Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 729 | Miss Kay’s Famous Words to Phil & Jesus Is More Effective than Any Politician Ever

Episode Date: August 4, 2023

Phil looks back on all the years he could have used a miracle to multiply bread and fish for his unexpected guests, and Jase breaks down the reason the miracle of feeding the 5,000 is so famous and so different from others. Phil recalls Miss Kay’s famous phrase and applies it to the text being studied. Jase makes the case for Jesus as the most effective politician ever, and the guys discuss how victory in Christ looks like utter defeat from a worldly perspective.  In this episode: Luke 9, verses 10-17; John 6, verses 25-58; Numbers 27, verses 15-16; 2 Corinthians 1, verses 3-7 — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So welcome back to Unashamed. We've been talking about this mission in Luke 9 and also Herod kind of had an interlude in there with Herod. We talked about that on the last podcast. You know, I thought it was interesting, Jay. As we talked about this difference in the physical kingdom and spiritual kingdom, because we still fight that today, which we've been. been talking about that. There's a parallel to what's going on here. It's a, it's two thousand years later. And yet political power is very similar to what it was in the first century or any century. Very much so. It's the same mindset that goes. You know, we, we pat, yesterday,

there was a bill that our Louisiana legislature put through about protecting children. Because, you know, now I have these surgeries and you have minors, you know, that are making decisions about things that will affect them for the rest of their life in a very harmful way. So, you know, our legislature in Louisiana, which I'm super proud of came up with a law and says, we're not doing that in this state. We're not going to butcher children and then have them regret that later and it's something that's irreversible. And it was vetoed by our governor, but then the Louisiana legislature overrode the veto.

So it was a big win for the idea that protecting children goes beyond political. I mean, it is a political thing because it was done by a political body. But it's like the mindset is we got to protect children. And I thought about that. When I was 14 years old to 18, when I went off the rails, and you as a parent and other people in my life were trying to tell me to do the right thing. I can't imagine me being allowed to do something that would have harmed me for the rest of my life that was unchangeable. Because of decisions I was making it 14 and 15 years old. Sad.

It is. The only reason I brought it up is because it illustrates perfectly what we're talking about. And that is that spiritual needs many times can go into the political arena and do the right thing. But do men and women have the courage to actually do it? That's the question. Because, you know, Harriet, in this case, Jay, as you were talking about all the doubts he's having. And ultimately, he didn't have the courage to do the right thing. The right thing was to not kill John.

Yeah, the story that really has come to my mind, the point of the story, is that doubts are not a bad thing. You remember that story in Mark 9 where the guy, his son was demon-possessed and Jesus healed him. Because he was like, well, if you can't. He asked Jesus, if you can do anything. And it's a famous passage of Mark 923 because Jesus said, everything is part. for him who believes. And so then the man says, I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief. You're like, well, what's his point?

He's believing, but he has doubts. And I think it's just natural, especially the way Jesus' kingdom is set up. Because you're like, if you just look this as a competition of a clash of kingdoms, well, John de Babes gives his head cut off, and the same king then ridicules Jesus. and mocks him before Jesus died. And then somebody tells you at the end, well, hey, the guy who got crucified on the cross and the guy that got beheaded, they actually won.

You're like, wait, what? Because it's going to be very hard for you to wrap your head around the fact that in this clash of kingdoms, Jesus, the guy on the cross and the one who got decapitated, They're the victors. Well, you're going to have doubts about that in life. And I brought up that Psalm 73 in the overtime. And that's really what that Psalm is about.

It's like it doesn't look like we're winning. Yeah. It just doesn't seem conceivable. But when you realize what God's plan was that through weakness and humility, he was going to not only get your sins paid for and have forgiveness available to everyone that by his resurrection through the power of the Holy Spirit, he would destroy death itself.

And all these miracles we said were they pointed, they gave us pictures of what this new kingdom would be like, this new world, the possibility that when we start talking about a new heaven and a new earth where there's no pain and there's no mourning and there's no disease and there's no injustice or poverty well that is that is victorious if there's a way to live forever in that setting to fix all the world's problems that's the ultimate victory and this is the

testimony first john 511 this is the testimony here's the bottom line here's how it all ends up god has given us eternal life and this life is in his son He who has the son has life. He who does not have the son of God does not have life. It's about living forever. It's about eternity. Yeah, which is another point. Look, all the kingdoms of the world, the worldly kingdoms, they become kingdoms through the killing and abuse of other people.

And then they collapse. And Jesus was killed so that life could happen. That's the difference. Yeah. And that's what we struggle with on day-to-day living when it seems like we're powerless and what can we do. There's not how can we fight that. Well, when you start thinking that, that's a window of opportunity that God's power is going to provide. And it may result in you losing your life for the king.

But you know, well, this process can repeat itself because I will be back. This is the only thing I've ever read that gave me the opportunity to live forever. This is it. Nothing else comes close. Jay's, you brought up in the overtime, you mentioned a verse, and we didn't read it. I wanted to read it on this podcast because it's so poignant for what you're talking about and ultimately why you have to know and trust. And that was 2 Corinthians 1, verse 3.

it's one of my go-to verses for folks who are going through a really difficult time and, you know, saying to themselves, you know, why is this happening to me? Paul starts it out this way. He says, praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. for just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted,

it is for your comfort, which produces a new patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so you also share in our comfort. Which I say it's a powerful passage. what happens to you, you can have confidence. And you're right, the doubts are not the worst thing. They give you hope to know that it's something bigger than yourself. Well, it makes you search. Yeah, it makes you realize the need for other people where the body of Christ, we're in this together. You know, when you stump your toe, we all hurt. And, but you're basically following the plan that Jesus set out. And in this moment in Luke nine, he's just introducing this thought.

that we're going to go out there like sheep and be chewed up by the wolves. But in that, we realize that God's power works in that. And ultimately, the greatest sign of that was what Jesus did on the cross. That was the path to victory. So when you think about the war of kingdoms and all the strategies, and you just wouldn't think that would have been the way that God would conquer the war. world. Yeah, comfort's mentioned about eight times in five verses.

But what's crazy is he's not saying you're going to be comfortable. It's like you find comfort in the sufferings. You find perseverance in the struggle of putting yourself out there in these situations that may not go well. You're right, Jason. It's such an upside down concept because most of the time we would think the only time I'm comforted and am comfortable is when nothing bad is happening to me and everything is perfect and I don't struggle in any way.

That's what we would say is that we're the most comfortable. And Paul comes along and says, no, it's just the opposite. It's when you're dealing with stuff is when you should realize who God is and who Christ is and why? Because you're having availability to now help somebody else because you've been there. So I've always thought that people that sometimes have the biggest, messes in their lives, but then realize it come to Christ, wind up being some of the greatest ambassadors for the kingdom because they understand. They understand what it means to be cleansed.

Peace of mind, Al, it gives one comfort. Peace of mind. Yeah. That's right. It's comfort in that. And it's really the- They start cursing you. I just grin because I'm thinking, well, go ahead and let it on while, whatever you think. But you got a better story. That's right. And this really, this in Luke 9 that we did on the last podcast really sets up the next thought. And, you know, I told you, I heard a couple of sermons by Keller that I really think hits home with this idea of the kingdom that Jesus is introducing, being in total contrast with the kingdom of the world, which is basically elevate myself and justify myself and abuse people on the way to the top. whatever it takes. Yeah.

It's, it's me or them. And God has said, oh, no, you fall down on the sword. You kneel. You surrender. They may abuse you and they may persecute you and they may kill you. But in the end, that's going to be my way of moving in and my power being expressed through forgiveness, redemption, resurrection, community, for everyone.

a new heaven, a new earth, and the list goes on and on. So he gets to the feeding of the 5,000, which you think, well, what does that have to do with this War of the Kingdoms? But you've got to look at this big picture mode. And when I read all the accounts and I heard this sermon, it really clicked. A light bulb came on for me in this. By the way, Jay's, it's the only... miracle that's recorded in all four gospels.

So you know it's a big deal. And I'm talking about the feeding of the 5,000. It's the only one mentioned in all four. And I mentioned this last podcast, but let's just stop and time out for I read this. If you were going to try to impress people with a miracle, I mean, you wouldn't do what some people have called a picnic. You know, look, most people at that meal didn't even realize where the food was coming from. It wasn't the most grandiose miracle that you would come up with.

You just took some, what they had, which was inadequate, which I made the point that all Jesus' miracles pointed to his redemptive work and the way the world should be. It's everything that every politician has ever said he's going to cure. Injustice, poverty, health care. Jesus did it at the snap of his finger. You want a world that looks right that's perfect, I got the power to do it. And that's why it was an upside down kingdom. Because he's saying, I'm giving you a picture of the way the world was when it first was created. You had Adam and Eve in the garden, and guess what?

Health care was fine. They had a tree over in the middle of the garden. There was no pain, suffering, you know, murder. And, of course, we know it all went wrong. And that's why Jesus came to make it all. right again. So he's giving you a picture of what it was and what it can be. I mean, if you can do it here in a three-year village-by-village, city-by-city process, well, you can do it for the whole world. It's been here for 2,000 years and it's still here. Exactly. That's a long time, Jake. So these

miracles are pointing that. So if you have that in your mind, why would he do this miracle? And that's what I wanted you to really think about before we read it. What is the redemptive story that is being portrayed in breaking some bread and giving it to some people? And basically out of a happy meal, let's take a note. Let's take a first word. So in this sermon I heard, you know, he had four points. This is Tim Keller. And I think it was titled, The Good Shepherd, maybe. And it's because in Mark's account, it says, and I'll read it in a second, but it makes this comment when he looked at them, the crowds, they were like sheep without a shepherd. But there's also another verse that's a lightning rod in John's account, in John chapter six, it says the crowds had come there

to make him king by force. By force. Yeah. So they watched all these things. And and they're like, this guy. And he throws a picnic. Yeah, and he throws a picnic. I mean, I'm not saying that. You can't make this stuff up. It just doesn't seem like the right type of miracle to take over the world. You know, unless you're thinking, oh, if we get trapped, we don't have to worry about food

because that was one of the weapons that people used in conflict in the Battle of Kingdoms that they would surround a city or whatever and try to starve you out. So maybe, you know, they're like, oh, he's giving us that idea. If you're thinking that he's going to be a worldly power, this may come in handy. That's a way I've always explained it before. But when I read the John 615 and I read that they were sheep without a shepherd and I listened to this sermon, these four points were incredible. Because here Jesus introduced a revolution.

That was the first point. Number two was that it was an unexpected revolution. Because it's like no other revolution in the history of revolutions because you're basically telling people, you know, you don't have weapons. We're going to go around and serve people and we're going to heal them, heal their diseases, and we're going to cast evil spirits out. You're like, well, when you'll be well fed when you do it? I'm going to feed you.

we're going to take care of people's needs. And you're like, well, when do we get to the conquering part? Where are the weapons? Where is the, how are we going to overthrow the governments? Where's our army and our weapons? Yeah, exactly. When do we get put in charge? Because that's what the disciples kept asking.

So then the third point is it was led by impossible, unqualified, inadequate, revolutionaries because they don't even they don't even understand what's happening you know you would think if you're going to lead a revolution you're going to have to get your your key advisors where's the firepower on on the same page they didn't understand what's going on and in fact when the when which is the last point uh and it was conquered by an incredible revolutionary act and what's ironic is when the revolutionary act finally happens at the end, all the inadequate revolutionaries, they all run. And Ms. Kay, being the little redneck woman I'm married to and your mother, she did say,

if you feed them, they will come. Yeah. Well, it's going to be an afterthought for hospitality, I guess, in the kingdom. But so then you set the stage. You have 5,000 men in the middle of nowhere. and what I said from John 615, you know, they came there to make him king by force. And here, you know, this is right after you have this story about Herod, who is the king, who's showing his true power by decapitating the guy who supposedly is preparing the way for this kingdom.

It just doesn't seem like Jesus' plan is well. working in the moment. So I want to read these accounts. So in Luke's, in Luke chapter 9, and then I'm going to read in Mark 6, 30 through 44. So in Luke's account, and it's similar to Marks, but in verse 10 it says, when the apostles returned,

they reported to Jesus what they had done. So he sent them out. We had this other story with Harry. being perplexed and we read that in Mark 6. So then back to Luke 9, 10. Then he took them with him. They withdrew by themselves to a town called Veseda. The crowds learned about it and followed them.

He welcomed and he spoke to them. Here it is again about the kingdom of God. Verse 12 late in the afternoon, the 12 came and said, send the crowd away so that they can go to the surrounding village and countryside and find food and logic. because we're here in a remote place. Which, by the way, Jay's, that's kind of a sign of your inadequate revolutionaries, because here you've got an army building, you say, send them home.

We can't, we can't feed them. Keller had a funny illustration. He said, this is like they threw together a conference, you know, out in the middle of nowhere. And, you know, we have a pretty good speaker here, Jesus Christ himself. And lunch is, because we've all done these conferences, Al. And lunch is a problem. So it's like, and usually what they'll do is they'll have this, you know, 9 o'clock, we have this speaking, you know, 10 o'clock, we have worship, then we have another speaker. Then you get to lunch.

Lunch you're on your own. Lunch you're on your own, which is what they did. Okay. Every man for himself here. And so Jesus uses that in to show their inadequacy. And that is a redemption picture that he's given here because he replied, well, you can't. give them something to eat? Well, they answered with the inadequate, you know, point three on this. This is led by inadequate revolutionaries. We only have five loaves of bread and two fish unless we

go and buy food for all this crowd. Now, Mark's picture, which we'll read in a second, it gives a better version of that, because they basically insulted Jesus by saying, well, what you're proposing is impossible. We would have to have, and there being almost, sarcastic, say this would take half a year's wages, you're asking us to do the impossible. But just think about what this conversation. We're going to be out a lot of money here unless we go and buy food for all the craft. Yeah, but what Jesus is actually proposing in this moment is so powerful because that's why I read about the guy who doubted. And Jesus is like, all things are possible with me.

You keep doubting the impossible and you have the son of. of God, the king of kings, I can do the impossible. And that's why Jesus is going through this in this capacity, because it takes human beings a bit to wrap your head around what you're involved in. The impossible actually happens. And so watch where it goes from here. They answered, so we only have this. And Jesus says, well, have them in verse 14. He said to his disciples, have them sit down in groups of about 50, and Mark's account says 50 or 100. The disciples did so, and everybody sat down,

taking five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven, and now here's the key phrase, I think, for the redemption aspect of this. He blessed it, and he broke the bread. He gave thanks and broke the bread. Then he gave them to the disciples. to sit before the people.

They all ate and were satisfied. The disciples picked up the broken pieces that were left over. So you flip over to Mark 6 and read the account here. So that's in verse 30. So the apostles gathered around Jesus, report to him all they had done and taught. Then because the many people were coming, and remember the John 6, they were coming to make him king,

because they're fired up. He said, come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest. They went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place, but many saw them leaving, recognized them, and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When I went to Israel, you could really see how this could happen. There's really no way to hide. You can see all the way across.

You can see from miles. So that's why that seems like, well, how are they seeing him? But they could see that. Also, Jay, the disciples now, because he sent them out on this little sortie, now they're known as well. So everybody's like running after them because now we went from just one known to 13 known. So you see the expansion of the movement. And I love this next verse, which is why I wanted to read March account in verse 34.

When Jesus landed and saw such a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. And I want to stop that there because the point Keller made, which I had never noticed before, is there's the revolutionary aspect. He went to Numbers 27, and I'll just give you a thumbnail of it, because when Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of bondage, you know, at God's request.

Well, this was a political move. This was a revolutionary move, and he used the same phrase here in this political move, and you can read it on your own and get the whole context. Where are your numbers? Numbers 27, verse 15. Hang on, Jay. Let's before you read that, let's take another break.

Numbers 2715, Moses said to the Lord, may the Lord the God of the spirits of all mankind appoint a man over his community to go out and come in before them one who will lead them out and bring them in so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd. And so, you know, when you later on, because I'm saying we're trying to get this picture of redemption that there was a shadow of this that goes all the way back to the Israelites being freed and liberated. And when you get to things like Hebrews 2 and 3 that talks about Jesus,

the reason he's superior to Moses, because in this, and I'll go ahead and before I read it and cut to the end, in this, by Jesus taking this bread, he's given them a picture that when you realize that Jesus is the bread of life, when he became broken and people participated in that, that, well, what was going to happen? He was going to liberate us from the bondage of our own sins. It was a better liberation. It's a better kingdom. It's a better dwelling for humanity, which is where we're going in that. But I wanted to point that out.

I want to mention one thing, just before you read that, there's an instance in Second Kings chapter 4, verse 42, that may have been in the minds of some of these people as well, where Elisha, the prophet, fed a whole army with 20 lows and some heads of grain. So, again, there's some things that have happened in Israel's past that are probably being all a part of this as it's unfolding. Some people are thinking, okay, here we go, as this is happening, you know, that this may be connected somehow to this idea of Jesus being a prophet and was going to lead them out. Exactly.

I had the same verse written down, so we were tracking on that. And I think they would have been familiar with that. And now the kingdom that was predicted, Jesus is now saying, this is happening. Right. So in verse 35 of Mark 6, it says, by this time, it was late in the day. So his disciples came to him, this remote place, and it's already very late. So then you have this same conversation about the inadequacies. He says, send the people away.

So they go to the surrounding countryside and buy villages. uh yeah buy some food in the villages so then verse 37 he's like will you give them something to eat well here's the impossible it would take eight months of man's wages are we to go and spend that much on bread and give them to eat that wasn't a question for jesus to answer that what were they saying this is not possible can be done yeah so i wanted to get that in and then he's like how many loaves do you have and and so then it happens so if you reset right here from a worldly kingdom, if you see this, you would think, okay, there's 5,000 men. That's the makings of an army.

And Jesus gets up and he does two things. Well, you would think he's going to give them training and give them weapons. If you were going to be leading a revolution, but what does he do? He gives them the word of God and he gives them some bread. So it already is started this is whatever you thought this was going to be It's definitely not that Where's the weapons where the train and I know That's what Jesus was doing because you got to remember the whole motivation for them coming out there

Was to make him king by force and they thought oh, okay here we go Where's the weapons? Where's the training? So he gives them teaching and he gives them bring Instead of kill them all, it's save them all. Different concept. And you know what's interesting, Jason, in the Luke and Mark account, it doesn't say it here, but in John's account, he says they actually got the five loaves and the two fish from some kid who was there. And that's why I thought, Jesus, they didn't even have anything except one kid had a happy meal that he had brought along for his provisions. And Jesus took the happy meal and fed about anywhere from 10 to 12,000 people. Because once you throw in the women and kids, that's what you got here.

Exactly. But this would become the makings of the gospel. I mean, the whole John's account with this, Jesus, I am the bread of the life and the idea about being broken. And when you remember when, I think I wrote it down somewhere, you know, when Jesus at the last supper, he did the same thing. that he did here. He blessed it and he said, this is my body to be broken. He gave thanks. And he was setting that precedent. Well, you see our early on here, which was an incredible miracle. I mean, it doesn't look like something that's that impressive and most people probably didn't notice. They just assume, I don't know where they get in this bread.

I mean, you're just not thinking. They just thought somebody took care of it. But he's given them a greater principle because when you think about a loaf of bread, you can't eat it unless it's broken. You take a big loaf and you've seen your homemade bread that has the hard outside. Well, the only way you're getting that down the hatch is it's got to be broken. I had a loaf last week that was about that big around, but it was hard on top. It took a very sharp knife for me to piece it. It seems such a simple thing. But when you really think about what?

he was showing them and showing the aspects of the to his disciples who have doubts obviously they think this whole thing is ridiculous and then they're seeing the miracle and as spectacular as it was you would think they would be jumping up and down it's just like they didn't grasp it because it just doesn't have the point that we're all gathered here where are the weapons Yeah, where's the grub? It just doesn't seem to fit any narrative. And just to pause and say for someone who doesn't believe in God, to think that you're going to invent this at a thin air,

this type of story and this type of concept. Why would it be mentioned in all four gospels? And it's what a concept. It just defies all logic, that this is going to be the way to save humanity in something like this. You make an interesting point. Let's take another break. You make an interesting point, Jay's, because the miracle itself, and I think to your point,

as why it's mentioned in all four, and John really goes into it, as Jayce has already alluded to, about him being the bread of life, is the miracle's purpose was to feed these people. It wasn't to mesmerize everybody. I mean, he could have put on quite the show. It could have fallen out of heaven like Mana did right into their laps. it could have been, you know, whatever, there could have been a big, grandiose way. But what he did was he took those loaves and he took that fish and he sat down in one spot and just like all the other food miracles of the Old Testament with the widow's oil and all that.

He just kept breaking bread and kept passing it out until everybody had plenty to eat. And the 12 basketfuls that were picked up later weren't picked up from the people. These people didn't just leave food laying around. Like our kids today, where there's less. leftovers. That was all right there where he was tearing that bread apart and passing those fish out. So it was just a sustenance miracle. He was, he was tearing that bread and he was passing and he was passing. Jason's right. The people are way down below him. They're getting the food. They have no idea where it's coming from. And yet it's coming from him because he's sitting there

and he's making it as he's tearing it up. And so it is a fascinating thing when you imagine it. quite the flow was coming out of that one area, and it just kept coming. And it kept coming. And the food kept piling up at his feet is what they picked up later. I'm convinced that's what they looked like. I haven't cooked for a lot of people through the years. This would be a very handy thing at the moment if there was 12,000s out there. Yeah.

And that's what it was. Yeah, it wasn't a raw, raw speech. And it was sad in that Jesus' showing a principle that's different to the world because you think what is power what is worldly power look like they break people it's all about crushing your adversaries and enemies and on the way to the top of the mountain or the top of the corporate ladder or even in the family situation when things go wrong it's all about crushing the other person this is worldly power You won. You've done this.

This applies, completely turns that upside down. Exactly. He was giving you the image, the redemptive meaning of the miracle, is I'm going to be broken into a lot of pieces for you. That was, when you read what he said, and I mentioned it a while ago, but I want to read it because I just think it's powerful. It's in Mark 1422. So you fast forward to the end. I mean, you had that miracle in all four accounts. You get to Mark 1422. And you tell me that wasn't a shadow for this moment.

It says while they were eating, this is right before, you know, Peter denies him, the arrest. I mean, we're at the moment here. So in 1422, while they were eating. reading, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it. It's the same phrase in each gospel moment of this miracle of feeding the 5,000 and having the disciples who are inadequate, which goes right along with when he sent them out, they got all worked up about that they had this power to do miracles and healing, but they were missing the big picture that we're going to be broken and we're going to serve. Because you think about what he was asking them to do also. He's

He wasn't asking them to give the army training, and you're going to, he was asking them to serve. Yeah, he said, take it. You know, it's my body. Yeah, he gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, take it. This is my body. Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and offered it to them, and they drank from it. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out. I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until.

that day when I drink it anew, look, in the kingdom of God. Yep. Because that is going to become, this is going to become the life source of all the members of the kingdom. Jesus is broken body, his blood that was poured out, we are then, in turn, going to serve others. We're going to lose power to show who you are to other people. Yes, we're going to be persecuted. Yes, we're going to be trampled.

but it was God's scheme of redemption, the path to victory through brokenness, through giving out power, through having doubts, but trusting God along the way. And that's really the difference in being a follower of Jesus and then just being religious. You know,

if you're just religious and you think that somehow you can become good enough to get God's, you know, assurance that, oh, you've pleased me on how good you are, You're looking at it wrong. That produces self-righteousness. Yep. And so in the world, the world's way just produces selfish ambition, and you see it every day. I mean, they're just like, whoever's in your way, run over them on your way.

I'm certainly not going to take time to feed them. So that's why this is different. And that's why the religious leader struggle with this, because it's hard to be that vulnerable. It's hard to say, well, God just loves me just because he loves me. and there's no because. And he proved it by what he did on the cross and the resurrection and he was broken. So that should motivate me now to be vulnerable and to be to admit my failures and my weaknesses. And so then that's how we have the humble spirit to give our lives to other people

because that's what Jesus, he showed us how to do it. And then the fact that throw in he's going to give us His Holy Spirit, to allow that to happen. So you're basically becoming him 2,000 years later in the way you function. It's a wild story. It's a different kind of power. It's a different kind of lifestyle. It's hard to understand.

It doesn't look right from the world's view because we're the ones that look like the weak and the crushed and nothing to offer in the crazy craziness, which now it all makes sense when you go back to how. he outlined in Luke 6 about being poor and being hungry and what was the other things being insulted and yeah you were thirsting you were being persecuted uh you're weeping you're like well where where's the fun in that where's the victory in all that but you realize that god's plan is about being poured out for other people to have these doubts that come up and then you seek you search you hunger you thirst i wrote down in that in that light uh there was an atheist who made this quote

i can't pronounce his name so i i tried to write it down but i just don't even know how to pronounce it but the quote i don't feel bad about giving an atheist credit for anything really but it said he had this famous quote that says that god does not exist i cannot deny because he's an atheist but then he says, but that my whole soul and being cries out for God, I cannot forget. And it's this idea of hungering for a God that we all have. I mean, you look around on the planet, even if you deny God, there's still a place in your heart that realizes we need a God. And so the problem that reason why people can't see it, because it came in this manner. And it's just not what religion teaches. It's not what the world teaches. What Christ teaches is just unlike any other thing in the

history of mankind. Let's take our last break. There's also an interesting leadership principle that's here if you think about it. Remember this whole episode started, Jay's, when they retreat, they went on this exciting mission trip. They come back. They're fired up. Jesus has a little retreat setting and they're getting to tell their experiences. But the crowd has, followed them. And so Jesus breaks up the retreat to now do an advance, which there's a great leadership principle in that, by the way. You don't want to be retreating all the time. You want to be advancing the kingdom. So he goes out and he gets into this situation and he's showing not only that he can feed the people, but he's showing the disciples about this power, as you mentioned. And here's

what's interesting. It took me back to when, remember John 21, when Jesus told Peter after he was restored three times. What do you tell him? Feed my sheep. And of course, he didn't mean food. He was talking about feed my sheep spiritually. This is going to be your role from now. But you know that had to go back to the same principle of who he is. And, you know, when they picked up those, when they picked up that leftover food, I don't think it was any accident that there were 12 basketfuls. And when you say basket, I researched that word. It was basically a little, what we would call a lunch bucket or a little travel bag that would hold about two or three days worth of food is what the baskets were.

Is it any accident that there were 12 baskets picked up and there were 12 disciples? And so out of this miracle to feed the sheep there that day, the 12,000 plus, however many it was, there was just enough left over for the 12 disciples to have with them for the next two or three days. And I think the leadership principle is if you feed my sheep. sheep, you will be fed. And so the idea is sometimes we as leaders want to back up and shrink back, but you'll always have to feed the sheep. And out of that feeding, you then will get fed. It's a great principle of leadership. And it's kind of subtle in the text. But again, I don't

think Jesus does anything on accident. One accident that there were 12 basketfuls picked up afterwards, and there's 12 disciples that still had to continue to mission. I don't know where the verse he is, but where's the verse that reminds me of what you're saying. It's my perfect Jesus talking. It's made perfect through... Through weakness. Yeah. I think that's...

Second Corinthians 12th. Yeah. Yeah. My power is made perfect through weakness. That's the point that people... Second Corinthians is 12.9. Yeah. That's the point that people have a problem wrapping their head around.

But for us to do that, look, you're going to have to be unselfish. You're going to have to be humble. You're going to have to be vulnerable. You're going to have to lose your power. And so that's what you... Jesus was offering, which all those things he did for us. But then it produces people who are givers and not takers. You know, they're forgivers, not trying to avenge.

You see the contrast of the kingdoms. I think we should read that in Second Corinthians. That's a good point. Yeah, Second Corinthians 12-9 says, because Paul was struggling, you know, you had this messenger of Satan that was tormenting in him. and he said, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness, because he wouldn't remove the hardship. And that is what people have the hardest time getting over.

But, you know, he goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 13 in verse, like the second part of verse 2, when it says, on my return, I will not spare those who send earlier or any of the others, because they had a lot of sin in the church, and he was confronting them about it. And just, I think this makes perfect sense with where we're at in Luke, because he was sending them out. He was giving them this opportunity to trust him,

because he was like, don't take anything with you, just trust me. You go out there and introduce the kingdom, and they were running into persecution, or how are we going to provide for ourselves and all this? And these people are probably saying, well, who do you think? you are and all the problems.

You're talking about shaking the dust off your feet when people oppose you. So you fast forward post-death-bound resurrection. I said, I delight in weaknesses. Yeah, that's where I was going. So verse three, it says, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me, he is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you, for to be sure he was crucified in weakness. I mean, this is the being broken, the bread being broken, that he was given an image.

yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, I mean, this is the message. This goes all the way back to that miracle of the bread being broken. We are weak in him. You know, we get hungry. We struggle. We make mistakes. And yet, by God's power, we will live with him to do what?

To serve you, which is the, this is how this comes out in the end. I mean, we're liberators, but we do it through our weakness, our powerless, our service moments operating as the body of Christ. You wouldn't think it would work like that. You wouldn't think it would work. Boy, it would take God to come up with that one. It would, and it's very hard to live out. Oh. Because the temptations of the world is all about what?

Me first. Yep. You never. unless you can bring something to me that will help me. And the root of all evil, you know, James said, is selfish ambition and envy. So it's the exact opposite. And you really see that in Herod the way he functioned with his wife and all the manipulation. It really gave you two pictures of the two different kingdoms in this one little paragraph.

Because you're like, what does the feed in the 5,000 have to do with King Herod? and Jesus sending out the apostles, but it actually has everything to do because they're introducing the kingdom what it's like. It's just hard to get your head around what Jesus is introducing because it's so far away from any other powerful kingdom that you could conceive. No, and you're right, Jay, the implication is there the whole time that people are looking at this

and they were seeing the physical implications of it more than Jesus was even meaning. because that's why they wanted to make him king by force is because they thought, well, we can be provisioned and taken care of. And that's why he was a threat to the powers that be because they thought, well, this guy, you know, if he can raise his own army, later on in John 6, which I want to talk about more in the overtime because we're almost out of time, they say from now on, give us this bread.

In other words, they're like, hey, you started something here. we want this to be a manna situation. We want to be fed every day. Yeah. And that's when Jesus turns it back into a spiritual discussion. But just think about it. Just think about really this practically. In any kind of war, you know, they try to take your communication and your money and your, you know, your food.

And so let's say they do that to us as followers of Jesus who have the Holy Spirit. Well, guess what? Take it. All right. Yeah, but I mean, well, we'll just take it. take your life then okay well we i got that covered too i mean you just think about the what what he's really saying you're not going to be manipulated because they take your money or your you know whatever your business or your buildings whatever your rank was you're right right yeah whatever

material thing you have that okay i mean because jesus said don't worry about that stuff i'll provide that that's the image he's trying to get you to see Don't be manipulated. And you think, well, all the disciples got it, but Judas never did. He could never say, you know what, I'm not going to be led around by this material stuff. So the other kingdom came in there, the worldly kingdom. How about 30 pieces of silver? Well, you know, think about it.

Is 30 pieces of silver worth losing your soul in eternity and the relationships that you form along the way? Tough. That just seems crazy. But people do it every day. Yep. No doubt about it. All right, we're out of time. We want to talk a little bit more about this amazing miracle and its implications in our overtime. So if you want to follow us as blazedtv.com slash unashamed. Just where we do our bonus material. We'll 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. And for even more content that you won't get anywhere else, subscribe to Blaze TV at blazTV.com slash unashamed.