Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 838 | Phil’s Screen-Worthy Scuba Adventure & Jase Gets Caught Riding a Camel?

Episode Date: February 19, 2024

Phil vividly recounts the time a priceless possession was returned to him by means of a scuba diver, and a photo surfaces of Jase riding a camel that he’s never seen before. Al points out that there were other messiah claimants in the years before and after Jesus, and the guys ponder whether or not sitting on a throne makes one a king. Jase gives a coach some advice on how to turn his career into a ministry and harkens back to his full explanation in episode 640 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVn7NB0sjvQ. In this episode: Luke 24, verses 46-53; John 8, verses 42-47; Ephesians 2, verses 10 & 22; Ephesians 3, verse 10 -- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? Welcome back to Unashame. We, um, still trying to find Zach. It's like, uh, he's conferring. He's conferring. They said it was a conference. That means he's conferring, which we know that's going to be good. I want to open with good news. So I guess, I guess this would be breaking news. So we'll, so it's interesting because the episode, must have just dropped yesterday when I was talking about my MRI, which I was just making the point of how brutal that was for me because I'm claustrophobic. I didn't really go into much into what was going on, but I've received so many emails from people and concerns. I just got

the all clear on the way out today. So thanks for the prayers. All's good with Al. I got a clean bill of hell. What do they do that? Do they send you like a thumbs up on your phone? So they call you. They call you. And then you have to wait for the person, which is never, you know, you're waiting on news. And so it could be bad news. It could be good news. And so that two minutes, you know, you're saying, all right, here we go. And you're like, okay.

The longer you wait, the more you think, uh-oh. But anyway, she comes on, says all good. So no worries there. But thank you all for your prayers and stuff. I appreciate that. And I've got more home remedies about prostate, how to, you know. What was the remedies according to? the people who put you on to the I just ate breakfast they just said you've got a large prostate

you're good to go you get when we get into the details of that I just ate a big breakfast so I'd rather go in a different direction well dad is I have you to thank for that because you've had some crowd in 80 right now but nobody likes to talk about the prostate it's worse than the liver The last thing I've been concerned with my prostate. Yeah. Well, you've had some issues. Yeah, I'll say, well, it's back gone. Which is what's funny, Jay says, I met now our doctor through dad because I went with

dad just to make sure he knew what was going on and got all the information properly. And then I wound up having problems and now I go to it more than you go to him. So that's what happens when you do it. You'll be there maybe. I hope you don't get it. So I hope you, your prostate is all good. You are preparing the way. Well, you know what's funny?

In some ways, this is like karma for me because I remember making fun. I would go to an elders meeting and, you know, they're waiting to get started. And so I was young, you know, I was young minister on staff. And so I would always make fun on them because the first 10 minutes of an elders meeting was them talking about their PSAs and their prostates. And I just went and got checked and what's your this, that, and the other. So I was like, man, I'll tell you what, these old men. Well, now it's me. Now I'm that guy.

So that's what happens. That's what happens. When you laugh at others' calamity, then that's what happens. The resurrection is looming large. Looming large. Anyway, I just wanted to report that. I can't go around it. Feels like I'm camped out there.

I'll tell you what I am. So one more thing, and I got a mailbag here. I got a few of your notes you've been sending because we opened up the mailbag for everybody to send us your thoughts. So we have some pretty good ones. Also, we release this week the cooking episodes. You know, we're not doing overtimes anymore. Instead, we're trying to do something that's fun. We thank you guys alike.

If you go to blazedtv.com slash Robertson is where you go to sign up for Blaze. And you get these cooking episodes. So first one we did was Dad doing a Duck Gumbo. Well, Dad and Burley. We brought Burley in. Barley was a guest to parents. He was a guest to parents. Because we've talked about him many times.

Well, Burley has been Dad. like sidekick on the duck gumbo for years now so he's learned multiple tasks yeah including wearing a pistol at all times and i think he just did that on his own but yeah so yeah he uh he put together he helped dad put together we had fun we had a little meal together um we got another one coming up uh with lisa and i doing lisa's cornbread and uh i guess jason miss he'll be entering the fray at some point doing one of their dishes. I'd like somebody to do some Opelousas catfish at some time this spring. So, and I may even volunteer just to be there and make sure it goes well so I can eat some of them.

I have a spot with a net now on it. The local redneck is barring my net. But I have a spot where I can guarantee we'll have them to eat. Oh, good. All right. Well, I like that. I'm all in for that. I'll be the producer with that.

That's set. It's a rope, go. going down to the bottom of the river. You've got the rope already there. Yeah, the rope's already there. And we tie it off, but even it comes loose. But we pull that one rope up. Well, what most people don't know is it's tied to block a concrete,

about half as big as this table right here. That's on the other end of you. You ain't moving it. You can't pull it just, well, there's a rope. What's on the end of it? well, it's hooked to a block of concrete. I remember tied it together, and that's been there for 35 years. When I get ready to eat Apollosus catfish, I go out there.

Because that spot always produced. I began to sing around, and I find my rope. The redneck can't steal it. You can't run off with a big block of concrete. I'm sure they've tried. I'm sure they've probably. Somebody's tried through the year. Oh, yeah.

But I told Red he could use that spot from time to time. Yeah. I said, but get my permission first. Yeah. I said, you go out there and drag around, the drags in my boat. Don't me to carry my drag around. It's made to pull up ropes. Yeah.

Isn't that interesting, Jay's how some things have never changed with dad? He's still concerned about that drag after all these years? Yeah, it looks like a, it's just a big tube of metal with four. It looks like, you know, when they throw one over the green. Grappling hook is a better story than that. What happened one year, probably, oh, it's been 15 or 20 years ago. Somebody, it was me. I got my drag, which is made out of solid steel like that.

It's got like that. Looks like a grappling hook on the bottom. So I told somebody about it, and they said, well, this old guy, he's got a scuba diving outfit. he can put on. I said, send him down there to him. I need him. So after 10 years of losing where that rope went, I couldn't locate it,

I said, okay, I get the right man. So I got a guy, he put the apparatus on, he's breathing through it. I said, he said, how deep's the water? I said, 10 or 12 foot deep. It's current, current there. I'll wait till the current dies out, and I'll show you right where the rope is. He said, how would you know for sure where the rope is in a river the size of what we're going?

I said, I'll show you. So we go out there and I ease up and I stop and I say, right here, down there on the bottom of this river, about 12 feet deep, you'll see a rope and another one tangle up in it. I said, my drag is hooked onto that rope that broke. I broke my rope. I said, and this is where it's had. He said, you sure it's there? I said, it's there.

So I waited to the river, lost a lot of its current. Took him out there, moved around a little bit. I'm looking. I said, right here. I said, go straight to the bottom. And I said, you'll find two ropes, one tangle up with another one down there. Undo that. And bring me my drag.

My drag's there. It's about that long. It's got a little bar. He goes down. down in there and within about, I'm seeing bubbles. I'm just sitting there and I'm seeing bubbles. And the bubbles lasted for about five minutes. And I saw a hand coming up.

Well, this is turning to a motion picture now. Yeah, he had it in his hand. Did he like, I said, there's my water with it? And I said, I hadn't seen it in 15 years. I said, I'm glad you got it. So I got it put in my boat to this day. I still have it. but I had to send a scuba diver to the bottom of the river to get it.

How much does that cost? Did you have to pay? I asked him out. I said, how much is how much? I'm talking about how much does the drag. What is it actually worth to you? Oh, I got a net on the bottom of the river. How are you going to get it out from under there?

So you got somebody out. You're saying priceless. It's 25 feet deep and you got curate going. You say, so you know there's a big large rock this thing's tied to. I said, that ain't moving, but that rope was tangled up with the other one. So I was being funny. It's probably worth $20, but it was handmade for the purpose. Somebody welded that for you, right?

Some welder put it again. That is correct. I got you. Well, if we ever do a sequel to the movie, Dad, we need to show that scene because the way you described it, to see that breach out of the water and the guy coming up with that drag on the other end, that would be very dramatic. It was just like, it was a wonderful feeling. And I said, finally, I got my drag back. I still have it.

I don't loan it out. Red and used it every once a while, but I don't loan it out much. I tell you what, I would never want to go near it because I wouldn't want to, I would go back to the three licks for perfectly good equipment. So, Jace, Luke R said this. I see on a recent Unshamed podcast, Jace went to the Chosen Four premiere, which we're going to talk about when we get missing on next podcast. I remember from a podcast a while back where Dallas Jenkins was a guest and that Jace volunteered to be an extra on set. I didn't remember this, but he does. Seems like he said something about just riding on a camel in the background.

Did that ever happen? No, that's a good question. Then he sent a picture, so he did a picture like a. Was that me? That's you. Actually, he took your head. He asked me after a very rough day. I don't know where you got that picture.

That's why I wear a hat. I don't know where you got that either. You're on a camel. Maybe it's a, these days now, it could be an artificial version. I think it was a, yeah, I think it's a Photoshop is what they call that. Well, I was talking about a, you know. And all the things we do, as far as pointing out various things in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Well, Phil, let me answer his question.

before we get to the study. He's saying, did I ever, was I ever? Did you ever ride the camel in the chosen series? No. I pitched the idea

and he said, I'll call you. And I haven't got that call. Which means that's a polite no is what we call that. So go ahead. I was just going to answer that that has not happened.

Of all the things that we've covered in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the consistent reporting over, and over and over and over Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They come up with the same thing.

Jesus said, I'm going to die. We're going up to Jerusalem, and I'm going to die, be buried and raised from the dead. And the whole thing, the whole story in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is that. The most captivating thing I've seen is this out of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is that. out of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we've covered it for the last, for months and months. As it is, you're in John chapter 8. You're determined to kill me,

which he was on privy to it, a man who's told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You're doing the things your own father does. They answered, not illegitimate children. They protested. The only father we have is God. And they basically say, and you're not him. Jesus said to him, if God were your father, you would love me. For I came from God, and now I'm here. I've not come on my own, but he sent me. Why is my language

not clear to you? Because you're unable to hear what I say. So we wait on people, to this day to put their faith in Jesus when it comes to death and sin. You belong to your father, the devil. These people, Jesus said, the ones that are trying to kill me, they belong to their father and he's the devil, which sounds like a dangerous combination. And you want to carry out your father's desire, speaking of the devil. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there's no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar.

He's talking about the evil one, Satan. And he's the father of lies. Yet because I tell you the truth, you don't believe me. Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? where'd I go wrong? What's my sin? Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I'm telling you the truth, why don't you believe me?

And it's the same situation in 2002. He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you don't belong to God. To me, in all of matters, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that's pretty well the crux of the matter. It's a battle with the evil one. Yep. And Jesus is not him.

He's the one who can save you in spite it. He can remove your sin and he can raise you from the dead. That's what you need to. To me, that's the whole thing in a nutshell right there. The crux of everything. Let's take our first word. I like that, Dad. You're exactly right.

In fact, it kind of leads to the next question I was going to ask. And Jason, I thought about you. This was from Frank. He's from up in Massachusetts. He's 25. He coaches baseball. And he said, I'm trying to do kingdom work through my coaching. How can I bless these young men and try to get the gospel out?

Jason, I thought about it because you coached at least one year. And I know you've talked about on the podcast. What would be your advice to a young man trying to make an impact of a situation like that? There was a podcast. Oof, I'd have to get Maddie to look that up. Where I talked about that, surely they took notations. But, because I observed Little League Baseball, because I had two sons that played in it since T-ball.

And I realized, after being a couple stints of, having a couple stints of assistant coaching, you know, one year, the head coach for whatever reason, stepped away mid-season, so, you know, I took over. But when my son got to be, I think the last year is 13 and 14-year-old of Little League, he asked me, he said, would you coach my last year? Because he was 14, because they didn't have a coach. And I thought, you know what?

Yeah. And so to answer your question, what I did was based on those. years of observing, I realized that the biggest problem in Little League baseball was not the kids. It was the parents. And for whatever reason, without going into a long, drawn-out answer. But a lot of it was these parents trying to live out their failures and wishes, you know, through their kids. And they put too much pressure on them, hollering from the stands, going crazy at the umpire.

You know, the umpire's out there making $25. This ain't the MLB. So what I did was I had a meeting with the parents first. I didn't use any other assistant coaches that were affiliated with any families. I recruited men who love God. And I said, we want to make an impact on these kids. I drafted kids with talent, but I especially drafted. kids who came from broken homes, the ones nobody wanted.

And so that's just kind of what we did. We built the team. I met with the parents. I made them sign a contract that they would only do things that were positive and encourage their kids. And so we turned inside the baseball field. That was the safe place. And so we learned the game of baseball.

these three men that I had that were assistants they were all one of them coached semi-pro baseball another was Martin who set a bunch of records you know and in youth ball for home run and then I had Jay Stone your son-in-law who he he coached junior college baseball played junior college baseball and he just he coached for years yeah he's good so we taught him the game of baseball we we did not do one negative thing. There was no arguing with umpires. There was no negativity.

It was all about... Did you pray with them? Oh, do we pray? Yes. We had a prayer. But what I'm saying is we had fun. We protected them from even their parents in this venture. This was the happy place.

So several times throughout the season, kids would show up because they're from broken homes. They're crying. They're upset. And, but once they stepped on that field, I was like, this is the safe place. Yeah. And it was a good escape. And we didn't force the conversations.

Eventually, most of those kids came to us at different points of the season, talked about their life. Well, that was going to be my advice was, and not having done it like you did, that's why I wanted you to talk first, was that you really, I get this guy's heart. What he's saying is he wants to impact him. But really all you can do is be consistent and do what you just described and then then be there when the opportunities arise. Especially I get the impression he's coached an older like high school and up people. And so that's all you can do. I mean, the consistency.

But I have noticed it coaches along with first responders or another group. You have tremendous opportunities because people are in settings where they come out of difficult circumstances like Jay's described. and they're looking for something, and they're not sure what it is. And when they find all the worldly stuff, it seems like it fills a hope. Screaming through vanity toward the officials doesn't get you anything. No, then you just play into the hole.

You know what those kids didn't hear? And what I'm going to say is we didn't have come to Jesus meetings and all that. You know, most of these kids, they came from non-believing families. They're playing in a secular environment. So it wasn't, even though I did say a prayer, at the end. I never put pressure on them or there was no sermons or what we showed them was four men who cared about them. Right.

Who listened to them, who showed them how to live despite adversity. Because baseball is all about adversity. Yeah. You know, if you're, if you hit the ball one out of three times, you're considered pretty good. They'll pay you millions of dollars. It's a game that's based on more failure than success. Oh, exactly. And so I've told many stories about, about that through past podcast. But, you know, I pulled my starting pitcher after the first pitch of the first game. I mean, because he threw a tantrum

and his mom was hollered and I kicked her out of the game because they had signed that agreement. She's cussing, one pitch. But I set the tone and I did it calmly. Yeah. Walked out there. And he said, and here's how smart these kids are. He said, well, the rules say,

I got to pitch two in it. That was his first response. Because I said, he said, what? that was a strike. I said, hand me the ball. I pointed at the second basement. I said, you're in.

He said, well, the rules say I've got to pitch two in it. I said, well, I'll see them in court. You're going, you're going to the bench. The rules may say that, but old Jay says you're going to second base. No, I put him on the bench. The second baseman came. He did not play the rest of the game. I broke the rule due to attitude.

And, of course, look, I have to say, say he never did that again. He turned into one of our best players. But we set the tone early, and I had to kick his mom out simultaneously. I walked past the umpire, and he said, what are you doing? I said, I'm fixed to kick this mom out of the ball field. He's like, you can't do that. I said, oh, yeah, she signed a contract.

So I pointed to her and said, you're gone. Did you give her the heave home? Oh, yeah. I said, you're going. Now, you'd think, well, why would they do that? Because they signed that piece of paper. and we're 10 seconds into the game. So I think for those kids to realize we're going to do this the right way.

There's something called the right way about going about this, and we're going to do it. And the only bobble we had as a coaching staff was one night, terrible call. It looked like it was going to cost us the game, but it didn't. and one of our assistants, I won't mention any names, your son-in-law, just... I would have guessed him. You know, he just challenged the umpire for only five seconds, you know. But I went out there. He thought I was fixed to support him, and I apologized to the umpire.

And I told Jay, I said, go walk that off. We're not going to do that. We don't argue the calls. And I get it. Everybody's like, oh, you. You've got to defend, no, you're not defending anybody. This guy's making $25. He missed the call.

Get over it and move on. Nothing that's fixed to happen is going to change that. We're going to be positive. I walked to the dugout and said, yep, it was a bad call. Guess what? Who cares? What are you going to do about it? And we wind up coming back, rallying, winning in the bottom.

I mean, that's what greatness is about. And I guarantee if you interview those 14 kids we have, they never forgot that year. We won the league, and we were, it wasn't because we had more talent, I can tell you that. Right. I like that. Of course, we did pick up one guy. I was like Mooh-Mahms, what's here lately, they're on the greatest sport and game of all time, you know, to, you know, Mahomes.

Mahomes, I didn't know what you meant. That was the Mahav. I thought that was some kind of, you know, guy in the Middle East. but yeah my homes but what i was going to say is and i want to give clarification now we did have an injury we lost our catcher and uh he broke his leg play at the plate and we picked up a guy because i was constantly reading the rule book and seeing how we could uh you know help our team and if any kid had a family member in the same group then he would go on your team just so the parents wouldn't have to have two different team so when we lost a catcher i just

threw it out there not thinking anybody did but i was like anybody got a brother the same age or in our third baseman said well i got a i got a stepbrother who is really good and he's not playing he used to play travel ball whatever and i was like does he duck hunt and he was like yeah we do you know we go hunting all the time i said if he'll come up here and talk to me, I'll give him a duck call just for the conversation. And so he did. Well, that kid is currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. So to say that pickup was a major, a major pickup.

You were not only head coach, you were general manager. You had a lot going on there. He's in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm. Organization. Yeah, organization. Oh, that's pretty awesome. Well, you know, I'm a Dodger fan. You have to tell me later.

So that also helped. Now, you know, it was all heart and we did it the right way, but we also picked up this kid who was a beast. That helps. Yeah. So, Frank, there you go. Hopefully you can glean something out of that that'll be a blessing to you. So I did want to mention that we talked about Dad's new book.

I could be wrong, but I doubt it. And then that tagline is so important, why Jesus is your greatest hope on earth and in eternity. And right now you can pre-order that. There's a website. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.com. And the book's going to release March 12th, but you actually can pre-order now,

which helps us to be able to get the book out even better. But they're offering a little caveat, our publishers. They also will send you a free physical copy of one of his other books. If you go to I Could Be Wrong, but I Doubt It.com, and you pre-order, you're going to get your choice of either uncansel. theft of America's soul or your daily fill as a gift. And the only place you can get this free book is when you pre-order this month, I could be wrong, but I doubt it.com.

So check it out. All right. So we're in Luke 24 is where we left off. I thought we made the transition from Luke 24. Well, we did, but I wanted to go back there to make it in this podcast because we're going to Acts 1. But I wanted to just bring it back up at the end when we, we, The last podcast, Jace took us down the rabbit hole of what it means to open their minds,

which I thought was really good. He changed my opinion on it with his study. And at the end of that, Jesus is going to give some little clues about what's about to happen. That's the part I wanted to read today to lead us into where we're going for the next few podcasts. He said, he tells him, he says, in verse, well, let's start in verse 46 of Luke 24. Well, before you read that, I did want to respond, though, when Phil read that John 8 about the evil one, of course, you know, John goes to Phil's point, the same path that Luke went. And that was interesting where he said that in John 8, but I just wanted to read this. In John 1430, because this is going to come into play on where we're going here, because Jesus is,

fixing to ascend to the right hand of God. And when he gets to John 14, he promises the Holy Spirit. And at some point, I think we just may need to read some of this. Because he basically has this, unless I go away, these things are not going to happen. And he's like, I'm not going to leave you as orphans. I'm going to send you the Holy Spirit. But he also addresses this battle that's at the back. of the evil one trying to do his best against the Lord,

which his tactic was always, you know, the verse that comes in mind, he was a murder from the beginning. But after all of that, when he gets to John 14 and verse 30, just after he's talking about him leaving, ascending to the right hand of God, leaving the Holy Spirit,

he says, I will not speak with you much longer for the prince of this world is coming. And I love this. phrase, he has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the father and that I do exactly what my father has commanded me. So I'm just saying, he's not only pointing out where people who are not viewing him as the son of God sent from God as being under the control of the evil one, he's also saying, well, he's going to come at me, but he has no hope. hold on me and that I think he was referring to his death because he thought by doing that he would

snuff that out this this movement because you got to remember there were uh I read somewhere that there was at least 40 to 50 people before Jesus in a within 50 years who claimed to be the Messiah and about 40 or 50 right after that and I was reading that in some historical book And the difference was, well, their movement died once the leader died. That ended that. It was a movement. He claimed to be the Messiah. So this wasn't like, you know, when you read the story of Jesus here, like some random thing that was happening.

This promised Messiah, all the Jews were very aware of all those scriptures. And people kept rising up claiming to be that because they were under Roman rule. Well, we talked about this concept of the evil one. Remember, he was an angel in heaven with the Almighty, which would put him outside of time and space. But then apparently, as part of his punishment and others for rebeying in heaven that we read about, we get little glimpses of in the scripture, he was then banished here to be inside time and space where he doesn't know what's going to happen. I mean, there's, you know what I'm saying? I mean, like we read about Job, we read about interaction.

It goes all the way back to the garden. Right. I mean, it was Adam's job technically to guard the garden. And he didn't do that. You know, he failed. Yeah, because here comes the evil one, you know, as a serpent, whatever. But that's what led to all this. And to me, from the evil one's perspective,

we got the same kind of deal going here where he's trying to mess up the plan of God, which is God dwelling with people. Right. And so I just wanted to remind everybody of his role. He's limited in scope because he's not immortal. He's not God. And he's interacting with us. He does affect us.

But at the same time, you got to remember, he's limited and what he can do. So as we talk about the E1 going forward, you just always have to keep that in mind. All right, let me read this text. Before I do, let's take another. the break. So we're in verse 2445. We talked about this in the last podcast. He opened their mind so they understand the scripture. We talked about what that meant. I concluded that that means the Holy Spirit, that John 20, he breathed on him. Here's what he said. This is what is written. The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. And repentance and forgiveness of sins will be

preaching his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. So here's his, his little glimpse to them of what's about to happen because this is going to happen in just a bit, just a bit of time. You are witnesses of these things. And as you said, Jay's literal witnesses. I am going to send you what my father has promised. You know he's talking about the Holy Spirit, what Jay's just read, John 14 to 16, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.

So that's what he's talking about. He's aiming forward. So then Luke's going to close out with these last three verses. verses, but then he's going to pick this up in Acts 1. When he led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands, he blessed them. This is when he's leaving. While he was blessed them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they stayed continued at the temple, praising God. So all that, he just gives you a little three-verse thumbnail

of now the beginning of the book of Acts, which is also his book. So I wanted to read that. this is this where we're going to be today and probably next podcast we deal with this. We're going to camp out for a bit in the book of Acts. He says in Acts, in my former book Theophilus, and that book, of course, is the book of Luke.

I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving the instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. So I hadn't really thought about Chase, but what he just said describes what we just talked about.

because the instructions came through the Holy Spirit. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. And we talked about that. These are all the appearances that he made. And we didn't read it, but over in 1st, Corinthians 15, Paul goes into that some more. And he even mentions that he appeared to 500 people at one time. So, I mean, there were a lot of appearances, and we didn't read about all of them. they're not all recorded.

He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke about the kingdom of God. So this is the stretch of how long from his resurrection to his ascension was 40 days, which is, again, one of those numbers you see a lot, 40 in the Bible. It has significance. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command. Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait. And we just read about him saying this back in Luke, but wait for the gift my father promised,

which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And I got a question from a viewer about that, so we'll answer that in this teaching. So when they met together, they asked them, Lord,

are you at this time going to restore the kingdom of Israel? which still not quite understanding the purpose. Well, I mean, I think from their minds, and when you really think about that question, you know, the answer is kind of like sort of, yes. Yeah. I mean, because they're thinking you'd hit in Luke, which is why we're in Acts now,

he said so much about this kingdom coming and it's near. Now, granted, I'm with you. I do think that they were talking about a physical, political restoration because they're being oppressed by the Roman. But you're right. We don't know for sure. They may have actually viewed it the proper way and thought. Yeah, I think.

Because they certainly know more now than they did before they asked this question. Because he, before you read the read the, I mean, he's basically, are you going to do it? and he basically answers, wait, well, you're going to do it through me. I mean, so it's a complicated answer, but I just wanted to clarify that. That's good. He said to them when they asked him this,

it is not for you to know the times or dates the father has set by his own authority, which is sort of answering the question, but then answering it with something beyond. And it's like you need to be more humble. Yeah. And there's a God and you're not him. Right. Yeah, I think you're right.

Yeah. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. And by the way, if you just imagine it like you throw a rock in a pond and you see the circles of that go out, that's what happens here. It starts in Jerusalem, and then he describes in the region and then eventually the known world. the gospel's going to go out. After he said this, he was taken up before their eyes,

and a cloud hid him from their sight. So this is back what Luke was describing at the end of his other book. They were looking intently into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. So here's another element of Jesus' story where angels show up, or someone from the other round. Mill of Galilee, they said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? The same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way

that you've seen him go into heaven with a glimpse of his return. So this basically is him laying out why he, and he's already talked about it to him in John 14, 15, 16 of now why he's going to leave here. Because if you think about it, it's a great question to ask, why would, why does he need to go back? Like, he's here. He's glorified. Why couldn't he just wait here until whatever time decided that this was the end of it? I mean, he could do whatever he wants to, but there had to be a huge purpose in him going back into the heavenly rounds, right?

I mean, I think this is the most missed thing in Christianity. Yeah. Because this is him being exalted as a man, because it said this same Jesus. He's now on the throne of God reigning. Right. And the implications of that, which is what we're going to talk about for the next few sessions, are amazing. Huge. Yeah.

And it literally changed the whole world. I mean, based on it. Well, and it's changing it now. Right. Because I think the problem is we tend to think that he's a million miles away, and I think the imagery gives that impression. But it wasn't about him beaming. I mean, just how are you going to say it?

I mean, I heard a great illustration about this. You know, if you went to wherever the royal throne is in England, because they, you know, they still have a monarchy. And if you could figure out how to get there, and sit on the throne, would that actually mean you were king? No, it means you're fixed to get arrested. It's more about what the way that the people in that kind of power are ascended to the throne. It's not necessarily because they got in a car and drove down there and walked up there.

It's the position and what that means as far as the power. And the pedigree and everything else that you should be there, right? Let's take your last book. So and what you can do from that position. You know, all I could do is wait for the cops. But people in that position, they have power and influence. Well, Jesus, in a similar way, well, he has the ultimate power because you get into verses like we'll get into more indefinitely as we go.

But I wound up, when you consider the ascension of Christ, I wound up in the book of Ephesians and it's really exciting. I mean, because I just kept reading it over and over and over. And because it's clear that when Christ is exalted, it is now possible for him to fill the universe. And that's Ephesians 4 in verse 10, where it says, He who descended is the very one who ascended higher

than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe. And then watch what the next verse is. It was he who gave son to be apostles, son to be prophet, son to be evangelist, It's going to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of service. So you see the implication there. He is now in control, and by him coming up, the next chapter, the spirit is coming down in Acts. So in Acts 1, him going up, and it's almost simultaneous that the Spirit comes down

and fills multiple people who then become the representatives of God. Because if he didn't ascend, well, he's just one guy. We're all clamming around trying to get to him. Just like they were in the first century. I mean... Exactly. Which was a problem. I mean, if you watch The Chosen for any length of time,

you'll see that crowds are a major theme of that show. Yeah. Because they're constantly crowding around him. But he's ascended. And so just to, I mean, I didn't just make this up and pick it out of thin air. I think a verse that has been overlooked, even if you just read the first section in chapter one where it says, verse three, praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Well, how is that happening?

because Jesus is up there. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as sons through Christ Jesus in accordance with his pleasure to the praise of his glorious grace, which he's freely given us in the one he loves. In Jesus, we have the redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace, that he lavish of God's grace, that he lavish. on us with all wisdom and understanding, and he made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ. Now, what's this next

verse, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. Well, that's what happened when he ascended. He brought it together. under one head in Christ. So the problem is people say, well, it doesn't look like Jesus is raining. But I think it means when you get to chapter two and you read verse 10, you see the same kind of thought. Because he says, you know, we're familiar with what Ephesians 2 says. We're saved by grace.

There's nothing you can do. It's a gift of God. But then it says, for we are God's workmanship. and I look that word up, it's like we're his art, his poem, his way of revealing Jesus to the world. We're God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us. And so then, look, you get to the end of chapter 2 and you get into this idea about us being the new temple. And in him, this is 222, you two are being built to become a dwelling in which God lives by his spirit. So, and even just to give you another one in chapter 3 in verse 10, it says his intent was now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God.

and that word like the multiple colors of God's wisdom should be made known. Now watch this. To the rulers and authorities in the heavenly rams, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Which when I read that verse, it made me think about the person who wrote in

and said, what about that first Peter three when after Jesus died and was buried and raised where it says then he went and spoke to the spirits in prison. And I thought about that when I read that verse and I thought well maybe Peter was addressing the ascension because when you see spirits you think angels the angelic world and earlier in Peter he had said that he had bound them over and held them for destruction. So maybe in the heavenly realms, you have that aspect, but where Jesus is in charge over that realm so that we can represent him in this earthly realm.

But you're seeing this heaven and earth collaborating here through Jesus being exalted at the right hand of God. And look, it continues even throughout the book, even when you get to Ephesion 6, where it says, verse 10, finally be strong in the Lord and His mighty power, put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes,

which to your point, because he's roaming around here still, you know, creating problems. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

So there's this world, up there that Jesus is ruling over. And there's this world down here that through his spirit, we're ruling over, even though it doesn't look like it. Yeah. This was the plan of God. And we've become Jesus on the earth because he's exalted in heaven. Yeah. And you're right.

Ephesians, because Ephesians is almost split down the middle. And the first three chapters give you the why of it. and the last three chapters has given you the what does it mean of it? Because that's why it's so practical, you know, when you read those last chapters in Ephesians. But I never really linked it to the ascension, but you're right.

That's exactly what it shows you. Well, that Ephesians 4 is really deep because it's a quote from Psalm 68, and I looked at that really hard last night. And it seems to say kind of the opposite. And so there was a lot of debates on what that is, and I think we can say that for, you know, a future podcast to get in in depth.

But it basically quotes this in verse 8 of chapter 4 where it says, this is why it says, when he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men. And so when we look at Psalm 68, it seems to say that he received gifts to men. but, you know, we'll look at it. But the point is he ascended on high. Yeah. And the lead captives in his train, I'm not sure what that means. But, you know, Paul had just said as a prisoner for the Lord in verse one,

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you've received. I mean, we tend to think that's a negative thing. But if you're, if you've been taken captive by Jesus, that's a good captivity. Well, and that means you've also been set free from captivity of. fear of death and all the other things. Exactly. That's pretty good. All right, so we'll flash that out as we go along.

We're going to kind of expand into some thoughts from Acts. We're not doing just a verse by verse. We've done that before on the podcast, but we did feel it was necessary to sort of show the rest of this story that Luke has brought out so powerfully. And the best way to do that is the other book he wrote about what the apostles when they finally get it, as dad's been alluding to. So we'll do that on future podcast.

I think we're having Missy on the next one, so we're excited about that. We'll see you next time on 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 Blaze TV at blazedtv.com slash Unashamed.