Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 764 | Jase Reveals a Dangerous Stunt during ‘Duck Dynasty’ That Left Willie Bleeding Everywhere

Episode Date: October 5, 2023

Jase recalls a time when the careless actions of a “Duck Dynasty” crew member left Willie bleeding on the floor. Jase relives the time he was credibly threatened with death in response to sharing the Gospel, and the guys discuss Jesus’ reaction to King Herod during his travel to Jerusalem. Phil ponders the meaning of death for Christians, since they’ll all be raised again.  In this episode: Luke 13, verses 22–35; Hebrews 2, verse 1 — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? Welcome back to the unashamed podcast. We don't have Zach with us again because he's busy doing Zach things. He's a movie mogul now, so he's trying to make sure shepherd our movie through the theaters, which I do want to encourage you guys this first week that it's out to be sure and check it out. it probably will open the opportunity for another week if we get enough people to go this first week. So hearing good things, getting a lot of good reviews to add people talking about how much has impacted them. I've been noticing that on social media this week.

So I think it's having the impact that we wanted it to have, which is powerful. And, you know, it's interesting, Dad, because, you know, you put yourself out there and you tell, you know, the truth about some of your struggles, and it's not easy to do, but it impacts people in a big way. And so Lisa and I wrote our first book called A New Season way back in 2015, which was eight years ago now. And in the book, we talked about struggles. We talked about her struggles as a kid. We talked about, you know, how that led into some of our struggles as a married couple and some of the difficulties that we had. And because of that, we wrote the book.

And it's not easy to write a book anyway. I mean, we've all three written books, multiple books. But when you're writing a book about your own life, it's not easy at all. But the reason we did it was because we want to have an opportunity for ministry. And so through the years, we've had different people that have read the book. It impacted them. It was right where they were in their life or their marriage. They hadn't become Christians yet.

And recently, there was a couple that, lives up in northern Alabama, and they read our book. And they had gone through similar situations to us, unfaithfulness in their marriage, and they thought their marriage was over. But they read the book and they thought, well, maybe it's not over. You know, maybe there's something we can do. And so they began to apply some of the principles from our book into their relationship. And they wound up coming to an event that we did a couple of months back and we met them. And so we got a message from them this last week, Dad, you'll love this. And she said, you know, I realized that I really need to commit myself fully to Christ. And she felt like she hadn't done that. And that might be

unlocking then the key to kind of what's been going on with their marriage and some of our other past problems. So they drove down here to Gulf Shores where we are and we arranged it. And they want to get baptized in the Gulf. And so that's what we did yesterday. We sat down and we talked about, you know, the gospel and what that means, how that impacts, how that changes us. Then we went down to the beach and first it was just going to be her. And then the more he listened, the husband, he said, you know what? I think I need to be doing the same thing and recommit my life as well. And so we walked out into the perfect waters of the Gulf of Mexico yesterday and baptized them both into Christ.

And then we were standing around praying. It was kind of funny watching all the beach people. watching us because it's not something you see every day when people are frolicking in the surf that all of a sudden we're going to be out there watching people commit but you know we were walking out together everybody was dripping wet and there was a bunch of people that were sitting there along the place we were walking out and I was getting the thumbs up like way to go you know you guys are doing the right thing so I thought it was pretty awesome to show you that you know by putting yourself out there is how you impact people. And you're willing to talk about how the gospel

impacted your life. And then you share that with other people. So that was a really neat a day for us. Lisa and I loved it. And of course, they were just like, man, thank you for taking the time. We're like, well, this is what we do. It's what the podcast is about. That's what each of us does. And so we're just, you don't have to have a church to be a living example of what the keynote of God does. And this was all happening on a Sunday. And we weren't in a church. We weren't in a church. church setting. We were at my house and then out on the beach. So you know, you grow where you're planted and you do what you're called to do whatever context that you're in. So it was a neat experience for us to get a chance to do that. So what's an illustration of the church is the people

and not anything to do with the steeple. Remember that, Phil? Yeah. The finger, you ever seen that? They do their interlocking fingers. The interlocking fingers. And they're They put the steeple, and that's not biblical. Yeah. You know, I mean, it sort of is, but. Well, if you'd have gone north from where you had your baptism, yep, you'd have got to us up here. We were doing the same thing.

And I assured them that we would baptize them where there are no alligators. It's inside the building without gators nor cotton mouths. If you want to go south and we'll go down there where I live, you look out for the gaiters and look out for the cotton mouths. So this is the safest place. And in my case, Dad, I was looking out for the sharks, you know, I guess, because I was out in the Gulf, you know, but I didn't see any sharks, although we did get nibbled by some of the whitefish out there.

So you're right. It's the same thing happening in two different locations at roughly the same time, which was all kingdom work. You know, it's interesting, Dad, on the last podcast, I was going to ask you about this. We were talking about y'all killing some teal. And you talked about the reptiles, the cotton mouths that are mentioned in Acts Chapter 10 that came down in that sheet, which means, of course, that they are,

according to the Almighty, you can eat that now if you want to. I don't know that you'd want to. But it was included in the sheet. But I saw a picture I wanted to ask you about, because I guess from one day you were hunting this week. Phyllis is holding up a cotton mouth, a dead cotton mouth that, was it in the blind with y'all? What was the story about it? It was in the blind the whole time they hunted. I was not in the blind because I had to drive up there to preach the gospel. It was Sunday morning. But Al, upon further review, which is the danger of taking pictures,

You know, you've seen the commercials where if we could just come up with a way to stop life and rewind. It would solve a lot of problems in marriage. You know, I told you, you know, no, I told you, no, you call a time out, rewind, watch what happened. And then upon further review. But have you seen the commercials that are doing that now? Have you seen any of those commercials? No, but I heard about them. Those are the ones I were referring to.

I don't watch TV. But what I was going to say is... But, Jay, you're on TV. I heard this story, too. I mean, so it was a near-death experience, and, you know, we could have died. So Burley and Phyllis and whoever else was in the blind, they were sitting in the blind with a poisonous snake on Sunday morning,

which should tell you something right there. I'm kidding. So they tell us this chilling story, you know, about how they survived to tell about it. Well, I saw the picture, and Jay sent it to me, you know, boy, you were lucky you weren't here. You know, you lived to tell about it. And I said, number one, because I didn't check this picture out closely. So I sent the text, you know, he's telling me about Facebook and people start. you know, prayer groups and thanking the Lord for this salvation that they weren't harmed.

And it was not a cut in mouth. I saw that, but they were having so much fun with it. Phil didn't want to break the tension, but I had to be that guy. And now look. I saw them right off. Fish snake. We call them fish snakes. And I mean, I hate to tell you this.

but no non-poisonous snakes were harmed during that except the one they thought was a poisonous snake. So they made a mistake, which goes in perfectly with where we're at about the narrow gate. Because they went wide gate on what they thought was a poisonous snake. And so they're all, you know, having this near-death experience and it's providing clarity to their life. and they've moved to a deeper relationship with God over this near-death experience, but it was not. Yeah. It was all.

The fishnake looks, he favors a cotton mouth. But if you look at the color, you'll notice that it's much lighter on him. Phil, I saw it in two seconds. I thought, well, this is a great story. I did too, but I just said, you know, I'm going to the story. I'm so glad I brought it up because here's the way I saw it. So Lisa is sitting in the living room and she says, she holds her phone up and says, look at this. Well, I'm looking across the room and I can see Phyllis and I can see her holding a snake.

But I wasn't looking at it closely like you guys were. And so I thought, oh, man. I said, what is it saying? It says, I was sitting next to this poisonous snake all morning and could have easily been killed. And so I was thinking, man, I don't know about that. Yeah, it's a great story. It just wasn't true. It was a misidentification.

of a snake and so the next time I see them we'll have fun with that because now they've opened themselves up to what I'm going to plan the next time I have burly and Phyllis in the blind I'm going to bring my own rubber snake oh boy oh yeah oh it's happening because I'm going to say sometimes you have to have something drastic really happen for you to learn the identification of species so they've they've left the themselves open to that. Don't get me wrong. There have been times when we have killed cotton mouths. Oh, many times. Many times. Oh, yeah. But it's a better story if it really was a cotton mouth.

Yeah. I mean, perfect segue. You know, Jesus said, I am the truth. You know, the one in the log that you were up, up Cypress Creek up there, you ran into one close. Oh, no, that was the real deal there. if you have if you're looking at a snake and it opens its mouth and there's a white flash that's the sign to start shooting make a move you're way too close because that's what they do a cotton mouth he'll do that it's a warning

he's saying i will hurt you so i hated to the time we had three on three different logs we're floating on them the blinds are on the logs but three different cotton mouths we're one thing one two, three, and look down and we were hunting. I said, everybody leaned over the front of the blind here and let's kill these snakes out before we get bitten. So, yeah. Boom, boom, boom. We got all three of them.

I mean, I just wanted to, I mean, they don't, they're not aware of this, Al. I'm just now revealing this. So they, but I just, at some point I need to have a conversation with her before she starts her new show. I survived the experience with the snake, whatever. They have all these shows, you know, I survived. You need to tell Phyllis, we don't want her to become the new sigh where you're just making stuff up, you know, telling stories. So I hate that snake.

I saw the snake outside someone that thrown him out there behind the blind, and I walked over to him this morning and turned him over just to make sure. I said, but that's what I thought it was. But they were having so much of much fun with it, so I just decided. No, I mean, I hate it happened, but it was just collateral damage and mistaken. identity. And now you're going to work on that. So yeah, I've been bitten twice in my youth by fish snakes. We used to have a little fish trap down there that held the bait fish for trot lines in the summertime. And those fish snakes would get in there. But I was bitten two different times by and it hurts. Number one, when you get bit. Of course, you don't swell up or anything because it's not poisonous.

But they're very mean and aggressive snakes, especially. when you were trying to take them away from your fish. So that happened to me when I was a kid twice. But, you know, I first thought, first time I thought I was on my way to the hospital and you said, nope, fishnight, you looked at it and you went down there and picked up the thing and they had this snake in there, dad, and you said, nope, fish night, you're good. Now get down there and finish up what I told.

I mean, I was traumatized because I got bit. No, I saw a TV animal wrangler that from Hollywood get fired over this same thing, which, you know, no one was injured that bad. But they were trying to do some, this was early days of Duck Dynasty. And so here's the professional. He handed Willie a chicken snake, and they were going to have some kind of picture or something. something well that thing just turned around and just bit willie immediately and blood was pouring down his arm i mean just pouring and so the snake wrangler was like he's not you're not in danger you're not and willie was i could tell what willie was thinking blood is pouring down my arm i don't know what

danger you had in mind and that's when i looked at him sharp teeth and i No, no poison. And I saw, no, it was no poison. And the snake, they didn't injure the snake or do they let him go. But Willie was hot. And so I looked at the guy's hands and I noticed that he only had nine fingers. And I said, how did you lose that finger? And he said, well, it was a snake bite.

And I said, well, my dad told me, which you didn't tell me this, but I just, off the top of my head, I said it, never trust a nine-fingered snake wrangler. I remember that. I never saw him again. They, he was fired. And we made from that moment that we were not going to do any kind of specialty shots involving animals. We're just going to be who we are. That was literally like day two of filming.

That ended that. Yeah, that was true story. I'm sure the statute of limitations ran out. I guess one. That's pretty good. There's a T-shirt for you. Never trust a nine-figured snake wrangler. I was really, when he said a snake bit me, I was shocked.

I thought, and this is what you do? Nope. One strike and you're out in my book. I don't even want to hear this story. He said, well, I want to tell you this story. And I said, I don't want to hear it. It was like the Aussie that we all loved that, you know, with the snakes.

Remember old Steve Irwin? And then finally, I think it was a... No, it was a stingray. Yeah, and I mean, it was an accident. It was tragic, yeah. But, I mean, what I'm saying is he loved messing with dangerous things and they finally got it. It's almost like it's inevitable.

I mean, animals can be dangerous, especially when you get them in that kind of setting. And, you know, I hate to tell a morbid story about we don't shoot non-venomous snakes. but, you know, when it's before daylight and you're sitting beside a snake that looks a lot like a cotton mouth, look, things happen, you know. And so. No, I remember the first time I saw, we were playing baseball down in a little baseball field in front of the house when we were kids. And I went down to get the ball. Somebody had hit it down by the river.

And I saw the back end of a copperhead. So I started kind of backing up and looking for something to kill the copperhead with because, you know, it was just right there at me. He's pawedness. Oh, yeah. And I followed him half. Halfway up and then halfway up the copperhead, there's a king snake that's eating the copperhead. So, you know, halfway, imagine you're watching the end of this thing. And then you see the king snake goes from there.

And I was like, huh, because you know, up until that point, I didn't know a lot of difference. I thought one thing is for sure the king snake is on our side. That's correct. Because he's eating the poisonous snakes. Well, it's a tough conversation to have because a lot of people, they don't want any kind of, you know, animal to ever be kids. or, you know, and I get it. But when you live where we live, it is a survival thing, and especially when you have kids and animals.

They overstep their bounds. And when they're trying to live in your house, well, you know, you just got to take them out. I mean, which are duck blinds are our houses. So go find somewhere else to live. But trust me, we've been after cotton mouths, and it seems like to me there's more every year than there was last year. So I don't think we've got 1600 acres there.

Surely we can coexist, just not in the same space, which is good. So, Jay's like you said, I guess it's a perfect lead-in to what we're talking about in the last podcast. Because we were talking about the narrow door, which kind of came on the heels of the context of the mustard seed and the yeast. And I didn't mention this before, but this is going to come up again in chapter 14, is, Also, this text back in Luke 1310 started with Jesus healing a cripple woman in the Sabbath. And of course, there's a lot of blowback from that because there's this guy there's and you've got six days a week. You can come to be healed.

Don't come in here on the Sabbath expecting to be healed because he had this whole misinterpretation on what the Sabbath was and who was made for. But that's going to come up again. we get to this idea in Luke 14, so I wanted to mention that. But last time on the podcast, we were talking about Luke 13, 22 through 30. And in that, Jay, Jay's talked about this idea about the narrow door, really being an expansion, it's not as restricting as you might think. It's restricting only in that if you don't choose Jesus, you don't get through the door. And I mentioned John 10, verse 9, where Jesus said, I am the game.

therefore I am the pathway to salvation and the apostles say the same thing in Acts 412. So he's actually painting a picture where it's a narrow door, but the expansion of the kingdom is much bigger when you look at the possibilities of it. And so when we get to this where we're going to be talking about today in Luke 1331, you're going to see this played out in his view of Jerusalem, because he's getting nearer the city. And so he gets warned about Herod, which dad read last time. And then he's going to respond to this in a really unique and interesting way about Jerusalem.

And I think you could say that his response applies not just to one city, but also the sort of bigger idea of Judaism. So let me read this and then we'll talk about it. So this is right after he says in verse 30, indeed there are those who are. last who will be first and first who will be last. And so I think that's a reference to Judaism and now this extension into these new people. They're going to be coming into the kingdom feast. And then of verse 31, at that time, some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, leave this place and go to somewhere else.

Herod wants to kill you. So he's getting closer to Jerusalem, which of course is where Herod, you know, has his palace. And so it's kind of interesting because the first question before I read the rest of it is, are these Pharisees that are really sensitive to Jesus? Or is this a ploy to try? Because I read a lot of scholars that, you know, I saw both sides of it. Or are they just trying to get rid of him, get him out of Jerusalem?

What do you think? Yeah, I think it was a ploy. That's kind of what I think, too. A lot of them were said, oh, yeah, they were really Pharisees that were for him. But we don't really see that, except for Nicodemus, we're not seeing a lot of pro-Jesus Pharisees in any of the four gospel account. No, I agree 100%. And I just think Jesus's response when he says, you know, go tell that fox. Yeah.

Which is a strange thing for Jesus to say. You know, tell that fox, I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow. and on the third day, I will reach my goal, which is another thing you get into scholars are like, what did he mean? What was he saying? But it just seems to be another reference of his whole ministry coming down to what's going to happen in those three days.

I mean, he shows the character of God. He alludes to his death. He alludes to the resurrection, but it being finished. Now, I am in the minority of that. You know, most scholars, they don't think that third day. He was talking about the resurrection. Oh, I think it definitely was.

And I think it shows you again, and this has been happening in almost every story he tells, he's jumping time past, present and future, as if he was at one time outside of time, which he was. So I think he's most done. definitely giving them that little three-day. He's talking about it here in a broader context, because obviously he's saying, I'm going to drive out demons and heal people. Well, that's in the context of where he is in the moment.

So that's not limited to three days. But what he's saying is, if you want to look at this as a three-day period, I'm going to do exactly what I've been sent to do. And Harrod, that Fox, you know, he's not going to be able to stop me from doing what I've been called to do. Well, before you read the last section, I do think. think you got to just remember if you didn't hear the last podcast. I recommend you listen to it because this is kind of a continuation. But the reason the gate is narrow is because Jesus is unlike

any other religious figure that's ever claimed to be a religious figure or even they didn't and became one. That's right. In that he's basically saying, I'm not giving you what you you need to do. I'm going to do this for you. This is a person that is going to do this for you. I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life.

And he goes on to say a lot of other I ams. You know, I am the resurrection. I'm the gate. I'm the bread of life. And so all other religious leaders, they're not claiming to be God. And they're giving you the instructions, the rules on how you accomplish this. And so you know that.

So there's two things at work. You have Jesus setting himself up as God, which is very different. He's setting himself up as the way to be successful is to become weak to love the unlovable, to, in his case, to die. Well, nobody else is saying that. Everybody else is wanting to storm the hill.

Take the, what do they call us? Take the impostors. And it's all based on your performance. And then at the same time, when you look at all the ways he answered the question, how do you enter the kingdom, it's a list of things that you would never list in any other religion. And you remember where he said, unless you become like a child, you'll never enter the kingdom. He said, it's very hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom. Says that numerous times.

And so all of a sudden, that's making the door seem kind of narrow. It's like you've got to become like a child. You got a, if you got a lot of money, it's going to be real hard, you know, to enter it. Then we mentioned in the overtime last time when he told Nicodemus, he's like, you know, how do I, how do I get? in this thing. He's going to be born again. When he's telling a religious leader, you've got to be born again. You remember the rich guy when he said, go sell everything you have? Or even the graphic illustration when he said, it's better for you.

It's like if your eye causes you to sin, it'd be better to have one eye when you enter the kingdom than have both them. To all these pictures, you're seeing humility, you're seeing the importance of it. it and it's the lack of rules to get into it is also in contrast to every other religious group you know most people you say well how do i enter this thing well they're going to give you a list well jesus seems to be giving you answers to those questions that have this humility in common have this idea of you need to be open-minded about who i am you need to look at me trust me in the in this. You remember the Thomas and John 14, which calls this radical statement when he's like,

well, how do we know the way? Jesus said, I'm going to prepare a place for you. And they're like, well, how do we know, how do we get there? That was their, it was the same as it. How do we get enter this? And he's like, I am the way. And so that's the narrowness of it. So by definition, Jesus is saying, I am the way in any other way is no way. Plus, he's the only one that's ever appeared that's like him. Exactly. Well, then you get into his character, you get into his claims, and you get into what he actually accomplished.

So just think about it. If you're going to build a kingdom that can never be destroyed, well, you're going to have to do something, about death. Well, what did he do this? You have to get hooked up with the right individual. So it comes back to that. I always go back to that, you know, why Jesus is our high priest.

And usually when you think of priests, you think of religious groups and people who have accepted themselves above the other people, saying, we're the bridge, we're the priest, because that's what a priest is. We're the person in between you and God. You bring me your sins. I'll take them to the Father, and I'll let you know how it works out. But in that Hebrew's passage, I think it's Hebrew chapter 7, when it says Jesus became our high priest not on the basis of a regulation, which is basically what people want to know. If you want to enter college, you've got to go meet with somebody, fill out some forms, and they're going to tell you exactly what you've got to do to enter.

they're not going to say okay you're going to have to become like a little child and and by the way so you need to be born again so you see that that's why i gave you the little child and you need to go sell everything you have well your first question is well how am i going to pay for it well how am i going to learn if i'm acting like a child it's not making any sense what he's saying in a worldly physical world. And so I think that needs to be addressed because most people take these passages and they say, look, here are the things you have to believe and here's the way you've got to live your life or you're not going to enter it. That's why it's so narrow. That's what most religious people, when I hear them speak about this, because they're like, look, you put your... A lot of them won't even bring up the new birth. No. They'll say, you put your faith and trust in God, and then you try your best to be

perfect and you might make it. That's how they're looking at this because they're interjecting their own righteousness, which is another phrase Jesus used. You remember when he said, unless your righteousness surpasses the Pharisees and the scribes, you'll never enter the kingdom. Well, just think about that statement. You're looking at religious leaders who have devoted their lives and whose lives are good, I mean, compared to most people.

And you're like, my righteousness has to surpass that. Well, how can I do that? Well, the answer is you're not going to be able to do it on your own works. The only righteousness that would surpass it would be God's righteousness. And now we're back to Jesus. Well, how many sins did he commit? None. That's why he said, I'm the way.

I'm going to do this. I'm going to show you how to live. I'm going to give my life for your sins, not my own because he didn't have any. I'm going to destroy death itself. So when you then realize that you humble yourselves, you go all in for Jesus, you enter his kingdom, he gives you his power, his spirit. Well, you're then indestructible. And it happens like organically, one at a time.

And you become a part of the greatest kingdom, the world. has ever known. The same one Daniel was talking about. And so then people say, well, but I don't feel that. I don't sense that. But we know it will finally be completed when he comes back. Then we're made like him from the physical realm of being imperishable, from perishable to imperishable. You get into First Greenland that's 15. I mean, that's what he's describing. Well, where else are you going to find that door in life? It doesn't exist. Well, now we say why broad is the road that leads to destruction. Anything other than that doesn't even answer the problems that you would have to have to be a part of an eternal kingdom.

No, Jace, you're right. And I think that when you apply this idea of the narrow to your ability to be able to be righteous, even if you do that in today's times, you're doing exactly what the people were doing back then. which is what he was telling him not to do, to put it on your own righteousness. The only way you're righteous is to serve a righteous, perfect Savior and to be protected by his sacrifice. So it's really curious when he says, Herod wants to kill you.

It's almost like for the first time, Jesus is almost offended by this comment because it's like, here he is talking about kingdom and king, and you bring in the current guy. And so I think that's why he responds so strongly to this concept that somehow Herod is in control of Jesus' whole situation. Because you're right, Jay. I've never seen him like go directly, especially in a political realm after the guy.

He calls him a fox, which is interesting because we know what a fox is, right? We kind of think of as just kind of a sly, you know, animal that really just goes in and takes innocent chickens or whatever. I mean, like the things that can't defend themselves against them. And so not necessarily negative or positive, but that's how we see a fox. But I did a little bit of digging. The Jewish view was they would say that a fox was sly. They would say a fox was destructive.

But they really emphasized that a fox was insignificant, which is interesting. So I think Jesus is kind of making the application of all three of those to Herod, because Herod is not as strong. as he thinks he is. Because he, you know, he's left Israel open to be, you know, taken over by the Romans anyway. So, I mean, how strong is Herod, really, in the big scheme of things? So I think that may be one of the reasons why he calls him a fox. But I also know that later in the text, he uses chicken and her chicks gathering together in the same context.

He's talking about the people there talking about a fox. So no matter how you look at it, it's not a population. positive picture or metaphor image of Herod to call him this fox. So let me read the rest of it. Then we'll finish talking about it. So he says, go tell that fox. I'll drive out demons heal people today and tomorrow. Third day, I'll reach my goal, which I agree, Jay.

So I think he's talking about his sacrifice and his resurrection. In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day. For surely no profit can die outside Jerusalem. Now, that's a huge negative connotation for what's been done in Jerusalem over the course of Judaism to prophets. And then he comes back and says in verse 34, oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. So now he puts it back on the people, but he does put it in a context of this chicken, you know, trying to gather their chicks. Look, your house is left to you desolate.

I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. So, I mean, obviously this is a bit of a dirge, I would say, a bit of a sadness that Jesus has when he thinks about Jerusalem. and what's going to happen to her. And he just sees this rejection, even though he's come to save her, that she's not going to accept what he's come to do, as a whole, as the people. And he doesn't blame that on Herod.

He puts that back on the folks. And 70 AD comes along, and down comes the temple. Well, right. That's why this is important to read, because a lot of people, when we're going to get into some difficult prophecy, about what's going to happen in Jerusalem.

And religious people today just always apply it to what I was talking to earlier. When Jesus comes back and the kingdom is then made imperishable with our bodies, they don't even look at what Jesus kept saying about what's going to happen to Judaism and Jerusalem itself, which they were putting all their eggs in that. basket. And I do think that's, there's a hint of that you see in his response to Herod, you know, call him a fox. Because kings are always, it's like a, you know, a game of power. You, you're manipulating, you're scheming, there's backroom. And they'll, and at the end of the day, all those people, I mean, you even see it in our politics and governments today. And I mean, I

hate to tell you this, but most politicians and people in authority, their number one goal is to maintain their own power. Now, we're going to fix everything and do all this. They'll say all that. They're not going to say that's their number one thing, but that is their number one thing. It's just the harsh reality of earthly power in kingdom. You remember the Shakespeare play or whatever when the king was being hunted and they were fighting. And I don't remember, I'm not a big William Shakespeare, but I remember this line. And the king said, a horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse.

Because in the moment, he's like, you can have my whole kingdom, but I need to get out of here. Because in his nature, self-survival was the number one thing. And it's really the corrupt part of earthly power. And it's the lie. Even in the, you know, we read this before in Daniel 5, what the writing on the wall happened. You know, the city's surrounded. They're fixed to be destroyed.

And they're all drinking wine out of gold goblets, just acting like it ain't going to happen. And the writing on the wall came up and said, it's over. You know, and the king was dead before daybreak. It's a harsh reality of that, but that's why when Jesus, the way he came, was so hard for you to wrap your head around, which is why he's talking about narrators. And it just doesn't seem like this is the way you're going to conquer the world. I hadn't thought about it until you just brought that up. But, you know, Herod, one of the reasons why Jesus was so sharp about him is remember, this is the same guy who, had John the Baptist beheaded.

And you remember over what? Over a lascivious dance of, you know, his wife's daughter. And then he makes a prideful boast and says, I'll give you half my kingdom. You're talking about giving away the store in the moment all over a dance, you know, like he's at a strip club. Yeah, it was a lot like that Shakespeare play, you know. Half my kingdom. Have my kingdom.

for that dance, you know, for that dance. And then she says, no, I don't want half your kingdom, but I will take the head of John the Baptist. Yeah. Which was that he was shocked that she went there, but when you're corrupt, you shouldn't be shocked that other corrupt people will out corrupt your corrupt.

How many people who run for office are in office in these United States of America, how many of them are followers of Jesus Christ? Well, that would be hard to ascertain. but I'll probably not many then I'll give you the politically correct answer in the context of what we're discussing I would say that door is pretty narrow yeah you think well I think it goes in perfectly with what we're saying because I do think this too the Pharisees the reason I think I said this I don't know if it was earlier or in the last by guess the reason I think

this was a plot and the Pharisees weren't being totally honest. It's because most of the times when you threaten someone with something that's real, you got to remember, this same Harry killed his cousin, like Al just said, and Jesus is doing things that they consider to be threatening. He has their attention. And there are various people are looking for ways to kill him. And don't ever doubt it, if someone in power in most countries,

with this kind of power, the king or the president, if they put their scope on you and thereafter you, you're probably going down. I mean, just start looking at who controls the justice department and the laws. So most people, when they hear this, would panic. I mean, because you'd say, you know, this is all a great ministry until people start dying, which is exactly what happened,

even though Jesus told them over and over and over and over again, this is going to happen. When it became real, where did all his followers go? They ran. And that's why you make threats like this, because they thought, yeah, we want him out of here, and this is the way to do. Let's see him squirm here.

And unfortunately for them, they didn't know that Jesus' plan trump death itself, Which is, you know, when you think about while we, you know, we try to vote for people who are godly and we're so appreciative of our, you know, soldiers that gave our life, gave their life so that we can vote and have freedom. But there's a simple verse in Hebrews, too, that really puts things in perspective on why Jesus was here. and we've read it multiple times but you know Hebrews 2 the whole fact why Jesus became a man

in verse 14 it says since the children have flesh and blood he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death that is the devil and free those who all their lives

were held in slavery by their fear of death and that's why that accusation came out there Herod's out to kill you. Well, what are they going on? They're going on the basic human nature of fear of death that the evil one controls. That's the way to control people. And if the evil one, I mean, he's been a murderer from the beginning.

That was his way to keep his kingdoms in order. If someone's a threat, you kill him. And that's why the scheme of redemption is so awesome, how God's plan works. He took the very thing that the evil one used and those in power used to control kingdoms, which is death. I mean, how did kingdoms take over other kingdoms back in the day? They invaded them and they killed them. You either become a member of our kingdom or you die.

There's no, it's two roads. And so I think that's why he's using these analogies because they work in a kingdom setting. And you're like, oh, but Jesus took the very thing that they used as their power and turned it on its head. Because when they killed him, it saved humanity, gave them way to have their sins removed. And then it gave him the ability through the power of the spirit to destroy death itself. Well, now you could create a people who are clean, holy, Godlike, because of his mercy and grace. they're Godlike and that you can't kill them. Even though you kill them, they won't die.

And even if they do die, they're coming back. So they're, in essence, not dead. You can't take my life if I've already fully given it to the kingdom of God. I mean, I have now given my life, both my physical and my spiritual life, over to the kingdom of God, where I live eternally. I mean, I'm just in the interim waiting period. So you come in and say, well, we're going to. kill you.

Al. You're like, well, you can kill my body, but you won't stop me. And you won't stop my influence. And you won't stop me ultimately because we're all going to come back. And you won't be part of that.

So you're right. It's an indestructible army. No, look, Al, I mean, I hate to bring this up because this is morbid. And it was probably a little scary the first time it happened.

But I had three times in my life where I've shared Jesus with someone. And their response was, I'm fixed to kill you. They threaten my life. Only once did I think it was serious. You know, I thought, because I was doing, I was in a prison ministry. I was in prison.

I was behind bars. There's no guard. And I have about 20 guys, and I'm up there sharing Jesus. And they kept trying to talk. And I said, whatever you're going to say, it's not working. You're in prison locked up on earth.

So listen. I want you to listen. And it made a guy so mad that he got up. and he said, I fixed to kill you with my bare hands. But I just shared what I just got through sharing. I said, well, go ahead and kill me. But I will guarantee you this, I will be back. But even that statement in all three times kind of surprised them.

I was like, I'm not, it's not, my life is not yours to take. That's what I'm trying to explain to you. I can make you imperishable. That's the way you operate. You immediately go to, well, I'll take you out because you're threatening me. You know, of course, I was threatening him in a good way to look into his heart and see that what you're doing is not working. What else do you need to put this together? I mean, you're in prison, locked up.

Society has locked you up, and you're trying to give me your take on religion. I don't care. I don't want to hear it. It's not working. we've locked you up. You are a danger to society, yourself, and others. I'm trying to free you and give you a way out here. You can start over.

I mean, all the right thing. But his response was, I'm not going to hear it. And I'll take you out, threaten you. So, I mean, it happened in real life. It was only three times. But you really see the nature of the earthly kingdom versus the heavenly kingdom in those kind of discussions. Yeah, I had a similar one in Africa when the guy just jumped up on stage.

And I mean, literally was just a foot away from me. And I don't know if he was armed or not. And he had a crazy look in his eyes. I don't know if he was insane, possessed, or just maybe on something. But he started in on me. And I could barely understand what he was saying. But in that moment, it was funny, Jay's because inside I was kind of churning, you know, and I kind of looked around like, is anybody going to do anything?

Because I'm literally speaking to 100. of people. And I just looked at him and said, sir, you need to go sit down under that tree. I'm trying to present the gospel to these people here and you're interrupting me. You go sit under that tree and when I'm finished, I'll come talk to you. And he looked at me and he just hopped down off the stage and walked up there and sat under a tree. And I just went right back to doing my thing. And you think, well, how do you get a moment of boldness like that, which could have been, I'm in another country.

I have no rights here. How do you do that? Because in that moment, you have the power of God in you. It's just like, you just dealt with it. And look, when it was over, I went over with two or three of the brothers and sat down and talked to him. And something was wrong with him. But I'm saying just to Jason's point as well, when you feel like you're indestructible for the cause of the kingdom of God, you have a boldness and strength that you can do anything.

All right. So we're out of time. But in overtime, I wanted to talk a little bit about this last quote, because that's from Psalm 118. so I want to mention that and also the significance of the three days too. So we'll talk them a little bit more about that if you want to follow us over. BlazTV.com slash Unashamed is where you can fire that or overtime. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by rating us on iTunes.

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