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Jace
I am unashamed. What about you?
Jason
Welcome back to Unashamed. Back by popular demand. We couldn't just let you go. We. Because we. You did such an awesome job, both of you guys did about telling us your story, but we wanted to have you as part of the Bible study as well. And you took a lot of notes, right?
Reed
Yeah, I'm ready.
Jason
Yeah, this is the best part.
Zach
She was ready for John 17. Yeah. And then Reed even brought his Bible. So.
Jason
So I got show the audience here. This was. So I'm staying with the. Some of the folks from I am second. And there was a picture of Reed inside of there as well. Look at.
Jace
I just did one of those.
Zach
Yeah, yeah.
Jason
Now it was. Jason did something and Bobby did.
Jace
They did. We were all there together, but I'm not sure.
Jason
So I. Four were done. I guess every family member is going to be in that white chair.
Missy
But that was brilliant. That was really young. That was before I had my. I went through my identity crisis and.
Jace
Had long hair and all that.
Jason
Well, when they reached out to me, read me initially to talk about dad and they said they kind of want to do something about like prodigals. And so it was going to be me and dad and you, I think. And I said, well, look, I. I really think Jeff would be great for this project. And I love the idea of Reed because I like the idea of generational prodigals. And yet everybody come back. So that was kind of the idea and that was the first one they did.
Jace
So then they came to me and Said we want to do. You're in the last one. Older brother of the prodigal.
Jason
Oh, really? Is that what your thing is about?
Jace
That's what it is. It was actually my idea, but they went with it.
Jason
Really?
Jace
Oh, yeah. Because they were like, I had not.
Jason
You and I have never talked about what you did, so I didn't know.
Jace
It was something I've never done before.
Jason
It was. You and I have talked about on the podcast. We have kind of that our roles, which were flip because I'm the older brother, he's the younger. But in life, we were the other way around in terms of kind of how, you know, our own struggles, which I think was pretty powerful. I'm so glad you did that.
Zach
I was the middle brother, which he. He wasn't even in the story, so I don't even have a story.
Jason
Yeah, well, that's the problem with middle brothers.
Jace
No, you were in the story when he was in with the. In the hog pen. Yeah.
Jason
That was a gist.
Jace
I love Zach.
Zach
Jace has to qualify every time he rips me because everywhere he goes now, he gets. People ask him about his relationship with me, and literally, it's the number one question he gets now. It used to be, what is side really that crazy? Now it's what's going on.
Jace
Did you see where that joke went? He was one of the pigs with the prodigal. He was the friend.
Jason
He was the one that was helping Squander. Well, no need to.
Zach
Hey, if you're listening, no need to defend me. That was funny.
Jace
I don't.
Jason
Well, we were talking about this recently somewhere. I was at. And they were talking the podcast, and I was like, it took people a year at least to get used to our podcast when we first came out, because they were like, they're so rude, and they talk over each other, and, you know, they won't let somebody finish. And Jace is so rude, and, you know, they need to let Phil talk more. And it was just all this back and forth, and. And then finally somebody had the light bulb moment. They said, oh, this is what they do.
Zach
This is like, this is our child love language. Well, you jumped the podcast, but you do the family, too, because you're part of the family. So what? But I was going to ask you at first, when you having the. Did you come into the. To the unashamed podcast, were you, like, skeptical, like, what. I'm gonna check out what this is about, or were you actually coming expecting it to be, like, impactful?
Reed
I did not think it was going to be as much Bible study as it was, I guess. Like, I thought it was going to be a lot more like. Yeah, yeah. Or like telling stories and stuff and, like a little bit of Bible study. Yeah, Definitely not.
Jace
I've been telling. We'll have a few nonsensical stories that.
Jason
Dad used to hate because dad would just be sitting there ready to chomp.
Jace
I don't hate them, but, you know, I'm not in love with them. But what the people in the production do is they make the titles from those stories of the podcast. So it gives you the illusion that this is not a Bible study.
Zach
It's a bait and switch. I mean, it's a fair point. So there is a little bit of righteous deceit, maybe.
Jace
Is that the word?
Zach
It's clickbait.
Jason
Yeah.
Zach
You're drawing them in through the title, but then they get in and they, oh, we're deep into a Bible study here in the Book of John.
Reed
Yeah. But then when you really listen to Unashamed and you're trying to go back looking for an episode, you're like, I can't find it because of all these random titles. I'm like, what's what? I'm going into the show notes.
Jason
That's our biggest complaint is not being able to kind of track by that about what. What the content is. Because for us, you imagine we're in 1200 in. But it was funny because we had me on at one point. And so I was saying with me, you know how your dad is. Is like everything is like the worst thing that's ever happened to any human being in the history of humanity and his stories. And Jason. Well, I don't think that's true. And Mia said, yeah, dad is true.
Jace
Yeah, she just, like, totally, like, embellishment for effect. And I get that from an uncle. That which is the greatest story, which.
Jason
Y' all both share a name.
Jace
I passed that on to Reed.
Reed
Yeah.
Zach
Reed has got a little bit.
Jason
Oh, Reed. When Reed was a youth, he's. He's a little. Now he's a little more mature about it, but when he was a youth.
Zach
He would you weave a tail back in the day.
Jason
Oh, my goodness.
Missy
I mean, everybody still weave a tail.
Jace
He could still warning Reed. You said Reed called me showman. What can I say? Reed called me. And I thought he was checking on me to see because I was going to go to their house, Missy's keeping their kids. And just to make sure how we were navigating traffic. And he was like, well, I actually want some Coffee. And I'm seeing when you're going to come and you're. This is. And I quote, it's something I would say. He's like, there's a coffee shop 18 seconds from where I'm at. And I thought 18 seconds. That might be an embellishment for effect because it was probably longer than 18 seconds.
Missy
It actually is pretty close.
Reed
It's going to stick to you.
Zach
Did you.
Jason
Did you.
Zach
And you. But you got coffee, right? You didn't run out of money? No, because I know your. Your electricity almost got turned off today. We found that out, too, by the way. We're recording Missy's watching your kids, and the. The guy shows up at your house to turn your electricity because you haven't paid your bill. Yeah.
Jason
We might can pull a few dollars.
Jace
Together, do that with just kids being.
Zach
Well, actually that way. You said my mom actually is where y' all ate dinner at was too expensive. Y' all are talking about that high dollar meal and now you can't afford to pay.
Missy
We had Daddy Warbucks here. But no, the whole story with that is we. Our bank got hacked. Autopay didn't work. And so here comes this guy. And my mom calls me right after the first podcast we did, and she's like, there's a guy here. He's going to cut off the electricity. And he saw the kids and said, I'll give you a few hours. You need to get this taken care of. And I was like, mom, I already. I literally paid for it. Because I got a call from him, too. It's all good, you know, just forgot that.
Zach
Turned off.
Missy
No good.
Jace
This is the first I'm hearing of this story. Yeah.
Zach
This.
Missy
Which made me realize now I got to go pay my water bill and my gas.
Jason
They were. They will be lining up.
Reed
Yeah.
Jason
My water gets cut off, but every six months because something will happen like that. And, you know, we're out of town lots. If something happens to the automatic way of paying for things, then all of a sudden, we're not there. So I have no idea. So somebody staying at the house and there's no water.
Jace
Speaking of nonsensical stories, let me tell you the title here.
Zach
The title will be that Jason son gets evicted from his home.
Jace
That's it.
Reed
Yeah.
Zach
That's the title. Right.
Reed
In Brighton, can't pay their bill.
Jace
Seen walking down the road holding hands with three toddlers looking for a ride.
Zach
We got three. We got a bunch of good titles here.
Jason
I will say this before we jump into our text that the reason I mentioned that about Jace, that's why Missy says she can't listen to the podcast. She can't take the embellishment.
Zach
She can't.
Jason
It's just too much for her.
Reed
Yeah. Yeah.
Jason
So you're able to look past that?
Reed
Yeah, I can look past that and enjoy ourselves.
Jace
I have to.
Reed
I'm kind of perfectly removed.
Jace
I have to make a P essay eversoft. And I feel like it's time now, and now that you're going to be a part of the podcast. In a Bible study, there was a guy named Kevin McIntosh who was supernaturally brought to the Lord. We've told the story many times. He actually you. You mentioned him this directional. I did, yeah. Because he posted a video from Like 1980 something, maybe 89. I don't know. It's old of me sharing Jesus. He asked me to do this video and he's like, hey, there's this thing coming out called the Internet. I was looking out, what is that? He's like, do a. Do a gospel presentation. And I'm going to put. Put it on there. And he did. I think, you know, 14 people watched it.
Jason
Yeah.
Jace
But he's like resurfaced it now. And now it's probably doing pretty good. But anyway, this guy.
Jason
You had no beard, short hair, the whole look.
Jace
I don't think I had a beard.
Missy
You had a beard.
Zach
In the spirit of embellishment, I just wanted. I think that. I think the actual video was around circa 2000, like 6.
Jace
Really?
Zach
It wasn't 8. It's still a long time ago. You were young, 20s.
Jace
Well, here we go. And now I'm gonna give him my psa because I had no idea. It looked. I looked a lot better than I do now. Yeah. I was younger or left. So the PSA. Because Kevin McIntosh said this one time, after I told an embellished story, he said, I've noticed something about you. And I was like, what is it? He said, you should never be listened to or taken seriously unless you have duck calls in your hands. Or a Bible.
Zach
There's. There's the pitch. There's the picture of him. Wow.
Jace
I thought, you know what? That's good advice. The rest of the time. I'm just kidding. Yeah, I'm just kidding. I'm hamming it up. If we're talking about the Bible, I'm serious. And the duck calls. I actually know a thing or two about duck call.
Zach
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Jace
He sent it to me.
Zach
But it's good.
Jace
I don't like watching.
Missy
People used to ask me all the time if I listen to the podcast. And I was like, no. I was like, if I. If I want to hear my dad ramble on about whatever, you know, that was before I knew how big of a Bible study it was too. I was like, I never heard of that.
Reed
Pretty recently, I was like, look, if.
Missy
I want to hear my dad ramble on, I'll give him a call and I'll say, hey. And he'll go for 45 minutes and I'll say, all right, good talking to you. I got my fill, you know, psa.
Jace
Well, look, Reed, you will say this sometimes you will call me and Brighton, you're just now being introduced to this and you will ask me some random question and I will give a 15 minute Bible.
Missy
You will?
Jace
I will. It just. I don't. Because I'm thinking, oh, this must be the reason I studied that, because now Reed's calling me. So here you go.
Jason
Yeah, yeah, it that. Which, by the way, you got that from dad, because dad would always be into something, and whoever walked through the door is like, oh, well, they all mighty. Sit down over here, son. Let me tell you what you need to hear.
Jace
I did get that from my dad. I do that all. Look, I'm not kidding. I walked in from a podcast a couple weeks ago and we had the. We have a little cleaning team. They're called the fairies, maybe the cleaning fairies. And one of them like, how's your day been? And the next thing I know, they're all standing there with pails and brooms. And then I realized I've been talking.
Jason
A long time ago, I was just being nice. That was like, hello.
Zach
Yeah, paying them by the hour.
Jace
So they're like, well, they were.
Zach
You were paying them.
Jace
I didn't care because I thought. You asked me how my day went. And I just launched into. It was a podcast after party with the people cleaning my house. But I think they were. They weren't bored. Yeah, let's put it that way.
Jason
No, they like the stories. People like stories.
Jace
And I figured at any time if they didn't like it, they could go back to cleaning. But I thought it was good.
Missy
And hey, it's not lost on me that there's probably so many people that listen to this podcast. I wish they could just call you up and be like, what did you mean by this? And I have that. That blessing of being able to do that. So I appreciate that and I feel.
Reed
Like I get it now. Like, when you're so deep in study, you're like, you're so excited about it. You're like, I gotta tell somebody, you know?
Zach
Yeah.
Jace
Well, your thrill has, like, made my thrill even more.
Reed
Yeah. Now we just feed off each other.
Jace
Yeah. I mean, it's. We're family here. We're talking about spiritual things. And then a lot in the. In the Bible, if. If you don't really look kind of deeply, you'll miss. And I think in this study of John, I think we've done a better job of connecting the dots back to the Old Testament.
Jason
Well, and even going forward because we spent a lot of time in First John as well. Because, you know, John is. Obviously has all these years on him when he is writing these books. And so, you know, you get the idea as he brings it forward and you read First John, you realize, like, wow, the application he takes from not really understanding into right now, seeing it so clearly, it really brings that to life, which is where we're going to go next in the study, by the way.
Jace
Now, you wanted to read the end of John 16 before we technically get into John 16.
Jason
Yeah, I wanted to because I can't remember exactly. And we may have read it all, but I want to read at least this last part that gets us to the prayer starting in verse 29, because they finally feel like he's. Now they're getting a little bit of clarity. They still don't quite get it, but. But they're getting it better because Jesus disciples said, and it's funny that John would say this because he was part of that group. Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech, almost like they've been frustrated, you know, with all the parables and the way he goes about it. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to ask anyone. Anyone ask you. Have anyone ask you questions because, you know, the whole thing is this. Jay's pointed out, which I never noticed, how Many Q&As there are in this book.
Jace
How many questions he asks compared to how many questions he's being asked is three to one. Jesus is asking profound questions.
Jason
So they said, this makes us believe that you came from God. So it's almost like that, all right, we're. We're in. You know, we're going to do this. And then Jesus. And this almost sounds like sarcastic to me. Maybe it's not, but it sounds like you believe. At last. Jesus answered, but a time is coming and has come when you will be scattered each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. And that was one of the reasons I wanted to bring that up, is because he mentioned joy up in verse 19:24. He mentions love in 25:28. Now he's peace. Do you notice how he's hitting the fruits of the spirit? So this whole time he's been talking about the Spirit, explaining Now he's like, here. Here's what you're going to see. This coming, your life. I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. Which John is also going to pick up later in verse.
Jace
I'm glad you brought it up, because, look, he's basically saying, you believe it lasts until I get arrested.
Jason
Which is the next chapter.
Jace
Because then he's like, but a time has come is coming, and has come.
Jason
Yeah.
Jace
When you will be scattered. That's fixed to happen a few verses later. One chapter specifically.
Jason
Exactly.
Jace
They didn't get it.
Jason
They didn't get it. Which.
Jace
We talked about that with Dallas when we were talking about the chosen, because that's a big question with people. Because I think we all put ourselves in their position. And I'm glad I wasn't. Because I want to believe that I would believe. But I just think we're not realizing these things he's introducing are absolutely hard to wrap your head around. You're going to die. Oh, and come back. Okay, great. Like in some mystical way, but not actually. Right. How could you wrap your head around that?
Zach
Well, he's turning the world upside down. I mean, that's. You hear that? But he really is turning their entire paradigm on its head. And they just have no. You can't understand something that is beyond your kind of realm. You know what I mean? So when he's introducing the kingdom of God and the kingdom is breaking into reality, I mean, there's no possible way they could have understood it.
Jace
Right. Well, just think about that statement. He says, I have overcome the world. What's a normal human being thinking in that moment, really? You're under Roman rule. You're. And he worked with your dad as a carpenter from.
Jason
He literally has nothing. Like, he has home, no money, no. No anything. No symbol of anything of worldly power.
Jace
He hadn't even written a book, you know. Yeah. You're having to borrow a coin to make an illustration about what's on the coin, and you've overcome the world. Just what kind of statement is that?
Jason
When even. Even the statement he made earlier about destroying the temple and raise it up in three days. You know, everybody's like, what?
Jace
I mean, but even think about this statement, the way he said it, he's like, but take heart. Yeah. So whatever he's fixing to say, take heart in this. I've overcome the world. Oh, what is he crazy?
Zach
Well, he kind of defines how he did that. In the, in the verse before it, when he says, basically, you know, I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I've said these things to you that in me you may have peace in this world, you'll have tribulation, but take heart, I've overcome the world. So he's really anchoring the whole thing back in presence and that him and the Father are united. So when you get to John 17, it's like the invitation at this point is invitation that now you get to come. I'm inviting you to participate into and actually to partake of this divine nature that I'm already. I'm already in.
Jace
That's why this gets so good in this prayer.
Jason
Oh, it's good. Well, Jason, want to just read some of it?
Zach
Sure.
Jason
I don't know. Read all of it however you want to do it.
Jace
I mean, here's what I'm going to say for I read some of it is I read this several times in preparing, and this gets dense, complicated. It makes you realize that our prayer life is pretty weak compared to Jesus. I mean, I think this is only, I guess, a couple of times he cried out, maybe in prayer. And you have the Lord's Prayer where he taught the disciples how to pray.
Jason
Yeah, I wrote down several. He. I did notice one thing because there's like Luke 3:21, Luke 6:12, John 6:15. These are all times when he was praying. And it was always when something big was about to happen, typically, which. Which is exactly what this is, of course, and the density of it and the depth of it. But yeah, you're right. Say in Luke 6:12, he spent the night in prayer. I mean, I've never spent a whole night. I mean, I've prayed before at night and I've had some sessions and some discussions with God. But I mean, it seems like you would think if he's the Son of God, he wouldn't need to do it, but he shows just the opposite. And I think it's because of that. It's because of that what is described in Romans 8 as this sort of time when the deity all is together. I mean, that's kind of our contact in prayer, the Holy Spirit, Jesus the Father.
Zach
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Jason
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Zach
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Jason
It'S like that, bringing together.
Jace
I mean, we're in a pivotal moment here. He is representing God. He said it over and over, over and over again. He's like, if you've seen me, seen the Father. He's now introduced the Holy Spirit that's coming. He's in between, you know, he's fixed to be arrested. Like so he's passed this on to his disciples because he actually makes this statement here my work has been completed. And you're like, well wait a minute, I thought you were just getting started. You hadn't even died yet. But he wanted to show the power of God, the character of God. That's why he used signs to show what this relationship is. He's introduced the Holy Spirit, he's now previewing what's fixed to happen. They're all going to run. And so in that moment he has this prayer. So it's one of the few places in the Bible that I think you have to grab ahold of the entire prayer and just kind of meditate on it. And all of a sudden some theme lines kind of approach out of that and what his overall mission was and what that meant to human beings. So like in my divisions before I read it, they have it split into three ways. This is not inspired, they just have it. Jesus prays for himself, Jesus prays for his disciples. Jesus prays for all believers, which is kind of a weak. You know, nothing compares to the prayer itself. It's just our human understanding of what he's fixed to say is hard to wrap your head around. But I've seen some where they divided into seven divisions.
Jason
Well, I've always thought the three wasn't a bad thing, because you see that a lot. Three has been a big number here throughout the whole book of John. But also when you read in the other accounts, because John doesn't go into the sweating drops of blood. Remember, Luke mentions that. So the other gospel writers mentioned this prayer leading up right before the arrest in a little bit different manner than John does. He got in, I think, to the content of what it was. And so remember. And he kept coming back over to wake him up. You know, they were supposed to be, you know, be there, but it was three times, you know, so it could have been this. These segments that this was what he was pouring out. We know from the other ones. He also said, you know, is there any other way? And then he said, not my will, but yours be done. Which again, is not mentioned here. So I think you're just getting this, like, this is like the dense piece. And I don't know if John heard this or, you know, how it was relayed or maybe they prayed this on their way to the garden. I don't know. You know, I'm not exactly sure how it plays out, but I know it's different. John's version is different than the other three gospel presentations. They just give a little bit different look at it.
Zach
But.
Jason
But his, like, he's done with this whole thing. 14, 15, 16 is the only one that talked about the Holy Spirit too. Yeah, none of the others do.
Jace
What I find interesting is if you look at like, common phrases used or words over and over, he uses some version of give given or gave 17 times in the prayer. So we might need to figure out what was meant by that. And world is about the same amount of times. Especially include the last two of the last verse we just read.
Zach
Well, I mean, we could read the first five verses at least. I think that it's interesting from our last podcast, you had said something, Brighton, that made me think of this particular part of scripture, which, by the way, in my opinion, John 17 is like one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible.
Jace
I would agree.
Zach
Once again, this is like. This is not. In fact, we are. Our entire church is centered on. If you think a lot of churches will have like a verse that they center the. Ours is centered on John 17:3, which gives us a definition of eternal life that I think to. What. What did you said in the last episode? I don't. You were talking about. We first started and you were kind of telling your testimony a little bit, but you said something about how you viewed the kingdom. Yeah, like it was like. It was like. Or like I forgot how you said it.
Reed
Like I'm just trying to not sin like in life.
Zach
Yeah. Like it was way out there almost. Yeah.
Reed
Like God is kind of in this far off.
Missy
You're just trying to grind it out.
Reed
And like we're just grinding it out till the end instead of like, oh, I'm living in the presence of God now as a believer. And this verse really helped me, I feel like understand that and I don't. I'll just read it. And this is eternal life that they know youw, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom youm have sent. That's like a present thing that's happening right now. It's not something that's like. You always think of eternal life like, I'm just gonna live forever once I get to heaven and then everything's gonna be perfect. But like we're getting that now as a believer. And I get to walk with the Holy Spirit living inside me now.
Jace
I think that's the key phrase because we tend to think every time we're talking about being glorified or eternal life. It's always a distant thing. But you know, you read verses like Romans 8, 11. If the Spirit of Christ who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who gave life to Jesus mortal body will also give life to your mortal body. So that is a resurrection verse. But that little phrase, if he is living in you, it's a big point. It's a huge point. So he spent three chapters saying, I'm going to give you a helper, the Holy Spirit, that Greek word Parakletos, who will be in you forever.
Zach
Yeah, that's so key because if you look at Moses, whenever the whole story of Israel coming out of Egypt, there was a promise that they were going to get to go to this place. And it was called the Promised land. And that was the big promise. It was the big deal. But there's that moment in Exodus 33, whenever Israel, right after they'd made the golden calf and Moses is like, I have to go down and make now I have to make atonement for you people. You stiff neck people. What have you done? I can't believe you've done this. And he's like super embarrassed. And so he goes and acts as a mediator on behalf of the people, which he's kind of a precursor to Christ because Christ becomes the ultimate mediator. And Hebrews makes that point later. But if you, if you read his argument to God, which is absolutely hilarious because it's like he's trying to manipulate God and, and like, like it's funny that he thinks he can manipulate God just like you think like, like Jacob could out wrestle God, right? So he's, he's arguing with God.
Jason
Your people.
Zach
Yeah, your people. Your people. And in, in his discussion with Yahweh, Moses basically says that the promised land without your presence is worthless. And I think that's how we've interpreted our Christian walk at least. I was like you. It was always like, I viewed heaven as the promised land. Is it like a place we were going to? But then meanwhile I'm sitting there when you were in college and I'm college minister at Whitesbury Road. I'm like, I'm looking at these college kids, I'm like. And so I always thought my message would have to be, hey, 18 year olds, grind it out for the next 60 to 70 years and don't do any of the fun stuff. And then you get to go to heaven. And I'm like, that's a tough sell. You know what I mean? That is a tough. It was liberating for me to see like what you just said, because I was like, wait a second, that's not the gospel. The gospel is not grinded out. The gospel is a quality of life that's defined here by knowing and being intimately in love, in communion with God. And eternal life is very clear. This is eternal life. What? Not that one day you get to go to heaven, it's that they know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you've sent. Well, when in the world does that happen?
Jace
Yeah, well, that's what I wanted to say. So if you go back John 2, you remember where this started. One of the signs after the wedding, which I think was significant, we would, people would one day be married to Jesus, the body of Christ. Well then it gets into the temple, he clears out the temple and they're like, he makes this famous statement that basically, I am the temple. Destroy this body and I'll raise it up three days. The temple he was talking about was himself. Well, and so you go back to the temple and then you look in the Old Testament, you have heaven and earth kind of meeting together with the presence of God. On earth through the various forms, tabernacles, the temple itself. And so you have Jesus first prayer when he's like, I pray your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And so you get the idea that Jesus is saying, I'm the place, even though I'm a person, where heaven and earth meet. God became a man from heaven, which he says tens of times, maybe over a hundred, I came from heaven. I came from heaven. I came from heaven. I came from heaven. We're all focused on going, going, going. He's like, I came from heaven.
Jason
I'm not of this world. So, Zach, as you know, you look back over the history of the world, you see a lot of different periods where there are a lot of atrocities done to people. And do you ever just like, think, man, I wish I could go back and somehow make a difference and change, you know, this situation or that situation?
Zach
Absolutely. The history is littered with a lot of darkness, for sure, but there's also quite a bit of light.
Jason
Exactly. And that's what we're trying to be, light in the world. We talk about pro life. Our good friends at preborn network clinics talk about this as well. And they remind us that every single day In America, around 3,000 babies are aborted. So someday, history is going to look back on our time and see this genocide of children. Because right now, one in four pregnancies are ending in abortion. But unlike the past, you can do something about it. Today, Preborn network clinics are on the front lines. They meet women in their darkest hour, they love them, and then they help them choose life. This year alone, over 38,000 babies have been rescued. The ultrasound, which is that moment when a mother meets and sees her baby in her womb, is the game changer. It literally doubles a baby's chance of life. As abortion continues to rise, preborn is expanding their life, affirming care in the darkest corners of our nation to help more hurting women and save more babies. If you have the means, would you consider a leadership gift to save babies in a big way? Your tax deductible donation of 15,000 will place a machine in a needy woman's center, saving countless lives for years to come. Go to preborn.comunashamed. that's preborn.com unashamed. Or you can dial £250 and say the key word baby.
Jace
So even it look even in this first five verses. Watch where you see this at.
Zach
Yeah.
Jace
He says so after he just said, I have overcome the world. Jesus. After Jesus said this, he looked Toward heaven. He looked toward heaven and prayed, father, the time has come. Glorify your son, that your Son may glorify you, for you granted him authority over all. And look, this word, people, that is in the NIV is the same word for flesh. When the Word became flesh, I looked this up on another podcast. But over all flesh, that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now, this is eternal life that they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. And then watch this next verse. I have brought you glory. Where on earth he looks to heaven. Well, now here's where you got to stop and say, what does. He just got through telling the disciples the last three chapters. I'm fixed to leave. I'm going to heaven. But don't panic. Don't. Don't be alarmed. I'm going to.
Jason
Don't be troubled.
Jace
I'm going to give you a helper. Well, where is that coming from?
Zach
Heaven.
Jace
Heaven. And it's going to be in you. And where are you at on earth? And this is how the new temple, this idea of new creation is being formed. And you even see it subtly here, which you wouldn't notice that unless you had gone through the temple rabbit hole all the way back. And him Saying the John 2 is what I'm saying. He looked up to heaven. Do you think he's doing this by accident? No, he's trying to validate the message. He's been telling them all along, I'm the gateway to God, heaven and earth.
Missy
Like I'm about to build a bridge, basically. And what, you. You told me this a few weeks ago. If y' all have already talked about this, you can. You can stop me. But in John 20, so after he's died and is resurrected. This blew my mind when you told me this, where he says, do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father, but go to my brothers and say to them, I'm ascending to my Father and your father, to my God and your God. And am I correct? I'm trying to remember. If I'm remembering this correctly. You said that that's the only. That's the first time he's referred to God, to people, as your Father.
Jace
Yeah, and our. Your Father and our.
Missy
Right. No, it says to my father and.
Jace
Your father and your father.
Missy
So the whole time he said, my father, my father, my father who has sent me.
Zach
And.
Missy
And then after he's built the bridge we're talking about, after he's connected and you've gone through the gate. He's built this gate, like you just said. Now it's our Father, you know, Exactly.
Reed
And I think it's like God is going to dwell with his people no matter what. Like from the beginning, he's always going to find a way. And I was in studying for this, I was reading Deuteronomy 12, where the Lord is choosing a place of worship. And it says over and over again, but you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all of your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. And there you shall go. Verse 11. Then to the place that the Lord your God will choose to make his name dwell there. Verse 14. But at the place that the Lord will choose. And every time he says that, like after, and still in verse 11, it says, There you shall bring all that I command to you. Your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord. Which is funny because none of that is really sufficient. Like, Jesus fulfills that now as a dwelling place. Like now we get to be the dwelling place.
Jason
That's a good point.
Zach
Because if you think about the focal point of that is looking, you gotta find the place of worship, right? So you get the New Testament in John's Gospel with the woman at the well. What does she ask, what's the place of worship? Do we worship on the mountain or where my people worship? Because we got a temple up there that we built. The Samaritans built our temple up there. But you Jews worship in Jerusalem at the other temple. Which temple do we worship at? I mean, that's a big question. And think about how provocative Jesus answer is, because he said the time is coming and in fact is now here, when you will neither worship God on that mountain nor in Jerusalem. Even that alone. The fact that Jesus Christ himself said that you will not worship God in the temple that's down there in Jerusalem. Jerusalem, he said that?
Jace
Yeah.
Zach
I mean, so the fact that today's like, what, what's, what's the date today, September 23rd, that we're filming this. I know this will come out later, but they're saying today. Yeah. Is the Rapture. I don't know if you've been reading this or not online. Like, today is going to be the rapture.
Jace
I don't read many things.
Zach
Well, I don't think it is going to be the rapture. Maybe it is or not, but. But the point is, I hope not.
Missy
We're all still here.
Zach
Well, I mean, yeah, we're all still here.
Jason
So if we walk outside, nobody's out there, boys.
Zach
But think about this idea that we're waiting on, like to be ra up into heaven, when Jesus seemed to clearly teach that the center point is going to be in human bodies and eventually it'll encompass the whole globe. But to your point, we're waiting on to go to heaven, which is, I think the point of John 17:3 is that's not what heaven is. When you read the end of the Bible, you see the kingdom, you see what is it, the new city, the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. So it's coming to us in the end.
Jace
You also don't see us dwelling with God. You see God dwelling with us. Look at it carefully. That's what it says. I wanted to comment on these nuggets that Brighton brought up in Deuteronomy 12, which is awesome. But later on in that chapter, in verse 18, and I haven't studied this, I was just reading ahead, there's also statements that you're actually going to see mirrored in John 17 with this God dwelling with people. Like in verse 18, it says, instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God, at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then when he gets to verse, Let me see, 21, if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his name is too far away from you. And then he goes into this and that idea, which the name is mentioned a little later in this chapter. And there's a rabbit hole that I want to go down, that I'm not going to go down on this podcast. But when we get to that section, us as English speaking humans, we think, oh, a name. It's a title given to someone. But in the Old Testament, the name, like I just read in Deuteronomy 12, it was more than a name. It was a type, a title given to a way to address God without saying his actual name. Which is why that's still a thing even in our culture today. Which goes back to Exodus 3, when Moses Remember the burning bush. It's like, well, who should I tell them? And he goes in to start talking about his name and what does he point out what his name means? I am. Which here's Jesus, Christian knows, here's Jesus saying all these titles about I am, I am, I am, I am. And my point is, when he gets to John 17 and I'll go ahead and read that verse because we can go down the rabbit hole when we get there. But when he says that about the name in verse 11 of chapter 17 of John, I will remain in the world no longer. But they are still in the world, and I am coming to you, Holy Father. Protect them by the power of your Name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. Well, what is that doing in Deuteronomy 12? What is the significance? Because the Name, from their understanding, was more than just a title. It was a presence. It was a power. It was a character being revealed. It's like you carry the Name. That's why in the Ten Commandments, when it says, don't misuse my name. But if you look up the Hebrew, it's like, don't carry my name in a vain way. It's like you're representing. And it's not all of a sudden, don't curse in the middle of, don't murder and don't steal. It's actually the way you represent yourselves is carrying barriers because you're an image bearer.
Zach
Well, a lot of the image. So a lot of Hebrew scholars prefer to say that in the Exodus 3, that I will be what I will be. That's one translation of I am. That I am. Another one would say it when you look at the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, is I am the Being one. But when you look at what some people point to, I think this is a better way to say it. The Hebrew word here. I wrote this down for a sermon I Preached on Exodus 3. It's the verb to be, Hahiyah. It doesn't just point to existence. So Yahweh's not just saying, I am. I eternally exist. Although he is saying that it also points to this. Listen, Manifest presence. Exactly. Something breaking in, something showing up, something being active. So when he says to Moses, I am, what he's really saying is, I am. Which means, I'm here, I'm present, I'm with you. I think that's what the whole point is centered around his presence. And the name of God is important to this because until Exodus 3, God said, I never told anybody my name.
Jace
Oh, exactly.
Jason
Which is interesting that that even includes the patriarchs that received the initial promises. I think I should read he didn't say the name.
Jace
I think we should read it because.
Zach
He revealed himself as El Shaddai, but not as Yahweh. And he says, only to you, Moses. You're the first. This is the first time I've Ever told anybody my name. So when's the last time you bragged about your wireless company? Maybe something like, did you know my wireless company gave away a thousand American flags to deserving vets? Or that they forgave $10 million in veteran debt? Or did you know my wireless company raised almost half a million dollars to prevent veteran suicide? In other words, when your wireless company is Pure Talk, there's actually a whole lot to brag about. You can even brag about the coverage that you get with Pure Talk. You get a 5G network that's insanely fast, dependable and secure. And you can definitely brag about how much money you're going to save with Pure Talk Talk, unlimited text talked, and plenty of data for just 25 bucks a month, saving the average family over a thousand dollars a year. I'm a Pure Talk customer. I can tell you the coverage is second to none. Here's the deal. I love the fact that These guys at PureTalk are committed to helping out our veterans. It's time to switch to my wireless company, Pure Talk. Go to PureTalk.com Unashamed and save an additional 50% off your first month. Again, PureTalk.com Unashamed to make the switch today. Pure Talk Wireless, worth bragging about.
Jace
Let me just read this. So verse 11. I mean, he's like Moses, I got a job for you. And Moses said to God, well, who am I? Which is the backwards version of I am who? Which is how God responded, not by accident. Who am I?
Zach
I am who?
Jace
Somebody. We're in Nashville. Somebody should make a song about this. I've said that many times that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelite out of Egypt, because that's what we all think at some point. Well, who am I that. That I can represent you, bear your name. And God said, I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you. Does this not sound familiar? Does it not sound like what Jesus is claiming? When you have brought the people out of Israel, Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. Does that not. Does that not sound familiar? And when you talk about liberation and ultimate freedom, now this is their being liberated from an oppressing government. But what did Jesus offer in his freedom? How about sin and death itself? The ultimate freedom? Moses said to God, suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you. He's acting like this is ridiculous. They're going to ask me, well, what is his name then? What shall I tell them? God said to Moses, I am who I am. Or like what you said, I will be what I will be, which has a little letter there to say that this is what you are to say to the Israelites, I am has sent me, me to you. And Jesus echoes that now as the. He's. He is now God in human form. This is one thing. What Jesus did is another. Yeah, God deciding to enter the world through the birth canal of a woman. Which echoes Genesis 3:15 and the curse that was put on the evil one about, I'm going to crush you.
Zach
Well, let me say this because I got to get this in before we run out. But. But there's so much in John 17 about the name that Christ inherited that he received, that God gave him this name.
Jace
That's where I'm going with that.
Zach
This is so interesting. If you go to Exodus 33 again, when Moses is telling God, we can't go to the Promised land, if you're not going with us, I'm not going. If you're not in it. Well, I'm not going. Blot me out if you're not going to be there with us.
Jace
And then.
Zach
And whenever he is in negotiation with God, which he wasn't really negotiating, I'm just using hyperbole there, but he says, show me your glory. And this is what God says. He's affirming Moses, I'm going to show you my glory. And then God basically defines what his glory is in the very next verse in Exodus 33:19. And listen to what he says. And he said, I will show you my glory. He says, I will make all my goodness pass before you. So this is his glory, his goodness, and will proclaim before you my name, the Lord, Yahweh. And I would be gracious to whom I am gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. So the glory of God is His goodness. What you said earlier, the part you're missing out on is the goodness of God. While you sat in that church and listened to that song and thought, I ain't feeling that right. But his goodness is his glory and his name. So when you think about Yahweh being revealed as the name of God to Moses and then to the people of Israel, and then basically that was the identity. That's how they identified themselves, was by his name. When you get to John 17:3 and Christ is talking about a name that he's inherited, and the center point of all this, then you start to see, wait a second. In the very essence of the name of God is manifest presence, eternal existence and manifest presence. And Christ is now embodying, he has inherited that name. Then you start to understand what Paul meant in Philippians 2, why at the end of time every knee will bow and every tongue confess what the name Jesus Christ is. Lord.
Jace
Exactly. So look fast forward because I know we're almost out of time. So you have this where Jesus just brings that up about the name in John 17. Then what happens? We know Jesus fixed to be arrested. He dies, he's buried, he's raised, he has this fellowship with him. You gather up in Acts, he's like, wait here till you receive the power. The Holy Spirit, which he predicted John 14, 15, 16 is poured out. All of a sudden you see this sign goes Back to Genesis 11, Tower of Babel. All the languages were mixed. And now they hear their own language from these voices of the disciples. That's the miracle. Peter stands up, preaches a sermon about Jesus. And when they hear it, and he specifically got into the death and the burial and the resurrection of Jesus, he's Lord in Christ. And the people heard this, they're like, what do we do? And Peter replied, repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. It wasn't just a title, he had gotten it. This is the presence of God that you're witnessing via the Holy Spirit. I'm not just telling you a story about a character. I'm doing this by the power and presence of God right now. And people responded. I just think how that should change us. And thinking, oh, God's far off. Which is why all through the Bible it says he's not far. Remember Acts 17, not far from each of us. He's not far from. So you knowing that you have the presence of God inside of you as you're declaring Jesus, I think that is more his point and his prayer in this chapter, which is very powerful. And look, that's not a one case event. They continued to say that in the name of Jesus, in the name. That's how that became a.
Zach
It's not like a magic password thought. It's like, oh, if I say it in the.
Jace
Okay. In Jesus name.
Zach
Okay. And I said the password. Now I'm gonna. Now he's gonna answer the prayer. Anything in my name.
Jace
Well, and people argue about it, like what you have to say, but they're, they're. Or even if it's wrong to say it, which is where that came from. They're like, who am I? I'M not even worried. Worthy to mention his name, which I think is a good attitude to have, because we are just human beings that are flawed. But I think Jesus was introducing here because he's going to get to their mission, that he uses flawed people and he moves into flawed people to further what he started and be the representatives of heaven on earth.
Zach
Right.
Jace
Which is back to the temple language. I want to read the last section of this. 17, 1 5. So verse four, he says, I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. Which is interesting, and we can talk about that on the next podcast.
Jason
Is this kind of almost like a celebration point? He brings that up.
Jace
Wait a minute. Why would he. And so what this verse takes you back to is, remember the verse in John 6 where they said, what is the work of God? And he said, here's the work of God to believe in the one he sent. And so I think that's the reason he. That's just my opinion. Yeah, but it's like they believe in me. They got it. Even though it's going to be bumpy and you're going to be scattered. Because that's when he said.
Jason
Just said that at the end of 16.
Jace
Yeah, well, right. He's like, you know, oh, yeah, you, you, you, you believe it lasts. Right? But he. He knew their hearts. And so then it says, and now, father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I have with you before the world began. Well, all of a sudden this gets deep because this goes Back to John 1. In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God. And then you go down to 14, the word became flesh. What's encouraging about this after the Holy Spirit is when he gets to verse 24, he's. Then when he's praying for all the believers, he says, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory. The glory you have given me because you love me before the creation of the world, which now makes this love angle make more sense.
Zach
Yeah, I've often used that as a way to really round out a good theology, which is you ask the question, what was God doing before he creates the world? And we know, we now know he was loving himself, and not in a narcissistic way. The Father was eternally loving the Son.
Reed
But between the three.
Zach
Yeah, but I think it helps us understand the nature of God, because if we try to put other attributes that are contingent upon creation in that spot, you're going to end up like bringing God down. For example, if I say God was pouring out his wrath before the creation of the world, you're like, well, who was he pouring his wrath out on?
Jace
Wasn't anybody there.
Zach
Wasn't anybody there but himself. There's no sin to pour wrath out.
Reed
It requires him to need us.
Zach
So wrath becomes contingent upon creation. God doesn't need us.
Jace
Right.
Zach
He doesn't need me to be God. He's God before he creates any of us. And he also wasn't dispensing mercy before the foundation of the world. You know, he was loving himself. Love is that primary attribute. I think that it's a pre existing attribute. I'll say it like that. And I think that's why First John is really keen on twice. It says in First John, chapter four that God is love.
Jace
So I know we're out of time, but I want to say that's why he also uses gifts 17 times. Because what is love? It starts with giving. And God is the giver of everything.
Jason
Right?
Jace
So you start making that connection.
Jason
I like it.
Reed
Yeah.
Jace
All right.
Jason
Well, that went fast.
Reed
Yeah, I know.
Jason
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.
Date: September 25, 2025
Hosts: Jason, Jase, Zach, Missy, Reed
Special Topics: Family storytelling, the study of John 17, eternal life as a present reality
This episode of "Unashamed" brings the Robertson family and guests together for a deep, engaging Bible study centered on John 17—Jesus’ prayer before his arrest. The conversation travels from the quirks of Robertson family storytelling (and its sometimes Uncle Si-style embellishments) to the profound nature of eternal life according to Jesus. Together, they navigate personal anecdotes, generational faith, and rich theological themes, all in their signature blend of Southern humor and heartfelt conviction.
[06:13] Jace on Embellishment: Jace admits to inheriting a flair for dramatic storytelling from his uncle, Uncle Si, and now sees it passed down to Reed. The family laughs about how these stories sometimes get mistaken for truth by listeners.
[04:40] Reed’s Perspective as a Guest: Coming onto the podcast, Reed was surprised by the depth of Bible study versus just storytelling, flipping expectations for show newcomers.
[07:21] Light-hearted Banter: The crew enjoys a string of stories about missed utility payments, bank hacks, and expensive dinners—evidence that even the most fame-infused, faith-focused families face everyday challenges.
[13:19] On Listening to the Podcast: Missy and Reed share why, before joining, they didn’t listen: “If I want to hear my dad ramble on, I'll give him a call…he’ll go for 45 minutes.”
[16:41] Setting the Context: The team transitions from laughter to a line-by-line discussion of John 17, comparing Jesus’ honesty and vulnerability in his prayer to the often surface-level nature of modern Christian prayer.
[17:28] Jesus' Emotional Honesty:
[28:11] Eternal Life Explained:
[33:55] Heaven on Earth:
[38:53] The Name and Presence of God:
[49:42] Jesus Inherits the Name:
[53:55] In the Name of Jesus:
[55:02] The Completed Work:
[56:27] The Preexistence of Love:
This episode is classic “Unashamed”—a blend of faith-filled scholarship, earthy stories, and genuine family camaraderie. The Robertsons model open, in-depth exploration of Scripture, challenging listeners to see eternal life and God’s presence as accessible, transformative realities for today—not just for some far-off future. The laughter and humility surrounding their stories only emphasize that God uses imperfect, colorful people to reveal eternal truths.
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