← Unashamed with the Robertson Family
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- [00:00]
Al
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Jace
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Al
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Jace
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- [01:05]
Al
So welcome back to Unashamed. We man, we've all been, we were talking before we got started today. This has been an amazing week since last we came to you guys. You know, we're always a few days behind in terms of recording versus releasing and so you know, we had the whole Charlie Kirk situation happen since we last all were together to record. But obviously, you know, we, everybody's been thinking and talking about the entire situation. Zach, you did a great job just kind of cutting in with the breaking news last week to the audience to let everybody know that, you know, we're aware of it even though we weren't recording. But I don't know, I just, I'm interested to hear what you guys, your thoughts are kind of what's happened these last four or five days and the impact has had on you.
- [01:52]
Zach
Yeah, yeah, it's interesting. We actually, the way we're releasing this is we have two other episodes in front of it that were so timely with the content of what we talked about, of the world, inside the world.
- [02:05]
Al
So it was scary how prophetic.
- [02:08]
Zach
You know, just thinking about how we were in that part of the. Of, of the text in John. It was so appropriate. So we wanted to leave those, those episodes in and. But we also wanted to kind of us together talk about what happened. So Jase, you've been, you've been traveling. So you were gone. Everybody was gone but me. So y' all have been on the road.
- [02:30]
Jace
Well, I agree. You know, we just went through John 15 and Jesus has that statement about no greater love than a guy laying down his life for his friends, you know, which he's speaking of prophetically, what he's going to do. But even at the end of the chapter of 15, it's like, when the counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the spirit of.
- [03:02]
Al
Truth.
- [03:05]
Jace
Who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also, he says, for you have been with me from the beginning, but. And you will also testify about me. But then he gets to chapter 16, where we're at, and he's like, I tell you all this so you won't go astray. And then he has this statement, which, you know, when you're just reading the Bible, there's always a detachment, I think, in some points where you're just reading this like a book. But he's like, look, I'm warning you, they're going to put you out of the synagogue. A time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me, which is the motive behind that. This is. They. They don't. They don't know God. They're going to kill you for testifying about me. And he says, I've told you this so that when the time comes, you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. But just for those guys listening to that, I mean, that had to. They had to be thinking, well, wait a minute. Come a time when they're going to try to kill me. I mean. And which they did.
- [04:22]
Al
Every single one of them.
- [04:24]
Jace
Yeah, which was my first thought on this. I mean, the backstory. Me. I want to tell you something that's kind of weird, but from my perspective, which is really not a big deal, but so the day before Charlie Kirk got shot, my son had reached out to me and said, dad, you need to get on this Charlie Kirk podcast. I mean, he. He sent me a text of that. And then my wife, without knowledge of that text, she said, you know, we're headed to Nashville in a couple weeks because we're going to do our podcast from Nashville that's upcoming and with some special guests, and we're pretty much making a week out of it. But she said, this guy, Charlie Kirk, is doing an event in the Nashville area in a couple weeks. And so she said, I think we ought to look into going and use some of your connections. And so it was kind of strange. Well, you know, I had heard of Charlie Kirk. But I wasn't well versed. And so I literally researched him the day before and listen to a couple videos. And I was kind of struck because I was like, so here's a guy who didn't go to college, who's now going to colleges and has a sign that says prove me wrong, and has conversations with people that are opposed to his views. And he seems to, you know, win every debate that I listen to. And I thought, isn't that interesting? So what I was struck, I didn't realize he was kind of a. Which a couple of videos I watched was. My number one goal quoting him is to get the gospel of Jesus out to the world. And my number two goal is to pursue the freedom to do number one, which is get the gospel out. And so, of course, y' all know me. It's like, I'm in on this. And so what it made me think is all the bits I do about into my speaking, I'll hold up the Bible. And I'm like, the Bible makes you smart. It really does. I mean, because he's using those principles from God Almighty to win all these debates. And of course, I do think he, you know, had the gift of articulation and however his brain wires are connecting in the moment to be off the cuff, spectacular in conversation. But this reminded me of Jesus having conversations. I mean, how many times have I said that? He asked questions, he had conversations, he spoke truth to Powers, and those three things is what came out of that. So, you know, I, I said, well, make it. I told my wife, I was like, make it happen. Let, let's, let's go to work on that. And then the next day, wow, that happened.
- [07:29]
Al
Well, and look, he. We all know, and I'm so glad that you, you looked enough to see if his commitment to Christ because like everything kind of portrayed in more of the discussion about him, no matter where you were getting your information from, was, was him more the political activist. You know, the job he did on getting Trump elected, you know, those were the accolades I heard much more than what we know was his real motivation, which was faith. Because a lot of those discussions with those kids on those college campuses were about biblical issues. They were about, you know, the gender of a man and a woman. They were about abortion. They were, they were about the very things that, you know, know we know it's more than just cultural issues. These are, these are biblical thoughts. And the evil one is kind of run amok with this kind of current mindset. And, you know, you talk about we talk about lies from the evil one. I mean, there's been so many lies. And so I would say from. From Charlie Kurt's perspective, his tour was a truth tour, which directly links to this text is the idea. This was what happens when light goes in. Yeah, but the thing about it is, what we know is just like with the disciples and Jesus himself is murder will not stamp out truth. You know, you've heard that a lot. I. I tell you, the most moving thing I've seen since this all happened was watching his wife, you know, go on camera, still grieving, which is always, you know, scary and dangerous to be that, you know, in grief, and yet go do something public. We all know how this is. I mean, anytime you have something, you know, you're trying to get your thoughts with you. But she moved me to tears with her commitment to what his life was about. I mean, in other words, it was more like, you know, you took my husband. But the idea was, but you will not stamp out who we are and what we stand for. And so I was inspired. I mean, I was like, you got it. I'll go wherever I got to go to keep doing what I'm doing. So it. It just fortified my commitment to what we're doing, both on this podcast. But like Zach said, we were traveling this weekend. We're out and about every weekend somewhere in the country, you know, knowing that you're. You're. You're at risk like anybody else.
- [09:45]
Jace
Yeah, we all were. We all were traveling. I mean, I was speaking in South Carolina two nights. Willie was in Jacksonville, Florida, two hours after he was shot. He. He got up at. What was the guy's name? Who's. Joby Martin's church? Yeah, Joby Martin's church. And, of course, Willie was like. I didn't even. I. I couldn't. It was like I was in a fog because he was obviously upset, and he had met Charlie, and. Which, in a weird, random circumstance, I'm flying back from South Carolina. And when I got to them, Atlanta to Monroe Gate. Well, here comes Willie and his assistant. They're. They're coming from Michigan because he went from Jacksonville, Florida, to Michigan, and then he was headed home at the same time I was. So we got to just sit there and talk. Which he said, I saw you over here, because he. He. He. When he came in, he sat way off to the back, and he said, I saw you over here. And I thought, well, that's my brother. I might already go sit by him. This was kind of weird, but he.
- [11:01]
Al
Had to debate at first. So, Jase, I think we can safely say that dad has always been a conservationist in terms of wetlands, hunting, property. I mean, our whole lives, he was all about the land.
- [11:17]
Jace
Well, in the calendar year, you get to duck hunt, basically three months, but the other nine months is getting ready to duck hunt, which that brings in the idea of conserving the land itself for future generations.
- [11:34]
Al
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- [12:26]
Jace
But we were both just completely. I don't know what the word is. You know, I don't have. I have a good word for that because the. We both agreed the energy and the audiences were definitely different.
- [12:45]
Al
Yeah.
- [12:45]
Jace
I mean, in both cases, there was not one open seat. We had people standing up in the back on both nights for mine, on both the events he had. And just this had just happened. I mean, I'm glad I had at least a day before I had to speak, but Willie was like two hours into it, and because it did, I just wanted to say it. I think where this thing got real personal for everyone is when here's a guy who's basically made his whole platform about having conversations, which I want to reiterate, he. He got that from Jesus.
- [13:24]
Al
Yeah.
- [13:25]
Jace
Asking questions and having conversations. And I wish I had known because I, I, like you said, I thought he was more of a political activist because I was. I, you know, I don't do social media. I. I don't. I just. That's what I thought. But once I did the research, I was like, oh, oh, wait, wait, wait a second here.
- [13:44]
Al
Yeah. And.
- [13:45]
Jace
And I think where this thing got really personal for everyone is when you brought up lies. Al. A delusion came out when people started cheering that he was killed. And I'm using the word delusion on purpose because that's a biblical word. And when you look at where that word came from, from the Greek word think, 2 Thessalonians 2, where it says, you know, God will allow a powerful delusion to form, where they're doing things that not ought to be done in cahoots with the evil one, by the way. And that word is translated a lot of times in the Bible as error. You know, in the second Peter 2, which is real graphic about these people who are like springs without water, and they do these horrible things. And even when angels sin, he uses that word error. And that's what it is. It's a delusion. Because you think, now why in the world would somebody be cheering the murder of a guy whose whole platform pretty much represents the American way, where you have ideas and you talk, you have freedom of speech, and you debate them.
- [15:07]
Zach
You think. Where you debate them, you figure out, yeah, I mean, it's point, counterpoint, like, exactly.
- [15:13]
Jace
Which is the prerequisite for nonviolent behavior. This is not a battle of wills where the strongest will survive through. Through power and the sword and gun. No, no, we're going to discuss things and have conversations, which is what I said. The bedrock of that is, was Jesus's ministry. And so. And famously, Jesus said, we're to be. The members of the kingdom are peacemakers. What did he mean by that? The message. Faith comes through here, and the message. And the message is heard by the word of truth. The weapons we fight with are not of the world. Even remember when Jesus was arrested, he was like, no, no. He was confronted by Pilate, and he was like, look, if my kingdom was of this world, we would pick up, you know, weapons and. But we're. We're not. This is not what this is. And so I said all that to say this, the first thing. And I've heard no one say this, but the first thing I thought of was, well, here's Jesus, who, unlike Charlie Kirk, Jesus was 100% perfect. He was having all these conversations. Conversations. He never got anything wrong. He never did anything wrong. He never had any sin. He said that, you know, in John 5, can any of you prove me guilty of sin? And then when he's before the government powers and they're trying to find a way to release him because there's no evidence. There's no. I mean, you're fixed to kill a man who did nothing wrong. And the crowd starts cheering, hollering. You remember what they were hollering Crucifying, Crucifying, crucifying. I mean, that's what I thought. I thought you talk about a delusion, and I just see similarities in that. Because these people who were cheering, they. To be in such a bubble to where you think. Because the only reason you would cheer that is if you think this is socially acceptable. Like, there's a lot of people, the majority, who think, oh, this is a good thing. And so I think you really see this whole conversation of light coming into darkness and revealing itself, even the atrocity of this line of thinking that somehow this was a good thing. And really where this came from, because now the details are coming out. It really comes from all these lies, you know, like, it's a good thing for society to kill your babies or, you know, just turn criminals out in the streets. And all these kind of acts result in death.
- [18:05]
Zach
Yeah, I mean, it is a death work, which I think that Jesus said that. He said this about those who. I think he would be speaking to, those who would mock and revel and celebrate murder. He says in John 8 that, you are of your Father, the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies. He speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. And so you see the connection that Jesus makes with this delusion. There is a. There is an ultimate liar that when he lies, he speaks his native tongue and he. And that is directly connected to him being a murderer. And I think that that is one of the things I thought about was such a incredible juxtaposition between how people responded to the murder of Charlie Kirk. You know, I thought about that verse in 1 Corinthians 10 where Paul says that we don't wage war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh. So nobody was out there picking up arms or anything like that, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God. And we take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete. And I think, man, overall, how do people respond? Man, there were prayer. These prayer meetings, and there were worship services. And I mean, everybody I know we did that in the. In this podcast. Our only. Our first response was to come into a posture of prayer, which is interesting because somebody in the comments was saying that we need to tighten up because we were. I'm like, tighten up, man. We offered a prayer. Yeah, we offered a prayer to God on behalf of this man's family. And so I think what. What you're talking about, Jace, is that it does seem like the lights got turned on this last week. Like somebody turned. God turned the lights on and you're seeing evil for what it really is. And I think the church, a lot of people are waking up, man. Like, man, I've been carrying. I've been carrying this weight for a long time. I'm tired of like, we got to take the kid gloves off and we got to tell the truth and we got to be real. I think this is a moment. I think this is going to be. We are in a major cultural moment that I think that is going to fundamentally shift Western culture.
- [20:41]
Al
Well, I had a friend who was at the LSU Florida game on Saturday, and he was just talking about. The atmosphere was great because it was a big time, you know, SEC game. But he said that what really got that whole crowd going and all the fans, Florida fans, LSU fans together, was they did a tribute to Charlie Kirk at the beginning before the game. And he said it just never came down from that. In other words, it. It. That whole, you know, 100,000 plus, and I'm assuming they probably did that around the country. But it was. He said it was palpable response of energy that, like, you know, th. This man's life meant something. And, you know, when you start seeing things like that, you're right, Zach. It moves the needle in terms of impact. And, you know, I think now you'll see that. Now I also know that, you know, the evil one, he's crafty. So, you know, from his perspective, I don't know what the next step will be, but it's going to be to thwart a movement of God. It always is. And so, you know, I think you're right. The first weapon, our first offense is a. Is a weapon of prayer, which is the Holy Spirit's connection because he's in us to the divine, to. To the Father and the Son. So I think in those moments, we are at our strongest. So it's a. It is definitely. And you know, there's been even some back and forth about the idea of thoughts and prayers. You know, like that's a bad thing. It's like, no, it's the first most important thing, always. And how many times do you say in this test, ask my father and he will give you. I mean, he said that like five times, you know, in this text that we've been studying about the Holy Spirit. So that is the primary source in the beginning point, and then it is action that goes as a response to that. So, Zach, one of the things that you and I decided to do this year was to get healthier and lose some weight. And we have both done it.
- [22:35]
Zach
Yep. But I've learned one thing. It is all about the diet.
- [22:38]
Al
It's all about what you eat, isn't it? Yeah, it really is. 80% of losing extra weight comes down to what you eat. And of course, we learned this, Zach and I, from Dr. Ashley Lucas, who is the founder of PhD Weight Loss. She's a registered dietitian. She has a PhD in sports nutrition and chronic disease, and we've had her on the podcast and she's had much success with weight loss. Zach and I are two of those people as well. The program teaches you what to eat, when to eat. It works on your relationship with food. So you're learning how to lose weight for a lifetime, which is very important. If you're watching this on YouTube, here's a picture of me at the beginning, and here am I, 69 pounds. Later in week, 35 of the PhD weight loss. So no gimmicks, no pills, no shots, no side effects, which is what I love about it. And I'm not hungry. You're not eating rabbit food. It's protein rich food, makes you feel full. And PhD weight loss provides up to 80% of your weekly food at no extra cost. So join us on the weight loss journey. Schedule your one on one consultation today by calling 864-644-1900 or you can visit my PhD weight loss. That's 864-644-1900. Tell them Al and Zach sent you.
- [24:00]
Jace
I had to, you know, wave my interaction with social media over all this because, you know, what happened was when, when Missy, she said, I think Charlie Kirk just got shot. And I was like, the guy we were talking about yesterday. I mean, because I just, you know, in the moment I thought, well, it can't be him. I just researched this guy.
- [24:25]
Al
Yeah.
- [24:26]
Jace
And she said, yeah, but I, I mean, it literally had happened like two seconds. And so I was like, well, Twitter or X, I said, they're pretty quick on the spot. You'll know. Yeah. And so I. That's the only social media I actually know how to get to that. Even though I'm, I'm on everything. I don't know my passwords. And, you know, Missy and my team handle all that for me. But I know how to get to Twitter. And so I pulled it up just on the news feed, and the first thing I saw was the actual shot, which was graphic and, you know, terrible to watch. And, you know, I was so devastated that I saw that. I mean, since that time, I'm glad I saw it, just because I think when you see evil manifesting itself in death, as we said, I think that should jolt us. You know, it became real. And we are going to die, all of us, in some capacity anyway. It's like we live in this delusion that we're not going to die, you know, which is another form of delusion, which is why people give their lives to God. You know, they just think, oh, it'll work out in the end somehow or another. But what I was saying is I posted a post on social media, but that came from me. I gave a little. The posts that are all over my social media I actually sent to my family, my immediate family, my wife and kids. And so Missy said, can I post that on your social media? So I was like, sure. I mean, I thought, if this is my feeling to my family, to try to help lead my family. I was like, why not? So when she did that, I just went and looked. But even that there were some negative comments about it. And. And you can read what I said. I mean, I don't remember exactly what I said, but I was like, I'm angry, I'm devastated, but going public for Jesus is. Is dangerous. And I basically just ended it with one of his posts that said, share Jesus with somebody this weekend. I mean, this is what we're called to do. This is. This is what we're going to do. And it's all in the Bible. I mean, everyone, to your point earlier, alone became martyrs for Jesus, you know, except for John maybe, but he was. His life was.
- [27:10]
Al
Well, he certainly was scarred.
- [27:11]
Jace
He was tortured. And when you read historical accounts of that, and I was just reminded of, you know, because a lot of religious people now, they're trying to wrap their head around it. They're like, well, you know, why did. You know, why didn't God move the bullet? Or all these types of things? And I'm like, well, you have a lot in the Bible about being martyred for Jesus. And there is this sense of Jesus gave his life and then poured out his spirit so that could be multiplied. Like the spirit of Jesus could be alive, you know, in love, to the world, to try to transform the world. And you even see people saying that now. They're like, this opposition that did this. And I mean, the rhetoric of it all, which is what led to it. I mean, I think at this point, you have to agree with that. You know, this guy was delusional in thinking, oh, he's, you know, he's got these messages on the bullets and all about that. You know, he's some fascist or whatever. And his lifestyle seems to coincide with, you know, his anger toward a guy who's wanting to have discussions about that. And I brought all this up to say the verse that hit me that best describes what Charlie Kirk was doing is a verse that I've quoted hundreds of times and how it was when we went to Bible school. It was one of the first verses that we memorized. And it's 1 Peter 3, 15, it says, in your heart, set apart Christ Jesus as Lord. Which, if you read or watch anything in Charlie Kirk's videos, you're gonna find out that he put that as priority one. There's no doubt about that. That comes out over and over and over and over. It's like, you have 30 seconds to live. What would you do? And he's like, the first thing you gotta realize is, is Jesus Christ the Lord of your life? How you view Jesus, which I've said this same line many times, is the most important thing that will ever happen in your life. My number one purpose is to share Jesus to the world. So that's true. So in your heart, go back to first Peter, 3, 15, set apart Christ Jesus as Lord, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you, to give the reason for the hope that you have. And then the next phrase is, but do this with gentleness and respect. And when you think about that verse, that's basically what he was doing.
- [29:56]
Al
Yeah.
- [29:58]
Jace
So despite any questions he was asked, that's what he stood for. But he was willing to address any question, which I say, again, I think that takes me back to how Jesus was conversating with people. There was no subject that he didn't inject himself into. And look, it made people uncomfortable and mad, glad and sad at every turn. And so I just. I was inspired by that.
- [30:27]
Al
Well, a lot has. Has been made. We're all older men here, and you already have a lot of life. In my case, I got way more behind me than in front of me. And so one of the things, of course, that was so tragic to all of us is that of his age, he's 31 years old and with two small children. And so, you know, the idea of a life lost, but I've always kind of flipped that the other way, because some lives lived when. When martyred as he was for something he believed in, have a huge impact, even though they didn't have long on this earth. I mean, Jesus was only 33. You know, God could have done it however he wanted. Jesus could have lived a full life on this earth and then martyred, you know, himself, but he didn't.
- [31:11]
Jace
You know, he.
- [31:11]
Al
He decided, you know, at around 33 years old, that this is what he was going to do. Most of the disciples were also killed in their youth. Only a couple of them lived to. To be a little bit older. So, you know, this idea that, you know, you can't accomplish great things in the time you have here is false. And even in a situation like this where, I mean, obviously his life should not have been ended, you know, from our perspective on this, but it was. An evil force was behind what happened. But the charge of such a. You know, because he started this stuff, Jason, he was a teen. Like, they've got the earliest video of his, like, 16 years old, and he's on television, like, recruiting people to do things. He's still in high school, and so obviously there was a calling on his life and he was going to have a short life. We never know that when we're doing it, but we have to always assume that there's a, you know, that there's a limited number of days we have to accomplish the mission we have. And. And we. And we don't know what it is, but we know that while we're here, we want to impact people with the good news. And that's what this man did. And it sounds like his wife and his. The team around him are going to try to expand that even further, which I say Godspeed to the whole group.
- [32:34]
Zach
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- [34:20]
Jace
I think the most inspiring thing I saw was there was a guy just talking about, he was kind of making an illustration, I saw it somewhere on social media about what is your price for betraying your values and truth? And he was throwing numbers out. It was kind of an awkward way to start this, but, boy, the after I listened to it, I was kind of moved. It made me think of that podcast we did about Zach talking about winning the lottery, you know, whenever it got up to a billion dollars. But this guy was throwing out, you know, is it a million dollars? Is it $20 million? And I was trying to think, where's he going with this? Because he was asking, like, what would it take? What's your price? And it took a while for him to go through it all. But his point was the whatever that price is or whatever you would put there, that's what the evil one and the evil powers. Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood. Which is a verse Charlie Kirk quoted a lot. Because people, when we talk about as Christians, war, well, these people who are not believers, they keep saying, well, look, they are trying to start a war because they hear people say that we are in a war, but they don't understand, just like they did in Jesus Day, the war. We are talking about a spiritual war because it says, our struggle is not against flesh and blood. We are not committing violent acts. Our struggle is against these spiritual forces of evil which you see here that brings these delusions and deceit and accusations against truth. And so to get back to the illustration, he said, that's why Jesus said, the price is your life. And think about all those verses that says, you want to follow me? You bring your cross, you deny yourself, you die to yourself. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it. We just read Al if. If you. You're to be blessed if you hate your life in this world.
- [36:45]
Al
Yeah.
- [36:45]
Jace
And so I thought it was a really good illustration. It. And it goes in with. Even like Revelation 12, you know, after. There's a lot in the Book of Revelation about martyrs. I mean, these. These beasts that are symbolizing these oppressors of God's truth. And Jesus, who. I think it's in Revelation 17, it says they get drunk on the blood of martyrs. And this kind of idea. And that's why the whole book of Revelation was written really, to give comfort to those who would give their life for Jesus. I mean, it's in there over and over. It's the most talked about where martyrdom is talked about the most in the Book of Revelation. And I think Jesus, because it was the revelation of Jesus, he was saying, you win. And it kind of comes back to that. Luke 20:38, because really, that's why God allows this to happen. Because death is not a problem for those who are in Christ. It's not a problem. It is to us. We're like, why did this happen? But that Luke 20:38 says, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. For to him all are alive. What's his point? Everyone's going to stand, whether they're in Christ or outside of Christ. Everyone is standing before God Almighty. He's an eternal being. There will be a time when everything is made right, but to those people. And then you cross reference that to, like Hebrews 12. And the Greek word is where we get for witnesses, is where we get the word martyr. He goes through all these people in Hebrews 11, people of faith who are then dead at the time of this writing. And then he says, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that entangles the sin that so easily entangles. And what. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy set before him, which were the joy endured, the cross scorned Its shame. And so I just really think that is you're seeing the thread lines of the Bible and why God sent Jesus lived out in a human life.
- [39:07]
Al
No, I agree. And you know, I think it's. You really draw the line. Well that, you know, we said this in the last two podcasts, that there's two worlds at work here. And so from our perspective of the God world, of the Holy Spirit world, we do have answers to the why, because we understand darkness and light, we understand good and evil, we understand lies and truth. But to the world who doesn't know the world that was created by sin and by man himself, which is what we spent the last two podcasts talking about. Jace. When you look at it from their perspective, it's you're just in shock, you don't know why. And then it just becomes just more then it's like instead of debate, you have duels. Remember in the old days they had the duel. The idea was if you can't settle it somehow with words that, you know, we'll do it with pistols at however many feet. And this went on the first, you know, several decades of our country, you know, what was it, Old Hickory? He got shot like six times.
- [40:11]
Zach
Words are powerful. And I think that, that you don't get killed for saying something that doesn't matter. Right? So whatever, you know, I think this is the call to all of us though is like we do have to step into the, to the conversation, the cultural conversation more. God's equipped us with the power to demolish the strongholds, right? He's actually equipped us with that type of power to demolish these strongholds that set themselves up against the knowledge of God. And I think that's what's at stake here. At the end of the day we, what's truly at stake here is the knowledge of God. And this is not a knowledge of like, I've acquired a belief about God. It's not knowledge like, like, oh, I know the answer to two plus two now. This is an intimate knowledge. This is John 17:3 knowledge that the one that, that defines eternal life. To know the one true God in Jesus Christ, his Son, whom he sent that. That's the point. And I think the answer is, is in this, that there. God's always going to God's kingdom will survive. God's kingdom will not be shaken nor destroyed. But there are, there are times like this that, you know, they're scary. But I think the Lord's going to use it to draw more people into himself. And I, I truly Believe that.
- [41:24]
Jace
Well, I listened to a video. This was Tucker Carlson and Charlie Kirk. And Tucker Carlson made a point about kind of what I was saying about how delusional these evil acts are, like the propaganda that it's based on. And like I said about, you know, the killing of unborn babies or whatever, but, you know, the way they word it is we're saving women's lives. And you're like, what kind of delusional thinking? Because you're thinking about all the unborn women who would have been born. It's just such a delusional propaganda. But he was saying something like that. And he said part of that, that lie is that they think we're crazy for loving kids and wanting to have families, which was another big agenda that Charlie Kirk promoted is like a man and a woman getting married and having kids. And so just something that I view as pretty simplistic common sense kind of thinking. And. But Charlie Kirk's answer was shocking to me because I do the same identical thing in my speeches under the guise of common sense. I go back to Genesis, basically. I go through 1 through 9, because 9 gets to hunting. But he just gave this little rant to Tucker Carlson, which I think Tucker Carlson was kind of shocked because that was part of Charlie Kirk's draw, is that in a very short period of time, off the top of his head. And I wrote this down because I wanted to get it right. He said, tucker, what you got to realize is we're not crazy. We get this from the Bible, the word of truth. And he quoted Ephesians 5. He's like, Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against these spiritual forces of evil. And he went through that. He said, but we're anchored in Jesus. And he actually said that we believe there's a God and we're not him. But he's like. And he made a lot of parallels about, we're just going to stand up for truth. If you're killing babies in one breath and then doing, you know, other things which make no sense, we're going to call you out on that. He brought up open borders where if you're just letting in criminals and they're. Now we're back to death again, killing innocent civilians, we think that's crazy because there's some kind of spiritual force there.
- [44:20]
Zach
You know, when I think about the impact that Christian camps and clubs have had on my. Not just on my own life, but generations of our family, it's a little bit overwhelming. Well, our friends at Tomorrow Clubs are stepping into the gap for kids who need that same kind of life changing love. They teach kids all over the world about the mission that Jesus gave us, which is very simple, right? So go and make disciples of all all the nations. That's what we're called to do. So just imagine the difference when one kid meets Jesus for the first time through a Tomorrow Club. Well, for Diana, a 17 year old from Mova, it really turned her entire life around. Six years ago, her parents had to leave her behind to go work abroad and she felt forgotten and was really searching for a safe space to belong. She found that belonging at a Tomorrow Club. And more than that, she found Jesus there, which is amazing. And now she's leading the same club in the same place, carrying out the Great Commission and showing the next generation how to follow him. And you know, why do stories like this matter to us? Well, because this is what we're called to do. It is the whole point of this podcast, which is to be unashamed for the gospel. And that is exactly what the Tomorrow Clubs are doing. So we're asking our unashamed audience to join us in this disciple making movement by sponsoring 30 Tomorrow Club Kids for just 30 bucks a month. 30 disciples for $30 a month is super easy. Just visit tomorrowclubs.org unashamed or you can text 30KIDS to 44321 let's help this great ministry reach more kids in some of the world's most forsaken places. Visit tomorrowclubs.org unashamed or simply text 30KIDS. That's 3Zero KIDS to 44321 today to become a Tomorrow Club's ministry.
- [46:04]
Jace
Then he goes to Genesis and he said, let's just look how the whole book started. And he read or quoted the first two verses where the earth was formless and empty and there was chaos. Because he made this statement. He said, our God who created this earth is a God of order and distinction. That was the two words he made. And he said, out of that chaos and that emptiness and that darkness, by his power he provided order and distinction. And he listed after he quoted, then God starts creating all these things. He listed all the distinctions that you find in Genesis 1 through 6. He said male and female. And God created male and female. It's a truth that came from God. And you look and in common sense you say, oh, you read Genesis 1:6, you see that man and nature, you know, they were to be stewards of the nature. It was a distinction. Man in the animal world, same same concept. Holy and the profane good and evil. And then he said infant and adult, which I'd never thought about. And I only assume that as a curse on the evil one. He's bringing up that Genesis 3:15, that God's pathway to make a new creation and to redeem what had just happened, which is the fall of man. And this choosing evil over good was that which I thought was very astute and very, very powerful, that that was God's way. He planted that seed of saying, one day from a woman there will come someone who will crush this evil power. Which is consistent through the whole Bible about the kingdom is like a little child. And even the verses in Timothy that says women will be saved through childbearing, it's an unusual verse and people don't know what is meant by that. But I think he's right. The innocence of child, of children being born is a, is a pathway to changing the world. It's like a reboot and protect.
- [48:30]
Al
Jesus uses that illustration. We'll get to it in future podcasts at the end of this chapter. In Talking about Joy, he uses the childbirth experience as an illustration of what's going to happen to the disciples here. Because he's like, look, you know, a mother has a child and it's painful and it's difficult and it's hard. But then, you know, once she realizes the joy that a new life is here, you know, she doesn't remember the pain, she remembers the joy. And so he uses that as an illustration to describe his, his own resurrection.
- [49:01]
Jace
That's John 16:21. Yeah, I think I have used that before. Al I usually when someone announces that they're pregnant or whatever in like a group text. And I use that verse.
- [49:13]
Al
Yeah.
- [49:14]
Jace
Because people are. The conversation that comes from that. I'm like, you know, it's going to be challenging. I mean, I just sent that to somebody. But like it's going to be difficult and God is acknowledging that it's going to be painful. But it's like the joy, you forget all that. That's what he says, you forget all that. And you say you experience the joy that a, a child has been born into the world. I love the verse, but he's making that illustration to say, look, you following me as born again humans, it's going to be difficult. They're going to hate you, they're going to try to kill you. They're eventually going to kill you. Because remember when he later on says to Peter in John 21, he's like, People are going to lead you where you don't want to go. And it's like a parenthetical. By this he meant the death that he would receive. And al, I wanted to do this. I know we've been doing this thing about questions. The only time I've gotten really choked up about this is when I referred to my list of the questions because we've been singling them out in light of what happened to Charlie Kirk. These few questions that Jesus asked just seem really profound to me. And so I want to give them to you and you can write them down. But we skipped two actually, that maybe we did it for this reason. So I want to read. I think we brought up John 13:38 when Jesus, remember when Peter in verse 37 said, Lord, why can't I follow you? Jesus was talking about going to the right hand. I'll lay down my life for you. And Jesus answered, so this is one of Jesus famous questions. Will you really lay down your life for me? And then 14, nine is another one. I think that's the one we skipped. He says, after Philip had said, show us the Father and that will be enough for us. Jesus answered, don't you know me, Philip? Even after I have been among you such a long time? That was his question, don't you know me? Yeah, and then he kind of asked the same thing in that verse. And then you get to 16, 19. So now I'm skipping ahead. Jesus saw what they wanted to ask him about this, and so he said, are you asking one another what I meant when I said, in a little while you will see me no more? And then after a little while, you will see me. He actually questioned their question because they are like, how are we going to see you later? Which I believe by that he meant the Holy Spirit and or his second and final coming back to resurrect us. But then I wanted to go to John 18:4, which says, who is it that you want to arrest? So when Jesus, now this is when they come to him to arrest him. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen happen to them, went out and asked them, who is it you want? But why would he do that in question form? Because it makes you think, do I want to arrest Jesus and send him on, or do I want to be the one to say, wait a minute here, he's the Son of God.
- [53:03]
Al
Yeah, he forced him to say his name.
- [53:06]
Jace
So then it gets heavy. And this is why I wanted to bring this up. So in 1821, he says, why do you question me? Ask those who heard me Surely they know what I said. And it's in the context of now Jesus being questioned by the high priest. He said, I've spoken openly in verse 20 to the world. Always taught in synagogues or at the temple where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret, so why do you question me? Which. You see the similarities here?
- [53:43]
Al
Oh, yeah, Yeah.
- [53:44]
Jace
I mean, college campuses, in a guy, he just laid it out there. So then 1823 is really powerful. I'll read 22. So he says, when Jesus said this, when he said, why do you question me? He's simply having a debate. Here are those who ask, those who heard me, surely they know what I said. He's going back to all the times he debated publicly. And when Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. It is the exact same thing. They met. He was met with violence because they could not engage.
- [54:26]
Al
They couldn't win an argument.
- [54:27]
Jace
Yeah. And what he had said publicly. And so Jesus replied, testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me? Now there's a question.
- [54:47]
Al
Yeah.
- [54:48]
Jace
There's a question with what just happened.
- [54:50]
Al
Yeah.
- [54:51]
Jace
And so I know we're out of time. In chapter 20, in verse 15 is the next question where this is post resurrection. And he said, woman, why are you crying? Who is it you're looking for? And I think that should provide some hope. That's why I brought up Luke 20 and 38. Don't be crying with tears of grief like we're not going to see Charlie Kirk again. You know, that's the application here. You know, he said he was going to be raised. He was raised. She's crying. He's like, who are you looking for? I'm raised. And then you go to Peter. Look in John 21, what did he ask him? Three times, do you love me?
- [55:43]
Al
Yeah.
- [55:44]
Jace
And then the last question he says is this argument about why John was allowed to remain alive. And he said, if I want him to remain alive till I come, what is that to you? And I think those encounters with Peter, who would have his head cut off, and John, who would die in his old age, can be answered. And why Charlie Kirk was allowed to die by God, since he was basically sharing Jesus with people. Jesus gave you a question there. If I want him to remain alive, what's that to you?
- [56:25]
Al
That's right. I think each one of us has our own pathway and we just have to take our number of days and do exactly what we're called to do. Good stuff, Jace. A great word to end with. We love you guys. Look, it's been a been a tough week, but at the same time, I think those questions should invigorate us to continue the fight. So that's what we do. Live Unashamed. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. 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.