moses, the 10 plagues, Red Sea Law given (10 commandments) Disobedience to enter the land (40 years wandering in the wilderness) Entering the land (Joshua and the Judges) First three Kings Kingdom Divides Israel taken into captivity Judah taken into captivity Judah returns Age of Empires Assyrian Empire Babylonian Empire Persian Empire Greek Empire Alexander the Great At 20 years old Alexander (son of Philip of Macedon) became king in 336 bc. military commander (undefeated in battle) defeated Darius III at the Battle of Issus in 333 bc conquered most of the world known to the ancient Greeks pressing east into India (map slide) Judah became a Greek province he founded Alexandria in Egypt In 331 bc, Alexander was welcomed as a liberator in Egypt and was pronounced the son of Zeus by Egyptian priests of the god Amun. From then on, Alexander referred to the god Zeus-Ammon as his true father. Alexander was a brilliant and fearless military strategist Aristotle was his personal tutor Hellenization: Alexander’s idea to make the world Greece Greece is “Hellas” or the “Hellenic” Republic in Greek he wanted to make the world like Greece, civilizing it. wanted people in his domain to speak Greek, act Greek, be Greek. Hellenizing: civilizing people to the Greek way of thinking and acting all conquered provinces were to be Hellenized method of indoctrination was simple &amp; effective ordered his officers and men to intermarry with the native populations and to beget many children. in 10 years he founded 25 Greek cities in the Middle East most notably Alexandria He spread: Greek language, religion philosophy city structure recreation educational structures sports attitude towards the body (i.e. circumcision) by the time of Jesus Greek was the international language</

by Ben Witherington III Have you heard about the controversial James Ossuary? An ossuary is a small coffin, often made of limestone, that the Jews in the second Temple period used for the bones of their deceased loved ones. Someone found an ossuary with the inscription &#8220;James son of Joseph, his brother is Jesus.&#8221; Could this find be the actual ossuary of Jesus&#8217; brother, James? Join world class scholar, Ben Witherington, as he defends it’s authenticity. If Witherington is correct, this archaeological find is the best material evidence of early Christianity.

by Sean Finnegan What is the meaning of life? What is the reason to live? Why are you here? What are you living for? In what ways does your life make a difference? How do you lead a meaningful life? Listen to this message to discover not only what happiness experts says, but, more importantly, what Jesus&#8217; purpose statements were and how that can affect your purpose today. Rick Warren’s Three Levels of Living survival success significance Martin Seligman’s Three Levels of Happiness pleasant life good life meaningful ilfe Both put purpose at the pinnacle of human experience. Jesus’ Purpose Statements to preach the kingdom of God everywhere (Luke 4.43; Mark 1.38) to seek and save the lost (Luke 19.10; 1 Timothy 1.15; also Luke 4 in Nazareth) to call sinners to repentance (Mark 2.17; Acts 3.26) to give his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20.28; 1 John 4.10) to provide others with an abundant life (John 10.10) As he was sent so he sends us (John 20.21) We are his witnesses (Luke 24.46-48) Our great commission (Matthew 28.18-20)