Welcome to the Pursuing Jesus podcast. On today's
podcast, we're going to be talking about the
commission of the 12 disciples. But we also want
to remind you to make sure you pick up the blue
Pursuing Jesus books as it starts out this week.
So we hope that you pick those up. If not, make
sure you stop by the office or pick them up off
of the tables. But welcome to this episode and
we hope that you enjoy it. It was so crazy. So
on Saturday, I was doing my quiet time. I always
sit at my kitchen table. But I was doing my quiet
time. And I had my coffee mug in my hand. And
I've never done this before. But I almost had
this weird just muscle thing where my hand just
went. It just jerked. And I mean, you can see
on Saturday, it just went. It was like, bleh.
Oh, man. That sucks. Yeah, it was terrible. It
was terrible. Oh, I don't need that one. I don't
need you, blue boy. Until next week. It's so
rude. I do like the color on that one, though.
I thought the color and the whole, dude, this
is chat GPT. What? So what I did is I gave the
color palette to chat GPT. And I was like, and
then same thing with the inside picture with
that one. I was like, hey, make me a, you know,
I want wood. I was like, I want wood in there.
I want a Bible in there. Create for me a graphic
to put in my devotion and I want this to be a
color that's in the graphic and That's where
we got the coffee mug from everything I thought
I was like do that with what it came and it's
like even like the Bible the Bible has that color
on it and the bookmark and I was like that's
Crazy cool. Have y 'all ever heard the tale of
the monster in the woods? No, no, but I have
a feeling I'm about to So the monster in the
woods there's this monster that lives in the
woods near the town and People used to be very
very afraid of it, right and But one day a very
very desperate man came to that monster with
a question that monster Happily helped him solve
his problem. And so he's like guys you got you
have to ask the monster It knows exactly what
to do and so one by one the townspeople begin
to make their way to this monster and They present
with their problems, you know, should we plant
today or do tomorrow? What should I put in my
garden? Do I need to marry this person? Like
in this monster every time so like small and
big small and big problem. Yeah, and every time
this monster answers wisely wisely wisely and
Then finally one day after a lot of resistance
you You go see the monster you present it with
your problems and it solves it kindly calmly
it sends you on your way But the next person
to go see the monster looking at it realizes
it's wearing your face and That is what AI has
become in our society Okay. So I need you to
break this down. I was going to say the monster
is Google. So I was like, I was following along
with, you know, we just had a conversation about
AI and then I was, so I was already tracking
there, but you lost me with the, it has my face.
You are feeding it yourself, which is how it
gets good things to give other people. Oh, that's
chat. GPT a hundred percent. A hundred percent.
Yeah. Terminator. It's coming for us. I've done
specific things to my chat GPT to tell it to
always respond to me in certain ways. One of
the things that really annoyed me with chat GPT
is no matter what you do, it'll always agree
with you. Like, oh, that's such an awesome answer.
And I'm like, stop being a yes man. But I found
out a way to code, but really, it's not coding.
It's just telling it what to do. I was like,
for now on, don't just agree with everything
I say. Be a critical thinker, and it's become
a lot better. I believe that, because it doesn't
just go with your bias. I'll tell you what's
crazy, though. That always affirmative. Uh, that
chat GPT does, uh, there's a therapy term for
that and it's called unconditional positive regard.
Chat is so good at it. It is very good at it.
People are so like Maddie, my wife, therapist
business, uh, world. She is like, like they're
like therapists across America are saying, like
people aren't coming to therapy anymore. They're
just like talking to chat GPT about their feelings.
I'm like, this is how we're going to get Skynet
to take over. It's not going to start with government.
It's going to start with people being sad. Hmm.
Yeah, it's taken over everything. I mean you
you look at what is it Walmart and The CEO of
Walmart and the CEO of McDonald's resigned because
they didn't feel that they were up to the AI
generation Level the dude that's been picked
on for how he eats burgers So a couple weeks
ago the like it showed him eating the big art
and everybody's making fun of him because it
like it He took the tiniest little bite and then
he never swallowed. Like it just, it immediately
cut. So everybody was saying like, oh, and he
called it the next big product. And so because
he used the word product instead of like a burger
or whatever, like, and then all these other CEOs,
like Burger King CEO got on there and was like
just chomping on his, but even the Costco, the
Costco CEO with the Costco CEO. And he was like,
and then he got on there talking about how he'll,
he'll just eat some glizzies. It was his terminology
gobbling mad glizzy. Yeah. It was something like
that. So like all of these other CEOs have now
been getting on there and just ripping into the
McDonald's dude because of how, and then like
he's tried to do other videos, be like, guys,
stop picking on me kind of stuff and eating and
eating something else. And they, like every time
he does something where people are like, nah,
you don't eat McDonald's. Wow. So anyways, that
guy resigned is what you're saying. That's what
I was told him and the founder of Walmart just
all in the same week. And it was over the AI
stuff. So it was just, it's I suspecting I mean
I see a I mean there's a lot of positive to AI,
but I also see the huge dangers and Really what
I'm seeing like the worst part is within the
school system And like really dude cuz kids I
mean they'll just use AI for everything now.
They're not learning anything Yep, they're just
learning other is that ask better check questions
to chat. They're just they're just getting their
answers And it's just, it's just done for them
and they're not learning. So that's, that's where
the danger is really. Yes. Do you see a world
in which like AI begins to replace or, um, or,
or make like, like take parts of our jobs, like
as pastors? Are you, yeah, there's already guys
that are using AI to write their sermons. Yeah.
That's a huge ethical debate right now. Huge.
And you kind of figure out where the line is
drawn, right? Because that's a problem. And then
where I see it too, we actually put up a post
on our Facebook the other day. about like joking
how your Bible's crying because you're going
to chat GPT asking where to find peace. But it's
like, but people are, instead of opening scripture,
because there's something also too, like it is
a great tool to be able to find answers quick.
But if it's replacing, like, studying God's Word,
because there's something to digging deep and
then it causes, it affects you, and then it's
that whole memorizing scripture thing, you know,
that we need and it's helpful for us as believers
to be digging into God's Word. And so, if we
replace it for quick answers, all that does is
it's a quick fix. It doesn't go into our soul.
It just fixes, it just helps us in the moment.
Which will set you in the same place you were
again. Relatively soon. Yeah. And so yeah, if
it starts turning into the pastorial counselor
Part of our job, you know, then that's that's
that's a dangerous thing. But yeah, I can definitely
see I mean the the road that could be traveled
if you keep on going and going to it for everything.
Yeah. Well, it's like you said with, with Maddie's
job. I mean, I see that. I mean, there are people,
they're always asking AI their questions. You
know, what can I do about sadness? What can I
do about what? And they'll tell them their problems
and it just talks back to them like a counselor
and they're like, Hey, it's free therapy. And
have you actually used the voice chat GPT? Yes.
Although I can't get the timing right. Well,
cause usually if it's like, if I have to figure
out something in the car. So it's like their
version of Siri. But it talks to you like a human.
Like it's crazy. It articulates and has tone.
Let's talk about that. It's not just giving you
answers. It's giving you artificial feelings
and emotions with the answers. Wow. It's, it's
now like I haven't, I've used that for just fun
stuff, just talking back and forth with it. But
I can see how someone could use that absolutely
as a therapist. Like that's crazy. I think I,
I'm hoping that this will be a temporary foray
into something that is a good tool, but a bad
societal deity. Yeah. Well, and there are, and
they're already starting to develop laws and
safeguards. And so you just wonder like how How
many of these are we going to have? Are the safeguards
going to become so much where then it becomes
not a useful tool? Like I said, I think right
now it is a tool. It can be a very good tool.
Just like any tool, any tool can be misused.
It's one of those things that we'll just continue
to see how it develops. What's going to be scary
as we continue to develop technology? If we get
like hollow, like really good hologram technology,
like Cortana from, uh, from, uh, halo. Yes. And
then it's just right there. Like you're interacting
with AI, but it kind of looks human and it's,
it's going to be some weird stuff. You'll use
a game reference. I can go back to Arnold Schwarzenegger's
the sixth day and there was, it was using holograms
and AI's and this like, this is, you know, probably
a 15 year old movie. It uses, it was using AI
and holograms and I was just like, Oh my, is
this where the world is coming to? And it might
be. Well, gents, I do think this has been an
interesting conversation. Good luck editing.
Good luck editing all of that down to. I know
what I'm going to need to do. A few seconds.
Gents, this has been an interesting conversation
about AI. And I think it behooves us to have
these talks, because eventually there will be
moral implications to stuff like this. And John,
you mentioned cloning earlier. These things are
here and these things are coming. Yeah, and I
think it's good as, I mean, even just as the
leaders in the church to be able to talk about
this and, you know, so that our people know,
like, just our thoughts and we can look at things
from biblical perspectives and also a cautious
perspective at times, you know. You know, we've
got, and I think between... All of us we have
good perspectives, you know without labeling
I think we definitely have at least one a very
big conspiracy theorist, you know that that at
the table and then we've got you know wisdom
at the table and Then we've just got something
that you just never know what someone's gonna
say, you know So are you guys gonna talk about
when are you gonna list attributes of you two?
But it's fun to talk about these things, but
obviously we want to get into Scripture. Yes,
we do. So, I think we said I was going to go
first here. That is correct. So, the Scripture
I zeroed in on was March 29th. I liked this couple
of days of like Jesus's discourse to his disciples
before he sends them out. But so, the passage
I'm going to zero in on is Matthew 10, starting
in verse five, although I'll pick a little bit
from Mark and Luke's account as well. But here's
how it goes. These 12, Jesus' 12 disciples, these
12 Jesus sent out, instructing them, go nowhere
among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,
but go rather to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, the
kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick,
raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast
out demons. You receive without paying, now give
without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper
for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two
tunics or sandals or a staff for the laborer
deserves his food. And whatever town and village
you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay
there until you depart. As you enter the house,
greet it. and if the house is worthy let your
peace come upon it and if it is not worthy let
your peace return to you and if anyone will not
receive you or listen to your words shake off
the dust from your feet when you leave that house
or town truly I say to you it will be more bearable
on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom
and Gomorrah than for that town feel like there's
a lot to kind of zero in here but I'm gonna start
with a question I want to pose to you guys so
I'm ready um The idea shake the dust off your
feet if they don't if they if they don't receive
what you have to say What do you guys make of
that? Because like like so hearing Jesus the
infallible son of God say things like that is
like oh Dude, that's harsh. Like like where do
where do y 'all's minds go when you hear that?
Well, it goes to don't take don't bring back
with you that of foreign lands. In other words,
it's, you know, shaking the dust off is that
even the very place where they dwell, the judgment
has fallen upon them because they've chosen that
judgment for themselves. So don't bring the dust
or the very fibers. It kind of goes back to Kings,
where Naaman wanted to take dirt with him back
to the Syrian land after he was healed of his
leprosy. And he said, let me take a I think it
was a cart full of dirt and take it back with
me so I can worship your God because they had
this idea that gods were attached to particular
lands. And so, shaking the dust off was, don't
bring the dust from that foreign land or from
that idolatrous land back home with you. Well,
so it's crazy that we say idolatrous land though,
because Jesus specifically sends them to the
people of Israel. Of course, I'm also thinking
from what you're saying, I've got a jar of dirt.
I've got a jar of dirt. The Pirates of the Caribbean
reference. I need to work on the accent. Both
sides of that is pretty good. I wasn't trying
to do an accent. You've got to work on it too.
You've got to work on it. What comes to my mind,
too, is kind of that same thing of Pilate washing
his hands. It's just that whole idea of you're
leaving it behind. You're getting out of this.
but specifically for people who don't accept
the message that they were saying. To me, this
feels like Jesus kind of saying, like, rejecting
God's message is rejecting Him in some ways.
Because the judgment that God compares to Sodom
and Gomorrah, things did not go well for those
cities, is assigned to the people who reject
the message of the gospel. And that the kingdom
of heaven is at hand. That is heavy with like
messianic language from the book of Daniel and
other places. Like that would have been clearer
to a Jewish audience of what they were saying,
the magnitude of what they were saying. Yeah.
Yeah. So that was, that was just like, I, every
time I read his passage, just like, Ooh, like
that's kind of savage. Yes. Well, yeah. I mean,
and like you said, just the whole ending there
that Jesus is sharing with these guys. But then
also like you like you were kind of leaning there
towards for a second just the seriousness of
rejecting God's Word right like may and it you
really get an understanding of The consequences
that people don't really understand about right,
you know so many times when you know And I think
that's the man one of the hard things about being
a pastor is we realize Like, we can't save anybody.
We are messengers of the gospel. We are here
to share, and the Holy Spirit is the one that
draws. And sometimes that sucks. Like, just to
be brutally honest, because there are people
that we can care about very much, and all we
want to do is see them give their life to the
Lord. And there's many times that I've had students
that have come into my life that God has just
given me a passion for them. And if I could force
them to be saved, in the most loving pastorial
way possible, I would do that. But then it's
not genuine and it's not real. But there's just
those people that you're like, man, come on.
Just like me, you know, I rejected the gospel
so many times So many times in my life as a teenager.
I had so many people poured into me Trying to
get me. In fact, one of the funniest things I
remember my first youth pastor He knew I was
lost, obviously. This is back, you know, because
I didn't go to church growing up, and so I was
going to youth group as a teenager for the very
first time, and so I didn't know what it meant
to be lost. And the dude preached the gospel
all the time. I just wasn't ready to hear it,
so I didn't hear it, you know? And then I remember
the first time I was impacted by the gospel,
he brought in someone from the church to share
their testimony. And I remember at the end of
him sharing his testimony, I was like, I need
Jesus. Oh my gosh. And I remember he came to
me joking, like in a loving, joking way that
a youth pastor can, and was like, I've been preaching
to you for two years, Sean. What in the world?
What happened? Like, why now? I was like, I don't
know, buddy. But that's one of the things. But
that's why we have to be faithful and we continue.
no matter how many times. I mean, I've heard
stories of wives praying for their husbands for
decades, you know? And so, it's one of those
things that it's, we're faithful, but at the
same time, if they reject, they've rejected the
Holy Spirit. Yeah, I stood there Sunday during
the invitation and I'm looking back and I see
this one guy and I'm just like, I've been praying
for this guy since I've been here, you know?
And what's funny is, at the 830, And the 11 different
guys that I've been praying for and I'm just
like I see them sitting there. They're there
One is there practically every Sunday the other
one on occasion, but I'm just sitting there and
I'm thinking God just Stir the heart I start
praying at the altar stir their heart speak to
dude and sometimes when we're up there like we
can see the emotions on their face Like there's
been times like just like you're saying that
I'm looking out because we're standing up there
up front right and you can see dudes that you
know were lost and you could see the tears whelping
in their eyes and you're like Lord, please. Yes
move. Yeah move They don't he is It's just, they're
not. Yeah, exactly. Because it has to be a choice,
like you said. And I feel like the concept we're
talking about here of resisting or rejecting
the message, it's got a lot to say, I think,
about people who have not responded to the gospel.
I think we have to be careful of this in our
own hearts too. Like not rejecting the gospel
wholesale like I'm not a Christian anymore But
there's plenty of things that we read in scripture
that that by our actions We reject on a regular
basis and of course like we're not under the
law We're under grace and so like like Jesus
paid for those sins and he took those willingly
knowing that we would do that and so not out
of a you know, like a big big guilt trip thing
but as like a like are there areas of my life,
and this is kind of like where I landed, where
I'm resisting the good news, because I think
my news is better, or because I think that it'd
be better if I did this this way, or even just
from sinful desire, you know? And so, for our
listeners and for you and for me, that's an important
question to ask. Am I resisting? Well, in the
trap that I pray against so often, is God, help
your word be a mirror in my life. Meaning, when
I read your word, please show me first the things
that I need to fix. The whole idea of the plank
and the speck, right? Because unfortunately,
I think it can be so easy for us to read God's
word and be like, yeah, that person needs this,
this person needs this. Like, Lord, why don't
you convict them of this? when when I look at
God and I so often I do pray that because I was
like Lord when I'm reading your word please let
it hit my heart first if there is an area that
I am wrong in show me yeah for sure yeah and
uh it's worth saying it's one thing to look in
a mirror and realize that you need to comb your
hair and shave and it's another to pick up the
razor And to comb your hair. Listen, I know I
need to shave. I know that my beard is getting
a little crazy. Are you looking at me? I mean,
come on. John's stroking John. Are you going
to go? Are you going to go? Are you going to
get your hair shaved and go fully bald for Easter?
You're going to clean it up. Oh, Sean, I love
you. Oh, man. Yes, it will be completely shaped.
There you go, man. Wow. Kind of continuing along
in this discourse, Sean, I think you wanted to
touch on a passage kind of adjacent to this.
Yeah. So I think I'm going to touch on it. I
think John's going to talk about it too. We're
just kind of going to be writing here in this
passage because right after that, I'm going to
pick up in verse 16. So it's the next day's devotion,
but we're continuing on with the same passage.
And here's what I loved about this one, right?
I was reading this passage and this was one of
those times, once again, that I was reading the
devotion. I read it through Matthew 10, 16 through
26, and I read it and I was like, cool, yeah,
I know this passage. All right. Then I was like,
man, I need to read that again, right? And it
was on that second reading, which is why I tell
people all the time, read it over and over. You
never know. And on the second reading, really,
it was first one word that just really struck
me, and then it was the phrase or really two
words that struck me. And it was in verse 16
at the very beginning. So, Jesus is continuing
on with this whole idea of sending out His disciples.
And in verse 16, it picks up with Him saying
this. Right after what we just looked at, look,
I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves.
Therefore, be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent
as doves. So I'm just going to stop there. Because
it's that analogy that Jesus is using. And the
first one that struck me, where he says for us
to be as shrewd as serpents, and my brain just
got stuck on Jesus just told me to be a snake.
that doesn't sound good, you know? And I'm like,
and that's where my brain automatically went.
It was like, I've seen snakes before in the Bible.
Usually snakes are not a good thing in the Bible.
What is like, and like, you really like, I started
going down this little rabbit trail in my brain
of like, okay, why is, why is Jesus telling us
to be serpents? Like, that is weird. And so,
but because I had that thought, it caused me
to dig deep. And I started to bring out my commentaries
and look up. like the original language and he
definitely says serpent and he definitely says
doves. Like it's, there's no other weird Greek
language going on there. Like he says these things,
but it's really cultural and the reason why he
says this. So here's what I looked up. Here's
what I found out. So a serpent in their culture,
serpents were considered to be extremely wise
creatures. And so it's in fact it's the same
idea of Matthew 724 talking about a wise man
builds his house on the rock. Really? So that
is the idea of what he's... using when he talks
about a serpent, which is why he says to be as
shrewd as a serpent, because serpents were seen
to be cautious, and they were seen to be perceptives.
And so, really, what Jesus is saying, he's saying,
don't be naive, don't walk in blindly into danger,
is what he's saying. He says, you need to be
wise, you need to be cautious. And so, I was
like, okay, well, that makes a little bit more
sense now. And really, then I started, well,
let me, I might as well. look up and see what
an innocent as a dove means since I'm already
here. And this one was where it really, really
started to get some understanding because, you
know, as a dove, I always say it's like, it's
a symbol of peace. It's the symbol of Israel.
And I was like, okay, cool. Well, so maybe it's
just like, hey, we need to be peaceful, but it's
a little bit more deeper than that because it
does symbolize peace and it symbolizes peace
and purity. but also with the idea of integrity.
And this is where I really started to get really
interested of how Jesus is telling these disciples
to go out. And basically, it also gives the idea
of don't justify shady methods for the gospel.
Right? This isn't a ministry commission context.
Yes. Yes. And so it's like, think clearly, live
cleanly. It's this idea of, in fact, I found
this quote that I wrote this down because I thought
this was really cool. Here's what it with both
of the ideas together. Here's what the commentator
said. I don't remember who it was. Be smart enough
to navigate the world, but be pure enough that
the world doesn't change you. I was like, Oh,
that's good. That's good. That's good. But one
of the things that I really liked about there
was that idea of integrity. of, okay, as we go
out and we're sharing the gospel, like, it matters
how we do that, you know? And we've talked about
it on the podcast before where, like, I'm, like,
I... I'm always so cautious not to be the guy
that's trying to manipulate kids into Jesus.
You know, I'm not a big fan of youth ministry
being hellfire and brimstone because, well, even
just church in general, because it's so easy
to scare a teenager, scare, especially a preteen
to scare them into heaven. And like, I'm not
a fan of that whatsoever. And so, like, I want
to make sure that what I'm doing, that I'm being
wise, as I'm going out as a pastor, that I'm,
and even when I'm going out, that I'm using my
intelligence of like, hey, if this feels dangerous,
like, be aware of that, right? But then also,
how am I going to share the gospel? Like, I don't
need to do something shady and do something that's
going to affect my character and affect my witness.
I need to be careful. I need to make sure I'm
still a person of integrity in everything I do.
And so that really, that was big for me. But
that quote, I'm going to say it one more time
in case someone already forgot it. Be smart enough
to navigate the world, but pure enough that the
world doesn't change you. I thought that was
really good. You know what's interesting in that
context is the words that are right before it,
the what Jesus says, behold, I'm sending you
out of sheep in the midst of wolves. You know,
most shepherds, Their job is to protect or corral
the sheep to keep them from the wolves. And Jesus
is saying, I'm sending you out in the midst of
the wolves. And, you know, it's not like a sheep
would just walk up and the wolf open its mouth
and it insert its head in there and be like,
ah, yeah, God's going to protect me. God's going
to take care of me. And, you know, so many people
treat God like that. But what he is saying is
he's telling them. you're going into dangerous
fields. You're going out into places where they're
going to hate you because they hated me. And
he's talking about Israel, not the Gentiles,
not the Samaritans, but Israel. And he's just
telling me, he's like, listen, you're not going
to be safe, follow me. And I find it so funny
sometimes when people are afraid to go out and
share the gospel because they're afraid that
people are going to reject them. They probably
will. Jesus never promised that every person
we go out to share the gospel with is going to
be saved. Right. You know, he does say... you
sow sparingly, you'll reap sparingly, you sow
bountifully, you'll reap bountifully, you know?
And it's the idea that guess what, there are
going to be some seed that you throw out, it's
going to fall on the hardened ground, reject
it outright, some is going to fall on the thorny
ground, it's going to spring up real quick, some
will fall on the rocky ground, and some will
fall on the good soil. We've talked about that.
Yep. So we have. So, you know, I just think it's
interesting, you know, he's talking about this
wisdom and this innocence, this integrity and
this basically knowing how to navigate the things
of the world. It's Jesus did not save us and
then take us out. And when he prayed in John
17, he didn't say, Father, take them out of this
world. He understood they were going to be living
in the world and he says, sanctify them. So,
it's using them to make a difference in the world.
I love this transition that he's making there.
Absolutely. And I think like, let's remember
who he's talking to. Like if you're looking at
the Matthew account, I was trying to flip back
and see how many chapters it's been since Jesus
has called them. The answer is not that many.
I think it's like four. But like these are the
disciples, like in modern day English, the students,
the learners of the way of Jesus. And so like
Jesus is sending out his students. And I think
like, and I tried to carefully hear in saying
this, essential to learning to walk deeper in
your relationship with God is the tests and the
failures because like I highly doubt these guys
did this perfectly like the mark account gives
us like a little bit of context and yes they
went out and they cast out demons a lot of them
as it sounds like but Jesus sent them when he
knew that they were ready not when they knew
that they were ready If I am any of the 12 in
this story I'm shaking in my custom -made baby
seal leather boots like like like I'm thinking
Jesus like hide baby seal I joined to follow
you, and now you're sending us out, and you're
saying they're going to be demons, and they're
going to be the wolves, and the wolves are going
to try to... And later on in the passage, they're
going to try to flog you, and they're going to
turn you over to the synagogue. And by the way,
you guys are not above me, because I'm your teacher
and you're my servants, and so they're going
to accuse me of being like Satan. They're going
to accuse you of being like Satan. And if I'm
a disciple, I'm like, This is not the class I
thought I signed up for. Mm -hmm. But Jesus sent
them when he knew they were ready. Well, what's
interesting, too, is you keep reading through
the Gospels, they come back. Right. And, like,
they're still following him. And it's kind of
like, it's, you gave them their freedom. and
then you bring them back under your reigns. And
then he's going to send them out again, he's
going to bring them back. And it just, it's kind
of, the way I look at that sometimes is like
a teenager who's got their car keys and they've
got their freedom and they've finally been allowed
to go off on their own. And all of a sudden,
mom and dad take the car keys and go, nope, you're
going to ride with us for a while now. And, you
know, the disappointment. And so I wonder how
the disciples handled that coming back in, you
know, still having to learn and grow. and then
being sent back out and then coming back in and
then having to be sent out because he's gone
now. So, preparing them for something bigger?
Yes. I'm just kind of reading through this passage
as y 'all are talking and what I find really
interesting is for the very last verse of that,
of the reading of this one for March 30th is
verse 26. But then you kind of go into that whole
little section right there that that begins and
As I'm reading he's just after all he's like
he's saying all of this stuff of like hey, this
is good This could happen this could happen this
could happen, but it's like hey, don't be afraid
though Have no or if you are worth so much to
God. Yeah, like God's got you Don't be afraid
and I was actually listening to a podcast this
morning and in the podcast this morning it talked
about how The commandment that is said more than
any other is do not fear in fact 365 times this
is for every weight way more than any other Commandment
in scripture. God says do not be afraid. Hmm
So I literally love those. I hate he's like he's
being real with them He's being honest, but at
the same time he's like, but you don't got to
worry about it Yep, like God's you're going out
there and God cares about you So don't fear like
even what is it verse 28? Don't fear those who
can kill the body but are not able to kill the
soul Yeah, I mean cuz I mean you hear that like
let's just be real like cuz we still we're in
this body I don't want this body to die right
now. So there can still be that fear there that
we can feel as humans, but it's the reminder
of like, but there is something greater out there.
It's so easy for us to get focused on this life
that James calls a vapor. It is so quick compared
to the eternal life that we're going to have
with Jesus. Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, gents,
this has been fun. We've been at this for a little
while now. We have. We have. So hey, let me tell
a quick story. Dude, tell us a story. So a couple
podcasts ago, I advertised our pins. Yes. Right?
You even held it up to the mic and did the little
thing. And it sounded great, by the way. Thank
you. You could hear it in the mic. Some creative
compression. It was wonderful. Everybody talked
about. And I say that because I gave away. So
last week we weren't here. So like the funny
thing is I talked about the pin and then I wasn't
here that Sunday to give away the pins. So, uh,
but I was here this Sunday. dude, I had like
nine people come up to me and were like, hey,
where's my pin? And it was great. So if you were
afraid to come up to me for whatever reason,
fear not, fear not, I will give you a pin. We
still have, these are really fun. And then also
it's been a couple of podcasts when we mentioned
it, but we did talk about earlier on probably
about a month ago that we've got church merch.
Church merch. It's on our app. And so it's not
something we're really advertising, you know,
in the church right now, but just for our podcast
listeners, we've had some people place some orders.
and order some stuff, but go on there. If you
want to have our church logo and our church name,
just be able to just show off your local church
in the community. Go get some stuff, man. There's
some good looking stuff on there. You know, I
got to rep the squad even when I'm out of town.
Word. Well, thank you very much for that announcement,
Sean. Guys, we are out of time. And we've been
at this for almost an hour. Can you believe it
good to have fun editing that one? I? Will I
have been Ben Smith. This is pursuing Jesus.
I've been Sean Griffin And I am John Ferguson
we got to figure out who we are Sean We'll see
you guys next bye bye Pursuing Jesus is a ministry
of Memorial Baptist Church in Norwood, North
Carolina. To learn more about our church, please
visit memorial4norwood .com.