Unashamed with the Robertson Family — Ep 1278

Lessons We Learned from the COVID Mask Mandate & ‘I Did It My Way’
February 26, 2026

Overview

In this engaging and faith-driven episode, the Robertson brothers (Jase, Al, and Zach) reflect on lessons learned during their recent travels, weaving together humorous stories, local observations from speaking tours in North Carolina, and deep biblical discussion. Central themes include the importance of abiding in Christ (John 15), warnings against doing things “my way” rather than God’s way, the relational nature of faith, and how spiritual intimacy produces true fruit in life. The episode also discusses the COVID-era mask mandate—using it as a springboard for broader lessons about connection, community, and the aroma of Christ.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Catching Up, Humor, and Travel Tales

Timestamps: 01:06–06:44

• The group opens with light banter about Zach’s absence and a technical mishap involving a wolf howl sound (01:13–02:17).
• Jase recounts recent travels to North Carolina, encountering signs for the “Research Triangle,” sparking jokes about mysterious research and local landmarks (03:32–05:41).
• “I looked past, like on the horizon. I was looking for triangles. You know, I thought, what are they talking about?” — Jase (05:34)

Memorable Moment

• Jase attempts to connect with the local audience using regional humor but finds nobody seems to know what the famous “Research Triangle” actually is.
• “I couldn’t get that off my brain. And so I was... I was in the Raleigh Durham area.” — Jase (05:51)

2. Gospel Parallels: From Local Oddities to Eternal Truths

Timestamps: 06:44–15:15

• Using his encounters (the “triangle” and Ava Gardner’s connection to Smithfield), Jase segues into his spiritual message, leveraging the “triangle” motif to illustrate the Trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit: Matthew 28) (09:00–09:37).
• “I said, well, I’ve been doing some research on another triangle. The Father, the Son, the Spirit.” — Jase (09:05)
• He links the song “I Did It My Way” (Frank Sinatra) to a broader lesson: Doing life on your own terms leads to emptiness—a “dumpster fire” compared to the fruitfulness of abiding in Christ (14:00–15:16).
• “Every time I’ve done it my way, that’s been a complete disaster.” — Jase (15:00)
• Encourages making Smithfield “famous” not for a celebrity, but for God’s triangle, challenging listeners to “do it God’s way.” (16:09–16:20)

3. Local Color: Sanford’s Bricks and Biblical Connections

Timestamps: 16:22–18:41

• Jase visits Sanford—hailed as the “brick capital of the world”—amused that hardly anyone in the VIP line actually makes bricks (17:03).
• “I said, what is the key to making the best bricks? He said, getting clay out of the ground... just give it time. I love this guy.” — Jase (17:40)
• Ties this into Acts 17—God doesn’t live in physical buildings, no matter how expertly constructed, but in people. (17:54–18:41)

4. Digging Deeper: The Meaning of “Abide” and Connection in Christ

Timestamps: 18:51–24:24

• The group discusses the term “abide” (“remain” in NIV), commenting on how modern Christians often miss the intimacy of the original meaning (19:02–22:07).
• “It is a home. That’s the thing... To be in your home, that’s the place where you’re really you... where real intimacy [happens].” — Zach (23:05)
• Jase reads from John 15, echoing John Tyson’s teaching on Israel as the vine. The true source of fruit and life is connection to Christ (24:24–29:08).
• “The functionary of all the people... you think, well, everybody had to get it right to get Jesus here. Nope. Most time they got it wrong. But Jesus still got here.” — Al (26:22)

Memorable Quotes

• “Give it 10 days... no matter how much you water it, what’s the best you can hope for? A slow death... when you lose connection from the source, [it’s] a slow death.”—Jase (27:58)
• “You do it your way, what happens? No fruit. You just have a hit song and you divorce Ava Gardner. And you’re dead.” — Jase (28:33–28:40)

5. The Aroma of Christ: Stories, Humor, and Spiritual Lessons

Timestamps: 32:04–42:08

• Zach recounts working watermelon fields as a teen—how melons quickly decay and “smell like death” when cut from the vine, paralleling life disconnected from Christ (32:04–32:56).
• Jase describes a harrowing flight in which a “putrid” smell on a plane makes him long for a mask—relating it both humorously and spiritually to the pandemic’s mask debates (34:33–40:11).
• “Now you wish you had a mask—stewardess looks like a genius, oblivious to what’s going on. All the people are suffering... What would you do in that situation?” — Jase (36:45)
• The conversation turns to 2 Corinthians 2:14—being the “aroma of Christ”; if we remain in Him, our lives have a different “spiritual scent” (41:12–42:08).

6. “In Christ” — The Central Reality

Timestamps: 42:08–44:45

• Jase asserts that two words, “in Christ,” are the most important in Scripture, recurring throughout Ephesians 1 and connecting all believers to the source of spiritual life. (42:08–44:45)
• “He’s the source. So He’s like, I want to work in you and through you. That’s the attitude we should have.” — Jase (43:33)
• Al connects this to Ephesians 1:4, emphasizing God’s sovereign choice (44:34).

7. The Unshakeable Kingdom and What Remains

Timestamps: 44:53–48:29

• Zach references Hebrews 12, explaining that God’s unshakeable kingdom is for those abiding in Christ; when life “shakes,” only what is of God will remain (45:10–48:29).
• “All the fruits... falling off whenever the world shakes are things that are passing away... it is the real fruit of the Spirit that remains.” — Zach (46:12)
• “Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken... for our God is a consuming fire.” — Zach (read from Hebrews 12:26–28) (47:34)

8. Friendship With God: Intimacy, Restoration, and Family

Timestamps: 48:29–55:11

• John 15 and 1 John 2:6 are discussed: abiders in Christ walk as He walked and are called friends of Jesus (49:37–55:11).
• “You spend all your time with your best friends... We’re connected. This is the way it is. And it just kind of hit me like a ton of bricks. I thought, man, what Jesus is presenting here is like, I want to be the ultimate friend relationship here.” — Jase (50:55)
• Al recalls reconciling with his father, finding both familial and spiritual friendship restored as he returned to the “vine” (53:15).
• “No matter how much the world doesn’t choose you, God will always be there.” — Al (55:06)
• “[Jesus] says, I chose you. Think about it... He’s like, I want to be your friend here, and I’ll give you everything.” — Jase (54:53)

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jase (on the “Research Triangle”):
  “I was looking for triangles. You know, I thought, what are they talking about?” (05:34)

• Jase (on Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way”):
  “Every time I’ve done it my way, that’s been a complete disaster.” (15:00)

• Zach (on abiding):
  “To be in your home, that’s that place where you’re really you... intimacy, the real you... the picture of abiding.” (23:05)

• Jase (on the true vine):
  “When you lose connection from the source... it’s a slow death.” (27:58)

• Zach (on disconnection):
  “That’s the picture of us when we get cut off from the source of Christ—as we begin to die, to decay and die, we smell like death.” (32:04)

• Jase (on “in Christ”):
  “The two most important words or version of [them] is: in Christ.” (42:08)

• Zach (on Hebrews 12):
  “Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken... our God is a consuming fire.” (47:34)

• Jase (on friendship with God):
  “Jesus is presenting here: I want to be the ultimate friend relationship here.” (50:55)

Important Timestamps

• 01:06–06:44 — Podcast opens, travel humor, wolf howl, discussion of Research Triangle.
• 09:00–09:37 — Spiritual triangle illustration (Father, Son, Spirit).
• 14:00–15:16 — Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way” as spiritual metaphor.
• 16:44–18:41 — Sanford’s brick capital link to Acts 17 and living temples.
• 19:02–24:24 — Extended discussion on “abide,” spiritual home, and John 15.
• 27:58 — Illustration of the slow death of disconnected flowers.
• 32:04–32:56 — “Watermelon field” illustration of being cut off from the source.
• 34:33–40:11 — COVID-era mask story, bodily odor, and spiritual parallels.
• 41:12–42:08 — 2 Corinthians 2:14, “fragrance of Christ.”
• 42:08–44:45 — “In Christ” as central scriptural reality.
• 45:10–48:29 — Unshakeable kingdom, Hebrews 12.
• 49:37–55:11 — Friendship with Jesus, reconnecting to the vine, family as friends.

Tone and Language

• Conversational, warm, and authentic—blending humor and personal anecdotes with biblical teaching.
• Gospel-centered and practical, with a leaning toward self-deprecating southern wit.
• The Robertsons openly process spiritual truths, making room for vulnerability and connection with listeners.

Conclusion

The episode masterfully interlaces stories from the road, local color, and personal experiences to illustrate foundational Christian truths: the power and necessity of abiding in Christ, the emptiness of trying to do life “my way,” the relational richness of true faith, and the irresistible “aroma” that flows from authentic connection to Jesus. The Robertsons challenge listeners to evaluate where they are finding their identity, intimacy, and sustenance—and to embrace the promise that in Christ, life is not just richer but unshakeable and eternally fruitful.