Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 295 | Jase Preaches a 'Saturday Night Special' & People Who Ask, 'Why Does God Hate Me?'

Episode Date: June 16, 2021

Jase realizes at the very last minute that he was supposed to preach while Al was out of town. Al throws Jase under the bus while speaking at a church between a liquor store and cannabis shop, and Phil is focused on keeping the raccoons and cottonmouths in their place. Jase is fascinated by what people search for when they Google "God." Phil and Jase detail the horror of catching a gar — alive or dead. And Jase highlights the four words Romans 5 uses to describe human beings before we're saved. - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So we all have been doing some traveling. Well, I guess dad hadn't been doing any travel, but me and Jason have been doing some travel. You went to where Indiana? Yeah, I went in, yeah. And did two different events. I mean, what happened to me is that when the coronavirus hit, there was a few events that were scheduled that got postponed to this year. That's what's happening to me too. But I was already had my full allotment of what I wanted to do for this year. So I turned my people loose and said, hey, let's just get it done. But I should have thought that through more carefully.

Look, my life is turned into a blur. I don't know what day it is. I don't know where I'm going. So I go up. That's not a lot different than your life before all the travel episodes. Maybe so. You kind of live like that. Dealing with some short-term memory issues.

So I get to this church and outside the Indianapolis somewhere, phenomenal. I mean, there was probably a thousand people. What I liked about it, it was, whatever it was, Thursday or Friday night. They just got together, had them a worship group there, sang three songs, and I got up there. I was like, what else are we doing tonight before I got up there? And it's like, this is it. And a thousand people showed up. And we were kind of out, seemed like the middle of nowhere to me.

But so they had a new, what do you call it, amphitheater type thing. This was the first time they had used it. And it was borderline raucous. I mean, but that was, it was awesome. So the next day, one of the guy and his wife, that their names were Jason and Sarah, they were unforgettable. They were a unique couple. But they loved Jesus, and we really had a good time together. So he works, wherever he works, people who build tunnels.

And I guess when you think about it from an infrastructure viewpoint, you need people who build tunnels. And they called themselves affectionately the moles. Well, they were having this get-together. And it was kind of a swanky deal at a hotel. This is the next day. I thought it was over. I was like, what time we leave in the airport? She's like, oh, no, we have another event.

I was like, what? Completely different because this is just a business in the world. The moles. The moles. Yeah. And so. The cable guy's got a bit he does about moles. That's really funny.

His sister's covered in moles. Yeah. I think these are tunnel diggers. I was just making an observation. Tunnel diggers. Of course, I was trying to focus on coming out of the ground, not going in it. Did you make that comparison? I tried.

It didn't work. Crickets, about like yesterday. I tell you, I guess they're engineers then. Is it what they are? Well, I think it was all the way down. You had the people who are actually saying, let's dig here. and then you had the people who were actually digging the hole all the way down to the guys who because i met them all kind of in the meeting there's a road traffic rail traffic

they just dig big holes tunnels yeah i think all of what's going through the tunnels when they get it done trains planes and automobiles i guess i've done a i've done an engineer thing one time and i also did an accountant one and he's like rodney dangerfield you know tough crowd You know, I mean, this, think a little bit differently. This crowd. No knock on accountants out there in engineers. I'm just saying, you get a group together. It's not exactly where, you know.

Well, I commend this guy for, because he's a believer. And it was a volunteer thing for them to come. You know, they were having like a weekend together. Yeah. Because these, from what I understand, these people on the road a lot. And they kind of have a little celebratory time with their family and wife. or vice versa, a husband, whoever's an employee there. And I have a little swanky deal, and I was like the entertainment.

But he's a believer, so he knew what I was going to get into. But I just thought, what a contrast. I have two totally different audiences in a 24-hour period, but it's the same message. And they were listening. Of course, then it's like, you're always assuming people are lost, so I introduced Jesus around the, you know, the duck call. Right.

Kind of what I did, too. Yeah, but, you know, this. It really covers a lot of territory because you got our business. You've got a lot of different elements of our family, you know, and of course there's always the show, but there's a lot of different ways to talk about how God influenced us and how we, you know, followed him. So I think that's interesting.

So I'm basically just trying to introduce Jesus to these people. in a non-threatening, disarming way. Yeah, I'm like, you go read the book of John and see what you think of Jesus. And by the way, what's your plan B for forgiveness, meaning, purpose, and a way off the earth alive? And I usually just wait there. Crickets. I was like, you have no plan. So at least consider that.

I was a little more confronting the second day. There is no plan to, for those things you mentioned, to come forth. No. It either is what it is and you get out of here or you don't. That's right. We're either all screwed or guess what? Good idea. Yeah.

Team Jesus. So I was in Oklahoma City this weekend, and Lisa and I did it. It was a really neat, it's a small. group of people, but it was a church plant and this organization that plants these churches, they plan them near military bases. And the idea is it's aimed at military, active military, retired military, and first responders. And so it was called the branches. And then when you walk in, this, you get a little, well, it was, I tell them when I got up, I said, you know, this is the first time I've ever spoken to a group of people. And I was in, I was in a strip mall in

between a liquor store and a cannabis store on either end of this strip bar. I said, you know what Jesus would call this property? Prime real estate. Because I said, you know, everybody, that's funny. Yeah. And they laughed. I said, everybody that's coming here to this strip mall, it's an opportunity to share Jesus. So it was really funny. But they, it was really neat. I mean, because, you know, military first responders, like any group of people, sort of have a unique set of things. they deal with. They're deployed, they're away all the time. So it's really hard on family. So they want at least and I to do like some family stuff and marriage stuff, which we did that night. But, Jay's, I met this one couple. There were several people that came, their listeners,

the podcast that weren't a part of that church. But because I mentioned it last week on the podcast, they came. They searched it out and found it. And one of them was a young couple that was there yesterday when I preached. And their little boy was named Jace. Now, they never said, whether they named him after you or not, but they were fans of the show, so I assume maybe. But I said, well, tell me about, he's about three, he's running around.

So, well, tell me about his personality. They said, well, he'll argue with a signposts. He's, you know, he's been arguing with his mom since he could first talk. I was like, you've, you've, now, he is going to be Jase. You realize that it was like the Bible. What are you trying to say here?

That's what my mom said, you started arguing with her when you were two, the minutes you could talk and you haven't stopped since. Is this, was this, I thought you. Why, y'all are doing all these events. So it up, you know, I don't want to burst in anybody's bubble. But y'all been doing all these events. I'm happy for you.

The only thing that's happened since I saw you two last is I've killed two coons. I caught up in killer traps, one cotton mouth, two coons and a cotton mouth. It sounds like a title of a book. Over the week, yeah, over the weekend. Two coons and a cotton mouth. But alluding to the Apostle Paul in our hearts, as he was doing what he was doing, he was doing, we felt the sentence of death. So as you both y'all travel, and I do too from time to time, when you feel the sentence of death, but this happened, these things happened to them, he said,

that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. He's delivered us from such a deadly peril. Evidently, the Roman Empire, they were, skating on thin eyes. And he will deliver us. On him, we have set our hope that we will continue to, he will continue to deliver us as you help us by your prayers. He's talking to the Corinthians here, and that's 2nd Corinthians 1. Is that what you preached on yesterday?

That's what I preached on yesterday. And you all have talked about this on the podcast. Because when bad things happen to people, they get to looking around, and the first thing they want to do is blame somebody at a lot of time blame God. Why would he do this? the Apostle Paul said, you'll learn that when troubles come your way and they'll come your way. And in his case, I mean, it was life and death. He's just barely hanging in there because they're out to kill him, which they eventually did anyway.

And he got immortality. But this reliance on God in the time of troubles is a situation that's worth pursuing. Just think about it. You know what's crazy is I had no idea what you preached on. We've had no discussion up to this point. And I taught, because while you were in between the liquor store and the weeds, I was doing your pro bono job at our home church. Doing some free preaching.

And my number one thing that I walked away with there was, oh, man, that's a tough game. the crowd because other people I love it when people appreciate you know that it's not easy whatever you're doing I think they did the same thing you got on the podcast I was the podcast he said man ow this was a lot harder than I thought I've already told our brothers over and over and over and over I say listen some of you are saying but we already know what you're talking about we already know that that's the ones that have been there they're in the faith They've been there for a few years.

Right. I'm saying, I always tell them, you're missing the point. The one, that man sitting on your, sitting on your right and the woman right behind you, they've never heard this. They're visiting. Yeah. You already know it. Great. They don't.

So join me in helping this. Bill, have you ever heard a detailed sermon about Jesus and the good news that entails and thought, boy, I tell you. I have not. I have never. Now, if you get off of that, I have in moments of weakness said, it was okay. But never have I heard a description of who God is through Jesus and the good news that he brought. I've just never thought, well, he needs to get off this. We already know this.

I've never witnessed a baptism and thought, me. Never. I get excited every time I see it. I mean, a person has made it a public. statement that I'm all in for Christ and I'm just like, who cannot? I mean, that makes me excited every time I've ever seen it, whether I'm doing it or someone else is doing it. It comes down to your purpose.

But what I did before this intervention about me arguing, I guess, broke out. He was talking about an obstinate little boy named Jay's and I thought, yeah, that sounds like the one I knew watched growing up. I'm just, you know, for the audience. You're not arguing if you're right most of the time. I'm not saying all the time. So I did my lab thing I do. You know, I have like a show Labrador retrievers and talk about our personality.

And so when I, when I, you two are both a black lab because you hunt so much and you love it. I said, Jay's, and I talk about dad being a black lab. And I said, Jason is a black lab because he's got the same skill set as dad. He's got the same passion and want to go do it. I said, he's just a grumpier, less optimistic black lab is the way I described you, Jay's. I disagree with that assessment. I just want you to know that I do throw you under the bus from time to time when I'm out on the road. Well, good.

Which is good for you. I think last time I checked, yeah, I'm unoffendable. So look, before you get started, I want to mention two things. One is this weekend, Lees and I will admit the Lionary Church of Christ in Crossville, Tennessee. Saturday morning, 9 to 12, we're doing a marriage deal, and then I'm preaching the next day. So if you're in the Crossville area, because I know a lot of you came. to Oklahoma. Second thing is, I want to say congrats to our Facebook

Unashame group that Steve is put together, and thanks Steve for doing that. They have their one-year anniversary on the 17th. There's thousands of them that all chat together. I get a lot of intel from you guys, so I appreciate you guys. We're going to sign something, and then Steve's going to do a giveaway, so

look for that and look for here. I had to look up your shirt before I get into what I went through, which was Phil. We had the same subject yesterday from two different chapters. Hang on for you. Oh, was that right? Before we do that, let's take a break. And we didn't know we'd be doing that. People listening to say, oh, yeah, come on.

No, seriously, we did. But I had to look up that shirt because you said I said that. And I was like, I don't remember saying that. But now I remember saying that because you don't want to be a dead guard. Because I said that last night to a guy. That's a T-shirt now. Well, they made it one because I said, you know. The guy is at 316.

They got it from, or I've said it, I guess, on a podcast that I have no memory of, that, you know, in Matthew 13, 47, 250, where he said the kingdom of having us like a net that was let down, which this is more meaningful to me and you because we ran nets for years. Tell me about it. And there's always, unfortunately, some fish that die in the nets when you pick it up. And they don't just die. They begin to rot. That is it.

And garas die the quickest. If you come within four inches of that, you will smell like that for at least. 24 hours. I mean, it is like the worst possible smell that you can imagine. That's one. That's one. Two is the fish you're dealing with, even the scales on the fish, you have to remember, some of these gar get up to 100 pounds a piece. They have to head this wide. And look, and their bill is like this long. And I mean, when I say line with razor sharp teeth, if you bump those teeth, you are bleeding. Exactly.

And then it's going to get infected because the rancid material around the teeth would give penicillin quite the challenge. Therefore, when you see a redneck and you look at his hands, at one time you go look at my hands and Jason's both being fishermen and your hands began to look like claws. Well, if you added up the time in my life. I look back at that, Jay's. I can't believe I did that for 10 or 12 years. Well, 10 or 12? A lot longer. Might have been longer now.

20. I mean, look, the older you get, history is all you got left. I told that to my buddy. The other day, he called me because he's like, boy, that sermon, you really, you know. He was bragging on it. And the guy go, metal detective, well, I was like, well, you could. would have fool me. He said, oh, you got to give us old timers a little, you know, slack.

Someone forwarded a message to the church yesterday and said, I know Jace is, I sent it to you, and said, I know Jace is afraid of public speaking, but man, he did, he knocked it out of the part. Well, I used that as an example. But what I was going to say is, and I just have an idea on the spot here, because I was talking to my buddy. Tell Johnson. We need to get him on the podcast.

He really does this. I brought him up before. He does this fissures of men and women. And women. And I mean, this guy is out there on the front lines of bringing people to Jesus. And he sent us a picture, by the way, of this group of women from one of the houses. I know they listen to the podcast. And they were listening.

They all had their phones. They were listening to our podcast on their way to go run nets. It was really a great picture. So I just want to shout out to you guys. I know y'all listen. Let's have him on the podcast. Let's make that happen there. So when I got back from Indiana, it's like midnight.

And he sends me, he takes videos of him and the young disciples that are coming to the Lord. They run the nets. Of course, tear them up. He has to fix them all the time. But these people, you know, when you think about it, you come to Jesus. And especially when you've just been kind of in the drug world and the party world and the gangster world.

you have all this time now that you need to put something else in. I mean, God can change you. We realize that. And they have a lot of discipleship opportunities. That's why I think we need to have them on. But one of the things he does is almost every night, they're out there, frog hunting, or fishing, and you're in the creation, which is why they're so appealing to me

because that's where I first discovered God. But he's constantly sending me videos. It's so funny because these people who have never, run nets or their reaction. And then he's reading them parables like this, which is where that statement came from. You don't, because everybody's familiar that are doing this,

but it's so exciting for them. Well, he's been catching these ops because the ops run in April and May, but now it's June. And so the first couple times in the early part of June, he's like, he'd send me the video and he's like, hey,

I'm still doing it. So he sent me, the night I got back was just, I don't know, was that two nights ago? He's like, we got a new lady from Alaska in. I don't know what she's doing here or whatever. She came to, she was running the net. She came to be in the house.

They come here from all over the country. They're in rehab. He said five nets and all we got was two blues. So he was singing the blues. Yeah, he was literally singing the blues. Now he said that to me at midnight because he knows I'm the only person that's up that he knows. Right. Yeah.

And so I said, because I was working on the lesson. Right. I started working on the lesson that I preached in your place yesterday at about 11 o'clock. No prep till 11 o'clock on Saturday night before. Yeah. So the old term and Preaching School Jets, the Saturday Night Special, that was a true blue Saturday night special. I live by it.

But I didn't go to your school. There's another T-shirt. Well, they admit school, they said you never do that. I'm sitting there and I'm like, what do I need to speak on tomorrow? I ask myself and I say, oh, here's something. Then I look down there and I'm like, okay, yeah. And I might jot down the starting point like this one, 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 10. So the old saying we got, so Jay's and I were in school, they told us that preaching was 99% perspiration and 1%

inspiration. I disagree with that attitude. I would say turn that around. Mine is the 99% inspiration. 90% inspiration. I said, yeah, that's a good talk. Well, I will say that as we've all gotten older, it's a lot easier to not be like you were when you were younger and feel like you had to just, you're proving every point in your sermon. You're not trying to, we're not trying to do too much. We're like trying to give glory to God and that's one. And when y'all, we talk to the brothers here and the two churches that we're active in, I'll say two churches. It's one church. It's one church. It's one, but two local. One church, two locations. Yeah, two locations. Well, that's true.

So we're in a couple different locations. And when you look at it, you say, you know, we're doing a job, unpaid, by the way. And so none of us are receiving, we don't even pass the plate. We don't even have a basket you pass around and get money for the people. There's a box or something. Most of the teacher. But in this case, you pay the preacher. but in this case, in my case, y'all's too. We're just like, hey, look, you know, just keep the money. And look, and at one time I was paid and appreciated all those years because it's supported my family, but now we're in a position where I don't have to do. So I want to read this text.

I see him, you know, in the moment because I realize he has these people and they're like, well, what happened here? Because for two months, we've been just ripping them. Everybody's hollering. We're going to heaven. We're catching ops. I mean, everything's great. It's a new life.

So I put, because I was working on my lesson. The fish quit running. Fish quit running. And I said, ops, meaning opalus catfish, are like God's grace. You truly come to appreciate them when you're tired of the dead gar and dead turtles in your life. Or something like that. It's a good point. It's a great point.

Because I remember when you're doing it for a living, after the run, as they say, after the May run and the option and all that, the river's still up and you're fishing around and you're beginning to get what we call the trash fish. That's ones you can't sail. Can't make any money. No, so it would be a stall. But then you begin to use different tactics, different types of nets instead of hook nets.

You start leaning toward webbing, tremble, they call them trammel nets. See, I didn't realize that that when we were growing up. So I've only looked back reflectively and realize the brilliance of how you had in your mind you knew that to make those transitions. Because when the current goes down, then you can't fish a hoopnett. Cycles. They're not going to run. It's all cycle. So then we would run them across the river.

You know, then that's another kind of catching a different kind of fish. And the river stage itself, whether it's high, low, or in between, is critical. So to this day, I get a briefing every day before I start the day. I get a briefing. I'm not a computer man, but I have guys who are. Ninja Dan shows up, and I'm like, ninja. I said, check at Riversades. And he looks so much.

Does it actually make that sense? He said 30.1 right now. He said it'll be 30.3 by Thursday. It will stabilize by Thursday, according to the computer, and it'll begin a slow fall. I said, what is it 150 miles north here? He said, he looks down there and he said, okay, up there. He said, whoa, we got trouble. I said, what's that?

He said, it's supposed to rise on a fast rise. They must have got a lot more rain than we did. A lot of rain up there. So they got up at Camden, Arkansas, 35, 4 for this Friday, five days from now. So it's like a big plug of rainwater that rained on a basin. And it's coming this way. And it's coming this way. Well, that stabilizes where instead of you continue to fall,

you'll come up with some. It's taking it up. And so you're basically just a waiting game and everything depends on the stage of the river. What stage is? I've got a question, but let's take a break. A daily thing. So what did you do? Because they didn't always have Ninja Dan and the poop-p-pup-pup.

So what did you do 25 years ago? Can I interrupt? But he's giving in the 70s and the 80s when the James Bond movies came out, all computers and technology made sound. Well, Phil, that's the last time he's watched those types of shows. So now he's given the sound effects from the 80s to now what's solid, which makes it really good, Phil. The computer world, as it turned out, has passed me by.

It just passed by. And somebody said, you in or out. I said, I'm out. Phil, the only, it was like a locomotive. There's too much friction and too much trouble and too many people saying too many lies. I don't want to. Phil, the only joke that landed yesterday when I spoke is I said, because they told me, they said, no, when you get up there, be sure and welcome the people online.

And so, you know, I'm looking because the church says kind of complex. They have a simultaneous service going on. There's a lot going on when you're up there. So they're like, okay, when I got up there, I was like, look in this screen, and these people, the people who are excited and they have contemporary worship group, guys like, well, can I go there just to get a little excited? I'm working on us, being able to do from over there. And they said, no, no, no. But you'll have to check with them. Then you welcome the people online.

So I'm like, look, it's hard enough for me to speak already. Now I've got to get up here. And they're like, and you're going to have a scripture reader who's a girl in the second grade. So don't screw that up. So I thought, man, y'all got all this stuff I have to do. So when I got to the online people, I used you for it. I said, you know, my dad, when he hears the term online, that means you have a fish on your line. And look, they actually laugh.

You got a good laugh. Yeah. Well, that was funny. So, so tell me what you use. to do to get the river stages before you had somebody that could check them for it because you still had to know them back in the day what'd you do i would call a select few individuals that i'd hunted with or whatever and i said what's the river doing eyewitnesses what's the river doing up there what's the i knew you had to have a plan well they got used to me calling and saying what's what's the river

doing up there you know what's the white river doing what's the cash river doing what's what's these rivers doing what's the was that means and i'd get a little update and then say well Let me see right here. He said up here right now. He said, I meant, oh, lay, when I know yesterday it was up here. But I said, watch it closer is where you can keep me abreast. Because sometimes they'd say, oh, you've got a big water coming. I also remember.

It rained nine inches up here. And I'm like, ah, that's what I thought. Back when you had to rely on a newspaper to get your news, that they printed it in the newspaper, at least the one in Monroe. They still do. Yeah. But now nobody has a newspaper. So the only thing, the paper,

part I read, it's what you just said, Riversage. I look at it. So me and Jay's, Jason, you remember you and I and later Willie, that's how we kept track of the Dodgers. But they were always a day late because it was a late night game. So we would check box scores for Dodger games like a day behind. That's how we knew how they were doing.

Do you remember those days? Yeah, I actually used to read the paper. Yeah, I know. And it was, I valued it. Like, this is the only information that I have. You have three channels. and the newspaper this way. Well, I didn't watch TV like y'all did.

I just because of my... But you got to remember, when someone gives me the river stage from up above us and it's coming toward us, based on the rainfall and whatever, when these people do it, there's professionals who do it, geological, whatever. So when they start giving me information, it's critical information to me because at one point,

I've got to start moving equipment from the low ground to the high ground, which includes tractors, bulldozers, and I don't know what. I've got, I fuel tanks, drags, people, people. People. People. And I'm trying to move to higher ground because most people when it comes to being inundated

with water, they're just not, they don't follow it carefully enough to know when to run and when not to. Right. You see what I'm saying? I understand. So now with a computerized world, I'll give it credit. I mean, it helps the computerized world. Yeah, but it's not enough for me to be saying.

there every day with a black box in the lap. Well, let me get to my lesson. So what I did was I introduced the scripture reader in my scripture, because I had forgot I had agreed to speak. And so when they called me a couple days before and said, in fact, your first line to me when I remind you was, why did I do that? I was like, I don't know, but your own. Yeah.

But, well, the secretary called and said, what's your title for your sermon? And I said, do what now? She's like, well, you're speaking, sonny. And I had forgotten about it. And so I thought, because she said, we have to get this out. So I said, good news. She went, oh, great. Because I thought, whatever it is will be good news.

And she said, in what verse do you want the scripture reader to read? And I thought, oh. And they said, because you have Romans 5. I said, I've been assigned a section. Because I thought, no wing in this, I'm going to have to get in there. But it was Romans 5, which we had talked about. So I thought Romans 5, 8, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. She's like, oh, I said, see what I did there?

That's good news. So I thought, well, there's the sermon. I'm locked in. You're already wowing them, guys. So the scripture read the scriptures. But this girl, it's cutest girl in the world. and she had just won, or I guess one, been awarded at her school the most Christlike award. So they did give you the intel, because I get intel on the kids, that way I can interact with them.

Oh, wow, they were up there like people with earphones on saying, look at this. Oh, it's a full production. This is her introduction, who she is. She's in the second grade. Let me repeat, do not screw this up. Because I was thinking, I'll scar this kid for life if I'm embarrassing. I was like, I will make her a start. but she got most Christ-like and I made a joke about I wonder why they don't give most Christ-like awards to adults

Cricket which it wasn't really a joke. I just thought it would be chuckling. It was amusing. Yeah, I wanted them to think about that. It would be a reward worth pursuing. Exactly. But now I was kind of planting the seed. So I read a couple verses because I wanted to give her a verse.

She gave us a verse. and in my study in my three-hour prep time i ran across with something we'll get to roman 16 in verse this is a good bumper sticker verse that i'd never noticed before the i found it because of the reference in romans 5 where it says we were god's enemies and i went through that later in my lesson because i cross-reference up with philippians 318 he kind of of defines what an enemy of the cross is, but it's not what you think. Notice that when we think an enemy of the cross, we're thinking somebody that just like, I hate Jesus.

We list four things in Philippians 318, and I went through those. Well, one of them was, he says, is their God is their stomach, which is an interesting verse, one I've never really considered. So I started looking at all the verses that said that. Hang on, days. Let's take a break. And in Romans 16 and verse 19 or 18 is where it says, for such people talking about those who oppose people who are living for Jesus.

In 18 it says, For such people are not serving our Lord Jesus, but their own appetites. That's what drew me here. But as I kept reading, I came across this verse that I read, to the second grader, which is in verse 19. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you,

but I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. That's good. And I said, that's a good, tight package phrase, holy spirit-led bumper sticker for especially young people. You need to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is good. about what is evil. So I started there, and then somewhere I ran across an article, because what I did is I basically went from Romans 1 all the way to Romans 5 and just gave an overview of where we are here.

And I ran across this article that the New York Times had come out with four or five years ago, but this was a Christian article about the article. So take it for what it's worth. But the New York Times article was titled Googling God. And they came up with four or five years ago, the top three Google, which I have to explain this to you, Phil, when you search something, any subject. You can type in the computer.

And it tells you what the top, Google searches are from humanity. While you're there, the only thing I Google is encyclopedias and dictionaries. I Google both of those because why not go to the source because all they did was put those two on the

because while you're turning the pages, I've already got the answer. I'm not in a hurry. Well, I know. That's a good thing. Trust me, I'm going to win. But you know, it's interesting that. So our Bible that you and I did, the Faith and Family Bible, was, I just thought about this

when Jay said that, was based on there's a website called Bible Gateway. I use it a lot to get scripture from it. It's just the Bible online. And they have a search engine on that website. And our Bible that we did commentary for, the top 125 searches. on Bible Gateway, the word, is what we based our commentary. Because I thought was, what are people when they go to Bible Gateway, which is the Bible online, what are they asking questions about?

So we took those top 125 words, and we did commentary on it for our Bible. So I just thought about that. So you have done it. By the way, you recommended it. I saw the DVD there on the Apostle Paul, and it was really good. I'm glad you finally watched it. You got to watch that. Let me get these three things.

So this was surprising to me. I like that Jay's is playing the role of dad today. Let's get back to, let's get back to. Well, but I know, I like it. I like it. The three things, the three things were incredible on what. Now you got to, I'm trying to explain this to Phil because he's like to Google. So of all the things type, this was four or five years ago, but from all the things typed in about God, these were the top three questions about God.

from humanity. So it's not right or wrong. It's not, it just, this is what they're asking. This is just what they were looking for. And the whole planet, by the way, Googles. Right. It's not just the U.S.

So the number one, I'm not going to do a lead-up because these are all depressing, the number one Google search four or five years ago when they, they did this study, was who created God? So the number one. search about God question in the form of a question was who created God, which all I said was obviously you have people looking for answers or excuses to the meaning of life here. If that, because you're like, well, who created this? I mean, did humans come up with this? Where is even the idea? That was the number one Google search.

That surprises me. Well, it did me too. That's why I'm getting. giving you this. Number two, which is what I thought would be number one, if there's a God, why is there so much suffering? So, which was my lesson yesterday? This is why I did this. Number three, why does God hate me? Those were the top three questions that humanity asks, which that's a reflection of obviously people born with physical difficulties. Yeah. People think they're ugly. Actually, two and three are actually kind of the same question. Well, right, but I think it's more, yeah, I mean, maybe so.

But I thought the third one. They're saying that based on because they're going through something difficult or whatever, or maybe their lifestyle does it. I thought the third one more was, though, about your self-image. I mean, because now I think that rivals with the, now everybody puts their best face and reputation and image forward through social media. And so if you ever think that you're not measuring up, well, you're, you just feel like, well, God hates me. Yeah.

I mean, I was viewing it more like that, but maybe you're right. I mean, also with people born with difficulties. Or bad things are happening to me is what I thought of. Yeah. But, I mean, number two, I feel like it's just like, why is God not doing anything? Right. About the. So.

Which a lot of times people have used that is, well, there can't be a God because you wouldn't have this. Yeah. And so let's take her last break. So what I did was is I kind of had a good, the bad, and the angry. You know, the good, there is a God. That should have been the name of your sermon. That's much catcher. Well, you said good news because that was just rolling up.

Well, I had no idea what I was going to talk about it. I mean, come on, Jay's get catchy. The good, the bad, and the angry is. Yeah, the good is there is a God. The bad is people that loves us and that basically a reflection of a, Romans 5-8, the bad is there's just people who don't believe that. Right. And the angry are those who are doing these Google searches, which made me realize we got work

to do. Yeah. And so I went through Romans one since he started off the first 18 verses saying, I have good news. He mentions the gospel, to your point, Phil, over and over six times. And he talks about grace multiple times, which is his, I mean, really. at his expense. And I talked about his faithfulness, Romans 3, 4, where it says, does your faithlessness nullify his faithfulness? I mean, the bottom line is, if you just do a

quick glance about God and you throw in Sodom and Gamara and the flood, and even in chapter 1, 18 through 320, you get the impression, and I picked out those three references. And 1.18, and 118, 124 and 126, I think, where it says God's wrath is being poured out, and because of this, God gave them over, and because of that he gave them over to do what is even shameful. And so you're getting the impression that God, if a quick glance at it, that he's not for us. And I think that's why you had these Google searches.

However, the fact is we're here today, he didn't annihilate us. we're still here, he provided and not only provided, but was faithful to making this plan of Jesus happen. I mean, just think about it. He never got off the plan, despite all of life's misery and rebellion, even down to, we're down to a family with nowhere in the art. I mean, we literally got down almost to extinction. That's right. but God was faithful throughout the whole process.

So you said, well, yeah, at a quick glance, why is that not true? Well, then I went to Luke 15, like, because I had determined that on the podcast, where the two sons, the one says, oh, give me my stuff. He goes out, lives like an idiot. But the father let him go. And so my whole point was through going through 1 through 5, and obviously I'm just giving you an overview. You have to realize what comes out in Romans 5.

There's four things that have to come out in your life that, to me, coincide with the brother of the son. Being in the pig pen, there's a phrase that says, because all he ever did on the road to recovery, there's a phrase that says when he came to his senses. And part of the attitudes in Romans 1 that Phil always reads is that they're heartless, they're faithless, they're senseless. And so there's four things in Romans 5 that I brought up, what that means. You realize that Christ died for us when we were powerless, when we were ungodly, when we were sinners, and when we were enemies.

says those four things in the first eight verses of chapter five what kind of adds a little credence to the apostle paul explaining how the world works what a wretched man i am yeah that's what that's the feel behind those questions you gave yeah on their saying you know who created god well you know why is he mad at me yeah because they look at themselves as wretched men with no hope because there there's no Jesus there. Well, and bad things do happen. And his own life proved it. He said, boy.

You know, what a wretched man I was. I want to mention, too, that, Jason, because people are always looking for resources, Kyle Alderman, who's from Louisville, a great writer, written some great books. He wrote a book called Aha. And it's based on Luke 15. And in that text, the aha stands for awareness. He came to a sense as humility. He decided, you know, it was time to do something.

about it. You had to hummel himself. And then the last one was action, which meant he got, he got up and went. So that's a great book if you're looking for a good. Go ahead. So the point, being is that once you realize the reason he allows us to go down this downward spiral from our sin, and a lot of things happen as a result of somebody else's sin, and there is spiritual forces of evil out there. I mean, I brought up, because people won't, answer to why is this happening? Why is this happening? But when you say, why is God allowing this to happen, there has to be a humility, a brokenness, a realization that if we do it our way, we're powerless to succeed in things that matter, things that God accomplished through history,

through his plan, through his grace, through his faithfulness in Jesus. And you realize your sinner you realize you're unguile and an enemy which i referenced that philippians 318 which basically says you wake up every morning your biggest concerns are what are you're going to eat uh doing things that are destructive uh what was the other things in 318 oh doing shameful things that you glory in yeah in your mind being on earthly things well that's not the what you think of as an enemy of the cross but if you live your day to day like that, well, you're living as an enemy of the cross because that next verse says,

but our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly away to save you there. The Lord Jesus, who will transform this lowly, earthly body into imperishable. And I love the present tense nature of that. Our citizenship is in heaven. Exactly. I mean, that already that deposit that's been given us,

Ephesians 1, of what is guaranteed to come. So that's how you can live your life. unashamed is because you know you're already there. I mean, it's, you know, I actually live a life back on the comfort thing. But he's the God of compassion and comfort. Yeah. Well, most people don't think turning to God will bring them comfort, but that's exactly what happens. And that doesn't mean comfortable.

That means, well, right. Peace, you know, the piece. Well, I brought up my idea. That's why you don't look at yourself as so you understand, okay, yeah, I was a wretched person until I turn to God. And this is a lot more comfort with him than without him, that's for sure. Well, I brought up Abraham. When the drugs leave, the alcohol, and the immorality,

and all of this stuff, and the fighting and the bickering, and all the cursing and carried on and the rioting, shooting, when all that leaves your life, and you wake up in the morning, watch a good sunrise and walk down through the woods, you're like, that's just some guy lives out like we do. You say, life is a lot better. I brought up Abraham, because Paul did in Romans 4, because as I went from one to chapter 2, I got into where it doesn't matter when you were born as far as before the law, after the law,

how many sins you've done, which ones you've done, because in that chapter 2 and 3, and we know, it says God doesn't show favoritism. At the end of 2, it says he'll judge man's secrets. He's not going to make a mistake. He knows your heart. It's not about that. And so it gets to three, and basically he's faithful, despite our faithlessness. But the bottom line is we're all sinners.

It makes that very clear. And then he gets to the butt now, a righteousness from God is revealed that we know specifically comes in the death, brown resurrection of Jesus. But then he gets to Romans 4, and he brings up Abraham, which I think the reason he did that, based on looking at it from this view, is because you can, not be asked to do a greater injustice than to receive a promise from God that he carried out, you know, leave your past, go to a different country, all nations are going to be blessed by you, and then here comes the injustice. Now, go sacrifice your son. Because a lot of people, they look at that, especially in the world, and they're like, come on, what in the world? But Abraham, instead of saying, well, this is the most, this is crazy. This is crazy.

This is the biggest injustice in the world. But instead of doing that, he said, God must can raise the dead. Well, that's just, we take it for granted how hard a jump that was. I mentioned in my sermon yesterday. The Bible says he got up, saddled his donkey, and left. I thought, now there, that's, you know, God caused you to do something. The best thing to do is get up, saddle your donkey, and leave. Yeah.

That's what he did. So I know we're almost out of time, but I want to read this. So I read the Romans 416 because we missed this during the podcast, but he said, therefore the promise through Abraham that comes by faith so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all. And then I read the last verse of chapter 4 because that's what the death, barrel, and resurrection, God's plan that he was faithful to through history and time did. It gave us grace, but it also gave us a guarantee.

And Abraham picked up on that even before. it happened. And so all that comes to chapter five and he says, so you know what you get? You get peace with God. We usually think, oh, you can lay your head on a pillow and have peace, but it's bigger than that. He did this so that you could have peace with God. Well, if you have peace with the creator of the universe, the sustainer of all life, the one who can do the impossible, you have arrived. That's a peace. that passes all understanding. Then it says you have access, and then we rejoice, even though, look, we're still going

to have pain and we're still going to have suffering. But we have grace, and we have a guarantee that carries us through. Perfect. I got a few things. We'll pick up on that next time. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by rating us on iTunes. And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube, and be sure to click that little

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