Expedition 44

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. 

The Old Testament ends with Israel in exile because of their sin.  To a Jew, forgiveness of sin would mean the release from exile.  - Zechariah's Song The end of exile and the forgiveness of sins would be marked by God’s presence returning to His people.  The Gospel of the Kingdom connects the Old and New Testament.  

The 5 parts of a kingdom are: a king, a rule, a people, a law, and a land.  A King   King Jesus leads a new exodus and ends exile.  The simple Gospel is that “Jesus is the resurrected saving king”.  McNight - Wright Conclusion: • Good news about the end of exile(forgiveness of sin) and return of the Jewish king (presence of God) and the Kingdom of God (King, rule, people, law and land) • We tend to break the gospel down to just it’s benefits for us (me centered- western presentation) where in reality the Gospel is simply Jesus is king (It’s about Him) and he is inviting you to participate in his kingdom.    

We can’t unhitch the Old Testament and the story of Israel from the Gospel. Acts 2:14-39; 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 7:2-53; 10:34-43; 13:16-41; 14:15-17; 17:22-31.  The purpose of the Gospel is allegiance to Jesus the king in all the nations. • Read the book of Acts the gospel presentations there are all about Jesus being king We are invited to be part of the Kingdom story through faith!

Dr. Will Ryan and Pastor Matt with Expedition 44 take a look at worship in the Bible.

Dr. Will Ryan and Pastor Matt use the Socio Rhetorical Method to break down Romans 8:28-30   This method contains 5 textures of the text are: 1) inner texture, 2) intertexture, 3) social and cultural texture, 4) ideological texture, and 5) sacred texture. A 6th was added at SBL by William Brodson which is the homiletical texture (for preaching).     -Inner texture -Intertexture -Socio-Cultural Texture   -Ideological Texture -Sacred Texture   -Foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified -Firstborn language -past tenses

Dr. Will Ryan and Pastor Matt  interview Dr. Matthew Bates on Gospel Faith and Allegiance  

Gospel

• We’ve often heard of the Romans Road, 4 spiritual laws, and justification by faith as the Gospel in the western church. Are these correct? What is problematic about letting the benefits of the gospel run the narrative?  

• Many focus just on the cross alone when talking about the gospel, though this is very important, it is not the whole gospel. Could you describe the Biblical gospel to us as you describe in your book Gospel Allegiance and how the cross is just a part of the whole gospel?  

• In your book you talk about the gospel as a royal announcement vs. persuasive rhetoric. Most modern Christians make the gospel a sales pitch, is this a correct way to present the gospel?  

• What would ring in the original audience’s hears when they heard this king Jesus gospel in the first century (Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not)? What are the implications today?  

• As we’ve talked about, most people see the gospel as salvation.  How are the gospel and salvation linked if the gospel is primarily a royal announcement of Jesus as king?  

Faith/Allegiance   

• The gospel requires a response of faith. You write about the concept of faith as allegiance in both Gospel Allegiance and Salvation by Allegiance Alone. Could you explain this concept vs. the usual western view of simple belief? 

 • In your book you talk about how we get grace wrong in the west. You mention 6 dimensions of grace (Jon Barclay) could you talk about how these tie into the first century view of grace and allegiance.   

• Many conflate faith and works (especially in Paul). Could you speak to how faith and works are not at odds in context? 

 • You state that you wrote Gospel Allegiance for the church. What are you hoping the results of this view of the gospel and faith will have on congregations and discipleship (You talk a lot about disciple making in chapter 7 of Gospel Allegiance)?