The Restoration Project Podcast

the restoration project. Tim Steindl. 19 November 2017

Sometimes it is necessary to take a break from our scheduled sermon series to address issues in our community. Two days prior to this sermon, one of our member families experienced a devastating house fire. In this teaching, Josh talks about the importance of the Doxology, and why we sing it each week as a church family.

the restoration project. Joshua James. 12 November 2017

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As this major section of Galatians comes to a close, Paul has one final, biblical argument for the Galatian church to consider: the story of Sarah and Hagar in Genesis. Some scholars propose that the reason he cites this story is because Jewish-Christian missionaries had used it to prove the Galatian church's need to be circumcised. As you can expect, Paul interprets the story in a very different way.

Before we can jump into his argument, however, we need a refresher on who these characters are and what we can learn from them in the OT.

the restoration project. Joshua James. 5 November 2017

In this week's text, Paul interrupts his very sophisticated (and thoroughly Jewish) re-reading of the Old Testament with a highly emotional and angsty plea to the Galatian churches. Put simply, they have "gone back" and he can't understand why. He even describes his feelings as "labor pains," which will last until Christ is formed in these churches. From this, Josh asks several questions about our maturation process—our spiritual growth and development, our formation in Christ.

the restoration project. Joshua James. 29 October 2017

Small Group Study Questions

(1)Who are the people that you care about? Is their spiritual development important enough to you that you would be in pains to see them "decline"?

(2) When Paul says that he is in pains "until Christ is formed in you," what do you think that means? How is Christ being formed in *you? How would you like to see Christ being formed in TRP?

(3)In this passage, Paul is depicted as a pastor contending for the growth of the Galatian church. How would you like to see your pastors contending for your growth?

the restoration project. Joshua James. 22 October 2017

the restoration project. Joshua James. 15 October 2017

Small Group Study Questions:

(1) Nerd question: Paul reads the Old Testament very strangely (well, he reads it as a first century, Jewish-Christian, former Pharisee). Do you find the way he has handled it alarming? Or just confusing? (Re-read 3.15-16 for one example.)

(2) Paul began the letter (and chapter three) speaking derogatorily to the Galatians ("I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you..."; "You foolish Galatians"). In 3.15, he calls them "brothers and sisters." Can you empathize with Paul's anger and also his familial concern for these churches? have you had situations where you have had to manage anger and familial love for people? (obviously) Share a story.

(3) After three chapters of argument, Paul begins to turn a corner by attempting to reinforce the *identity of the Galatian Christians. "So in Christ you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (v. 26) "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (v. 29)

Discuss your identity in Christ. Do you accept that you belong to Christ, that you are children of God, that you are heirs? How does your wrestling with these concepts help/hurt?

(4) In 3.28, Paul describes the barriers (of ethnicity/race, class, and gender) that are decimated by our union with Christ. Discuss the *practical effects of this in our lives. (Or perhaps better, discuss what the *practical effects MIGHT BE if we lived in light of this radical truth.)

This week, we are in for another tough passage in the book of Galatians. Luckily, it is part of Paul's larger (sustained) argument concerning the contrast between the Law and Faith/the Faithfulness of Jesus/the Spirit. Unlike last week, Paul begins a defense of his position by producing an interesting (and unique) interpretation of the Bible. His opponents, to be sure, didn't like it.

Josh makes the jump from this passage to an examination of our own "us versus them" mentality.

the restoration project. Joshua James. 8 October 2017

the restoration project. Joshua James. 1 October 2017

In this week's teaching, Josh explores Paul's dense theological language in Galatians 2:15-21 in an attempt to get at the heart of his gospel message. Here's a spoiler: it's not about circumcision, it's about trusting in Jesus.

the restoration project. Joshua James. 24 September 2017

Small Group Study Questions

(1) NT Wright summarizes this passage: “Paul’s head-on clash with Peter in Antioch was about Christian identity. His passionate appeal to the Galatians is about their Christian identity.” How do you define the "Christian identity"? Do you struggle to place yourself within this "identity"?

(2) In the past, scholars (and many pastors) have viewed the contrast that Paul highlights between "works of the law" and "faith in Christ" as a contrast between Jewish legalism and our faith in Christ. Some propose that a better reading of Paul's teaching is to identify the works of the law as circumcision (and observing Jewish food laws and Sabbath rules) and faith as a description not of our faith IN Christ, but the faithfulness OF Christ. If that's right, how is this reading different in terms of application? (*Note: this is a tough one!)

(3) In Galatians 2:20, Paul writes, "I have been crucified with

Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Richard Hays describes the theological importance of this line of thought: “Paul is describing the experience of having his former life-world terminated and entering a new sphere of reality where he is no longer in charge. This is not merely a matter of having his sins forgiven; instead, it is a matter of being transformed for service.”

Describe this transformation. What sort of service are we being transformed to accomplish?

(4) Paul concludes, "The life I now live in the flesh, I live within the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Discuss the love of Jesus and its impact on you as a person. (I'm not looking for a theological answer, but an experiential answer.)

Last week, we discussed the agreement between Paul and the Jerusalem church leaders over the issue of circumcision. This week, whatever unity was achieved in that meeting has seemingly dissipated. Paul recounts Peter's visit to Antioch, his practice of eating with Gentile Christians, and then his "forcing" them to practice Jewish customs due to external pressures from more conservative Jewish/Jewish Christian groups. It's a deeply embedded text, but surprisingly, there's a good bit of application for us.

the restoration project. Joshua James. 17 September 2017

Small Group Study Questions

(1) Collectively, can you recreate the setting of Galatians: why is Paul so upset? what is happening in the churches of Galatia? why does Paul stress the "independence" of his gospel? what did the Jerusalem church leaders decide about Titus: did he need to be circumcised to be a full follower of Jesus?

And from this week's teaching: why is Paul so mad at Peter? what did he do wrong?

(2) NT Wright sets the context for our understanding of Galatians 2:11-14, stating, "It’s hard for Westerners today to see how serious a matter table-fellowship was in the early church. … A moment’s thought, however, will remind us that there have been many places in the world until very recently, and there are still some, where if your skin is the wrong color, or if you are known to belong to the wrong religion, or perhaps simply if your accent gives you away as the wrong sort of person, there will be some who will not sit down and eat with you."

Discuss.

(3) Peter was being pressured by more conservative Jews and/or Jewish-Christians to break fellowship with Gentile (or non-Jewish) Christians. Why?

(4) Can you sympathize with these conservative groups? (Another way to ask this is, have you ever had struggled to change your mind with regard to an issue of biblical interpretation or theology or the beliefs and practices Christian faith?)

(5) Paul identifies Peter as a hypocrite, which in this time period would have evoked an image of a play actor wearing a mask. Have you ever struggled with your acceptance or perception to the point where it caused you to be untrue to who you really are/what you really believe? Tell the story.

(6) NT Wright concludes his commentary on this section by writing the following: "All those in Christ must be who they truly are. You don’t need masks or make-up in the kingdom of God."

Discuss.