Expedition 44

Dr. Ryan and Matt continue their series on Sermon on the Mount and look at Nonviolence & Enemy Love (Matthew 5:38-5:48):  -Israel’s law of retribution included both capital punishment (Life for life) and Corporal punishment (tooth for tooth)  -how should we view the inspiration of the Bible? Is Jesus contradicting the OT here? He said he came to fulfill the law and to overthrow it… but here he’s overthrowing it.   -Cruciform Approach- This is similar to the Narrative approach, but it is building on it saying that all of scripture should be viewed through the lens of Jesus and his act of love on the cross (Greg Boyd)  -Jesus reshapes his follower’s response to injustice according to how He interprets the Law (Love God Love Others). His response is not retaliation but with grace, compassion, and mercy in a way that reverses injustice in a way that an “evil person” becomes a “neighbor”.       -This is addressed to Jesus’ followers and not to governments (We’ll get into a believer’s involvement in systems of government at the end of this)     “Jesus advocates not for balmy passivity but for nonviolent hyperactivity soaked in stubborn love”- Preston Sprinkle      To be perfect means to love all humans, Jews and Romans, as neighbors. This lines up perfectly with Jesus’s hermeneutical approach to Torah. As Jesus says in Matt 22:34-40 that all the Torah and the prophets hang on Loving God and Loving others and this fulfills the entirety of God’s will, this too is surpassing the Righteousness (covenant behavior) of the Pharisees.    Is God Violent? If nonviolence is the ethic, we are supposed to be living towards then what about God? He seems particularly violent in the OT and in Revelation.  We have a few options  1. We can question the morality of God. Perhaps God is, at times, monstrous.  2. We can question the immutability of God. Maybe God does change over time.  3. We can question how we read Scripture. Could it be that we need to learn to read the Bible in a different way?    Conclusions and thoughts:  -It’s hard to discount the violent picture of God and Israel in the OT or even that God’s enemies will be defeated in the end, but I don’t see believer called to take up arms at participate in killing.   -I do believe that God was working with his people as he found them and moving them towards his ideal which is love of enemy and nonviolence. We are called to give ourselves up in the same way Jesus did. He was the truly human one and revealed to us how we are to live.    -How do followers live this out today?  -Are we called to effectiveness or faithfulness? Jesus seemed to win by losing in the world’s eyes. We are called to do the same.   -We are called to be perfect as our father is perfect and in context that is radical love of enemy, even if it costs us.   • This is about being overtly pro-life in our actions, speech, and protection/respect of all life from conception to grave as the image of God.   • Romans 8:12 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Dr. Will Ryan of Covenant Theological Seminary and Matt continue their series on the Sermon on the Mount and look at Matt 5:17-38.  Fulfilling the Law and the Prophets (Matt 5: 17-20)  What is the Law? It’s about bearing God’s name in a wise way and not about statutory or legislative law  Paul and the Law -Faith and works “of the Law”-  Stop gap thinking Fulfillment The Law was given to Israel as a covenant contract.   As New Covenant people we are called to the Law of Jesus which was the heart of the Torah- Love God Love others.   Anger and Murder (Matt 5:21-26)  Mishna - Pirke Avot  Will be in danger of the fires of Hell (Gehenna)   Adultery (Matt 5:27-30)  Heb. עַיִן הָרָע, ayin ha-ra; lit., "the eye of the evil"  Divorce (Matt 5: 31-32)  Oaths (Matt 5:33-37)

Dr. Will Ryan and Matt kick off a series on the Sermon on the Mount. In this episode we cover the historical background to Matthew 5-7, the Beatitudes(Matt 5:1-12), and the concepts of being Salt and Light(5:13-16).  -Jesus as Moses/Israel in Matthew  -The Kingdom of God -Anawim  -sacred soil  -All Israel  -Bible Project Justice video  -tolerance  -churchianity  -scapegoat  -Old Testament  -Hebrew

Dr. Will Ryan and Matt Mouzakis interview Dr. Carmen Imes on her recent book. A conversation dealing with Old Testament law converging with life today. A look at the first three commands, and specifically what it meant to take God's name in vain. We continue to discuss being bearers of God's name and a light in darkness. We discuss Israel and the context of the old Testament today.

Dr. Will Ryan and pastor Matt Mouzakis Interview Keith Giles the author of Jesus Untangled. Buy Jesus Untangled: https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Untangled-Crucifying-Politics-Allegiance/dp/193848021X/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-nc-drs1_0?cv_ct_cx=Jesus+Untangled&dchild=1&keywords=Jesus+Untangled&pd_rd_i=193848021X&pd_rd_r=2282b1e0-4183-4623-b2d8-fc374ab6e36f&pd_rd_w=Yw61s&pd_rd_wg=PVla4&pf_rd_p=84ce0865-d9ca-42e3-87ed-168be8f93162&pf_rd_r=QAJ2DRKREGXSXY74WYCX&psc=1&qid=1608181148&sr=1-1-88388c6d-14b8-4f70-90f6-05ac39e80cc0 Follow Keith Giles: www.keithgiles.com

How should Christians approach politics as citizens of God’s kingdom?   As Christians we are citizens of heaven and the kingdom of God, but this is a physical reality here on earth. Christ’s kingdom is not only spiritual or imaginary.  So, as Christians should we participate in the Kingdoms of this world?    Ultimately our allegiance is to the Lamb. He calls us to come out of Her (Babylon) in revelation and follow the slaughtered lamb into the new creation by following his way of living… a non-violent, self-giving, cross shaped existence of love.   Worldly Empires will always be empires and act like empires. We are called to live as part of a different kingdom and as exiles here. so… Seek the best for America, vote if you must, pray for our leaders, be good citizens, pay your taxes, but pledge your allegiance to only King Jesus and stay out of politics if possible, it only distracts from our marching orders given by our King.

Doc Ryan of Expedition 44 and Brian Phillips of Grace Ops Circumcision was part of the covenant God had with Abraham, his descendants and their slaves as "a token of the covenant" concluded with him by God for all generations, an "everlasting BLOOD covenant" (Genesis 17:13). Cutting of the covenant… Similar to baptism it was an outward sign of who you belong to… your allegiance. The penalty of non-observance was kareth (Hebrew: "cutting off") from the people (Genesis 17:10–14, 21:4; Leviticus 12:3). Non-Israelites had to undergo circumcision before they could be allowed to take part in the feast of Passover… the hundred foreskin dowry (1 Samuel 18:25–27) and the story of the Lord threatening to kill Moses, and being placated by Zipporah's circumcision of their son (Exodus 4:24–26), and the circumcision at Gilgal of Joshua 5 Walk –John says that if we claim to be in Christ, we must walk as He did. The Greek verb, peripateo, is a nice Hebrew idiom translated into Greek. In Hebrew, it would be halach, used figuratively to express a way of life. In the Hebrew culture, what helps one helps all and what harms one harms all. The sense of community comes before any consideration of individual well-being. Maybe that’s why there are only two great commandments: love God first and love your neighbor second. It was God’s way of walking… to walk with others… discipleship. ‘When Jesus calls a man, he bids him come and die.’ The true disciple is not simply an admirer. He is the person who will follow Jesus wherever he leads, even though that may mean pain, persecution and sacrifice. In the Roman world, the cross stood for pain, rejection, shame, and guilt. We are to take up the cross ‘daily’. That is to say, habitually, and in the details of life. It sometimes seems easier to trust God with the ‘years’ of our lives than with the ‘days’. We have faith and obedience in general, but not in particular. But cross-carrying is a daily assignment.

Join Dr. Will Ryan, Pastor Steve Cassell, Pastor Brian Phillips, and Pastor Bob Lindquist as they have an authentic discussion on men and discipleship. www.stevecassell.com https://graceops.net/five-star-charge/

The Image of God is a vocation to rule as God’s ambassadors through His wisdom. Gen 1:26-29, Psalm 8:4-8 We are cracked images and have tried to rule to world and live by our own wisdom (idolatry). Romans 3:23 Jesus is truly human one who faithfully and correctly images God. 2 Cor 3:18, 2 Cor 4:4, Rom 8:29 The Holy Spirit is at work within us to conform us to the image of Christ To image God in community (with God and others) on this earth in resurrected bodies for eternity The Bible begins with Eden and ends with Eden God’s plan has not changed from beginning to end The image of God is the royal office or calling of human beings as God’s representatives and agents in the world. Image of God means that humans have been given power to share in God’s rule or administration of the earth’s resources and creatures. - J Richard Middleton (The Liberating Image) The notion of the “image” doesn’t refer to a particular spiritual endowment, a secret “property” that humans possess somewhere in their genetic makeup, something that might be found by a scientific observation of humans as opposed to chimps. The image is a vocation, a calling. It is the call to be an angled mirror, reflecting God’s wise order into the world and reflecting the praises of all creation back to the Creator. That is what it means to be the royal priesthood: looking after God’s world is the royal bit, summing up creation’s praise is the priestly bit. – NT Wright (The Lost World of Adam and Eve)

What is Baptism?    o Method: Infant or believer?  o Mode: Sprinkling, pouring, Immersion?   o An action or the results? Dying or tinging    Paul connects the signs circumcision and baptism. Colossians 2:11-12  Circumcision did not produce salvation. Romans 4:9-12  Circumcision and baptism are signs representing membership in a community of truth. Romans 3:1-2  Baptism is spiritual warfare! 1 Peter 3:18-22  Baptism is a pledge of allegiance to King Jesus and Kingdom of God.   What is Communion? Our understanding communion should be framed by the last supper.   The last supper was a Passover meal. Luke 22:7-23   Communion celebrates the New Covenant told of by Jeremiah and initiated through Jesus’ blood.   Paul’s theology of communion revolves around fellowship and remembrance. 1 Corinthians 8-11   CONTEXT IS KEY!!!!   • 1 Corinthians chapters 8-11 are one unit. Understanding the context will help us understand communion and what it means for the church.    Recap: • 1 Corinthians 8 and 11:17-34 connect the importance unity in relationships when taking communion.  • 1 Corinthians 9 and 11:17-34 connect communion to the fellowship meal of the priesthood in the OT. The church (all believers) is the new priesthood and communion is our fellowship meal.  • 1 Corinthians 10 and 11:17-34 connect the concept of fellowship in this ritual and how we actually connect with God during communion.  • 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 and 11:17-34 connect the necessity for equality within the Church and the importance of meeting needs in the body. We come to the table as equals.    Communion is:  • To Remember: The purpose of the Lord’s supper is the “remember the Lord’s death until he comes” and proclaim his death (and resurrection) to onlookers.   • To Fellowship: Don’t turn it into a spectacle or an occasion where fellow believers are humiliated or dis-fellowshipped by something we do in our local bodies. Use the opportunity to meet needs. *Shout out to The Naked Bible Podcast and Dr. Michael Heiser. Check out his episodes on Communion and Baptism for more on this. much of our material is a summary of his teachings on these topics.