Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 1193 | Jase Lands in Hot Water on a Stranger’s Land & the Name of Jesus Gets Him Out

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

Jase shares the hilarious “tell” that gives away when a Robertson doesn’t like you, plus the rare name-drop that totally flopped. A tense run-in on private land turns into a witness moment when Jase drops the name of Jesus instead. Jase, Al, and Zach talk about finding your own “rooster-crow moment” and the surprising importance of fire throughout Scripture—from Peter’s denial to God’s refining work in every believer. In this episode: John 18, verses 15–27; John 21; 1 John 4, verses 1–2; Acts 2, verses 1–4 and 14; 1 Peter 1, verses 3–7; Ephesians 6 Chapters: 00:00-05:36 NFL stars are getting baptized 05:37-16:16 Jase preaches to get out of a tight spot 16:17-23:12 Peter’s first denial of Jesus 23:13-28:21Jase brought a weapon to school   28:22-34:40 Peter comes full circle 34:41-41:06 The difference between Moses & Peter’s fires 41:07-50:11 Peter never looked at a chicken the same again 50:12-55:37 Zach faces down an attack dog — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So welcome back to Unashamed. We're still in our boxes, as I call it. I'm in Alabama, Saxon, Jackson, North Carolina, Jason is in West Winnow. Zach, has been interesting been going on in your life here lately? Lots of interesting things. I'm going down to Texas tomorrow, but I was reading on the internet this past week that Travis Hunter, who's a rookie at the Jacksonville Jaguars, got baptized before the game. I just saw it on Twitter, or X. And Skip Bailey said there's no way Travis Hunter should have chosen to be baptized

on the morning of a game. He's losing interest. He is mentally checking out on the Jags. I wouldn't get y'all's thoughts on that. You all agree with old Skip Bailey that old Travis should, he should not have done that before the game. Oh, man. If someone would have said that in my presence, I would have immediately walked away just in case that was fixed to be a lightning strike.

No. Oh, man, what a thing to say. That makes me think that whoever this guy you're referring to is, because I'm not familiar with who that is. You'll know who Skip Bailey is? I do not. I thought it was Skip Bayless. Is that a different guy? Yeah.

Yeah, Skip Bayless. No, good work, Zach. The best thing you can do, that's Phil style. The best thing you can do with someone you disagree with is mispronounce his name. You know, Skip Bailey. Because I was thinking, who cares what Skip Bailey thinks? And then I thought, oh, he missed Skip Bayless. I actually, I have heard of Skip Bayliss, but I thought this was maybe his cousin from Alabama.

You know, we all do that, by the way. Once we're out on somebody, we, we, I've been told that. Their name doesn't matter, yeah. Yeah, you know, that girl, what's that guy's that guy's name you're friends with? No, my dad did that on purpose. He would mispronounce the guy's name just to make a point. Skip Bayless. Yeah.

So I don't, I don't agree with Skip. That, that, I would say that is the greatest thing that this young man could have done. On any day. on any day of any week. Yeah. Well, I told the story that happened last year with the San Francisco offensive tackle that I met, shared Jesus with, and, you know, baptized him in my pool. And he basically was like, I'm going to play football because God's giving me a gift. But from now on, I'm going to play, from now on, I'm going to play for the glory of God.

And so, what? So Zach did our old friend. in Jovey Martin, because he's got a happening church down there in Jacksonville. I wonder if he and Tebow had anything to do with the... I don't know. That's a good question. Because, you know, that church is they baptized 2,000 people in the ocean in one setting. And when I heard about this, our friend Kyle Thompson was telling me about it.

I was like, man, I mean, that's a first century. That's a day of Pentecost type happening when you start seeing thousands go in at the same time. That's pretty amazing. Well, listen to what he said. here this is what what hunter said he said it's Sunday it's God's day I've been planning to get to get baptized for a minute he said I changed my life over to become a better man it means a lot he said I'm becoming a better man I love this part and leaving my old self and starting a new chapter that's what baptism is you're burying the old man coming up so we would tell you Travis Hunter

congratulations brother welcome to the kingdom and you you made the right move. And I couldn't think of a better day to do it than the day you chose. That pretty much sums up. That sums up my role in professional football or any kind of professional. I don't follow teams. I follow guys who are publicly declaring Jesus is Lord, and I reap for them. I don't care what old Skip Bailey has to say.

That's what I'm going with around here. Here's that. Skip, I'm sorry, I got your name wrong. No, I think it was... That was on me. That's okay. Apology accepted, I'm sure. And I'm sure he's real concerned about what you think about.

I'm sure he'll hear that. I bet he's an unashamed listener. I got a feeling that he's never heard of unashamed with the rights of family. But I may be wrong. I want to give a little shout out to our good friend Tony Perkins, who's over at the Family Research Council. Because we're talking about persecution in the ultimate. way against Jesus in our text here, and you see it with Peter as well.

And people still face persecution all around the world, and a lot here right here in the U.S. And folks like Tony Perkins are the guys that are kind of on the front lines of that for us, especially when it comes to government, believers under attack. And that's one of the things we love about them. So we want to give you an opportunity to check out what they're doing. Also, to support their ministry. You can give today at FRC.org slash Unashamed.

That's Tony Perkins Family Research Council. We appreciate all they do. Well, I think, Al, since we're in John 18, and we're going to get there today. Speaking of a shame, we're going to get there. We're going to get to some shame today. We are. And, you know, it's a tough, it's a tough read for Peter. But you realize in this moment, speaking of his denial, after he had just said on multiple occasions,

If I'll leave you, I never will. I'll die with you. Remember when he told Jesus that? Jesus was like, will you? It was one of the questions that you need to write down. Will you really give your life for me? And then just a few chapters later here, he's denied. But I tell you, one thing I do as a rule,

I don't make a conscious decision of it. But whenever I'm in a difficult situation, I come out preaching. Jesus, and I found myself in one yesterday. So a couple weeks ago, we had been invited to a historical place to treasure hunt. And so we went and kind of scouted it out. We met the farmer. And he's like, anytime y'all want to come, come on. So we did that yesterday. Well, I was the first one to arrive at this property, and I was in Mississippi. And I pull in, get out my detector. same place that we had just been a couple weeks ago so it wasn't like I had gotten

it wasn't like I had gotten turned around I mean I knew I was at the location as soon as I get my detector out get all my gear on I waved it about three times well I look up at the facility where I knew was the hub for the farmer I see a guy get in his truck

and he starts hurriedly coming my direction on a dirt road, like driving a little faster than you would think, and he's coming toward me. And I thought, boy, he's in a hurry. Well, he came in there sideways to where I'm at and puts the truck in part. And I thought, I mean, my initial thought was like my dad telling me when a game warning comes up, you need to run. That was my thought, but I thought it's not hunting season.

I'm treasure hunting. I haven't broken any long. Your brain was selling your legs to move. An older gentleman gets out of the truck, and he's looking at me concerned. You know, I could just tell by his body language, and he says, you got permission to be here. And I said, which is just off the top of my head, I said, well, I can tell you this. If I didn't, I wouldn't be standing here. And he chuckled, which I thought, that was a good line, Jace.

because I broke that body language with that response. So if you're ever in a tight spot like that, I disapprove yesterday. That's a good line. But I looked at him and he looked like an older version of his son because I didn't know who he was. But the family tree doesn't lie. And so I said, after I said that line,

I said, well, I got permission from your son. And he said, what's his name? Well, that was a good question by him. him because in the moment I could not remember what his son's name was. Oh, no. I said, I can't remember. I said, but he looks just like you, which is why I think he's your son. And he had the same letters on his first and last name.

I do remember that, but I don't remember what those letters were. And he said, good answer. And so here's where the moment changed, because I thought, this guy didn't. get the memo that we had permission. So his son didn't tell him that. So I just thought, I need to introduce myself because he obviously doesn't know who I am. That was evident to me. Not that I'm saying he should.

I'm just, I'm like, you're in Mississippi. We had a duck show that was kind of geared toward these type of individuals, but he didn't, he didn't, he didn't get that. He missed the memo. Yeah. And so I said, I'm Jace. I'm one of the duck guys, you know, that showed Duck Dynasty, and he went, no. But he did know because his response said, I got one of these TVs that has antennas. And so I thought, oh, he didn't watch Duck Dynasty, but he heard of it. Or why would he bring up TV? I said, but that's not really what I'm about. I'm about the resurrection of Jesus. I follow Jesus. and I believe I'm going to be raised from the ground to live forever. So that's really who I am. I just thought in this moment, I'm going to make a public declaration of who I am so that he'll feel better about me being on his property.

And you were betting he wasn't an atheist, so you figured he'd probably link to the resurrection. Well, I just thought, let's just get the conversation. And look, Ow, it's because I've been studying John 18 is my point. Right. And here, I know Peter in this moment was having a problem with publicly declaring that he was a follower of Jesus because he knew the result could be suffering. Yeah. And that's really what it comes down to. And so I just made that declaration. Here's what I find funny was his response. He said, well, you know what I'm excited about. I said, what's that?

He said, the rapture. So in that moment, I thought, do I get into a theological discussion about this? Because in my opinion, I thought when he said that based on what I just said, what popped into my head was like, I'm going to the greatest restaurant that you could ever imagine. and I'm more focused about what's going to happen at that restaurant. And when he said that, it just popped in my mind is like, he's excited about the ride to the restaurant because the word means caught up. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I thought, maybe he's just excited, but I thought I'm just going to, I'm not going to address that. But, yeah, so anyway, he was like, well, look. Because you were like, there's your thing in your mind, there's a difference? Because, you know, I didn't know what he meant by that. be honest, you know, because I just said I'm excited about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's what I'm all about. And he's like, well, I'm excited about the rapture. So I didn't, I didn't, yeah, I wasn't sure what the difference was on that. Yeah. I didn't know where to go with that.

But you stood up for, you stood up for Jesus, which is good, which probably helped your case to be in that field. Not that it would matter because I guess he, you convinced him with the double letter. So I guess it works out. Well, I tell you this. You got to be careful showing up, up unannounced, though, right? Well, yeah, that's true. What's interesting about it,

then we had a good conversation. And I thought, okay. So as soon as he pulls off, I get the gear back on, here we go again. Well, I look up to my right. Well, here comes another fellow from the same direction I came

that wasn't a member of our party. He comes rolling in there. Then I thought, all right, maybe this is the game warden because he's coming from this way. and he gets out I mean zero body fat looked like he could run through a wall

and I thought if there's any kind of confrontation here I'm fixed to lose I mean this guy built powerfully he'd been working out and he got out and I could tell he started getting emotional and I thought he was having trouble speaking I thought no what's this all about

and he just said fancy seeing you here you know i've been i was born and raised here and uh i saw you and i just wanted to thank you because your dad led me to christ oh wow yeah so we turned out we had a really good conversation uh about my dad there just out in the middle of a field and i just thought boy i tell you you think you're going to the middle of nowhere and just kind of have some you know meditation time doing something you love and it turned into one conversation after another but it was it was really really moving uh to have that conversation i love it yeah my point was al that you know when i said oh i didn't you know did you go to his house or he was like no he did an event here you know 30 years

ago and i was in the audience and he said i thought he was going to teach me out of blow a duck call and next thing you know he started talking about jesus and the resurrection he's like i'm in. And I just thought, you know, when you go public for Jesus, the power is in the message itself. Faith comes to hearing the message. And you never realize or no. I mean, people, they give their life to Jesus. And you may never meet him. He's like, I never got to meet him face to face. But I just wanted to tell you that I took it as a sign seeing you on the side of the road that I needed to tell you that. So it was awesome. Well, that's one of the things I think all of us look forward to in the resurrection.

And I know there'll be a lot of people that are going to be lined up to talk to dad. I've mentioned it before. It was a unnamed police officer that was there in my life when I was 18 in New Orleans. And I can't wait because, I mean, I keep thinking maybe at an event somewhere, Jay's, I'll have this moment like you just had with this man, young man, that I might run into him. He says, you know, I'm the guy that you talk about when you tell that story. but if I don't, I'm going to find him on the other side and say, you know, thank you for that conversation because it worked out, you know, for me.

So I think that's something we're all excited about. So to reset for our text, we're in John 18. We've had, Jesus has been arrested. He was betrayed by Judas. Although I want to talk today after we talk about Peter, Matthew, John doesn't go into what happened to Judas, but I do want to talk. talk about that because this same night, Judas's fate is also secured. And I don't want to talk about that later. But in, so what's happening is they've taken him before Annas, which was kind of the,

I was describing it as the godfather of Jerusalem. He was a former high priest. They took him to his house because I don't think they knew what to do with him at first. I mean, it's almost like they're surprised they had him, Jays. And so now they got him. It's like, what do we do? So they take him to kind of the guy who's the guru. Of course, he questions him. He gets struck in the face for the first time. We've talked about all this. And then he sends him to Caiaphas, who's his son-in-law, who is the high priest. This would be the official channels. But they send him to his house, which I've mentioned all on this, this thing is totally illegal and secretive. You would never take an accused of someone's house. They're breaking all the rules. And eventually he winds up before the Sanhedron at the

same time. And so, you know, we'll talk about that a little bit later. And then they hand him over to pilot. But during all this is going on, the apostles, the disciples have scattered. But John and Peter are sort of following along at a distance at first. And so Peter, in this moment, has three opportunities that come his way. And of course, Jesus has already predicted that he's going to to nine. And I want to read those kind of both together. The reason they're separated in the text is because they happen at two different times during the night. The first one is this first, when Jesus was first being questioned, and then the second and third denial happened later at the temple. But I'm going to read them together, and then we'll talk a little bit about it. And it starts in

John 1815. Simon Peter and another disciple who we talked about being probably John. we're following Jesus because this disciple, John, I think we think he's talking about himself, was known to the high priest. He went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard. So he's actually on the inside. But Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest,

came back, spoke to the girl on duty there, and brought Peter in. So now Peter's going to be right here watching the proceedings. You are not one of his disciples. are you, the girl at the door asked Peter. So he's already gotten permission to get him in, but she's questioning him in, but he says, I am not. So it's his first denial.

It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire that they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them warming himself. And before I read the next two denials, Jays, I thought it was interesting that Entie Wright and his commentary on this talked about the memories of a fire. and I don't know, all of us has been a lot of time sitting around a fire either in the duct line or camping or whatever. And he mentioned that there's a certain smell, but that as soon as you smell a charcoal fire or even a wood fire, you know, in your brain, that memory of that goes places. I mean, you remember that very well in your senses. And he talked to, he went fast forward to John 21, which I'm sure we'll talk about.

It was also over a fire where Jesus sort of reconnects. And he just made that point. I thought it was interesting. I think Jesus specifically did that because after the fire, eating the fish, I think he also was showing not only on my back, but I'm like doing things on the earth. I'm catching fish, we're eating fish, I'm building fires, and it kind of gives us a glimpse of what this new body that we're going to receive what it's all about. I mean, it's a body. It's just, I can't, there's not a word in the English language, I think, could capture whatever that transformation, that supernatural transformation of body is where you're no longer bound by space or time or you have to eat to stay alive.

But you have a body. You can be recognized or not so much, you know. I mean, so it's awesome. But then he, you know, then he asked Peter, you know, you know, know, do you love me? They have this three-questioned conversation. And I think the same thing, Al, about the fire, is the reason he asked him three times,

because he denied him three times. After he specifically had made all these claims, that I will never do that. Yeah. And to get back to your point about Judas, I mean, Judas betrayed him, but Peter denied him. And now how they responded to that is telling. That was everything.

Yeah. And I've always made the point that one was able to wait. You know, I mean, Judas had a choice to wait or not wait, and he didn't. But in not waiting and taking rash action, he then sealed his fate. And he had a choice to just wait because, you know, if Judas would have seen a resurrected Jesus, maybe he could have changed his heart, but he didn't. Well, right. And you just imagine, I mean, I think the point you're making is when, what is Peter thinking?

when he's staring at that fire on the shore, now looking at Jesus back. Because fire has that mesmerizing, when you said we stare at fires, there's just something mesmerizing about it, just the way it looks. It doesn't even look natural, to be honest. It's like, what is this?

And you know the thing about it, Jay's, is it really, it appeals to your senses. You know, when it's kind of cold, And so you feel, is that the touch sensation because it's warm, it feels good. And then you're watching it, you know, because there's something mesmerizing about it. You smell it because it has a unique smell. And even when you listen to it, like when you first built a fire and it's crackling, I mean, it's really one of the few things that appeals to all your senses,

which is just why I think it burns literally into your memories. When you take a, when you go through the hunter safety course, I don't know if you guys remember this or not when you're a kid. I remember one thing they taught you is that if you ever get stuck in a mind, they said the first thing you do is build a fire. And they said the reason why it was, I just remember, I don't know why this stuck with you all these years.

It said because a fire brings companionship. If you're stuck out in the woods, you're stranded, let's just start the first thing you do, you build a fire. And I thought that was interesting. The fire brings, it does it. That's kind of have some kind of weird companions. It affects all your sense. And it could provide a signal, I guess, to where you are, too.

Just to tell you, I mean, that brings up a cool memory. When I was in ninth grade, no, we're going way back. I took my hunter safety course at school. We all brought our guns because you shoot at the hunter safety course. Just think about where we are in our culture now. We're having the hunter safety course, guys. Bring your guns. I'm in the ninth grade.

And we all walk toward the school looking like a guerrilla warfare, go out to the football field. You know, we have the course and then shoot skeet, which I did not miss A1. I'm not bragging. I'm just saying I was the only person. Oh, you're bragging, Joe. Yeah, 10 for 10, which I'm pretty awesome, you know, at ninth grade going 10 for 10. But on the football field behind the school. Yeah, I just, I mean, when you said that, I don't know if I've ever shared that before on the podcast, but I mean, you would never do that.

I'm sure that that was, because it was a country school. I remember Woodlawn. Oh, yeah. That happened in my life. We took our hunter safety course during school hours on the football field, and we had our guns. But even in high school at Westwood Road, whenever I had my truck, my first truck, I had a gun. rack inside the truck and I had a shotgun and a 30-30 that hung inside the truck. So they were there every day and, you know, we would get them out in the parking lot, not shoot

them, but we would look at them or we would talk about guns. It just never even thought anything about it. Nobody ever thought about shooting anybody. No, and that's why I said when I had the, I'm pretty awesome. The backstory was that is I struggled in school so much. And I'm like, now we finally have something that I can do. The one moment of my ninth grade year where I didn't look like a complete idiot

when I had a gun in my hand. So that's what I meant by that. I was like, oh. So, because all my buddies, even from that day, they're like, I'll tell you what, it's not the brightest bull, but he can shoot. It was something. You add your thing.

So it actually helped me as my point. But we've gone into different direction. at our school because I don't think that that's happening at any school on our planet these days. So just to set the context of where they are, they're shell shock. I'm reading a novel right now just because I like to read stuff on the side for fun. But this novel is set in the setting of the Holocaust. A lot of the stories in it are. And, you know, hearing from people that were there, the whole idea was just keep your head down

and hope you don't get noticed in trying to survive. And it's hard for any of us to imagine being in a setting like that where one wrong move, you know, would bring instant either pain or death. And so, but, you know, even in our generation, that's happened. I mean, it's at the, you know, front end of the generation now. But in a setting like this, I think because Peter gets a lot of grief, you know, for denying him, and obviously it's a bad thing. But understand that in the moment, I mean, he's thinking, I'm just trying to keep my head. down, find out what's going to happen. I mean, I think he's still unsure. I think the whole thing with the him and the sword and with the Malkus ear situation, that that really struck Peter that

we're not going to win this thing. Like, in other words, it totally deflated what he thought was going to happen. And now he's just running scared. He's bold enough to go with him, which says something about him, but he's scared, you know, and he's not sure. And he's not sure. And he's not sure. about how you should go forward. And so I don't know, reading this Holocaust story gave me a little different perspective about Peter on this night about how scary that would have been for all the authorities and everybody that has the power to be against you and you be in that moment and not sure what to do.

You know, he just didn't have the confidence, you know, to do it. Well, it's the worst thing you can do that. I mean, you remember later when John in 1 John 4, he's like, you know how you recognize the spirit of the antichrist as one and two? It's like anyone who does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. You know, so, I mean, it's terrible. And when you fast forward all their lives, how the resurrection changed their perspective, I mean, you go to even like Acts 214 when it says,

I mean, those three words when it says, and Peter stood up and raised his voice and addressed the crowd. because now he's doing the total opposite. Talking about the Travis Hunter story and the new life. I mean, now he's gone from denying him because he didn't want to suffer to just putting himself out there. I don't care what happens to me. I'm fixed to make this right. The new self is so amazing.

And then Jay's advance it to Acts 4 when he looks at these people who in this moment he's terrified of. and he says, you people, with the help of wicked men, put him to death. And there's no other name under heaven by which men can be saying the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. I mean, you talk about a guy that has come full circle, you know. And that was less than two months later, you know. Yeah. And even at the end of that story, he's just like, we don't care what you do. I mean, we can't help but speak about Jesus.

And then even in his letter, You know, when you read first and second Peter after this incident, you kind of feel that in his writing. Talking about being willing to suffer. Yeah. You know, we were called to suffer. You know, in his first chapter of First Peter, he brings up having to suffer many trials. And then later he's like, we're called to suffer. And even the famous verse, you know, First Peter 315, where it says,

in your heart set apart Christ is Lord, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who ask you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Well, that's the exact opposite of what he actually did when are you one of his followers? Nope.

Yeah. Nope. I don't know him. And so I'm glad you brought up the thing about fire because that takes me back to that first conversation with Moses because this is a, you know, Jesus making a new. creation, a new exodus. And, you know, it's one thing to be mesmerized by fire. It's another thing for

Moses to be staring at a fire that won't burn up and then have this conversation with God Almighty. I mean, there's a reason, and I guess my point is, you know, you learn the science of fire in school, but it doesn't do it justice. I look at fire burning, and I'm like, there's somebody made this. You can tell me all the reasons why this is happening, but I'm just looking at something that I'm having trouble wrapping my head around that just happened without some kind of intelligent design. So another interesting thing about that, Jess,

that is one of our listeners, Jeff, who's a good friend who lives in D.C. He was at an event I was at recently, and he was talking to me about us talking about that fire, and you making the point about the power of the presence of God in that fire and it wouldn't burn up. And he made the point, which we should have made that day, which was a great point. He said when he went forward to Daniel, when you remember Shadrat, Meshach, and Abedigo were thrown into a fire. And you remember God showed up in that fire, but he kept them from burning up. That's a great point.

I mean, that was such a good point. I thought, oh, man, I wish we would have thought about that. I said, Jeff, next time we get to Tom, fire, I'm going to bring up that point because God is so powerful, he can even keep you from being burn up in fire. Well, you know, there's a song, there's another in the fire. Oh, I thought same thing, Zach. Awesome song.

Who sings that? It's such a good one. Yeah. I don't know who sings it, but there's another in the fire, which is, that goes back to the exit of the story when God said, was it Exodus 34 whenever he tells Moses, I can't go with you because if I if my if basically if my presence goes with you it will consume you because consume you guys and so but then God does provide a way to be present and I think that that there's an interesting thing about that fire because it can I mean it can consume you but if you're hidden

in Jesus then it doesn't consume you that's that's the that's the irony of the whole thing yeah which it which you remember in that verse from Hebrews 12 our God is an all-consuming fire consuming fire. Yeah, which I love that idea that the consuming fire is not fearful for those who understand the nature of who he is. And you can be enveloped in that. That's why we talk about fire. I mean, we saw the fires last year in California.

Fires can be raging and destructive that are a picture of hell, you know, in the New Testament and the Gospels. But at the same time, we know there's also this wonderful nature to them that's a good thing. So it's like everything else. It's both frightening and both grace. for at the same time. Well, I feel like we've got to read this. Now, I made reference to it, but what I find interesting when Peter wrote his letter

is the letter is one sentence in Greek. I don't know if y'all know that. It is, he started writing, how many chapters? Four? In First Peter? Five. Five chapters. In the Greek, it's one sentence.

Don't you find that fascinated? It just starts and then goes to Libyan. He wrote, and it's, you know, they didn't have, it's a different kind of, you know, grammar and punctuation in the Greek language. But it's one long sentence, which I found fascinating. But now, right when he starts, so in verse three, when he's like, praise be to the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, in his great mercy, he's given us new birth into living hope to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, which we're back at that campfire. He's staring at that fire after he had, you know, at warming himself denying Jesus. You get that picture. It just makes it really come to life.

And it says, and he's given us an inheritance that can never perish, bull or fay kept in heaven, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of salvation is ready to be revealed. In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer. grief in all kinds of trials. Well, he's very familiar with that. And then watch what he says. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even

though refined by fire. Very familiar with staring at fire and what it means. And I think that's why it's a good point. You even see it in his writing. May be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ, as revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him. And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him,

and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Oh, that's really good, Jay's. And what's interesting is, like I told you, these things happen in two different locations because it starts in the courtyard at Kaiface's house. Then it's going to move to the,

temple and Peter's in the courtyard there, and I'll read this text, even though John gives a very abbreviated version. And to me is, I mean, I don't know how to say this, is the kindest of the three or of the four gospel writers about the scenario, because the other ones talk about him calling down curses on himself and just really having a hissie fit, where John doesn't mention any of that. He just kind of gives you what happened. And I don't know if it's because he was there and he felt bad for Peter. I mean, I don't know why he did it the way he did it. Well, before we move on to that, I want to make one more point.

Well, you know, when I read the Acts 214, where he stood up and raised his voice and addressed the crowd, well, that happened right after the Holy Spirit is poured out. And you can almost hear Peter just thinking, oh, fire again, Lord, really? Because when the Acts 2 verse 2 says suddenly the sound like a blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting, they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. So just another little fire segue for Peter. And that's why I think you see that continue all the way to him actually write in a letter.

And to be so excited just to start a sentence that he had trouble finishing. A one-sentence book. I like that. That's pretty good. So here he is in verse 25. We've shifted locations. We're still on the same setting because I assume that it wasn't very far from the house of the high priest to get to the temple. But here he is in verse 25 of 18, warming himself again.

So now we're around another fire jays. And someone else questions him. He was asked, you are not one of his disciples, are you? He denied saying, I am not. One of the high priest servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off. So now the word has gotten out challenged him. This is the third one. Didn't I see you with him in the olive growth?

So he was actually there and was connected to Malchus, whose ear was cut off. And then John says in verse 27, just almost kind of reading the fact. of it. Again, Peter denied it. And at that moment, a rooster began to crow, which was, of course, the prediction that Jesus said before the rooster crows. In other words, before daylight, you're going to deny me three times, which he did. Now, like I said, the other versions of it tell, like, the more that Peter was pretty graphic about it in the moment, especially these last two, that he was really upset and almost like pushing back to the point of, you know, I told you, I don't know the blankety blank.

You know, however he put it, was very strong. In other words, he wanted them to know, I do not know this, ma'am. Well, the reason a month ago I did or led us down the chicken trail was for this moment. Oh, that's right. That's right. I forgot. Well, yeah. How could you forget?

Then the rooster crow. Because you tell some, you've chased so many rabbits that I can't remember the impetus of the rabbit hole. But now I remember. Well, this was a chicken hole. We chased the chicken. Because what I wanted to say, after all of that for the last month, we've just been marinating in chicken. I thought that was funny. I thought it was.

No pun intended, Al. I chuckle. Because you see the dynamic here. While Jesus is on trial, so is Peter. and Jesus is doing awesome. Not that he's going to get out of it, but he's following and trusting the father in the plan of winning the world here, of a new creation.

And I just think it's not a coincidence that it's like this. And Peter is miserably failing because they're trying to, I mean, it's a trial. They're like, well, wait, minute. Didn't I see you with it? I mean, they're putting him to the test. They're interrogating him. He's like, nope, nope, no. He keeps failing. He keeps failing. He keeps failing. He keeps failing. And then all of a sudden he hears this rooster. And I'm telling you, not only is he staring fires, he never looked at a chicken the same either or a rooster for that matter.

Because it was a reminder for him that when you acknowledge Jesus in public, there will be trouble. There will be suffering, which is why he wrote that. in his letter. It's going to happen. And I think, you know, fast forward to modern day, I was trying to use any example. And since there's more chickens than there are humans, I'm like, that should be a reminder that we should act the same way privately and publicly in the name of Jesus. That's what we're called to do. I think you're right. And look, it's conjecture, but I would also guess that Peter never heard a rooster crow again for the rest of his life without thinking of that moment. Because, you know, Elisa talks about this when we shared an audience.

She said, you know, even though I serve a Lord as Savior who can take away guilt and shame and he's taken away mine, there's always regret about decisions you make and things that make you think about those decisions. And so I would be willing to bat that every time Peter heard a rooster for the rest of his life, he thought about this moment standing in that corner. Well, that's why I brought it up. I waited a month to reveal it because, look, as a follower of Jesus, you need to find you. your fire or your rooster moment that constantly reminds you, oh, I'm out loud and proud to be a disciple of Jesus. Just bring it up. It may be awkward. You may have fears that you have to overcome,

because there will be consequences for that. And I think when you arouse the spiritual forces of evil that we talk about in Ephesians 6, trouble's coming with it. But find that reminder to say, I mean, it may be staring at a fire and say, what am I doing? am I ashamed that I'm going to live forever, that God's redeem me, that I'm going to be part of the forever family? So that was the goal of bringing up the chicken. I'm defending that because I think in this moment, it was a life-changing thing for him. And whatever you can do to remind yourself in creation that you're part of a new creation, I think you should embrace that. No, I think that's good. And, you know, when I look and see how we look back over the course

of our lives, there should always be trigger moments to realize about how great God is and what he's doing in our lives, which is powerful. You get a bunch of them. I mean, it's, I thought, baptism is one of those key ones. And it's a very tangible expression, physical expression that you can always kind of anchor back into is your baptism. And, but it's not the only moment. I mean, all, you know, but we have those in like our daily life.

It's funny, I was being Jill went on a date last night and we typically go to the same restaurant. And then we come, we walk back to our house. and we were walking down this one road that goes back to our house. And probably three years ago, we were walking home, and they get to the end of the street, you take it left, and there's a house right there on the corner. And when I tell you that a, I mean, a massive dog just, I mean,

just pitch black dart just comes out of nowhere, and he's on the chain, but I didn't know it. And, I mean, he lunges at me. and I mean he's like right at my face and the only thing holding him back is that chain I mean he'd got to the end of the chain and you're hoping that's good steel this when I tell you I jumped 30 feet I mean I was it it freaked me out and now every time we're on a date night every single time I'm on a date with Jill if I go to if I walk down that road I like the hair on the back of my neck stands up I'm just I'm not

Like I don't, I had, I never, I never forget. I remember that moment. And I think that God gives us those moments. I'm sure for Peter, yeah, I bet that rooster crow and probably, he probably, ooh, that takes me back. But, you know, probably in a good way too. And I think that the Lord gives us those things to anchor back into those moments, you know, a wedding. It's kind of like that with your bride, you know, baptism. No, I think that's a good illustration.

And, you know, thank the Lord for you being vulnerable. I'm looking at it from her perspective. It's like, here's your chance to truly protect your lovely wife. And it was an epic fail. I thought you were going to say, I thought, I thought you were going to say, here's my wife. The Lord gave me the responsibility of protection. I thought you were going to grab him by the back of the. head and say, oh no.

No, you know what he did, Chase? He just jumped behind his wife. He jumped behind his wife. I didn't say I didn't take Jill with me, but I did jump. I was like, whoa. So here's my question. In any time in the next three weeks, did she ask you on three consecutive times, do you love me?

Do you really love me? No, I'm serious. Do you love me? Oh, Zach, thank you for being vulnerable. You got me on that one because he said, thank you for being vulnerable. I was like, what are you talking about? That was just the story. For a meeting your epic fact.

He was set me up for a, he was set me up for the takedown. That was good, Jason. Well, I wanted to play that song that I use as a walk-up song called I'm a man. You needed a don, don, don't, do, do. I'm going to step up here and give my life for my wife. in the face. I did shield her. I shielded her, but I jumped. I mean, I was like, he was going to take my back. I gave the dog my back. He put his back to that. I can't, I can't tell what I do in those situations because it sounds bad, so I just won't. Yeah, let's keep that too much. I mean, well, every time a dog

has ever tried to attack me, I'll just put it this way. I let him know in a safe way. no, not today, buddy. I just, I don't know why. I'm like, if a dog runs at me, I run toward him. Yeah. And what I noticed, actually the best thing to do. Oh, yeah, they back down. And I've had a couple that didn't.

And then we, you know, we had an understanding. If you see it coming, it's one thing. It's when they, it's when you don't expect it. You just hear like a roar. And then you know what, I mean, I got in a situation. we got to the situation with the pit bull during the storm. And my buddy that was with me, he took your approach. The pit bulls coming after said he went,

I mean, he went after the dog. And the dog ends up back and down. Yeah. In the end, I was shocked. Well, you got to show a sign of strength, you know. And you just have to. I mean, it may not work for a bear, but it works pretty good for a dog. Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.

And I mean, it's against your nature to run to the fight, but you got to realize he's just protecting the ground. But he forgot something. Which kind of, to take it back into Tile for our point here to set us up for next time in the text, that's exactly what's happening here. And so John doesn't mention it. And again, I don't know. I feel like he's kind of like, you know, feels bad for Peter, which is maybe why he doesn't, but I could be wrong. But the other three gospel writers all say that he went out and wept bitterly at this moment. I mean, they all three mention that John doesn't.

So obviously, you know Peter is crushed. I mean, like, in the moment of realization, he realizes he let Jesus down in a big, big way. And so I think, like we were talking, instead of running toward it, he ran from it. And so for those three days, which is why when we get to the empty tomb, Jay, I don't think is any wonder that that Peter is going to run wide open to that tomb. And then he's also going to jump out of the boat and try to walk on water to get to Jesus in John 21. So you see now the motivation that's going to happen going forward from this whole episode, which is where it's going to take us in the text.

But what a transformation story. It's amazing. From going here to what he would become. Yeah, running from. to running towards, which I think would be a pretty good sermon title. All right. So next time we come back. So now the whole scene is going to shift to Pilate because we've had the Jewish deals.

And you read the last time from Matthew 26 about this story about how that, you know, Kaifis basically says, turn him over to Pilate. We don't need any more witnesses. He's guilty of death. So that's where we're going to hit next in the text. And the interchange with Pilate, which is in two parts, is fascinating. So we'll get to that at some point as we go forward on Unashamed. Thanks for listening to The Unashamed podcast.

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