Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 807 | Jase Faces Down Science with Donkey Facts & Phil Notices an Ugly Trend with His Duckmen

Episode Date: December 22, 2023

There’s an upsetting trend that’s swept the guys’ duck-hunting crew, and Phil and Jase are over it. Jase goes to the mat with science over the significance of a donkey’s markings, and Phil learns something “new” about the subject. The guys contemplate the human need to create our own plans for our lives and our tendency to be upset when God doesn’t abide by them. Al feels reassured by the fact that even the greatest heroes of the Bible still had moments when they needed clarity.  In this episode: Luke 19, verses 28-38; Ephesians 2, verses 19-22; John 2, verses 18-22; 1 Timothy 3, verses 14-15 Own "The Blind: The True Story of the Robertson Family" on digital, DVD & Blu-ray today: https://theblindmovie.com/watch — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So welcome back to Unashame. We're still Sands Zach. He's still M.A. We're just sent him a text. We're trying to find out where he is. He's somewhere in the fruited plains, I think. But he's always got some irons in the fire. We like Zach, though, because he's always out finding us new adventures and, you know, new opportunities. So he's good at that kind of stuff. But I miss him when he's not on the... I really wanted him here when he's talking about all these donkeys. Donkeys.

I've never spent so much time reading up about donkeys. But, I mean, look. We were laughing about that. You're the only one that does a deep dive on donkeys. So that's, which is, but it's actually been really good. I think people have a problem getting over this. And look, if you have a problem with that, talking donkeys are the King of Kings orchestrating and riding up on a donkey,

you may have a pride problem. He's a humble king. Don't ever doubt he's dangerous, more dangerous than any other king, but he's also more loving, more humble, because he's the ultimate in that. So I saved,

we did our last podcast about that, because we went to numbers and read just a fascinating story. I mean, there was one time in our history, where a guy was beating a donkey and the donkey said, hey, what you keep hitting me for? Knock it off. I'm trying to save you here.

So if you miss that, you might want to go back and watch that before I say what I was going to say. But something really interesting came out of my study. And I think when we were in Matthew's version of this, of the triumphal entry, which I'm using that coyly because it wasn't that triumphal. we came up with that it was the king was introduced he was going public he had just acknowledged that he was the son of david remember when he he healed the one or two blind men depending on which gospel you read that he's now coming this seed line and he's the messiah the king is here he's laying out all the principles of the kingdom and then he orchestrates this some of his friends that he had met

had a donkey. And he just says, you know, the Lord needs it. That's in chapter 19 and verse 31, which if you look at this practically in our world, it's like every time I've had this happen sort of, you know, now we have four-wheeler's and, you know, mud, mud motors. But outside of that happening, usually when someone, someone takes my rig without asking me, I'm not too happy about that. I understand.

They're like, I needed it. If the Lord needs it, that's different. But I'm saying we have this principle applied a lot in our world. Yeah. And it's just, I need it. You know, I've got these amphibious vehicles out here. I got two of them, and you have one. and people keep acting like the Lord needs it,

and they keep barring it, and they tear them up. And then when I get in it, because it's mine, and it won't crank, I'm like, what happened here? Plus,

they're easily damaged, so the people who need it aren't paying for the repairs that happen either. It's very expensive. Have you noticed this, Phil? I've noticed it big time. So I'm saying the guy who went along, with this because back then you'd say, oh, it's a donkey. But that was, that was his four-wheeler.

That was, that may not have looked as nice as your four-wheeler now, but that was the four-wheeler. Well, let's you make a good point because of the terrain. Remember, when Jesus was heading up to Jerusalem, and Jay's, you've been there. So, I mean, I've just studied enough to know the topography here. You're going up a mountain to get, I mean, you're going from a low place to a high place. donkeys become very utilitarian in the workforce. I mean, you're not going to believe it. So when I was in Israel,

you know what I learned on how the roads were built in Israel? Because they revere the donkey. It's the only place in the world where they're like, we love donkeys. And it's because they read their Bible. But they would, just in the planning, they would send a donkey up. This is what my guide told me, I believe.

I don't know why he would have any reason to. lie. But so to build roads, they would send donkeys up the hill. And whatever trail they went, that's where they built a road because they thought he knew what the easiest path. That's right. You know, they're smarter than you think. Oh, yeah. And you look at them as stubborn, but it's more of them standing their ground.

There's a reason that story we read in numbers. Right. It is in there. But I found a fascinating fact about donkeys that want to bring up. And it's not what you think. But do you know that on the back of every donkey, there is a cross? It's a dark path that goes down the spine, it comes up to the shoulders, and it looks like a cross. And it can only be seen from above.

So feel free to search donkeys from above. and you'll see a cross. And you say, and look, there's a few kind of crazy preachers that have made some applications to that. But what I want to bring out about that is, one, I do find that interesting. And if you see one that doesn't have the cross, all you got to do is shave his hair down. Oh, it's there. Even science agrees with this.

So what I wanted to bring up was that, so I looked up because I want to see the scientific reason for this. And so science said, well, we don't know. We do not know why these donkeys have this stripe going to the back. You know, they tried to make the link with the zebras and horses. So there's a picture of what he's talking about. I'm sure our crack staff can get some pictures. Yeah, there it is. Look at that.

Look at this one. Mondi's got. She's a pro. Well, that's a difference in. Yep. You can tell the ones that have been educated. See that? Isn't that something? I didn't know that.

I didn't know that either. Well, the last time we were in Matthew, I brought this up. So y'all did know it because I told you, and now you've forgotten it. So you said, where are you going with this? Well, science, this is so funny. This is so funny when I fixed it. Because I love making fun of people who make fun. of Jesus people.

Yeah. So it bothers them. It bothers people who don't believe in Jesus that, you know, here's Jesus picking a donkey. You know, what came first? The donkey or this guy claiming to be king from the science mind. They're like, oh, he got a donkey. Yeah, because it has a cross on it.

He's going to the cross. You know, how convenient. So we have to attack on why they have a cross on their back because these preachers, they're going to have a heyday with that. I mean, what are the odds? Yeah. That this king, who's humble, is picking a creature who has qualities that he's representing and it happens to have a cross and it's going to be his journey to the cross.

This is too much. This is like something out of a... That's a lot for the... This is a Steven Spielberg movie in the making, too. A scientific thrust. Which I told you about that show. That scares people. That scares them.

It scares them because they do and they don't. So look, here's what I find funny. So I finally found a group of scientists who don't believe in Jesus. I'm assuming that, but it doesn't feel like they do. They said, well, what you got to remember, though, is this is camouflage for safety. It's, they evolved because stripes. Well, look. got into camouflage, well, guess, there's only about five things in the world that I know anything

about. But camouflage is one of them. I thought, I know camouflage. And so, Phil, you know, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. What we have figured out, even on our blinds and on our faces, you know, where the face paint came, when you put stripes on anything, it looks like shadows. And I remember you used to go off on this. And so we wouldn't paint our whole boat like a color.

We just put stripes. Because if it was solid, then it stood out because it was solid. So you wanted it to blend in. So they go through this long deal about, and look, I'm believing it. At this point, I'm not making fun of it because I'm like, well, that makes sense, you know. And even though, I mean, because I'm not making a big deal that has a cross on there. I'm just saying, they do have a cross and Jesus came riding up or it is kind of cool to think about him. Because I'm wondering, I'm like, Jesus from John 1, nothing that has been made was made that wasn't made through him.

So he got to pick, and since he orchestrated, this is how I went down that road. I was like, well, why not pick a donkey? Because it's different from a horse. His kingdom is not going to be this power. we're going to kill everybody and go build some structure somewhere and have a castle and I'm going to invite everybody for the rest of the world. I know. I'm going to come in humility.

I'm going to leave that I'm going to pass this power on to the people who've surrendered to me and then they're going to be my kingdom on earth and do kingdom things. Help the poor and, you know, fight injustice and share my name everywhere. And the donkey was the, as we said, or is the more common animal. It's used by a lot of people. People, they couldn't afford to own a horse, but they could afford a donkey. He's representing the common man. He's running around with the riffraff, you know.

He's saying all these scriptures, you know, he chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. And it's not that Jesus, you always have to clarify everything. He's not against rich people. He died for everybody. But you have to become poor. You're never going to recognize the king. If you think, oh, I'm powerful. Why would I, you would have no need for Jesus.

But oh, by the way, the animal that he picked, that he created was a part of. It does have a cross. He created the horse too. You know. The horse. But it just makes more sense to me. So anyway, to get back to what I'm reading, they're like, well, it's the camouflage to help from, to preserving. You know, it's all about self-preservation.

And so they evolved to have this. But then in the notes. that I was reading about the donkey, it gets to the end and it says, oh, but there is one interesting thing. It can only be seen this cross on the back of a donkey from above. Well, they didn't realize that they just made this whole argument about why they have the cross,

because it's just stripes to help them from being camouflaged. I was like, well, do they have any predators that's only striking, from above? Teradactyls. What is there birds of prey that are eating donkey?

No. See, all of a sudden, they just went through an explanation because they don't like the fact that

Christians may say this. And then they throw in his humor that it can only be seen from above. And in my opinion,

that just debunk their whole argument. You say what I mean? If it would have, I mean, what I'm, My point is if a lion is, because they originated from the Red Sea, believe it or not, down to Africa. That's where they came from, donkeys.

You know, if a lion's coming up there and you had these stripes on you, okay, maybe he couldn't see you. But according to them, the lion would, you know, he had only. He could only attack from above. From above and say, oh, no, I can't see him. But it wouldn't help you if it was ground to ground combat. Yeah. Which, you don't make sense. I mean, I don't know they were created that way.

And he chose the donkey and they do have a cross on them. I just think it's interesting. So it, let's take a break. It reminded me, Jay's, when you were, the whole time you were talking, it reminded me of Missy and her jewelry business she used to do as a ministry. The name of her business was called Laminan, which was based on a, I'm assuming she heard of the same place I did,

a Louis Giglio sermon, where he broke down, they looked at DNA, but at such an enhanced level when you get a microscope and go down there, in your DNA, laminin looks like a cross. Again, just an irony, I guess,

maybe, or maybe it's something more, that the building block, of the things that make you who you are, it looks like a cross. And it's so small and tiny. We can't even see it with the naked eye. And so Giglio makes a whole deal about it. It's like, you know, at the building block of who we are

is still the idea of Christ. So the whole time you were describing that about the donkey, I was saying about laminarine. Same concept. It's just ironic, at the very least. Well, it is because, look, when you think about it, think about a donkey, he's deemed insignificant. stubborn, humble.

I mean, that's what we deem them as. Yep. But in reality, they're really strong. They're stronger than you think. They're incredibly loyal. Yep. They're very smart. Yep.

They're proven fact. And they love companionship. But they're primarily used for packing. Right. animal. Well, let's just think about this here. I'm seeing some similarities here about why Jesus would pick. You deem it insignificant.

It's not pageantry and proud, but when you think humble, strong, loyal, smarter than you think, loves companionship, and you realize what he did, where that donkey led him was on a cross, where he was loaded down with all our sins, you know. I mean, you start seeing some similarity. Now, I get it. We're looking for the cross and everything. And that's why you see it in everything.

But still, for me, I think there's a profound point when he orchestrated. He wanted us to talk about this. He wanted us to have conversations about it because he orchestrated. He said, you go down there. This was not just a, you know, I think, we think, oh, he's just going down there and this is just being made up as we go along. But Jesus had a plan here. He said, no, I'm going to ride in on a donkey and they're going to say, here's the king.

But you know, he wanted us to do that and to talk about it. Even the symbol of the cross, which is interesting, that's only taken on more significance as we've moved away from the event of the cross because it, and you see this on the chosen and the way that they market it. The early symbol for the Christian church, kind of the secret symbol, the secret anche, was the fish. It was one of them. There were several, but the fish was one of the main ones

because they were all fishermen. You know, there's a lot of, and when you read the gospel, there's a lot related to fish. And so that was their little secret symbol. Nobody used a cross. It was just a terrible way that Jesus died in their minds until you moved away a few hundred years. and the cross has become the ultimate symbol of freedom,

even though it was such a terrible, awful thing because that's how we know we got freedom for sin, that's how we know that Jesus gave himself for us. So it's interesting when you talk about symbol stuff, Jay, is that that can even change over time. I mean, the cross gained steam way after it actually happened. The early time. It's kind of like carry your own cross.

Yeah, right. And, you know, somebody made the point on this podcast, recently. Was it Trent? Somebody talked about, and I had never thought about this before. Yeah, about when Jesus didn't carry his own cross,

but that he got help? Did he really need help? Or was he trying to convey to us that, you know what, along the journey, we're going to have to have people help us carry and bear the cross, which I thought was really fascinating. I had never thought about it from that perspective,

which is really powerful. It is. Because you're right. I mean, that's a heavy burden to carry every single day. Well, exactly. I mean, that's why I went back and read that, you know, the Balam and the talking donkey. But there was an angel there with a sword.

Well, you don't think Jesus couldn't have had hundreds of angels around with swords. He could have gone that route. Yeah. I mean, we sing the songs. Well, it wasn't like in the donkey was like making the move, but then the angel moves to a different spot. It wasn't like the angel of the Lord couldn't have just swooped right over and just took him out. I mean, it's like we've seen what the angel of the Lord could do in some of the old tests. The power of what he was fixing to do became evident.

Exactly. What it was, and Chase mentioned this, he's trying to make a point to Balaam to surrender his heart and do the right thing. But he never got it. But he never got it. I think that's why it's in there. And I think that's why even God used him prophetically to predict Jesus would ride on a donkey. but he still wouldn't recognize him as the God of his own life. I mean, that just shows you, even that's why I brought up John the Baptist.

He struggled with that when he was in prison, saying, are you the one? And we see even with Peter, you know, say, I'll never deny you. I'll die for you. And then what's the next thing he's doing? Oh, yeah, he's denied. Tim Keller told a fascinating illustration one day. It was really long. But it was a story worth being told because he told about this young girl who basically

just she devoted her life to God. And she's like, I'm going to be a missionary. And she wanted to go into the Asian culture and be a missionary in places where if you're out there sharing Jesus, they'll key you. And she just decided to do that. That's what she was going to do. She devoted her whole life for it. And she went to school, even in high school.

She was more studying the Bible. And then she goes to a seminary. It tells this long story. But the mission trips that went over there and that supported that she was a part of, they have one condition. You had to be married because they're just like, we're not sending a single woman in a country that kills Christians. You have to be married. So she's like, she prayed to God. Well, send me a husband.

because this is why I'm doing this for you. And so he tells the story, she goes to Bible school, then she goes to graduate school. I mean, she's devoted years of her life that she's going to do this. The problem was at no point in all her schooling in all these years, did she ever have a boyfriend? It just wasn't happening. And so the day before she graduates, the graduate part of the school, she has studied the Bible. She has studied the Bible cover to cover for multiple years. She just breaks down because she's like, she's angry.

He's like, now I'm ready to go, but you still haven't sent me my husband. Why wouldn't you do that? And he tells the story that in that moment, she realized that that was on her. She had her narrative. She's like, I'm trying to be your hero. here and do these great things. And now they said, I've got to have a husband. And so I prayed for eight years and you hadn't sent me a husband.

Why would you do that? And so she made a commitment in that moment of saying, no, this is about you, not about me. Even that. And he made the point from that sermon to say, if she could do that, then we're all in trouble. you know, as far as set our own agenda for what this looks like for God instead of trusting God. And people do it every day. I mean, they get it in their mind about something and they get so committed to it. And you're right.

Sometimes even so convicted, they miss the point of, is this really what God wants for me? I mean. Yeah, it's like you're forcing this plan and your heart is great and we're loving it. You spent years, and now you're angry at God. And I'm saying that because, Balaam, you would think if he saw the miracles, he talked to a donkey. And he's three times mentioned in the New Testament in a very negative way. He didn't give his heart to God. Now, it made me think about that Jesus' prayer when he says, to the Father, your kingdom come, your will be done.

Not mine. And even Jesus himself, who is God, who came here for a purpose, we see him several times during this three-year deal say, okay, God, I'm doing this because this is what I came to do. I mean, he's like almost reminding himself to make sure he sticks to the plan and the will of God. Let's take another part. That's why Phil had a right when he said, bring your cross, take up your cross and follow me. That's why Romans 121 says that. In view of God's mercy, offer yourselves as living sacrifices.

I mean, you can't bring an agenda or how you think this is going to look like. Now, look, granted, the difference between the woman that I was given the illustration and Balam is she finally recognized. It's very hard to recognize it. But she had that oh, no moment. You know, I was just convinced that this was a good idea and you haven't sent me anybody or I'm, and maybe she wasn't doing the steps, you know, to find a husband. Because she's like, well, God's just going to send me one. But he never did.

So now she's, you know, mad at God. But, you know, he didn't really finish the story. You know, I wish you to said, oh, one day she got me. I was going to say, did he ever say what happened? Well, but in my own life, you know, I had a similar situation. I mean, about the time I thought I'm done with women. That's it. I'm going to go Paul and just be single.

you know, about two days later, I met Missy, and I was, well, wait a minute, let me just take a second look. But it was my agenda, but it got me in the right frame of mind is what I'm saying is because I was basically looking at worldly motivation, you know, and the drama of all that. But he also told an illustration after that of saying, he was telling that illustration in light of John the Baptist, say, and are you the one? You know, when he was in prison, that was the statement. That's why he was telling that illustration about that woman. And because you're like, well, I thought we already covered this.

John the Baptist knew Jesus. He said, behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. But when his circumstances changed and Jesus was acting like a humble servant and an ordinary man, all of a sudden he just thought, this doesn't seem right. Are you the one? And it was a very powerful way to look at that. Because he's like, everybody's looking for the one thing out there that's going to make their life meaningful.

Or even if you get down to teenagers and all, they're all primarily looking for the one who they're going to marry. He's going to sweep them off their feet and give them life happily ever after. There's a reason why over half married. marriages end in divorce because you thought they were the one and then all of a sudden you realize marriage is difficult. It's not easy. But you know stories like that though, Jay, has encouraged me because I'm thinking if John the Baptist who had spent his whole ministry looking for the Messiah and then found him. Because when he baptized Jesus, there was no doubt who he was.

I mean, the voice came, the dove came, the spirit looked like a dove. And so if you can doubt and have some moments where you need clarity and you're that guy, what does that say about the rest of us? He allowed him to die. That's exactly right. So that ought to help us to understand that sometimes we're going to go through some rough patches. But look, so did John the Baptist, so did Peter. So did the people that we look to as heroes and martyrs.

I mean, it's tough. It's tough to live your whole life and not bring into question at some point. My will versus guy. And is this really the right thing? So it already encouraged you to know if those guys had some struggles with that, then we're going to have some of the same struggle. Well, right. And just trickling down over little things, you know.

I mean, that donkey going off the side of the road, you know, it could have killed him. But, well, there was an angel standing in it with a sore. I mean, you just think what you don't. Yeah, what you don't see that's going on out there. I mean, there's a God and we're not him. And it makes you humble yourself before the Lord and just be glad that you're here. Right.

So, you know, we went through that. So I think that just gives perspective that there was a reason Jesus chose a donkey. And there was a reason that he chose this time frame. And then you see him very powerfully, you know, he's declared by this small group of people. to be the king. And then he kind of reflects on Jerusalem. And it's a very powerful moment. We went over at the last couple podcasts where he wept.

And then he predicts this impending destruction of this temple. Which he's going to do again in 22. He's going to go back into it again. And I think that's what he was talking about in the parable of the 10 Minas also. Yep. So we set all that to get to. to 45 when he said, then he entered the temple, you know, after he said that not one stone would be left on another, that's in 44.

He's talking about this temple. And then you have this very, as ironic as it was Jesus picking a donkey, it's very ironic that now Jesus going into the temple and saying, it is written, my house will be a house of prayer. That's Isaiah 56. Well, think about Isaiah 40 through 56. And if you go back and read that whole thing, you see out of the nation of Israel, here comes Jesus.

And it's a very famous couple of chapters in there when you get into Isaiah 50, 51, 52, 53. And even early in 6 and 7 where Isaiah 7 is the virgin birth. So all throughout the book of Isaiah, it's very clear that they're looking to the Messiah. who's going to be. Isaiah 53 says it all. Look, what we're saying is that when you look at the, and you go back in the beginning, and you compare that in Genesis 1, 2, and 3

with John 1, in the beginning was the word, the word was with God. And now you see a moment like this, where Jesus is predicting the destruction of this temple, where God and earth meet, you have a person who is now going to be, become the temple of God. And the people who have his spirit,

they're going to become the temple in this moment. Because you think about it, what does the temple do? They came and had a personal encounter with God, and it was a place of sacrifice. Well, what does Jesus do? That's where you go to encounter God. And because of his sacrifice,

you're now able to do it. Because he took all your sins, which is probably why he picked a donkey with a cross on it. I mean, it kind of makes sense when you think about it. It does. Because approaching God is dangerous if you think this all-powerful God that is so powerful that, you know, they couldn't even approach him.

And there's several verses that talk about how you can't encounter God. That's where you get into the burning bush. You think a talking donkey is one thing. What about a bush that won't burn up? Well, that's not possible. And a voice comes out of it. Yeah, and a voice come out. Well, oh, yeah, okay.

So maybe he could have the power to have a whale, swallow a person and keep him a lot. Of course he can. Bushes can burn and not burn up. I mean, he's doing all these things. So here you see this ironic moment, which we tend to just skip over, but just think about here's the transition

of the old creation to the new creation. Right here. This is a transitional moment. And so we, You read verses like, which we read this a couple of podcasts ago, about this new living temple. I mean, when you fast forward to us, and I read this in 1 Peter 2, which is the same thing that we talked about, Romans 12, 1, 1,1, that we're offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. That's in 1st Peter 2. Wow, here's Peter writing this.

We're living stones, chosen by God. For in scripture, it says, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. The one the builders rejected has become the capstone. So you're going to see this in what we're fixed to read in Luke. But you're a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Another one is first Where's that first Timothy three five three fifteen okay

Yeah that's what I want to read Verse 14 he says although I hope to come to you I'm writing you these instructions so that if I'm delayed You will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household Which is the church of the living God the pillar and foundation of the truth and then it goes in to that building mentality Same thing. We're the household of God.

How are we the household of God now? How are we the temple of God? Why is all this living stones being built up? Because here in Luke 19, this is a transitional moment that my house will be a house of prayer. Well, that's what we do as Christian. We pray to God. Jesus gave us that access. Read Romans 5.

We now have access. We're the household of God. So it's really a transition. transitional, powerful moment that's hard to wrap your head around, just like why Jesus is riding on a donkey. It was very difficult. And I'll read one more because I know this is contrary to what a lot of religions teach, but we are convinced that this was Jesus' point. I want to read that John, too. Talk about the temple.

Yep. So in John chapter two, the Jews demanded what miraculous sign. this is 218. What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority, which we're fixed to get into, to do all this? Jesus answered them, destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days. The Jews replied, it has taken 46 years to build this temple, and you're going to raise it in three days? Because what just happened?

Jesus had just cleared the temple in John's passage. in 12 through 16. Right. And I explained in the last podcast why that's different in John, a different place in the narrative. It's only because John focused on the last week of Jesus' life. So he tells the same story. Luke tells it he just puts in a different place.

Exactly. So in verse 21, it says, but the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recall what he said. Then they believe the script. and the words that Jesus has spoken. So it's a very powerful passage in verse 47, back to Luke 19.

Every day he was teaching at the temple. So just think every day, because he was making this transition about this new creation, heaven coming down in the form of Jesus. Just like heaven came down in the garden, the temple, if you will. And now here he is making this transition. And although this is not happening all at once, it's a process that when you put all the pieces together and realize, yeah, there's a reason there's no temple in Jerusalem right now. It was destroyed in AD 70 because he said it was going to be. So he gave a few years of that transition to say, well, now Jesus is the place where people go to encounter God.

And why is that? Should we bring our sacrifices? No, he sacrificed himself. So what we become is living sacrifices, Romans 12, 1st Peter 2.5. And our life is not this going to a temple to worship God. We are the temple of God and we're giving sacrifices every day. We're doing the same thing he was. We're fighting injustice.

We're helping the poor. We're having meals with shady characters. You say why? Because we're kingdom people and we want them in the kingdom. And those unfortunately, or fortunately, however you look at it, are the only people open-minded enough to recognize Jesus, the Savior of the world coming on a donkey because he's humble. He's the humble king.

And you make a good point because so many people, I was just talking to a guy recently and he said, man, I'm just waiting until they start building that third temple, you know, in Israel. And I'm like, yeah, you might want to speed that up because, I mean, we're here. But that's the fear is the mind says that makes this point all the time. Why does any of this matter? It matters because we tend to get complacent when we're just waiting on something to happen

that's already happened that we need to be involved in building more of. The urgency is what we lose. And so, you know, because look, right now, because there's a war going on in Israel. So, I mean, it is people talk about, I've seen more end of times books and conversations in the last two or three months since this latest thing happened in Israel. And you keep thinking that little strip of land that's there. I mean, it's important to us because that's where Jesus walked. And so, you know, all of us have an affinity for it. But it's so much bigger than just that one little strip of land over there in between the Jordan and the Sea of, in the Sea of Galilee.

in the Mediterranean. So it's like you're trying to expand our view, which is what Jesus was doing. He kept expanding their view. They kept wanting to bring it back. And to your point, as we were talking about before we came on there, people are still trying to go back and recreate that situation. Why would you want to do that? We have this perfect sacrifice for sin.

I don't want to go back to doves and goats and bulls and these sacrifices in a temple. I mean, what would be our gain from going back under that old system? It wouldn't be good for us, especially when you have the new. And I want to read this passage, but let's take our last break. You were reading those a minute ago, Jay, this one popped into my head, the Ephesians 2, another one, 19. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household.

Same thing, Paul Toe Timothy, built on the fact. foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. There's that stone. In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him, you two are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by the Holy Spirit. So we're not looking for a physical temple. The temple now is made up of sons and daughters of the Almighty houses. in the Holy Spirit that rise on this foundation that's been built for.

So it's just, it's really clear as you look throughout the passages that it's all there. Exactly. So that leads us to chapter 20 because, so it says every day he was teaching the temple in Luke 1947, the chief priest, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people, we're trying to kill him because they didn't want to have the temple done away with.

That's right. They didn't want to accept him as the new temple where people would encounter God. They could not find any way to do it. Yes, they couldn't find any way to do it because all the people hung on his words. They were like, these people love him. Which becomes their dilemma. It really is their dilemma because it shows you when popularity is what you seek instead of truth. This is the kind of dilemma you find yourself in, which is what happened.

They've gone through the same thing with John. now they're going through with Jesus. So then authority comes up. So one day, chapter 20, as he was teaching the people in the temple courts, why is he at the temple court? He's pointing to the temple court saying that's going to be destroyed, listen to me. In fact, the next two chapters, as in 20 and 21, all of his teaching that he's doing is in the temple. Exactly.

And preaching the gospel to Phil's point, if you've been listening to this podcast at all, you will know that constantly Jesus was bringing up that he had to die he had to be buried and he had to be raised I just read that John too when he was like

destroy this temple and I'll raise it up three days it wasn't like he wasn't talking about it he's talking about it so the chief priests and teachers of the law together the elders came up to him

well tell us by what authority you are doing these things they said who gave you this authority So here's what's interesting. He replied, I will also ask you a question. So he doesn't answer, and I wanted to read a blurb about this that I read off the internet, which I think is interesting.

But he says, I will ask you a question. John's baptism, was it from heaven or from men? They discussed it among themselves and said, if we say from heaven, he will ask, well, why didn't you believe him? But if we say from men, all the people will stone us because they are persuaded that John was a prophet. So they answered, we don't know where it was from. Well, Jesus said, neither will I tell you by what authority I'm doing these things. Which is fascinating that he would say that.

So I wanted to read this because really this little story is more about why does Jesus ask questions instead of just give answers. And it's really more fascinated than you think. So I did the research. Do you know how many questions? If you combine the gospel, how many times Jesus asked a question? 300. If you take out the duplicates, it's about 310. but 588 if you combine them all, give or take, five or ten.

Sometimes it was hard to determine that. So in this instance, he was asked a question and he answered the question with a question. So I read this, I want to read that. I think it's fascinating. So it says, among the things that have long fascinated people about Jesus and explain his enduring appeal, is his method of dialogue and teaching. He asked a lot of questions. I just said, 588.

And told a lot of stories in the form of parables. Because you're like, why is he doing that? In fact, a third of what Jesus said was around a parable. Third of Jesus recorded teachings were parables. Which is not just a parable is a story that's designed to make you think. To make you think. Just like the question, yeah. The Gospels were written decades after he died, so his questions and parables clearly left a deep impression on those who bore testimony to him.

So there's a guy who wrote a book, Martin Coppenhaver, a retired president of some kind of theological school, Newton theological school, claims in his book, he wrote a book, Jesus is the question, which I think is, I haven't read it, but he made this assertion in that book that Jesus was more than 40 times. likely to ask a question as answer one directly, which is, this is a proof of that. That's right. They asked him a question, which he said in other instances, you know, I'm speaking what the father tells me to do. But in this case, he came up with a riddle based on them saying, why, where are you getting your authority? He was 20 times as likely to offer an indirect answer as a direct one.

which is like what we have here. So then he ended this up. Be prepared for him who knows how to ask questions. So I do think we need to talk about this. Why does Jesus, why did he do that? Right. No, and well, I think there's several reasons, but one is in this particular case,

and this happened, because there's other passages where he clearly says, All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. And when he was recognized with John, it was obvious that this is my son, in whom I love, and whom I'm well pleased. So it's not like he had any ambiguity over his point. So there had to be a reason why he was asking the question back to them. I think it's because they were trying to trap him, obviously.

I mean, that was their purpose. There's an agenda. an agenda. There's always an agenda. There's no moral clarity here. It's always ambiguity. So what they're trying to say is, okay, we're legitimate because we've been put in place by the authorities. We're under the Roman. Everybody's okay with us doing what we do. But what about you? Give us your line of secession. Who are you to be telling us what to? So they're trying to set him up into this trap. What's interesting is he takes them back to John. who had complete moral clarity.

John came in and he starts baptizing people for the remission of sins. You remember he comes in and says, hey, this is about repentance. This is about this. I want you to understand what this is all. John had no problem. And Jesus knew that. So he puts them on the spot by saying, well, what about him?

What do you think about him? And they had no clarity to say, yeah, he was a prophet of God because they said the people recognized it. probably but they didn't. And so then they have no answer. I think it's a clear picture of truth. And when you don't have it, you're always fearful and you're always panicked when you don't have truth.

And so you come back to human arguments, which is what they did. Which I think, here's another point. Here's what I think. And this may be controversial, but I believe it with all my heart. I think what God didn't want in churches is to come up with some kind of formula where It's like a college course, and if you do this, this, and this, you got it. He didn't want that. Because we all have an agenda on what we think that is.

There's a reason there's 20,000 different churches all supposedly doing the same thing, but all a little different because we don't agree with your formula, and I don't agree with your formula. And that's how it starts. And the questions, when you ask, somewhere in there, you realize that, whose agenda are you trusting? He wanted you to trust his. So he would ask you questions because he knows if you're setting your salvation and your life based on anything other than him, all you've got to do is ask questions.

It's going to fail. That's why every Bible study, and I didn't even realize I did this until after the fact, I usually start every Bible study with three questions. because people will come to me and they'll say, you know, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And there's a story in the Bible about that, you know. And so I'll say, well, how did you get on the earth? You know, what are you doing here? What's your exit strategy? How are you leaving?

These are all questions because I know if they come up with any answer besides Jesus, there's going to be holes in that. You know, how did you get on the earth? Well, I believe there was an explosion, you know, not. not by intelligent design. And we just randomly got here. So no wonder your life is crappy. You know what they say,

but Jesus is the only one that's going to fulfill those questions. And I think that's why he asked questions because you start thinking about, you know, even with the chief priest and the teachers of the law and they're scared of death, which is why they're not acknowledging him. So they're like, well, if, you know, look at their answer. If we say from heaven, he will ask, well, why didn't you believe him?

I mean, don't you believe in it? What's your plan for the afterlife? So if we say from men, well, they're going to kill us. Well, they don't, they didn't even believe in the resurrection as we see it now. So they're trapped because unless they really pursue Jesus in a personal way, life's questions are not going to be answered. That's exactly right. We're out of time.

We'll continue this discussion in our overtime if we want to follow us over. blazesthame.com slash unashamed. 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 BlazeTV at blazestiv.com slash unashamed.