Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 674 | Phil Gives This Snack a Rare Thumbs-Up & Jase Left a Dollar Store Clerk Freaked OUT!

Episode Date: April 30, 2023

Phil dives beard-first into a plate of nostalgic treats, and Jase comes up with a tagline for the Bible. He recalls the time that even a dollar store clerk thought he was acting weird, which doesn’t surprise Al at all. The guys go over the first few verses of the book of Luke, studying the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus and the pre-birth story of John the Baptist.  In this Episode: Luke 1, verses 1-5 https://philmerch.com – Get your “Unashamed” mugs, shirts, hats & hoodies! "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? So welcome back to Unashame. I'm still down here at the southern layer. I'm looking at the image of Jay's and Dad there. There's a plate of what looks like either cookies or biscuits. I can't quite make it out, but I'm glad that my fatty liver and myself are here in Gulf Shores, Alabama, not there. because whatever's on that plate is looking mighty fine about this time of the morning, Jay's. No, what, as my brother Willie would say, what had happened was a few podcasts ago, I brought up the, I can't, it's hard for me to find a word to describe the vintage coconut macaron.

But I had discovered some in case people missed this podcast because it was quite a few ago. I discovered some at a Dollar General in Tennessee. Yeah, you were actually remote on that podcast from Nashville, as I recall. Okay. Well, maybe that was it. Yeah. Yeah, and then you had discovered it and you had been in the parking lot. And actually, as I recall, you went back in.

Oh, I went back in. I made Missy stop the car. And Kay was with us. It was when we had the baby blessing for my new grandson. And I had to stop the car moment. And I had to go back in because I bought one package because I haven't had a vintage coconut macaron for years. What became funny, you know, after I told the story, is because I stopped the car,

I went in and I didn't clear the rack. I left one package for a friend. Because I felt bad about just, because it was a full rack. And I just, first I had them all, and then I moved one. I said, no, my grandma said, always leave a plate for a stranger. The stranger. And so I just took my hand and just took all the packages off and just, and then I dumped them on the right in front of the cash register. Jay, so you know what they caught?

There's a name for that. It's called the rack rake. So I did a rack rake. And so also what I did was, you know, I didn't share this part, but the guy working behind the counter, you know, he had a strange look because I had just had the transaction with one bag. I left the store. I now come back. It was almost like he was looking like, is he doing something illegal or, because it seemed weird. And I said, they.

they were that good. And I said, but I left one package back there if you want to try it. I said, oh, you can just wait for a customer. But if I were you, I would go take that. It's a dollar. But anyway, so I tell that story. And so, Al, your daughter, and I had no idea this was going to happen. I showed up and saw this plate on what seems to be,

coconut macaroons. But my first thought was, because your daughter, she made these. She didn't buy these in a store. Oh, these are homemade. These are homemade. So I like to try one on the way out. From Al's daughter Alex, and who's a bit of a chef herself. Yeah, she's a pastry. And so now she knows in our family, it's okay to have constructive criticism. So I have never tasted. I have never tasted what I'm fixing to taste. We're going to do a taste test, but there's also another storyline that has emerged here.

Because when I shared that story in Tennessee, well, Phil for some reason, has displaced the memory of the coconut macarone because he was like, I don't even know if I've ever had one, but you introduced these to me when I was a kid.

They used to come in a different package and they were a lot bigger than this, a lot flatter. Now, the ones I got in Dollar General actually looked like a little smaller version of this. Right. But so we want to try to jog your memory. You don't remember these? No.

I just, I'm having, I mean, we're trying to, I feel like we're doing some kind of. I was the same way. So, Jace, you were in Tennessee when you were telling us this. And then I look over at dad, I was in your chair. And I said, yeah, dad, you know, oh, dad, you remember coconut macaroos? Dad said, a macaw? What? Phil, you introduced this to our family.

His love for the macaroons is why we fell in love with the macaroons is why we fell. We're going back 40 years. Oh, well, I know. Way back. I don't know why I wouldn't thought of that. Well, Phil, I've never forgotten them because once I tasted it. You remember 40 years ago when you got into the macaroons? Oh, yeah.

So, Jay, since another thing, another storyline, since you talked about it on the podcast, because Unashamed Nation is right with us. So I've gotten many pictures and of boxes of things from everywhere. Cracker barrel. So a lot of unashamed nation. So I had to do a little research myself. There's a difference between the macaron 1-0 and the macaron. Yeah.

Because I've gotten a bunch of pictures of the macaron, which is a little flat cookie. No, no, that is not what we're, if it's hard, if it, if there's a, that's not what we're just going. The coconut macaloon is soft. This demands the grinding of the teeth. No, no, this is soft. Oh, yeah. Chewy.

And fluffy. And there's a moisture in the, it's a, it's the, it's not a cookie. It's more like a coconut cake that has been baked, but it has a softness to it. So I'm, I'm going in. Oh, and I can, it's soft to the touch. That's the first thing I want to. I just grabbed one and it has the right texture for the coconut macaroon. Yeah, got to have two of those.

I'm going in here. I don't know if, you know, I don't know if this is planned, but I'm, I am fixing to take, this is a, which I'm stunned that, Phil, I would like for you to try one just to sit. Well, Phil, for you who are listening. I was going to bite. Phil put the entire, this is the size of a golf ball, and Phil put the whole thing in his mouth. He will not be able to talk, I would say, for the next two minutes.

I don't have to admit. You did that? Well, I want to simultaneously try it. That's a thumbs up for that. That is really good. Oh, wow. Al, you talk amongst yourself for a second. I'll say this while they're chewing.

So Alan from Tennessee, and I met Alan at an event. So he sent me the picture of the macarone. Alan, no good. And it's got the feminine packaging from Cracker Barrow. This has no crunch to it at all. No, it's chewy. It's soft and chewy. That's what you want.

And then macaroon. Do you use fresh coconut? Unsweetened fresh coconut. Makes sense. And I don't know if mom ever made them homemade, but I remember, she probably did, because I remember eating them a lot when we were younger. Now that we've jogged Dad's memory, Dad used to love them.

Yeah. And Mom used to buy them everywhere. Well, I see why now. They're really good. Does that not? That doesn't jog your memory? It's the first time I've tasted it 40 years ago. So.

Right here on Undershame, we have gone back into the reaches of Dad's mind to bring forward the coconut macarine, which is a fantastic, dessert. They're really, really good. Excellent. Excellent job. I have no criticism.

To do that, because that would seem like that would be hard to do. And I think they would have a tendency to dry out. And so I would think as soon, the quicker you eat this, as a once famous person once said, after a meal was prepared, I love saying this.

I've said it many times. The longer it sits there, the worse it gets. Do you know who said that? Who's that? You. So it was one of the greater lines that I've ever heard. And I will have to admit, my wife does not like it when I say that. But Al, I actually said it at the...

You said on Easter Sunday? On Easter Sunday, I threw you and Lisa under the bus because y'all had preached and couldn't get out of there. and we waited. They said it was going to be 20 minutes, but it was more like 40 for them to cook the macaroni and cheese. And I finally just looked around and said what everybody was thinking. The longer this sits here, the worse it gets. Which was a fill line from way back.

It didn't work. We actually had to wait. No, I think you've hit it. You've captured that, so I'll need to get that recipe. And so for those of you, because now here's, it was the disturbing part. evidently that the Dollar Generals, they don't necessarily all carry the same things. Because they don't have it locally?

How long did you leave it in the oven to get it brown like that on? Well, every gas station. 15 minutes? Really? It took 15 minutes to make that? So it's a pretty good dessert, ladies. Well, I don't know why this hadn't made a comeback. I mean, now somebody did, and I bought some of the Dollar General.

But that is fantastic. Now, I will say there's one prerequisite to, eating these that's pretty obvious, but I just want to throw this out here. You must love coconut. If you don't, because like my wife, she doesn't like the texture of coconut for some moment. Coconut is, coconut is one of those things that people either love it or hate it. I mean, there's no in between.

Wow, that's right up our alley. Yeah, it is. I tend to get that view just toward basic humanity on their feelings toward me. That's right. It's like Jay's on the podcast. You love him or you hate it. No, but it's something about a texture thing, and I've always loved coconut, but people that don't love it, it's a texture problem.

It's like me and crunchy vegetables. I don't like raw vegetables. But see, I love that, Al, because like Missy, when I bought those, you know, whatever many bags it was, I didn't have to worry about her. Yeah. You know? Because she wouldn't go eat it. Miss Kay, she said, let me try one of those, you know.

And she had Lynn there. Lynn said, let me try one of the. And so then they ate one. And then I noticed their hands came out. And so I was like, look, I'm going to give y'all one of these bags to y'all work it out. And so I donated that to the calls. That's really good. That's worth cooking.

Oh, that's fantastic. So from start to finish, start to finish 15, 20 minutes. I was nervous for you because I am a high critic. I'm a food stop. I'm not denying all this. But that was fantastic. You captured the essence of the coconut macaroon. And so, yes, it was fantastic.

So I looked it up, I think, both the macaron and the macaron, and Alex may know more than me, but both have a French origin, which most desserts are of European origin, which makes sense. because so are we. Americans come from Europe as well. But they both come from there, but they're both obviously made quite differently. But this particular dessert is of a chewy, soft. Yeah, that was it.

You don't want the hard, crunchy. Those of you, the 10% who watch this instead of just listen, I will not be doing the macarona because that was a dance that I invented after 20 to 30 years. I can't remember the last time I had had a soft coconut macaroni, but it caused a dance that I couldn't help when I walked out of the Dollar General.

You were dancing. And Missy said, what are you doing? And I said, it's called the macarona. And so I literally was dancing in public. And I'm not sure the exact moves. So I will not be doing that today. But I just couldn't help it in the moment. So I'm glad this is back.

Probably there's a lot of coconut, you know, buffs out in there. I love coconut. There's people who love. So just for a little teaser, we've been, and today's a perfect time to mention this, that some point later this year we're talking about adding a couple of segments into the podcast. One of those is a little cooking segment with Alex. And so today was a good little tester for y'all. But we're talking about maybe doing a little thing where we introduce her cooking,

something for us from time to time and us trying it. So we may introduce that later on the podcast. And also Maddie, who we talk about quite a bit, who is our producer, is getting married in May. And so we're excited about that. And so we may have a little marriage matters with Maddie where we talk about marriage because we have a lot of other young people who are getting married and just married. And so we may do that as well later.

So just a couple ideas that will kick out there for Unashamed. nation that you are. All right. So, Dave, you ready to get into Luke? Or do you have some of the... Well, no, I had a thought. No, since we're doing experimentation today, I had another thought. And so I think this is a synopsis of our last two podcasts when we did the introduction

to Luke, which was basically, I don't know what you would call that, a dissertation on Luke 1, 134. and yeah kind of a setup for the book and we did pick out the parts in luke 24 where Luke seemed to you know be quoting jesus over and over again where the idea of jesus being the fulfillment of everything that was written in the law and the prophets and so we did a dissertation on that and so uh what i I just had this thought, you know, why is the Bible called the Bible? Have you ever thought about that out?

Where did that come from? Why is the Bible called the Bible? I think it's a good question. That's a great question. Never thought about it. Really? Never thought about it. Never thought about the word Bible because I don't know of any other entity that

uses that word. No, I know. So that's why I thought about it. So it hit me because now, look, My first thought, I'm waiting to reveal because I don't think the word Bible is in the word, is in the Bible. No, it's not. But why is it called the Bible? Well, the Greek word, the B-I-B-L-E.

The Greek word for Bible Biblio means, you want to take a guess? The truth. Book. Book. Book. And so Bible, if the Latin, that the Latin version, of the Greek word Biblio means book of books. So I like that.

It is interesting that mankind with the stunts they pull, it is worthy of note that the word Bible has stayed Bible for the last 2,000 years at least. So what I was going to... Probably going all the way back to the Old Testament. So what I was going to propose... No one ever called anything else the Bible that I know of. Well, I think people use it as now, nowadays. They'll say that is the Bible of, it's the Bible.

Like somebody will write a book on, that's just, I don't know, off the top of my head. Cooking. Yeah, cooking. And then the best book on cooking that people say, they'll say, it'll say, it's, the Bible of cooking. They do use that as an illustration. I've heard that before. Which only supports the Bible.

Final word. So what I was going to interject, you know, I have these strange thoughts. Most of them in the middle of the night. And so I had this one. I didn't look at what time it was last night when I had this thought, but I woke up in the middle of the night. And I wish we would put under the word Bible the true story of Jesus.

because I noticed something about me. I like movies. Most of the movies I watch are true stories. So if I'm looking at a movie, you know, Missing and I have a movie night like, you know, once every couple weeks. And so I'm looking for true stories. I want to watch things that actually happen. I'm kind of, maybe it's my age, I don't know.

I'm past the, you know. Well, I will, to help your feelings a little bit, as compared to what is run on various outlets of all kinds, movies, this and that. In other words, it's pretty refreshing that's something, you know, most people, their hand is moving. They're nervous if they're going to start reading the Bible and do what it says. You know, they don't say, I think I'll go get my Bible. No. No, you're, no, you?

you've crossed a threshold when you say, I think I've got time for my Bible reading. Yeah. You're like, yeah. I don't know why that's funny, but that strikes with my thing. But, well,

it's like, but Phil, I think that's the only book with this much information. And if somebody, it's his behavior, their behavior, that keeps them from reading it. Well,

I think you're, I think the reason I thought that was funny is, I think we've changed in our culture. You know, We just our last podcast when we interviewed the writer of the movie, Nefarious, you know, he was kind of saying, we need to get back to that Bible preaching. Because, I mean, look, and I'd say 50 years ago, most people sitting in church when the preacher gets up and starts reading from the Bible, they got nervous.

But I don't think people get nervous much anymore. I think there's been a watering down, you know, of the scriptures and just the vital nature of the spiritual warfare, to your point. So maybe that's why that was funny. But I had this thought in the middle of the night that I wish under the word Bible, because I had a theory that if I asked y'all where the Bible came from, that you wouldn't know, because it was something I hadn't really thought about either. It's mentioned the Word of God. Yeah, what I'm saying, I wish they would put under the Bible, this was my thought I had in the

middle of night, the true story of Jesus. I just think that that would give people right off the bat the point of what this is going to reveal. I use terminology like, why would God take the time to have four different individuals, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Why would he take the time to let four different men tell the same story, in their words? and then they all say there's way more than this that you don't read about that we didn't put in here that yeah that's john 21 that's john 21 so but i said the reason he used four different men is so that you can't miss it you read each one what they had to say the same story i think that's why he said let me let four people and what did you say you wish your bible was is the true

The true story of Jesus. If four people write down a story. But Phil, 41 people wrote books in the Bible. And my point is, the ones, based on what we read in Luke 24, if Jesus was the fulfillment of those scriptures, it was actually, the Genesis of Malachi said, look, Jesus is coming. You hear the story.

It's harder to dream up. It's harder to dream it up. which you can't dream it up, you have to take it for what it is. But if you have four people writing about the same event, the truth about Jesus, whatever you say, if you had four people write down and the story jives with each other. And that's almost impossible for four people. Well, how about 41?

I'm not sure why you're just saying four. 41. Yeah, four wrote about Jesus' life here, because the importance of the topic is the final roundup when Jesus comes down and it's called the good news from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, good news, good news. I get it, but I'm saying the Old Testament pointed to Jesus coming, which to me, combine that with the four men that you're referring to writing when he fulfilled when he was here. then you have all those letters to churches who have now put their faith and trust in the one.

And Jesus said what these words are about. I have to fulfill everything that's been said about me. He went back thousands of years. That's right. That's my point. So that's what I'm saying? What do y'all think about? I've never heard that idea.

Most people, the first time it was ever called the Holy Bible, which I guess. guess if you were looking back to original terms would have been a set apart book of books if you were going by holy which means set apart biblio the book or book of books was when the when the authorized king james came out in 1600 was the first time i think they actually put the holy bible stamped on the book itself was when the king james version of the bible came out so i guess what we would call the holy Bible? I think that's right. And how long was it for it to get there in print? 1,600. That's 400, 6, 700 years since all these events happened that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are pointing to. Jesus, what he said, you know, what he did.

You know, it took, it took, it seemed like that's a pretty long wait. But the Almighty figured out, you know, Give it time. So, you know, for in other words, what were they reading? How many copies were available, you know, 2,000 years ago? That still leaves you, 2,300 and something in there between that and the time Jesus was there. You see what I'm saying? Yeah, no, I mean, hardly any. Yeah, it wasn't easily available until much later for people because these were just being, you know, these were letters.

you know, they had to be compiled. So they didn't kind of put it on. It's hard for any book to reach the entire world. That's difficult. You know, a lot of people write books. I've written a few myself. But worldwide, I mean, it's a joke. But this went worldwide.

And I mean, that's in poor countries. There's copies of it now. Almost every place on the planet, Wouldn't you agree? Yeah. Well, the printing press obviously changed everything about that. So, Jace, what did you call it? What was your name?

I like your name. The true story of Jesus. Yeah. So I'm trying to say, here's what I'm trying to say. It's this is not, and I'm basing this on, I mean, it's come out of Luke one, one through four. Because he said many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled. You know, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, you know, in which Jesus called himself the word. The word became flesh.

But even the words that predicted Jesus are all wrapped up in the Bible. So he is the communication of God, someone said. I agree with that. therefore since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly count to theopolis so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. So he's saying this is the true story of Jesus. Now he's going to prove that. You throw in what John says. you know, Jesus came full of grace and truth, you know, in the beginning, and he was the word.

It's the same, they all, like you said, Matthew, Martin, Luke, and John, it is a four-pronged perspective that says very much the same thing. This is the true story of Jesus. That's why when you get to the end of all four letters, they capture these same actions. And four different writers will tell the story. They tell the story. So, and everything that was, that led up to this point was to bring Jesus on the earth to be, in essence, the bridge of God and man, because he was God and man. And by his death and resurrection, he brought God and man back together. And you have to agree, the four accounts and what they said to this day boggles the man. mine, Chase.

It burglars a man. But anyway, I mean, maybe I'll think I'm crazy. I just, it was an idea. I thought, because I'm going to large crowds of people and I'm speaking. And a lot of people do not know what the Bible is about. They think it's a rule book. They think it's fairy tales. They think it's a legend.

They think it's a compilation of myths. They don't know the point of the point. of the Bible. And I was just trying to put that, you know how people, they'll put a title and then they'll kind of sum it up. I just thought, and people don't even know why it's called the Bible. We didn't know it and we studied it. But you came up with the idea, the first part for three, four thousand years, at least is Jesus is coming. He's coming. That's what I'm saying. And then from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Luke is saying here, he's here. He's here. This is what happened.

He's here. And he's coming back. He's coming back. That's covered. So this is the true story of Jesus. This is where he was, what he did, and where he is now, what he's doing now, it's all wrapped up. It's the true story of Jesus. And you will conclude at the end of the book that Jesus,

is alive and well, and he is at the right hand of God, and he is coming back. I mean, this is the revelation of Jesus, and it's true. Yeah. This is based on eyewitnesses. Oh, it's a mystery discovered and identified and explained, the mystery of the gospel. Yeah. So let's push this through, is what I was. No, I agree.

And agree also that even from Genesis to Malachi, as we talked about in the last podcast that we talked about Luke is basically once we studied Hebrews, if you take Hebrews and compare it to the entire Old Testament, as we talked about, it's just basically about Jesus in preparation of Him coming. I mean, the whole thing. So once you understand that, it takes a lot of the mystery of the Old Testament, like, oh, what is all this? History and these kings and the prophets and the men.

That's where I was getting. Then I think people would hang on. little longer. They're like, well, this is the true story. Jesus is how, you know, God himself chose to be revealed to us. So every word. But I wouldn't want to question God about how much information he would allow and where he would put the information and how he would put it. Jesus is coming. Jesus is here. Yeah, but we put Bible on there. Somebody put that, I don't even know who put that on there. I'm like, if we're going to put something on there, if King James put the Bible. I'm saying, why not put the true story of Jesus? Yeah. Yeah. The, fair point.

The, because there's no other book like the Bible, it is the book of the Bibles. So that the is an important word. Story, because it's, it is a story. He's given an account. That's, when you look up, when he said many of under taking to draw up an account, the story of the things that have been fulfilled. It is a story. Yeah. This is what happened. It was a garden, and, you know, I'm going all the way back. Yeah, and it's carefully tied into whatever happened in the past. It's carefully. Exactly.

It's not a rule book. No. No, there are rules and teachings in it, but it's a story that's true, and it's about Jesus. And you've got phrases that prove it the light, the light we went through I am, the light of the world. You know, he's the final word on everything. I mean, it's. And what is darkness? It's where there's no light.

In the beginning was the word, the words were with God. The word was God. Who's the word? Oh, it's Jesus. Yeah. Yeah. So, well, we got bogged down in that. I didn't know we was going to have that big a problem.

I mean. No, I thought that. I think it's really good. Let's take another break. No, and I liked adding the word true because there's been so many untrue stories about Jesus. So I would add the word true story. Yeah. Well, this is history.

You know, that's what I'm saying. That's loose point. Yeah, people who write about what the Bible says, and you're trying to get them to start with the story of Jesus, the true story of Jesus. True has to be that. Because he said, I am the truth. Yeah, and everybody that writes down an addition to what it says,

you can start reading that. You're like, no, no. No, no. And I think it would keep you from getting off of non-Jesus matters, which are a distraction and are really of no use or value in anything, which is, that's why I said. A good question is, where's Jesus in this? How you view Jesus, every human being is the greatest factor in what's going to affect

your character and actions. Good or bad, right or wrong. If you look at him and say, you know, how many times have we said, who was the guy who coined the phrase you either conclude when it comes to Jesus in your view he was either a liar a lunatic or lord that was a that was a great statement because what else how else are you going to or a legend one of the brothers wrote a book they'll i think madale uh josh bring down wrote a book and he said i thought it would take more than a jesus maybe it would take more than a jesus to invent a Jesus. One of the writers wrote a book and one of the brothers up there.

Yeah. But take more than a Jesus to invent a Jesus. That's kind of a deep thought. I know it. Yeah. How would you make this up? So that, I mean, look, we're, we're the next part, you know, John the Baptist is foretold, which once again, now that we've, we've gone in such detail about all the details that that Luke fills up and we we brought that up in our overtime uh when we last did

Luke that he was a you know he was a doctor and doctors tend to be thorough and so a lot of the details from you know naming one of the two guys on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24 you know Cleopis I mean well would you just make that up or you know and now you're going to make up a guy who John the Baptist who's going to be the forerunner of Jesus, and he's going to look nothing like... A biblical scholar would look. Nothing. That's what kills me.

Scholarship was way away from this one. That's what frustrates me about the culture who just views the Bible as legends. And they say, oh, it was just a bunch of believers. They came up because they had an agenda. They're not coming up with a guy like John the Baptist, Because I know he ran into the same problems that we run into. You know, and Phil, you know, the story about the time you were going to speak somewhere, you're on the front row.

I mean, you are the speaker. And what happened all the guy comes up and says it gives you directions to the homeless shelter? Yeah, he came up. And I was sitting there, there speaker, fix and speak. And he said, listen, the homeless shelters right around the first street down here on the left. He basically called you a bum. And you were not that he was not trying to help. Now he was being very kind.

And I had to unveil that I was fixing to speak and he was like stunned. He was very embarrassed. But yeah, I mean, what's interesting is when you read the other accounts in Matthew, Mark and John, John just sort of splashes onto the scene. and he's kind of seen as a renegade. And we know the way he looks and he's got a weird diet. And he's a lightning rod for people to listen to. And we know he's in the spirit of Elijah.

But you don't really get any background. And it's really interesting to Jason's point. And Luke gives you the background. This guy had quite the pedigree. You know, into Jewish, you know, he goes all the way back to the priestly, back to Aaron. in terms of his pedigree, you know. So in verse 5, it says in the time of Herod, King of Judea,

there was a priest named Zachariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife, Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron. So we're talking a solid couple here. Both of them. And that's the beginning of the priesthood. Yeah. Just so you get the pedigree. I mean, Aaron was the original priest of Israel.

So this is all the way back to the beginning with Moses. Yep, and feel free to explain that. Because a lot of people, when you start reading about the priesthood of Aaron now, your eyes sink back in the back of your head. Yeah, yeah. Just know that this is back to the original bloodline of priesthood. So this is, so John the Baptist pedigree was the best. So both of them, verse 6, were upright in the sight of God, which is always apostative. Observing all the Lord's commands and regular.

regulations blamelessly. Now, you know, probably, because people read that, they're like, well, were they perfect, but they were blameless in that these were solid people. They were getting it way more right than they were wrong. And the group that they were with, the group was not that large. Well, right. Ed, I want to say this. The law taught us that we need Jesus.

You know, what's James 2.10? If you keep the whole law and you stumble at one point, you're guilty of breaking all of it. But it doesn't mean that. they earn their salvation or that was the whole problem. But the point is, these were as solid of people as you're going to come across. You've got to remember they're going to need to be solid because from that time on, over in Matthew, Luke said that too about three or four times. Jesus began to explain to his diables that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things.

And here's his problem. At the hands of the elders, you're like, what? Elders are in the killing business now. chief priest, they're out to kill Jesus, and teachers are the law, and they're out to kill me. That's who Jesus was up against, and that's why it does have a lot of meaning on the verse you just read. They observing all the Lord's care. This much wasn't after him. No, they weren't.

And that's why he chose. Look, I think God chose just an ordinary, quiet couple. and to do extraordinary things with people who just day after day were serving him and quietly and so in the you know not not that they weren't being spokesmen but I'm just saying oh these people come up me like who are these people I mean there there's no fanfare they just their hearts and that takes them away from the group that was out to kill him the you got two groups here of of teachers of the law the elders there you got some you got some good ones here all right so verse seven but they had no children because elizabeth was barren and they were both well along in years once when zecherized

division was on duty he was serving as priest before god now you want to talk about what exactly that so what would he be doing if you if you wanted if you were interested for those of you that are interested in that if you would go to first chronicles 24 you could do a deep dive, they would rotate through these different divisions to be on duty. And especially during high times. And that was one of these high times that's being described here when you needed more priests because you have more people there to make sacrifice. So that's all I was talking about.

So he's rotating through. So just imagine like he had extra shifts if you were at a work situation. So that's what we're talking about. So verse 9, he was chosen by a lot, which I always find fascinating, which I wish we would bring back in some capacity. We should. It's the ultimate in non-favoritism. Oh, I said that before. You need another, you need another elder. You need another disciple.

Well, let's see. Cast the lights. Oh, Phel, when I was an intern in my short stint in the, what would we call it, the official capacity of religious workings, you know, 30 years ago. I've had more than one. I brought this up. I've had more than one. want to get my title and it's sometimes a little awkward.

Yeah. But what I said is, look, get the people to, you know, submit the possible elders for the church. And I'm basing this on Acts 1. You remember when they replaced Judas, yeah. Yeah, they replaced the apostles. Well, they drew lots to do it. They had a little pool of people and I'm like, why don't we do that for the elders?

Oh, well, I was quickly removed. I think if you're doing the locks deal, if you've got God's hand on it, you're going to come out. But look, but look, they got two qualified men. So it's not like they just didn't go out willy-nilly. That's what I said. Yeah, I'm not saying, open the Bible, you know, to a page and say, I wasn't, but I was like, once you get all the people, then just cast lots. That's right.

Let's just leave it, you know, up there like, what are you promoting gambling? I'm like, they did this back there. Here's another case. Well, where they did this. Of course, this was pre-Jesus death, brown resurrection, so I don't know. So he was chosen by a lot, according to the custom of the priest said, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came,

all the assembled worshippers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. Well, this is quite the scene here. So when Zachariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. Once again, another fearful angel sighting. Nobody was ever glad to see these guys, by the way. No, and it's so crazy that you believe it.

You know, here's a religious guy. He's a priest. He believes in God. He believes in angels. And all of a sudden, you see what you believe in. And it's terrifying. Absolutely. I use this illustration in my speeches about when Jesus comes back, you know,

on how you're going to be because the First Sondis 5'4 says that this day shouldn't surprise you. Because I guarantee you, when people see Jesus come back, there's going to be a lot of fear. Oh, yeah. And just even from people who are said believers. That's right. So, and Al, you're right. So I think we need to think about the reality of this. You know, even when we talked about that movie, you know,

in the affairs and all, we just, we have to really, in our minds, realize that there are spiritual forces of evil. And there are things that are supposed to be good, like rulers and authorities and all this stuff, that the evil world has,

has taken over in some case. Ransacked. And even in some countries on this globe, where there's just absolutely no presence of God, you know, and they're like spiritual, dark force strongholds, you know? I mean, this is a reality, and I think we have to keep that on the forefront of our mind, so we're not so shocked when things happen, you know, but I'm chasing a rabbit there, but still, so he startled grit with fear, but the angel said, don't be afraid,

Zachariah, your prayer has been heard. Now, this is really a powerful moment when it comes. to prayer because they had prayed, you're assuming pretty much their whole lives that they could have a child and it didn't happen. So, well, now that they're up in years quotations, they've, they've probably quit on that. I mean, they, well, it's because it's not physically possible. So you kind of sympathize for them. But you watch how the Lord views this because he says, your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to give him the name. name John. So this is breaking news of epic proportion for them. We have breaking news from heaven

that is literally slapped him in the face via an angel, said, hey, guess what? This ought to be a time of celebration. Your prayer that you prayed many a time has been heard and delivered. Of course, you know what he's thinking. What's too late. Yeah. Which by the way, John means Yahweh has been gracious. Yeah, the Lord has been great. It's just crazy. I actually wrote, I have very few notes, but one of them is John means the Lord is gracious, which is I had the same idea. So he will be a joy and delight to you. So, I mean, not only are you going to, you know, have a baby. I mean, he's going to be a joy and a delight. You usually don't tie once, because up to the now, We don't have a visual of this.

Well, what? The visual's not there. But they were talking about that the last person you would think was going to be what he's going to be would be John the Baptist, the one they prayed for, didn't get. Well, he came late, but boy, is he a doozy. But watch what happened. So, verse 15, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. Well, I skipped the part. 14, he will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth.

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from birth. Now that's quite the... Well, and I think because of the circumstances, and he was the forerunner of Jesus, who just came from a virgin. Well, now we have John the Baptist coming from a couple,

a woman who couldn't have children, and I'm using couldn't have... How old you think? How old you think, Al? I think, too old. Past childbearing. 70. Well, I can identify it. I don't know.

Yeah. So watch what happens. Many of the people of Israel will, will he bring back to the Lord their God? And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. And that was predicted, by the way. And we'll get into that later. To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous. and make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

We'll talk about that later because that's a hard thing to wrap your head around. But I just want to get the narrative that he lays out. Zachariah asked the angel, well, how can I be sure of this? Terrible question. Bad. Watch what happens. I am an old man and my wife is well along in years. The angel answered, I am Gabriel.

I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happened because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time. All right. You're talking about a clip. Never be surprised when the Lord answers your prayer or you will get really quiet. I call it the silent truth.

What a cliffanger. We're laughing, but it was sad, you know. It was really sad because this was the greatest news and now he couldn't tell a single soul about it because, you know, he questioned. He might have said at some point, do you think? Well, he didn't say anything for a while. Well, I know, but he said to himself, that was a dumb mood. Okay. We're going to discuss this more in our overtime.

because we're literally out of time. We're hard against our time here. So starting the week of May 7th, we're not going to be released anymore on Sundays. It's going to be Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I know a lot of you spend times with families on Sundays. And so we're going to have all weekday releases, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. So look for that beginning the week of May 7th. So if you want to follow us over into overtime, we'll talk a little bit more about this,

and we're going to have to flesh it a little bit more in our. next podcast as well because we've got a lot of stuff to unpack. This is really rich. So if you want to follow us, it's blazedtv.com slash unashamed. We'll see you in overtime. 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. And for even more content that you won't get anywhere else, subscribe to blaz TV at blaztv.com slash unashamed.