Ep 1117 | Jase Unpacks How to Conquer Fear When the World Is Falling Apart
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Welcome back to the Unashamed podcast. The last podcast, we were, it was kind of an odd coupling. We were talking about the LSU game because, you know, on the weekend at the College World Series and then kind of led us into also current events that are happening around the world because it all kind of came together just this last weekend.

you know, for us, because we were like all into the sports stuff. But then, like happens a lot of times, you know, real life breaks in to, you know, it kind of lets you know what's important, you know. We're human beings. We're literally watching the game and Missy's like, oh, they're talking about maybe World War III is taking place. And, you know, I wasn't joking, but I was like, well, I hope they wait till this game's over, you know, because just I was like, I'm here now.

And, you know, it hurts your heart that, you know, people are fighting and people are dying. And I mean, there's wars going on all over the globe, which is sad. But it makes you remember even all the times Jesus referred to the evil one, you know, in this him having the power over death, which is why Jesus came here to free us from that fear.

And, you know, that's kind of what I was thinking. I thought at the end of the day, I'm in Christ. And one of the benefits of being in Christ is life after death, you know. Yeah. And to rush in when people are suffering and hurting. And that's what the church is supposed to do, you know.

and providing healing hope and concern where needed. So, yeah, it's scary times, but this has been going on since the dawn of humanity. I mean, we're going back to Cain and Abel. Well, you've got to look at it from everybody's perspective. Zach, I thought you did a good job last time. One, just kind of showing that –

of who is Israel, you know, because we think about this idea from a kingdom perspective. And when you're looking at nations and you kind of tend to paint one brush, I mean, if you look at it from Israel's perspective, Jason, I was thinking about this on the last podcast, I didn't get a chance to say this, but, you know, our grandparents, all of our three of our grandparents in their lifetime, really almost in dad's lifetime, because it was just before when it started, but you had a,

a regime in the world that was trying to conquer the world. And in the process of that made their mind up that they were going to kill every Jew on the planet. I mean, like that was their goal and they killed millions of people, uh, just because they didn't like them because, you know, whatever the reasons were, whatever, uh,

And so from their perspective, when they feel threatened with annihilation, it's not like it hasn't happened recently. This is our grandparents who we all spent time with. It was in their lifetime when that happened in World War II. So when something like this rolls along and somebody says, you know, we're going to start dropping nuclear bombs on Israel.

from their perspective, it's time to do something. Because they've lived through this nightmare of someone wanting to kill everybody, even just a physical Jew. Yeah. And I think a lot of it is just the fact that God chose Israel, and whether they believe that or not, I mean, you have the best-selling book of all times, which basically claims that. And the idea of it is,

creates bitterness from their neighbors. And that's why I think Ephesians 2 is so powerful about when he's, you know, at the end of chapter 1 and...

Even into chapter two, when he's talking about this mystery of Jews and Gentiles coming together under one new humankind, one new humanity and him destroying that hostility that was there. And you're still seeing the repercussions of that.

even today. And it also says, you know, in chapter two, when he, he talks about in him, those who are in Christ, this new humanity under, under Christ, which, which,

He had previewed when he said that Christ came at the time he did to bring all things on heaven and earth under one head. But when he gets to the end of chapter 2, he's like, in him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. I mean, that's right after he talked about in Christ building.

bringing this one humanity together. So it's not like the answer to the problem is not anywhere. I mean, you just think about what Christ does about destroying that wall of hostility that you're seeing. Yeah, and then you see the same language similar in Paul's letter to the church in Galatia. He says, before faith came, he said we were all held captive under the law.

We were imprisoned until the coming of faith would be revealed, which was revealed in Christ. So then the law was our guardian until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith. That's that same language I mentioned in the last podcast about Romans 9, how the Gentiles were included in as children of Abraham because they put their faith in Christ. But now that faith has come, listen to this, we are no longer under a guardian, but we

For in Christ Jesus, you are all God.

sons of God, everybody, all the Jews and Gentiles through faith. For as many as you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither slave nor free. There is no male and female for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are our Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring heirs according to

to the promise. And I think, man, what good news is that? And I think that's why, like you think about the atomic age that we live in, because there's a lot of fear that comes apart. Are we in World War III? Are we under a nuclear threat? And yeah, we probably are. But if you're in Jesus, you can remember this, that we actually can pull ourselves together. And despite all the fears, this is a quote by C.S. Lewis that I love. He said, the first point to be made in the atomic age

how we live in it, and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we're all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, we'll let that bomb come once

When it finds us doing sensible and human things, praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts, not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies. A microbe can do that, but they need not dominate our minds.

And I love that because that gives me a sense of peace. Like no matter what's going on, we don't have to quit living. We don't have to quit being the kingdom in the world. The kingdom has come. So we're going to be the kingdom. We're going to continue to operate. Yeah, we'll deal with stuff. We'll talk about it, but it cannot dominate our minds. We are liberated in Christ. But think about it. You're right, Zach. And Jace, you mentioned that idea about hostility and so much about what we see in Middle Eastern politics between nations in the Middle East.

is this division. Some of it's division within Islam. Some of it's the division of Judaism and Islam. But if you think about it, Zach, what you just read in Galatians, Jesus being the promise of Abraham really becomes the ultimate unifier because I didn't realize until I mentioned Larry Bowles on the last podcast. Larry, he showed us something I never knew is that one of the ways that they have helped lead a lot of

of Muslims to Christ is the idea of just that going back to Abraham who both recognize and saying, what was the promise of Abraham? It was bigger than Judaism and it was bigger than Islam. It was Jesus, the Messiah coming to earth. And when we come to him, then we can all be on the same page. So I just love the idea that what we're talking about on the podcast, you have to talk about geopolitics. You have to talk about America,

how we fit into it. But at the heart of it, it always comes down to the idea that in Christ is the ultimate answer because of what you just said. Because ultimately, it's about living forever. Yeah. And there's no distinction in

I think that's a big thing, that Ephesians passage that Jace mentioned. That wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile and Christ is gone, meaning it's not there, meaning it doesn't exist. There's no distinction. There's no separation. And I think, was it Ronald Reagan said, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall? This is like the ultimate tearing down of a wall of hostility between Jews

basically Israel and the nations. And it's through Israel, it is important to recognize this, that it is, the Bible does teach that it is through Israel that all of the nations will be blessed. And that's true. That still stands today. That is through the promise that God made. Jesus.

Yeah, the promise he made. Think about it. Was it Genesis 22 when he sacrificed Isaac and that substitution was made on that mountain, right? He provided a ram in the thicket, a substitution paid, his only son, all that foreshadowing of Jesus, that covenant, right?

that covenant made with Abraham, we are now beneficiaries of that promise that first started with Israel and then was extended out to the Gentile nations. And we were brought into that communion with God. So I'm so thankful, so thankful for a God that redeems all people.

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we're fixed to get into Jesus being the shepherd of the sheep. And remember, he's like, watch out for the thief who comes to kill and destroy. Well, what's fascinating about that is all through the Bible, I've noticed this, and I know y'all have too, that there's a correlation between the king and his people, which for us is King Jesus and we're his people. But there's a correlation to that and a shepherd being,

who takes care of his sheep, which seems so weird to like, when you look at it from the worldly view, they're like, well, when you think a sheep and a shepherd, you don't think there's anything powerful about,

about that. And one place that you can read is Ezekiel 34, and the title of it that is not inspired, but they put it there, it's Shepherds and Sheep. And I'd like to read a little bit of it and make a correlation, because you kind of see this. The whole thing keeps talking about the sovereignty of the Lord, and it's this speech about

shepherds and sheep. But just to read a little bit of it, in verse 1 it says, The word of the Lord came to me, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, This is what the sovereign Lord says. Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves. Should not shepherds take care of the flock?

You eat with the curs, clothe yourselves with wool, and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd. And when they were scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered.

He keeps saying that, you know, based on his authority and his rule.

Because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals. And because my shepherds did not search for my flock, but care for themselves rather than the flock. Therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the sovereign Lord says. I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves.

I will rescue my flock from their mouths and it will no longer be food for them. And it goes on. The whole thing is about this. Even in verse 12, as a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he's with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them.

Uh, and, and verse 17, he says, I will judge between one sheep and another and between rams and goats. I mean, the whole thing is, is about that. And it goes all the way to the end. The last verse in 31 says, you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture are people. And I am your God declares the sovereign Lord. So that's why it's not shocking. Uh,

When Jesus says, I am the gate, you know, in John 10 for the sheep, you remember when he says that? What was the purpose of that illustration? Well, here's Jesus who became one of the sheep, a human. He was a Jew. He was an Israelite. And he makes that statement. Well, that gate...

That reference, which was also referenced in John 5, remember when he healed the guy who had been paralyzed for 38 years? You remember where that took place? It was at the Sheep Gate. They named that place there where they would let the sacrificial lambs go through. And so here's Jesus identifying with that, like, I've become a sheep to eventually what he says in John 10, and I'm also the shepherd.

And so then you get into that. Well, what is Jesus? Is he from the line of David, the line of Judah, which is a king and David's line, who David was the king in Israel, or is he a lamb? Because you see those references all through the New Testament. And so that's where I'm going with this, with this king and his people and the shepherd and the sheep, which led me to the book of Revelation,

Because there's a whole section over two dozen times he's referred to in this picture of here's an enemy to people who have surrendered to Christ. And in this instance, it was wrong. But you kind of see the same similarities that you're even seeing in this prophecy from Ezekiel.

It's where people in power who are oppressing people have put their trust in Jesus, who is the most powerful human that has ever lived, obviously by conquering death itself, which is what great powers use to maintain their power. And so it gave me all these visual images of like why shepherd and sheep, because you think about it.

Here's a shepherd in Jesus. He's making this illustration that he's a shepherd that is willing to give his own life for the sheep. Well, find me another power out there that's operating like that. You know, all the powerful figures we know, it's the exact opposite. They're there to preserve their power. They're willing to give up the people who follow them

So that they can maintain their power. And transfer it to who they want. You know, when you were reading Ezekiel 34, the picture, the word that kept coming to my mind as you read those words, Chase, was humility. I mean, I just thought about it from, you know, like the idea of being sheep, right?

It's a very humbling thing. If we could pick any animal to be like, I mean, very few of us would say that's the one I would choose, right? Because they're so docile and, you know, they're just kind of out there and you just kind of shear them and you can eat their meat. And it's like, man, I mean, it's just not much inspiring about that. But isn't that really us as human beings? I mean, we think we're all that. But then when God turns around and says, not only are you sheep, but I'm a shepherd. Yeah.

I'm the creator of the universe, and yet I love you so much. I'm willing to take care of you. I'm willing to mend you. I'm willing to go find you when you lose your way. I mean, I'm willing to protect you when you're

when you're frightened and when you're scared. And so it's just as humbling on his part as it is our part. Yeah, and we sing a lot of songs in church about the worthiness of the lamb, the worthiness of that sheep, you know, and you think about that vulnerability, that picture of really kind of weakness in a way. But what's helpful for me is that passage in Revelation 5 where you have John on the Isle of Patmos and he says,

He is trying to figure out, is there anybody worthy to break the seal on this scroll that has kind of the redemptive plan in it? And he says here that no one was worthy to open it, and they start to realize this. And they're like, oh my goodness. John's like, no one's worthy to open the scroll. He says, I began to weep loudly, Revelation 5, 4, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to even look in it.

And one of the elders said to me, weep no more. And this is why he says in the weep no more. I think it's so interesting what you're talking about with the lion and the lamb reference. Like, is he a lion? Is he a lamb? You know, which one is he? A lion? A sheep? He says, behold, the reason why I don't want you to cry, he says, is behold, the

the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals. So you see the picture of just God's divine sovereignty in Jesus as a lion, not as a weak lamb, but as a

powerful lion. I think of Aslan in C.S. Lewis's Narnia. Is he safe? Well, no, he's a lion, but he is good. And then, but listen to what happens whenever he turns to look at this lion, because he's told, look at this big, look at the lion. Everything's cool. We found the one worthy to open the scroll, the lion from the tribe of Judah, from the root of David. The name is Jesus. And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, he says, I saw a lamb.

standing as though it had been slain. So he says, behold the lion. And when John turns to see, he sees the land of the lamb of God that looked like it had been slain, but it was risen. It was standing. And that's why...

They sang that new song, worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. Man, that sounds a whole lot like Daniel 7 to me. You know what I mean? Yeah, well, exactly. Well, I was going the same place because I introduced this the last time, talking about Revelation, because really when...

You have nations or even people who set themselves up as more powerful than anything on the planet. Well, to people who have entrusted themselves to Jesus, we realize that he's the most powerful being in heaven and on earth. And that was his whole purpose is to bring those two things.

I guess is the best word I can come up with. Listen to verse 10 here. He says, verse 9 says, and they sing a new song, worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seal. So they're singing this to the lion who they're looking at as a lamb. For you were slain and

And by your blood, you ransom people for God from every tribe, going back to what we've been talking about the whole time, bringing together Jew and Gentile and language and people and nation, all people. And you have made them a kingdom and a priest to our God. And listen to this. They shall reign on the earth. That's your point. Yeah. Heaven and earth coming together, reigning on earth.

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And you know what mirrors that verse? There's a verse in Romans chapter 5, and I'm going to Romans just on purpose. But Romans 5, 17 echoes the same thought, Zach. It says, "...for if by the trespass of the one man," talking about Adam, physical death, it says death, but "...death reigned through that one man,"

How much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness, and here's that phrase again, reign in life?

Through the one man, Jesus Christ. And that's why I'm glad you went to Revelation, because when I studied this and thought about how do you sum up the book of Revelation, I believe it was a template using figures and what we call apocalyptic language, which is really...

Not the right word because apocalyptic means something that is revealed. Well, Jesus is revealing it. But we tend to lump that in with the use of figurative language, symbols, a picture. You know, this was John having a dream, you know, when he was in the Spirit, Revelation 1.

And it'd be like you trying to write down, you know, dreams you have, because there seems to be no rules when you have a dream. Yeah. You know, as far as time and space and even sense making, you see these things. And so he's trying to describe this heavenly perspective. And this is what you have, symbols. And they have meanings. But if you spend your whole time trying to figure out what every symbolic symbol

usage is, you tend to miss the point. And that's why when you read it from, you know, once through from Revelation 1 all the way to the end, you see there's some kind of persecution that's imminent. And they're going to persecute people who are following Jesus. And they're going to use it the same way earthly kingdoms use their power.

It's basically like bend the knee to us or we're going to torture you, kill you, kill your family. And that happened. And that happened to the temple in Jerusalem in AD 70 while Roman rule was at hand.

I mean, they destroyed that temple, and it's never been rebuilt, which is fascinating. And people who had trusted the Lord were persecuted. They were martyred. They died in gruesome ways. And I think this becomes a template for no matter what kind of power there is on the earth,

If this tends to repeat itself, I think the reason the book of Revelation is there, it's like no matter what power it is, and it really ties it to the power of the evil one, which has been given authority over the realm of the dead, which Jesus said that in, I mean, that's quoted in Hebrews 2 that we've read a lot about the human family and Jesus coming to destroy him who had the power of

of death over humanity. That's why Jesus came. But you see that language. And I just wanted to say, you were reading from where? Revelation 5? I just wanted to help you get there, which is we read last time about in Revelation 1, 4 through 6, about Jesus in verse 5 is the ruler of the kings of earth. But right before that,

No, right after that, in verse five of Revelation one, it says to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins. Now we're going back to that. He was a lamb, Isaiah 53. He was slaughtered for the sins of us like a sheep. He loved us and has freed us and think freedom, freedom from what?

Any power that takes you captive, including the evil one, even from your own self, your selfish ambitions, any God that you make up, he's freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and father to him be glory and power forever and ever. And that's what Jesus offers. If you notice those three things, he loves us,

He freed us and he made us to be a kingdom and a priest, a group of priests. So he starts there. And then even notice when he says in 1.5 that he rules over the kings of the earth. Well, one of the churches he writes to in chapter 3 and verse 14, he uses similar language. And it says, these are the words...

of the amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. Present tense, red letters. So that's where he starts. And he tells John to write down this vision. And we know that in history, they were under Roman rule and Rome pushed back against people who were following Jesus. They were out to break it up.

And it's interesting in these letters to the seven churches, there's one theme. And y'all probably know what it is. But if you had to say there's what's one word that came up

In every letter to these seven churches, there's one word that occurs in all seven letters. Do y'all know what it is? I would guess love, but I don't know. No, I'm glad I came today. Yeah, I was going to say. Look, there's one word that happens. He commends them where they're doing good.

And then he critiques them where they're not doing good. And then he gets to the end of each letter to the seven churches who are fixed to undergo this persecution. And you have that tribulation language in all of these writings. The word is, I'll read the first one in 2-7. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who, and here's the word, overcomes.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Well, that's good news. Well, look at the second church. When he gets to the end in chapter 2 and verse 11, he who has an heir, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. Well, whatever the second death is, if you're not hurt by it, I'm in. Amen.

Because I know I die once here, just as man is appointed to die once. But I'm not going to die again if you're in Christ. All right, read the next one. Because you're not going to believe how this works out. In verse 17, he says the same phrase about if you have ears. Then it says, to him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.

which is obviously talking about something that Jesus is providing. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Look at the next one, the fourth church in 226. 226, to him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations.

He will rule them with an iron scepter. He will dash them to pieces like pottery. Just as I have received authority from my father, I will also give him the morning star. Another reference to Jesus. He who has an ear, let him hear. All right. It says the same thing. Look at chapter three and verse five.

He who overcomes will like them be dressed in white, which is a symbol of purity in the book of Revelation. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my father and his angels. Look at 312. Him who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, which is why we say it's not a physical building.

In Israel, Ephesians 2, the last verse, you are the temple. This is an eternal thing. You've become a dwelling by the Holy Spirit in which God lives. He goes on to say, never, never again will he leave it. We're talking about never. Eternal life. He's defining it. I will write on him the name of my God forever.

And the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem. This new Jerusalem has Jews and Gentiles in it. It's not a place. It's a people that have come together under Christ, Ephesians 1.10. Which is coming down out of heaven from my God. It's not going to heaven. It's coming down via the spirit in human beings' mortal body. And I will also write on him my new name.

And then here's the kicker. The reason I read all those and you're like, what's the point? Look at the last one. I mean, you're going to have trouble wrapping your head around this. When he gets to verse 21, to the last church, he says, to him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my father on his throne.

And you really see the picture there of the sheep being empowered. So think about all the other powers. They're just, the leaders are trying to maintain their power. Jesus is trying to empower the sheep because of his power. And you overcome just as he overcame. So that leads to chapter 4 and 5 of Revelation. ♪

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30 camps of 4-4-3-2-1. I want to make just a practical application because that's really such a practical living point because out of all the years that I've been in ministry and pastoring and leading and teaching people and walking with people and being a shepherd and a sheep, I would say the number one word

that continues to come up over and over again on just living, just practical living for something bigger than yourself is overcome. Yeah. Whether it's overcoming evil, overcoming addiction, overcoming relationships, overcoming a fear, overcoming of death. I mean, overcome is such a good, I'm so glad you emphasize it because it, because it, you boil that all the way down to just a practical living experience.

level. And that's the number one word I would use in all my years of ministry with people is the ability to overcome. Yeah. And you know, it's sometimes translated conquer, which is when you think about that,

That's what kingdoms do. You say, what's all this going on in the Middle East? There's one nation trying to conquer another. And so think about that verse in Romans 8, 37, where it says, no, in all these things, you know, it's what things? It's trouble, persecution. This is Romans 8, 37.

35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ of trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Well, all these things happen that's being predicted in the book of Revelation under the hands of Rome. And then watch what Romans 8, 36 says, as it is written, for your sake, we face death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

Knowing all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I'm convinced that neither death, life, angels, demons, present, future, powers, height, depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. I mean, you're seeing spiritual warfare. And what I didn't read in all those letters to the seven churches, you know how many times Satan is mentioned?

In those letters, the evil one who is showing his power of death by basically being a murderer from the beginning, using death to...

lift up earthly kingdoms and their corrupt leaders. Look, he's mentioned in chapter 2, verse 9, verse 10, verse 13, chapter 3, and verse 9. So it's like he's in cahoots with the earthly powers, fueling death as a weapon to power. And the way that he does that is, one of the ways he does that is to separate the intention of God from

by making his name known and naming us with his name. I just wanted to point this out because you read that. I was like, man, that's really good because I'm preaching on Exodus 14 Sunday, which is on the parting of the Red Sea. And so I've been kind of toying with this idea where in Exodus 14, 21, there's this part where Moses stretches out his hand over the sea and the Lord drove back the sea with...

with a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land and all the waters were divided. So the parting of the Red Sea. And so if you look at that verse, it's cross-referenced quite a bit of times in the Bible. And I went and sort of read through all of those cross-references. And in every one of those cross-references, it talks about God making His name known, right?

So if you go back to the whole story of Exodus, the reason why that's important is because in the story of Exodus, the Lord says to Moses, I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but I didn't tell them my name.

I appeared to them, but I did not tell them my name. This is the first time, newsflash, breaking news, I'm telling you my name, and the name of God is Yahweh, or I am, Exodus chapter 3. I am Yahweh, that's the name of the Lord. And so when you read that in Revelation 3, when it says, the one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God.

And the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem. And I think that there's a big part of this. Like, when you think about God's taking Jew and Gentile, he's making the priesthood of believers become the temple, the new temple of God, where God will dwell in the temple of our bodies, built upon the cornerstone of the temple. Who's the cornerstone? It's Jesus, the incarnation of Jesus.

of Yahweh, the name of God. We're named with Him. We bear the name of God now because we're image bearers. And so our identity now is directly linked and rooted in and fixated on the name of God. So I think that name of God component of this is super important as we

kind of unfold this. No, and it shows you, Zach, just the beauty of how we're all here in the same context of speaking because, you know, we're preaching to Joshua and

you know, three, four and five, and which is 40 or 50 years ahead of where you're at in Exodus. But it's the exact same repeat. Everything talking about the people melted in fear at the name of God. And they didn't even know all of these people who were there, except for this one woman, Rahab, who heard the name and believed. I mean, it's just, you see it repeated in history over and over and over again, which is powerful. Go ahead, Jason.

So you get to Revelation 4 and 5, and so the last two podcasts are basically just giving you this picture of 1 through 3 and the context, and Rome is fixed to persecute the church. They're fixed to have trouble.

But it takes you back to where in John 14 in verse 1, because he knew what was going to happen to all his followers and what did happen to them eventually. They got killed. They all got killed. They all got murdered, which is all over the place in Revelation. And so he makes this statement. And I have this thought when I hear, oh, I think we're fixed to go through World War III.

These are the most comforting words when trouble, when war happens. Jesus said in John 14, 1, and I believe this is a mirror image of what happens in Revelation 4 and 5, and I'm going to prove it to you. He says, do not let your hearts be troubled, even though he knows they're all going to die one day in violent deaths in his name. But don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me.

And what you see in Revelation 4, after he gave those seven letters to those seven churches about overcoming the persecution from Rome and in cahoots with the evil one, he gives you a picture in chapter 4 of trusting God. And it's all about the Father. And I'm not going to read it, but I'll just read the last few verses because I want to get to chapter 5 where it says, And then you get into this idea of the Lamb, Jesus being the Lamb.

So in chapter 4, uh...

you know, there's this picture of these 24 elders and people talk about what does that mean? But it has to represent humanity as he's looking at this view of God sitting up there with God. And it says they lay their crowns before the throne. This is the second part of verse 10 and say, you are worthy our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things worthy.

And by your will, they were created and have their being. So think about it. Don't let your heart to be troubled. Trust in God. There he is. There's a father who's on the throne. And then trust in me. Because when it gets to 5.1, it says, Then I saw in the right hand who sat on the throne a scroll of

You say, what is that? Well, just get the point. Verse 2. And then verse 5.

Then one of the elders said to me, representing humanity, do not weep. See, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed. Who is that? Jesus. In the form of a lion, but watch what it goes on to say. He is able to open the scroll. Then I saw a lamb. Well, who is that? That takes you back to John 1 when John the Baptist said, look, there's the Lamb of God. It takes away the sins of the world. Takes you back to Isaiah. ♪

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And the elders. And just a sidebar here. If Jesus is at the center of heaven, where should he be on earth? I mean, for crying out loud. If he's supposed to bring all things in heaven and earth together. So back to the text, it says, he had seven horns and seven eyes. Well, you say, oh, no, I don't know. Horn represents power. Eyes, he sees it all.

Just think in that vein right now.

Which is the sevenfold spirit or the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. So there's the spirit. He sent it out to the earth. He poured it out in Acts chapter 2, by the way. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures, which I didn't talk about, but they represent the celestial beings in heaven, the cherubim,

And the 24 elders, that represents humanity in heaven, fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp. They were holding golden bowls full of incense. You say, what is that? Well, it says what it is, which are the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song, which is shadowing the fulfillment when Moses was dead.

chosen by God to free Israel. And the first thing he did when they were freed is he sang a song. But now there's a new song of freedom. That's why we read Revelation 1-5. We're freedom from death. We're freedom from sin. It's better. That's why Jesus is better than Moses. Hebrews 3 says that. So then watch what the song says. You are worthy to take the scroll to open its seals because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God.

God, from every tribe, language, people, nation, you have made them to be a kingdom and preach. This is us. This is you and Gentile, all nations together. Every language, every people, every nation, you have made them to be a kingdom and preach to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousands. They encircled the throne.

Here we are. Jesus is at the center. In a loud voice they sang, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise. Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in them singing, To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, power forever and ever.

So I want to say this. What's interesting about this, in chapter 6, he opens the seals, which basically says he will judge the oppressor. He will bring justice. He'll come riding on a white horse and then even death.

itself will be conquered. It's all about conquering, conquering, conquering the enemies of God, even though you die. So he gets to chapter seven. This is, and I think it's a, it's a covenant document. It's a, it's, this is the covenant revealed. Well, I'm giving you the high points because I want to get to chapter seven before we run out of time and read this because what's going to happen. And, and I agree with, uh,

with what Zach's saying about the covenant document. It's basically saying Jesus won and is winning, which means we win, no matter what. But he gets to chapter 7, and he brings this idea of the shepherd back up, and I want to read these verses. This is chapter 7, 9 through 17, and this is the lamb becoming the shepherd. So 7, verse 9.

After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation. There we go again. And they were standing...

Verse 1.

before the throne, worship God, praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength to be our God forever and ever. Then one of the elders asked me, these in white robes, who are they and where did they come from? I answered, sir, you know. And he said, these are they who have come out of the great tribulation. It's fixed to happen. They're going to persecute you. They're going to kill you. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger. Never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. There's the connection.

Kings, people, shepherd, sheep. And he will lead them to springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Now, you know what's fascinating? When I looked up that word shepherd in the Greek,

It popped up in chapter 12 and verse 11 of Revelation. You can read it on your own time. In chapter 19, verse 7 and 9. Chapter 21 and verse 23 and 27. In chapter 22, 1 through 3, where he's talking about the Lamb is the light and the temple. But you know where else it popped up? In John 21, 16. And I want to read this. When here's Jesus post-tribulation.

resurrection, post-resurrection. And he has this encounter with Mary. And she's the first one to declare that Jesus has risen. And then he has this encounter with Thomas. And despite his doubts, he's the first one to say, my Lord and my God. He figured out John 14, one, by the way. And then he comes to Peter. And here's a guy who, despite his denial, he has this conversation.

And he says this in verse 16. Again, Jesus said, Simon, son of Jonah, do you truly love me? He answered, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, now it's translated, take care of my sheep. But you know the same verse that I just read in Revelation 7 for shepherd? It's the same Greek word. He said, shepherd my sheep.

I mean, you can't make this up. Our shepherd, who was a lamb, died and was raised so us as sheep could become shepherds on earth to other people by introducing Jesus, the ultimate lamb and shepherd. And that's why we win.

You doesn't look like you have power because you say, oh, we're all just sheep and sheep are so vulnerable and they're, you know, they're so tender. But he gives us the power of his spirit to become shepherds on this earth and we reign with him now and forevermore. And Peter confirmed what you just said in 1 Peter 5 when he said as the chief shepherd of

has appointed me to be a shepherd, I now appoint shepherds. I mean, he said exactly what you just said to the people he was talking to. So we're out of time. Another thrilling discussion on Unashamed. We'll pick it up next time. 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.