Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 626 | Jase's Run-In with an Inebriated Fan in the Middle of Nowhere & Phil's Favorite Duck Recipe

Episode Date: February 5, 2023

Phil, Jase, and the guys are full of excitement with the end of duck season and Jase’s filming of the new season of "Duck Family Treasure." Jase waits impatiently for news from his crack squad of dogs and men who are out searching for a prize. Phil couldn’t hack it for the last day of duck season, so he spent the day cooking – and is willing to part with his treasured recipe! Jase encounters an intoxicated fan and handles it pretty well, in his opinion. The scripture leads the guys to exploring the community of God and how it is irreplaceable, yet as flawed as its members are.  In this episode: 1 Peter 2, verses 4-12; Hebrews 7; Acts 10, verse 13 "The Blind" hits theaters this fall. Get updates, trailers, behind-the-scenes moments, and special opportunities here: https://theblindmovie.com --- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? All right, we're back on Unashame. Duck season has ended. It is now post-script. This is what's happened because usually I've had a long-standing tradition on the day after duck season. I just sleep all day. I get up, look around, eat something, go back to sleep.

But as fate would have it, we're doing the podcast the day after duck season. So I'm relying on the strength from the Almighty because usually this is my sleepy time. Because I haven't had much sleep. We're actually doing two podcasts on the day after. We are. We're doing two double-trial. While y'all were duck hunting. So we're going to get into that what happened on the last day.

Yeah. The Phil was not there. He was noticeably absent. from the last day of duck season. I said, my back is, it's bothering me. So I'll just cook ducks while they're out hunting ducks. So I was kind of like the camp cook. So I made some duck fingers for our listeners.

You take your ducks, take the breasts, cut little strips, put that in a little bit of salt water, not a lot of salt, in the refrigerator for one night. next night take that, pour that off and flood your duck fingers, the breast cutting about five strips. You put it in buttermilk, let it soak in buttermilk. The next night, that's two nights. The next night, you get ready and you cook them, you take all that buttermilk off of it, just do a colander, and just take it, and you wrap it in,

and what's that little little little cheeks what's that last little little part of it there you have an egg wash not an egg wash the flower no the flower you have huh what's what's in a little deal container white it's sour cream oh sour cream make sour cream I was randomly just thinking of an ingredient.

Salt water, buttermilk, now you're on the third night. Sour cream. Roll the fingers in there, the duck meat. Season the flour with whatever your favorite season is. Chicken fried on the stove on top of the stove, and you fry it. They get done quick. With an egg wash or just the sour cream? No egg wash.

It's just sour cream, rolling sour cream. And you fry those. You fry those duck breasts, they're in fingers. Listen, they are outstanding. It's a great way to eat ducks. I think we've given that recipe before. But I will say that you had a great line because I was like, so Phil, you're not, you're not hunting the last day. And you said, I have prepared for everything my whole life except one thing.

And I was thinking, what is he fixed to say? And he went, old. age. Because, look, to put it in context, it was pouring rain. I mean, pouring rain. And the only reason I went is because it was the last day. And we didn't go in the morning. We went in the afternoon.

So it was me and old Burley. I think we sent a picture a couple of podcasts ago of Burley of the, of Burley, what he looks like. he's a beastly man and we actually had the surgeon uh for your back surgeries he went with us i'm not sure i guess barely invited him kind of a thank you for getting my back fixed yeah so we i'll give you the hunt so last day uh this will tie in to a story i told a few podcasts ago about because i have this thing about pentails because we don't have many pintails here I go crazy when we see pentails.

So I'll set the stage for you. We get in the blind. Nothing happens until about 5 o'clock. And legal shooting hours was over somewhere. 537. Something in there, 539, 537. So we were there at 3 o'clock. So nothing happened.

So about 5 o'clock, we see our first group of mallards. well they light wide, which means they land way away from where our setup was. They didn't even look at us. And then here come another bunch, and they lit in the same place. And so I had that feeling of, uh-oh, we're in the wrong place, fools. This is not going to work because the rain, it had rained so much that the reason I thought this place was good because it was shallow water, but it's literally getting deeper by the second. Well, while we're watching these ducks, a rare duck to our area, way more rare than a pentail, a black mallard.

I looked over and a black mallard was coming out of our decoys because we were distracted by looking at the other ducks. So it turned and it came over and I thought reasonable distance to shoot it. Of course, I was nervous and I had the first shot and I missed. and I think Burley's actually the one who knocked the Black Mallor down. So they just took off because I was rare it up. We have not shot a Black Mallard, and would you say 10 years, Phil? Yeah. And so they take off after it and they do not get it.

They got quite a few of them up around Virginia down through that. But for here, and they're legal to shoot, you can only shoot one. And so they didn't get him. So as they come back, well, more ducks went down on the other end of the property. So I had a thought. I'm like, it's not going to happen here probably. And I just kept thinking about that Black Mallard. I said, I'm going to go down in the direction to where all these ducks are going.

And maybe I can just stand in the brush and get a shot because there was a pattern that had developed. And maybe I'll see the Black Mallor. So I go down in the pouring down rain. I mean, literally everything on my body got wet. And I had a slicker on, but it was just raining so hard. So I get down to the other end, and wouldn't you know it, that two mallards came in, same pattern. But I was standing down there now on edge of the brush. So I boom, boom, shoot two mallards and eventually shot another one, three mallards.

So as I'm making a loop to come back to get the wheelers to pick everybody up, it's still legal shooting out. It's just like 5.30 now. I'm walking down a little mini levee, and I look up, and that Black Mallard is on the levee. So I get my gun, but it dives, and it never came up again. Anybody that's hunted a lot, once a duck gets into that survival mode, they're hard to hem up. So it was just devastating, you know, for me.

I was like, unbelievable. So I'm walking back to get the wheeler. It's now like 535. We're three or four minutes from the end of duck season. And I hear this sound. And I look up and here's 30 pintails coming from the heavens. And so I get so low because I'm in the middle of our field out here. I'm like, because now I didn't know if my waiters were leaking or it didn't matter.

I was wet. So I basically plopped down in the water with nothing sticking up but my head and my gun because I thought I'm going to have a chance to shoot a pentail here. Well, they make about three passes and they go in on my hunting buddies, which is Burley and the doctor. I mean down in with one minute before legal shooting hours. Perfect. Because I'm sitting there looking at, I kept, I had my phone out looking at it.

and they go, bab boom, nothing falls. Because I'm 150 yards from them in a ball open field. I see the whole thing happened like it was in slow motion. Bo boom, nothing falls. And at that moment,

I thought, this is the most embarrassing thing in the history of duck hunting. They're not, I mean, because they were just perfect. And then they went, buboom, and two of them fell.

They each got one. So I thought, well, Good job. And I heard them hollering and high-fiving. You can't kill but one. You can't kill but one apiece. And so then it hit me again.

The Lord will not give you more than you can bear. I'm glad I was not in there because I would have only- She would not tip you beyond more than you can handle. That was the second time in a week that that same scenario played out that I was not involved. Of course, you know, I would like to tell you that I had a shit. shot my one and put my gun down. But I did, I was not involved in that situation and they were really happy. And the doctor was like going to mount the two pin tails and put the one burly shot,

the one he shot and put them on his wall and they were high five. And I had the three mallard, so I was happy. He's the one that did the back, the back, uh, uh, sturdia on me, whatever they did. Just to show you that there is not a sad ending to this. I hope for a happy outcome. Because right now, we're full 24 hours later, I have assembled a team of men and dog handlers. And they are at that property. As we speak, as we, as we're doing this podcast, I would be with them if we were not doing this podcast.

They are looking for that black mallard with every dog available. And I've offered a bounty. So I will pay for the mounting of the black mallard if it is found. And since Burley shot it, I guess he will get it. But I'm not sure. So hopefully we'll have good news. That'll be a cliffhanger for a future episode. Yeah.

So that was how the season ended. What a man or do for a duck, ladies and gentlemen. And that black mallard will be mounted, I'm sure, if it's found. It's found. So I'm hoping, I mean, I'm a little disappointed because we're in the second podcast right now. And I keep waiting, you know, for them to put. They're still out there. But so there, evidently it's been, because they've been out there a few hours.

Four-footed animals, birds of the air, God said, kill them. Arise, Peter. Speaking of first and second, Peter, this man wrote this was told via a vision. that four-footed animals, birds are move along, birds of the air, there's your pintails, your mallards, and all that. Now, what you just did was... Your hunting is authorized by God. So on my last filming shoot last week for the TV show,

a guy who had had a few adult beverages, had found out where we were. I mean, I was in an obscure place in Tennessee and pulled up, and he brought a deer mount that he wanted me and Jep to sign. He just wanted our autograph, which I thought was strange. And he found out where we were. He said, I'm going to go get my deer off the wall and get these guys to sign it. And someone drove him there because he was not, he could not drive a vehicle.

So I'm painting the picture for you here. So, well, when I signed it, I put, because it was weird to sign a dead deerhead. So I put Acts 1013 and I signed my name. And he said, well, what is that? I said, well, you, I said, you know, you probably read your Bible. You remember that story? He said, no, I hadn't read a Bible. And so, well, then I read it to him.

And I thought, you know what? this is a great opportunity because he needs Jesus. I can tell by that because he can't stand up right. So Acts 10, 13 is. Then I heard a voice from heaven declaring a rise, kill, and eat. So I told him the same story. But within the story of me telling him on why I put that verse on his deerhead, I shared Jesus with him.

And look, for that moment was the only time he got real quiet. And so I thought, well, you know, maybe God designed this for him to come over and me share that. I just thought was interesting. You brought that verse up and I used that and it turned into a conversation piece to share Jesus with him. And things got quiet. Things got real quiet. Which he may never remember. I got two questions for you, Dad.

But before I do, let's take a break. So first question is, did you feed the doctor some of your duck fingers? Did the doctor get some duck fingers? I offered the duck fingers to them. Only Burrell responded. And Burrell ate them all before the doctor if he didn't show up. Burl ate all the duck fingers. I was curious.

I think he was probably so happy about the pentail and probably getting them in a safe location. But we obeyed Acts 1013. arise, kill, and eat. Well, we eat them. So the second question I have for you, Dad, is since you didn't get to hunt, did you at least get to watch the two teams that are now in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs and the Eagles? Did you get to watch some football?

I watched that. Yesterday was the, I watched that. First game was kind of a dub, but the second game was a thriller. Did you watch it, Jay? Well, I missed the first game because I was in the duck line. The second game I watched with my lovely wife were big, Joe Burrow fans with the LSU. Yeah, I was pulling hard for Burrow, too.

And so that was a bummer for us, but it was a good game. And, you know, my wife has turned into one of the biggest football fans. I mean, she was carrying on it. When they threw a late flag, well, no, actually, it wasn't a flag. They had, it was like third down. And the. They did a redo. The Bengals, yeah, stopped them, and they had a redo.

And look, I thought my wife, I've never seen her so emotionally. charged over a over something happening yeah she was like you're gonna let this game be decided by a clock malfunction i mean this is ridiculous and she she she watched you know she's getting to where she's watching these sports shows more and she just kept saying the same thing you have one job to push a button and start in in a game that's deciding the super boat that person should be fired right now. They should go get them. Whoever's operating that clock and say, you're done. Your career as a clock manager is over. It was hilarious. I was laughing. I've never seen that scenario go like that. No, I thought it was terrible. I mean,

it really was. But I was like, babe, what are you going to do about it? There's no grace in football. I mean, that was my line. It happened. It's over. They're not going to make it right. There's no, what are we going to do about it? It happened. It's over. It's part of the game, you got to move on. Mistakes happen. It was one of those games where it was a great game. It just, everything failed just right for the chiefs. And, you know, they kind of were against it anyway because my homeless was hurt, but it should

be a pretty good. Well, you hate seeing a game end on a 15-yard penalty, you know, hitting the guy out about, basically, because that guy right now, I'm not sure where he's at or what he's doing, not feeling real good. Yeah, he messed up right there. It was a mistake. But that's why I said, I mean, I, you know, always turned into something spiritual. It just shows you, look, we're talking about all what we are

here. I mean, any human institution, guess what? It's flawed because it's filled with flawed people. And so that's why when you get your head- Kind of like the kingdom of God. Yeah, when you get your head wrapped around this, this does house the glory of God. It is revealed through broken, sinful people, which is the power of it because it's based on the grace of God. You can't have the glory without the grace if you're a human. Yeah. Which really is, it's a great segue, just in the 1st Peter, too, because really kind of the, as we said, the overall theme of the book is really kind of suffering. How do you deal with difficulty?

Because this is going to come up. He's already mentioned it a couple of times. times is going to mention it quite a bit more in the second half of the book. But he talks about how great it is what we have before he mentions, of course, the difficulties that are there. And so in the last podcast, we read 1st Peter chapter 2, 4 through 12, when he basically just tells how awesome it is what we have in Christ and that we are in Christ. And so he lays out this idea that Christ is a living stone and that we too are living stones built in him. And so he kind of gives us two different metaphors here.

And one is that we're this living structure of the temple, that Christ is the cornerstone, and then we're built on that structure as living stones. And then also we're functionary in that we're a priesthood. So we're actually doing something. There's a sacrifice that's going on. with this structure. And Dad mentioned it in the red Romans 12, and we are that continual sacrifice that happens. He's the original sacrifice, and then we continually sacrifice our lives. But I want to talk a little bit about that and get into verse 9, because he gives some specific images. And I want

to talk about it, because we didn't even really get into the other verses in the New Testament that also use the same imagery, because Paul is going to use it quite a bit. as well when he talks about us being a temple. He's going to mention this quite a bit in Corinthian letters and also in Ephesians, this idea that we are the temple of God and that we house the Holy Spirit because the spirit lives in us, right? So that's that idea that now the praise is coming up. And so it's kind of that old picture of the temple being there.

And inside is the Holy of Holies and there's the presence of God. Now the idea is that since Christ has died and is in heaven, we now house the Holy Spirit, which we receive when we become followers of Christ and the Holy Spirit lives in us. So that's kind of the imagery that we left off last time we were talking about this passage. Well, I know we brought this up before, but don't you think it's ironic that most religions and most churches feel like this is only happening at the building? but you read a text like this and you're like, wait a minute. Now, when we come together, it is this special moment of God doing something awesome together. But it's much more than that.

You know, we're that house moving throughout the world in various forms and ways. Well, it's containable. when you view it as only taking place inside the building or inside the official institution of the church or the Sunday morning gathering, which I believe is essential and important, and I don't want to diminish that Sunday morning gathering at all. But, man, when you condense the entirety of the kingdom into that moment, that couple hours a week, I mean, so why would we do that? What's the motivation? I think the motivation is we can contain it. That's the thing, man. We want the power.

We want to be able to contain it. We want the illusion of that we're, you know, we're with Christ and we're all about His kingdom work, but we really want our own personal sovereignty and autonomy. And I think that's why it's so hard for us. And so I think history, biblical history, church history, it's just littered with kind of these movements over and over again of a man trying to consolidate. it into the place or into the structure or into the person, God bringing that down and scattering it out and deconsolidating it,

man trying to gather back up, that God, the Father, continue to deconsolate it. And I think that that is so indicative of our sin struggle personally, you know, and when we think about a living stone or that we're the temple that houses the Holy Spirit, what that ultimately means is that it's ultimately about him, not us. You just said while ago, Jace, you said, you can't get the glory without the grace. And I thought about that when you said it.

The reason why is because what we're talking about here, it's not our glory. It's his glory. If I want the glory, I have to have the grace. Y'all keep talking. I heard my guys pull up. I just want to see if they got that dope. But y'all keep talking. I'll be right back.

A good point to make is that Acts 10 during the ministry that Peter and the rest have been given. Peter began to speak. I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism. He accepts men from every nation that fear him and do what is right. This is the coming kingdom and the call out and the priesthood. This is the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus, the gospel,

who is Lord of all. You know what's happened beginning in Gatilly at the baptism of John Priest. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. Listen to this, with the Holy Spirit and power, which we're given to, members of the kingdom, and how he went around, here's his repertoire. He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him. If you turn over, that's Acts chapter 10, 34 and following. when you get that 1st peter chapter 2 the same peter who that was about in acts chapter 10

now in 1st peter chapter 2 dear friends are urge you as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires there's no good there which war against your soul don't get tangled up and worldly stuff live such good lives among the pagans that they're though they accuse you of doing wrong, check this out. They may see, remember Jesus, he went around doing good and healing all those who were under the power of the devil. Peter saying in chapter 2, verse 11 and Father, live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong,

you say, what's the turning point though to convince them that there is a God? And he loves us. they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. What a text. Peter, he mentioned it, and Acts chapter 10 starting his ministry, writes a letter 30 years later. It said, by the way, no matter what they say, when they see your good deeds, that right there will point them to Jesus. So, perform good deeds and try to heal all those who were under the power. of the devil. We have the same task, and Jesus is the power by giving us the Holy Spirit to do so.

It's a wonderful thing. That's it. Hang on, Jayce. Let's take a break. Duck hasn't been found yet. I feel like at this point I'm going to have to add a zero to the bounty. Give it up. Give it up. Phil, I don't want to give up. The duck's gone. Give it up. Live with it. Hope. It's gone. belief. I want to say this. Look, I think there are a couple things here that we're discussing that I'd like to discuss further. I mean, one, I remember hearing a story one time,

some famous preacher he preached in the, I can't remember his name, I apologize, but he preached from the 1940s to the 1960s. And so back then they were coming up with the concept of taping people, you know, the message, because he was fantastic. And he was like, he didn't want to do that. And this illustration I heard, they were making the point because he was like, well, this, I don't want my sermon to become a product. And this made me think of something Zach said on the last podcast about, we're not a spectator. You know, we participate when we're there. And that's what he said. He said, it's not a product. This is something we participate with. because he was making the point when God's people come together,

something special happens. And I do agree. I mean, on the other side, this is not a, you know, I'm going to watch church from the internet, because we really struggle with that with COVID, you know, but it's then really becoming, you know, a product in that time, which I think is why it was so difficult. But so I think there's two things there.

It doesn't support, you know, just being a lone wolf, I'm going to study my Bible and go out. I mean, you can't read First Peter 2 and not agree that there's something spectacular and dynamic and spirit-led and God's sanction happening when God's people gets together. You're never going to be able to come up with some argument about, oh, me and God got a thing going on out here by myself. He started off in Genesis 2 saying, it's not good for man to be alone. And we are part of a royal family.

But at the same time, and Jayce, he said that whenever it was just man and God. And that was before sin. And he looked at that. I mean, you think about that. That's a great point when you say, well, that's just being me and God. Well, when God saw man by himself before the fall, he said it is not good for man to be alone. So we see in the very creation of humans that we were made for community. That's a really big point.

Yeah, I mean, it reminds me that famous joke about, you know, Thomas not being based at this right after Jesus died, you know, when they all got together, well, he wasn't there. And guess what happened? Jesus showed up. So, I mean, they confronted him and, I mean, they make a joke about it, but it's really serious. I mean, you know, when God's people get together, you should be there. But having said that, the institutional side of it goes way too far because then you see people saying, let's invite God to be here. Well, just think about that after everything we've talked about and everything we read.

And they're like, okay, we're here now. So now let's see. We give you permission. We give you the king of kings, the Lord of Glory, the Alpha of the Omega, the Creator of the Cosmos. We give you permission now to join us. It literally makes me want to scream when they say that right off the bat. They're like, let's invite God to come be with us. And I'm like, oh.

I mean, it's not, I think you missed. It's just so frustrating. You missed the whole point that he is with us. He endures the believer. And I think that you bring up a really good point, a really good point about church. And that online church is not church. I mean, it's just not. And it's not that it's bad to put your stuff online.

We put this online. But this is not a substitution for the local church, for people know your name and do life with you. and can hold you accountable. I mean, read Matthew chapter 18. I mean, how do you even invoke church discipline when people are struggling with stuff and dealing with stuff? Where are the elders going to, like, they're not involved in your life. I mean, it's, yeah, it's not a substitution.

And it drives me nuts. But, I mean, I think we bought into it. And we've bought into that this is something I can go spectate. Yeah, there's a lot of things going on here, which I said. I think it is the most important because you've got to kind of, kind of prioritize this. I mean, I think having, I mean, I watched church online yesterday. You know, we're not saying it's a negative thing. It's positive. Some people that's some people where they are that's their only place that they've been able to find it. And some during the

pandemic. And in some, they're so remote that it's the, you know, that we found a few exceptions. I mean, Zach is, he's painting a broad brush, but there are some exceptions. But, but mainly I agree. I was going to make the point. I watch multiple churches online. I mean, I love to see what other people are doing. I'm worship. I'm singing. But still, what I was trying to make the point is,

you can't read First Peter 2 and not get the impression. And I think rightfully so, is there is something spectacular that happens when you're sitting next to the family of God and singing praises in a physical and spiritual way. It is something spectacular. So I just don't think you can get it from all being in separate places by yourself. And I mean, look at what we're reading here. You're a chosen people, a holy nation of people belonging to God. Well, you're not, how are you going to have that happen if you're all at your house?

You know, that's why I thought COVID was very depressing, you know, for the church. And look at, well, look at the, look at the fallout from COVID and from us not meeting together in person with people of, diverse backgrounds. And I mean, I really believe that a lot of the racial tension and a lot of the fighting and all that, I think it was when God's people aren't meeting together. There's no, I mean, yeah, it's like we weren't meeting together. And I know there's circumstances where maybe it's appropriate. I mean, I don't know. I mean, I struggle with this, though, because it's like, man, and our, one of our, we just started putting our stuff online, our sermons, but we only do the sermons. And the reason why I was because I was, we were all kind of like,

man, we don't want to turn what we're doing into that. And we don't want to be a substitute for the local body. But one of the sermons that one of our pastors gave a couple weeks ago, he said, look, like, we think our preaching is okay. But if, like, if you're coming for the preaching, just trust me, there's a lot better guys out there. Go look up Tim Keller's sermons or John Piper, Tim Mackey, or just, I mean, just go download those guys and just listen if that's what it's about. But you're getting something else that's more important. You're getting what Dietrich Bonhofer called life together. It's life together.

And you cannot substitute that with an online experience because it's not just about a spectating experience that you have. It's something you're participating in. Well, that's why I want to talk about it. Yeah, look, I think it's a combination of all these things. Because one thing having the churches online does is it does help people realize that we have way more. common for the most part than you think because it gave you the ability to check out what other people are saying and you know we were i was kind of raised in an environment where it was like this is our denominational church and everybody else is wrong which was a terrible way to be looking at the

religious world you know only when i went out and spoke at various events and met other people that they may have a different sign outside in the parking lot but these people focused on Jesus, you know, embrace the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and was loving God and then we're loving one another. And I'm like, well, why would I put them in a box, having never met them, seen them, or known them? And so I think that there's some positives there. I was just simply making the point. There is something awesome that happens when you've no place in the world on this earth. Does this happen in a human institution?

because it is an institution. We said that, and the Bible supports that. But it's more importantly a movement of God, and God is revealing his glory through that gathering and through that church coming together. You can't find that anywhere on the planet. Just keep Jesus as the centerpiece. Exactly. Well, but I mean, you might be surprised at how many people, how much more people can do

than they used to could do. I mean, even like our podcast, I mean, I hear from them all the time in the interaction that they have with each other. It is kind of surprising. Let's take another break. Well, I think, Al, you bring up a good point, but I think most people don't get involved because the church is filled with flawed people. And that's why I wanted to have this conversation because, yes, that is. You know, that's not that it's not that this is, it's not that it's wrong or bad to put, your service online. That's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying that it's not a substitute for the local

body meeting together. I'll watch a ton of sermons. I mean, I mean, I'll listen to a ton of spiritual content and I'm so thankful that people have made their ministries available online. Otherwise, I wouldn't have access to them. And I would not have grown to the extent that I've grown in my faith and my understanding of the Word and understanding of God's presence had it not been for lots of other people speaking into me that don't even know me that I don't even know, but I was able to somehow some algorithm put their stuff in front of me and I started listening to their contents. I'm not opposed to that.

My point is, though, that if the point of church, and I think it is, I think it's a lot about intimacy, about being known, about knowing God, knowing each other, I just think that when at all possible, we have to strive with everything that we have to meet with a local body that we are committed to, even if that body, not even if, because it will be. even when that body is really flawed. Because I promise you, it's probably not worse than the Corinthian church. But the point is... Yeah, the point is, though, it's your opportunity to serve.

I mean, it's going to be just like what it was with the unbeliever, not embracing who these on what we represent because they don't want to surrender, they don't want to submit, you know, they don't want to sacrifice. But that is what the church, it's made up of a bunch of servants who do works of service. And so you're there to serve, and we have different gifts that God has given us. We hadn't even discussed that yet, but that's part of the body being together with all these

different gifts that he's given us and all these ways to manifest this power of God, that's his power, not ours. And so I think that's why it's important, because it's an opportunity to serve, and you're part of something. as we move around and try to reach the world for Jesus, that is dynamic. Which is, again, a lot of folks do that more than we're into preaching. We like to listen to sermons. A lot of people get together and pray regularly. They face time.

They encourage one another. I mean, there's a lot of one another that people do that I'm saying that we might not, not necessarily the four of us do that happens. So it's probably more than we know. So I just want to keep encouraging people. I don't want to make it sound like we're down on people that do things online that are positive and good. And let me say this. I'm sure there's areas of the world that maybe the church isn't present, like in a physical sense.

And maybe you're meeting with believers from other parts of the world because that's all you got access to. And that is a church. And so I shouldn't say it's not a church. I think what I'm getting at is more that I think we, have, we, there's a lot of opportunity to, for folks to get engaged in a local community, in a local body, and local church and our local eldership. And they're not. Yeah.

Because they're, they're doing something online. And I, I think that's a problem when you're, when you're substituting it. There are, I think there are a lot of examples of probably how God is moving in the digital world, in the metaverse, in whatever, and building churches that, that we can't fathom because of there's unreached people groups, you know what I mean? And so, like, we got, there's a lot of unreached people groups. lot of unreached people, by the way. And so I think that that is probably happening.

So maybe I was a little bit, I think a little bit guilty broadly. I think it's a worth of conversation because, I mean, like when I was, I mean, this covers a lot of things when I went to Athens with Larry Bowles. And, you know, I'm speaking to underground churches in Iran via the. Because that's the only way they get it. Well, if I go over there physically and be a part of it, I probably with me sitting right here, you know. And in fact, at any moment, I thought a bomb could go off

right now, right here. And I remember walking outside thinking, is there going to be anybody when I walked through this door? I mean, it was that kind of mindset. I mean, Zach earlier said, well, you know, we're not talking about, you know, being thrown into a dungeon or whatever. But, you know, those, the week I spent there, I thought this could go horribly wrong for me physically. And I was open to that. I was like, I'm willing to suffer to do this. Because I knew the risk. I mean, for the most part, that country, they don't like people who were sharing

Jesus, especially to underground churches in their country. I would be on. You knew it meant a lot to the guys you were speaking to that you would come over there and encourage them, right? Well, I was with 40, you know, Persians who were, and I, my interpreter, but we were doing it. and we actually, you know, brought some to the Lord during that broadcast. So I'm saying there are ways that are powerful and that's awesome,

but I was there with them, and it was an awesome experience. You know, I was having the best of both worlds. We're not saying that at all, but I just think when you're trying to describe what being a part of this, I mean, there's a reason Peter is using all these specific phrases, and when you start breaking them down, you know, we're being built, to a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. Well, what is a priesthood?

What is that doing? You're through Jesus and his message, you're being like a bridge between God and them. You're like, you're sharing Jesus and you may be sharing it in a, you know, from gifts that are different from mine, but we have the same goal. And, you know, we're going on about your chosen people, a royal priest. to it, a holy nation of people belonging to God. I mean, this is the biggest promotion of unity in a chapter that I can think of. Yeah.

I mean, how many different, why don't he just say, okay, y'all be unified? I mean, he's like, look who you are. Yeah. Yeah, and I think it's like a, if you look at like a big, just a big circle of this is kind of an overarching truth in scripture about the kingdom and about God's people about this royal priest. does break down into smaller and smaller units and all the way down to the individual, just an individual person housing the Holy Spirit of God, which is really the motivation

that Peter gives here for abstaining from all these fleshly lust that waged war against the soul. I want to read you a couple of passages about that. Let's take our last break for that exact point, Zach. And Paul does, in 1st Corinthians 316, he says, don't you know that you yourself so that's the self level or God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you. If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him for God's temple is sacred and you are that temple. So that's the individual.

But then he tells the Ephesians in Ephesians 219, consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, which is interesting because Peter says the exact opposite. but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone, same imagery. In him, a whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him, you two are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by the Spirit. So in that text, the idea is that all those individual temples are built together to become this temple that the Holy Spirit lives in as a group. So just to your point, Zach, you got the individual and then built together to become this structure. Oh, great point.

How many times that Jesus use that example, if, you know, you lose the one, I'm going after the one. I mean, there's something power. We are, you know, individual, have individual relationships with God, and we're all special. in that capacity. I just kept making the point. There's something exclusive and really special about all these individuals who have surrendered to Christ being together because it's revealing the glory of God. They're up the same mind.

Exactly. And you've got to remember a big picture of why Peter's doing this. I mean, he starts off in the first chapter really toward the individual. Look at what God has done for you. And then all of a sudden the power of being together. Look at what you're a part of based on what he did. Because then he's going to get into issues that we all have difficulty with, which is suffering, which in their culture,

they had this slavery idea of slaves and lesser class of people that, and he's like some of you are in situations that are unjust. And what did he say? He just said, endure it. I mean, it's very uncomfortable for people. He gets into marriage, you know, which we all have difficulty in marriage, whether you do everything right or not. So it's, you know, when you're looking at it like that, he's really giving you the motivation to overcome difficult situations

because it comes down to what God did for you, what you're a part of, and who you're with, and your position in Christ. I mean, that's what he's doing. Yeah, it is. And he kind of gives you those four snapshots in person. He says you're chosen. You're chosen people. And of course, when I think of that word chosen, I think back to that, to Ephesians one, he chose us in Christ before the creation of the world.

So that idea about being chosen is the idea that even before he created us, he knew in Christ that we would be chosen, right? Because Christ was going to come. And if, you know, when we choose Christ, he chose Christ, he chose us. even before that, which is powerful. We've talked quite a bit about this idea about royal priesthood, which, by the way, a king of Israel couldn't be a priest. They were kept separate because the priest was about the spiritual aspect of Israel and the

king was about, you know, leading Israel, but Jesus was both. And so are we, which is really powerful. We are a holy nation. And holy just means set apart. So that means even though no matter what nation you're from on earth, you're set apart. To your point on the priest king, when you were mentioning, we were talking about this earlier in the overtime segment when you had mentioned, which I hadn't thought about this, the part

that the only chosen king of Israel, you said, was David. And I was just, man, it was so funny as you were going through that. You know what I thought? Here we are. Right back at the book of Hebrews, the king, Jesus was a priest in the order of Malkesedek. You know, I think it's all, you see this symmetry and this, I mean, it all just connects throughout the whole scripture. And it all is kind of revolving around priests and kings and temples. And what God is bringing forth is so mind-blowing that we are talking about it 2,000 years later.

And we still are just kind of scratching the surface of it. You know what I mean? It's just incredible to me. No, you're right. Go ahead. I also think it's an important point to realize that he keeps referencing us and them as chosen. You're a chosen people. You know, he started off in chapter one, says verse two, who have been chosen according to his foreknowledge.

But he also relates Jesus as being chosen in two, four, the first one. It says, as you come to him, the living stone. And this phrase says, rejected by men, but chosen. him by God and precious to him. Because eventually he's going to say, you know, we suffer because Jesus suffered and he left us an example. And so, which is his point. It's like when we look down, because nobody likes to suffer. And this is really about suffering. And suffering because you're doing what's right and sharing Jesus. And he's like, but look at what Jesus did. You're salvation was based on him being chosen and willing to undergo our sin by leading a perfect life

and suffering for us. So I think in that light, it's in, when you think, well, you know, I'm, I'm chosen to do what? Oh, well, go out here and suffer. But it helps you in your perspective when you realize, well, it wasn't anything worse than what Jesus did, bro, because he was completely innocent. That's it. No, you make a great point, Jay. It's because people tend to think of the reason I'm chosen is because I'm special. That's why God chose me. No, there's nothing special about you. The only reason you're chosen is because Christ was chosen first to come and save you. I mean, the fact that he was chosen is what makes you available to be chosen.

You got to understand that. I mean, that's the key to it. That's why this idea about the elect, That's why we're elected only because he was elected to come here and save us. That's why the Ephesians one kept to keep saying in Christ, in Christ, in Christ. That's why that's what the elect is all about. It's in him that we were chosen. So that's what, but that's what's so powerful about it too, right? I love that you brought that up. That's how we started that in verse four, which is great.

Well, we've run out of time yet again. So we'll try to wrap this up in overtime. because you kind of teased it, Jay's, because we get into this next text, and we're going to have a couple of very difficult cultural situations that these aliens and strangers are going to be dealing with. And so we're going to have to apply all these principles that we've talked about in this podcast and the last one to their situation. But we'll do that in the next regular.

We've got a few things to wrap up in this. We'll do that if you want to follow us over. blazedtv.com slash unashamed is where we'll finish up in our overtime. See you there. 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 bell to get notified about new episodes.

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