Ep 1003 | Phil’s Diagnosis
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He had a beautific vision of Christ that made all of his work seem like rubbish. Beautific. You took the word beauty and just butchered it. I think that was the cue there. I just heard the word beautific. I'm sorry. I think it's a word, but it's 100% a word. All right, Matty, we're rolling. I am unashamed. What about you? I am unashamed.

Welcome to Unashamed. Zach has started us off with a big word that Jace is now looking up.

For those of you that... I mean, I'm just saying I'm embarrassed for him. I've used the word beauty. I've used the word beautiful. Have you ever used the word beautific? He used the word beautific in about his third sentence. I pronounced it wrong. It was after he said Magnus Opus. What is it, Brandon? I think it's beatific. No, it's a word. It's beautific. It is an adjective that means to express or appear happy and calm, especially in a holy way.

Come on, somebody. You've got to preach right there. How could you not use that word? So, Zach, introduce your guest. We have a guest today on Unashamed. Brandon Hudson. He's on the other podcast, Not Yet Now podcast with me. Brandon and I also serve together as pastors at a church here in our area. So...

I thought we'll bring him into the discussion on Colossians, and I think he'll add a good bit. So Brandon, meet my family here. Yeah, it's good to be here, guys. And what's this I hear from, in the comments, I hear comments about Jace doesn't like the name of our podcast.

He's come along. He likes it now. Not just now? No, I still don't. I don't like it. I think. You know why? Because it's not eutypic enough for you. Well, I'm just saying if I saw that, not yet now, I would think in my mind, well, when you figure it out, that's when I'll come. I mean, if you had no idea what it means, now once you have to explain it, I love it.

But I'm saying the initial reaction, if, you know, I'm just saying. I'm not going to listen to that yet now. Not yet. Not yet now. Not yet now. Maybe in about a year they'll figure it out. It'll be, well, right now. Then we can go. Well, it's like you made it be completely vulnerable and transparent. Of course. Immediately when I heard that, I thought about, you know, going in with my lovely wife and, you know,

Trying to set the mood, you know. And if I heard that phrase...

Not yet. I would have never stuck around to hear the word now. Once I heard not yet, I'm like. I wish we'd have brought this up on the last podcast that Missy was on because I would have loved to have heard her response to that. Yeah, that sounds like some personal trauma you guys got to work through. There's a lot of personal trauma here. Brandon, you may turn into counselor because many times we start talking about holidays and Zach goes into the fetal position and

And, you know, starts calling for, you know, daddy. So Zach, we haven't been in the studio for a while. So I just was reminded we still have your hunk of silver here.

Which I gave back. Well, no. Yeah, that's right. He gave it back because he got him one. And so it's two ounces of silver. I don't know what silver is an ounce now. It's a guilty conscience. But I don't know. It says, Zach, the people that sent it from Lubbock said, I watch and I listen. I hear your passion and I'm blessed. Seeds are being planted. So yeah.

That was his little message to you. I don't think I ever read that on the, but we do appreciate the silver. We're holding this as a ransom till we get our gold back. Well, what a beautific thing to say and start this off. Well, it's my, it's like my Magnus Opus, Jace. It's just like the way I roll. Come on. Wow. Oh, so I went. This is our modus operandi, everyone. I went, I went duck hunting, uh, this morning. And so, uh,

Which is why we're back at the lair, by the way. That's why. And we're going to visit Phil. You know, Phil's not doing well. I think I spoke on the 1000th podcast. Yeah. We were kind of trying to figure out the diagnosis of

But we're, according to the doctors, they're sure that he has some sort of blood disease that's causing all kinds of problems. And he's had this for a few years. It's just gotten a lot worse. Yeah. It's like accelerated and it's causing problems with his entire body. And he has early stages of Alzheimer's. Yep. So if you put those things together, he's just not doing well. He's really struggling. And so...

He keeps saying, I'm going to get back to the podcast. But I'm like, well, Phil, you can barely walk around without crying out in pain. And I was like, your memory is not what it once was. He's like, tell me about it. So he is literally unable to, I think he would agree, to just sit down and have a conversation. And he misses it. He misses the stories we tell. Yeah.

Cause he called me recently, you know, it's like anybody with, with Alzheimer's and you guys, a lot of you out there in unashamed nation know this, you have good days and bad days. So there is the same with dad. There'll be some days he's a little better, you know, a little more with you and other days, not so much. Having said that, we're trying to do a lot of things to figure out how to make him more comfortable and maybe help with his memory. And so he, there's a lot of different things that we're doing from doctor sessions to

But, you know, there's just what we're hearing is, you know, outside of some supernatural intervention. Yeah. Which I don't doubt. Me neither. You know, so I would not be surprised that. But we've got a team of doctors and then we have another set of doctors who are looking at all the tests and they're all in agreement that.

There's no curing what he has. And so, you know, what do you do? We're trying to make him a little more comfortable.

And if he were here, you know what he would say, boys, the resurrection looms large as you get nearer and nearer the end. So, you know, we're not worried in that sense with him, but it's just one of those things we have to deal with. So just to let you guys know in the audience, because we haven't said much because we've just been kind of waiting to see what happens. Well, we didn't really know what the problem was, but we're far enough along the process now to know these things as facts.

And look, it's how long has duck season been open? 10 days. 10 days. So 10 days ago, he went with us on opening day. Yeah. But, you know, we shot 32 ducks is one of the best opening days we've ever had. But my dad did not fire his weapon, nor did he say much.

So I knew right then, I mean, it was all we could do to get him out there. He wanted to go, but he just, after the hunt, he said, Jace was miserable because he was just hurting and he couldn't do anything. And he just said, y'all don't call me. I'll call you when I'm ready to go back. And he hasn't called in 10 days, which is not like we hadn't talked to him, but he'll say, what'd y'all do today?

And I'll tell him. So he's just unable. If he's unable to go duck hunting, that pretty much tells you all you need to know. Well, look, this podcast has always been about

about being unashamed and dad's the most unashamed person I've ever known. And he's now passed that legacy on to us. And so everything we do is, you know, he's always here. So I always say that he may not be on set, but the, but the field chair is always. Yeah, that's true. And, and look, he's like, you know, when you have this Alzheimer's, it's like some days you feel like, Oh God,

You know, he's coming back. And then the next day, you know, you walk in and he's like, now, which one are you? I'm like, I'm Jace. He's like, oh, yeah. Yeah. I remember you now. So, I mean, it's just, that's kind of where we're at. It's a hard battle. Yeah, it's where we're at. I mean, they all kind of, the whole, that sibling group, my mom had dementia. Did they say dementia or Alzheimer's? He said Alzheimer's. He said Alzheimer's. That's what he said. But, you know, he did the tests and all that. Yeah.

Yeah, I'm getting the second hand. Willie actually went with him throughout all that. And then Willie called me and we kind of went play by play. But now, look, having said all that, they're they're optimistic about doing a few things to slow it down. And so we're not being doom and gloom here. It's just it took a long period of time to kind of get a diagnosis because my dad is I mean, he's hurting all over.

And he's losing weight and he's having this memory problem. So it was kind of hard to figure out is one thing causing another. I mean, and so it's really those two things happening simultaneously that,

have produced where he's at. Right. And, uh, even though he's eating, you know, pretty good, he just can't retain weight. He keeps losing weight and, uh, he just, he just not able to do much and he's just hurting. Right. Well, I tell Zach that, um, you know, when, when great men and women, um, get to a point where they're not what they once were, uh,

You know, it's hard then to make that decision about when do you kind of pull back and you're not out there doing what you used to do. I think about Ronald Reagan when I went to his –

um library out in california because i'm big reagan guy and obviously had a big impact on me and his political influence and you know when you go through his life and his career and really interesting and you get to the very end they have this room that you're kind of your last stop in the library and reagan wrote a letter when he got to the point with his alzheimer's that he knew

He couldn't, you know, function like he used to. Yeah. So he was going to kind of step back from the public eye. And he reads that letter. You know, he was still well enough at the time, which was such a great gift to people that loved him. And then, but when he was doing it, you know, you're in tears because you're just like, man, you realize that when you get to this point, you're saying, you know, I'm not what I once was. And so, you know, I kind of feel that way with dad. He didn't write a letter, but yeah.

His letter lives on in us. And so that's the beauty of sharing the gospel and impacting people is that never stops, generation to generation to generation. So that's the beauty there. We are the living letter for dad. No, I agree. I always think when we had Allie Beth on the last podcast, of course, she did a very awesome job in that book, The Toxic Empathy, and kind of took cultural issues away.

that sound like something that you want to put yourself in and say, oh, you know, wait, but it's lacking in truth. But, you know, my dad has always had a way of just being so graphic and blunt and dumbing things down. I remember when the kind of gender crisis was full swing in our culture, you know, my dad is like,

What everyone needs to do is remember one of the greatest inventions that would cure the gender crisis in our culture. Of course, I'm sitting here listening like, what was invented that was going to cure the gender crisis? Because that's the way my dad is. He's planting a seed in your mind. You're thinking, of all the inventions that could cure the gender crisis. What kind of technology? And he said, it's called a mirror.

Bring back the mirror. And then he described what you do with that mirror. Well, then he got graphic into human anatomy on what you're seeing in the mirror, which then made you a little uncomfortable. But when you peel all that back and think about it, you have to think,

As a human being, you think, you know, he's got a point. He's got a point. It's a modern day redneck parable. It's just like Jesus stuff. That's exactly right, which can't help but laugh. And he has a way of kind of getting away with it, I guess, because he's even, somebody made the comment in the last, I think it was when Mac was there, when he was talking about people don't gasp.

in the audience at our church because they've already heard everything. But there was a time when Phil was there when I heard- There were gasps early. I heard audible gasps from something that Phil would say. That helped degasp WFR with some of his- 1997. The summer of 97 was quite the, I mean, those are the lost files, but there was a series that Phil gave that- Biblical sexual ethics. Yeah, I'll never forget it.

Well, because what would happen, to your point, Brandon, was, you know, my dad has always shared Jesus with everybody that's come to his house. I mean, it's just going to happen, whether it's the FedEx man or someone that's lost or a fisherman. You know, they had a boat dock down there. He just had a way. Because his assumption was God sent you here. Exactly. And so that's when he feels that way. So everybody's open to the same dialogue.

So we had, uh, Jason, we had Allie Beth Stuckey recently on the podcast talking about her book, uh, toxic empathy. And on there, she talked about abortion and how, you know, a lot of times the sort of the approach from the world is, is that it's better for women, you know, if they have this choice and they do it and they get on with their life and these other things, but they don't always look and see the negative effects of

that it has, not just on a child, obviously, that is put to death, but also a woman and their response as well. Exactly. It becomes a negative. In fact, there's a new Danish study

It shows a year after abortion, a woman exhibits a 50% higher likelihood of first-time psychiatric treatment and an 87% higher likelihood of personality and behavioral disorders. So it doesn't sound like it's very positive for women's health care. We don't believe that it is. And for Preborn, which is one of our sponsors, Preborn,

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And they're like, what do you mean? He's like, well, do you know what sin is? I mean, he was just real confrontational. But like I said, there was just something about him that he seemed to get away with it. They didn't find it offensive. Right. I mean, my dad was like. He'd say, you're going six feet under and it was daisies popping out. Yeah. I mean, it's like. Yeah. Do you have a better idea? But a lot of these guys would share like their innermost secrets or sins. Well, then.

You know, they would later come to Christ. But then when he would take that story in a pulpit and he would share whatever graphically was said, people would be like, oh.

It was like he's told the bodybuilder that time. He said, son, you've got quite a physique. And the guy pumps up, you know, instantly just the muscles. That was in the parking lot. In the parking lot. He said, you've got quite the physique. And the guy's like, yeah. And he said, how are you getting it out of the ground? I was standing right beside him. I mean, that's the ultimate lie. And the guy's like, he said, if you want to know how, come down to the house. The next day, here he comes. What's funny is I was standing beside dad when he said that.

And the guy was walking. And you're right. When he said that, he kind of tore it, but he was walking. But when my dad said, well, how are you going to get it out of the ground? And he stopped. And my dad said, if you ever want to hear how to get it out of the ground, come down to the house. And by the way, dad didn't know his name, so he just called him Bumba. Yeah. He said, hey, Bumba. Yeah.

And the guy was like, yeah, that's me, which is another trait of dad. He just gives you a name and that becomes your name. He named Connor. Connor, one of our first –

employees down there on the production team, Phil called him No Name. No Name. So that became his name was No Name. A couple of times I said, Dad, his name is Connor. He said, yeah, No Name. Yeah. Well, what's funny about that is Phil wouldn't give him his card because he didn't have one. He wouldn't give him his cell phone because he doesn't have one. He just said, come down to the house, which is actually...

a 35-minute drive from that church building, and if you don't have directions... If you don't know how to get here, you're never going to find it. And two or three days later, that guy pulled up in the yard. It probably took him three days to find it. Bamba. Bamba showed up. I love that this guy figured it out on his own and shows you that that question...

Really impacted him, which is, you know, my dad used to call that directional dialogue. Yep. He would have conversations with people about human problems, their sin or their death,

Or their, you know, lack of having a good relationship with their wife or what, you know, any kind of problems like that. And he would just get their attention and tease them with a way to have a better life. Which is interesting because dad took that to another level. And we used to teach this a little bit back when we were first getting started. And we had that big house in town, you and Missy had your little house on Swiss Street. Yeah.

because we're teaching people how to teach other people. And so dad came up with this directional dialogue concept and he would use Jesus as an example. And Jesus would confront, you know, the Pharisees or the scribes or teachers of the law. He was really teaching the people and the disciples, the lessons he was teaching were to them, but the confrontation was this way. And that's exactly the way dad would do it. Remember he would confront. So if he was going to confront somebody, like he had a problem with Zach about something, he was sitting here, he would look at Jace and,

and say, Jace, I'm at what's, what's the deal with Zach? I mean, he's, you know, and then he would start talking about Zach and what Zach had been doing, but he's doing it to Jace. Oh, exactly. Directional dialogue confrontation. Well, somebody made a point. I haven't researched this, but I heard him say it, that Jesus asked over 300 questions in the four gospels. And there's only, you know, a third of that that was asked to him.

So he asked three times the questions that was actually asked of him, which you would think if he's the creator of the world in human form, that would be backwards. Yeah, exactly. But it just shows you that Jesus did that through conversation and would listen to what they would say. And then here we go. One of my favorite directional dialogue confrontation moments is

came at Louisiana Tech University on the night they were honoring Bradshaw and dad. And I was there, of course, and had helped put it together. Dad didn't want to go. And I was like, dad, you know, they're honoring you. Bradshaw's going to be there. You know, it's an opportunity. He's going to interview. It's an opportunity to a big audience to talk about the gospel. So he agreed to do it. And we were up in the coach's office and they had dad and Bradshaw signing stuff. And, you know, as you'd expect,

And the president of the university walks in with his little entourage and, you know, everybody kind of quiets down, but Dan Bradshaw just keep talking and everybody else kind of got quiet. And so they finally like looked up like, Oh, we've got a moment here. And so the president does this whole thing. Thank you, Terry and Phil for coming back. And you know, your legacy here at Louisiana tech university. And he gives a little speech and,

And he says, and we just want to take tonight as an opportunity. And we haven't said this publicly, but we want to recognize Phil as the 2014 alumnus of the year at Louisiana Tech University. And everybody claps, you know, and dad's just looking cigar store Indian look. He doesn't react nothing, you know. And so he looks over at me and I thought, oh, because I've seen this before.

So in this moment, you know, and he looks at me and he says, Al, you remember when we were fishing on the Ouachita River? And now it's quiet, you know, because everybody's not sure. Is he responding to the thing or is he? I said, yes, sir. He said, you remember what we were getting for buffalo and catfish down there on the river? 30 cents a pound. 30 cents a pound. And I said, yes, sir. He said, do you remember anybody from Louisiana Tech calling me and saying, you are something great?

I'm like, no, I don't remember that. And so now they're kind of nervous, chuckle, you know, like, is he kidding? Is he like, cause you know, trying to figure out the moment. He said, all it took for me to go from an idiot to a genius was one television show. He said, now everybody loves me. What do you think about that? I think it's great. Yeah.

And so everybody's just laughing. And then Bradshaw saved the day when he jumped in. He says, Phil, they don't care about any of that stuff. They're just recognizing you. So you'll give them a big fat check. You got money now, sir. So it all came off as a joke. But dad was not kidding. Like he was confronting the establishment in the moment. And it was just his way of doing it. But it's one of my all time favorites.

But he also did something, you know, in his technique of sharing Jesus with people. He would always anchor it in the context of space and time. You know, he'd talk about Jesus. It never sounded like a Bible story. It didn't sound like—he wouldn't present it like a Bible story. He would say something like—I heard him say on one of the interviews, I think it was on—

uh, well, the today show or something. And he said, yeah, I've spent most of my life, you know, first 28 years or whatever, uh, drunk high. What was it? It was, it was getting high, getting drunk, getting laid. Yeah. Getting drunk, getting high, getting laid. And he said, until I ran smack dab in the Jesus of Nazareth who walked on the planet earth 2000 years ago. But the way he phrased it, I mean, it was like, it wasn't like a story. He wasn't talking about a story.

that you read your kids, a Bible story. It wasn't like a fairy tale. He's taking Jesus and putting him in space and time. He was from a place, you know, and then he was from somewhere, and he anchored it in a time period 2,000 years ago. And I think that's so effective. Even where we're at in Colossians, like Paul does that when he's like saying that Christ lived in a body. I mean, that's kind of the whole point of the deal. Yeah.

So Phil was able to get through all this Christianese stuff in his ministry. I mean, he didn't use any of that terminology. And I think that's why he could just cut right through to people who couldn't hear that, but they could hear about this man who came from heaven and lived on planet Earth 2,000 years ago, was put in a tomb and rose three days later. So that alumnus award that's still hanging in the Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame down in Ruston,

His plaque is a picture of him with the beard and the bandana. And it says, Duck Hunting Icon, Television Personality, Servant of Christ. And I looked on the whole wall, and no one else mentions the name of Jesus except for one guy. Wow. And so that tells you all you need to know about what's important. Chase, I don't know if you knew this or not, but some of the best ways to let people know what you're into is to

Have merchandise that shows that. Were you aware of that? That's a good way to let people know. I think that's been going on since the bumper sticker was introduced, Al. You do love your bumper sticker moments, Jace. Merchandise definitely is a way to let people know what you love, what you're into. And if you go to unashamedmerch.com, use our special promo code UNASHAMED10, you're going to get 10% off the total of your order.

So whether it's the blind mug, love always protects T-shirts. I see Jay. She got an eye ride with King Jesus mug right there in front of you. All these things say that we're into unashamed and we're into what Blaze is offering. You can also check out some of the other fun Blaze Media merchandise, like the Patriotic Collection collection.

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All right, so we're in Colossians 3, and we kind of began to get here when we had Mac on, because he had had a couple of verses out here, and Jay, she read some. But before we jump into that, we never actually read those last three or four verses to tie off that idea before, because he was talking about freedom is how he introduced this thought that Jesus is Lord, and we started in 2.6, down through the end of the chapter. And he says, and this sets up what we're going to be talking about today.

He says in verse 20, because he's been, remember he talked about the certain days and there are all these things that this mysticism and legalism and ceremonialism and a lot of isms, you know, that we've added to that. But he was basically saying you died to that. And he gets in verse 20, he says, you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world. And that's really what we're going to be talking about for the next, you know, 30 verses or so.

as though you still belong to it. He says, then he says, why, as though you still belong to it, do you submit to its rules? Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch. And he could have added 50 more. These are all destined to perish with use because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship,

They're false humility and they're harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence, which he makes an interesting point because this is what Jesus has been talking about the whole time. That's why his favorite word when he talked to these people was hypocrite.

And you say this, but you live like this. And so that was his whole point as he leads into that. And so then that leads into Colossians chapter three, which we're going to talk about his lifestyle. So, Jason, if you want, you want to read that section. All right. It says, since then you have been raised with Christ, which it had just said in 220, since you died with Christ.

Since you've been raised, he keeps going back to this chapter 2, 9, you know, through that little section. Right. And that you died with Christ, you were buried with Christ, you were raised from Christ, that 9 through 12 of chapter 2. Yep.

So since then you've been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things, for you died, there it is again, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God, which is quite a statement. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also appear with him in glory."

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived, but now you must rid yourselves of all such things, and he names a lot of others, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie.

to each other since you've taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in the knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there's neither Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dear love,

Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

Since as members of one body, you are called to peace and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom. And as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. I like the section. And I like that it ends that section with the idea of worship.

Yeah. That that's what naturally comes out of a fulfilled life. You know, when you don't have the empties, you have the fulfillment. That becomes a natural thing for us to do. Yeah. And that's good times or bad. You know what I find offensive? You know, that's inspired word of God, you know, translated into English from the Greek. Mine's a new international version. But somebody made this a heading. Yeah. Probably somebody from Zach's theological world.

And I just read that chapter 3, 1 through 17. Somebody put a heading above that.

And I want to read that. You know what it says? Rules. Rules for holy living. Terrible. Now you talking about mystic. That's the exact opposite of what. Look, this is right after, right after in 2.13 when it says you were dead in your sins and in your uncircumcision of your sinful nature. God made you alive with Christ. There's our vivification. Look it up.

Having, he forgave us all our sins. Look, having canceled the written code with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us, he took it away, nailing it to the cross. Yeah. And so just a few verses later, somebody said, oh, here's some rules for holy living. I thought that was nailed to the cross. Yeah.

Yeah, they missed the point on that. I think this was motivation. As if Paul's saying, those rules weren't good enough. I'm giving you the better rules. If you just keep these rules, you'll finally be. Mine actually says, put on the new self.

which I think is a far better way to talk about it. Far better. Far better heading. That's why it's dangerous to go verse by verse, and we don't normally do that. Even though we're reading big chunks, we keep referring back to the first two chapters because he had just said the mystery of godliness is Christ in you. And then he kind of explains how that happened. Yeah.

And then your old self is crucified. You died to these basic principles of the world. You're never going to be able to do enough rule keeping, you know, not handling, not touching certain things. He's obviously talking about kind of their ceremonial food world with all the rules that this is going to make you holy. He's like, no, you're part of another world. Yeah. And which is why I brought up Ephesians 3 with the vivification idea with that

prayer that he prayed in Ephesians saying, you know, he was praying that you'd be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being so that Christ may be in you. So that's really what it's about. It's a continuation of how this is going to look in the way you operate with God moving in, literally moving into your body, the spirit of Christ. ♪

It reminds me so much of the argument he makes in Romans 6, 7, and 8. He makes the same argument he's making here. When you have freedom, you also have freedom from the old life. I mean, that's the extension of what he's talking about because that enslaves you and traps you. This lifestyle that he's describing, trust me, it may look like freedom. It's not freedom. It

If you're living these things he's talked about with the sensuality and the reactions and always bitter, always lying, always wondering, did I tell this truth, that truth? And, you know, living in constant fear that my lies are going to catch up. Everything he mentions here is an entrapment of an old way of life. And he said, look, you've been freed from the newness that you have in Christ now.

you've left that. Why would you ever want to go back? Yeah, exactly. Which is part of it. Dallas Willard said it when he talked about freedom. He said, in Christ, you are truly free. You're free to do whatever you want. In fact, you can murder all that you want, which will be none at all. And I love that because that is the real freedom is when your desire actually lines up and you can actually achieve it. You can actually realize whatever the desire is. And so what happens in...

whenever you're misdirected in your desire, then you're not free. In your slave to depravity, you're not free because you can never achieve the thing that you want. It's like the... There was a movie that came out a few years ago. I think it was about the Collapse of Lehman Brothers. And I may have told this story on here before. I can't remember. But he's asking the head, like Honcho, what's your number? Like, what's the number that you would take to walk away from all of this? And...

The guy looks at him and kind of scratches his head, and he said, more. And the problem with more is that once you have it, you still don't have it because you always need more. And I think that's the slave. That's why you're a slave to that, and it can never be realized. But when you're a slave to Christ, Roman 6 language gives that right. You're a slave to righteousness. You actually achieve or realize the thing that you want, which is God. And I think that's what ends here with,

With worship, I think it's why in this text he goes to the core of the issue, which is identity. And in Christ, there is no identity as an economic identity. There's no slave or free man. There's no ethnic identity because there's no Greek nor Jew identity.

There's no sexual identity because we know in another passage there's neither male nor female. So in Christ, all the dividing walls, like they're gone, the things that we withdraw our identity from. The reason why is because we ultimately find our identity with this coming of the king. Yeah, and it's an idea of a new life. I like that this, in verse 3,

and four, the word life there, Zoe, is the Greek word. And it's used all over the New Testament and the Gospels, but it's the same one that John uses in John 1, 4, when he's talking about Jesus. In him was life,

And that Zoe was the light of men. The light shines the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. And then he talks about him actually coming to earth as, as being that life. And so the idea is, is the same life that Christ lived. We now embrace and become a part of that life. That's why it says we are hidden in him. So those Zoe's combined and collide. And what a beautiful thing for us to be able to know that, that we have that in him. Yeah. I think that secret hidden, uh,

relationship that we have is we should discuss because the only which is a poor illustration but the only place I can even relate to it is like me and my wife you know that we're we're all we've ever known I mean my wife and I we were virgins when we got married I've shared that many times but I

And, you know, of all the other girls I dated, I was interested. It was just different here because I didn't really care what happened or what we did. I just thought, you know, being with this woman is what I want to do. I don't care what's happening. But as this relationship has gone on, it's actually kind of a secret relationship because you know, a lot of times now you'll walk in. I know what she's thinking.

she even says it or there's just so many little moments because of this union. But when you think about doing that times a thousand with, with Jesus in your heart, believing God is real here in the story of Jesus and then surrendering and then him moving in through his Holy spirit. Yeah. Well, that as it matures and grows, uh,

becomes kind of like that because you're you could be driving down the road and you're thinking you're having a conversation with the creator of the universe in your body yeah that or you're in you know someone's saying uh something and you're thinking how should we how should we battle this you know so all these moments that are coming because you know i'll give you an example of that so when in luke 9 when he told his disciples you know anyone

come after me he must deny himself take up his cross and follow me daily he uses that word daily and you think why what was he what was that a shadow to well it was a shadow of this this new birth that could be accomplished he did the same thing in john 14 when he starts talking about when i go to the right hand or he didn't he just said when i leave i'm not gonna leave you as an orphan he said i'm gonna

I give you my spirit, who will be in you? And then verse 23 of 14 says, you know, if anyone obeys me and trusts me, me and my father will make our home with them. I mean, it's like, well, that's a dwelling. You know, it's becoming a family member. It's this secret place.

relationship that's hard to describe. And I think you see that with Jesus. I mean, one time I know off the top of my head in Mark 1, because Mark fast forwards, he kind of

immediately goes, you know, he skips over the baptism and all, and it just immediately goes into his ministry. So it's after all that, but all these exciting things are happening. He's called the disciples. I'll make you fishers of men. He does miracles. And then the next thing he does, it says he, one more, one morning he went out to a solitary place and he prayed and all the disciples came up there and like, Hey, everybody's looking for you.

But that little secret moment with Jesus, you know, why is he doing that? And it's in the Gospels over and over and over and over. It's because he believes this is real. Right. He's doing the plan of the Father. He has the Holy Spirit in him. And I'm just saying that should be – we should be doing that every day. Yeah.

And having this relationship that's much better than any relationship you can think of. And that's the key from the John. When he brought that life here for us to be able to experience it. Yeah. I mean, that's what we get to do because of him. Yeah.

That idea of hearing from God, I think so much of my life, I thought it was always going to be the spectacular. There's going to be some miracle of a healing or a great sermon or some audible voice coming to me in my prayer time. And what I've come to realize is it is that still small voice. Marriage is such a good illustration of that.

because early on you're doing these massive dates and these big shows of passion to show that you love one another. But as you've been with each other for 20, 30 years,

We can finish each other's sentences. There's questions I don't even have to ask my wife because I know the answer to them. So I can just move from the confidence of that relationship as if she were there with me. And that really is the type of relationship we develop with God over time as we get to know him, as his spirit comes alive in us. And as the text says, as we put to death those things that are deadening the life that he's offered to us.

And it's the only thing on earth other than our relationship with him, which is heaven and earth, where two become one, as you describe into this life. And I think that's why he uses these phrases, you know, your hearts and your mind. He puts them here. And it made me think about that commandment that he said, you'll love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.

The essence of who you are at every element is what makes this relationship work. And the closest thing we do have is our relationship with our spouse. But even it pales compared to this one. And one makes the other so much better. I mean, you think about it. If you can get this right with Jesus, with this hidden life in Christ, think about how much that makes your life with your spouse. And then the legacy that you leave with your children, grandchildren, and beyond. Yeah.

to continue the process, which of course is where he's going later in this text as well. Well, he says earlier in Colossians that, I'm trying to find the language, like we were enemies in our minds. We were alienated from Christ in our mind. And I think about

When you know you're an adversary of somebody or you know you've done them wrong, probably that's a better way of saying it. If I know that I've done something to you, like if I've been talking bad about you, when I get around you, I'm like, I feel weird. Like I can't really engage you because I know what I've done. I know what I've said about you. And in a much more...

profound way, we're enemies of Christ in our mind in that way. And so this language of Colossians 3, it's very similar to a language that Peter uses when he talks about baptism, because Peter says that baptism, he says it's not the removal of dirt from the flesh,

But it's a pledge of a good conscience towards God. And so there's that idea, like, in my mind, in my conscience, like, I'm coming to God and I'm pledging a good conscience. Well, how in the world am I ever going to do that?

knowing what I've done, knowing what's in my heart. I can't pledge a good conscience towards God, but he further explains it, Peter does, by saying, it saves you by the resurrection. So the language here, and this ties into your Roman six that you brought up earlier, Al, if then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above. So the union with Christ, the

The cleansing of the conscience, the not being alienated in your mind because of your sin, like that happens by getting connected with the resurrection of Christ, which is what baptism symbolizes. Romans 6, you die with Christ, you're buried with Christ, and you're raised with Christ to live a new life. So the language, you're right, it's very similar. So I love how it starts off here. It gives us a really...

tangible understanding of how in the world can a sinner like me ever, ever put on a new self? Well, you do it in Christ. Yeah. And I think the mistake a lot of people make is they try to empty the tank before they allow God to fill them instead of the other way around. In other words, once I'm filled, I'm

Once I know who Christ is, once the Spirit of God is living in me and I have something of substance, then the emptying can begin because the fulfillment comes first. And so I think so many people look the other way around. They say, well, you know, just give me some time. Let me work on some things in my life. Let me get it right. Let me get some things right. And then I'm going to come and show up and, man, it's going to be gangbusters. And you're like, man, dude, you're going to be waiting a long time if you're trying to clear out your own sinfulness. You cannot do it. It's impossible. Amen.

I'd like to read this. So, look, I told you a few weeks ago about the big lineman, the NFL player, you know, coming to Jesus in his bi-week. He came to my house. Well, we're, I told him, read the book of John. You know, I mean, we baptized him. He's fired up. He sent me at least 100 biblical questions. And so, last night, so we're, I guess, what's it been, three weeks ago?

He's gotten to John 14. So I've answered a hundred questions of chapter 14. But I thought this was interesting to our discussion. Because here's a guy...

who's excited he's new in the faith his old self has been crucified he's feeling it i'm i'm sensing it because every time he sends me a text it's like what about that what did he mean by that but he's doing it in excitement yeah so he sent me this text he said in john 14 when jesus is talking about the father's house his father's house god's house what's he referring to by the many rooms

So that was the question. And just for you listening, so John 14 says, do not let your hearts be troubled. And the reason I'm bringing this up is because now we're fast forwarding over to Colossians 3 where it says, set your hearts on things above. So he says, don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. So that's what he was asking. If it were not so...

I would have told you I'm going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I'm going. And we all know when this is usually read. It's usually at a funeral. Mm-hmm.

But if you read Colossians 3, 1, 4 and read this and factor in that later on in John 14, he would say in verse 16, I will ask the Father and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever, the spirit of truth. He then says in verse 18, I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.

Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me because I live. You also will live. So then the verse I mentioned earlier, that 23, he says the same kind of thing about my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. But if you keep reading 15, chapter 15, chapter 16, he keeps discussing this Holy Spirit he's going to pour out. Correct.

After he is no longer here, which he goes to the right hand of God. So I want to read you my response to him, which this was off the top of my head. It should have been a real short. It should have said, oh, that's the mansion over the hilltop. No, it wasn't. Okay. So here's my response. So I said on John 14, I,

He uses an illustration of what is going to happen after he would leave the earth. And then I put in parentheses, which happens in Acts chapter 1. Remember, he leaves. He tells the disciples he's going to clothe them with the Holy Spirit. I said, and chapter 2. Chapter 1, he ascends to heaven to represent us in heaven. Chapter 2, he pours out his spirit on those who surrender to him, humans representing him on earth.

That's why the rooms, this was a reference to the original Jewish nation in the Old Testament where representatives would go to various rooms offering sacrifices, acting as priests for the sins of the Jewish nation. Of course, then I put in parentheses, I realize this can be very confusing. However...

The book of Hebrews explains this in detail. And I said, read Hebrews 3, 6, just to see a glimpse of what I'm saying. And y'all remember Hebrews 3, 6, where the Hebrew writer says, Jesus is better than Moses because, and he starts talking about God's house. And he says, we are better.

the house of Christ. What does that exactly say? Hebrews 3, 6. Yeah, 3, 4 says, For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. And then verse 6 says, But Christ's faith was a son over God's house. Yeah. And we are his house. So in the Old Testament, under the Jewish nation, they had an actual house. Right. So...

let me continue i'm almost done so then i say so now go back to john 14. this all makes sense when you read chap john 14 chapter 15 and chapter 16. those three chapters talk about jesus is the way the truth of life but he will represent us in heaven but promises to give us his spirit to be in us which i put in all caps to be in us

Read John 14:16-19 and 23, which I just did. So the point is the rooms coincide with Jesus being the fulfillment of the commandments, the rules, the priests, the temple, and through his death, burial, and resurrection, and presence in heaven, he is actually making God's presence available for humans since he is still a human even though he has been glorified in a new eternal body.

So now read Hebrews 9:24-28, and I want to read that because none of what I've said makes sense until you read this. So when you read Hebrews 9:24-28, it says, "Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one. He entered heaven itself now to appear for us in God's presence."

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again the way the high priest enters the most holy place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all.

At the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice himself, just as man is destined to die once, which Phil always zeroed in on, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, he will appear a second time not to bear sin but to bring salvation to those

who are waiting for him. And the reason I read all that is because when people see that phrase, set your mind on things above where Christ is seated, that seems kind of crazy. And just like he thought, well, what's this house he's talking about with all these rooms?

Yeah, exactly. All right, we're out of time. You brought out a lot there. There's a lot more I want to say about it. So we're going to save that for the next podcast. We'll have our response. I didn't realize my response was that lengthy to my young San Francisco friend.

New brother. He's probably still studying it. We'll see you next time on Unashamed. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by rating us on iTunes. And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube. And be sure to click that little bell to get notified about new episodes. And for even more content that you won't get anywhere else, subscribe to BlazeTV at blazetv.com slash unashamed.