The Restoration Project Podcast: Recent Episodes
restoresby
this is a collection of the teachings and music from The Restoration Project, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church located in Salisbury, MD.
In this week's pod, Josh and Laura discuss the flood narrative in Genesis 6–9. Here are some highlights: (1) this section of Genesis is not meant to be read as a historical reporting of real events, (2) other cultures have their own flood stories, some of which predate Genesis, (3) the similarities (and differences) between Genesis and other ancient Near Eastern flood stories are striking, and (4) should we go ahead and put a moratorium on graphic, violent Old Testament stories for kids ministry.17 February 2024
Josh and Laura talk a bunch of nonsense and (also) discuss a classic kids' Sunday school story from the book of Mark.
This week, Collin, Tessa, and Josh talk about Jonah! We'll cut to the chase in the description ... it isn't a historical story. But what does it mean? 21 January 2024
Josh and Tessa talk a bunch of nonsense and (also) discuss a classic kids' Sunday school story from the book of Samuel.14 January 2024Tessa's pop culture references: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhyHsu2iwps
Our lectionary passage for this week is Genesis 1:1–5, a well-known, not-at-all-controversial, and theologically dense text. Chris and Laura join Josh in Tessa's kitchen to talk about it. 7 January 2024
Advent sets aside time and space for hopeful anticipation during 4 weeks leading up to Christmas; our lives, however, are characterized during this time by busy schedules, buying gifts, holiday baking, going to events, spending sometimes challenging time with family.Advent asks us to look above it all and see what is coming; hope in the flesh; God with us.In this 4 week series, we will explore biblical texts that inform our understanding of advent. Join us as we look above it all and wait with hopeful anticipation for God with us, Emmanuel.
Advent sets aside time and space for hopeful anticipation during 4 weeks leading up to Christmas; our lives, however, are characterized during this time by busy schedules, buying gifts, holiday baking, going to events, spending sometimes challenging time with family.Advent asks us to look above it all and see what is coming; hope in the flesh; God with us.In this 4 week series, we will explore biblical texts that inform our understanding of advent. Join us as we look above it all and wait with hopeful anticipation for God with us, Emmanuel.
Advent sets aside time and space for hopeful anticipation during 4 weeks leading up to Christmas; our lives, however, are characterized during this time by busy schedules, buying gifts, holiday baking, going to events, spending sometimes challenging time with family.Advent asks us to look above it all and see what is coming; hope in the flesh; God with us.In this 4 week series, we will explore biblical texts that inform our understanding of advent. Join us as we look above it all and wait with hopeful anticipation for God with us, Emmanuel.
Advent sets aside time and space for hopeful anticipation during 4 weeks leading up to Christmas; our lives, however, are characterized during this time by busy schedules, buying gifts, holiday baking, going to events, spending sometimes challenging time with family.Advent asks us to look above it all and see what is coming; hope in the flesh; God with us. In this 4 week series, we will explore biblical texts that inform our understanding of advent. Join us as we look above it all and wait with hopeful anticipation for God with us, Emmanuel.
Josh and Tessa (but mostly Josh) talk about all things (well, some things) Joshua 1, and let me tell you ... it gets nerdtastic. Hosts: Josh James and Tessa StultzText: Joshua 1Date: 23 January 2023restoresby.org
Our very own Suzi Peterson tells the story of her eldest daughter coming out, and how christians responded. Please note, there is an "audience participation" element during this sermon and the audio gets a little funky. The cicadas were out in full force that Sunday. Many apologies.
4 April 2022. the restoration project www.restoresby.org
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (graphic designer/muralist/Enneagram 4/creative who likes Phoebe Bridgers)
25 March 2022. the restoration project www.restoresby.org
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (graphic designer/muralist/Enneagram 4/creative who likes Phoebe Bridgers)
18 March 2022. the restoration project www.restoresby.org
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (graphic designer/muralist/Enneagram 4/creative who likes Phoebe Bridgers)
Josh and Tessa are sticking with the laments in this week's podcast, as they chat about Psalm 13. Called the "paradigm" of lament psalms, Psalm 13 provides a good entryway into the world of petitioning God ... although, it's also a bit weird. The poem jumps from what seems to be a terrible situation (vv. 1–4) to some sort of resolution (vv. 5–6). It's a little frustrating. So we talk about it (and music and Hallmark Christmas movies and all sorts of other things that are only quasi-related).
the restoration project. 4 March 2022
In this episode, Josh and Tessa talk about all sorts of things ... some of them are even related to Psalm 3.
the restoration project. 27 February 2022
www.restoresby.org
So this series is a bit random. I (Josh) had to do some writing on Psalms. More specifically, I had to write 5 sermons on 5 psalms. I used this series to help "motivate" me to finish them. There is no real rhyme or reason as to why I selected these five psalms. They aren't connected in any meaningful way, but they are each really fun.
In this first episode, Tessa and I chat about some of the background stuff of Psalms.
the restoration project. 15 February 2022
www.restoresby.org
Ok, if you've ever been to a church service, you know that sometimes the sermons don't really land. It's try for us too. Last week's sermon, for a example, was a little under-baked. Good thing we have a podcast that allows Josh to try and explain "what he had meant to say." The reason why this one was tough is because ... it involves a complete rethink of a few very familiar concepts.
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (content machine)
the restoration project. 5 December 2021 www.restoresby.org
Things we reference: Alex Melton's Blink 182 inspired version of "Photograph": www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM8JONkD8h4
Kristin Wiig's comedic genius: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAOiN9CvDlg
Dopesick: www.hulu.com/series/dopesick
It's Advent, people. And you know what that means ...
The lectionary assigns some pretty weird, very non-Christmasy Bible stories, like this week's text from Luke 21. This text has *everything: signs in the sun, moon, and stars; people fainting from fear and foreboding; the powers of heavens shaking; the Son of Man coming on the clouds/peeking through the bookshelf (a la "Interstellar").
Get some eggnog for this one!
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (content machine)
the restoration project. 28 November 2021 www.restoresby.org
This week, we were graced with the presence of one, Anderson Collin (not to be confused with "Tyler") Denton, TRP's new worship leader/sometimes preacher. Since you don't know him, we try to get you caught up to speed on what this North Carolinian is all about, and we talk about Jesus and other related things.
Hosts: Josh James (pastor), Tessa Stultz (content machine)
the restoration project. 21 November 2021 www.restoresby.org
We have a special guest on the pod this week ... our very own, Associate Pastor, Suzi Peterson, who happened to handle the preaching duties at TRP on Sunday. As you'll hear, she went rogue, because sometimes the passages from the lectionary ain't cutting it. In the life of any church (and any minister), forcing yourself to preach something that won't connect can be tough ... so Suzi, wisely, scrapped it.
We talk about why, and why more people don't take a similar route, and how being vulnerable can be good medicine for the preacher and the congregation alike.
Hosts: Josh James (pastor), Tessa Stultz (content machine), Suzi Peterson (asspastor)
the restoration project. 14 November 2021 www.restoresby.org
If you value this sort of content, and you'd like to donate so we can keep making it, we'd be honored. give.restoresby.org
Our text on the pod this week is sort of a two-parter. First, Jesus rails against the religious leaders for their self-aggrandizement and for preying on the vulnerable. (This opens up all sorts of discussion about cool clothes, sneakers, and the ever popular, "long prayers.") And then, in the next section, Jesus observes a vulnerable person—a widow—participating in the very thing he's been railing against. More specifically, this person gives everything she has to the Temple treasury.
So ... is she an object for our emulation? Or is she is a symbol of the priests' deceitful practices? And what about religious institutions now? Do they still take advantage of people? (Spoiler: Yes. Yes, they do.)
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (content machine)
the restoration project. 7 November 2021 www.restoreby.org
Things are getting spooky on the pod this week as Josh and Tessa chat about a really weird passage in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 27:51-54). The real question is—what's spookier, zombies in the New Testament or something in the Bible not being historical?!
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (content machine)
the restoration project. 31 October 2021 www.restoresby.org
This week, Josh and Tessa talk about Jesus healing Bart, you know, the Son of Timaeus (the Son of Timaeus) from Mark 10. In addition to loads of biblical nerd stuff, they also talk miracles, accessibility, and the necessity of community transformation.
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (content machine)
the restoration project. 24 October 2021 www.restoresby.org
This week, Josh and Tessa are talking about Mark 10.32-45. Jesus predicts his death (again ...) and the disciples don't get it (again ...). In fact, two of the twelve have a little side chat about sitting on Jesus' left and right when he "enters his glory" in Jerusalem.
Naturally, this provides an opportunity for all sorts of ridiculous banter.
Be blessed.
the restoration project. 17 October 2021. www.restoresby.org
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (content machine)
Ok. So it's been a while since we've uploaded a sermon. (Many apologies.)
Part of the reason for that is ... we have been having more conversations lately than normal "sermons." And it's hard to capture the magic of what happens on a Sunday night conversation.
So here's what we are doing. We are going to try a long form, podcast style "sermon," which will basically be a Bible nerdfest (and other related conversations).
Let us know what you think!
Hosts: Josh James (pastor) and Tessa Stultz (content machine)
10 October 2021. the restoration project www.restoresby.org
This was so long ago, I'm not sure who was playing.
Tessa Stultz was singing. Bethany Jubilee was on the violin. And some other really talented folks were playing music.
(*If you like the graphic, Tessa designed a shirt. Check it out here: https://www.mmmkaycreative.com/product-page/short-sleeve-unisex-t-shirt)
Guest Speaker. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw. Jesus, The Temple, And Prophetic Sign Acts by restoresby
I know what you’re thinking. “Isn’t this a series on Joseph?” Yes. Yes, it is. But the way the story is told, the author interposes a chapter on one of Joseph’s brothers, Judah. It seems completely unrelated, and for many years scholars affirmed that conclusion. But really ... it has a lot of ties to work precedes and what follows.
**Also, parents and caretakers of kids, you might want to put your earbuds in, unless you want the kiddos hearing Josh say things like, “masturbation,” “coitus interruptus,” and “shrine prostitute.” (Typical sermon stuff.)
the restoration project. Joshua James. 24 January 2021
Joseph has some dreams ... and they don't go over too well with the brothers. In fact, they want to murder him. (Spoiler: They don't. But they do sell him into slavery.)
the restoration project. Joshua James. 17 January 2021
New SERIES!
We're talking about Joseph. You may know the story — punk kid, coat of many colors (although that's probably a bad translation), has a few dreams, brothers sell him into Egyptian slavery, succeeds and takes on a bunch of responsibility, gets accused of rape, goes to prison, interprets some dreams in "prison," takes on more responsibility, climbs the ladder, gets some "mental revenge" on his brothers, reconnects with his family, forgives his brothers, and then neatly ties the whole thing up into theological truism.
Now ... preaching all that? It's hard. We want to reduce it to a moral or a point (usually the whole theological truism bit mentioned above). It's my hope that we hear the story, we note some new pieces of information, and we let this story sit with us, that we ask questions of it, that we enter in and consider — what is God up to? what are these characters up to? what's going on?
So in Week 01 ... we set the stage.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 10 January 2021
Our Advent series this year is themed around the recurring command, "Do Not Fear." It appears throughout the birth narratives of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
This week, we focus on Joseph. He's usually "the guy who has to believe his wife when she said she didn't cheat on him." (She didn't.) But this is a massive reduction to the character of Joseph. if we can silence our own insecurities for a second, we might find that Joseph is doing something pretty crazy in his context.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 13 December 2020
Our Advent series this year is themed around the recurring command, "Do Not Fear." It appears throughout the birth narratives of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
This week, we focus on Mary, an 8th grader (more or less), who I think we have broadly misunderstood. When Luke places her story in contrast to that of Zechariah, however, we see her for what she is ... a bold, risk-taking, obedient young woman, ready to take on the world.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 6 December 2020
Anytime we introduce a new book, I'm overwhelmed by the amount of nerdy stuff we could talk about! The genre, the date, the provenance, the background, setting, audience ... and of course, the author.
In this talk, Josh focuses on the first verse of the book to make two broad, introductory points. First, the book of James is pretty terrible for a "letter." (It's a great book ... but a terrible letter.) And second, when we consider the story of James, "a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ," there's a lot going on under the surface ... too much, in fact, to leave buried there.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 16 August 2020
We have a guest preacher this week. Jared Byas from the Bible for Normal People! And because he knows we love the OT so much, we're hanging out in Genesis today. (Ok, ok, it's the assigned lectionary passage. But still. He could have picked something from the Gospels!)
You've heard this story before, but it's a good one. And it has a lot of implications for us.
the restoration project. Jared Byas. 26 July 2020
We've reached the end, at at the end, what we get is an oddly placed psalm. Scholars argue over what to think about the when of the psalm (and maybe also the why of the psalm), but some see it is a fitting conclusion.
Here's the synopsis: regardless of what is going on, I will rejoice.
I will wait on the Lord.
But if we think this means we being inactive ... we are missing it.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 19 July 2020
Habakkuk 2:6ff is a section of text that scholars refer to as the “woe oracles.” It’s unclear who is the referent (who is getting woe'd), but most assume it's the controlling empire of the day, Babylon.
This raises a few questions for us...
What about today?
Are we being "woe'd"?
Are we ... the empire?
the restoration project. Joshua James. 12 July 2020
"The just will live by faith" or something like that.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 5 July 2020
Sermons sometimes have weird beginnings. This one was inspired (sort of) by a text message about Jewish interpretive practices ... and then fanned into flame by stumbling upon a modern Jewish reading of Habakkuk.
Like the prophet, we wait for those we love. All of them.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 21 June 2020
Ok, alright. Ok. Calm down.
This isn't exactly a "light" summer sermon series, but here we are.
The majority of Habakkuk is a conversation between the prophet and God, in which the prophet sort of goes nuts. "Violence!" he screams.
God responds (which is weird, and when we hear what God says, a bit unsettling).
In this talk, we are thinking about things from 30,000 feet: what about us? are we praying? are we lamenting? are we petitioning? And also, are we expecting God to act? Does that mean we don't have to? For us, is the message properly updated as "just get people saved and let Jesus fix it." (Spoiler: no.)
the restoration project. Josh James. 14 June 2020
This is Eric. he is guest speaking this week. He's a psychotherapist and ordained Baptist minister from Knoxville, Tennessee. We asked him to speak because he's funny. And smart. And he can coherently dissect what's typically going on in our brains as we post on Facebook.
the restoration project. Eric Minton. 28 June 2020
It's been a few weeks since the (global) unrest and cries for racial justice began due to the death of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. Things are happening, but things haven't really gotten *better yet. (Not that we would expect large scale changes to be instituted in such a short time.) People are, however, speaking up and moving to action.
Keep going.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 7 June 2020
Here we are again. Two weeks after a sermon on Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, we mourn the loss of George Floyd. And again, I'm sort of appalled by the majority reaction (or noun-reaction) from the Church. So we look at a parable, which hopefully will encourage us to do *something.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 31 May 2020
This week, in response to the tragic death of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, we’re talking about racial justice, and the tendency of white majority churches to avoid the issue altogether. It’s a beginning…
the restoration project. Joshua James. 17 May 2020
Maybe you’ve heard this one before. It’s definitely a meaningful passage for Josh (read: he talks about it a LOT). But here we are … needing some comfort again. And this passage is a good reminder.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 3 May 2020
How long do we lament? In this sermon, we do not try to move beyond our feelings. For many of us, we are still in the throes of lament. (And that is ok. Honor that.) But we do provide some encouragement in this teaching to the community to share their stories.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 26 April 2020
Ok, so I lied. We aren’t going back to John, at least not for our Sunday sermons. We’re going to keep hanging out in Psalms, as we attempt to find language for what’s going on. First up, Psalm 13. Hopefully, we can find ourselves in “the pause.”
the restoration project. Joshua James. 19 April 2020
Well, TRP, with things being as they are, we don’t get to have our standard Easter celebration this year. We don’t even get to leave our homes! That means no dancing, no singing, no eating and drinking, and my favorite … no toast (sort of). But hopefully, we can be reminded of why we celebrate in the first place—Jesus took on the very worst that humanity had to offer and he carried it. Three days later, his life proclaimed that nothing can separate us from him, not even death.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 12 April 2020
Ok. Ok. We tried. We tried to just keep our head down and keep talking about John (continuing in our sermon series, “The Spiritual Gospel”). But many of us, I think, are feeling a bit displaced, a bit disappointed, a bit scared. So here are some thoughts on the Psalms.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 5 April 2020
We are nearing the end of our study of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse. (Only one more teaching to go!)
This week, we tackle all sorts of stuff, from the disciples’ failure to understand, to John’s focus on right NOW, to Jesus’ beautiful (and applicable) words of comfort and victory.
Along with the disciples, may we also remember to take heart, even in the midst of our uncertain moment ... for a Jesus has overcome the world.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 29 March 2020
This week, we are continuing our (super long) series on the Gospel of John, but because of the recommendation from the CDC to limit the size of public gatherings to less than 10 (due to the spread of the coronavirus), we are producing this video from our home studio. In this teaching, Josh explores Jesus’ warning to his disciples of upcoming opposition and persecution. But … after considering the context of the Gospel of John’s original audience, we have to ask … should we expect to be “hated” and “persecuted” too? By whom? How? Why? To what extent?
You might be surprised by his proposal.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 22 March 2020
Again Jesus with the tough sayings: "I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it." What's this about? I assume we've asked for something before and it wasn't answered quite as positively. In this teaching, we look into it, focusing most of our energy on the phrase "in my name."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 16 February 2020
In John 14, Jesus tells his disciples, "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father." What's he talking about? What works? How will they be greater? What's going on?
That's what we are talking about in this week's teaching.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 9 February 2020
This week (no big deal), we are discussing (it's fine) one of the most controversial (that's fair) text in John. Jesus responds to Thomas, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." It's that last bit that has caused a bunch of confusion for a contemporary Western audience. It feels exclusive ... and arrogant ... and maybe a bit naive. So we talk about it.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 2 February 2020
We have all sorts of ideas about Heaven. And while culture certainly plays a role in our conception, many ideas are the result of church teachings. In this week's talk, Josh challenges one of those ideas ... well, at least, as it appears (or doesn't) in John 14.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 26 January 2020
Instead of preaching about MLK and his message, we decided to read a (very very slightly abridged) version of his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." (The abridgment, sadly, was unintentional.)
the restoration project. 19 January 2020
TRP TURNS SEVEN! In this talk, Josh discusses some of TRP's big wins of the last year, some of his insecurities, and then provides a vision of who we are and what we are about.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 5 January 2020
In the last sermon of the year, we are talking about prayer and lament. Perhaps an odd way to send out the year, but it's an important topic. How are you praying? What are you lamenting? Are we, like the ancient psalmists and prophets, turning to trust?
the restoration project. Joshua James. 29 December 2019
This week, we're digging in to the ancient Near Eastern context of Isaiah 7. We usually read the virgin birth prophecy of Jesus through the lens provided by Matthew...but when we do, we miss some stuff. Brace yourselves.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 22 December 2019
Week 2 of Advent brings us to Isaiah's vision for an idealized ruler and their effect on the cosmos. It's a grand vision of what should be and what, through Jesus, will be brought to bear.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 8 December 2019
Oh, Advent ... the season with biblical texts that are not as Christmas-y as most American Christians would like them to be. We kick off the series with a brief poem from Isaiah 2. It paints a contrastive vision of what could be and, as we argue here, a vision that we should model here and now.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 1 December 2019
As Jesus begins what scholars have labeled his "farewell discourse," he implores his disciples to love each other. In this talk, we explore a bit of what this means.
the restoration project,. Joshua James. 24 November 2019
In this week's talk, Josh explores the historical/contextual setting of Jesus' last meal with his disciples prior to the crucifixion. And let me tell you, the Gospel of John weaves a fine story together.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 17 November 2019
One week off of her installation, Associate Pastor, Suzi Peterson, revisits the foot washing scene in John. Her aim is to further explore the relationships in the room and the service offered by Jesus.
the restoration project. Suzi Peterson. 10 November 2019
Josh talks about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples before we install Suzi as a pastor of TRP.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 3 November 2019
Band: Josh James (vocals, acoustic), Bethany Jubilee (violin), Arthur Lembo (keys), Jonny Menges (percussion), Jory Pryor (electric guitar), Josh Revell (bass), Tessa Stultz (bgv), Andrew Wackett (electric guitar)
Production: Revell Records
the restoration project. 21 October 2019
We have reached the end of the first "major" section of the Gospel of John — the book of signs. It's a bit of review, a bit of summary, a bit of a challenge, and as the curtains close, we are left with a decision to make.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 27 October 2019
This week, Josh unloads FIVE preaching points from John's "version" of the Gethsemane story. (I mean, it's not really the same as Jesus praying in the Garden, but he's "troubled.") Get ready for super practical.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 20 October 2019
This sermon has everything: a manuscript, 17 minute description of all the fun stuff that we "aren't talking about," some practical stuff for people just barely holding on, and hope.
Jesus is the peaceful King, who comes to give life.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 13 October 2019
We're back in John, but we're building on last week's talk about the "sinful" woman anointing Jesus in Luke 7. John's account ... is much different. It's a theological retelling that insists we connect some dots with another familiar story in John ... something about a servant washing feet ...
the restoration project. Joshua James. 6 October 2019
So, this isn't technically part of our series on John, but it's linked. All four Gospels include a story of a woman anointing Jesus with a precious ointment. This is Luke's version. Next week, we'll look at John's version. (Spoiler: They are different.)
the restoration project. Suzi Peterson. 29 September 2019
In this, the last week of our mini-series on Lazarus, we discuss (eventually) Caiaphas and the religious leaders who set out to kill Jesus in response to this miracle. Here's my spoiler: be slow to point the finger.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 22 September 2019
Jesus wept. One (pretty common) way of understanding this line is to emphasize the humanity of Jesus: "Look, he gets sad too!" That's definitely a thing, but maybe, if Jesus is "one with the Father," like John keeps saying, maybe it also tells us something about God.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 15 September 2019
You probably know the story. It's pretty well known. Jesus' friend, Lazarus, gets sick and dies, and then Jesus raises him from the dead. It's really powerful.
Over the next three weeks, we'll unpack a few themes that often go unnoticed. First up is Thomas' (pretty ironic) suggestion to the other disciples to journey with Jesus into a pretty questionable, potentially violent situation: "Let us go too so that we may die with Jesus."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 8 September 2019
This week, we're back in the book of John, and we are taking our cues from Daniel Kirk, who argues we must spend time wrestling with Jesus' antagonists (and how we are like them).
the restoration project. Joshua James. 1 September 2019
David and Goliath. It's a classic underdog story. Little kid David defeats a Philistine giant. Or ... is it? When we read it in context, we find out there's a bit more to this classic matchup. And then ... if we keep reading the Bible, we find something even more concerning!
the restoration project. Joshua James. 25 August 2019
A little review to get us back on track and a little motivation for the week ahead. You are known. You are loved. You are protected.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 18 August 2019
Ok, alright, ok, alright ... stick with me here. So Joshua and the battle of Jericho. It's a really familiar story. We usually read it at face value, without any awareness of ancient historiography (fancy! it means how people record history) or archaeology (like Indiana Jones, but way more boring; archaeologists mainly just dig, really strategically and carefully, in the dirt to recover artifacts of the ancient past). In this talk, Josh pulls back the curtain on what this story is doing in its ancient context.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 4 August 2019
Jonah and the big fish. You've heard that one. But what about Jonah *in Nineveh, and how they respond to his message? What about the animals fasting and wearing sackcloth? What about a crazy worm that eats an entire man-sized plant in a day? There's a lot of stuff happening here. And we're going to address it.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 28 July 2019
For this week's talk, we took to Facebook to see what part of the Abraham story the fine people of TRP wanted to discuss. They did a terrible job (read: they picked a tough story). So here's our take on Abraham and Isaac. It'll push you a bit!
the restoration project. Joshua James. 21 July 2019
In this teaching, we tackle the Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11. Unlike the Flood story, there are no ancient Near Eastern parallels of the Tower, but an understanding of what the story is communicating demands engagement with the past. So...that's what we do.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 7 July 2019
In this series, we are looking at some familiar stories in a new way. This week, we examine the Flood story in Genesis 6–9.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 30 June 2019
We are getting nerdy this week at TRP. In this teaching, we revisit the healing of the blind man in John 9, but we take our cues from JL Martyn's theory of a "two-level drama" (one which reveals the time of Jesus and one which reveals the time of the author writing the book). We think it has some payoff for our context today...
the restoration project. Joshua James. 23 June 2019
This talk really takes two tracks. First, we explore who (if anyone) *caused the man to be born blind. (Spoiler: it was no one.) In this conversation, we address how God is often placed on the hook for our suffering. (Spoiler: God shouldn't be.)In the second part, we begin a conversation on disability in the Church and healing. I say we "begin" because these are difficult topics, often neglected in the Church.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 9 June 2019
Ok, ok, this isn't really a sermon about John. TRP has been through a bunch of changes recently, so we wanted to talk about it. But ... we tie it in with John (sort of).
the restoration project. Joshua James. 2 June 2019
So ... I tried to build on a theme here. It's a little half baked, but I think the concept is in there... Here's the gist: when Jesus heads down to the Feast of Tabernacles (Feast of Booths) in John 7, his message is dependent upon the symbols of the festival. John doesn't clarify these for his readers (namely, because he didn't have to), but now, they are largely lost. This is me trying to bring them back.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 28 April 2019
This is a guided reflection on the Stations of the Cross. Find 20 minutes. Pop in some ear buds. And consider the final hours of Jesus' life.
the restoration project. 19 April 2019
Band: Josh James (guitar), Bethany Jubilee (violin), Neshawn Jubilee (bass), Arthur Lembo (keys), Billy McClean (percussion), Jory Pryor (guitar), Tessa Stultz (vocals)
Recording, Mixing, Mastering: Revell Records
the restoration project. March 12, 2019
Suzi puts her latest seminary experience to work by talking over the topic of her exegetical paper. (Doesn't that sound super fancy?!) It's basically what you call a deep dive into the background, history, language, and context of a certain passage ... and this one from Philippians is filled with good content and application.
the restoration project. Suzi Peterson. 24 March 2019
Ok. We know. Three weeks on a handful of verses is too much. But this is the last one, so stop yelling. And besides, it's an important link to the background of the story. Here'e the gist: chaos...does not reign here. It never has.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 17 March 2019
In this talk, we explore the exodus symbology in John's version of Jesus walking on water. It's a bit of a stretch for us, but in the ancient context of the passage it's clear. Jesus is leading a new exodus!
the restoration project. Joshua James. 10 March 2019
Over the next few weeks, we will be spending some time with a familiar story: when Jesus walks on water. Somewhat expectedly, we will be putting a bit of a spin on it. Namely, we will be looking at the literary and historical contexts that inform a reading of this story...which means, we will be spending some time in the Old Testament.
In this week's teaching, Josh makes a connection between Moses and the divine revelation at the Burning Bush and Jesus' appearance to the disciples on the sea.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 3 March 2019
Ok, ok. This one's a bit nerdy. Commentators note that John 6 is a "carefully crafted" teaching, with many allusions and echoes to the Old Testament. In our teaching on Jesus' feeding of the 5000, we follow one of these echoes back to 2 Kings, which helps us to see...it's a story of abundance.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 24 February 2019
One more week hanging out in Jesus' 30 verse diatribe against the religious leaders. This week, we are focused on the bit about resurrection, and what that would have meant to Jesus' first-century Jewish interlocutors. The thing is...Jesus sets the typical expectation on its head, maybe not so much in this passage, but in his own death and resurrection. It was unexpected, and it changed everything.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 17 February 2019
This teaching builds on last week's miracle story. (Don't worry, there's enough recap that you don't *need to go back, even though...you should!) Jesus rattles off a long monologue to the religious leaders in support of why he is doing the things he is doing. Josh focuses on one of the "witnesses" that testify on behalf of Jesus — the Scriptures.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 10 February 2019
In this week's teaching, Josh challenges a *typical reading of Jesus' healing of the disabled man at the Pool of Bethesda. Here's the gist...the story is about more than a miracle. Jesus is undoing some long held traditions surrounding the Pool ... and even more controversially, the Sabbath.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 3 February 2018
In this story, Jesus starts healing some folks. But before we can get into that, Josh takes us on a little "gospel criticism" detour.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 27 January 2019
In this week's teaching, the lectionary focuses on the work of John the Baptist. Because we've had a couple of recent sermons on his ministry, Josh focuses on one (odd) detail: John's relationship to the powerful people of his time.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 9 December 2018
Sometimes the timing of our assigned text and the experiences of real life coincide quite nicely. This week, the text addresses the jealousy of John's disciples at the emergence of Jesus' ministry.
Though the contexts are quite different, Josh uses the story to address some of his own issues.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 18 November 2018
In this recurring series, Josh discusses some of the unique traits of The Restoration Project. In this teaching, he talks about the theological openness of the community and its benefits for spiritual growth and discipleship.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 28 October 2018
This is a fun passage. We've got some more differences between John and Matthew, Mark, and Luke to discuss. And we've got the "carefully choreographed street theatre" of the temple cleansing itself. It is theologically loaded. When read together with the miracle at the wedding in Cana, Jesus expands on his initiation of a new work (which includes a powerful critique of the current system of his day).
the restoration project. Joshua James. 21 October 2018
Jesus' first miracle in the book of John isn't just a cool party trick (though I'm sure the party goers were thankful). It's part announcement of a new era, part identification of Jesus as messiah, part advocacy for a family on the brink of social disgrace. It's also worth our consideration.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 14 October 2018
Who doesn't love learning about ancient Jewish interpretive traditions? We sure do! And it's a good thing, because in this week's teaching, Josh explores some of the ways ancient readers understood the story of Jacob's Ladder (Genesis 28). Here's the argument, this background information (completely) informs what the author does with the story of Philip and Nathanael in the New Testament and how we should hear it today.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 7 October 2018
This teaching is sort of a two-parter. In the first half, Josh talks about the internal struggle of "teaching with honesty" and "just giving you Jesus." In the second part, he looks at the text and asks the question, "what do you want?"
the restoration project. Joshua James. 30 September 2018
In this teaching, Josh focuses on the chronology of John's Gospel, particularly, the events leading up to Jesus' death, in order to explain John the Baptist's use of the phrase "the lamb of God." That was kind of wordy. You got it? Good. When you read the Bible closely, cool stuff comes to the surface.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 23 September 2018
I had some stuff to say this week. I don't really know how to classify it. I will say that prior to this teaching, we engaged in a "sacred reading" (also known as by its super spiritual Latin equivalent, "lectio divina") of Luke 3:1-14. This passage informs my thoughts. It would be beneficial to read it prior to listening to my talk (but I think you'll be ok if you don't). Much love. - Josh
the restoration project. Joshua James. 16 September 2018
In this week's teaching, Josh introduces John the Baptist ... well, at least the Gospel of John's version of John the Baptist. With a nod toward art history (I'm sure that will come across beautifully in an audio only format), the preparatory role of John is highlighted. He comes as a witness to "the light." He comes to testify to "the light." What about us?
the restoration project. Joshua James. 09 September 2018
There is a lot going on in the introduction to John's Gospel. If we were to concentrate on any one of the themes, we could spend weeks unpacking its richness. Here's this week's broad takeaway ... the author used familiar categories/themes/motifs to introduce Jesus to his audience, but he did so in an unfamiliar way.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 02 September 2018
the restoration project. 22 July 2018
Prayer adapted from _The Worship Sourcebook_, 2nd Edition (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2013).
Ok. So Hosea is the jumping off point here, but the sermon isn't really about Hosea. Instead, we are using some of our work (in Hosea 5–6 and 11) as the necessary background for understanding how the NT authors (Matthew, in particular) are using the Old Testament. And it probably isn't how you envision.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 1 July 2018
In this week's teaching, we get a bit historical as we discuss the expansion of the neo-Assyrian empire in the 8th century and the Syro-Ephraimite War. Don't worry ... there's a reason for this. These events stand in the background of Hosea's prophetic work in chapters 5 and 6. If we don't know what's going on in the world at the time, the import of his message will be lost. So this teaching is part history lesson, part biblical interpretation 101, part "let's see what any of this has to do with us."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 24 June 2018
The story of Hosea and Gomer's marriage in chapters 1–3 sets the framework for our understanding of the larger portion of the book that follows—Hosea's prophetic oracles to the people of Israel. In this first oracle, Hosea indicts the people and the priesthood for their failure to follow God alone.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 3 June 2018
Chapter 3 of the book of Hosea is often described as Hosea's first person account of his marriage (and its difficulties). Whatever Gomer's "harlotry" consisted of prior to their marriage, it manifests here in adultery. She chooses other lovers, and leaves home. Hosea is given the task to go find her and love her ... just as the Lord loves Israel.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 27 May 2018
In this week's teaching, we explore (most of) chapter 2 in the book of Hosea. Set in between the divinely inspired "sign act" of chapter 1 and the reflection of Hosea's own marriage in chapter 3, this prophetic message is an allegorical depiction of the "marriage relationship" between God and Israel.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 20 May 2018
Prophetic sign acts are a powerful form of carefully choreographed street theatre meant to move (and convict and challenge) people. In Hosea 1, we are confronted with such an act, as Hosea is told to marry a "woman of harlotry" and to have "children of harlotry." This is to be a lived symbol of the (one-sided) covenantal relationship between God and Israel. In this teaching, Josh explores the imagery of Hosea 1 in its context and introduces the tension that is present in the book between judgment and hope.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 13 May 2018
Introducing a new series is always a bit tough, especially when you're introducing one of the Prophets. Each prophetic book is engaging a specific socio-political, socio-religious, and socio-historical context, so it is important to reconstruct this as best as we can. In this first teaching, we don't really do that. (Sorry. That'll come.) Instead, we go back in time about 200 years before Hosea to make sure we are aware of one fact: the kingdom was divided. Israel was operating in the North, and Judah in the South. Each kingdom had its own king, its own alliances, its own religious centers, and ... its own prophets.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 6 May 2018
Josh was doing pulpit supply for a friend this morning and the lectionary led him into some strange territory. The basic argument is this: if you want to fully grasp the significance of the Ethiopian eunuch's conversion and baptism, you have to spend some time in the Old Testament.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 29 April 2018
In this stand alone teaching, Josh discusses "calling." Admittedly, the target audience is soon-to-be-graduating college students, but really, this is for everyone. We all wrestle with what in the world we are doing, and sometimes, we need to be reoriented to our primary calling—to love God, to love others, to seek first the Kingdom.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 22 April 2018
In this final talk of the series, Josh discusses two of the most difficult passages in the Bible regarding the role of women in ministry. His argument is a pretty familiar one ... there is a historical and literary context that we must be aware of before we make our interpretive conclusions.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 15 April 2018
In this week's teaching, we revisit Phoebe, a "deacon" in the church of Cenchreae, who was entrusted by Paul with the safe delivery (and potentially, the reading and interpretation) of his letter to the Romans. Not only do we observe in these two verses, the emergence of an unlikely leader in the early church, we also hear of her role as a benefactor. Phoebe's story, though terse, is inspiring and worth our consideration.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 8 April 2018
Easter is the highest holiday in the Christian Church calendar. Indeed, without Easter, our entire faith falls apart. Instead of having a slightly revamped service, TRP took over the old Parker Place building in downtown Salisbury to host a real deal "celebration" (complete with some Martinelli's and a three-tiered cake!). We did take some time, however, to remind ourselves why we should celebrate. Take a listen.
the restoration project, Joshua James. 1 April 2018
This text probably doesn't classify as an "untold" story in the Bible, but it is certainly "important." A surface reading demonstrates a clear contrast between Mary's zeal for learning (and maybe better, just being in the presence of Jesus) and Martha's attention to detail—preparing and serving a meal, administering the rites of hospitality, making sure everything is in its place. This comparison is worth our consideration. However, when we zoom out of the frame, there may be something bigger going on as well.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 25 March 2018
This week, we were visited by Annapolis pastor and church planter, Donnie Reynolds of Centerpoint Church, who shared his family's story of foster care and adoption. May we be a "cup of cold water."
the restoration project. 18 March 2018.
For some women, the poem of the "noble" or "capable wife" has been read as an example to live up to (and for some men, it has been read as a checklist by which to judge their wife or future wife). But this is not the point. And it's a good thing, too, because this woman is crazy busy. In this teaching, Josh first unpacks the imagery of the poem in Proverbs 31:10–31, and then sets the poem within the broader context of the book to unlock what is going on. (The findings may surprise you.)
the restoration project. Joshua James. 11 March 2018
Branden Vanderhoof, a member of TRP and current MDiv student at McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta, GA, continues our series on the important and untold stories of women in the Bible by teaching through the story of Deborah and Jael in Judges 4. Once you get into it, you'll find that there is a lot of good stuff to consider here, most notably, the role of Deborah as a judge and prophetess in a patriarchal culture, the dependence of Barak on her as a proven leader, and the dramatic inclusion of Jael as a figure worthy of honor.
the restoration project. Branden Vanderhoof. 4 March 2018
In this week's teaching, we go back to the beginning, to Genesis 1–3, to see what we can learn. Even though this text is very familiar, we may be surprised with what we find.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 25 February 2018
This is a tough text. Real tough. All told, it's pretty hopeless. Perhaps it is for these reasons that it is an unfamiliar story to most folks in the Church. Despite its tragedy, however, it is a story that needs to be told.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 18 February 2018
In this stand-alone teaching, Josh talks about the power of stories—specifically, how they shape and mold us, and also how, in the context of worship, they encourage us to remember (and believe in) God's presence and involvement in our lives. Using Psalm 30 as a guide, this teaching focuses not only on the psalmist's experience, but on its usefulness in the community of TRP.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 11 February 2018
Our series on Paul's "angry and passionate letter to the Galatians" concludes with some of the author's final thoughts. One more time, for the people in the back, Paul says it's not about circumcision. (You got that?!) Instead, it's about new creation. And for those who have trusted Christ as Lord, Paul emphasizes that they participate in this new creative work. It may not be the gospel you have heard, but it's Paul's, and it's a beautiful thing.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 4 February 2018
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses Paul's final (formal) instructions to the churches of Galatia. Whether it is intentional or not is unknown, but Paul seems to go back and forth between "mutual responsibility" and "individual accountability"—both emphases, however, are united by the continued concern that followers of Jesus live by the Spirit.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 28 January 2018
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses the theme of mutual responsibility in Galatians.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 21 January 2018
Methods is an online experiment in guided prayer and meditation brought to you by The Restoration Project.
*Methods is best experienced with headphones/earbuds.
Sources used in this episode: _The Worship Sourcebook_, 2nd Edition (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2013) ; Peter Rollins, _The Orthodox Heretic: And Other Impossible Tales (Paraclete Press, 2009). Narrator: Meredith Rounsley Backing Track: composed and produced by Josh Revell Production: Revell Records Posted: January 22, 2018
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
*If you'd like to give directly to the Petersons, you can do so through our website (copy and paste the web address below). Just follow the drop down menu and designate your giving.
give.restoresby.org
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. 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
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.
This week is pretty much all about circumcision. (Fun, right?!) For modern readers, we struggle to grasp the (massive) significance of this discussion in the early church—whether or not Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians needed to be circumcised. Its significance shouldn't be underestimated. In Galatians 2, Paul tells the Galatian church plants of his "private meeting" with the leaders of the Jerusalem church on this very issue. If you stick with it, there are some important points of contact for us. Like the "false brothers" (who pushed the circumcision issue), we, too, tend to include our own "Christian identity markers," and as a result, are in danger of promoting a "false gospel."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 10 September 2017
Small Group Study Questions:
(1) Using Richard Hays' language, we have been describing the book of Galatians as an "angry and passionate letter" by the apostle Paul. What is Paul so angry about? What is being challenged in the churches of Galatia and by whom?
(2) In Galatians 2, Paul and Barnabas travel to Jerusalem to meet privately with the leaders. In vs. 1, Paul casually mentions that Titus came along with them. This has been described as a "deliberately provocative move" (Hays). Why? What's the big deal about Titus?
(3) James Dunn writes, "We should not underestimate how astonishing a decision was here made: that Jews, leaders of a movement focused on Messiah Jesus … should agree in considered and formal terms that circumcision need no longer be required of Gentiles wishing to be counted full members of what was still a sect of second Temple Judaism — and that despite the plainest possible teaching of scripture!”
What is the "plain teaching of Scripture" on circumcision in the OT? (See Genesis 17)
(4) If the "plain reading of Scripture in the OT" is that Israelites should be circumcised, can you sympathize with the Jewish-Christian missionaries in Galatia and the "false brothers" seeking to discredit Paul's "just Jesus" gospel?
(5) Circumcision was an "identity marker" for certain Jewish Christians. It marked out who's in and who's out. What are *our identity markers? (These aren't usually positive traits.) What are the things/beliefs/practices that we use to determine "who's in" and "who's out"?
In week two of our sermon series on Galatians, Paul is continuing to build a case that the gospel he preached to the Galatian church was not dependent on human tradition, or the Jerusalem church (the authoritative body of the early church), or Peter or James or any other apostle ... rather, it was revealed to him by God. As a result, he wasn't diminishing or relaxing its standards in order to "please people." He was preaching the true (and inclusive) gospel to non-Jewish people: they don't have to be circumcised or "become Jewish" to get in; they just needed to follow Jesus.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 3 September 2017
In this week's introductory teaching on the book of Galatians, Josh tries to set the context for Paul's letter to the churches of Galatia—why he was writing, what he was addressing, why he was so ticked, what we learn about the gospel. The teaching concludes with some pointed questions about our (mis)understanding and (mis)application of the gospel.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 27 August 2017
We are in between sermon series at TRP, so we took some time to provide a brief "state of the church" (while also linking it to some past teachings from Ruth). Listen in and be encouraged.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 6 July 2017
In this final week of our teaching series on the book of Ruth, Josh discusses the theological depth of genealogies ... you know, those really boring lists of names. Yeah, those. They often have a deep theological significance. And that's how Ruth ends.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 30 July 2017
We are coming to the end of our study of this beautiful story. Only one more week! In this teaching, Boaz calls a meeting of the town elders in order to redeem Elimelech's land and Ruth the Moabite. There's only one problem ... someone else is "ahead of him in line." (In this culture, the closer relative has the first right of refusal.) As a result, he calls "Mr. So-and-so" before the elders to ask whether or not he wants to redeem the land ... and Ruth.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 23 July 2017
The book of Ruth is *not a story of the romance between Ruth and Boaz, but things in chapter three get a little steamy (or at least, a little suggestive). Josh attempts to put the story in its ancient Near Eastern context to help us see, yet again, how God works through Ruth (and Naomi and Boaz). This is a story of commitment, and it is demonstrated here in a beautiful, if risky, way.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 16 July 2017
In this week's teaching, Josh attempts to draw some thematic strands together. Boaz cares for Ruth the Moabite. He gives her special gleaning privileges in his fields. He invites her to the table to eat until she is filled. He gives her grain to share with Naomi. In other words, Boaz models commitment and grace and concern—what the ancient Israelites called hesed. What can we learn from this example?
the restoration project. Joshua James. 9 July 2017
In this week's teaching, we talk about two things: (1) gleaning laws in the Pentateuch and how they inform our understanding of Ruth's work in the fields and (2) what Ruth was (really) asking to do in the fields and how that (may) affect our view of Ruth.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 25 June 2017
According to Phyllis Trible, Ruth's choice to commit herself to Naomi (an old widow), adopt a people that could have viewed her as a perpetual outsider, and follow a God who she had no real reason to trust, "made no sense." And Trible is right. In this week's teaching, Josh explores some of the things that it *could have cost Ruth when she left her home in Moab to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem and how her story reminds us of our inclusion in God's story.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 18 June 2017
The author of Ruth begins the book with some "background" information—a famine, a move to a foreign land, death. We usually skip over this stuff to get to the "good stuff," namely, the "romance" between Ruth and Boaz. This week, we paused to give voice to Naomi's grief and bitterness in the midst of horrific loss. We believe that she models an important and (very) human emotion, one that should be discussed more in the Church.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 11 June 2017.
*In the introduction, I (Josh) made the claim that because most of us are unfamiliar with famine. We aren't an agrarian society, so we just go to the store to buy our goods. While that may be true, I failed to acknowledge the reality, even in our community, that many people know (all too well) about hunger. Let us not forget, and let us not be actionless.
In this week's teaching, Josh introduces our new summer series by discussing the literary background of the book of Ruth: "During the days when the judges ruled..." To unpack this setting, he provides a very brief overview of the book of Judges, and then reads through what Mieke Bal describes as the "most horrific story in the Hebrew Bible."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 4 June 2017
This is TRP's version of a Mother's Day talk, but don't worry ... Josh doesn't attempt to give advice or practical tips on mothering. Rather, he highlights the diversity of "the family" by looking at a few of the unsung stories of notable biblical women. The main text for this talk is Paul's list of names in Romans 16:1-16. (Obviously.)
the restoration project. Joshua James. 14 May 2017
In this week's teaching, we revisit the Red Sea crossing, though this time we do so from a poetic lens. For some scholars, such as Terence Fretheim, the form (poetry) and function (liturgy) of Exodus 15 results in the associated images are "even more impressionistic than those in chapter 14." As a result, Josh tried to point us to the goal of the text, namely, its lofty theological claims.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 7 May 2017
Small Group Study Questions:
(1) We always tend to talk about a biblical passage's historical context, but in this sermon series, we have spent a lot of time with ancient Near Eastern background. It led Josh to ask this question on his Facebook page earlier this week: what do you expect from a sermon? Direct application? If the *point of a passage is theological (a witness to who God is), do you feel as though you need "action steps" or are you ok with that?
(2) How do you read the poetry of Exodus 15?
(3) Josh discussed the description of God as an ancient warrior in Exodus 15. Do you find it difficult to understand this description as a 21st c. American reader? How would you explain it to someone who struggled with a militaristic image of God?
(4)
Old Testament scholar, Terence Fretheim, describes the retelling of the Red Sea crossing in Exodus 14 as an "impressionistic picture." He says, "Trying to sort it out in a literal fashion, or suggesting that Israel considered the detail to correspond precisely to reality, is like retouching Renoir’s paintings to make them look like photographs.” Following Fretheim's lead, Josh attempts to outline a few of the dominant "theological impressions" created by Exodus 14.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 30 April 2017
In this week's teaching, the Hebrew people finally leave Egypt. Josh explores three theological implications of the story leading up to the Red Sea crossing: God's leadership, the people's resolve to trust, and the tension between the past and the present.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 23 April 2017
Small Group Questions:
(1) Josh began this talk by noting some "historical problems." One of those problems deals with our lack of knowledge on the whereabouts of the cities mentioned in Exodus 13 and 14. One scholar writes, "Frustratingly, the story gives us lots of concrete detail about the way the Israelites went, but we cannot actually locate any of the places it mentions" (Goldingay, _Exodus_). And another, “None of the place-names mentioned here…can be identified with certainty" (Sarna, _Exodus_). How do you process this information? Reject it out of hand? Accept it and not be too concerned with it? Does it impact how we might think of ancient history writing? Since things are still being discovered, are we just waiting for the Bible to be "confirmed"?
*I actually don't want to spend a lot of time on the historical issues, but if your group is interested, pursue it!
(2) The majority of the teaching focused on the theological implications of Exodus 13:17-22. First, the passage says that God "led" the Hebrew people. How does God's leadership work out for Israel in the exodus event?
How do you think God's leadership works in your life?
(3) Josh briefly mentioned an article on Psalm 23 by James Charlesworth. Charlesworth explained his surprise at some of his students struggling with the line "he maketh me to lie down in green pastures"? He writes, "In focusing on this verse, I experienced a moment when I was surprised by how much I had misperceived my students' sensitivity and perceptions. More than one student rejected any 'Lord' who forced them to do anything, such as making them lie down. One aggressive student interjected that this 'shepherd' is simply a bully who forces one to lie down, and not on a bed but in a pasture that may be pockmarked by dung. Such students would not be impressed by Kushner's comment that to 'lie down in green pastures is to live in God's world' (p. 43)." [https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/article.aspx?ArticleId=220#sthash.3HzodTm9.dpuf]
How would you respond to this student?
(4) Exodus 13 says, "God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, 'If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.'" This is an interesting passage. One scholar writes, "One might expect that God, with all the power at the divine disposal, would not back off from leading people into any situation. God would just mow the enemies down! No, the human situation makes a difference regarding God's possibilities and hence affects the divine decisions" (Fretheim, _Exodus_).
This line of thinking goes against what many of us have been told (I imagine). Do you think God factors the "human situation" in? Do you think that God thinks about future "possibilities" (if they go this way...maybe this will happen...)?
(5) We also talked about the resolve to trust that is present in this passage. God is leading, but the people had to move—that is, they had to actively respond (to move away from what is familiar into the unknown). Do you have any experience with this?
A bit later in the story, the Israelites want to "go back" to Egypt. Why would they want to go back?
We took a break from our Exodus series this week to celebrate Easter...even though there are some cool Easter ties to the Exodus story! After reading the resurrection story from Matthew, Josh discusses its significance and invites us in to the experience (and reality) of new creation.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 16 April 2017
Small Group Study Questions
(1) Josh begins this talk with an art analogy, namely, the comparison between "Ecco Homo" and "Ecco Mono" (the latter being the botched reconstruction of a portrait of Jesus by a parishioner in Spain). What does your "reconstruction" of Jesus look like? Remember this is a two-parter: What is the story you tell people (how do you define the "good news")? What image does the story of your life produce?
(2) Did you learn anything new about Jewish expectations of the Messiah in the first century? (What were they NOT expecting to happen?!)
(3) Josh talks about first century Jewish eschatology A LOT. (Think about the diagram: _____|______) Why do you think he finds this so important, especially in light of how Jesus turns this expectation upside down?! What does Jesus' death and resurrection have to do with the introduction of the kingdom? Why is it so important for us *now?
(4) What do you think is the goal of Christian hope? Heaven? Presence with Jesus? Bodily resurrection? The Second Coming? The final restoration of the created order?
(5) During your time at TRP, has your view of "the gospel" changed? Discuss.
The tenth plague—the death of the firstborn—has long troubled interpreters of the Bible. In this teaching, Josh offers some guidance on reading the story in its OT context, and then advances its implications to the NT and to Jesus.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 9 April 2017
Small Group Study Questions: (1) Are you troubled by the tenth plague (the killing of the Egyptian firstborn)? If so, how do you reconcile your understanding of God with the story?
(2) Josh stressed the importance of reading ancient stories through ancient eyes (and not solely 21st c. American eyes). To support this, he cited NT Wright: "To understand any event in history, you must put it firmly into that history and not rest content with what later generations have said about it" (Wright, The Day the Revolution Began). How do you go about doing this? How does this help us understand the tenth plague?
(3) Over the past two weeks, Josh has talked about the (intentional) authorial/editorial shaping of the plague narratives. (Don't worry, if that's not ringing any bells, it has been a minor point.) Are you troubled by the reporting of "history" in the ancient world?
Josh also brought up this point about the potential for hyperbole in the retelling of Israel's story: “Exodus 12:37-39 reports that 600,000 Israelites of fighting age left Egypt. This number plus their wives and children along with the mixed multitude said to accompany them would have totaled some two and a half million. Marching ten abreast, the numbers would have formed a line over 150 miles long and would have required eight or nine days to march by any fixed point” (Miller and Hayes, A History of Ancient Israel and Judah). Now remember, this is *one perspective on the flight from Egypt, but how does it sit with you? Troublesome? Exciting? Interesting?
(4) In Exodus 4, the end of this story is foreshadowed: "Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’” Does the fact that Pharaoh had chances to let Israel go help your understanding of God? (Do you think he really had a chance to do this, or was it impossible due to the hardening of his heart?)
(5) We didn't go into much detail with this one, but the tenth plague forms the basis for the Passover (see Exodus 13). Why is this festival so important? How is it re-read in light of Jesus in the NT?
*This is a tough passage. Don't be discouraged if you are left with questions. It has troubled interpreters for centuries.
This week's teaching sort of turned into a two-parter. In the first part, Josh talks about the literary artistry/shaping of the Bible, particularly, in the (multiple) retellings of the plague narratives. As he attempts to demonstrate, the traditions of the plagues sounds important notes for how we approach Old Testament history in general. The main section of the teaching focuses on praying for enemies. In Exodus 8, Pharaoh—you know, the guy who has made Moses and the Israelites' lives so difficult—asks for prayer. And Moses responds by entreating God on his behalf. What do we learn from this story? About Moses? About God? About us? Take a listen and find out.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 2 April 2017
Old Testament scholar, John Walton, writes, "Effective communication requires a body of agreed-upon words, terms, and ideas." When we read the OT—an ancient and diverse collection of writings—we sometimes miss the nuances in the communication of this ancient people due to our cultural and temporal distance. In this week's teaching, Josh tries to bring one of these embedded nuances to life in Exodus 7.8-13...and then bring it back to Jesus.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 26 March 2017
(1) Not only does John Walton comment on the shared concepts necessary in “effective communication" (see above), he also observes, "If someone outside the language/culture matrix wants to take advantage of information that is communicated within the language/culture matrix, cultural education is required."
Have you had moments when you needed a "cultural education" to communicate?
Why is this "education" important for our reading of the Old Testament?
(2) In this teaching, Josh argued that the different terms for "snake" in Exodus 4 and 7 serve a theological purpose that would have been apparent for an ancient audience. Big money question ... can anyone articulate what would have been communicated by the term used in Exodus 7?
(3) Why was it important that Aaron's staff/snake ate the Egyptian magicians' staffs/snakes? What does that act tell us about God? about the end of the story in Exodus?
(4) The OT often demonstrates God's power over against other gods or kings. What do you believe to be true about God's power today?
(5) Josh argued that in the ancient world, the "sea monster" language would sound echoes to the creation narrative and God's "taming of chaotic forces." To what degree is God able to "tame chaos" in our lives?
This week's podcast is less "teaching" and more "interactive and prayerful listening." Instead of pointing out all of the minute details of our passage and instead of reaching a point of application, Josh leads a form of "lectio divina." Our text for this week is the beginning portion of Exodus 6, where God speaks to Moses (again), this time after his failed attempt to request Pharaoh's release of the Israelite people. In our Sunday service, there was a time of silent reflection after each reading of Exodus 6:1-12. We would encourage you to pause the recording and engage in the reading, seeking to hear through the ears of Moses, the Israelites, and the heart of God.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 19 March 2017
In this week's teaching, Josh explores the main themes of Exodus 5 with the help of some prompts from Walter Brueggemann's exquisite commentary. These themes are categorized as: the church and politics, the church and consumerism/busyness, the church and the (comfortable) middle, the church and impatience/lack of faith/unbelief, and the church and Jesus.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 12 March 2017
Small Group Study Questions (1)Josh argued that Yahweh's demand that the people go out and worship him in the wilderness was (among other things) a highly political demand. How so? (2) Brueggemann writes, "Given the identification of Yahweh with the slaves, it follows that biblical faith is inevitably concerned with political questions, with an inescapable tilt not only toward justice, but also toward liberation." What do you think about the claim that "biblical faith is inevitably concerned with political questions? What do you think the relationship should be between the church and politics? (3) Pharaoh denies Moses' and Aaron's request and then counters with an increased workload for the Israelite slaves. Brueggemann observes that part of the rationale could be Pharaoh's acknowledgment that "Productivity numbs attention to the voice of new possibility." How does this work out in Exodus? How does this work out in our context? (You could talk a bit about consumerism in our culture.) (4)Josh mentioned an article by Eugene Peterson on the "busyness" of pastors. Peterson says, "[T]he word busy is the symptom not of commitment but of betrayal. It is not devotion but defection." Do you think busyness is betrayal/defection or is it honorable? (5)In Exod 5:10-14, the (Egyptian) slave drivers beat the (Hebrew) foremen/overseers for not making the quota of bricks. These overseers functioned as something of middle men between the Egyptian hierarchy and the Hebrew people. Brueggemann draws a brilliant comparison with us, claiming that we are often “cast in our society precisely as those ‘in the middle’ of such abusive arrangements. Few among us are as powerful or as brutal as Pharaoh… Many more of us are positioned where we notice and care, where we can protest injustice, but only at risk." Is he right? What should we do? (6) After Moses hears from the overseers, he immediately blames God for the lack of results. He says, "You have not rescued your people at all." Can you relate? Does it seem (or has it seemed) like God is not holding up his end of the bargain?
First, it should be noted that we had some technical difficulties with our computer on Sunday night (as you'll hear), so a little bit of fancy editing was necessary to make this "listenable." And what a week it was for some technical difficulties! This is the passage where God was on the verge of killing someone (probably Moses, though we aren't 100% sure), while he was on the way to Egypt. In response, Zipporah (Moses' wife)circumcises Gershom (their son) and then rubs the foreskin on Moses’ "feet" (which may actually be a euphemism for his genitalia). Totally normal. Josh does his best to walk us through some of the difficulties.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 5 March 2017
In this week's teaching, Josh tries to tackle both the nerdy and the practical issues emerging from the extended dialogue between Moses and God at the burning bush.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 26 February 2017
Small Group Questions:
(1) What were Moses' five objections to God's call? Can you relate to his sense of self-doubt/unwillingness? (2) Walter Brueggemann explains the divine revelation (Exodus 3:14-15) in this way: “God’s answer is extensive and complicated.… Without pursuing the endless critical opinions about the origin of the formula, it is enough to see that the formula bespeaks power, fidelity, and presence.” Have the divine character traits of "power, fidelity, and presence" manifested in your life? In what ways? (3) Josh explained the cultural background behind Moses' "magic" (i.e., his staff tricks). A staff turning into a snake in Egypt, for example, may have served to promote the surpassing power of Israel's God over against the Egyptian gods. (A snake was a symbol for Egyptian royal authority.) Terence Fretheim concludes, that this "reveals a God who acts in and through the realities that relate to the context of which people are a part.” Why is this important? (4) Commenting on the employment of Aaron, Walter Brueggemann wrote, "Moses wants another sent, and God agrees to send Aaron along with him. Fretheim terms this God’s ‘Plan B,’ after Moses has refused ‘Plan A.’ That is, Moses’ resistance is taken seriously by God, who must adapt.” What is your first reaction to the thought of God "adapting"? Does it fit in your theological framework or do you feel the need to explain it away? (5) God adapts, but Moses is still called to speak to Pharaoh. John Goldingay writes, “Moses runs from election by God…. The person who leads had to be dragged into a position of leadership: it is a suggestive idea. There are few volunteers among the leaders of Israel or the leaders of the early church.” Do you find this a suggestive idea? If there are few volunteers in the early church, is it telling that TRP is looking for nominations/volunteers to help lead the church? (Should we rethink that?)
As we continue our study in the book of Exodus, Josh describes the "deep social conflict and violence" and the character of Moses in 2:11-22. What we find is an escalating struggle between the Hebrews and the Egyptians, and a "home-less" or "identity-less" Moses, who consistently (if not impetuously) advocates for the "weak." We are also provided a snapshot of the plight of the "Israelites," and the beginning of God's response.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 12 February 2017
Small Group Study Questions: (1a) Walter Brueggemann claims, "This material in vv. 11-22 ... forces the narrative of Moses into the arena of deep social conflict, and of violence and brutality that are inescapable in an unjust society.” Have you considered the violence involved in the early chapters of Exodus (particularly in the reign of the king(s) of Egypt)? Would you ever teach your kids (or someone else's kids) about these stories? How? (1b)Can you describe the "deep social conflict" that occurs in Exodus between the Hebrew people and the Egyptians? Are there resonances with some of the deep social conflicts in our context? (2)Have you thought about the age of Moses at various points in his life? Do you think it is "too convenient" that Stephen says he is 40 during this narrative, and Exodus claims he is 80 when he goes to meet Pharaoh, and then later, he is 120 at the time of his death? Does your view of the Bible necessitate that these numbers are "accurate"? (3)Does it trouble you that Moses kills the Egyptian slave master? What do you do with it? (4)Moses and Zipporah name their son, "Gershom." What does this mean and why is it significant? (5) Have you noticed that the cries of the Israelites in vv. 23 are not directed to anyone in particular? If Moses is 40 years old when he goes out to his people and 80 when he finally appears before Pharaoh ... why has God waited so long to "hear, remember, look, and know"? (What does Genesis 15:13-16 have to do with anything?)
This week in our study on Exodus, we focus on the birth of Moses. Interestingly, the story is less about Moses, and more about the women in his life, who defy the edict of the empire (in their own unique ways) and collectively fight for his life. As Cheryl Exum notes, in the opening chapter of Exodus, "the courage of women is the beginning of liberation." Josh attempts to weave these themes together, while also challenging us to become allies with unlikely people for the sake of the Gospel.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 5 February 2017
Small Group Questions (1) Josh opened the sermon by talking about good and bad storytelling (apologies to his Dad). Have you ever thought about the Bible as literature or do your other categories (e.g., the Bible as the "Word of God," the Bible as "inspired," the Bible as "infallible") steer you away from focusing on the story itself? Other than the opening chapters of Exodus, do you have any examples of great storytelling in the Bible? (2) After listening to the sermon, what strikes you the most about the storytelling surrounding (and including) the birth of Moses? (3) Josh highlighted the connections with Genesis in Exodus 2, most notably, the language describing Moses as a "fine/good child" (and a similar phrase in Genesis 1 referring to God's creative activity) and the construction of an "ark" for Moses. Do you find it frustrating that these connections are not easier to see on your own? Does it encourage you when you hear about them or is it depressing? How much work do you think should go into reading the Bible? (4) It is always dangerous to "psychologize" the text (that means to read in emotions or thoughts that are not stated in the text), but let's do it anyway. :) Put yourself in Moses' mom's place. What do you imagine was going on in her mind as she prepared Moses' "ark" and as she floated him down the river? What about Pharaoh's daughter? (5) Josh talked about the unlikely nature of the relationship between Moses' (very Hebrew) mother and sister and Pharaoh's (very Egyptian) daughter. One scholar said that they defied their societal roles to become allies for the sake of Moses' life. Who are we, as TRP or as the larger Church, "allies" with? For what purposes? Who should we become allies with? How could our "unlikely" partnerships speak a better word to the surrounding community for the sake of Jesus?
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses the arrival of a new king in Egypt and his fear-based policies that were meant to protect his own empire. In contrast to this, the text also introduces Shiphrah and Puah, two Hebrew midwives, who are fearful of something altogether more powerful.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 29 January 2017
Small Group Study Questions: (1) Most scholars view the finalized form of the Pentateuch as a product of the exilic period in the 6th century (read: a long time after Moses). Have you ever wondered about how the Bible "became the Bible"? Does it trouble you that so many people played a role in it becoming what it is? (2) Josh mentioned that Exodus is best read as a "theological history." Do you read the Bible as a straightforward retelling of "historical facts"? Or do you allow for some authorial "shaping" in these stories? (Another way to put this is, would you be troubled if the exodus story did not happen in exactly the way that it is framed in Exodus?) (3) What do you think the purpose of "the king of Egypt" being unnamed in vv. 8-22 is? Have you ever noticed that he does not have a name in the OT? And does it up the ante that the midwives are named? (4) Josh argued that the "Hebrew" people in this text are often viewed as an out group of marginalized people. Who are the "out groups" in our context who need an advocate and how can we accomplish this? (5) In this story, the king is motivated by fear (of success, of empire building, of status) and the midwives are motivated by their fear of God. Who or what do we fear? And how does this affect our actions (or non-actions)?
In this week's introduction to the book of Exodus, Josh explores the necessity of setting the proper context of a biblical book. For Exodus, that means looking back to Genesis. Josh also touches on the "use" of Exodus in the later OT period and for the NT authors, which helps us to see potential connections for us, here and now.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 22 January 2017
*Note: The computer was being dumb on Sunday night, so I chose to make a few edits near the beginning to make the sermon more listenable. This is one reason why you need to be with us on Sunday nights. You miss all of the awkward fun. I believe at one point, Josh said, "I'll give you a topic to discuss ... Moses, good guy? Discuss."
Josh gives a call to action that can be boiled down to this: we need you. Listen in and join us!
the restoration project. Joshua James. 1 January 2017
In this final week of Advent, Josh talks about the ancient Near Eastern context of Isaiah 7:14 (the text about the virgin birth). We usually read this passage only in light of the book of Matthew, but it's important to understand what was going on the 8th century BC to see how Jesus truly becomes "God with us."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 18 December 2016
In this week's teaching, Josh explores Isaiah's prophecy about a "shoot growing up from the stump of Jesse" and the transformative effects it will bring about. It's not necessarily your typical Christmas message, but it is timely, particularly as it deals with issues of power and privilege.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 04 December 2016
The New Testament lectionary passages for this week focus our attention on the Second Coming of Jesus and encourage us to live out our faith while we wait.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 27 November 2016
In this week's teaching, guest speaker and UMC pastor, Zac Wheeler, discusses forgiveness.
the restoration project. Zac Wheeler. 20 November 2016
This week, Josh discusses baptism by looking at some of the "baptisms" in the Old and New Testament.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 13 November 2016
How do you view the Church? What has your experience been? How do you view your role in it? In this teaching, Josh discusses the Nicene phrase that describes the Church as "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 6 November 2016
This week's section of the Nicene Creed is devoted to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Rather than explaining these concepts in depth, Josh discusses our misunderstanding of the Spirit or our limitation of the Spirit's role in our lives.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 30 October 2016
In this week's teaching, Josh discusses the traditional "difficulties" surrounding the ascension.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 23 October 2016
As we continue our series on the Nicene Creed, Josh discusses the surprising nature of Jesus' resurrection in its first century Jewish context and what it signifies not only for our future but for our present.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 16 October 2016
After a bit of review, Josh touches on the various metaphors used in the New Testament to describe what Jesus' death accomplishes, and then invites us to consider what a life shaped by atonement might look like in our society.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 9 October 2016
This week, Josh continues the current series on the Nicene Creed by exploring the incarnation of Jesus Christ and what it means "for us and for our salvation."
the restoration project. Joshua James. 2 October 2016
In this week's teaching, Josh sets the context for the Nicene Creed's teaching on the divinity of Jesus, and he encourages continued belief and trust in the lordship of Christ even in the midst of the tension of our lives and our world.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 25 September 2016
Rather than preaching a sermon on the divinity of Christ, we asked a few members to discuss the lordship of Jesus in their lives and what it means to confess, "We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ."
the restoration project. Tessa Stultz, Tracy Peterson, Josh Engle, Mahlet Yosef, Doug McKinney. 18 September 2016
In this week's teaching on the Nicene Creed, Josh explores the ancient Near Eastern context of the creation account in Genesis 1. The big takeaways are that God created and that God is still creating through Christ.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 11 September 2016
In this week's teaching, Josh introduces the concept of God as Father. With all of the baggage (both positive and negative) that can be attached to this description, we need to reconstruct and recapture the beauty of this biblical metaphor, while also realizing that it cannot fully encapsulate who God is.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 4 September 2016
the restoration project. Joshua James. 28 August 2016
In this introductory teaching in our new series, "We Believe," Josh talks about the core beliefs of the Church as outlined in the Nicene Creed and the unity that may be achieved when we understand the inclusiveness embedded in its opening words, "We believe."
We asked our summer intern, Tim Steindl, to talk about the crucifixion this week. In his teaching, he focuses on three main themes in Mark's account: the humiliation and degradation of Jesus, the separation and pain he suffered while on the cross, and the symbolism of the tearing of the temple curtain at Jesus's death.
For Refugee Sunday, we invited Karen Morrow to share her experience as a CBF missionary with us. Karen currently ministers to refugees living in Texas, and her heart for displaced people is clear. Her talk focuses on the biblical call to love one's neighbor and how that teaching should inform our interaction with "the other."
Somehow, we forgot to post this (and the fourth week of) Advent teaching. This week's sermon text, from Luke 1, focuses on Mary. It's worth a listen...even now, on the brink of summer.
In this teaching, Pastor Kasey Jones of National Baptist Memorial Church in Washington DC discusses the risk that is required in discipleship and the assurance of the presence of Jesus in the process.
Martin Hutchison is the pastor of one of the Corner Churches on Camden Ave, Community of Joy. Over the past year, he has helped to develop a network of community gardens in Salisbury by working with churches, organizations, and city officials. In this talk, he connects the dots between this community work and Jesus.
the restoration project. Joshua James. 28 December 2014. (We apologize for the sound quality.)
the restoration project. Joshua James. 14 December 2014. (We apologize for the sound quality.)
the restoration project. Josh James. 22 September 2013. (We had to edit some of the conversations out of the sermon due to some technical issues.)