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Redemption Church KC Sermon Podcast

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Konten disediakan oleh Redemption Church. Semua konten podcast termasuk episode, grafik, dan deskripsi podcast diunggah dan disediakan langsung oleh Redemption Church atau mitra platform podcast mereka. Jika Anda yakin seseorang menggunakan karya berhak cipta Anda tanpa izin, Anda dapat mengikuti proses yang diuraikan di sini https://id.player.fm/legal.
Teachings from Redemption Church
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98 episode

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Redemption Church KC Sermon Podcast

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Manage series 3079750
Konten disediakan oleh Redemption Church. Semua konten podcast termasuk episode, grafik, dan deskripsi podcast diunggah dan disediakan langsung oleh Redemption Church atau mitra platform podcast mereka. Jika Anda yakin seseorang menggunakan karya berhak cipta Anda tanpa izin, Anda dapat mengikuti proses yang diuraikan di sini https://id.player.fm/legal.
Teachings from Redemption Church
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98 episode

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1. Today, Tim set up his discussion of Jesus’ new command (John 13:34) by sharing about the concept of pleasure v. enjoyment. This slide outlines what he shared: In light of this concept, Tim taught that the reason the original 613 commands of the law couldn’t transform the Israelite people was that they worked against human nature. We’re wired to seek continual opportunities for enjoyment, often found by transgressing the “commands” in our lives. Spend some time with this dichotomy. Think of ways in which you’ve experienced pleasure, as it’s conceived of here. Think of some ways in which you’ve experienced enjoyment. Share some examples of each with your group. Which of these experiences feels more familiar? More appealing? What do you think it is about your personality that leads you to answer in the way you are? 2. Tim also taught about the opportunity for enjoyment that’s provided by exclusion. He said, “any kind of exclusion makes our sense of belonging so much better.” Where do you see/have you seen this principle at work in yourself? What groups/categories have you seen engage in frequent exclusion? How/when have you been excluded? How did you respond to that exclusion? How did it make you feel about the crowd/people from which you were excluded? 3. Tim taught that Jesus’ new command (from John 13:34) leads to enjoyment in a new and different way; rather than finding enjoyment through transgressing commands, we find it through transgressing the self. This process of loving sacrificially leads to both pleasure and pain. It also provides opportunities for endless enjoyment. Tim said that, as the church, our only real command is love and inclusion. When you think of your life in and as a part of the church, how do you feel about this sole command? What thoughts, ideas, and feelings arise for you as you take a moment to consider this command as the command for the church? Are there [other] “commands” that you have embraced in the past hoping in their ability to create transformation in your life? How has that worked for you? Do you have commands (other than Jesus’ new command to love) that you embrace now, hoping for them to produce transformation? What fruit, if any have you seen from those efforts? What experiences do you have that speak to the power of sacrificial love’s ability to create transformation when it’s embraced or enacted as a command? See if you can think of experiences in which you’ve been the one loving actively and experiences in which you’ve been loved in this way. Share some examples as a group. If you can see transformation that has resulted, share about that with the group.…
 
1. One of Tim’s slides read, “we get to re-narrate our own stories & decide what meaning they will have for us. We can’t change the events of our past; we can change their meaning.” How does this idea strike you? Does it intuitively make sense? Does it challenge any ideas you may hold about the meaning of events in our stories? Or about the nature of our stories themselves? When you think generally about a person’s past traumas, experiences of disorientation, or failures, what are some of the other ways in which you’ve seen people respond to difficult experiences? What do you think of “rewriting its meaning” as one of the options? What makes it an appealing option? What makes it less appealing? 2. Reflecting on the ways in which Peter may have felt disqualified or defeated by his denials of Jesus, Tim taught that Jesus’ response to Peter demonstrated that God’s covenants and kingdom are those of grace, love, and reconciliation. In effect, Jesus’ demonstration of love and grace helped to re-narrate Peter’s failure as a natural part of Peter’s discipleship process, rather than a transgression for which Peter must offer restitution. Spend a little time thinking about this, and as you do, reflect on times in which you might feel like you’ve failed in significant ways - or maybe even failed God. There’s no pressure to share your own story, but in light of your experiences, what might you imagine that Peter could be feeling as he sees this grace-filled restoration offered to him, with no condemnation or remonstrance? To what degree do you think it might have been difficult for Peter to fully accept this second chance? What might have given him cause for resistance? Do you feel resistant to the idea of unrestrained and limitless second chances being extended to you? Is that more true in concrete examples or in abstraction? What are the factors that you suspect could lead to any resistance felt in yourself, in Peter, or in someone else? 3. As Tim shared, Redemption Church hopes to be a community in which we help each another to re-narrate the stories of our lives, and to assign them meaning within the story of God, aligned with God’s kingdom of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Have you had experiences of this in your time at RC, in big or small ways? Have you witnessed it in others? How do you think it works in the practical realities of community and relationships at church? What does it look like to be a part of this process in regards to the narration of your own stories? What does it look like to be a part of this process in the stories of others in our church? How does it feel to be a part of this work in the lives of others? To have others be a part of this transformation in your life?…
 
1. Tim juxtaposed religion that packages the cross and resurrection with certitude, as a solution for the puzzle of our “sin problem” and a faith that engages with the cross and resurrection as “a mystery of how God can be born into the world through us.” He discussed the ways in which this happens on both personal and societal levels. We lack insights that, in our present form, are simply beyond us, so God is always leading us toward something deeper. As a group, generate a list of some of the ways in which you think that, as a society, we are lacking the insight we need to address places and things that simply aren’t working for us anymore. How do you know those are places where we, as a society, lack the insight and wisdom we need? How can they be identified? 2. Tim taught that the cross and resurrection help show us that in order for new things to be born, we have to let go of old ideas that we are attached to, that feel like they’re a part of us. Do you have experiences of this principle at work in your own life? Share any examples of times in which you recognize that, in order to survive and thrive, you had to let your old way of being die, so that something new could be born. Continuing this theme, Tim talked about how, Thomas sat in fidelity with his friends, even though he doubted their story of Jesus’ resurrection, and that this mysterious space prepared him for the ability to see all new possibilities once he did finally encounter Jesus for himself. (This idea is connected to the fact that Thomas, after his encounter, was the first to recognize and declare Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” ) Reflecting back on the examples you just shared about places of death and rebirth in your own life, can you identify any new insights and visions of possibility made possible through those experiences? 3. Shifting back to some of the societal challenges the group identified in the first question, spaces in which society lacks the insight to move forward and address our challenges, which ideas do you think that you, personally, are attached to that might need to die in order to create opportunity for new birth and life in our society? As we collectively sit in places of longing to know, while not knowing, Tim taught that we have to trust God in the mystery…that that’s the life of faith that leads to new life. What do you think of this idea in the practical? How does it work? What does it look like? If you’re “doing it,” what does that mean?? How do you feel about the prospect of allowing death to come for ideas you’ve held as part of yourself and identity that may need to die? What feelings and spaces of resistance arise for you?…
 
1. After talking about Mary’s over-the-top and unreasonably lavish display of love for Jesus in John 12, Tim said that this text invites us to think about what opportunities would have been missed if Mary had cared about all the social taboos she was ignoring in her actions, and had not anointed Jesus’ feet. Take a minute to really think through the scene and the moment. What do you think would have been missed? For Mary? For Jesus? For those who witnessed the moment? For us and others who read of it all these years later? You might address those scenarios one-at-a-time in your discussion. 2. Tim shared a slide that read, “we face the same choice all the time, between playing it safe …or having the courage to love lavishly , generously, holding nothing back.” In what areas, relationships, or spaces do you need this reminder most? Where is it most difficult for you to love and demonstrate your love without holding back? With family? Friends? The marginalized? Your partner? Someone else? In which contexts, if any, do you find it easier to demonstrate your love in lavish and generous ways? Why do you think it is that the places that feel easier feel that way, and that the spaces in which it feels harder feel as they do? Do you see themes or commonalities in your responses that could help you become more aware of the places you hit resistance and restraint? 3. As he closed his sermon, Tim reminded us that every single person out there in the world is fighting really hard battles and is “armored up” as they try not to get hurt. Christians, he said, are the ones who should be out piercing through those coats of armor with love. What do you think about this idea? What does it look like? How does it work? What armor do you tend to wear as you live your daily life? Have you had experiences in which someone else has helped to pierce your own armor? If so, how did they do it? Can you think of people in your spheres who you sense need someone to help pierce their own self-protective armor? What would it look like for you to begin to do that with your love? What barriers might you encounter?…
 
1. Early in his sermon, Tim said, “to be human is to be self-alienated.” He was speaking about the unavoidable universal experience of humans disavowing (or, sort of, ignoring and being in denial about) parts of ourselves that don’t fit with the projected images of ourselves that we embrace as our self-concept. He went on to say that to be human is to be a bundle of contradictions - even to ourselves. And that our persistent self-alienation shapes the way we show up in the world. Later, when looking at the story, Tim pointed out that, before the prodigal son could be reconciled with his father and community, he is first reconciled to to an aspect of his own identity from which he’s been estranged. First, how do you respond internally to the idea that you don’t know yourself as thoroughly as you might hope? How easy is that to accept? How do you feel about that fact? How interested are you, in general, in learning and recognizing more about yourself? For some it may feel difficult, daunting, scary, interesting, exciting, or something else entirely! How does the prospect feel for you? How motivated are you to engage intentionally in self-discovery of this sort? How do/would you go about it? What barriers have you encountered to the process? Have you had experiences in which, like the prodigal son, you have a sort of “aha moment” in which you recognize a previously unknown truth about your self or personality? Or have you been a witness to a similar experience in someone else’s life? If so, share about those experiences and, if possible, what the precursors to those moments were. 2. Tim said, at several points in his sermon, that “All exiles are self-imposed.” Thinking about the spiritual part of our lives, what does exile look like? How would you identify spiritual exile within your own life? Is this something you’ve experienced personally? Is it something you’ve witnessed in others? How do we go about recognizing this self-imposed nature of exile while coming from a place of compassion, rather than of judgement? Does engaging with this idea compassionately feel easier or harder to do with self than with others? What do you make of that? 3. Tim talked about the response of the older brother, and related it to the way in which we can use religion to reinforce our “carefully curated and highly defended identities as good little boys and girls.” In this paradigm, the idea of God’s joyful and unconditional embrace of all of humanity into God’s love and family can be upsetting. He pointed out that the story’s older brother has built his sense of self and worth around the idea of having worked to earn both his father’s love, and his position in the father’s household. When the father’s unhesitating embrace of the prodigal pairs with the father’s equally open embrace of this elder son, it throw’s the older brother’s sense of things into a tailspin. How much do you relate to this older brother? Or do you relate more to the prodigal? In what ways? Have you or do you feel any resistance to the idea that a fortune-squandering, family-shaming child of God is as fully beloved and appreciated as God’s perfectly performing children? If you can, think of someone you know who has perhaps squandered some fortune that could have been yours or who has shamed your family or loved one. Do you feel resistance to the idea of that person/those people as fully as beloved and appreciated as God’s perfectly performing children? Does putting someone real into that question impact your sense of resistance at all? If so, how? What do you make of your answer?…
 
1. Discussing the passage for today ’s se rmon, Luke 13:1-9, Cole noted that Jesus seems to think the crowd expects Jesus to have “a take,” and that they may expect Jesus to respond to the story they share as either a violent revolutionary or as an elite Roman-sympathizer. Jesus, though, responds in a different and unexpected way, moving toward neither position. Do you find it difficult to avoid thinking of others as being in one of two opposing ditches? No matter what your answer, why do you think that is? Do you find yourself unconsciously shifting yourself toward one pole or another, either in practice or in your own sense of yourself? If so, why do you think that may be? And how do you feel about it? Are the dynamics in play in your sense of yourself different than those when it comes to your sense of other people? Why do you think that is or is not? Do you see any value in trying to conceive of both others and yourself in some way other than all-or-nothing? Why? If yes, how might you help yourself to do so? 2. Cole preached about our human tendency to distance ourselves from the tragedies in and around our lives. He talked about both a sentimental response that may do that by essentially saying, “this is a lot to think about…therefore, God. [the end]” and a cynical response that may essentially say, “God’s not doing what I expected; I’m out.” Cole then said, “I think we’ve figured out how to use God to insulate ourselves from the pain we’re experiencing.” What is your initial response to these ideas? Can you connect to a sense of using God to insulate yourself from pain? Or a desire to do so? What do you think that’s about for you? How does it function? Do you tend more toward cynicism, sentimentalism, or something else? 3. Cole also talked about the role of the practice of confession, which is simply telling the truth about ourselves and our lives. And that the practices of confession and repentance help bring us into spaces in which we can help set others free and liberate them from the massive weights they may feel sitting on their chests. How do you engage in the practice of confession? What does it look like for you? What are some ways in which you find yourself practicing repentance? How comfortable do you feel with the ideas and practices of both confession and repentance? Why do you think that is? If you feel resistance to one or both, what do you think that’s about? Do you see a way in which your practices of confession and repentance lead to liberation and freedom for others? To an easing of the burdens that leave them feeling buried? If so, how so? What does the through-line look like? If not, where does that lead your thoughts?…
 
1. Tim taught that the word often translated as “the devil” in the “Temptations of Christ” narratives is a combination of two Greek words that, together, mean, “to throw through, in order to divide.” So, “diabolos is what we call anyone whose intent is to divide or cause division between God, self, other, and the world.” Building on that concept, Tim later said, “the world God imagines for us cannot be established through division and violence.” So, if our desire is to honor this and work toward creating the world as God imagines it, what does it look like to engage in personal, communal, national, or global crises without using division or violence? Is passivity the only alternative? If not, what could active engagement look like? What might its hallmarks be? Would that Kingdom-building engagement look different in, for example, personal settings compared to global settings? Why? How so? 2. Tim taught that diabolos says to us that the ends justify the means, but that in the way of the kingdom, the means are the ends. How does this principle challenge you as you face struggles and suffering - whether personally, in society, or otherwise? How can you tell if you are engaging methods of division and violence if they’re more subtle in nature? What do you need to look for? What are some of the ways you might engage with yourself when you realize you’re tempted to use division and/or violence to move your own agenda forward? How does that look different in personal v communal v global etc contexts? 3. Tim characterized Jesus’ response to the third temptation as another way of saying, “the wilderness isn’t a place for testing God; it’s a place for testing us.” Reflect on the way you may think about the concept of the wilderness in general. When it comes to your sense of what “wilderness” is, how congruent is the idea that the wilderness is meant to test us rather than God? Does that fit? Why or why not? Do you think it should fit? Also spend a moment considering times in your life when you’ve felt you were in “wilderness seasons.” Do you tend to think of these times as times in which you waited to see if God would “pass the test” and take care of you? Or do you tend to think of them more as times in which you were being tested? If you are the one being tested, what does “passing the test” look like?…
 
1. In his message today abou t the Transfiguration, after talking about Moses & Elijah’s experiences with the shining glory of God, Tim said, “nobody could see God, but they could see where God had been.” Take a moment to consider whether or not you’ve had an experience (or experiences) in which you’ve had this same sense - that you can see the evidence of God having been present in an extraordinary way. What were the circumstances? What was that “signature” of God like? How did you recognize it? What conditions might make that type of experience more possible? If you’ve not had that experience at all, what are your thoughts about why? 2. Tim said, “The only way to see God is to attend to the mystery…enter into the great cloud of unknowing. Yet we spend much of our lives, trying to drain the world of mystery…name, explain, control. …So maybe it’s not so surprising that it has become so difficult to believe.” What’s your relationship to mystery? Is it a comfortable space for you? Do you feel that you encounter it often? Ever? Discuss as a group the nature of mystery in your modern life. Are there spaces or contexts where mystery feels more permissible? More accessible? What do you think of challenging any constraints you may (even unconsciously) put around the presence and experience of the mysterious? 3. Tim talked about the reality that the presence of God’s shining face is most often revealed through ordinary people and in our ordinary lives. Is this hard for you to believe? Do you have any kinds of informal practices that help you to better see God in the people around you each and every day? If so, share. If not, what could that look like for you? What do you think keeps you from easily seeing God in every single person around you? In other areas of your daily life?…
 
1) In today ’s se rmon, Tim told a story originally told by Douglas Rushkoff about a group of billionaires seeking wisdom about how to prevent problems after what they called “the event,”basically the apocalypse. When you’re in a place of fear, and considering worst case scenarios, what is “the event“ for you? Why do you think that is? What kinds of plans do you tend to make in your mind should “the event” come to pass? 2) Tim shared a slide that started with the question, “what makes us safe in this world?”He then listed the six most common types of answers we come up with to that question. They are below. Which of these do you tend to gravitate to First? Are there a couple that seem most right to you or are your defaults? Which are at the bottom of your list? If you’re among those that have been stressed and fearful lately, it might help to consider the types of solutions you’ve imagined for the problems you are seeing. 3) Toward the end of his sermon, Tim stated “when the church loves like Jesus did, the kingdom of the world cannot stand against us“. He then prayed that we would have “the courage to try to stay committed to love.” What does that look like in the practical? In your daily life? In places where you may be actively resisting troubling things happening around you?…
 
1. When you think of Jesus, what descriptive words come to mind? If someone asked you, “what is Jesus like?,” what would be some of the things you’d say? Then take a moment to revisit the scriptures Mandy preached over today , Luk e 6:17-26. How do his words come across to you? How, as you absorb Jesus’ teaching, would you describe Jesus in this moment, as he confronts the crowd with proclamations of the Kingdom that are very counter to what they might have hoped or expected to hear (& may be counter to what we hope and expect to hear)? To what extent does the Jesus of this moment align with the descriptive words you listed initially? What do you make of the similarity or dissimilarity you find between your general description of Jesus and Jesus as he shows up in this passage in Luke? 2. In her sermon, Mandy pointed out that Jesus isn’t good news for people who want to avoid disruption. How do you see yourself in this paradigm? What’s your general orientation toward disruption? What emotions does the word “disruption” elicit for you? How do you feel about characterizing Jesus as a disruptor? Do you see yourself as disruptive in any contexts or ways? How do you feel about your answer? 3. Toward the end of her sermon, Mandy said, “when you embrace the idea of Jesus becoming the lowest of the low, it changes everything.” How do you feel about this characterization of Jesus? Do you feel the desire to add qualifiers or explanatory notes to the idea of Jesus being the lowest of the low? How do you respond to the totality of Mandy’s statement? To what extent do you think that you “embrace the idea of Jesus becoming the lowest of the low?” How, if at all, has that changed things for you? How, if it has, has it changed you?…
 
1. Tim talked about Peter’s response to Jesus after, heeding Jesus’ illogical directives, he and his partners catch literally more fish than their nets and boats can hold. For this first question, you’re invited to take the time as a group to imagine a personalized scenario similar to that in to day’s passage. It may take some time, and you may need to encourage each other if you’re struggling to come up with ideas or if some are feeling self-conscious. This is just an exer cise and an experiment for all of us. Help each other where needed. Have fun with it! (And if it flops, thanks for trying! 🙃 I’d appreciate your feedback either way!) First, take a few moments for each of you to think of an area of your life in which you have some level of credible knowledge or expertise. It can be anything! Do you know a lot about how to bake cookies? To prepare to give a sales pitch? To train a dog to sit? To learn a new song on an instrument ? To ma ke a pizza? To clean a kitchen? To balance a budget? To lead a team-building event? To design a workshop? To throw a party? To lead a staff meeting? Mop a floor? Give a manicure? Teach a game? Format a report in Excel? Teach a new skill to a child? Again, it can be anything!! Try to imagine a situation within that area in which you put in efforts that you and others have learned are best practices, in order to achieve a desired, but not guaranteed return. That return can be physical, financial, emotional, or otherwise. It might be helpful to imagine a scenario in which , for w hatever reason, others are also present. If needed, help each other come up with reasonable scenarios that might make sense in their own lives. Once everybody has an idea for this experiment, take some time for each of you to imagine a scene in which you’re at work on this specific task. Imagine Jesus approaching. Imagine him entering into the scenario, greeting you and others, etc. Then imagine Jesus gives you instructions that go direct ly coun ter to what you know to be good advice on this subject. Realism and scale are unimportant! As you imagine the moment, get specific in your mind about what exactly he’s telling you. Imagine how you might feel hearing it. Give room to your skepticism, defensiveness, or whatever else might surface. Think about what facial expressions you might make, or you might see from others nearby. Wh at faci al expressions is Jesus making? Pay attention to how you’re feeling and what silent thoughts you might have in that moment. In the scene, agree to go along with Jesus’ guidance. What worlds would you use? How might your voice sound? Do you make eye contact with Jesus? Do you convey your skepticism in an y way? Would it matter if others w/similar expertise are nearby? What could you notice about the others observing this moment ? How do you feel about their opinions in this second? Let the scene play out with as much detail as you can. Next, visualize yourself going through the steps Jesus prescribes. Depending on your scenario, this may be a quick moment or a longer one. Then, imagine a shockingly unexpected outcome. This doesn’t have to be realistic - and probably won’t be!! Imagine the specific nature of a positive and ou trageou sly abundant return. In that moment, pay close attention to yourself. What are you doing with your physical body as the outcome is happe ning? A re you just watching it happen? Looking around in disbelief? What’s your emotional response? Do you look at Jesus? If so, what expression is on his face? What are his eyes communicating to you? What expression is on your face? How are others around you reacting? What are they doing or saying? Finally, let the moment fill your awareness, and turn your full attention to Jesus. How do you r espon d to him? What do you say? What do you do? How are you feeling inside yourself in this instant? What, if anything, is Jesus doing? Does he respond to you in some way? Is there a larger message for you in this moment? If so, what might it be? Take a moment to really sit in this final imaginary moment of communication with Jesus, noticing your feelings and body sensations as you do. When all are finished, share with each other about what this experiment was like, what you noticed and felt. Was there anything that left you with new ideas, new questions, new sensations? What, if anything, surprised you? 2. As Tim taught, Jesus’ instruction to Peter included him taking his boat an d crew out into the deep waters, the place in which Jew & Gentile intermingled on the lake. Tim’s accompanying slide read, “the Jewish people couldn’t become fully Jewish without the Gentiles, blessing them was their ul timate mi ssion.” In what ways does this idea apply to us today ? As Christians generally and/or as Redemption Church? Where does it challenge you to consider the “others” as the very people you’re meant to bless? How does it feel to consider not only those on the margins, but also those who are opposing the work we , as Ch ristians, might see as our core calling? What do you think of the idea that loving and blessing both of those groups, as well as more, is part of our mission? How do you respond to the suggestion that we cannot become fully who we’re meant to be without those people we’d rather exclude, ignore, or condemn? 3. Shared on one of Tim’s slides, Dallas Willard said, “a disciple is one who is with Jesus, learning to be like him, so that I react to my world the way Jesus would if he were in my shoes.” In what ways have you felt stressed, frustrated, violent, outraged, offended, or tried in recent weeks ? Are t here specific instances or circumstances that come to mind? How do you think Jesus would react in some of the specific circumstances that you’ve thought of? Are there ways in which your own reacti ons could be shifted to better mimic his example? What do you think about the idea of trying to mimic Jesus in some of these moments? What about it feels most difficult and why?…
 
1. In Luke 4:21, Jesus says that the Isaiah 61 scripture from which he read was fulfilled “ today ” for his listeners, in their hearing. Cole pointed out that he says “ today ,” rather than tomorrow , or at the cross, or at the time of the resurrection. What do you make of that “ today ?” If we’re taking Jesus at his word, how do you understand that idea? What was going on that day that was fulfilling the proclamation of liberty and Jubilee? And what do you make of the fact that he didn’t indicate the fulfillment of the passage would be coming at the cross or the resurrection? What previously held ideas might that moment challenge? 2. Cole also posited that when the crowd responds favorably to Jesus, but immediately also asks, “isn’t this Joseph’s son?,” that perhaps after they see Jesus’ demonstration of power, they’re reassuring themselves that, as Joseph's son, Jesus is one of their own. And that, by extension, they can exercise some sort of control over him and feel safe from his action and activity. But, of course, they find that Jesus is on a mission of his own, and they cannot make him be who they’d like or act as they'd demand. In response, they turn on him completely. Where do you see this same inclination in yourself? Where does Jesus demand from you something beyond what you’d like to give? Where do you find yourself tempted to jettison Jesus, even just a bit, when his way of being in the world is a challenge to something to which you’d rather cling? 3. Cole talked about the Transactional Belonging inherent in empire, and which is prevalent in our society today . He compared it to the only other type of system that Israel could imagine: a purity movement and a system of Obedient Belonging. But, Cole taught, both of these systems end in violence, and that Jesus’ model of belonging was wholly other and centered on solidarity. He provided a working definition of solidarity: “a way of being together where even our differences are evidence of our shared faithfulness, hope, and love.” Spend some time as a group talking about each of these three types of belonging. Do you have places where you’ve seen or imagined the existence of one or another in action? What does it look like to participate in a transactional system of belonging? An obedience system? Where and how can you see these systems ending in violence? When you imagine a solidarity system of belonging, what are the features you think of? What does it look like at its core? How does it operate? What is your part in enacting that system?…
 
1. In the system of the Jubilee year (also referred to as “the year of the Lord’s favor”), land, debts, and finances were to be redistributed back to an equitable baseline as orignally described in Torah. Tim taught that in inherent in this arrangement was the reality that, “nobody could ever become so rich that they could control the whole system, and make Israel serve their purposes.” We might be inclined to respond positively to the idea of everyone having enough and no one being able to become dominantly wealthy. However, the enactment of this arrangement on a global level would likely mean that many of us would be required to have less than what we have now. Less land, less home, less cash, less savings, less stuff, less advantage, less privilege, and etc etc. How do you feel about this idea at first blush? If you can, think of someone you know who may have noticeably less material wealth than you do. Imagine pooling your collective resources and then splitting them exactly 50/50. Maybe spend a moment picturing the process of taking inventory of all that is owned between the two of you. Now imagine ending the process with no less and no more than your counterpart, and much of what was once yours now belonging to them. What emotions and thoughts are surfacing for you? Where is resistance showing up? Where might your ideals and your priorities be in conflict within you? What does it look like to engage in those places of tension within yourself, and do so with curiosity and kindness? 2. Jesus was reordering the world not only to include, but also to center those who’d been excluded and pushed out of society up to that point. And as he lived out his ministry, his actions created and reflected this same type of Jubilee-esque restructuring. With your group, generate a list of people-groups who, in our world today , are often marginalized, excluded, and discriminated against. What does it look like for you and/other individuals to live lives that functionally demonstrate a Jesus-like priority on and intention toward this social reorganization? What does it look like for a church to excel at centering some of the various groups you came up with? What do we do with the reality that limits on our time, energy, and financial resources most likely preclude us from fully engaging in the Jubilee-like re-ordering Jesus describes? What thoughts and feelings surface as you consider that pragmatic idea? How would you suggest navigating that tension? 3. Tim shared a slide that read, “The church is meant to be the one place in the world where Jubilee is still the dominant reality.” Yet the actions of many churches don't reflect that same value and priority. How do we love and revere the church-at-large with so many opposing ideas in our world about what a church is meant to do, and how they’re supposed to function in relationship to the rest of the world? If you can, avoid veering into a “they’re wrong/we’re right” trap. How do you navigate the varied expressions of “Christianity” and church to which many lay claim? How do you understand it in your mind? Why are there such stark differences? How might you engage with someone whose experiences of church have left them disdainful of church in total?…
 
1. Much of Tim’s sermon today talk ed about reframing the way we understand John’s presentation of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. What is it like for you to think about understanding the story, its symbols, and John’s presentation of the event in a new way? What had your understanding of that story been before this week’s sermon? How do you feel about the idea that a story as it’s written can remain static, but the understanding we have of it - either as a collective or as individuals can shift, sometimes dramatically? How does this interact with the way you understand the Bible, its stories, and our relationships to it? How do you feel about that dynamic as it’s played out/plays out in your own life? 2. Tim talked about the value of being a part of an interpretive community living in the way of Jesus. How much does this connect to your reasons for being a part of Redemption Church? With or without this exact idea in view, how would you describe the value of your own present day experiences in such a community (Redemption or otherwise)? How would you explain why you go to church, why you go to this church, and how it impacts who you are and how you live your life? 3. Mary instructs the servants at the wedding to “do whatever [Jesus] tells you to do.” In what areas of your life do you need to listen and hear “whatever he is telling you to do” so that you can have more awareness of and access to the true abundant nature of the Kingdom of God? What would that listening and hearing look like for you practically? Do you have any reasons you might hesitate to create that space and time for listening? Why or why not?…
 
1. In his sermon today , Tim shared a quote from Heraclitus: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Later, of this quote, Heraclitus also said, “not that all things are changing so that we cannot encounter them twice, but that some things stay the same only by changing.” Tim then said, “to be human is to be the kind of thing that can stay the same only by changing… to refuse to change and grow is to diminish our humanity.” Consider Heraclitus’ original quote. What does it speak to you? Does it resonate? If so, how? If not, why do you think that is? What does it mean to be the kind of thing “that can stay the same only by changing?” How does refusing to change and grow diminish our humanity? What experiences from your life bear witness to these truths? Where have you seen them in action? 2. Tim differentiated between religion and spirituality, sharing these definitions: Religion: submitting to a particular tradition for the purpose of human formation. Spirituality: the habits, rhythms, and practices that help us engage with God & our tradition He then taught that “Jesus’ spirituality led him to question & rethink his religion.” Think about each of these definitions. What stands out to you? Is it new to consider spirituality and religion as separate and distinct counterparts in your life of faith? What do you think about the idea that Jesus’ spirituality led him to question and rethink his religion? What might you imagine this looking like for Jesus internally? How does this connect to your own experience? Share about ways in which your spirituality has influenced your religion and vice versa. 3. One of Tim’s first slides read, “Christianity teaches that our emotional, spiritual, physical, and psychological well-being - as persons and communities - depend on our willingness to surrender and constantly update our working models of reality.” His final slide read, “we must all find a way to let our spirituality call our religion into question.” How comfortable to do you feel with the idea that disruption is essential to your well-being? How attached do you feel to the idea of keeping your perceptions of reality unruffled and unchallenged? What do you think about the idea of your spirituality calling your religion into question? What experience, if any, have you had of this dynamic? What emotions does it bring up for you? Do you feel places of resistance within yourself? Whether your answer is yes or no, why do you think that is?…
 
1. Near the beginning of his sermon, Andy talked about the essential nature of setting in any story, and how our stories are inherently linked with their setting and context. Think a little bit about the stories of your own life that are either prominent right now or have been in the story arc of your life so far. Share a bit about the stories that come to mind and the ways in which the setting and context of the moment are/were crucial to the overall shape of the story. 2. Andy shared what he called a “mini sermon” in the middle of his sermon. That mini sermon was this: small is often the way of God. Spend some time reflecting on this statement. How does it strike you? In what was have you seen its truth (or not!) in your own life over time? How does reflection on this idea and its truthfulness affect you in this moment? How can you take this idea and apply its wisdom in the challenging and painful places in your own life today ? 3 . Andy reminded us that “Jesus wasn’t born into a sentimental and idealized version of life.” He went on to say, “the story of Bethlehem points us to the true essence of the Gospel! The ash heap of sorrow and grief can be turned into the birthplace of the Bread of Life.” What does it communicate to you to remember that Jesus did indeed come into a very real and messy version of reality? How does that thought make you feel? Now reflect on the idea of the ash heap becoming a birth place for the Bread of Life. Have you seen this truth in your own life? What do you think it means for the bread of Life to be born into the ash heaps and places of sorrow in your life? What does it look like? Is it possible to see that dawning of new life take place as it occurs, or only in retrospect? Would it be possible to miss it altogether? How might one recognize it?…
 
1. One of Tim’s slides in his sermon today read, “the trajectory of our lives will shape the way we react when Messiah shows up.” How do you understand what this means? How would you describe the trajectory of your own life, relative to this concept? What has it looked like or would it look like for you to orient or position your life on a trajectory that is or would be better able to receive Messiah when Messiah shows up? 2. Part of John the Baptist’s message to those who came to the wilderness to hear him was that they can’t rely on their status as part of the people of Israel to ensure their ability to receive Messiah and move toward the Kingdom. Reflect on the fact that this admonition also applies to us today . Consider that neither your status in church membership nor your embrace of Christian cultural traditions are reliable qualifications for your readiness to receive Messiah in your life. How do you feel as you sit in that idea for a moment? What questions arise for you? What ideas? 3. Whether you count yourself among their numbers or not, how does it feel to consider those who are in processes of deconstruction and reconstruction as people in the process of repentance? Tim called the undertaking brave and faithful. How does that tally with the ways in which you usually think about deconstruction and those in the process? Do you consider yourself as one of the people in the midst of deconstruction and reconstruction? How does it feel to consider yourself, in that context, as brave? As faithful? As repenting? Share about what this framework for deconstruction and reconstruction stirs in your thoughts and feelings, and how it relates to your own experience.…
 
1. When Tim reviewed the story of artist Phil Hansen, he said that a doctor advised Hansen to “embrace the shame… so he did.” Hansen’s story, when quickly summarized, boils down to a single sentence what was no doubt a drawn out time of harrowing struggle and evolution for Hansen, both professionally and personally. Yet, this is often how our own life’s stories are for others on the outside, and sometimes even for ourselves in retrospect. What we experience as a milestone period of extended struggle, crisis, or catastrophe can be told later in a simple few sentences in which it’s difficult to convey the profound and transformative nature of the time. What experiences in my your life have become, with time, short easily summarized stories? Are you facing circumstances now that you hope will someday also be able to be seen as shorter, more easily summarized journeys? And how do you feel contemplating the possibility? What might you hope that story could sound like someday? 2. In Tim’s sermon today , he said that “only those who’ve cultivated a sensitivity to God will encounter God’s presence in ordinary everyday things.” In contrast, many will need some sort of catastrophe or exile experience to get them to surrender their old dying world and ready to embrace what’s next. Do you tend to lean more toward sensitivity to God in everyday things or do you think you’re more likely to need a catastrophe to help you soften toward reshaping? Are there examples from your past that inform your thoughts on your tendencies? Are there different contexts in which you feel like your readiness for reformation may be more or less easy to access? 3. After saying, “some of what we think we are won’t survive [the process of reshaping prompted by catastrophe], but that’s okay, because it’s killing us,” Tim posed a question to us all: what are you hanging onto that you need to let go of? What crutch, pacifier, or way of being in the world might need to be released in order to allow you to embrace the experience of God that comes on the other side? After sharing your response to this question, reflect on practices you might undertake to help with the process of release and share with the group.…
 
1. When telling the story of Phil Hansen’s learned wisdom and artistic process, Tim said, “his limitation fired his imagination.” What limitations have you experienced or are you experiencing in your life at present? Are any of these limits in areas in which you also feel like you could really benefit from some firing of your imagination? Have you seen ways in which your Christian faith (or that of another) has been well suited to these times of limitation or disorientation? How so? Have you had times or circumstances in your past in which a limitation has led you to creative thinking, problem solving, or innovation? To new imagination? If so, share about how that came about for you. 2. Within the limiting bounds of exile, Jeremiah advised Israel’s people to live fruitful lives in their new situation and station, and to seek the peace and prosperity of Babylon, as its prospering would translate to their own as well. Rather than fall into despair and hopelessness, Jeremiah seemed to embrace an idea articulated by Hansen: when faced with a limit, one ought to consider, “how will I find a new way to flourish within the bounds of this limit?” If these two ideas represent a spectrum of response to places of disorienting limitation, with despair and hopelessness on one end and curious exploration of new possibilities on the other, where do you tend to fall on this spectrum? Has that shifted over time for you? Are there different contexts in which one response is more likely than another for you? Think back to any present-day limitations you thought of in response to the first question. Where are you on that spectrum in regards to those circumstances? 3. Tim taught that as Empire desires to shape our lives, we can lean into the Christian practices that will help us to, instead, be formed into people of peace. He listed these practices for us to consider: Baptism & Eucharist Sabbath & tithing Weekly worship & daily prayer Community & solitude Peacemaking & solidarity with the outcast He then asked, “as you think about your decrescendo, what practices will you engage in during Advent to make space for the future of God to be born in you?” As you answer this question with your group, share about any barriers that may hinder your practice(s). What might you do to avoid being stalled by these barriers?…
 
1. What does it mean to be a witness? 2. Is there a space in my life where I feel challenged to go against culture to follow Christ? 3. Where does my story intersect with the story of Perpetua and Felicitas (social conventions, crossing lines, advocating for others, speaking up, resilience, hope in another kind of life, seeing suffering in a different light, telling my story)?…
 
1. In his sermon, Tim talked about two parallel lines of church history. The first, the Historical Tradition, is characterized by dogmatic theologians and the general domination of men within its points of significance. In contrast, the Wisdom Tradition is characterized by mystical theologians, and women take a much more significant role in its history. The slide showing the two timelines is below. Does one of these feel more familiar to you? Its story more known or more relevant? Are there specific people or moments of significance in either that are personally important to you? If so, share about why. Are there some that you feel led to learn more about? If so, share about why. What thoughts are prompted by noticing the contrasts between these two timelines while also recognizing their concurrence? What influence might recognizing these parallel traditions have on your overall understanding of the history of Christian theology? Is it important to hold both of these traditions in view when considering Christian theological history? Why or why not? 2. Julian of Norwich’s theology was neither sentimental nor sweet. She dove headfirst into difficult topics, including the problem of evil. In doing so, she wrote about Christ on the Cross. But unlike the views of her contemporaries, she didn’t see anger and wrath in the picture of the cross, but rather God’s solidarity and love. In the cross, she saw God absorbing man’s evil and returning only forgiveness. Consider these different ways of understanding the cross. How do they compare with your own sense? Do you think of the cross as being more about wrath & anger? Or about solidarity & love? Whether you lean more toward one of these interpretations or some mixture, share about your sense of the cross and its relevance to your own personal faith practices. How does your conception of the cross affect your overall practice of your faith? 3. Tim taught that Julian saw, in Christ, an invitation to bring our brokenness to God - a process that requires growing in self-knowledge. And that this process helps us to participate in God’s well-making more and more. What are your thoughts about the link between growing in self-knowledge and God’s ongoing well-making in the world? To what extent do you tend to think of your own self-awareness work as connected to God’s redemptive processes? Do they seem linked or rather separate? What do you make of the through line drawn by Tim through the theology of Julian of Norwich? How does this influence your thoughts and feelings about the extent to which you’ve engaged in self-knowledge work? What feelings does this entire idea prompt in you? How significant does it feel?…
 
1. In his sermon today, Tim talked about the ways in which St. Guinefort was embraced as an example of two of Christianity’s core values: cruciformity & solidarity. Do you have people in your life who exemplify cruciformity and solidarity especially well in your eyes? In what ways do they do say? Why are they such exemplars for you? In what areas of your life are these two values particularly relevant? In which ways have you moved or do you want to move more toward cruciformity and solidarity in your own life & community? Brainstorm as a group some specific small (or large) actions you (individually or collectively) could take that will help you to further embody cruciformity and solidarity in your own life. 2. Tim shared a simple formula for helping us to move our lives more toward cruciformity. He listed some examples of status (see slide below for examples list & formula). Once we identify our own places of status, then we need to be intentional about not using or leveraging those advantages for our own self-advancement (as is the “mind of” our culture). But, instead, we are to pursue the “mind of Christ,” following his example of “kenosis,” emptying ourselves and instead engaging those places of status to help lift others in solidarity. Which advantages from this status list (or otherwise) do you identify in your own life? What do you think it would look like for you pour out, make void, and self-empty in that regard, rather than exploit or leverage your status/advantage/privilege? Do you think there should be limits to kenosis in your life? If so, how would one determine where they should be? If not, why not? What do you think influences your answer to this specific question? 3. Tim taught about Jesus’ parable of the sheep & the goats (Matthew 25:31-46). He pointed out that in Jesus’ teaching, “those who refuse God’s grace to others they see as unworthy, are themselves unable to receive it.” In contrast, “those who practice cruciformity & solidarity with the excluded will come alive with a life that is truly life.” Further, Tim highlighted that Jesus’ call to cruciformity and solidarity includes no litmus test for who is worthy of that inclusion and solidarity, saying “there is no means testing for God’s grace.” Where are the areas in which you are most tempted to try to apply restrictions to whom “should” be able to receive God’s grace, your solidarity, and/or any other form of inclusion? Why do you think those hesitations or refusals arise in you? Do you feel willing to move toward more cruciform solidarity in those areas? If so, how might you go about that? If not, why not?…
 
1. In the first sermon in this year’s Saints series, Tim taught about Jürgen Moltmann’s life, work, and theological legacy. What jumped out at you during this sermon and its stories? What ideas impacted you or caught your attention? What were some of the big ideas you heard as you listened? 2. When Moltmann, interred in a POW camp, first read the Bible, and read about Jesus’ cry from the cross, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?,” he thought, “here is a fellow who understands me.” He described Christ as “…the divine brother in need, the companion on the way…the fellow sufferer who carries you, with your suffering.” Consider this view of Christ. To what extent does this align with the way you tend to this of the Son? Is there anything in this description that feels particularly resonant for you? Anything that feels kinda off? What, if anything, might you modify, add, or subtract to articulate your own sense of Christ more closely? What emotions or thoughts are prompted in you when you spend a little time considering Christ through this lens? Does the hope that surfaced for Moltmann feel relatable? Accessible? 3. Following are three of the Moltmann quotes Tim shared. Read through them as a group (all at once or one-at-a-time), and discuss your thoughts on each. What’s stirred up for you? How is your sense of hope impacted? What resonates with your own experiences of hope and/or its absence? Is there anything here you needed to hear or of which you often need to be reminded? Is there anything in these words that inspires intention or action within yourself? “Peace with God means conflict with the world, for the goad of the promised future stabs inexorably into the flesh of every unfulfilled present.” “Hell is hopelessness.” “[the cross] encounters us as the great promise of our life and this world: nothing will be in vain…We are called to this hope, and the call often sounds like a command - a command to resist death and the powers of death, and a command to love life and cherish it: every life, the life we share, the whole of life.”…
 
1. In her sermon, Marina McClure spoke about the often unconscious assumptions we might make while we read the Bible. She specifically pointed out assumptions we might make about the underlying motives behind social interactions and/or the tone of voice being used in different exchanges. What are your thoughts about these ideas and the examples she gave from today’s scripture reading? To what extent have you considered tone of voice when reading Biblical dialogue? How often are you aware of assumptions you might be making when you read? How often do you explore ideas about the different possible underlying social norms and subtext? How easy or difficult does it seem to integrate this kind of slowed-down and curious exploration of different possibilities as you read the Bible? How appealing is it for you? How valuable does it seem? 2. In a couple places in the scripture’s story, Marina suggested alternative ways of understanding Jesus’ experience of the moment, or a variety of ways of interpreting what’s being communicated. What’s it like for you to encounter alternative frames for understanding often familiar Biblical stories or ideas? Do you experience any resistance or does it feel interesting? Does it seem difficult to consider things in that way? Are there things about your own personality or background that might be especially congruent with your response to this way of thinking about the Bible? 3. Marina invited us all to try to engage with the Bible in a way that intentionally looks for questions and tries to practice active wondering as we read. What thoughts & feelings surface in response to these suggestions? How do you feel about the idea of intentionally seeking things you can’t easily clarify? What do you think it might look like to try to engage in more “active wondering” as you read the Bible? What kind of impacts do you think this orientation toward reading the Bible could have for your own experience of the Bible and/or your faith?…
 
1. Today, Nick Pickerell taught about Zacchaeus’s repentance and immediate commitment to making reparations as told in Luke 19. He paralleled some of Zacchaeus’ likely activities as a tax collector to some of the unjust practices of excluding and exploiting black people, native people, and other people of color that have long been codified in our country’s governmental and social structures. How did you feel as you listened to Nick reciting the list of some of the unjust policies and practices that he shared as examples? What emotions came up for you? If possible, try to recreate that moment in your memory & share about your experience of it as you listened. Were there thoughts or ideas that surfaced for you as well? Reflecting back on the moment, what observations can you make about your own internal responses? Do you have any thoughts about how you responded and what your own experience of that moment was? 2. Nick pointed out that, in response to Zacchaeus repentance and commitment to enacting justice, Jesus declared that, on that day, salvation had come to Zacchaeus’s house. What do you make of this apparent cause-and-effect moment? What is it about Zacchaeus’ actions that allowed salvation to come to the entire household? What wisdom for your own life today can you find in this moment of both Zacchaeus’ commitments & Jesus’ pronouncement? How is this relevant for you today? What questions or ideas does this part of the story prompt in you? 3. Nick had us discuss a few questions together in smaller groups as he prepared to close his sermon. He first asked us to identify and name different systems of injustice which we’ve seen, participated in, or been made aware of. He then asked for us to identify different ways - big and small - in which we personally can impact or have impacted these and other unjust systems in our lives and communities. Spend some time as a group responding to those two questions. You can share what your group discussed during church if you were there and also come up with new examples and ideas together. Make a written list, as a group, of ways to engage. To whatever degree possible, generate a list of resources, organizations, or engagement opportunities you’re aware of so that you can work together as a group to help support and inform each other’s efforts to engage and enact justice in whatever capacity is possible for you as a way to remind yourselves that, as Nick said, every action matters and helps to bring wholeness to our communities.…
 
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