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Phil Robertson
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Jase Robertson
I am unashamed. What about you?
Zach Dasher
Welcome back to Unashamed. We were having conversations, as we often do, in between. One of these days, we gotta have a podcast of the in between conversations. They're quite entertaining, but we'll do that.
Al Robertson
When we get to the end because I won't have to worry about us getting canceled.
Zach Dasher
Well, that's true, because then you're worried about it. So we were talking about our old friend Cole prime, who's up there with you, who was one of our original guys that was with us way back when we did in the woods with Phil. And at first he was just kind of. I mean, he was very knowledgeable, but he was kind of worn off.
Al Robertson
He was the. The og.
Zach Dasher
The OG So you said that. And then Jason and I were trying to guess. We had many. I thought pretty good guess.
Jase Robertson
I think we gave a dozen possibilities. Well, my first thing I said, I thought offensive guard. But maybe he lost weight after high school. I thought he played offensive guard.
Al Robertson
Yeah.
Zach Dasher
I said official gentleman was another.
Jase Robertson
I tried to tie in the. The women's doctor thing, which got awkward. The OG I thought, is he talking about birth pains? Of, like, was he the firstborn?
Al Robertson
Yeah.
Jase Robertson
That didn't work. And so as.
Zach Dasher
As Jason and I were guessing for, like, five minutes, you. You never heard a word we said.
Jase Robertson
And.
Zach Dasher
And you're like, oh. And so Maddie, of all people, Maddie knew what it was. Oh, gee. Which I'm sure a lot of our audience will know.
Jase Robertson
When she said the answer, Original Gangster, I thought, well, that's not it. I was like, these young people today.
Al Robertson
So Maddie got it.
Jase Robertson
She got it.
Zach Dasher
Got it.
Jase Robertson
Yeah. And so I then looked it up on the Internet and confirmed its falsehood nature, because that's what it said it was. And so I thought that's why you shouldn't believe everything you read on the Internet. Somebody just came up with that, that you're using. It is embarrassing.
Al Robertson
Why is it embarrassing?
Jase Robertson
Original Gangster. I don't even think a Christian should even use those two words. I'M deeming that a cuss word.
Al Robertson
Oh, not a cuss word. Maybe.
Jase Robertson
Hey, gangster.
Al Robertson
I'm a child of the 90s. If you grew up in the 90s. You know, I graduated high school in the late 90s. That was part of the American folklore. I mean, it's part of the zeitgeist of our time. I just, I mean, we grew up using that language, saying it.
Jase Robertson
What is expectancy of a gangster? Well, okay, I think that that pause is all.
Al Robertson
No, but a metaphor.
Zach Dasher
I think it's. But I thought it was funny. I'll take up for Zach because there's nobody less gangster than Cole Price. He's. He's the, he's a 180 degree opposite from a gangster. So I thought he was doing it as an ultimate joke. Like, yeah, the, the, you know, original gangster like Cole Pride. You don't get any more of a better dude than that.
Al Robertson
Well, I agree, but you guys remember that I went through a phase with your brother in college where we tried to act a little gangster, you know, I remember.
Zach Dasher
I remember it well.
Jase Robertson
How many Jesus activities did you do during that?
Al Robertson
Not many. Not many.
Zach Dasher
Jesus.
Al Robertson
We got busted. And then you guys invoked this concept. Well, we dyed our hair white. If you guys remember. Jeff's is more orange because he has darker hair than mine. And then we had our ears pierced. Yeah, we weren't, we were not living for Jesus. And there was what. I think there's a term I didn't know until it happened called tough love. When the families got involved, my parents feeling.
Zach Dasher
But hey, Zach, even before it was an official intervention, you and Zach, I mean you and Jeff strolled into our Sunday WFR1 Sunday, and with the bleached hair and, and it caused quite the stir because you know who you guys were and your families are there.
Jase Robertson
Well, what's funny, I was.
Zach Dasher
I was preaching the next Sunday. And so back in those days, I would do top 10 list. I kind of took them from Letterman. I was a big Letterman fan, but so I did a top 10 top 10 things overheard last week when Jeff and Zach walked in. Well, as soon as I said the, the title of the top 10 list.
Al Robertson
Yeah.
Zach Dasher
Everybody started laughing because everybody knew because we did.
Al Robertson
We came in a little bit late and then we walked down the aisle all the way to like the front left. So the whole church, you know, a thousand people, like, it was like captive that, like, what in the world are Jeff and Zach?
Zach Dasher
And everybody was pointing and I noticed it and I thought, okay, I'm going to get these boys Next week you're going to come in and interrupt my zone. Next week you will get thrown under the bus. And so it was. I don't know if I can ever lay my hands on. I'd have to read.
Al Robertson
I remember one of the. One of them was, which one is.
Zach Dasher
The elder son and which one is the preacher son? Yeah, yeah, that was one of the things.
Al Robertson
So. To your point, Jace? Yeah. It wasn't living for Jesus in the. When I was trying to be the O.G. me and Jet were trying to be the O.G. well, we repented. I do wear a flat bell hat sometime, which I saw one of the brutal comments on. On the YouTube page. Told me to quit wearing costumes in a.
Jase Robertson
He has a point. If you're gonna read the comments, then read them with an open mind. Yeah, I actually.
Zach Dasher
What do you call him? Elmer Fudd.
Al Robertson
But that. But that's not a flat bill hat. That's actually a Filson hat, which is a hunting brand. So.
Jase Robertson
But I think he was talking about the shape of the bill that. Okay, well, I mean, look, I'm way more open because to me, when you talked about mistakes, you listed things that technically none of them were wrong. You. You pierced your ears and you bleached your hair. You can do that for Jesus. That's fine. We're not under the levitical.
Al Robertson
You can get it.
Jase Robertson
But I think. I think the things that y'all were doing in the dark, behind the door, there's.
Al Robertson
There were some things where the gangsta.
Jase Robertson
Lifestyle was presenting a problem.
Zach Dasher
So I'm just. It turned out to be a cry for help, Jason.
Jase Robertson
That's what I'm saying.
Zach Dasher
That.
Jase Robertson
That' sign. We're. We're confusing the sign with.
Al Robertson
Well, I didn't want to hear that. The dirty laundry on the podcast, but, I mean, yes, there were other things going on that I will not speak of today, but, yeah, there was some. Well, let me.
Jase Robertson
In the spirit of Phil Robertson, let me read you a vert dasher. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. So that was a. That was a cry for help.
Al Robertson
Well, you know what, Jace? I actually went into that setting before I kind of went off the deep end. I went in as a missionary to help your brother, and he ended up captivating me with his sinful lifestyle. So it's really Jeff's fault. I really want to blame it on Jeff, and he's not here to defend himself, so I have to have him on the podcast. Let it. Let him defend himself. But I went in with good motives. But, you know, the Bible says, be careful when you rebuke something.
Zach Dasher
I do not. I do not believe that is true. I will say that is not true because Jeff has never been much of a leader. He is a follower. So you may have been leading him down the lane, but I do not see that at all.
Al Robertson
He was more of a leader than you think. Jeff had a little. He had a little following.
Jase Robertson
Time tends to justify bad behavior. But I will. You know, AI which. Our producer, the lovely and talented Maddie, she sent me this, which is from AI, which is actually artificial. So look. Look at the. Zach, I need one of your big words here. Look at the irony of. You can take the word irony and make it bigger of. Artificial intelligence is going to give you some nuggets about what it means to be authentic. Crickets. Artificial intelligence is going to give you some nuggets on what it means to be authentic. So I want to read this. Original gangster, or OG is now used more broadly to describe someone or something that is the original, authentic or highly respected in a particular field. So they just said this is a positive thing.
Al Robertson
Yeah, that's how I meant it.
Jase Robertson
Yeah, but it's artificial.
Al Robertson
Yeah, I didn't mean that. Cole was originally, you know, selling drugs and gambling. He's never been in the.
Jase Robertson
Well, you're missing my point. This is like you going to a fake tree because they make them and they're actually. I have been mistaken many times, especially from my wife. You know, I. Look, I was like, oh, she. She put a little tree in. In the house and it's like, well, it's not real. But that would be like you going to a fake tree and asking it to describe how to produce fruit.
Al Robertson
Because you're saying that definition came from artificial intelligence about how to be authentic, which by the very definition that it came from artificial intelligence means it's not authentic.
Jase Robertson
Yeah. And the real point is they just took what somebody else said, which was real, but it's.
Al Robertson
So they're not called. AI is not OG is what you're telling me.
Jase Robertson
Yeah, there you go.
Zach Dasher
So, Jase, what inspires you about people who have come through persecution, whether it's in the Bible or even modern day persecution?
Jase Robertson
Well, it's one thing to believe in the resurrection of Jesus and it's another to give your. Your life rather than deny that the resurrection of Jesus happened. Which is sad that we live in a world where that's a thing, but it's going on today. But it's also Inspiring because we know at the end of the day this really is true.
Zach Dasher
And when you and I were young in the faith, I mean that was something that really motivated us is like the, you know, the disciples and the first century folks, they didn't turn away and so that meant a lot. Our good friend Todd Nettleton, who is the voice of the Martyrs radio host, has written a called when faith is forbidden. 40 days on the front lines with Persecuted Christians. And basically this book is a journal of 20 years of traveling to restricted nations, as we call them, meaning that if you're going to go there and you're a person of faith, that there's danger for you to even go there. And so these stories about people that live in these places stand up for Christ no matter what the cost and no matter what the consequence is. Each stop of this journey along the way is going to inspire us to be able to live our lives totally unashamed and outspoken for Christ. So we don't want you to miss the opportunity to be inspired by these amazing stories. And it's free. You can request your free copy of When Faith Is forbidden by calling 844-463-4059. That's 844463, 4059. Or you can visit vom.org unashamed. That's vom.org unashamed. But AI is the biggest oxymoron that's ever been put out there. How can you have artificial intelligence and be intelligent?
Al Robertson
Well, it's not real. It's not real.
Zach Dasher
It's not real.
Al Robertson
There's, there's, there's a bigger, there's a bigger discussion around AI that we need to have at some point. I think that this whole transhumanist kind of movement that's emerging and it's kind of scary. I think it has implications on.
Jase Robertson
Well, you need to read your Bible, Zach. AI has been discussed in the Bible. It was a city in Canaan, later destroyed by the Israelites under Joshua. So I think we. That should tell you something right there.
Al Robertson
It's all coming down.
Jase Robertson
That was a joke. You didn't get it?
Al Robertson
I got the joke. Yeah.
Jase Robertson
There's a city in The Bible called AI called AI didn't end well and we brought it back 2,000 years later.
Zach Dasher
But I will say this to, to start to nudges, to play the field role here. Nudge us back toward John 5 because we got into a really good discussion on the last podcast. Because I want to bring this up before is every. I feel like for Thousands of years now. We're talking about several cultures and empires. We talk a lot about Daniel, where he laid out these different empires. There's been this attempt to create God in flesh. I mean, you know, the Greeks had it with the Greek gods, the Romans had it with the Romans gods. Even when you come across the middle centuries, the idea of the monarchs, they were supposedly God in flesh. In other words, their word was all encompassing. Of course, you know, we just saw failure after failure. And it's interesting because when you come along to our era, we have it too. We look at those things. Ah, that's crazy. These myths and all that. But then we've created our own superheroes. It started with the supermans and the marvels and all this stuff. Same thing with God qualities. God qualities, right. And so you take Superman, who was not from this planet, he came from outer space, he came here. But what does he do? He's got all these abilities, he can fly, he's, you know, indestructible, his eyes can burn things, you know, and all this stuff. And yet he falls in love with the reporter and you know, then there's the tension of his humanity versus his superhuman strength. I mean it's just a continued attempted recreation of who Jesus is. I mean to me it's the greatest form of flattery you could have is imitation.
Al Robertson
All the Greek gods too though. Think about all the stories of Zeus and all these Greek gods. But what they where it's different is there, it's like, yes, there's like a deity to it, to these gods. And then there's a humanity as well. But their, their humanity. Well, two things that stick out to me is one, their deity is not like all powerful, right? They're limited in their power, all of them. Superman was limited in his power because Kryptonite could take him down. But the God of the Bible is unlimited in his power. He's unlimited in his sovereignty. He's unlimited in, in his self sufficient, self sustaining, self referen, fully aware of himself. He's wholly other than like there's. He doesn't need anything, he can't be defeated, he can't be conquered. So that's missing in all the other gods. And then on the humanity side they tend to focus on the, the fallen nature of humanity. So you have a God that's limited in power mixed with kind of the corruption of humanity. And in, in the God of the Bible you have unlimited power embodied in a, in a body that is completely pure. There's no sin, there's no depravity. There's no moral and no immorality. He's completely moral and good and perfect. That's like a crazy contrast because you have, like, the transcendent and the imminent in a way that doesn't make sense.
Zach Dasher
To the human mind, which I think is why they create. Back to my original thing. They created Batman because he's a person of the night and the dark, and he's, you know, sort of this shadowy figure that you're not. Is he a good guy? He's a bad guy. He's. He's doing good things. We don't know. So the whole ambiguous nature of this superhero in one of the movies, I think it was the one he was in with Heath Ledger. He said, we're going to get you down in the mud with us for a while. And I just. You know, it's this idea that somehow we can get God down at our level and we can show him how to operate. You know, it's just. I don't know, it seems clear to me it's the same humanity kind of continues to run these same patterns, culture after culture, you know, dynasty after dynasty.
Jase Robertson
Well, it's because they don't. That's why they don't want to do pictures and films about God. Because if he's all powerful and there's no weakness and all that, well, then you got to surrender to him.
Zach Dasher
Yeah.
Jase Robertson
When they don't want to do that.
Zach Dasher
No.
Jase Robertson
So, you know, that's why the Christian people have risen up and they're the ones, you know, doing quality shows about God.
Al Robertson
It's a good point, though. When you think about the story of humanity. We read back the Old Testament and the New Testament even, and we think how, like, look at these idols. Look at the things they worshiped, and we're like, man sounds so stupid. But it's only because we are looking back, with hindsight, this 2020. But if you think about where we're at now in our current a cultural moment, we've just got more sophisticated at basically building the same exact structure. Like, it's like. It's like the Tower of Babel over and over and over again. We've just gotten more sophisticated and how we tell that story. And I think right now, maybe this transhumanism movement, it seems very sophisticated, but it's really just the same old thing as humanism, which is really just the same old thing as idolatry from the Old Testament. It's the same thing. It's just that we want to be in Charge. And we don't want to submit to Jason's point to this God. And I think that's why John 5 is so powerful, because where Batman said, we're going to get you in the mud with us for a little while. Jesus does get into the mud with us, but he doesn't do it to conquer us. He does it to allow us to conquer him. Which is. That's the thing that just blows your mind when you read the Gospel. It's a God that condescends and then suffers. This is Philippians 2. And then ultimately dies. And not just dies, dies on a cross, which was not an honorable death. And then he went and preached to the spirits in prison. So you think about the descent that Jesus went to. It's absolutely mind boggling that that's the method through which victory would come.
Jase Robertson
Yeah. When he obviously had the power. I mean, we started off with this story which he heals a guy, which I didn't really give my take for years when I read this story. I mean, he heals the guy. 38 years. We had touched on that podcast before last on how long 38 years is.
Zach Dasher
Yeah, you did some trends from 38 years ago.
Jase Robertson
And I never finish my thought because I was going to give you my take on it. Like so when I was. When I first read John 5, because I looked at it like it seems so strange because Jesus healed him and he didn't even even know who he was. Now, granted, he. He had to believe because when he said get up and walk, well, he got up.
Zach Dasher
Yeah.
Jase Robertson
Which. So something in there. He thought, well, but you know, in my mind, I thought, what do you got to lose? You try to get up and you can't get up. So he gets up. Because then they asked him. The religious leaders are like, well, who told you to get up and walk? And where does it say? He says first he doesn't acknowledge. He said, the man who made me well said, pick up your mat and walk. So they asked him, well, who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?
Zach Dasher
Because they're not focusing on the man being healed. They're focusing that he was carrying his mat.
Jase Robertson
Carrying his mat on the Sabbath. But the side story is, if you really look at the story, because I put myself in that guy's position and this is kind of low brow where I'm going, but I'm just going to be transparent here. Verse 13, it says the man who was healed had no idea who it was. I found that very strange.
Zach Dasher
Yeah. So he didn't know he was the Son of God. He never even thought about that.
Jase Robertson
Jesus just healed him. So Jesus is making a point, okay, for doing it on the Sabbath, because we're fixed to read that him and his dad. His father is working. It's like we're working here. I'm like, what are you equal? You're saying the father. Yeah, I'm working. He's working. I'm as. I'm his son. What?
Al Robertson
All right, Jace, Al and I have been eating very healthy. I don't think you have been. So what's the most unhealthy, indulgent thing that you've eaten lately?
Jase Robertson
Things that are not green.
Al Robertson
Things that are. Yeah, probably some kind of pie. You said you ate like three quarters of a pie the other day. No, it's not good for you.
Jase Robertson
One and three quarters of a sweet potato pie.
Al Robertson
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Jase Robertson
So verse 13. The man who was healed had no idea, all right? For Jesus had slipped away into the crowd. So then when it gets to this, this 14, because I never really got an explanation of this. Later, Jesus found him at the temple and said, see, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. So when I Thought that when I read this for the first time, of course, I looked up what scholars. I didn't get a conclusion. It was all over the place.
Zach Dasher
It was. They said maybe he had a lifestyle that led to him getting injured and all this stuff.
Jase Robertson
But the way my simple mind thinks, one is a scary thought, but the other thought is, now look, if you had been laying there, an invalid for 38 years, thinking about, it's kind of like you being on a deserted island and waiting to be picked up, you're thinking, boy, if I get back, here's what I'm going to do. Or like being in some kind of military situation, that's terrible, you know, and you're like, if I ever get home, you know, or being in prison, you're like, boy, if I get out, what's going to happen? Well, you know, I'm thinking, if he could get back, going again, the first thing I would think is, well, you know, I'm going to find me a woman. I mean, if I was in that situation and I wasn't a believer in God, wouldn't you be thinking, hey, I'm back working again. I'm, I'm. Well, So I, I, I'm just thinking.
Zach Dasher
Maybe he, maybe he had been an og.
Al Robertson
He was an og.
Jase Robertson
Well, that, that was my thought, but because he's like, well, stop. Evidently you're not handling your, your new, your new body well. And so whatever, flirting, hitting on the chicks, what, you know, or taking all the credit or what, whatever he's doing. But then I think the keep where he says something worse will happen to you, but that's scary. Well, it could be worse than being, you know, crippled for 38 years. Laying low. Exactly. And I think that leads into the resurrection. I mean, I think that's the key point. There's a way not only to get yourself out from under, one of the worst suffering situations on the planet, if you die without me, that's way worse. So then the man went away, and I think this is profound, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. So to me, that's where the conversion happened. It's like, now he's acknowledged, he's like, okay, what am I thinking here? The guy who healed me said, look, something's worse. What could be worse? I think he thought dying and then dying without being in good standing with this fellow.
Zach Dasher
Yeah.
Jase Robertson
So I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go proclaim Jesus as the healer, which kind of.
Zach Dasher
You're right. You're right, Jason. Really kind of Paints the picture that we look at the physical realm and we see the things we face. But Jesus brings in this heavenly idea to us that there's something way bigger than everything we see. And so that's kind of what he gets into with the idea of resurrection now as a possibility of living new life in him with the Holy Spirit, and then looking forward to the ultimate resurrection, which is all things made complete.
Jase Robertson
Anyway, which the ultimate point is. It shows you that a miracle and a sign didn't really save him. It was the acknowledging of Jesus that was the transforming thing in his life. Yeah, because he wasn't living right now. I mean, the scholars seem to be going back to saying the sin caused the first thing, but I'm like, I mean, Jesus said, stop sinning. It seems like a present occurrence to me.
Zach Dasher
Well, plus, I couldn't really buy that, Jace, because when we get to John 9, Jesus, when the disciples ask him about the man born blind, he says the exact opposite.
Jase Robertson
Exactly.
Zach Dasher
But none of this happened.
Jase Robertson
My take on it, which is, you know, I'm not a scholar, but seems to fit with that. He just didn't respond to this miracle. I mean, he literally. This is better than winning the lottery. The man's been crippled for 38 years, and he healed him. And then you're like, oh, I don't even know who he was. And then you're doing. You're probably doing what most people would do. You're having a worldly party. You're having a gangster party down here, drinking way too much, you know, trying to find you a prostitute or whatever, you know, may have had one under his arm. And Jesus is like, hey, you're well again, right? Yeah, well, you need to shut this down or something worse. He's like, oh, hey, hang, whoa. Who is. I need to know who this fella is.
Zach Dasher
Well, it's interesting because to. To kind of bolster your point as a possibility. He found him at the temple, which I'm assuming because this guy had been crippled, he couldn't go there because they would have believed he did sin. That's why he was like this. So now all of a sudden, he can get back in. Right. With the Jewish leadership and the people that are there. And so he's gone to the temple to make it right. But you're right, I don't think that's probably affected his mindset until he runs back up on Jesus again. He gives him a much dire warning.
Jase Robertson
Yeah, who knows what he's doing? I mean, you're just speculating, but Jesus Seemed to call it sin. So, you know, and he had cleaned out the temple earlier two chapters before, you know.
Al Robertson
Yeah. It's kind of funny because there's two. There's kind of like two types of people in the world. Like, if I'm in this. You think two types of people in this situation, they see this man get healed. I think everybody's would have probably asked the question, who is the guy that healed you? But there's two different ways you can ask that question. Who is the guy that you. That healed you? Because I want to go meet that guy because I want to get healed, or who's the guy that healed you? I want to go and shut him down because of what. What he's messed up the apple cart. So it's the motivation of wanting to know who Jesus was. And really it goes back to. They wanted to know, like, was someone who. Who was it that was disturbing and disrupting their authority structure. That's. That's the thing that's happening here is like, who's messing this up? Which is why they. It says the. Because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. And in defense, in defense, Jesus said to them, my Father is always at his work, at his work to this very day, and I too am working. And so for this reason, they tried all the more to kill him. Not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own father, making himself equal with God. And if you think about, like, what is this? Like, does this happen today? I've been. I mean, we've all been in ministry long enough that if you're in a church. I've been in churches and in ministries where the Holy Spirit started to move and it starts messing up things like traditions. It starts messing up, you know, whether you have, you know, my grandfather paid for that pew and, you know, 1947 and y'all wanting to read like, the dumbest stuff that people will get mad about. But you see it. It's like, it's like a move of the spirit. And then we get. People get nervous. Religious people get nervous about that because we lose. We lose our power. We lose our authority. We lose our. Our own air quote. Sovereignty. Yeah, we lose that.
Zach Dasher
I think it was interesting that, you know, NT Wright in his commentary, he had an interesting illustration talking about this moment being a heavenly apprenticeship is what he called it that. That text you read in the last podcast act in 19 through 22, where he talks about this idea about watching the. Being a part of the Father and then coming to earth. And I just thought it was really interesting. I hadn't thought about it before that Jesus becoming flesh was in essence, you know, a heavenly apprentice to the Father. And the idea was then he would train generations after him to follow in his footsteps. And he talked about in his family and to Wright did that there were six generations. He didn't mention what it is, but some sort of work that his family had done. This is like physical labor, but they had trained son to son, son to son. But when it came to him, he was a thinker, you know, and so he wound up kind of going the scholarly route. But now he was. His sons were like him. And so he was training them how to write and all this stuff. And I thought, well, that's what happens in human terms. We kind of fork off in different directions. But from a heavenly perspective, there's only one son of the Father who then taught his disciples, who then established the church, who then have trained foundation after foundation of foundation that have gone forward. And here we are, 2,000 years later, we're still talking about the same thing, because we are apprentice, we are heavenly apprentices as we live our life here on this earth. And it made me think about our family, Jace, because, you know, dad had a nobody before him. I mean, I guess his uncles and his, you know, duck hunted, but nobody really had the ability to make a duck call until dad just did it. And then he trained you how to do it, who then trained Stone how to do it, who was just a guy we met who then became a brother in Christ and learned how to do duck calls. And now we're three generations into duck call builders. And I thought, this is exactly how he works. It's the idea of seeing something and then being trained in it to impact. And I just love the idea that we are the heavenly ambassadors. That's what we do. We want to talk to you about Liberty University. You know, we kind of have a long history with them. Zach, you've got some experience with Liberty as well.
Al Robertson
Yeah, Laila went there for college for a year and then Max did their online program when he was in high school.
Zach Dasher
Yeah, and that's exactly what my grandkids have done. Carly graduated from there and Bailey K. Is going there now. And you know, they live up to their name. Liberty is freedom. Their mission is training champions for Christ with a world class Bible based education, which is fantastic. They have over 700 residential and online degrees, so you're bound to find something that lines up with your passion and helps you towards a solid career. And they offer a variety of scholarships and financial assistance to help make it happen. What's cool is the online degree programs have eight start dates a year with no set login time, so you can work on your degree whenever it fits into your schedule. And as I mentioned, if you're looking for an accredited online Christian homeschool program that you can trust, they have that as well. The Liberty University Online Academy, which we are participating in. Flexible. It's self paced. 24, 7 support plus graduates get 50% off residential tuition and 15% off online. Take the next step toward your future and visit Liberty to learn more. And here's a great perk. Because you're part of the unashamed podcast family, your application fee is waived. That's Liberty Edu unashamed. No excuses. Now's the time to get started.
Jase Robertson
Yeah, and I think the point, the reason this caused problems is because you have to get in the mind of, of who he's talking to and their history. So I think what caused the problems? Because why are they so upset about it? Because when you first read this, like when I was a young Christian, I thought, what are you talking about? Hard hearted? The guy's healed and you can't celebrate because he did it on the day we're supposed to rest. And he's picking because it really wasn't about him even being healed. He's.
Zach Dasher
If he hadn't said pick up his mat, they would have had a problem. They'd have just been running around mad here.
Jase Robertson
But so that's why I think when you first read it, I think a lot of people that you know are not Christians, they're like, well, this is the dumbest story because it doesn't seem realistic. So everybody would say that's a good thing. But the problem was the way Jesus words this when he started talking about my father is always at work. So you have to go back to the creation story. Well, God rested on the seventh day, which is where the whole idea of the Sabbath came from, this day of resting. But they knew that they couldn't work because it's a time of rejuvenation and celebration, which is what they should have been doing. I mean, we have rejuvenation here and it should have celebration. But somebody has got to sustain the earth, which is God. So they concluded, and you can read all Jewish literature about this, it's okay for God to work on the Sabbath. It's just not right for the people to be working because you have this day of rest, symbolizing God rested on the seventh day. So then all of a sudden, when here's a human Jesus saying, well, I'm work. God's working. Which was okay, because someone has to sustain the earth, right? Well, when you say, well, and he's my father, they're like, but you're a human. And so that's why I said, it gets into this, these people who are not looking at Jesus becoming a human, this story wouldn't make sense here. He's a human saying, God is my father. That's why they got so angry, because now he's calling himself equal with God. And don't miss the thrilling part of this is that God is working. He's working. He's not way off, like a million miles away. Like our culture thinks that God's just oblivious to all what's going on. Oh, he's working. He's just working in us now through his spirit.
Zach Dasher
Well, and there's something too, Jaz, about this, this concept of resurrection that he brings up, because he's going to get into that pretty heavy here. But remember, he's already alluded to it actually twice. One, it was. Was in John 2, and he said, you know, they were looking at the temple. He said, you know, if you destroy this temple, you know, God will raise it up in three days, of course. And then John tells us he was talking about himself, he was talking about his body, he was talking about being resurrected. And then it's interesting when he tells this guy to get up is the way the NIV puts it in verse eight of chapter five, the word there is the word rise. And it's the same thing he tells Lazarus. You know, it's the same thing that's referred to, same Greek word is when he rose, the idea is rise up. And so in essence, it's almost like a resurrection, which he's going to get into a little bit later, that there is both resurrection now and later, which we've referenced already. So I think it's interesting that he chose this moment in an argument about the Sabbath to really zone in on the idea of the resurrection, which is. Which is a much bigger point, a much finer point that he was talking about. And I look back, you know, there in the other gospels, all three of those highlighted two other instances. One is, you remember when you heal the guy with a shriveled hand, and that was on the Sabbath. And then also another time he got into it with them was when his disciples were picking heads of grain as they're walking along on the Sabbath and eating. And they said they can't do that. You know, that means they're working because they're picking these heads of grain. So the point is, Jesus has done this multiple times throughout his ministry, and those are just the ones we see recorded. This concept that we weren't made just to be law keepers. The law was made to benefit us. The fact we couldn't keep it wound our downfall. But it was. We had the horse before the, you know, the car before the horse. If we're trying to somehow focus in on law. Because I would argue you could make the same statement when he said that, you know, man was not made for the Sabbath, but Sabbath for man. You could say the same thing for any law. They were made for our benefit and our good. But the fact we can't keep them doesn't mean that somehow we can hold the law up as our salvation. It never works.
Jase Robertson
Well, and he's eventually going to get to that when he says, you know, you put your faith in Moses, but you don't believe what he said about me, which most people then go Google what Moses said about Jesus, and you get. You start getting crickets because AI can't figure out exactly what that is. And of course they're. Because they're missing the whole point about the glimpses of Jesus being predicted or fulfilling the very things that was given to the people. I mean, Jesus, remember when he said, I didn't come here to abolish the law, I came to fulfill it. Which you get the Sermon on the Mount, which is so awesome once you put it kind of in the proper context. Because he's like, you're justifying everything you do, saying, I haven't killed anybody. And Jesus is like, yeah, but if you want to, it's just as bad.
Zach Dasher
That's right.
Jase Robertson
They're like, oh, wait, what? Who is this guy?
Zach Dasher
You know, which winds up being the whole point. You're right, Jess. I thought the same thing about the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes. The idea that we want to do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.
Jase Robertson
Yeah.
Zach Dasher
Not because we want to know, how close to the line can I possibly get without crossing it? That's the way a legalist night. He's like, no, no, we got to back up. Way before that. You've been resurrected, you've been made new. That's why Paul would make the point in Romans 6. He was like, how do we go on living a lifestyle that we've died to? I mean, that's we left that dead. What's been raised is now spirit driven, not flesh driven.
Jase Robertson
Yeah. And that's why this, this thing gets kind of complex when you start making it practical. Because there is kind of a spiritual resurrection and then there's going to be a physical resurrection.
Zach Dasher
Correct.
Jase Robertson
And your heart is going to change and the body will come later. But it's inevitable. If you're trusting in Jesus, what do you want to go through these similarities he made to him?
Zach Dasher
What were you going to say is that?
Al Robertson
I was just gonna say, yeah, I think it's good to think about when he says that the Son's going to give life. It's just the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. But life is not just a description of quantity, it's a description of quality and how we relate and get to actually be in community with the triune God. Like we're getting invited into a relationship that's perfect and pure and holy and good. And that's the vibrancy that we're all. That's the connection. That's the. That's he is the prize in the end. So I think that that's why it's not just. Can't just be contained to like, you know, living forever. Because it says here about the resurrection, if you notice that what he says here is that there's two types of people that will be resurrected.
Jase Robertson
That's in 28.
Zach Dasher
28.
Al Robertson
In 28, he says the resurrection, one will be raised to judgment, the other will be raised to life. And so that's important to think about. Like it's not just the resurrection, it's what, like what is the quality of life that you're being saved into? Life is defined not as existence. Life is defined as knowing the one true God. Being in relationship, being connected, being whole. I think that's the big. That's the hard thing that we're trying to accomplish in our study of the scriptures is to try to see the way the gospels seem to describe eternal life. It's not something that I say a prayer check, boom, I had the magic password now and I get into eternal existence. That doesn't seem to be the picture that the scripture is pointing to. What the scripture is pointing to is like I have a deep God shaped hole in my heart and a longing that I can't satisfy except for the fact that God enters in and says, I will fill that hole in your heart because only I can fit in there. And I'm going to come and live inside people now that's the picture of life.
Zach Dasher
Well, I want to. I want to read you this one thing, Jason. I think this just kind of overview, and then we can get into the weeds of it. But I. One of the guys I read, Chucksman Doll.
Al Robertson
He.
Zach Dasher
He had outlined this text in a way I had never seen or noticed before. Something that. Pretty amazing happens. Here's how we broke it down. These are the claims of John 5, 19, 30. The son of man is equal with God, which of course, was one of their bigger problems. That's in 19 and 20. The son of man is the giver of life. He says that in verse 21, which makes sense, because think about it. How could you talk about it unless you were the one that created it? The Son of Man is the final judge. 22 and 23. The son of man will determine the eternal destiny of humanity. Verse 24. And then the Son of Man will raise the dead. 25, 29. And here's. Here's what I never noticed before. The last one. He says the Son of Man is Jesus, who always does the will of God. Because every up until verse 30, he's used himself in the third person, talking about the Son of Man. When he gets to verse 30, he just goes ahead and puts it out there. But by myself, I can do nothing. So now he's using pronouns for him. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself, but him who sent me. And I never thought about that before, that He. He talked about the Son of Man. Well, you know, they can agree with all that stuff until it gets to the fact that he says, and I am that Son of Man. Yeah, I mean, I am the Word in flesh. And so when he says that, all of a sudden. Wait a minute. Which is why then he shifts over and talks about the testimony that's been around that says he is who he says he is. So I. I just. I had never seen that before. I'd never noticed that. But I thought that was a pretty good take on who Jesus is in this text and the fact that he's putting himself out there fully, which is why he went down this road.
Al Robertson
Have you guys ever discovered any subscriptions that you forgot about? Or maybe you were paying twice for them? It ever happened to y'all, by the way?
Zach Dasher
No, it happens in my house all the time, because I have a lot of grandkids that get on the phone and then. And then order stuff that I don't know anything about. So, yes, it happens to me quite frequently. Today.
Al Robertson
Yeah, I had a bunch of them. I didn't. I actually didn't even know I had them until I signed up for this Rocket Money app. And then I realized that I had multiple subscriptions. I was paying twice for some of them. I forgot that I even had. And so I signed up for Rocket Money, they identified these subscriptions, and they actually canceled the subscriptions for you. And that can be tricky and can be time consuming if you don't have the time to do it yourself. Our friends here at Rocket Money do just that. Rocket Money, here's what it is. It's a personal finance app that finds and cancels your unwanted subscriptions, that monitors your spending. It helps lower your bills so that you can start growing your savings. I can see all my subscriptions in one place, and if I see something that I don't like, well, Rocket Money can help me cancel it. Rocket Money's dashboard gives me a clear view of my expenses across all my accounts. I can create a personalized budget to help me keep my spending on track, get alerts if my bills increase in price or if there's unusual spending activity. Plus, the new goals feature automatically saves money for you. Rocket Money will even try to negotiate your bills lower for you if you want them to. They automatically scan your bills to find opportunities to save, and then you can ask them to negotiate them for you. They'll deal with the customer service team so you don't have to. Rocket Money has over 5 million users and has saved a total of 500 million and cancel subscriptions, saving members up to $740 a year. When using all the app's premium features. So you can cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money, go to RocketMoney.com Unashamed today. That's RocketMoney.com Unashamed. RocketMoney.com Unashamed.
Jase Robertson
Yeah, well, Zach and I was talking before we started. This language that he's using comes from Ezekiel and Daniel 7, about the son of man. He uses it in both instances and in Ezekiel, which, you know, we're not going to read Ezekiel 34 through 37, but I recommend reading it because all of a sudden, this stuff that we're talking about, this. Not yet now or now not yet, it really shows itself once you read Ezekiel 34 to 37. And that's the. Just off the top of your head. Everybody, I think, knows the story of the Valley of Dry Bones, where Ezekiel goes out there and sees all these dead bones. It's like almost Like a movie in your mind. And all of a sudden they start rattling and flesh gets on the bone and they come to life, you know, and the. Then, then God breathes life into him and the spirit is poured into him. But when you read all that, you. You see that really, he's predicting that there's going to be this great shepherd that's coming, and it's going to pour out this spirit on the nation of Israel, and it's basically going to resurrect Israel itself. I mean, Ezekiel 37 and verse. Where was we reading that earlier, before? I think it's verse 11. Let me just read 11 through 14. He said, Son of man. There's that phrase, these bones are the people of Israel. They say our bones are dried up and our hope is gone. We're cut off. Therefore, prophesy and say to them, this is what the. The sovereign Lord says. My people, I'm going to open your graves and bring you up from them. I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord. When I open your graves and bring you up from them, I will put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord has spoken and I have done it, declares the Lord. And so my point is, this language is all over John 5.
Zach Dasher
Yeah.
Jase Robertson
And when you fast forward to us, because you're saying, well, what are you saying? That. That he's not talking about the final resurrection. And we've kind of touched on this. But let me just show you how, Paul, then. So if you go to Ezekiel 34 through 37, you go to John 5, then you go to 2 Corinthians 5 and kind of get this. Not yet. Now watch how we eventually get to the same topic. So you go to 2 Corinthians 5, verse 5, and it says, now it is God who has made us for this very purpose. What purpose? So that in verse four, he says that we may be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Well, he's talking about the resurrection here, the final resurrection. Would you agree? Because he starts off saying, if we know their earthly tent, so he says, we've been given the Holy Spirit as a deposit. Then verse 6 says, Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body, look at this phrase. We are away from the Lord. He's looking at that being more with the Lord than what is actually Happening to us. Sure, we're going to get a new body, but living eternally with the Lord, that is the thrilling part of this. We're going to be with the Lord forever. We live by faith, not by sight. We're confident and would prefer to be away from the body. And there it is again, at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him. Well, now we're getting into some now stuff. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Same language as in John 5. Each one may receive what is done. I mean, do him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. But look how it transitions into now, verse 11. Since then, we know what it is to fear the Lord. We try to persuade men what we are is plain to God. And then he gets down to where does he say, we're a new creation? Verse 16. So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. What does a new creation mean? You've been raised a new creation now with the Holy Spirit in you. And so what do we do? We realize the old is gone, the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ. We are therefore ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. So I'm just. I read all that to show you there's glimpses of the fulfillment of what Ezekiel is saying in here. There's obviously these truths that Jesus is with God, in God, equal with God, but a different role, surrendering himself as a human. And he's offering restoration for Israel, which impacts us. Because when you then go to Acts 2, which is what Ezekiel, what 35 and 36 is talking about, the Spirit being poured out. You see all these groups of Israelites from all nations gathered up. A miracle happens. The Holy Spirit is poured out. Jesus is declared. They respond, they receive the Spirit. And then what do they do? They. They go to all the nations preaching Jesus. So it is this not yet now flavor in John 5. It's the only way to wrap your head around it, in my opinion.
Zach Dasher
And the only way we could do it was the way he closed that text. And in 2nd Corinthians 5, 21, God made him who had no sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God. So you couldn't do it. It's not something you could do on your own. So in essence, the way I like to say it is eternal life begins with internal life. It's that which has changed within us, the Holy Spirit, which then allows us to look forward to the promise that we're already living as we're here on earth.
Al Robertson
Yeah, the end of Ezekiel 37, if you look at the last verse, it has language. It's very similar to the indwellment of the Holy Spirit, the temple language that we use a lot, that God's going to make us home in humans now. He says that at the end of Ezekiel chapter 37, he says, make us home in the people now. And so when you're reading it, you read about Israel. I think it's important to go back and also read Paul's words in Romans 9 to help us get a better understanding of what he means by Israel in the grand scheme of things. Paul says this in Romans 9, and I won't pontificate it. I'll just read to you what Paul says. In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring. It's the children of the promise which.
Jase Robertson
Ties into that John one, when he started off, when he said, yet to all who received him, those who believed in his name gave the right to become children of God, you know, when he gave his general thoughts of Jesus in that first chapter.
Al Robertson
Yes, it's kind of a re understanding of Israel because he said in verse 6 of Romans 9, it's not as though God's word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor, because they are his descendants, are they Abraham's children. On the contrary, it is through Isaac that your offspring shall be reckoned. In other words, it's not the children of the physical descent who are God's children, but the children of the promise. And so we start thinking about what does Israel mean? This is not replacement theology.
Jase Robertson
What?
Al Robertson
Because there, there is like Jews and Gentiles together, everyone, which is everyone who are now God's children. If you are a children of the promise, which means if you are a child of faith, we are saved by.
Jase Robertson
Faith and faith alone, which I think helps you understand. John 3, when he went to Israel's teacher Nicodemus, remember? And he was like, he said, why.
Zach Dasher
Don'T you know this?
Jase Robertson
Why don't you know this? For God so loved the whole world, you know, I mean, he's saying it's not based on There's a new creation and it's not based on new creation in Christ.
Al Robertson
What does Paul say? In Christ there is neither slave nor free, male nor female, Greek, Greek, Jew, or Gentile or or Israel. There's not we don't make the distinction in Christ. And so I think that that is a that's wild.
Zach Dasher
We're out of time. I'll close with this one of my favorite verses and hits our overall theme. Hebrews 2:11 both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family, so Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers as well. We'll close on the Unashamed Podcast. We'll pick it up next time. John5 thanks for listening to the Unashamed Podcast. Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcast and don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube. And be sure to click the little bell and choose all notifications to watch every episode.
Unashamed with the Robertson Family: Episode 1069 Summary
Episode Title: Jase Gets Offended by a Slang Term & Zach’s Hairdo Causes Chaos at Church
Release Date: April 4, 2025
Hosts: Phil Robertson, Al Robertson, Jase Robertson, Zach Dasher
Special Guests: Maddie (Family Member)
In Episode 1069 of Unashamed with the Robertson Family, titled "Jase Gets Offended by a Slang Term & Zach’s Hairdo Causes Chaos at Church," the Robertson family delves into discussions that intertwine modern cultural expressions with their unwavering Christian faith. Hosted by Phil, Al, Jase, Zach, and featuring their insightful guest Maddie, the episode offers a blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and deep theological insights straight from West Monroe, Louisiana.
The episode kicks off with a lighthearted yet thought-provoking conversation about the term "OG," commonly understood as "Original Gangster." Jase Robertson expresses discomfort with the slang, questioning its appropriateness within a Christian context.
Notable Quote:
Jase Robertson [02:14]: "Original Gangster. I don't even think a Christian should even use those two words. I'M deeming that a cuss word."
The hosts engage in a playful guessing game to decipher the meaning behind "OG," eventually revealing Maddie’s insight that it stands for "Original Gangster." This leads to a broader discussion about the influence of contemporary language on Christian expressions and the balance between cultural relevance and maintaining spiritual integrity.
Zach Dasher humorously defends the term by contrasting it with their friend Cole Prime, who embodies the qualities opposite of a gangster, highlighting the flexibility and evolution of slang within different contexts.
Personal Anecdote: Al Robertson reminisces about his college days when he and Jeff (another family member) adopted a "gangster" persona, including dyed hair and ear piercings, which caused a stir within their church community. This nostalgic reflection serves as a foundation for discussing the tensions between youthful expressions and established church traditions.
As the conversation progresses, the hosts touch on more serious topics, including personal struggles and the concept of "tough love." Al Robertson shares a candid moment about his past missionary work and the unintended consequences of trying to "rebuke" his son, Jeff, which spiraled into a period of personal turmoil. This segment underscores the complexities of familial relationships within the framework of faith and doctrine.
Notable Quote:
Jase Robertson [07:11]: "Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."
This poignant statement emphasizes the importance of openness and vulnerability in addressing sin and fostering genuine repentance and transformation.
Transitioning from familial anecdotes, the episode explores the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications on authenticity. Jase Robertson critiques AI’s definitions, particularly highlighting the inherent irony in the term "Artificial Intelligence" itself.
Notable Quote:
Jase Robertson [09:18]: "Artificial intelligence is going to give you some nuggets about what it means to be authentic. Crickets. Artificial intelligence is going to give you some nuggets on what it means to be authentic. So I want to read this."
The hosts debate the limitations of AI in capturing genuine human experiences and spiritual truths, drawing parallels between technological advancements and biblical prophecies. This leads to a theological exploration of how scripture addresses concepts of creation, authenticity, and the divine, further tying into their discussions on AI’s role in modern life.
The centerpiece of the episode is a comprehensive theological discussion centered around John 5, where Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath. Jase and Zach Robertson dissect this passage, linking it to broader themes of resurrection, faith, and the nature of Jesus’ mission.
Notable Quote:
Zach Dasher [26:48]: "Eternal life begins with internal life. It's that which has changed within us, the Holy Spirit, which then allows us to look forward to the promise that we're already living as we're here on earth."
The conversation traverses through various biblical references, including Ezekiel 34–37 and 2 Corinthians 5, to illustrate the continuity of God’s promises and the unfolding of divine restoration. The hosts highlight how these scriptures collectively point towards a transformation that begins internally through faith and culminates in the ultimate resurrection.
Key Points:
The hosts argue against legalistic interpretations of the Bible, advocating for a faith-based approach that prioritizes relationship with God over mere rule-keeping. They emphasize that true faith transforms the believer from within, enabling a life that naturally aligns with divine will rather than being constrained by ritualistic practices.
Notable Quote:
Zach Dasher [41:21]: "Instead of living by sight, we're living by faith."
This segment reinforces the idea that eternal life is deeply relational, focusing on knowing God intimately and embodying His love and righteousness in everyday life.
As the episode winds down, the hosts summarize their discussions by reiterating the transformative power of faith and the importance of living authentically as followers of Christ. They underscore the significance of internal change brought about by the Holy Spirit, paving the way for an eternal relationship with God.
Final Thought:
Zach Dasher [57:20]: "We're out of time. I'll close with this one of my favorite verses and hits our overall theme. Hebrews 2:11: Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family, so Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers as well."
This closing remark encapsulates the episode’s overarching message of unashamed faith, familial bonds in Christ, and the pursuit of an authentic, Spirit-led life.
Key Takeaways:
Unashamed with the Robertson Family Episode 1069 offers a rich tapestry of humor, personal stories, and profound theological insights, encouraging listeners to embrace their faith unapologetically while navigating contemporary cultural landscapes.