Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 1370 | ‘Unashamed’ Returns to the Place That Helped Launch ‘Duck Dynasty’

Episode Date: July 6, 2026

Jase and Zach pipe in from the very first Walmart edition of ‘Unashamed,’ complete with sardine breath, Nashville traffic, and a surprisingly full-circle flashback to the days when ‘Duck Dynasty’ took over Walmart aisles. Al owns up to the embarrassing mistake he made about a roadside motel sign. Jase explains why he walked away from an event that wanted him to speak but leave Jesus out of the message. The guys continue their study of James with a deep dive into hearing versus obeying, the house built on the rock, the perfect law that gives freedom, and the love of God that restores our identity in Christ. In this episode: James 1:19-25; Matthew 7:24-29; Matthew 5-7; Genesis 1:26; Genesis 9; John 5; Proverbs 1; Isaiah 28; Matthew 24; 1 Corinthians 13; James 1:12; James 1:17; James 1:25; Luke 18:18-43; Psalm 51:11; 1 John 4:12-18 “Unashamed” Episode 1370 is sponsored by: https://ponchooutdoors.com/unashamed — Get $10 off your first order and free shipping when you enter your email! http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ — Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Special thanks to Create-It Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, for hosting this special edition of ‘Unashamed’ Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Chapters 00:00 The Walmart Podcast Studio 07:08 Al’s Car Miracle & Correction 12:48 Jase Drops Out of a “No Jesus” Event 19:01 Building Your House on the Rock 26:01 The Good Life vs. the Cheap Stuff 34:50 Look at the Fruits of Your Life 43:19 Perfect Love & Perfect Law — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So welcome back to Unashamed. Those of you watching, I'm looking at Jay's and Zach and something is very, something strange has happened. You're not where you normally are. You're together, number one, which is a bit different. I'm serving Jays. This has been, the last 45 minutes has been quite the experience. I show up at Jason's house, which I've never been to your house, by the way. In Tennessee. In Tennessee, yeah.

He got hit by a tornado a couple years ago, but we've almost got it. Well, it's livable, but it's like. But there were no trees. That's a tree story. As anyone was wondering, how terrified. There's no trees. He's up on a hill. I actually had pictures of the.

That's a true story, if anyone was doubting. But, no, so I show up. And he asked, I think you asked me, do you want some sardines? I did. I was eating some sardines when he came in. I don't think I answered him. And, uh, which is also why I didn't kiss my wife goodbye. Because she said, give me a kiss.

And I said, I just ate sardines. And she went, okay, bye. So we walk outside and I say, I got good news and bad news. What do you want first? She said, I want the good days. I said, your chariot awaits. you know, and the bad news was that I'm in my daughter's car, which is kind of nasty. And he said, I don't care.

And he got in the car. And then I realized why he didn't care because all I could smell was sardines. I didn't tell you that, but I smelled it when you got in the car. Well, Al, here's my take when you're saying, where are y'all? Look, I'm looking at the time because traffic around Nashville, you know, it's not a joke. and we pull up in a Walmart parking lot and I thought, well, this is interesting. We don't have time to go shopping for whatever Zach needs to buy at Walmart. He's like, no, this is where we're doing the podcast.

I'm in a Walmart right now. You're in a Walmart? In Nashville. What aisle are you on it? Well, we're right here at the entrance. A lot of people are walking by with strange looks. Look, here's what's funny. We're renting this studio because Zach, you know how he is, Al,

because I thought in five seconds I realized what happened. He's like, we're both in Nashville. It's time to do the podcast. So cheap skate, Zach figured out something that I had no idea was going on in our world that inside the Walmart is a podcast studio that you can rent. And here's what's funny. Jay's, you are in the recording capital of the world. I mean, they record, there are more music studios and recording studios in Nashville, Tennessee, than anywhere in the world.

Jay's, I tried to get something free, and both of those deals fell through. That's how we ended up here. Well, exactly. And look, here's what's funny. The guy who was in charge of the studio, he saw Zach and said, hey, oh, y'all heard the podcast. Then he saw me. And he said, who's paying for this? You know why he said that?

He thought he saw you down the corner yesterday with a coffee can. I pointed to Zach, I said, look, you better hurry up. I would get that money right now before this even starts because that Joker is, hi. It's $140 for two hours of recording time if anybody was wondering. This is Create It Studios in a Walmart. in Franklin. This place is great,

though. If you're in town and you're looking for a podcast studio, they're great. But that tells you, Al, there's two things

going on here today. We're showing that we're just ordinary people. Yeah. We're men of the people. We're doing this podcast from a Walmart for crying out like. And number two,

Zach is really as tight as rumored. I said, I said, Jason, you want any coffee? He said, we're a Walmart.

I can have whatever I want. Jay's doesn't understand the concept He thinks now he's the king of the Walmart there He wants to be jerky And then he pulls out a toothbrush and toothpaste I don't know what's going on man You also had toothbrush and toothpaste here Does he ate sardine?

I hate sardine And I'm trying to love my neighbor But a famous philosopher once said Al Get her done And that's what we're doing today Well I think there is something a bit, I don't know, cosmic about it because Walmart, as we've told the story before on the podcast, was the birthplace of Duck Commander going national.

I mean, because of them, we were able to get out of just like our little region in Louisiana. I mean, they took us nationwide. And then they also turned into, for two years, I said at Walmart, I called him Duck Dynasty Mart, because every time I would go in the store, I was so embarrassed. Because everything I saw had your picture, dad, size, or Willie, you know, everywhere on everything. I mean, A&E put it, put y'all on everything. Every kid's toys to shirts to, you know, loofas, you know, toothbrushes. Yeah, the things we don't want to even distress.

That's right. So it is a little bit, I guess it is a little bit full of sugar. I'm sure that didn't interzac's mind, but that's what I thought. When you said Walmart, that was the first thing. Never forget where you come from. And for all the people who are like, why would y'all do that? I mean, why would you sell out? You know, that's what people were saying.

Yeah. And we were in that category with merchandise where we were given 1% of 1% of 1%. Of 1%. You know, it was one of those kind of deals. So somebody made a lot of money from that, but it wasn't me. It wasn't us. No, that's exactly right. That's what happens, Jay's when you sign up to do TV and you don't know anything about it.

Well, exactly. They tend to take advantage. Well, that's funny. But we're here. I mean, I had to visit my grandkids. You know, I've got four of them now. But that was my point. Yeah, that was my question is, what are you doing up there?

I don't know why Zach's here. But that's probably a short story. But, you know, I came up here to visit the grandkids. And we're right at the finish line of our house. I've actually lived in my house the last couple nights. And it's great. My son did a good job. It took a couple of years.

But, you know, we had the tornado, and then we had the ice storm that went ahead and finished it off. But it looks good. Were you impressed? I was. Yeah. It looks really nice. It's good.

Although there's not any trees. We planted a bunch of trees. You got a view. Yeah. We can see mountains and, you know, it's great. So I'm back in Gulf Shores. So I got a little bit of an update from the last podcast because I was recording in a different place for me. Zach would have loved it.

It was free. It was at a church building. And in the pastor's office, you remember. And I asked you both. The last thing I asked you is, will I get out of here? Well, my car, because remember my car was broke down. I was having issues. And so I'm here.

So you were both wrong. Oh, ye of little faith. Because God sent the Savior sent me a little S Savior, a man named Adam, who I call him A plus Adam now because his auto shop is called A plus Auto. And if you ever need any help in St. Augustine, go see this man. Because I'm going to give him a free plug. Because look, not only did he fix it days, he fixed it that day. By the time I finished the podcast and got to buy it to lunch, it was ready to roll.

It's never run better. And he would not take any payment for doing it. Are you serious? Yeah, did it for free. Brand new Christian told me the day of the event, which was the next day after we recorded, was his one-year sobriety, which is, awesome. So like this guy is amazing. And then he told me that he had gone to an NRA banquet a few years ago. He was a big fan of the family and the show. And he had bought one of those little,

you remember in Kubion built those little sheds and they put the duck calls and there was like one of you, one of dab, one a side, I think, and one of Willie. And it was like a, it was like a, you know, specialty item. They only did a few of them. But he actually has one. And so I was like, well, man, this is come full circle. So that, that was much appreciated. He got me home, which was a blessing. And I recognized him that night. And I sent Maddie a picture of us with him. But the other thing is, I told you about it.

Remember I told you about the Adam and Eve when I passed by the sign and I told you about I thought it was a motel. I have to give an update. It was not a motel. There was a motel next to the sign that said Adam and Eve. But it turned out to be one of these adult shops, novelty. Oh, my God. Did you say that on the podcast?

Yes, I said it on. I thought it was, it said locally on it operated. So I thought it was a motel and we drove back. That's my point how people advertise. Now this is the darkest, most sinister thing you could come up. I thought you, I knew you would say that. I must have tuned out because I did not hear it. I don't remember this.

Well, Jason and I talked about it. You weren't listening. You have a habit. checking out. All our viewers know it. And I'm defending myself. You're like, why do you talk so much? Because Zach only has so much time that he can be checked in.

So you have to have the checkout time until he gets back. That's right. You know, he's just like our little brother, the boss hog, he's the same way. He's just got that short bandwidth of attention. And after that, your lips are moving, but he ain't listening. You know, you always have that favorite. shirt, the one you wear fishing, the one you wear hunting, the one you take out working the yard, the one you go to dinner with. Well, it's one of the reasons why I love

poncho, because poncho is all of those shirts in one. I notice you guys got on your poncho shirts right now and it looks nice. We do. We do. Super comfy. And dress up for me and Jay. Yeah. But, Zach, you've been a poncho guy for a long time before they were sponsored. Yeah, I love when we have a sponsor that wants to do business with us. I'm like, man, I've already been wearing this stuff for years. and poncho is one of those brands that I've been on for years. Pancho is a men's outdoor performance shirt that doesn't look like one. You can wear it to fish in, hunt, grab dinner, and you still look put together. They have nailed the fit.

I'm telling you, no tight armpits, no boxy feel, regular slim, tall. You've got options. Poncho shirts are lightweight, breathable. They dry fast. They've got a UPF of 50 plus built right in so you can wear it outside, not have to worry by getting sunburned. Some styles come with smart little details too, like a hidden zipper pocket, the sunglasses holder and the built-in lens lot, which I wear glasses, so I use that quite a bit.

I was just down in Alabama this weekend, and I went fishing. It was super hot down there. I got my poncho fishing shirt. I got a light blue one that I wore, and I was super comfortable the whole time I was out there. I'm telling you, this is the real deal. Gear up for summer with poncho. Go to poncho outdoors.com slash unashamed and enter your email to get $10 off and free shipping on your first order. That's P-O-N-C-H-O-O-O-O-O-D-O-D-Sashem. Head there, drop in your email, get $10 off and free shipping. And once you try it, you'll get while I've got a closet full. That's why many of Willie Butt has so much probably.

Exactly. That's why on the way here, I all about 10 times, I said, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, the traffic, you know. Because I thought if we hit his checkout time when these cars are slamming on their brakes in front of us, we're not going to make it to the long. Yeah, Jay, you act like I hadn't drove in the last 48 years of my life. I'm like, I've been driving for a while. It was like micromanagement. It was worse than Jill.

I mean, he was, I would, yeah, I didn't say anything about it, but you were nervous. I was nervous. And then we get up to the traffic and he said, I think you need to get in the left lane when I already had my blinker on and said, did I get the left lane? I mean, it was instructions for 45 minutes. Zach, I live here about 10% of the time. I know what I'm talking about. But we made it. And I'm not scared to die.

I would just be embarrassed that. That's how I went out. Yeah, that's how I went out. Was Zach driving out here? No. So what's funny is we were, I pointed it,

so we go back by this place because it's on the way to the church. And now I'm going back to speak. And I pointed out to Lisa and I said, look, there's the motel

that I talked about on the podcast. Because Jace has this thing about these people using supernatural and biblical things to promote, you know,

a business or a product. And I said, there's the motel. And Lisa said, I see the, I see the motel, but the sign is above that place. And I looked and I was so embarrassed. I thought, oh, my goodness.

You're giving free advertisement. I know. Do not go there. I'm telling you now, do not go there. It was strange for a motel, but, Jase, you're kind of right. I guess in this sense, in a dark way, it does apply in that way to something sinister. It just shows you the rebellion of people. Not only do they want to do things that are ungodly,

but they want to kind of put it in the face of people who follow Jesus. I mean, look, I just had yesterday I was going to do an event that I signed up for, and all the negotiations were done. And then they sent this caveat. They said, because the 4th of July is coming up, you know, and all this. Pro-military, pro-family, but then they had these two words. But tell Mr. Robertson, because they sent this to my team, no Jesus. Oh.

Well, I said no Jesus, no Jace. So I am no longer doing that event, which I just was kind of surprised. That is. Because I had one other time, and I told it about it in the podcast where they said no Bible. And I said, no Bible, no problem. And then when I got up and did my same speech, they said, we thought we told you no Bible. And I said, well, I talked about the one who wrote it, which you. You needed to be more specific.

But no, Jesus is specific. That's very specific. And without Jesus, I'm like, nope, I have no message. What would you talk about? I mean, that's, you know, you get up there. Well, I'm just, I'm not trying to brag on myself, but there's no amount of money that I'm taking with that being a part of the agreement. I'm like, no.

So I'm sure they'll find somebody else. Well, pretty much, Jay's, we can't talk publicly without. talking about. I mean, like, it's so ingrained in our DNA. It's kind of the whole brand, right? That's who we are. We're Jesus guys. Well, I told my sister, I said, just put, without Jesus, he has nothing to say. So he's a nobody or however we termed it. So it's, I mean, it's, they didn't come back and say, well, maybe you can. They were like, okay. Yeah, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, that, contract shredded. Well, that's, that's, I'm like, good luck. in any venture in life without Jesus.

It's all going to come to a crashing end. Yeah. Just think about it. What advice can you, how can you inspire people? I find that undoable. Well, you end up with like platitudes. You end up with just a bunch of little sayings that we say. But, you know, what are you talking about?

You know what I mean? Yeah. And I mean, I cut to the chase in that story. I did say, well, I'll, you know, have a special emphasis on the military and family. But Jesus has to be a part of the conversation. I've done that before. I mean, I knew it was a worldly event when we signed up,

but that's just my game, you know. And I was going to play along, but at the end, kind of like what we used to do in our duck call. I'd spend 20 minutes talking about duck calls, and then five talking about the one who made the ducks. Let's see what he's about, the almighty God. And people told my dad and me, oh, it's going to hurt your business and all that.

And I'm like, nope. I was one of my favorite lines when we did the podcast with David Green. And he talked about Hobby Lobby decided to shut down on Sundays. Yeah. And he's like, everybody's like, oh, you, it's not, I mean, God's going to reward that. That won't cost you a dime, you know. You'll get that back in spades. He's like, no, that's a busy stay at the year.

It costs us. Yeah. That's okay. A price we're willing to pay. I thought that was such a great point that he made when he was on the podcast. Exactly. Well, and it's the same with Chick-fil-A. You know, they're like top three, I think, in all the food retail deal out there.

And they could easily be number one. All they have to is open on Sunday. But, I mean, their founder, their dad said, no, we're not going to do that. That's the Lord's Day. And we're going to honor that. And obviously, they've been successful. But it did cost them. And it asked.

Exactly. Well, Al, where did we leave off in the? the book of James. I know exactly where we left off days. Because, yeah, because I'd take notes. Because we did a little rabbit hole, of course, of yours. What was it? It was, you had the four text, Luke 15, Acts 17. Oh, that was on the Father's Day, son. Yeah, yeah. But, uh, so we left out right there. Transfiguration. When I did the trans, when he said, because everybody should be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry. And then that transfiguration, well, Zach and I was actually talking.

talking about that on the way here. But I forgot we did a podcast about it. But that's a moment. Yeah. And you're having a conversation with a guy who was dead 1,500 years before and you're radiating while doing it on a mountain. And I like the, I like the way that Peter, it says he didn't know what he was saying. You know, so he just, he was trying, he did just the opposite of what we're talking about because he felt the need to fill the moment. And so he said, don't we build a structure for these three? And I love it because Luke gives the little thought in there's that he did not know what he was saying. It's like, you know, which I've been overwhelmed before. And then the next verse says, while he was still speaking, God interrupted him.

It doesn't use the word interrupted, but God, he intervened in that, which would be a violation of slow to speak. When God's having a moment here and you're seeing heaven and earth kind of come together, you might ought to just take this in and say, what does this mean? So where I wanted to go from that, the reason I thought that was a fascinating rabbit hole is because when in James' letter, when he says that statement about being slow to speak, quick to listen, and slow to become angry, then he says, for man's anger. does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. And I think we talked about righteous life

in that you're right in your relationships with God and people. Right. Yeah, we talked a little bit about that. Because I want to bring that backup when we get down to the widows and the orphans, but therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you. But then he kind of has a drawback. to this listen because he says do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves do what it says anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who

looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like but the man who looks intently to the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this not forgetting what he has heard but doing it. He says the same thing again. He will be blessed in what he does. And I think this goes back to the sermon on the mouth language. You see the word blessed.

You know, it says it nine times in the beatitudes. Blessed is the man. And so also the story in the sermon on the Mount that captures exactly this thought is the last story in that sermon. Are y'all aware of this? I wanted to read it. So it's Matthew 7, 24. Listen to the similarities of this.

Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice. Well, that's just what James just got through saying. It's like a wise man. Well, there's the wisdom. That's how James started his letter. who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, the winds blew, beat against the house,

yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine, so that's listening, and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the stream rose, winds blew and beat against that house and it fell with a great crash. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowd were amazed at his teaching. Now, it was three chapters, chapter five, chapter six, chapter seven. But that's how it's interesting how that ended.

And I think that echoes what James is saying here. And I'm so glad you pointed that out because in the middle, because we talked about five, and now you just talked about the end, in the middle in chapter six, you remember he gives the whole diatribe about phony, fake religion, you know, which is what he's seeing being practiced in front of him because he's like, be careful in verse chapter six or one, be careful not to do your acts of righteousness in quotes before men to be seen by them. If you do, you have no reward from your father in heaven.

In other words, what he's seen projected from them, and then he gives them all these different categories about it. He talks about their giving, they're praying, they're fasting, and all of it is done for show. Their hearts are hard and they're terrible, but they're, hey, we're doing exactly what we're supposed to be doing. But it's all fake. And he knows that. And so right in the middle of that, which kind of takes you back to James's thought, it would literally be like forgetting who you look like, forgetting who you are, having amnesia, because if you just keep, you know, having the same mistake over and over and over and over again. So, It is a beautiful picture.

And the word I kept thinking of with that illustration about looking in the mirror is your identity. I mean, your identity has to be in Christ. That's why you were so apologize when someone would say, come and speak to us, but you can't talk about Jesus. Well, that's your idea. That's who you are. You can't. That'd be like saying, okay, we invite you, but now you can't bring your wife. She's not invited.

I mean, you would say, what? The identity piece is key, I think, because I thought the same thing that, And in Christ, but you have to see it almost like a re-identity, because your original identity is Genesis 1-26 that let us make man in our image. So the Imago Day made in the image of God, that doesn't ever fully go away because you also see it pop up again. I think in Genesis 9 post-fall, you know, God's like, you can't murder your brother because he's made the image of me. He's made the image of God. And so, but what does happen at the fall is that the image gets perverted, it gets twisted. So when you start to understand sin in a framework of, like, the word is teleology tell us,

we've mentioned all the time of this podcast. It's a distortion of your identity. So what Christ does is he actually comes in and redeems you. There's like the redemption, the price for your sin is paid for. But then he also progressively restores you back to your. original identity, which has made the image of God. And so that's why the language here is when you look into the mirror, it's not just about getting saved. You know, I think about like you go these church revivals and they do like the sinner's prayer, you know, and you raise your hand every

eye, bow, every, and I'm not against any of that. I'm just saying that a lot of people have a one-time moment with Christ in a setting like that. And they think, oh, I'm good. That's not the, And that's the person that goes in. You have an experience. You leave and you forget what you look like. What James is talking about is actually growing into a particular kind of person. That's why that language of like planting, fruit, growth, it's, you're growing into something. Yeah.

I want to, I want to, you're going to find this fascinating. So the reason I brought up the Transfiguration about Moses, because you think here's Jesus on the sermon on the mound. he's basically like Moses being the spokesperson for God. So his words, that's why he gets to the end. He's like, you know, hear my words. And you have the famous passage we always talk about in John 5, where he's like the scriptures you think that they produce eternal life. But you miss me.

Yeah, you miss me. And then he references Moses. And so now here he is, one as a spokesman, one, he's representing the wisdom of God. which he, because James uses wisdom, Jesus mentions wisdom. You read Proverbs chapter one and you see the same kind of language talking about wisdom and houses. It kind of has two houses. One is like if you're chasing the immoral woman, that becomes a highway to hell, a house of, a house of destruction.

But he who has wisdom is, well, there's another reference. about this floods, about the two houses. And I found this chapter fascinating. And I wanted just to pick out a few verses. You can read it on your own time. It's Isaiah 28. And he starts off saying, woe to the wreath,

the pride of Ephraim's drunkards, to the fading flower, which is something also that James referenced about the rich and putting your faith in worldly things. It's glorious beauty set on the head. head of a fertile valley and then at verse two it says see the lord has one who is powerful and strong and he uses this flood language like a hail storm and a destructive wind like a driving rain and a flooding downpour he will throw it forcefully to the ground so we're talking about a man-made

structure man-driven saying we're going to do whatever we want to do we got the power let's drink and be merry because then he gets into the specifics when he in verse four He says, the fading flower, its glorious beauty, set on a head of a fertile valley. In verse five, it says, in that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown. Well, we know who that is. Jesus will be introducing the royal law as the king of kings. Verse six, he'll be a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgment. And then first seven is almost comical.

And these, talking about those who turn back the battle at the gate, it says, and these also stagger from wine and reel from beer. Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine. They reel from beer. You say the same thing. They stagger when seeing visions. They stumble when rendering decisions. All the tables are covered with vomit.

Oh, my goodness. And there is not a spot without filth. So you kind of get the picture of what's being represented. So when he gets down to verse 16, this is where I wanted to get, about the house built on the rock. See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation. The one who relies on it, I will never be stricken with panic.

That's why I wasn't panic the way you were driving. of it a day because I'm in Jesus. I'm on the cornerstone, you see what I mean? I wouldn't drive it not bad, but I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness. There's that word again. The plum line. Hell will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place. I mean, it's the same story.

That's why Jesus is using this language and so is James, because I was just trying to get the context for that audience. This is, they were familiar with Isaiah 28. I am not familiar, but when I read it, it all made sense to me why Jesus is telling this little simple story about, you know, we sing a little song, don't build your house on the sandy land, you know. It was way more than that. He was looking back at their history saying, this is where it all went wrong. Yeah. And I'm building a new house.

And so it gets to the end. I mean, there's a lot of funny Isaiah, you. uses a lot of funny illustrations in here. I mean, I read those ones, but he gets to a point about the planting. Where is that at? That's in 24. He says, when a farmer plows for planting,

does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil? And what's the picture it's getting there? At some point, you need that word planted, and it needs to do something. It needs to grow. like to your point. That's why I wanted to come here when you said that.

Same language that James is using when he says that word is planted in you. And it all goes back to that sermon Jesus gave. And in his climax, he's saying, what I'm saying, this is where you need to build your house. Yeah. Because it'll keep you from anything that the earth and the spiritual forces of evil throws your way. So it gets to the last verse and then I'll get y'all's comments on it. It said, all this also comes from the Lord God Almighty, whose plan is wonderful and whose wisdom is magnificent. This episode is brought to you by Accenture.

When your advertising operations fall out of sync, everything else follows. Spotify and Accenture are working together to reinvent the rhythm of ad sales, using automation, analytics, and smarter workflows to simplify campaign delivery and access better data across the business. The result? Less time spent on operations, more time connecting brands with the moments and fandoms that matter most. Learn more at Accenture.com slash Spotify. I think about the James passage first and the idea of being untethered. Right? You go in and you look in the mirror. Well, if I'm out there just trying to find my identity on my own, I don't have a place to, I don't even know what I look like.

I mean, how would I, how would I see myself? I have to see what I'm reflecting. Yeah. You know what I mean? So it's like the idea, you look in the mirror, you're looking intently into the perfect law that gives life and liberty and freedom. Me and Jill, I say Jill, Jill's not. So I got into watching Breaking Bad. Do you ever watch that, Jace?

I've never, never watched it. Everybody's my sake. I couldn't get past the title. Yeah, I mean, I got, it was one of the shows, I'm not, I'm not recommending you. It's dark, okay? But I like things that are about the light. No, this ain't about the light. Okay, well, I'm not going to watch.

But you can tell me about it. But it is, it's about a chemistry professor. Everybody was watching it for years. I never could get into it. I tried. And somehow I started watching the second season. I had not seen past the first episode in the first season. I couldn't get into it.

But then it gets really good. Well, you watched this whole demise of this guy. And it's like you see that, how powerful the crystal like meth addiction is. It makes me think of that verse you just read about the vomit. They're just out there just partying. And there's a scene in one season where the guy really spirals into the depths of addiction. And he's got all this money because he's one of the biggest meth dealers in the world.

I mean, this guy's like making, he's making millions of dollars, but he's a train wreck. And so he's so miserable that he's taking all of his money and he's getting every meth addict. in the area, they come party at his house. And then over the course of the season, you just see this guy's really nice house. I mean, there's graffiti on the wall. There's pizza everywhere, vomit, needles. It's just like they're coming in for that ultimate pleasure,

but what they're actually experienced is just complete death and destruction and mayhem. And I think that that's the nature of sin, though. It brings you in with the enticing of evil, but it's actually destructive in the end. And that perfect law that you meant to, his perfect plan, that's what he's offering. So James,

when James is talking about looking intently into the perfect law, I think he's trying to say, this is the good life. Yeah. You're chasing the cheap stuff. You're chasing the... Well, that's what that word blessed means.

Yeah. It's a happy life, you know, a good life. So like I heard when I was listening that sermon on the Mount podcast by the Bible project, they did it for a year. And they made a point about that. This, that when they broke down what that word meant in Greek, it was like, you want a good life? And it went through all those quality. This is the good life.

Of course, it ties in with what foundation you're built on and who you're listening to. That's why I made that point about who you're listening to. And the fact that he's using these illustrations about floods, floods is always represented, I mean, thank Noah in the flood. It was about justice. Yeah. And so even in Matthew 24, when he was talking about the destruction of the temple that was going to happen by the hands of Rome, which did happen in AD 70, he brings up Noah in that Matthew 24. And he's like, as in the days of Noah. And I think that's the point he's trying to say here.

when you look at your life and, you know, where you're getting your advice and what you're building your foundation on from making decisions from drinking beer to whatever, he's like, there's a flood coming. And, I mean, it usually ends in sin and destruction and then ultimately death, no matter what happens. And I think that's the language. But more specifically, I think he was making that reference about they had put all the their faith in what was going on in that temple and not who they were supposed to be meeting in the temple, which ultimately he uses that same language about the destruction of the temple, the Jerusalem temple, which has never been built back since.

And so then it goes into all the passages that we get into many times on this podcast about we are the temple of the living God, built on that foundation as Jesus as the cornerstone. And I think that's what James is giving. I think so too. I think because how much of your, you guys, y'all's personal ministry, I mean, we've all, maybe we've given our life to ministry outside of even this. I mean, we have people in our homes. We've had every issue you can imagine independently and collectively.

I just think about all the conversations that have been, that we've had with people. And how much of your emphasis has, just been trying to convince someone, do you realize you're, you're operating in the death work, there is a better, there is, there is a blessed life. There is, it's like we're trying to convince, that's what the spirit does. The spirit shows us that this life that we're pursuing outside of Christ is futile. Yeah. I mean, it really is futile. And I mean, I use the big examples, like meth addiction, because nobody looks at a meth head and says, man, they're living the good life. Nobody says that. But you can imagine if you were to be on, I'm sure it's very pleasurable.

I'm sure you experience an incredible high from it. Yeah, exactly. But if you're on the outside looking in, you're like, well, that's, I'm, no, you're, you're killing yourself. But that's, that's that temporary nature of it. That's the looking at your face and forgetting who you are. And so I mentioned this at the last place I spoke. I said, I've driven through the same part of your town that's in my town where everybody's on bicycles and they don't have any teeth. They're all rotten. And I look at this, you know, sad situations and you see them and you're just like, but in from their perspective, they're just going to the next hit or the next fix.

But we know that's not, we want to restore people completely. As I mentioned on a previous podcast, the mayor of a major city says, yeah, we got to fix their teeth. And we're like, no, no, no, we need to fix them. They can be fixed by coming to Christ. It can change everything. because that hole they're trying to fill in that little temporary high that's killing them, we can give them something that's way, way, way higher and consistent and actually bears good fruit,

not bad fruit. So you see that word moral filth was the way he put it here in James. And that's exactly what we see. It just becomes everything it touches becomes filthy. And when you see your own sin, because it's easy for me to see it in a meth addict, It's easy for me to see it in our cousin who died of the fentanyl addiction. I could look at Tray's life, like, Train wreck, what are you doing, man? You're being an idiot.

What do you do? We did. We told him. We had the confrontations. It was horrendous. But it's the same pattern in me with my sin struggles. Sure. Things I'm dealing with, and I think in my mind, I can manage this, I can control this.

I can have this thing, whatever it is. So that's why the saying is be killing sin or sin will be killing you. Well, right. But don't you think it's interesting that he says, and I think we got this backwards in the church for some reason. So when you read that about being quick to listen, you make the point about, well, we need to listen to the words of Jesus and ultimately Jesus himself. And then he gets down and says, but don't merely listen, do what it says. So what I've noticed is Before somebody comes to Jesus

All we talk about is what they're doing Yeah Getting drunk You know Jason Wild Women Whatever the vice is Then we're like you need to listen to Jesus But then once we kind of

Become churched We're like We think that listening to Jesus It's just not doing those things Yeah I don't think that's what he's talking about here What's he talking about? What's he talking about?

doing what what do we he's like don't don't merely listen to what he says but do when you go back and look at that sermon on the mount or anything jesus says and you start thinking about what i need to be doing there are there is a righteous life that comes with listening to jesus and it's doing jesus said things which ironically the more jesus things that you're doing the less sinful things that you would be doing that you were doing before you came to Jesus. This spring, denim gets a softer, lighter update. Introducing Old Navy's drapey denim wide leg,

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the law of liberty and perseveres being no here who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. Well, people push back on that because they say, well, it's not, you know, it's not your works, it's not what you do. But he's clearly saying you do something here. I think the way to understand that is it's that perfect law of liberty. Willard, Dallas Willard, frame this up in one of the best ways ever. I can't remember what you book, maybe renovation of the heart. But he says something like, he says, in Christ, because it's the law of liberty, you can do whatever you want, whatever you want. He said, you can murder all you want in Christ, which is none at all.

It's like this great phrase because you're like, yeah, if I'm in Christ, I would not want to murder, right? And so that's why it's the ultimate freedom. Because it was, it's not that we're not doing anything. That is a Gnostic gospel that I get. People are wanting to push back on a workspace gospel and all that. But to divorce actual action and doing and work and vocation from salvation is to, I mean, that's to fracture the entire gospel. That is not the gospel. It is not the picture that God gave us when he created humanity.

He didn't create Adam and even said, Now, y'all go in the garden and have a vacation and don't do anything. I've got it all. He didn't say that. He created us to be co-c—we're vice regents of his creation. He says, go do stuff now. Be fruitful. That's an action.

Multiply. That's an action. Have dominion. Cultivate. Like, go work. Go do stuff. So the actual, at the core of humanity is work. What was cursed in the fall was not the work.

It was that work would now produce thorns and thistles. But God, work is a beautiful thing. And God's created us to do stuff. And so to try to separate that out, you're going to end up with a very Gnostic view of the gospel that has no teeth in it. Yeah. Well, I think the key word for understanding what he's saying is when he uses that word perfect in verse 25, the man who looks intently into the perfect law. Now, we did a rabbit hole on that word, perfect. but I'll just remind you of one of the places where that's also used, that same word.

In 1st Corinthians 13, you remember what 1st Corinthians 13 is about? It's about love. Whenever you see that word perfect, love is hanging around. And I'll remind you that in James 112, he said, remember when he said, Blessed as a man perseveres under trial, because when he stood the test, he will receive the crown of life. that God has promised to those who love him. So when you listen to Jesus, you fall in love. And also verse 17, Jays, says every good and perfect gift is from above.

Same word. Yeah. Same. This complete, when he, remember when he told the rich young ruler? If you want to be perfect, go sell everything you have. He's like, well, what do you mean? Because he was offering him love, a life of love. It is perfect. Love is perfect because I want to read the first.

And the word is telios. Just to clarify, it's not, it doesn't mean flawless. It means completion. Exactly. It means doing what, like this is what you're created for. Which is why Jesus said, I didn't come here to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, to fill it up. And then what's he start, how does he start viewing the law? He starts summing it up. And no matter how he summed it up, either love God with all, your heart, soul, mind, strength, love your neighbor as yourself. Yeah. There's a common theme in those two summations, and it's the word love. So when you read 1st Corinthians 13, it's filled with stuff that you do.

Yeah. Love is not rude. I mean, where am I out here? Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not. Can you do, I mean, how does that show itself in all these things? it is not really it's not self-seeking it's not easily angered it keeps no record wrong

doesn't delight in evil but then look then it starts talking about things you do it always protects it always trusts it always hopes it always perseveres these are these are actions that you do there's a lot of things that you're not doing because of love and it never fails so when he gets to verse 12 and 13 he that's where he uses this word perfect where he says, where's that it in there? Oh, that's a little bit later in the text

where he says I spoke as a child. Yeah, when the perfect comes, why can't I see that? It's verse 10. Verse 10, yeah, that's it. So verse 9 says, for we know impart and we prophes that in part,

but when perfection comes, same word, this whole completeness, the same word that James is using here and the perfect law that gives freedom. That's why when you think about how to make sense of that phrase, you're free to love in whatever way, in a godly love, that you can discern. Yeah. Because there's different circumstances in life. There's different situations, all these things that happen. And you're like, now, how is the way that I'm going to love?

in this situation with God's love. Well, in one case, it was Jesus telling the God to go sell everything he had and following. But that same word is used when it says, in the sermon on the Mount, when he says, be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect. And we've talked about this before. Well, that wouldn't make sense unless whole and completeness was loving like God. Well, I mean, a great point of the rich young ruler. When he asked Jesus, what do I got to do to inherit eternal life?

or to get eternal life, Jesus did not say, do. You don't have to do anything. He didn't say that. And look, you know, an obscure verse, one of the gospels records,

it says Jesus looked at him and loved him. He, he, this was, and you know what his love action was, telling him to go sell everything he had and follow him? And follow me. Follow me.

I think that was the thing. And so the guy, he's like a perfect case study because of what I think James is getting out here. What he wanted to do was he wanted to stay in charge. He was a CEO. He wanted to manage this. So he said, I want to acquire eternal life.

So how do I get that and add that into my arsenal of possessions? And Jesus is like, well, it's not that kind of possession. Eternal life has actually followed me. And so I think that, you know, he didn't understand that what Christ was inviting him into was, the very nature of his of his being. Christ was inviting him to participate in reality, and he could not understand that. He was like, well, no, I got to control it and maintain it, and that's why he went away very sad. You know, it's interesting because in the Luke version of telling about the rich young ruler, right after that happens, then the Bible, Luke tells about

a blind man, a blind beggar who's yelling, son of David, he heard Jesus was coming, Son of David, son of David. And they're trying to, the disciples are like, shut him up and be quiet. Shut up. We're not listening to you. And then Jesus goes over to him and says, what do you want? And he said, I want my sight. And he said, because of your faith, you'll have it.

And then it says he followed it. He got up and he followed him. And I thought it was interesting. Here's a guy who had nothing, the blind beggar. But what he did do was he recognized the son of David just by what he knew through Old Testament scripture or whatever, whoever had taught him. and he knew who he was. He was desperate.

He was so desperate. There's a song that, I don't know where I heard it, but it's stuck in my head for years. And it's a cryout, son of David, don't pass me by. And you think about that kind of desperation, that is how we come to him. And if we walk in the spirit with Christ in that way, don't pass me by. It's the same prayer that David prayed after he repented for committing murder and adultery with Bashiba. He said, take not your Holy Spirit from me. Yeah.

Take not your Holy Spirit from me. Well, that's the perfect segue for our last minute, because I want to read the last one about this perfect being used and how it's referenced. You remember when we studied first John? I mean, verse 12 says, if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he and us because he's given us his spirit, just what you just said. and we have seen and testify that the father sent his son to be a savior of the world.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God, God lives in Him and He and God. So that's what you do. You're doing godly things through His Spirit. And verse 16 says, God is love. And we rely on the love God has for us. Whoever lives in love lives in God. And then here's the word. In this way, love is made perfect, complete among us,

so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment. Verse 18, there is no fear in love because perfect love drives out fear. Is that the same word? Well, I think the word used in James I is used here in 18. These other two are just mature versus complete, but the same identical word is used in 18. But it's the same concept.

And I think that makes sense of how you... That's actually a game changer. Oh, it's a game changer because how can you make that? What kind of law gives freedom? That's right. It actually, you just read over that thing. Wait, wait, what? Everybody under law thinks, well, the last thing I have is freedom, I'm under law.

But if it's a law of God's love, he sets you free from any other thing that's binding and trapped and enslaved you, you pretty much are free in love. And think about no matter what happens, you're not even under the law of death anymore. Because that's what he's talking about here. You can't even die. That law doesn't even apply to you. You're like, oh, no, if you live, you're going to die.

That's a law. That's a rule. It's so funny. It's so funny that you went there, Jay's, because I've been studying these exact passages this morning for my sermon on Sunday, which we're out of time. I'll tell you about my sermon I'm going to preach because this will be after it anyway.

But next time when we come back on Unashamed. So I guess we'll see you in a Walmart near you. Yeah, Walmart near you. Get her done. 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

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