Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 756 | Phil Jumps Right into ‘Doing Good’ & Jase Has Never Heard of THE Counting Crows

Episode Date: September 21, 2023

Phil is raring to go as he jumps right out of the gate with some Scripture concerning how people should treat one another. Jase has never heard of the '90s alternative band Counting Crows, but he HAS had a mic drop moment during a political argument recently. The guys discuss the misconceptions surrounding the kingdom of God and when and where it will be. They explore how to be good stewards of our time on earth while waiting for heaven.  In this episode: Luke 12, verses 49–59; Luke 9, verses 23–27; Galatians 6; Matthew 6, verse 33 — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? You got Galasin 6. If someone has caught, you who are spiritual, should rescue him gently. Watch yourself. We're back on to watch out here. Watch yourself. Well, that's... You also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens. This way you'll fulfill the law of Christ. Anyone thinks he's something when he's nothing, deceives himself.

Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself without comparing himself to somebody else. It's just you and the almighty. For each one should carry his own load. Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with this instructor. So there's a little cadre of men. Don't be deceived. God cannot be mocked.

A man reaps what he so's. The one who souls to place his sinful nature from that nature will reap destruction. So he who sowes to please the Spirit from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary and do it. and good. The way out is, no matter what happens, just do what's right and what's good. And war and others, therefore, as we have opportunity, as we have opportunity, you don't need

to hunt them down like dogs. Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. So I don't see the, it looks like to me, that's the connection. With Luke 12? Yeah. We've started mid-sepail came. We were debating. We were debating and started the cameras. Yeah. I love going. That's what you're telling me.

We're running. Yeah. We're rolling. Bill said the parallel passage to Luke 12, 42 through 48. 48. Could perhaps be Galatian 6. I'm not going to argue with him. I'm just saying it's getting bent out of shape over small.

smaller things, they can turn into bigger things if you don't watch out. But I think it's far more simpler than you've portrayed it. I think. I found myself saying, what's he talking about? Well, watch out is the key word. That's the context. That's why I was in. That's right.

It's take a look. And it says, watch out. Watch out is over in Galatians. Galatians too, you know. Just watch out. Well, it's also in... It's evident on who you're serving to any degree. You know, he makes that clear.

But then he just goes into this thing about, you know, be hospitable. Just use the word for big events or our little ones. Well, Dad does bring up an interesting thought, Jays, because I thought about this in relationship to... some of the later books that are written. So the Thessalonians, the theme there seems to be that they were looking so forward to the second coming. And remember, they're 30 years after what's happened here, what Jesus said, that they just

shut it down. They were selling off their stuff and said, okay, well, it's going to be any day now. So we're just going to take it easy. And then Paul's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, you know, you got to work. You got to do this. You got to do that. So the theme, he's talking to the Thessalonians, you can't shut it down.

We don't know when it's going to happen. Plus, there's 2,000 years riding on it for sure because we've eaten that part up. Now we're 2,000 years later. You're right, Dad. So you come along there and everybody says, was this going to happen? Or when's it going to happen? You seem to be getting in a big hurry here. You need to slow down a little bit.

I think you're hurrying this up. To me, that's the, that's, and we're all kind of debating because this text, which Jesus was doing supposedly is a clarification to Peter's question in 41. are you telling this parable to us or to everyone? He wasn't quite sure. He was like, so is this something that we need to be writing down? You know, I get his thought. And then Jesus kind of doubles down.

Here's the way I see it. The first part of the text that Chase read on the last podcast that we talked about this, 35 through 40, was about us being aware that, one, we expect him to come. Two, we don't know when it's going to happen. I mean, that was pretty clear. So then he gets to this next text, and it seems to be more about what you need to be doing while you're waiting. That's where he seems to go to me in my mind. So in other words, I see the first part is an awareness.

The second part is an effort, which kind of goes to what you're talking about Galatians, Dad, because he's trying to tell him, look, this is the way you have to live while you wait for him to come back. Because it's not, we don't have it all yet. We're in Christ. We know what's going to happen. but we haven't realized it yet. Let me read the text, and then we'll kind of, we'll go back and forth with it. The Lord answered, who then is the faithful and wise manager? So now he's gotten into a manager is something different that he was talking before.

He's talking about servants that were just looking for their master to come home. Now he says, who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? again, this is all very contextual of first century, because we wouldn't even know what he's talking about. It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. So this is about effort. This is what you're doing. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

But suppose the servant says to himself, my master's taking a long time and coming. And he then begins to beat the men servants and maid servants and to eat and drink and get drunk. So now it's like he loses focus, and so he's lost his way. This is the way I see it. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him, and at an hour he is not aware of,

he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. That doesn't sound good. Verse 47, that servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. And from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

And to Jason's point, we were talking before we came on today, I've heard a lot of crazy things about this text because, it's hard outside of context to exactly know what he's talking. Is he talking about hell? You know, what happens there? Is it levels of punishment? I've heard about that talked about out of this context and a lot of other different things. But keeping it solely in what he was warning them of,

it seems like to me it's more of a character challenge from Jesus to the disciples, especially since Peter asked the question, about how they're supposed to be. once he goes into heaven and awaiting his return. So that's at the simple end, that's how it's it. Yeah, you know, if you stretch it out, you know, chapter 13, about verse 47, the one he just read, the servant knows his master's with, does not get ready or does not.

Neglect of duty is highlighted. punishment is highlighted sins of omission it's highlighted if you got James you know James 417 James 214 judge by privilege

sins of ignorance you know accountable to each other and to God too and the last thing work I mean it's just kind of it's what would you call it just a just about

every little squeaky sin or it's it's uh it's it's mentioned there well i think you i think you right nothing neglect the duty punishment sins of omission judged by privilege of course that's the bible writer didn't say that but the the bible writer didn't necessarily say that but uh that was men have taken that and divided that in the chapters and you see what i'm saying Yeah, but you look back at, you look back at verse 32 that we talked about last week. I think it's a key verse here, and building the context around it is he's talking about giving the giving of the kingdom to, and he does it with great pleasure. He's given the kingdom. Yep.

To these guys and to us as well. And so when he moves into 35, verse 35, you get this, it's almost like he's elevating their idea. of salvation. You know, we deal with this too in the church. You know, we think, man,

I grew up thinking getting saved was about just getting justified. And then that was it. Right. And so then I, I get saved, which is my get out of hell free, you know, deal.

I'm not, it's not, my penalty of sins not held against me. And then I sent, I grind that out for 80 years. And then he comes back. And then you get the prize. And I think what he's saying here is,

is that that's not, no, this is about action. that when when God gives you the kingdom, then you, you get, you, you,

you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, this is kind of a parallel passage in Matthew 25, you know,

right before, right after the 10 virgins, a parable of the 10 virgins, it's, you know, we're called to action and we're called to build things and to do things. And what these guys were doing is, they were getting lazy and lethargic and,

and they're not living. out the kingdom here and now. They're saying, oh, it's going to come one day. What happens when you do that, though, is you eventually forget about it. If you think that it's just coming, and it is, I mean, the kingdom is here. Now, it is coming, but it's also here. And I think what he's talking about here is a participation in the kingdom now in preparation for the kingdom to come. Genesis talks about this. Theologians called the cultural mandate, where at the very beginning of creation when he says, be fruitful and multiply. He says, go subdue, subdue the earth and rule over it, have dominion over the earth. God gave mankind instructions at the very beginning of creation to go,

go build culture. It's a cultural mandate. Go build art. Create art, create structures, create societies, music, food venues, like go cultivate, make the garden expand over the whole earth. Of course, sin happened and we were kicked out of the garden and then the curse came. But part of the kingdom coming is us being called to cultivate the kingdom here on earth as believers and not to simply forget about it and think that it's something that's going to come a long time in the future that we're not participating in right now. If you do that, you're going to be like these guys right here and you're going to end up, you know, beating the servants and getting drunk and you're going to do your own thing. You're going to forget. You're going to forget it. No, I think that's good.

And I agree with that. And I feel like there's, I definitely don't think it's after time, like some people that I've read talking about, you know, that this is post resurrection. I see it more as two, there's two time markers that Jesus deals with. One is going to be the end of the Jewish way. And that's going to start in 70 when Jerusalem goes down, the temple goes down. But it doesn't just end there. it goes all the way through, but it's about 135 AD when the Romans finally just pushed the Jews out completely.

So for about a 40 to 50 year period there, that's what happened. They went to war with Rome, who was their occupier, it was bad call. But there's definitely markers where Jesus points to that and says, look, you've got to be ready. You don't want to, you know, the whole reason of me coming through Israel is so you'd understand who I am. So that's the point of the early church. And then I think the second one is his ultimate return.

And that applies to us, as dad mentioned, 2,000 years later. So to me, these watchful, this is what it's all about. And he's going to talk about this more about the interpretation of times and a little bit later in the text. You're looking for the marker. And for the immediate time frame in their generation and their lifetime, it was what was going to happen around 70 to 130 AD. And for us, it's looking to his return. So that's the way I see it. I mean, I think that's his point of what he's trying to make.

But, man, it's not easy to grasp because you can certainly run it in a lot of different direction. Well, he tells the illustration, though, of, you know, it's like he is a faithful and wise manager. The Lord answered, who then is the faithful and wise manager, which a manager doesn't own anything. You know, I thought he was referencing them, you know, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance. it will be good for that servant who the master finds doing so when he returns i tell you the truth he will put him in charge of all his possessions so it just kind of made me think it fit with the rest of the narrative and this whole thing started he's talking about don't be scared of those who can control the physical or kill you you know be be scared of the one who can throw you into hell

he's talking about the afterlife and then all of a sudden he's interrupted by this inheritance question because this guy feels like he's been done unfairly and he wants money and so Jesus tells that parable about, you know, watch out that you're not greedy and the guy's building bigger barns. So it seems to have that possession theme. Don't get caught up in the world and what you have and chasing money and being in, charge of something that's not yours anyway. And so, and then all of a sudden you're kind of introduced to this idea that he's leaving at some point.

He's going to, and it reminded me of the, you know, the famous passage where, you know, Jesus, when he said, I'm going to go prepare a place for you. Remember in John? Yeah, 14. Yeah, 14. All of a sudden, that caused panic, you know. It's like, well, where are you going? How do we know the way?

Yeah. How is like when we get there? Yeah, I'm not going to leave you as orphans. And then he starts talking about the Holy Spirit, which, you know, the next paragraph, he seems to get into that as well because then he starts talking about his death. He said, I've come, you know, in 46 to bring fire on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled. But I have a baptism to undergo, which is his death. I mean, it had already been baptized as a sign that he's the son of God, the Holy Spirit.

descended on him. So he was going to immerse himself into this death and how distressed I am until it is completed. Do you think I came to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but division, from now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, which is like, wait, what? That's very specific.

So, you know, then, so you have this, you realize he's given his prediction that he's going to die. There is judgment coming, you know, and now a lot of people view the fire on the earth as either judgment or the Holy Spirit and or both. I'm kind of in the both category, to your point, whether he's talking about the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 with judgment coming or the implications of his final coming.

Either way, it makes sense that we have to be prepared. God is alive and well. We can't get hung up in things and possessions and money. And we can't turn on each other when it seems like God's not going to come back. I mean, I think that was kind of his point. He's like, well, he's sure taking a long time. Because we're easily distracted on this earth into the physical. I mean, to me, that's the gist of what I see.

But you say that, but you would say that it's taken a long time. The only way you're going to say that is if somehow you've been detached from the kingdom. And you're looking at the kingdom as something that's coming only. If you see that the kingdom is coming, because that's the hope, but you also see the kingdom is here, which honestly, honestly, I wouldn't make sense to me, the father would take good pleasure in giving it to us because we could participate in it now and then we could also hope for it and it's full fruition. If you think it's here now, then you're going to be participating in it and you're going

to be what he says here, a manager. So he asked that, it's kind of a rhetorical question to their question, who are you talking to? Are you talking to us? Are you talking to everybody else? And he's like, well, he said, who then is the faithful wise manager? I mean, he's kind of, he's answering their question in a way that's like not answering what he is. He's saying, well, who's the way?

wise manager, whom the master will set over his household to give their portion of food at the proper time. So what he's saying is the person I'm talking to is the person who's the wise manager. Are you the wise manager? Are you a manager of this? Are you a steward of this? Are you, you know, participating in God's cultural mandate? Or are you the guy that's just going to sit back and wait for this to come, which eventually

you're going to get bored with that because you're going to, in your own. mind, you're going to think you're sovereign, and you're going to think that you would have done it different. And where's he at? Where's he doesn't even coming? Well, yeah, you think that because you've been detached from the work. And so you haven't been doing the, you haven't been involved in what's going on here. If you're involved in it in the kingdom and you're managing the household and you're giving

portions of food at the proper time, if you're, if you're doing that, you're not going to be getting drunk and beating the servants and getting twiddling your thumbs thinking, when's he coming back? This is taking too long. You're not going to say that. You got to remember that this stage, Jesus has not died on a cross yet. Yeah, I think that's what's causing the problem with them understanding and why he's using the problem. But to Zach's point, which I agree, I mean, I think that was a great articulation of it.

Because then in 54, he seems to validate what you're saying because he then addresses the crowd and says, when you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say it's going to rain. And it does because there's a lot of farmers out here and their life depends on the weather. I mean, you want to find out what the weather is. Don't go to the weather channel. Just ask a farmer. I mean, they're way more accurate because their money depends on it. And so 15, and when the south wind blows, you say it's going to be hot.

and it is hypocrites you know how to interpret the appearance of the earth in the sky how is it that you don't know how to interpret the present time this present time why don't you judge for yourselves what is right as you are going with your adversary to the magistrate try hard to be reconciled to him on the way or he may drag you off to the judge and the judge turn you over to the officer and the officer throw you into prison. I'll tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. So it's like, I think Zach's right.

He's describing the kingdom is at hand. I'm the king. Get ready. And you're wanting me to settle disputes over money, really? The inheritance I'm talking about is way beyond that. I mean, that's all the implications. And I did want to read. So if you go back to chapter 9 to Zach's point also in verse 23,

and it's a reminder that that's what this is about. He said, if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross dead and follow me. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it. Verse 25, what good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self, which really fits into the theme of Luke 12,

If anyone is ashamed of me in my words, the son of man will be ashamed of him. It's the same thing he said in chapter 12, if you disown me. When he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the Holy Angels, and here's the key thought. Verse 27, I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God, which is why he then, goes into this. I have a baptism to undergo.

Now, they were an understanding exactly what he meant by that, to your point, Phil. But he's already told him, you're going to see the kingdom. It's going to happen in your lifetime. And he's saying that he's going to have a death. He's saying there's going to be a fire that happens.

And really, which is a real debated issue on what he means by that fire, is that the Holy Spirit or is that judgment. But really, I do think both are, both are implied there. It's just like Jesus, once he died, he died for everybody, but let's face it,

people are going to be divided over whether you believe the son of God died and was buried and raised, which is his point. So it's going to bring judgment, you know, the clarity of judgment, and it's going to bring the spirit being poured out and available for those who will believe that. And to Al's point, then in AD 70, there was an in-time judgment that happened on this nation, which he did predict, and he's going to predict that when we get to Luke 24.

You know, not one stone will be left on top of the other. So the old order of this Judaism is going to be judged. So you got all those factors going in, in the context, and he's doing it through parables, which is really why it's a little bit hard for us to wrap our heads around. And to Phil's point, I mean, this hasn't, I mean, Jesus hasn't been crucified and he has been raised from the dead yet and the Holy Spirit hasn't come. So all this is kind of like the precursor building up to that, but he's laying a foundation here. But do you think about this just in the context of like your own life? And I think about this in my own life. You know, when he lays out that very important fact that the kingdom is here that you just mentioned in Luke 9, when you begin.

to taste the kingdom that's here and the kingdom that is now, meaning the kingdom of God, then I think we're misinterpreting all of this if we think this is some kind of behavior, relationship advice from Jesus on how you deal with your accuser, before you go to the magistrate. I mean, you can take stuff out of this, but that's not what this is. What he's doing is he's showing how small that kingdom is. when you're when you're when you see the bigger kingdom and you're part of the bigger kingdom then all of these issues that we get fixated on about wealth about the approval of men about you know being anxious in life and what we're going to eat about our body what we're going to put on you know

life is more than food the body is more than clothing he's painting a picture of the kingdom and you know we're going into 2004 and people are about to lose their minds when they're going to think the kingdom's our kingdom's oh it's over and everyone's going to be skies falling but god's people can thread in the middle of that they can thread that needle and stand in a position in a gap where we say no we're not falling into that like we're part of a bigger kingdom that transcends all of this so i think that's what he's ultimately laying a foundation for is what does life look like in the kingdom of god and and he's telling us what it looks like it's not filled with anxiety it's not filled with feuding.

It's not filled with going out and squandering whatever God's giving you to Stewart. You're giving my Sunday morning sermon. No, well, this, I agree 100%. And just to back up what you're saying. You know, I said, I'm fixed to baptize some of you. How many now? And they said, one, two, three of them. And I said, when they ask you who you are, just tell them you're members of the kingdom of God.

Yeah. And that's what we go with. So when you go back and look at verse 31 and 32, which we did this last podcast, but I think we have to keep doing it. Because if you get so bogged down into trying to make practical applications of these parables without considering the greater introduction of the kingdom, I think you miss it. But so 31, when he was saying, you know, you need to count the crows. which, by the way, I thought would be a name. It'd be a great title to show that God's going to take care of you, counting crows.

Or maybe a great band. A big good band from the 90s. I probably listened to them a lot. Was that a band? Yeah. It's one of the best bands from my high school days. Counting crows? Counting crows?

Counting crows? Come on, man. Come on, Dave. Well, I know where they got it from because he said, you know, consider the Ravens. but I actually counted them on the way down here. It's amazing how many there are. But it reminds you who's feeding them. I mean, but to get to my point in verse 30,

you know, he also should consider the lilies of the field. For the pagan world runs after such things. And your father knows that you need them. But here's the point, I guess, of this whole podcast. But seek his kingdom. And these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. So then he's like, sell your possessions, provide purses that won't wear out.

Well, what is that? It's not, he wasn't talking about an actual purse. He was like, you did a different kind of purse. Yeah. A kingdom purse. And it's filled with things that are not material or physical. It won't wear out. indestructible things.

I mean, that's his point. It's parallel to Matthew 6. We sang this song growing up. You guys remember the song we sang in Acapela because we were Church of Christ, but it had all the parts to it. But it was Seeky first, the kingdom of God. And I sang this my whole life, and I never even knew what it meant until probably the last 15 years of my life.

But it was Seeky first, the kingdom of God. And all these things shall be added in. you. So you think, well, I'm going to go seek these other things. I'm going to manufacture with each other things in my life. I'm going to self-help, be better, get better, do better. And you're doing all. And it's like, it's never enough. And then there's this thing right here right in the center of Luke 12 and the center of Mark 6, I mean, Matthew 6, instead of seeking all this other stuff, what you're going to eat, what you're going to drink, what you're going to be worried about. Like, for all the nations of the world, seek after these things. And your father

knows that you need them. But instead, seek his. kingdom. Seek his kingdom. And then all these things will be added to you. I mean, that's, that is the kingdom is that we seek his kingdom first and all the other things are added unto us. And I just think, man, that narrows down my focus a whole lot. I don't have to go start producing all this stuff in my own life, even, even righteous works and fruit of the spirit, Galatians chapter 5. I seek first the kingdom and then all these things are added unto you. They're added, they're brought in as living in the kingdom life. That's a big verse right there. But imagine how frustrating it was for Jesus that he's speaking in the first century to people

that should have been looking for these signs and should have known that they pointed to him because he was fulfilling every prophecy. He was fulfilling everything that had been talked about for all their history. And yet they're missing it again and again. And this also shows you your approach to the Bible. This is crucial because you have to understand. stand what Jesus was speaking to those then and there before you can apply it to here and now. And so I think that's why it's important to study this in context, because once you figure out,

okay, this is what he was trying to tell them? Then you can say, now what does that mean to me in the 21st century? You know, how can I apply that? And I think we've applied it properly. Kingdom principles are still there for us to live every single day. We still need to look for science because he says he's coming back. So we still need to be looking at the first of the. The religious world is, most of the religious world is looking forward for thousands of years.

We're telling them, no, it's here and now. That's what Jesus said. Well. You're right, Dan. A lot of people missed that it came. Oh, yeah. Which is not good. Well, it came.

Well, I think the confusion happens because it's ultimately fulfilled when we all get our imperishable bodies, which we all agree with. But, I mean, you. Jesus has made a pretty strong argument here. Every chapter, he keeps bringing up the kingdom, and he's giving illustrations about it. Don't worry about the physical, the spiritual. And I think we tend to miss it because, you know, I think culturally, like take the verse in 35,

when he said, be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning. You know, well, he's talking about being watch, you know, because the kingdom is coming. And the king is coming. Well, when you think about being dressed ready, if you really think about what that meant in that culture, it was either dressed ready to work or to go to battle. I mean, that's the implication. So it's not like you're sitting in a room and boy, when's Jesus going to get, you know, get here.

I mean, he was telling him, I'm going to pass this on to you. So he references that when he says, I'm putting you in charge of as a manager. You're going to manage these things. Well, you have two options. You can either get caught up in managing what most people manage, which is stuff, and like building bigger barns or trying to figure out how to, you know, make money. Or you can do what he was talking about, which has come here to serve, which ultimately that's what he showed in his life.

He came here to serve and give his life as a ransom for many, which is then going to be replicated for the last 2,000 years and the name of Jesus. I mean, that is the kingdom. It's expecting. You're living in an expecting spirit. Like if you know that you got a bunch of people coming in town for Christmas when you're, you know, now we get kids in college and all that. And that time is coming in a few months.

I'm telling you what's going to happen. About two weeks before Christmas, the kids get home, it's going to be all hands on deck. And Jill's going to be getting everything ready. Decorations out. She's going to be getting dressed. She's going to make sure the yard looks. I mean, so I have everybody doing stuff in preparation for the guests to arrive. And I think it's that mentality of, I'm not sitting here just waiting, sitting on the couch for somebody to show up.

And so lazy that I'm even open my home up to robbers. Man, when there's activity in a house, when there's movement, when there's when the life, lights are on when when there's people coming in and out and there's work being done and there's people mowing the yard and there's people sweeping off the porch and all that and someone sees that robber is not going to come in there and rob that place you know they're going to wait like the movie home alone they're going to wait till they go out of town on vacation the house is empty and that's when the robbers come but if you're we're we're preparing for the for the second coming of christ where we that's that's what it means to live in the kingdom now is that we're building

preparing, we're sweeping stuff out, we're putting up decorations, we're having a party. We are actively involved in an expectation of the second coming of our Lord, of him coming back, the master coming back to redeem us all. That's what we're waiting for. Yeah. Well, what I thought, you know, it seemed to be so polarizing when he said, well, I didn't come to bring peace. You know, there will be division.

So a lot of people, when they hear that, they immediately think, well, I thought, what happened to all the Christmas songs? You know, peace on earth and, you know, the fruit of spirit is peace. But, you know, I will remind you that when you make the claims that Jesus is making and then you live the life that he lived, which was flawless, it does become polarized, and especially when he dies. and is buried and is resurrected. It just becomes something that you're either going to have to embrace and surrender to

or you're going to have to run from. And you can't run fast enough. And to prove that point, I just started trying to wrap my head around how to be watchful and how to be prepared as an action. So I just started reading other verses. you know, because he said, keep your lamps burning and be dressed and ready for service. So I ran across some interesting passages. I want to read a couple.

In Proverbs 21, 1, it says, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. I had to read this about 10 times. But the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. He directs it like living water, wherever he pleases. Now you're talking about a one verse, powerful saying from proverbs, because I thought about this idea of the kingdom, and I thought about who Jesus is representing.

I'm the son of God. And when you see the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, he directs it like living water. Now, he may be talking about earthly kings or just a random thought, but as far as the kingdom applies, Jesus being king and the Holy Spirit being representative of living water, which is several references in John about that, I thought that was a profound verse,

especially when you read the last two verses of Proverbs 21, that says in verse 30, there is no wisdom, no insight, and no plan that can succeed against the Lord. I mean, what a statement. There's no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. So you're seeing a pattern here, which is why, if you just take those statements as fact, which I do as a believer, these things that Jesus is saying in Luke, they don't seem as

crazy or controversial or radical. If you just believe that there's no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord, and you can do all you want, you make preparations, you can be watchful, but the king that we have surrendered to is unbeatable. He's indestructible. He's always right. You're not going to go against him. So it made me think of one more verse, and then we can do it.

discuss. And it's a verse I really had never noticed in 2nd Corinthians 138. And when Paul was trying to defend himself against being persecuted by the Corinthians, they were having trouble with what he was saying. But he made a profound statement a lot like what I just read in Proverbs. And it's in 2nd Corinthians 138. It says, for we cannot do any against the truth, but only for the truth. I had to read that a few times. And then when I thought Jesus said, I am the way, the truth. Where was that at again?

That's 2nd Corinthians 13-8. So read it again. These are profound verses, but for we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. And so when you start reflecting on that, you realize who am I and who are these disciples to think and even this crowd coming up with these accusations and people challenging Jesus you're never going to be to come up with something that's why they didn't trap him and they didn't they never made him nervous and they

you can't do anything against the truth the truth is what it is and God knows it it is an absolute invincible fact who Jesus is and what he says does and will do so I think when you take all that in that's what Jesus is trying to introduce here 2,000 years ago I'm here and nothing is going to be able to overcome what's fixed to happen you can fight it you can try you can argue you can try you can try to trap me, test. Yeah. So what you need to do is stay awake and be watchful and be ready. Don't get distracted.

And I think that's ultimately what he was trying to get them. That's encouraging because it's like, I mean, at the end of the day, I mean, I get, I get been out of shape a lot. And I, but I mean, you think about all the things that are, people say, the world's falling apart. And a lot of ways it is. But, man, you read a verse like that. Truth's under attack. I've read so many articles about how AI is going to destroy truth. And I'm like, no, we're not going to destroy truth.

Well, it really gives you confidence. You know, when I read that, I thought, what am I doing thinking that, oh, no, you know, they're going to, they're just suppressing us. You know, you can't, you can't suppress. Our problem is we, he's, to put in the context of what we're talking about, we keep thinking, well, he hasn't come back. And it just kind of numbs you like, well, may, you know, when is this going to happen? Does it really matter?

And we get comfortable. And that's where the problem is. If you declare Jesus as the truth and his truths, it changes people's lives and hearts. Still today. It's like a fire burning. It does. And that's the work, I think, that we do. That's the armor that we have on.

That's the battle that we're fighting every. day. Just don't get so comfortable, which is what he's going to, it's a, it's a perfect lead in to what's going to happen in chapter 13 because this idea of injustice comes up. Well, why people die, you know, a tower fell on some people. And this pilot has sacrificed so-called good people. I mean, why is this happening? And so then you see Jesus addressing, which is what I think he's addressing here. We as humans think that if we do pretty good, then good things will happen to us. That's just what we, you know, don't rock the boat, just go out there. And if you can do some good things, God will reward you and not let anything bad happen to you.

And what it is, it's kind of a default setting of self-salvation. and you do it with money, you know, as security, or you do it with your image or your good deeds, or it's, you think, well, if I do what's right, then I'll get rewarded with a good life and with money and nothing bad will happen to me. And it just can't be any further, you know, from the truth. The truth is, we're sinners, we're flaw, we deserve nothing. Jesus was perfect. he is the son of God. His character is way better than anybody else on the planet. And so that was God's plan out of love to rescue us and show that he's indestructible

and that we can live forever. I mean, that's what he was bringing to the table. No, I think you're right, Jason. It's the idea of faithfulness too, because how many times have you heard people say, well, you know, if we don't win this next election, if we don't whatever, put it in the, you context of sort of the sky is falling. You know, our grandkids won't have any,

you know, they want to survive. There'll be nothing left. And you start thinking, wait a minute, the kingdom of God's not going anywhere. I mean, it's been fully established.

So it is. I've said that, by the way, I have, I have, I mean, I honestly, I mean,

I have to say, I've said that and thought it. And then, and then what happens is my guy doesn't win or, or my guys don't win. And then, the kingdom keeps moving. It keeps rolling.

I had a one hour argument yesterday over this same thing about the current political, you know, climate and all. And I was like, so what you're saying is Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, but maybe not tomorrow.

That ended the argument. Because I got invited to this political thing. And from Trump, junior or whatever. But I have an event the same night. But I was just saying, I kind of made a point like, well, I'm going to be doing something a little greater than that.

I'm presenting Jesus to about a thousand men. I said, that's the way we can turn the country around. Well, the guy kind of took me on a little bit. He's like, well, I mean, yeah, but that's not to say that wouldn't have been important to. I was like, that's what led to the argument. And I get it. We get whipped up.

with our political culture and climate. And it is very frustrating. I mean, especially when you start talking about issues of, you know, I'm not sure if I'm a man or a woman or, you know, protecting children. You know, we can't, we don't want kids to pray or, you know, whatever it is, I get it. But when you, that's why that verse when I read about the truth,

you can't do anything against the truth. Only for it. And the truth is not whatever you think, you know, We have it right here in our hands. It's the word of God. And as a human, it was the son of God. He is the truth. And you're not going to change that. Yeah. And I think that's the encouraging part of this. So before we get to overtime and leave this text, I do want to go back and talk a little bit about what I think is the hardest section of this text. And that was that 49 to 53 we read about division, especially within family. Because that's a, that's a, that's a, a challenge, and it still is to this day. So I want to talk about that in the overtime. Before we do that, before we sign off, I want to remind everybody, because we just kind of

jumped right into this discussion, that we're a week out for the movie, the blind, is a week from today when it's going to be releasing. And so we want you guys to be sure and get your tickets. We're hoping that it'll be a massive sellout across the country. Zach, tell them how they could, you can find out from our website where, if it's playing near you and all that, will you give them that intel?

Yeah, if you go to theblindmovie.com, there'll be a tab on there that will say get tickets. And you click on the get tickets tab. And then it'll, a thing will come up says your location. You can put in your city name or your zip code. And then it'll pop up the ones that are near you. I will say that some of these theaters are selling out, looked at one in Huntsville, Alabama, a friend of myself.

I tried to get tickets, you know, I couldn't get in. They were all sold out. So get on there now, get your tickets, and tell your friends about it. Yeah, we're a week out. So, I mean, this would not have happened without you guys. So, again, it's the blondemovie.com. You go in there, you can buy your tickets on there, and you're in your location. You can do it all right there.

And so just to, I mean, like, what we're going to do is we're going to be down here of those days when it opens and after. And, you know, I'm taking a big group of my friends down here in Alabama. I've already found out where it's going to be, bought my tickets. And so we're making an event out of it, you know, to be able to talk about it, you know, me explaining to them some of what was going on in our case behind the scenes. But I think it's, I think it's going to be an impact. And we're not just wanting to go see the movie.

We're obviously wanting this to be something that catches fire and then goes across and people begin to see it. and it impacts their lives because that's the kind of movie that it is. So I just want to encourage you to do that. In our last few seconds here, Jay's, we're heading into 13, which we'll get into on our next context. And there's really some powerful stuff that we're going to get into. He's back to having some illustrations of what it looks like.

But I think if we could just kind of tie a bow on this particular section, the idea is it's not about your wealth. or the matters and the worries of your life, but it really is about being watchful for how you can live and what you can do in the kingdom until his return. I mean, and I think that's just a fair application coming forward. He seems to always give an illustration when he's talking about the kingdom that he was bringing

where the spirit would be poured out. And how much better that is than any kind of worldly kingdom. Every time you see that, it's like he who hasn't failed to get, up, you know, homes or family or, you know, the different things will fail to receive a hundred times that, you know, in the context of the kingdom. So it's not like he came to divide the family. He came to unite families in Jesus. But you have to choose it. And that's what I want to talk about in the overtime because that's deal with that idea about what it means and what it looks like when you go all in on Jesus.

So we'll talk about that in the overtime. You want to follow us over. it's blazedtiv.com slash unashamed. That gets you all of our overtime content as well as everything else that Blaze has to offer. So 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

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