Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 1035 | Phil Delivers a Fiery Portrayal of John the Baptist & Jase’s Date Night Gone Wrong

Episode Date: February 5, 2025

The tape has surfaced of Phil’s full performance as John the Baptist during an Easter drama nearly thirty years ago, and the guys are thrilled. A weather anomaly at Al’s house leads Jase down memory lane and how he used fish heads to capture Missy’s heart on their second date. The guys make connections between the lives of Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and even Phil, and how God’s power is demonstrated repeatedly in similar ways throughout history. In this episode: John 1, verses 31-32; Matthew 11, verse 12; Luke 1, verses 11-37 -- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? Welcome back to Unashame. I'm still in the Southern Lair. Chase, you're in the new studio, the new Unashamed studio, and Zach is still up there in North Carolina. Zach, how are things in North Carolina? Things are coming along now. We are getting back to, well, I'll say normal. It's going to be a while, but it looks like a war zone. I can't figure out how long it takes to clean stuff up, but it's apparently it'll take a few years. It's not like you guys didn't have quite a bit. When I got back down here, it was interesting because I came home and I missed the snowpocalypse, as they're calling it around here,

because they had a snow fall so deep in the southern regions of Alabama and also southern Louisiana that it matched records that went back to the 1800s in terms of amount of snowfall, It just happens. This is a, that was a once every whatever that is, a 125 year event. And what happened to me in our place here is, you know, you get back down here. By the time I got here, there was a little bit of snow left on my steps, but that by the next morning it was gone. But what happened in Jay's, I didn't know this was possible. You may know more being a fishing expert. But when I went out to my dock about maybe three days after I got back, I mean, I

I kept seeing this just huge congregation of brown pelicans all over my dock, my neighbor's dock, everywhere. And, you know, you see them around this time of year a little bit more, but not like this. This was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie of the pelicans. And so I walked down there to find out why there's so many pelicans everywhere. And there has been a fish kill in the lagoon here in right by my house. And I would say it's probably about three foot wide and about six inches deep of about half pound mullets just piled up all along the edge of the lagoon. So apparently I guess the cold water, because it's shallow this time of year, I guess frozen to death. And so they just died and then washed up on the shore.

Well, what happened was, as we know how nature works, that brought in the pelicans because they saw a feast. So they are taking these fish and eating them on my dock. And then as we know, the digestive process of animals, they have left those fish and through the process of the brown pelican system all over my dock. So I've got a major cleanup on aisle seven that I've got to, I've got to do before I leave down here. But I've never seen anything like it. Circle of life. Circle of life. And most people here had never seen anything like. But you do have a dock. I just realized that.

Jace, did you know he had a dock? I did not know he had a dock. I have a doc. Al has deemed me a fishing expert, so I guess I should have known you had a dock. I just found out. I mean, Al, that's the first I've heard of the fishing, but I would probably think it wasn't due to them freezing.

I mean, you don't think? Well, people fishing ice holes, you know. I know, but I'm saying, Jay, the timing of it couldn't be. that coincidental that right after the biggest snowfall they've had here in 125 years, all of a sudden there's this massive fish kill. I don't know, man. Yeah, things happen, you know, things happen.

I mean, I went to get a down duck on the last day of duck season, and I saw two dead raccoons on my way to get the duck. Well, it wasn't because they froze to death, you know. Yeah, that's true. sure what was going on. But, I mean, you do see things like that in the wall. I mean, it's weird that they're calling it. What'd you call it?

Snopocalypse. Snopocalypse. Sounds like maybe it's global cooling. I was here. Global cooling. Yeah, I'm going to introduce a new phrase concept for it. Maybe it'll catch up. That's right.

Well, it is kind of weird. I mean, yeah, it's very odd. And right now, we're about a weekend to these dead fish. And let me just tell you, when you step outside,

it has triggered inside my brain memories of when we used to commercial fish that I have long stored away. It's almost like a little bit of PTSD fish related. And I mean, I'm just like, because it stinks. I mean, like the whole mile.

It took you back to your childhood. They took me back to my child. Because your house, if I remember, because I came in from Florida during Christmas and the summertime. And it did always have an odor of not about the house, but the yard always had an odor of dead fish. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, you know what my dad used to say about that? So I was all now, what would Phil say? Dasher, smelled like money.

I actually used that. for my wife when we dated because I just said look not sure this is going to work out but I just want you to know there's going to be an odor when I pick you up and if you can train yourself to believe that that scent equates with money yeah will be way better off so because I've told that work I've told that well it is I mean I've told the story before on our second date, I had to go, we were into the crawfish operation at that point in time. And so we determined that for crawfish, which crawfish season is upon us, I'm rubbing my hands together if you can't see. I'm excited about that.

But we had to go pick up some fishheads because we equated the best bait was fresh fish. and we were having trouble keeping up with the demand of the crawfish. And so we went to the local fish market where we sold our fish, and they were like, we'll give you fishheads. And so my dad was like, hey, after you pick up your woman or y'all doing your little date thing, pick up them fish heads at the fish market. So I told her to wait in the truck because it was embarrassing. But when I went, they were these large garbage cans full of buffalo fishheads.

They were too heavy for me to actually lift. I mean, just think large. So I thought, well, I'll just go ahead and put this relationship to the test right here. So I stuck my head in the door because I also, my vehicle, neither door would open. And so it was awkward getting in. I mean, I was like, look, I know this is going to be awkward, but I'll turn my head because I didn't want her to think I'd set this up to put her in an awkward position so I could stare at her. I was like, but if you're going to go with me, you're going to have to climb through that window. Had she ever seen the show Dukes of Hazard Jays?

Because that would have helped a lot. I think she had heard of it. We actually talked about that. But I said, I didn't do this on purpose. but so she helped me I said no hold your nose just like not physically

because we did have that comer she held her nose like no just like hold it in your brain because I need your hands to pick up the other side of this tub of heads and whatever you do don't let that lid come off but she did it do you realize how much your marriage at that point looking back now Jays was

hanging by the proverbial thread. Well, we were dating. We were dating. That's what I'm saying. You never would have gotten to me. If that top had come off and she had tripped or that bucket, that tub would have spilled on her, there would be no Missy and Jays. Probably so.

But look, let's fast forward. So two nights ago, because our last podcast we did, I think I told about, I got sick. I got some kind of stomach virus. But it wasn't that bad, even though it was very bad for a 24th. hour period. Yeah. It was just every time I turned around. But it just quickly went away.

But what I didn't realize is that our annual celebration between my wife and I got postponed due to illness. And so a couple days later, she was like, okay, it's sick. I got us reservations. We go to this. We don't eat out much, obviously, a couple times a year. I say obviously because it's not worth going out if you're recognized and you're trying to like celebrate something special.

Yeah. So do you know what we celebrate every year? It was her idea. But I go along. The post ordeal? The post ordeal. We have a duck season ending celebration. Is this like a date night out of town?

Is this like a vacation? No, it's not like a date night. It is a date. We go to the same restaurant every year because it's good. I'm not going to tell you because they, you can barely get in this place. I mean, I had to circle the premises three times find a parking place. I know which one you're talking. I know exactly the one you're talking.

It's fantastic. And we actually saw some friends there. And I mean, it was a nice little, you know, they have good food. That's the prerequisite for me. Well, you know, it's funny, Jace, because I didn't realize maybe I need to ask Willie and Jeff about their second dates because I don't. never knew this story about this. You told the story, but I never did it. It was that early in your relationship.

Oh, yeah. It was early. I hate it. I thought the relationship was going to end. Oh, I mean, it was hanging by a thread. I'm looking at it now. So five years earlier, when Lisa and I were dating, my, or maybe even six, because it was before I left and came back.

But my second date with Lisa, we were selling fish that, because the market was flooded with fish. So we had to go and sell them direct sale, which you've had to do before as well. And we had to go into a little neighborhood where some of our friends live and to an old bar that was in the middle of, but it was during the day, and sell the fish. But that was our second date. So I'm just curious now, maybe is that a Robertson tradition that we never knew? Well, I think it goes back to Mark I, you know, when Jesus came up on those fishermen. Mark one.

I know you think I'm kidding, but I'm not. Because look, you're not trying to make a connection that's not there. You're being serious. I'm giving you a global control room decision. And I mean the global control room is operated by the Lord Jesus in heaven with a physical body as a human. But fishermen make, or they don't make, they just are great storytellers. I mean, I'll just told a couple of them. Yeah.

You know, he was talking about fish dying. There was so many conspiracy theories in that because of the snow. I don't know if all that was legit or but it was like a fantastic story. I'm like, he's got pelicans in the background. You see what I mean? Oh, yeah. Well, so if you could ever convince these fishermen to get locked in on God became a human, that would be the group to tell that story.

because we're already listening to their stories. And so that's one aspect of it. And so when he said, I'll make you fishers of men, that was the connection I was going with. No, I like that. Number two, I think, you know, us, we were fishermen. I think it tells you how dating has changed now. You know, now there's people actually picking a mate for the rest of their life

by going what they call fishing reference online, which is a lie. There's no lines. It's not, Jace, you're right. It's not even spelled the same. It's P-H-I-S-H. Isn't that right?

Is that the cat fishing? Yeah, like the fishing. I just say, oh, I met my wife online, and you're like, what do what? Oh, we had a display here. And it's all putting your best foot forward. It's an illusion. Because, I mean, when you actually meet them, I will guarantee you they don't look as good as they do online.

I'll tell you this. I've actually met. We have a couple of our church that met online. Oh, there's a ton now. And they got married. And they're doing great. And so, I mean, I think he may have been. Well, give it five years and get back.

All right. Jays, I guarantee you there's people. in here that have been married longer than five years that listen to this podcast that met online. I'm not attacking all online marriages. All I'm saying is there is an epidemic of people being a version of themselves that's not true online. Well, that's true. And I would say in a dating relationship, it's better to just lay it all out there. And so that's what I did with my wife. I was like, look, I'm not claiming that I was abducted by wilderness people. They have kidnapped me for years.

This is why I looked the way I do, smell the way I did. I didn't go that. You owned it from the beginning. This is who we are. I duck hunt three months out of the year. I live in the wilderness. My dad is going to make you very uncomfortable the first time you meet him. I mean, I just laid it all out there.

He's going to say things. He probably won't ever call you by your real name. and which was true. But just thinking about, Jay's is right. In a macro sense, when your early dates have your girlfriend or your date

hauling up a fish, a tub full of dead fishheads, it can only go up from there. Whereas if it's online, you're getting the best profile, you're getting that shot of you working out, whatever. That was my point.

Yeah. You've set the bar too high. It's too high. We all know that when you get married, it gets real. Yeah. And they're like, you just started at the bottom because then it's only, we can only go one direction. That's exactly right. It's not a bad strategy.

It's pretty good. This is the truth. This is true. Yeah. I see your point. Zach, he's quartered of scripture. It's like Mark I. So it is truth now.

I'm not saying the two people that meet online can't. have a marriage that will last. I'm just saying... Yeah, most of them meet online now. It's unlikely. So that's my take. Run it. Well, we'll hear from the audience.

The same nation will speak. We know that. Tell us what you think about online marriages. I will say, Jason, and this kind of sort of gets us headed back to John 1, because we're going to deal with it at some point. I don't know about today, but with some of the early disciples. But whenever I, you know, tell a little bit about our family when I lead into, when I go out and speak, I always say that there is a reason why Jesus chose four out of 12, which is, I mean, that's, you know, a quarter of the group. Actually, a third of the group, right, was fishermen.

And it's interesting that he went down that road. And then I always say, because I come from a family that commercial fish to begin our business, our, our, quote unquote empire started with fishing. I understand it from a faith perspective because it takes a lot of faith to lift nets and hope there's fish in them so you can turn that into money. I mean, it's a faith-based business from day one. So I think I get it. I understand why he picked a third of his group.

They were fishermen. Yeah. I mean. Which are typically, it's typically a rough crowd. You know, you think about it. It's a hard job. Exactly. Well, y'all ready to get back into John 1?

Because when we left off, Jays, we were talking about just to reset it. We're talking about John the Baptist and his role in that. And look, the reason why, I mean, John and John 1 through 18 is giving us like the ultimate condensed picture of the greatness of Jesus. Like power pack. Like it's it's Jesus concentrate. and since he brought John the Baptist up twice, and Zach talked about it, kind of the second act, as it were, is John the Baptist.

You know that he played a huge role in the process, or he wouldn't even get the mention here. And then we had shipped it over to verses 19 down through 34 on the last podcast because we began to look at John the Baptist, like his beginning and all that. And so we were in Luke 1, which is his backstory, of how he came about. And it was very interesting. And Jay's, you were reading that.

And I think you left off somewhere around Luke 115. I took a rabbit hole on the, where it said he was under the influence of the Holy Spirit before birth. I mean, he had been chosen. And I think this random act of his father being in the temple and winning the lottery, praying to God, you had this moment of them being too old and an angel appears so in the temple which is where this heaven and earth concept and God meeting humans in the temple

is an underlying story here he actually had a conversation with an angel I don't know if we've read that part yet have we gotten to that part yet we did that's where it started It started in verse, but he starts talking verse 11 when it says the angel Lord appeared to him, Luke 1-11. And by the way, I'll mention this before you get back into the text. Because you brought up something I had never realized before is that the word paraclete,

which is the word for advocate, helper, comforter is only in the book, well, it's only by the author John, because there were four of the book of John and one in first John that you read last time. So that's kind of where this concept comes from. And the one he used in 1st John 2, or the one that went the, it's like the one. The time he used it in 1st John 2, he referred to Jesus. The other times of the Holy Spirit

that would be inside humans. Right. And so getting back to my heaven and earth concept, Jesus being the temple, Holy Spirit being poured out, you actually see heaven and earth coming together through that situation. You have spirit-filled people who have the spirit of the one who is in heaven

representing us. We're representing him. I mean, that's a head scratcher, but very powerful. So pick it up back in Luke 1. Do you want to do that? Yeah. So, well, I just think this is a really interesting story, too, about how John the baddest got.

here. So I think we left off at Luke 115 where it says, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from before birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. So you maybe can link people to Elijah. I mean, they both wore modest attire.

Yeah, let me mention two things about that text. One is that idea about, we've talked about before, but the idea he will not take wine or other fermented drink, that was something called a Nazarite vow that you read about. I think it was in the reason of the big. I think it's a number six. Numbers. That's where it is.

I don't know why that popped into my head. I'm going to have to look that up. Well, because, and let me just explain what. For most people, it was like you, we would call it a fast.

It was, this is a vow they would take. And most of the time, it was just for a period of time. In other words, they would say, we're not going to drink any wine or firming to drink for X amount of time.

And then eventually they would drink it again. But John had, had a unique thing because he was not, he had a Nazarite vow for his whole life. All right. Let me read this. Very unusual. Let me read this.

This is number six to, speak to the Israelites and say to them, if a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the Lord as a Nazarite, they must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and not drink vinegar made from wine or other fermented drink. They must not drink grape juice or eat grape. for raisins. As long as they remain under their Nazarite vow, they must not eat anything that

comes from the grapevine. Boy, it's real big on the grapevine here. And then verse five of number six, during the entire period of the Nazareth vial vows, no razor may be used on their head. You know, I could have made a pretty good Nazarite as I'm reading this. They must be holy until the period of their dedication to the Lord is over. They must let their hair grow long. So you see that was more, it was more like put forward as a period of dedication to the Lord. And I think again, to show you the uniqueness of John the Baptist, it was for his entire life. So imagine what he looked like. He never cut his hair and he never drank anything or ate, you know, fruit of the vine,

which is why he was out there eating the locusts and honey. And then you brought up the idea of Elijah, who seemed like a pretty interesting character as well. Well, let me tell us one other thing for you moved to Elijah. They also couldn't go near a dead body. That's in verse 6. And if they did, they had to shave their head. Right. It got weird there.

But go ahead. And I don't know. I'm not sure exactly how that fits into being married. No, I just thought. I mean, it is a shadow. Wasn't like when you read this. You're like, well, why? Where did this come from?

Right. You know, I just, I had read that before just in my. shaving illustration and lack of shaving illustrations that's why I knew where that was but I do think it makes you realize the Bible it's just not randomly throwing things out there that doesn't make any sense there was in their system and culture these kind of things that I think is interesting to really and I wonder and this is strictly conjecture but I wonder if Elijah this concept and what you just mentioned about the dead bodies Maybe that's why John the Baptist went out in the wilderness to do his preaching and baptizing this baptism of repentance sort of a way.

You know, he was nowhere near the temple and all that. Well, I would submit that God, there's always a wilderness around before something spectacular. I mean, it just really is. Even when Jesus went out to the wilderness to be tempted by the evil one. Yeah. I mean, then what happened? His ministry started. I mean, it was pretty pro. Look at the Israelites wandering around in the wilderness. Then they make it to the promised land. It was actually, we talked about this before. It is the, come this overlay of what's happening here with the Old Testament. When Jesus goes into the wilderness, how long does he go for? He fast for 40 days. 40 days. That is very similar to the 40 years that Israel spent in the wilderness.

So I think that these timeframes, the places, the comparison to the different prophets of John the Baptist and all of that, Jesus being a new Moses-like figure. I mean, there's all this as kind of imagery is in this text and in this picture of what we're seeing in the gospel, John, and all the gospels for that matter. These aren't random, is what I'm saying. This isn't a random thing that's happening. No, there's very purposeful, and that's why there's this link again to Elijah, because you remember Elijah also came about in a time of great apostasy. And I mean, Ahab and Jezab were the king and the queen and the false, you know, the idols. And it was terrible. And he was forced out into the wilderness for three years during this, you know, great drought before he had a showdown.

But so you see there's a lot of similarities. And then we've talked about before. I think it's in Second Kings too. Elijah, of course, even how he left the planet was in a unique way because it says he was swept up, you know, by a fiery chariot. It just went into the heavens never to be seen again. So there was definitely something unique about this tie in, which is why when you read about him later, Malachi and all the things pointed John the Baptist, they thought he was Elijah, you know, when we get later, John the Baptist. You can't separate what John the Baptist is doing from. the story of the Old Testament because he's actually

Jesus is actually living into this story. He's coming to show that he is the fulfillment of the story that he's coming in. John says here in John 1.20 or 32 and John bore witness, I saw the spirit descend from heaven like a dove and remained on him. I did my myself did not know him. But he sent he who sent me to baptize his water said to me He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, that is he who baptizes with the Spirit. And he says before that, the reason why he was called to even do this was to reveal through this baptism, to reveal to Israel who this Christ is.

So that's in verse 31. So part of what's happening here is because John's baptizing people that were from Israel. This is not Gentile baptism. This is people from Israel. These are Jewish people being baptized for repentance. Then Jesus comes in who has no need to repent. And John's like, why am I baptizing you? You should be baptized in me.

You have no sin. Well, the reason is that he might be revealed to Israel. That's what verse 31 says. So that puts this whole baptism in the context of all of the prophets of the Old Testament. and this moment here is super important to the whole story of how God's redeeming all of humanity, but it starts right here in a moment where he is going to be revealed by the baptism. It's going to be revealed to Israel. Yeah, that's a good point.

That's really good. All right, so even Jesus himself said in one of the Gospels that John the Baptist did come in the spirit of Elijah. I'm sure where that is, but you can find it. You remember? He's like, he... Yeah. I can look it up a bit quick. What was you going to say?

No, I was going to say, just back to that Holy Spirit point, remember, said he was going to, the hope that you said the angel told him that he would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth or what's a better rendering is in the womb. And we actually see that happen later in the chapter, which is interesting because when he meets Jesus for the first time, he's in Elizabeth's womb and Jesus is in Mary's womb. And yet they had a connection because John the Baptist, the Bible says, later in Luke 1 and 44 and 45, that he leapt for joy in his mother's womb. And it was because of the Holy Spirit. So, you know, there is a connection here that's, I mean, there's nothing for being anything like it. I mean, to Zach's point, this is the culmination of everything God's history through the Jewish people has led to the moment of these two men, one preparing the way for the other, but the Holy Spirit being at the centerpiece of the whole thing. And so you're starting to see even in the early stages of this study in Luke and John of how big.

this thing is about what's about to happen. I mean, it is a seismic change forever of what the kingdom of God is going to look like, which is very, very powerful. It is interesting that if you think about the Old Testament and all the instances

of water in the Old Testament, and particularly when it comes to salvation, I mean, some of the ones I think about, one is like obviously the waters of the days of Noah. There's a salvific message there that Peter says that that eight people were saved through the water,

and that water symbolizes baptism, which now saves you also. Then there's the parting of the Red Sea, and then there's also the parting of the Jordan River whenever they crossed into the Promised Land. But if you go back to think about the parting of the Red Sea, then Israel goes through this wall. The water separates.

Israel goes through the center of it, and then all of their problems, which would be the Egyptians, are in their path behind them, and the water swallows, up all of that. And the water takes on all of the problems, all the sin, all the issues. It's all in that water. Same thing with going through the Jordan River. So when you think about the water as holding the sins of the people, the issues, the problems, people typically go into the

water, baptism, repentance to get clean. It's like, I'm going into the water. The symbol is that the water cleans, it washes my sins away. I come out clean. I go in dirty and I come out clean. And then you had this moment when Jesus goes and clean into a sin-infested water. Jesus goes in and takes on the sins of the people. So I think even in this, you are seeing elements of the cross. You're seeing a picture of the cross that's coming, the cross of Calvary, the atonement of Christ that's coming, that Christ goes in, and he takes, so he goes into the sin-infested water clean and comes out with the sins of the people. It really is pretty profound to think about everything that's happening in this moment with John the Baptist baptizing Jesus. Yeah, I love that phrase.

I never really thought about that, sin and festive waters. That's pretty powerful because even the spot where John baptizes Jesus, which we'll read about later, I mean, so many people had had that baptism repentance there, and you don't think about it. It's just water. You know, it looked the same as it did yesterday, but spiritually there's something really big going on. because of all those people's hearts that are changing that would one day be realized. That's a beautiful picture. Well, that's interesting.

Before I read this, I did find that Matthew 11, it's Matthew 11 where Jesus said, you remember when he said, I tell you the truth, among those bornable women, there's not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. Yet, whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he, which obviously is pointing to this spirit being poured out that process. And then he says, from the days of John the Baptist until now, this Matthew 11, 12,

the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and violent people have been raiding it for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, He is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears let him hear. And then he goes on to that, you know, that comparison when it says in verse 18, for John came neither eating or drinking and they say he has a demon.

So that was the persecution line. They're like, he's crazy, he's out in the wilderness, he's eating locust. And then it says the son of man came eating and drinking. And they say here is a glutton and a drunker and a friend of tax collectors. sinners. But wisdom is proved right by her actions. So he himself said that. I mean, I do think there's something too, reading about Elijah and seeing the comparison. Because, I mean, look at what happened to John the Baptist. He basically lost his head because he confronted a royal marriage. And we were talking about marriage online. I mean, it's a free country. I

gave my opinions, but John de Battis gave his opinions of, you know, the king's marriage. And marriage and what happened? He lost his head. Yeah. You know? So he's just like, it's not right. What do you think the comparison? What's the Old Testament?

What does he mean when he says that he was in the spirit, came in the spirit of Elijah? What's the correlation you think? Well, that's what I think it was a bluntness to speak out. I mean, you had Elijah speaking out, I think his couple that he was. was Jezebel and Ahab. And Ahab. Who wanted to take his head, by the way. Yeah.

With the Almighty decided that wasn't the way it was going to end, but it was the same exact situation. Well, that's why my dad had a, he's been, the people said, boy, he's similar to John the Baptist and Elijah. Because my, you know, I share Jesus with people, my dad would share Jesus of people and then kind of get into their life and be very blunt about these kind of relationships or situations or, I mean, I don't want to get into the graphic language that I've heard my dad say in a Bible study, but, you know, he just, call it what it is.

Pretty graphic at times. You're right, Jay's. What I've said is he came in the spirit of John the Baptist because, you know, it's been 2,000 years between him and dad. And it was kind of similar to what before. And we're not saying it's all the exact same thing. But there is something about that idea. Someone had a video. Jase, you remember we used to do the years ago, as Missy was heavily involved.

We used to do the Christmas dramas and the Easter dramas at WFR. We would do these musicals and, you know, just like be a special thing. We had a lot of talented singers. And so there were always a lot of fun. Everybody would dress up. And we would tell different stories. and there was one year, I don't can't remember the year, but we decided to do it on Sunday morning. And there's a scene where John the Baptist comes in.

It's the one where he was just railing on the Pharisees. Well, they somehow convinced Dad to be John the Baptist. And so I watched that video recently. And I'm going to guess this is maybe back in the early 90s. So, you know, we're talking about 30 plus years ago. But here's dad. and they've got him in kind of a camel hair-looking outfit, barefooted, and he's got a big staff in his hand.

And he's walking down the center aisle at our church. And it's packed. You know, it must have been Easter, I guess, or maybe it was Christmas, I don't know. But he's walking down the center aisle. And he's just, he's quoting that text, but he is in full John the Baptist Mo. You brood of vipers, you wicked snakes. Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? He loved it. And it was so amazing to watch it. One, it was fun to see Dad back in his element from 30 years ago. And even seeing faces in the crowd, a lot of people who have crossed over. But I just thought about that idea. Even way back then, when 30 years ago when Dad was younger than us, I guess he was Zach's age, you know, we were thinking he was like John the Baptist. I mean, he seemed typecast for the role, you know, even way back then. And so you're right.

You need to get that. I'd love to see that footage. Yeah, I need to find, I think Kim has it back at the church. Well, my dad had a certain way, I think since he came from such a sinful background, he just had a way of being real blunt to people. I thought that was a locust. You didn't let a locust out in here while we were talking about John the bat. That was a fly of the size of a locust that just flew by my house.

head. And I'm in town. So this is the problem, see. But I got what I was talking about. But my dad had a way of not really offending people. I used to always think because my dad would have a way of looking at people and sensing, like while he's sharing Jesus. You know, you got to remember, they came down on his turf, you know, kind of what must I do to be saved type questions. And he's like, now I know what you're doing. And he usually framed it in. you're out there getting drunk you know you're you're and he would say it more graphically than what i'm saying but he would be like you know you're having sex with your girl or whatever and it was amazing how many times he would say that and they would be like yep yeah yeah like he's a

prophet like how did he know and uh he just assumed until proven otherwise and um so you know you had a way about that but i do want to say that we really real Malachi 3, I think Zach did when we were talking about the prediction of John the Baptist coming, but it also was predicted in chapter 4 of Malachi, which is the last that we hear until Jesus is on the scene. And verse 5 says, see, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children. And so when I read that in Matthew 11, I mean, there was a prophecy that was fulfilled.

And I think that was Jesus saying. He came in the spirit of Elijah. Which Elijah also showed up later on the Transfiguration Mountain. I think that was Matthew 17 in a radiating fashion with Moses and Jesus. And so, which a lot of people use that, you know, to kind of show you this, that heaven is not that far away. Because we kind of have that in our modern teaching that heaven's way up, you know,

and it's a million miles away. And all of a sudden you just see this glimpse of maybe them in their heavenly form, you know, radiating on a mountain. But it is interesting that here's Elijah who was just taken up to heaven. You had Moses, which there was a big dispute about his body.

and member of the evil one, that's in the book of Jude. Where's Moses' body? Then you have Jesus claiming to be the son of God, and all of a sudden they're just, they're radiating on a mountain in a way that was not earthly. Let's just put it that way. Yeah, and they call it transfiguration. You know, the mound of transfiguration is what it's referred to.

But what does that even mean? Exactly. Yeah, come up with a time. You try to come up with a word. for it. It's powerful is what it is. But I like the idea that what you, what they saw. Remember he only took Peter James and John up with him is they saw the three major transitional figures in Jewish history. I mean, because you got, you know, Elijah, who I think represented the prophets and the prophecy, who would his spirit later come in John the Baptist? But then he had

Moses, who was basically the mediator of the first covenant. It was him and the angels up on top of that mountain. And so everything they had known came through this transitional figure of Moses and they're thinking law. And then you got Jesus there who said he came to fulfill both of those. And so the other two, while it was pretty amazing that they would show up, the real star of that story was the one who fulfilled everything they were about. Yeah.

And which was the picture that the Peter James and John saw. Is it any wonder why the three of them would go right, you know, to their death, proclaiming who Jesus is? I mean, you know, they saw something that we could only dream about them. Well, I think it gives the whole Bible credibility. Because, I mean, why are we doing that? Why are we going through all this? It shows that these things were predicted.

They happen. Yeah. And shows God had a plan. Yeah. And it wasn't what we would typically. pick. I mean, he chose some guy who decided to go on a Nazarite vow and it's just railing out here against sin and powers. He's taking everybody on and he's pointing to his cousin who it's kind of debatable whether he could recognize him, you know, because he says something interesting

in John, before I finish the Luke, where he says, you know, he says, I wouldn't have recognized him. Where is that at? It was verse 31. I myself did not know him. Yeah, I myself didn't know him. So people, I mean, look, you can go down that rabbit hole. You're not going to find two people agree on that. So because you think it was his cousin, well, he knew who he was.

But so he's either talking about I didn't recognize him as the Messiah. Yeah, that's what I think. It does seem like he doesn't kind of get it when he's like, well, don't I need to be baptized you? And then when he's in prison, he's like, well, you go ask him if he's the, the one. I do think there's something in there about not being real sure of what's happening in your own circumstances, but God using you for the greater good. Well, you know, Smith used to say, who was our mentor and kind of guy that, you know, kind of shaped a lot of our study of the Bible. He used to say that he believed that it was

communicated to John that somewhere in his, because, you know, he was told to go, baptized all these people. Well, they hadn't been doing that except for the rare occasions of bringing a Gentile into Judaism. And now we were baptizing Jews. It made no sense other than it's what the Almighty told him to go do. But Smith says, and it's not recorded

this happen, he just surmised that the Almighty must have told him while you're doing this, at some point, you're going to know the one when it comes to this means, which is exactly what happened. In other words, when he baptizes Jesus, then all of a sudden he sees this moment of, and here's the voice of the father.

And so it's like, okay, this is the one. And it would probably shock him because it was his cousin. I don't know. Well, yeah, which probably, hey, aren't we cousins? Yeah, wait. But there was. He just wasn't, it was a hard process to get. So I want to read this, Luke one, we need to finish this.

Yeah, finish that. I think it's kind of humorous, but it's also powerful. So in verse 18, Zachari asked, the angel, how can I be sure of this? I'm an old man and my wife is well along in years. That turned out to be a very profound question for his next few months because the angel answered, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and I've been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

and now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens because you did not believe my words. That's why I said it with some little animosity, which will come true at their proper time. So then the people were waiting for Zacharion, and they're wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. And when he came out, he begins to do charades. He could not speak.

So they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. for he kept making signs to them, but remained unable to speak. Just imagine that scene. Oh, my goodness. I think it's kind of funny. It is kind of funny. And by the way, it's a little bit of a, just a little heads up. If an angel appears and you know it's an angel, they say they're from heaven,

they're Gabriel, whatever, you might not just keep the old flapper shut and let them tell you whatever they came to say. I'm just, you know, just based on this story, I don't know that you want to be adding commentary, Jay's, into the moment. But I wanted to read this story just because, you know, in our, you know, you have so many different brands of churches that follow the Lord. And some of them, you know, would never want to do anything inside the four walls that was deemed irreverent or disorderly.

But, man, you start reading this story of how Jesus gets here and the details of the forerunner. I mean, he won the lottery in the temple, and now he can't speak, and he's out here doing sign language after he spoke to an angel. You know, it just doesn't seem real order like this was a very orderly done thing. You realize this was God's way of doing it.

Yeah, it was chaos that was only controlled by the Almighty. And the first time he opened, we're out of time, but the first time he opened his mouth to actually speak was when he said they were going to name him after him because he wasn't saying anything. And he said, nope, his name is John, which is interesting because that's when he got it. Well, it's fine, but I want to just read the last verse.

What I was getting to, because we all know how this turns out. You went ahead of the story. But when it got to verse 37, and we can end with this, there's this statement, after the angel said the Holy Spirit will come upon you, you and the power of the most, I will overshadow you so the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God, that now we're talking about Jesus, even Elizabeth, he makes the comparison. Your relative is going to have a child. And so then that verse 37, there's kind of two versions

of it. So like my former NIVA says, for nothing is impossible with God. The newer version, says, for no word from God will ever fail. And that's just the point I was getting to. This was God's plan and promise. And it seemed impossible, but God became a man. And with him, all things are possible. Sounds great. We'll leave it there.

We'll pick it up next time. I'm not ashamed. Great, can you produce fruit in keeping with it? Do not think you can say to yourself, but we have Abraham. I tell you. God can raise up children for Abraham. The actions are ready at the base of the tree. And every tree that does not produce good fruit and thrown into the...

For repentance, he who comes after me, four proud of two scandals I'm not even fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Repent, I tell you. His woman, he will claim to keep you. with an unquenchable fire. We can't out of him. This is the one.

He is the one who will back out. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcast. And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube. And be sure to click the little bell and choose all notifications to watch every episode.