Restitutio

by Vince Finnegan From Exodus and Deuteronomy, God makes clear who he is and how he wants his chosen people to worship him.  He is Yahweh, the one God of Israel, the only one.  His identity does not change.  Sadly, later on God became the victim of identity theft, as Christians developed the dogma of the Trinity and substituted three for one.  Now is the time to repent of this egregious act of hubris and return to how God defines himself.  He is the only one who is truly God who reigns supreme over all, even Jesus.  Join Vince Finnegan (my dad) as he teaches with boldness and conviction in a message that is sure to fire you up! Notes: Exodus 6:1-8 The revealing of YAHWEH as Almighty God. YAHWEH is the proper name of the one true God. The manner in which God led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt showed them that YAHWEH is God. Exodus 7:4 and 5, 14-17; 8:10, 22 This incredible event also showed the Egyptians and the entire world that YAHWEH is God. God’s salvation for Israel and His judgment on Egypt is how He revealed His Identity. Exodus 16:1-14 The manna from heaven revealed that He was YAHWEH their God. Exodus 20:1-7 After making clear His identity as YAHWEH their God, He gave commandment that there were to be no other gods before Him. Deuteronomy is a recapitulation of what was communicated in Exodus to their fathers. Moses therefore repeated, and also more largely explained; to which are likewise added several particular laws, instructions, and directions. The time frame addressed is the fortieth year, eleventh month when Israel was in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 1:6-8, 10, 30-40 The people Moses addressed in the book of Deuteronomy are the children of those who went into the wilderness. Only two of the millions went into the Promised Land. All the rest died in the wilderness, primarily because they refused to believe that YAHWEH was the one true God. They held onto the false gods of Egypt. During the years they lived in Egypt (about 210), everyone believed in the many gods of Egypt. The reason God selected the ten plagues was it directly challenged the gods of Egypt. Everyone they (Israel) knew believed in these gods. For them to believe in YAHWEH, a monotheistic God, would have made them outcasts or weird. Everyone believed in polytheistic gods. Moses is declaring YAHWEH as Almighty God to a people who have experienced His supernatural intervention all their lives fire by night, cloud by day, manna, Mount Horeb, angel leading them, etc. Deuteronomy 2:29, 31, 33, and 36; 3:2, 3, 18, 21-26 “YAHWEH” is used 439 times in Deuteronomy; “YAHWEH YOUR GOD,” 239; and “YAHWEH OUR GOD,” 21 times. “YAHWEH” is used 1,555 times in the books of Genesis to Deuteronomy. Christians who witness tell new people to read the gospel of John to learn about God. It is no wonder that so many people think Jesus is God because the emphasis is placed on Jesus with the exclusion of God. Thus, many followers of Christ are ignorant of the information YAHWEH provided about Himself. It is absolutely impossible to understand the Son without first knowing the Father. Deuteronomy 4:23 and 24, 35-39; 5:6-10; 6:4 and 5; 7:9-11; 10:17-21 YAHWEH wants to be identified and worshiped. Malachi 3:5-7 YAHWEH does not change. He is Who He is and has always been. His identity did not change with the birth of His Son. 5,789 times, YAHWEH is used in the Old Testament, and not once is there the slightest indication that He is three in one. Contrariwise is the powerfully empathic communication that YAHWEH IS ONE. Yet, the commonly accepted belief of most Christians is the Trinity dogma of the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. Ezekiel 25:17; 36:22-32; 39:7-10, 22 In Exodus, God’s wrath against Egypt and His salvation for Israel showed the world that He was YAHWEH. So it will

Have you ever struggled to interpret the bible?  Although many today think only professionals who are trained in seminaries can understand the bible, the truth is that every reader is a theologian to some degree.  The moment you pick up the book and begin reading, you also begin interpreting what you read.  The only question is: are you going to be a good theologian or a bad one?  Join Jerry Wierwille as he explains some of the key strategies you can use to understand scripture accurately.  He also covers some of the common pitfalls to avoid.  For more information about Wierwille, visit his website at jerrywierwille.com.

Last week I attended a youth camp in Indiana called FUEL.  They assigned me the text on the Prodigal Son (Luke 15).  As I pondered and prayed how I should approach this powerful parable, I sensed God wanted me to interweave my own story in with the prodigal.  As a result, I decided to share my testimony in an honest and raw way.  The next day, John Guthrie wrote this summary, which I felt well-encapsulated my message: Pastor Sean Finnegan used the Parable of the Prodigal Son as a jumping off point to tell his personal “prodigal son story.” Sean, the son of a pastor, seriously strayed from God when he first attended college. Sean spoke of his several serious addictive behaviors that led to situations that could have very well killed him. His addiction to video games was primarily the cause of his academic dismissal after only 2 semesters of college. His dad was furious at this news and told Sean he was a loser (which he acknowledged he was). He sank even further into trouble when he renewed his connections with former high school friends. His mom insisted he go to a community college, but he continued his destructive behavior which led to poor academic performance again. Like the prodigal son of Luke 15, Sean finally “came to himself.” He finally realized how out of control he was. And so, one night, he cried out to the God of his youth, “save me,” and if he would, Sean would live for Him. In spite of what may have been the wrong attitude, God did save him and Sean literally woke up a new man. He found new friends, went back to community college, learned how to study, and his grades were almost all A’s. He eventually had his way paid to attend RPI where he graduated with a 3.9 GPA in engineering. He asked us to access where we were in our spiritual journey. He hoped some could learn from his story and not follow the wrong path that he had taken. He shared Romans 10.9 and asked that those who had not yet decided to follow Christ might consider that. He asked, “Why not tonight?”

Drawing on the work of Peter Scazzero, Jerry Wierwille discusses how we can avoid some of the common unhealthy emotional pitfalls. No matter if you are new to the faith or someone who has persevered for decades, this subject will make you examine yourself to see if there are issues you need to overcome. Access more of Wierwille’s thoughts, including his blog and sermons, at jerrywierwille.com.

by Tim Keller What drives you?  What is that one person or thing or dream that you couldn’t live without?  What thing if you lost it, could mean that almost all significance and value would be drained out of your life?  Whatever that thing is, the bible calls it an idol, a counterfeit god.  Tim Keller expertly explains how any idol, no matter how good or wonderful, will ultimately break your heart.  Taking his cue from Augustine of Hippo, Keller argues that idolatry results from disordered love.  Thus, when we put our family or career or cause or goals first, we end up suffering rather than getting what we want.  God must be first and when he is, everything else falls into place.

Should Christians be patriotic? How patriotic should we be? Join Daniel Fitzsimmons, Rose Rider, and Sean Finnegan as they discuss issues related to patriotism and stake out a Christian perspective based on the example of Jesus and his earliest followers.

Historical Jesus 16: Resurrection Traumatized by their rabbi’s crucifixion, Jesus’ disciples endured maddening grief and cognitive dissonance as they tried to come to grips with what had happened.  Into the midst of despair and helplessness, Jesus appeared.  Although the first “Christians” were also the worst believers in his resurrection, eventually they came to see him, in the flesh, and their doubts were assuaged as rejoicing replaced their mourning.  The power of death is broken!  He really is the messiah!  All is not lost!  He is risen! Course notes are available here.

Is consumerism a force for good or ill in our society today?  How should Christians think about the ubiquity of advertising, our innate desire for novelty, and the allure of finding a deal?  For this episode Ruth Finnegan joins in with Daniel Fitzsimmons, Rose Rider, and Sean Finnegan to consider the pros and cons of consumerism as well as discuss what wisdom the bible has to share on this important subject. Read a detailed article on Consumerism here.

Historical Jesus 15: Crucifixion One of the most significant events in all of human history, Jesus’ crucifixion was at once a supreme miscarriage of justice while, at the same time, the supreme illustration of God’s love to humanity.  We’ll join Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemane, agonizing in prayer before his God, to his arrest, trials, and ultimately his torture and crucifixion. Course notes are available here.

Is scientific knowledge superior to all other forms of knowledge?  How should Christians balance faith and reason?  Join Rose Rider, Daniel Fitzsimmons, and Sean Finnegan as they discuss science and religion in an effort to describe and deconstruct the naive notion that science has all the answers. Read a detailed article on Scientism here.