Good morning . We're in the house of the Lord . The Lord has let us in . The Lord has let us in . The church has rejected us , but Jesus has let us in the house of the lord . The lord has let us in . The lord has let us in . The church has rejected us , but jesus has let us in the building . It's hashtag christian straight talk .
Speaker 1Wherever you are across the world , whatever your time zone is today , we thank you so much for joining simon and myself as we gather across the mics . And wherever you are , god is with you . We , I say all the time when I , whenever we're online or whatever , we are really living in really powerful times . The glory of god is shining across this earth . The world is is buckling under the weight of what is coming its way . You know , but god is for you . Do you know that you're saved ? Do you know that you're a believer ? Where do you sit in this world ? God is with you . But we're going to look at a story this morning . It's the greatest story that has ever been told simon . What is that story ?
Speaker 2better . Look at the story of jesus uh ben , and you know some powerful things you was , you were mentioning there , but I had to hold back a minute . It is the man , fully man , fully god is the man , fully man , fully God . He's the man that can lead us through all that . He can lead us through all of that nonsense , and so he's got such an amazing story . We're going to struggle to get it all in in the 40 , 45 minutes that we've got this morning , but we'll pull out some decent points . But it's great to be with you back again across the mics . It's been a really interesting week over there in Essex , where I come from , and it's great to be back in God's country , isn't it ? Kent , as it were Swanley .
Speaker 1Yes , the Lord is in Swanley .
Speaker 2Thank you , jesus for coming to Swanley .
Speaker 1Alive and well and pushing his shopping all the way down from Aldi . Well , that's the truth , Ben .
Speaker 2You know , if the Lord was to come back right now , he'd be walking around in places like Swansea , wouldn't he ? 100% ? So you know he wouldn't be walking around in some of the other areas , but he'd be talking and showing love and compassion and talking to people who were , you know , coming out of . Asda and whatever . Do you know ?
Speaker 1Wilco's , yeah , riding around with a trolley , Around with a trolley . I've just typed in before I'm going to jump onto Simon , before he quickly says it I've just typed in Jesus right into the Google search engines . Do you know what's come up ? The football players ? No , yeah , look Look at the iPad . I've just typed in Jesus .
Speaker 2Wow , jesus , they call him , don't they ?
Speaker 1They call him Jesus yeah , isn't it interesting that the scripture says there's many Jesuses but there's only one king ? Yeah , when you think where we sit in the time , as soon as you say the school kids , anyone of a certain generation , who's jesus ? He's that . He's that tottenham , but he's that player , isn't he ? He's , he's the . He's the footballer , is he , you know ? So there's this conversation not around the king of kings and the lord of lords , but around , isn't it interesting that where we sit in the end times , that there are idols being made that carry certain aspects of life that are really meaningless . So when you type in Jesus , I need Jesus , what do I get ? I get a football star , when actually I'm going to die , who's going to help me .
Speaker 2It's interesting you say that , what you said there , and before we get into the meat of this , I read a quote the other day from someone who was a godly man I forget who he was . He said wouldn't it be a tragedy if you spent your life being a success at something that don't matter Exactly ? You know what I mean . So if you strived all your life to be a success at something that don't matter Exactly , you know what I mean . So if you strived all your life to be a success at something that don't really matter and is meaningless you know , imagine going up to heaven and the Lord's there and going oh , what did you do ?
Speaker 2Oh , I was a governor of the Bank of England . Sorry , what did you ?
Speaker 1do oh wow Well . We've never seen governor of the Bank of England . Sorry , what did you do ?
Speaker 2Oh wow , well we've never seen one of them in there before . We've never . I was a lawyer , I was a defence lawyer .
Speaker 1I was a superstar , I was a performer . Oh , did you work in a church ? No , I worked in Hollywood . Well , yeah , that's what I mean . Yeah , oh well , worked in hollywood ? Well , yeah , that's what I mean . Yeah , oh well . So the word jesus , yeah , this work , this god dear , makes your way . I'm presenting it's not very good . You know jesus , the king of kings and the lord of lords , and the scripture says that that god gave him the name above every other name . At the name of jesus , every knee shall bow . Isn't it interesting what happens through idol worship , through these stars and there's a few called Jesus Humanity bows down to them .
Speaker 2Yeah , it does , and we've done a chapter in our Christian Strike Talk book , or Men's Talk , on the perception of Jesus , which is really interesting , because you'll find his name being used more and more as a curse word , and that's the truth . Yeah yeah , and every new movie that comes out , every documentary , every series . It's used as a curse word , an exclamation or whatever , isn't it ?
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2So that's where we are at the moment , and it's not getting easier . It's not getting any . No one's standing up and calling it profanity , which is what it is , isn't it ? It certainly is they shall not take the Lord , god's name in vain . So there's a real danger around all that . But the true Jesus is what we're talking about today . If you look in in the the gospel of john , right to start , ben , what's it say right to start ?
Speaker 1he played for tottenham . Oh , sorry , sorry , wrong bible , sorry wrong bible . The god . I gotta be serious , come on , the gospel makes it really clear , didn't't it ? In the beginning , in the beginning , in the beginning . So if you just take that first line in the beginning , straight away we have creation . Who do we find at the beginning ? The Word In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God . Is it about verse 14 ? I haven't got the scripture
in front of me . It says and John said and the word became flesh . Very interesting that the word became and not the word birth , because he was always in existence To become . You're already here . So he just chose the vehicle of Mary to present himself to humanity . So he was already in the beginning , beginning . But suddenly the word became flesh . And in the book of colossians I believe it's very clear , and about chapter one it says christ is the image of the invisible god you're right , you're , you're bang on .
Speaker 2yeah , colossians 115 . Yeah , he's the image of the invisible , invisible , invisible God , that's the truth .
Speaker 1So we understand that Christ is the image of the invisible God , but also in that theological language that's out there , he is also God .
Speaker 2And so we'll have a look at that . And a lot of people find that difficult to get there . It is very difficult to grasp . So he was born . He was born a man . He was born . He wasn't .
Speaker 2You know , it was an immaculate conception , which means there was no physical interaction for him to be born and he had to be born of a virgin . Why ? Because of what his destiny was going to be , because he was a perfect man and you know , he was brought up with Mary and Joseph in their household . And we don't read a lot about that , do we ? And we certainly don't read a lot about the time when he was a carpenter , because he , you know , when you look at that , when you look at it , he spent 30 years , didn't he ?
Speaker 1In a household of brothers , mum and dad . Yeah , he was displaced , because you can imagine , the tongues would have spoke that jesus . You know that jesus . That is he really joseph's exact , so you can imagine where he was , where he was and what , what happened and all the conversation that was going on . So here we have the king of kings , the creator of heaven and earth , being birthed into a society that rejected him straight away . Imagine being his brothers , when his brothers actually realised who he really was . I gave him a night in one day . Oh my goodness . I wrestled with G . Oh my goodness , do you know what ? Because this would have happened .
Speaker 1They would have wrestled and fought together , grown up together .
Speaker 2He was . We know him as the perfect person , so he could never have been naughty , could he ? So you know he probably didn't get a backhand from his dad , or his stepdad or whatever you don't know , we don't know that do we ?
Speaker 1But being a young man , being a young man brought up in that culture , in that society . But the Bible says he's gone through every temptation , he's gone through everything . So he must have experienced sibling rivalry and all that sort of stuff and different stuff . So when you look at Jesus , the perfect man , the perfect king , the perfect son , perfection wrapped up in this skin that we know as Christ , jesus , Perfect , the living word , all creation , everything , if we could see Jesus now , but he's God , isn't he ? But he's God , he's God . When you look at this , this size , of God and spirit .
Speaker 2Yeah , yeah , so interesting , because we was just rambling and talking a bit before we got into this , and you were saying , weren't you ? And you made a really good point that the church , oh , we'll mention the church again , ben .
Speaker 1Oh , hang on that word that dirty word .
Speaker 2The church just clambers after youth workers . Yes , youth workers who have never experienced anything of life , no Right , and they want to pay them a wage to teach their children , but they've never experienced anything of life . Look , jesus didn't jump into ministry at 19 , did he ?
Speaker 1No , not even at 16 , 17 . 30 , 33 years , when you look at the biblical stretch , his ministry was only three years . There wasn't an advert in the paper for him , was there ? We're looking for a youth worker . We'll pay you 25 grand . He didn't write a book , did he ? He didn't write a book . He didn't wear skinny jeans , he didn't know . So when you look at this , when you look at so , who do I look to ? I always look to jesus . Can we say he's our role model ? Can we use that , that type of terminology ? He's my god , he's my king , he's the great I am . So I look to him . So even in ministry . So christ , when his ministry began around about when he was about 30 , that wasn't the age of these . The youth pastors are normally retiring at 29 , 30 .
Speaker 2They've done it , haven't they ? Oh yeah , they've been there , done it . They've been there , done it . They've moved on , haven't they ? They've written a couple of books .
Speaker 1Yeah , they've finished , I'm done , I'm out , I'm gone . Jesus' ministry never started until he was 30 . Just over 30 . So when you look at that , that is the pattern . And he'd been a carpenter , he'd been a tradesman and he'd gone to work . Imagine telling a youth pastor to go to work . Do ?
Speaker 2you imagine who made your roof ? A guy called Jesus .
Speaker 1Did he need a scaffold ? No , he was just hovering .
Speaker 2It's the best roof I've ever had . Best roof I've ever had . Best roof I've ever had .
Speaker 1And he just spoke and tiles come and formation . He just spoke and just trees cut themselves in half . He didn't have a saw in his pocket . Who made that table ? A guy called Jesus . He just spoke it . Wow , but that's the that's what he was doing .
Speaker 2He was a carpenter .
Speaker 1He went to work as a carpenter . He worked with his dad , he was a tradesman , he was taught a skill . But if you look at the majority of youth pastors , they have been taken from the crib too early , the Moses basket out of the reeds and put into a pulpit before they've even been fed milk .
Speaker 2That's a great point . That's a great point and it's a . It's a great point , ben . And then after that , we they will probably transition into being a church leader or a you know whatever , but they've had no experience of no , they haven't .
Speaker 1They've had no light . So when ? So when you look at the life of christ , the earlier life of christ , he , he went to work . He was a tradesman . He used his physical body . He got up , he had his breakfast , he went to work . He lived in a household , he had brothers . He was trained as a tradesman . He knew what it was like to work in all aspects of weather . He was a worker . He was a worker . He was a worker , he went to work .
Speaker 2He was a blue-collar worker , yeah , definitely . And so he used his hands and he would have experienced everything , everything and people you know well , were they downing him or whatever they did ? But he had to go through all of that . But you know , and this is the man right , this is , this is the man who the destiny of the whole world .
Speaker 1Was on , was on . This is the one that was at Genesis , chapter 1 . Can you believe it ? Can you try ? Can you believe it when you actually put this together , when you study Christ , when you look at his early life , his early life before ministry , what he went through . Imagine that jesus bring your washing down , will you ? He ? He lived in a house . He lived in a normal house . You know , you can imagine , you know breakfast , tea time , lunch time , all that . There is nothing that he hasn't experienced . He has experienced everything . The Bible makes that very clear and what I love about the scripture is that his ministry didn't start until he was at that right age . So there is a really important part to ministry and leaders that the ministry . Yeah , you might have the calling , you might have an anointing , you might have a drawing , but you have to wait . See , jesus only moved when God said now it's time . So we've got so much in this Jesus story .
Speaker 2Wow , yeah because he only did what the Father told him . So he was fully connected to the father at all times .
Speaker 1So his ministry only started , so we don't know .
Speaker 2Yeah , he must have took himself off , had quiet time with his father , you know , and then got on with his job and all the time he was being connected to the father .
Speaker 1And that time he went missing . That time he went missing . Where was he ? He was found in his father's house . That time he went missing . Where was he ?
Speaker 2He was found in his father's house . We don't know the people that he ministered to or spoke to . All of that , 30 years , imagine .
Speaker 1Imagine following Jesus and , as he said , look if everything was written down . There's not enough books , there's not enough paper . You can't record everything that has gone on . But what is fascinating is the life of jesus . Jesus's story to me , before his ministry really began , is him growing up as a young man , as a tradesman , you know , living with his brothers , going through the seasons of life , going through adulthood .
Speaker 2And here's a deal . Ben , imagine he lived at home when he was 30 .
Speaker 1Look at , now they're trying to get mortgages , they're trying to do this , trying to do that , but look at this .
Speaker 2If he was a young man , say young teenager , like barely 20 . Yeah yeah , then fishermen would just have looked at him and gone on your bike mate , do one On your bike mate . No , he could tell by his hands he was a worker . You could tell by his demeanour he knew how to speak to these fellas , he knew how to connect . And they looked at him .
Speaker 1Yeah .
Speaker 2If he was a teenager . So why that's such an interesting question ? Why is the church putting so much standing in young teenage , early 20s people to be youth leaders when they've had absolutely no experience ? And why are parents entrusting their children to these youth leaders when they probably don't even know what's going on in the youth group ? It's an interesting , really interesting , because I've spoken and people have rang me up can you come and speak at our youth group ? I said yeah , of course . Oh , he's a great youth leader . You walk in there and it's chaos . It's chaos and all the parents have done they're dumping their kids for a couple of hours . It's a babysitting service .
Speaker 1It's a babysitting service . And they're getting it's all the church . I won't say all the church , I'll say a mass percentage of the church within the UK has created a babysitting service , a kindergarten .
Speaker 2And this guy , oh , he's such a I can't see it . I'm sorry I can't see it because no one's sitting down . Oh , you come to this . Great , we've got a great youth group going on in this big church they're playing snooker , playing darts , it's worse than that this big church Playing snooker , playing darts gaming .
Speaker 1They're playing rap music on it it's so loud , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 1I can't remember someone I don't know if it was you the week or week before I had so many conversations with people . They said it's quite interesting what I've done here , that I scrubbed all the youth ministry away , stripped everything back , because I felt god was saying just just bring everybody under the same uh , sound of the gospel , just preach the gospel . And since we've been doing that , we've had parents actually coming to us and saying do you know what ? My children have been asking questions about what you've been sermonizing , what you've been talking about , and it's quite interesting , they haven't . They haven't picked up their ipad , they've been sitting still listening to what is being delivered from the pulpits . So we are living in a time when children need the word of God because they're going to school and they are getting you can be any gender , you can be anything you want to do and they're not getting Jesus . The only Jesus they get is the footballer .
Speaker 2Christianity is just another religion , isn't it ? But you know , I've got a mate , a big Tony , up in Barnet and they've got a good church that's going on out there and he's in his 40s , tony , and he's got a gardening business and he's seen life completely , of course yeah , yeah . And he's the youth leader up there and he sits them down and he tells them about life , yeah , and he just gives it to them straight , you know , and they're coming out of there with a really grounded knowledge . But if you're just a young… .
Speaker 1If you're coming out of the Moses basket… . If you're coming out of the Moses basket , yeah , you've got no… . Look , when that great prophet of God anointed , anointed the king of Israel , david . David went back to the wilderness for a long time . He didn't go into youth ministry . He was anointed and he was sent back . It's the same with Christ . Christ was called , christ is the living word , but he had to live . He had to live , then he had to die , but he was still anointed .
Speaker 2That's a great point you've made , and you make great points all the time . But that's a great point you've made , because , paul , where did Paul go once he had his conversion ? Where did he go ? I wonder where he went ? He went to Arabia , didn't he ? He went to Arabia for three or four years just to get so into the knowledge . So he was fully immersed in it .
Speaker 1So what we have ? We have an issue . So when you look at Christ , the story of Christ , the story of Christ opens up so much . We have creation , we have the birth , the death , the resurrection , and also we have eschatology . We have the . We have the birth , the death , the resurrection , and also we have eschatology . We have the power of the Word of God .
Speaker 2So when we talk , about the story of Jesus… I can't believe it . We're 20 minutes in .
Speaker 1We're 20 minutes in and we're like this is too big , it's too big . The story of Jesus is too big , it's huge .
Speaker 2Because when you say Jesus .
Speaker 1so what is he ? He's the creator of the heavens and the earth . He's the king of above all kings . He's the great I am . He's the air that we breathe . He's the first .
Speaker 2He's the last I'll tell you what we should do . We should play that , Dr Lockridge , you know oh that's fantastic , isn't ? It . He's my king , you know . Do you know him , do you ?
Speaker 1know him . Can we ?
Speaker 1we play that , because I might be able to get hold of that yeah , later on , yeah , we'll play that before we , just before we go , because we're trying , we're trying to do something , or even next week or something , I'm a bit ready to go next week because that , when you , when you said let's look at the jesus story , and we said 45 minutes straight away , we're going , we're lying already
because it's taken 6 000 years for the , so we're not even so , you're not even off the bat , we're only talking . No , you can't . You could do a whole life study on Jesus and you will never come to a full stop and go . We've got him wrapped up , because he's the beginning of time . He created the solar system , he created the heavens and the earth Because , as Simon said in the beginning , was the heavens and the earth , because , as Simon said , in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God , and the Word was God and the Word became flesh . So he is all creation .
Speaker 2So when people , it just really makes me smile and annoys me at the same time . When people say is it time to jettison the Old Testament ? Oh no , Because , Jesus is on every page because he's the word . He's the word , he's on every page and everything in the Old Testament leads to the known .
Speaker 1And what have we got amongst all this ? The cross , oh we . So you've got everything about .
Speaker 2He's the redeemer .
Speaker 1He's the one that went to the cross . He's the saviour , he's the redeemer . He's the one that went to the cross . He's the savior . He's obedience , he is complete obedience to the father's will . He is the great I am . Jesus Christ is the king above all kings . The story of Jesus .
Speaker 2He's the salvation and he's the leader to the father . You know , we owe him everything , absolutely . Don't we Ben . We owe him everything . Praise the Lord for Jesus .
Speaker 1He's sitting with us right now . He's sitting with us right now . He's with you Wherever you are across the world . Christ is with you . Christ saved you . Christ stretched out from the heavens above when you was in your darkest hour of need , and God sent his Son to die upon the cross . He's the redeemer of the world . He's your saviour .
Speaker 2If you've accepted him as your lord and saviour , you're never without him . This is enormous .
Speaker 1That's why we've got to play that thing at some stage . We'll make a real serious effort and get that in Well maybe we'll have to spread this podcast over two sessions , because Maybe three , four , but when you look at who is Jesus , how can you really ?
Speaker 1I know we've got the scriptures to give us an indicator , but when you look at it , he's the light of the world . He's the great I am , he's God he is . He's the great I am . He's God he is . I'm actually lost for words For the first time , trying to work out , trying to put into the human language .
Speaker 2So Jesus in Matthew 16 , he's started his ministry , he's got the fishermen together , he's got the guys together , he's got his apostles together , and it says . It says uh . In matthew 16 , verse 30 it starts it's when jesus came into the region of caesarea philippi . He asked his disciples saying who do men say that I am the son of man ? Who am I ? So they said some say john the baptist , some say elijah , others say jeremiah or one of the prophets . And he said to them but who do you say I am ?
Speaker 1and simon peter answered him and said you are the christ , the son of the living god it's wrapped up , we must just press stop because it's like so the scripture tells us who he is . So when the scripture tells us who he is and we start talking about who he is without any press or without any hardship , with the absolute ease of everything , the scriptures suddenly open up who christ is . He is from gen to Revelation . He is the son of God , he is the air that we breathe , he is the oxygen , he is the living word , he is , he is the creator of heaven and earth .
So when people say well , how can this carpenter certainly be doing this ? Well , the answer is he's always been God
. He's always been God , he's always been God , he ?
Speaker 1the answer is he's always been God , he's always been God , he's always been God . The reason that he has come to this world is to show us , through physical contact , that he is the living God . You know , the spiritual was always here before the physical . So God was always here , god was always before . Because the scripture tells us that very clear , and this is what I'm going to read from . I didn't continue this scripture , I'm going to read this in just its first to verse five of John , chapter one . We had .
Speaker 1The first part says in the beginning was the word , and the word was with God , and the word was God . He was with God in the beginning . Then it goes on to say in verse three of John , chapter one through him , all things were made . Without him , nothing that has been made . In him was life , and that life was the light of mankind . The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it . He is the creator , he is the God of Israel . He is the one they nailed to the cross . He is the king of the Jews . He is the God of Israel . He is the one they nailed to the cross . He is the king of the Jews . He is the king .
Speaker 2So here's the deal then . So if we believe that , and we do , how do we respond to him ?
Speaker 1We obey him and we follow him . We walk with him and I say , lord , I've failed today , but you are the saviour of the world and you are my redeemer and I've been bought with the blood of Jesus .
Speaker 2We talked about the blood last week , didn't we Ben ? And we talked about a cross , but there's still no story of Jesus . It still continues , doesn't ?
Speaker 1it ? It's got to , hasn't it ? It has to continue , but you're right , we love still continues .
Speaker 2It's got to . But you're right , we love him . We get to know him through his word , because his word , he is the word . So we need to get to know him through the word , don't we ?
Speaker 1he's the light that shines in the darkness . Isn't that interesting that , that he is the light that shines in the darkness . So he goes into the dark realms , you know ? So he is the saviour of the world , he is the light of the world . He goes in and he is a rescuer . Oh yeah , he rescues , because the scripture says God rescues .
Speaker 2And in doing rescuing us , Ben , he gives us mercy that we don't deserve .
Speaker 1He's unconditional favour . We don't deserve it .
Speaker 2We're wretches , aren't we ? We're wretches , aren't we ?
Speaker 1we're wretches as that wretched man , yeah , that's right . As paul said , and as that other disciple said uh , on the shoreline or in the boat , I forget where he was he said away from me , lord , I'm a sinful man . Sinful man , yeah , I love that . I love that , but Jesus didn't walk , did he ?
Speaker 2No , he didn't listen to him .
Speaker 1He said come on , I know you are , but I'm your redeemer , I'm your king , I'm your life .
Speaker 2Because he was doing the will of the Father and he was always in contact with the Father . And for us to know the Father , then we've got to know him through Jesus . It's the only way . So he is everything , because he says in John 14 , 6 , in the arm of the way , the life and the truth , no one comes to the Father except through me .
Speaker 1Except through me . Who's the me ? I'm Jesus . Who's Jesus ? I'm God . What ? Who is Jesus ? I'm God , what ? Who is God ?
Speaker 1The scripture gives us a real to understand who Jesus is , to understand the Trinity , the deity .
Speaker 1To get some form of understanding on this , god has to reveal it , because it's too big for the human mind and the concept and the processing of a human being . See knowledge puffs up . See , information is just information . But when we got information and god breathes on the information that we have , it becomes revelation . So when god reveals his word to us , it becomes like this holy dynamite that explodes within our hearts and then suddenly we have a mass download of the word of god that we've been reading for so long . And I'm not never saying that the word of god is just information , because it is revelation . But when we read it , like everything we read it is , it is informing us about something . So god's word is informing us about what is informing us about birth , death , resurrection , that the critic about the five-fold , about the life of god , everything is . It is giving me information , but that information needs the holy spirit to make it to be revelation yeah , yeah , that's the truth so so , but it a supernatural book .
Speaker 2It's a supernatural . It's lovely that cartoon . It calls it the super book , doesn't it ?
Speaker 1The super book . It is a supernatural book . It's a supernatural book . It's the word of God . There's hope , there's life .
Speaker 2But who did Jesus say he was ? Oh no , he said . Didn't he say he was the good shepherd ? He says he's the light of the world . He's the light of the world , he's the bread of life , he's the vine gracious .
Speaker 1This is what isaiah says . Isaiah 53 he grew up . I love it , don't you ? I just can't . I just can't get enough of this . Jesus , it says . He grew up before him like a tender shoot and like a root out of dry ground . This is what I love , right ? He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him , nothing in his appearance that we should desire him . He was despised and rejected by mankind , a man of suffering and familiar with pain . So when you look at Christ , so when you look at christ , when you look at christ , he wasn't like a youth leader , he wasn't dressed up and he wasn't theoretically birthed . It wasn't , he wasn't manufactured within the church we have . The world has crossed over for many years and we see this through the youth ministries , certain ministries , because they look the same . There is no different language between it . There is no biblical language , there is religious language , but there is no Jesus .
Speaker 2So , rather than having the Spirit of Jesus shine out of you , which man ? That's a massive impact , isn't it ?
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , Nothing attractive in your appearance . They want to manufacture . They want someone that's got a lovely smile . White teeth Dresses the way . Dresses the way the world dresses . But Jesus , it says there was nothing about him , that he had no beauty or majesty to attract Us to him . What we have in Hillsong , what we have in a lot of ministries there are attractive People in certain Areas , you know .
Speaker 2You know what we're saying .
Speaker 1Yeah , because the world uses sex to attract us into certain things . Everything is sexualized advertising , everything , the lust of the flesh . Do we know that there's lust in the flesh ?
Speaker 2Well , look at the guy from Hillsong , new York , oh , yeah , yeah , yeah , who took a bit of a deep dive with you know , but they named him Pastor to the Stars , didn't they ? Yeah , yeah , and he just looked like he was rolled off the Hollywood line , didn't he ?
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2But what happened to him ? He just you know . See , if Jesus was around today , he'd be wearing scruffy old jeans , I guess .
Speaker 1He's a carpenter , isn't he ? Yeah , the scripture makes it very clear . There was nothing in his appearance that was attractive .
Speaker 2He'd be wearing whatever the workers wear , wouldn't he ? Because that's a pair of rough old boots . Yeah , there was nothing about his physicality .
Speaker 1You're right , simon . Yeah , he would have blended in to the tradesman , he wouldn't have stood out as a model and do you know what , ben ?
Speaker 2I'm going to be controversial here . Come on , and that's a surprise , isn't it ? It is a little bit . I don't want to see another picture of Jesus . No , because the Jesus that they paint ain't the one in reality , is he ? No , he's this sissified Jesus that they want to throw at you , that they want to say this is all about love , he's all about you know , his hands are perfect , his hair is perfect , he looks . No , this is not the Jesus that actually walked the earth .
Speaker 1This Jesus , this Jesus that we follow .
Speaker 2He'd roll up probably in his flat back , you know and get out and measure up . Oh yeah , you know what you want a table . You want this , this , that and the other .
Speaker 1Yeah , we'll get it sorted . What I love about this , this scripture , is it says the man christ jesus . What is a man ? A man right without all . We could get in trouble here gender issues when you talk about the man christ jesus . The reason that is that is scripturally so strong is because when you understand what a man is and what a man represents , it is not what the church portrays no , I don't want to see another .
Speaker 2I don't want to see another picture of jesus with a little lamb I don't want to see it , you know the man christ jesus .
Speaker 1So very interesting it says that it mentions it once . The man christ jesus right , the scripture says he was tempted in every way , shape and form and whatever way you want to look at that church , you might want to take away the things that we're all thinking about . We won't talk about that . He was tempted in all ways because he was a man , but fully god yes , a man , fully man and fully god sinless sinless and without blemish well , you could imagine that you got a bunch of rough old boys as well , don't you ?
Speaker 2you know these apostles ? Yeah , you know fishermen . They were fishermen . They're rough , so they I'd imagine you know if it was fishermen . So I'd imagine you know if it was in this .
Speaker 1Look at the Sons of Thunder , the nickname that they had , the Sons of Thunder . Why are they called the Sons of Thunder ?
Speaker 2because the air was blue yeah , because if it was in this day and age , they'd be dropping an F-bomb here and there , wouldn't they all day long ?
Speaker 1you know , hello my child . How are you today ?
Speaker 2The Lord is wonderful .
Speaker 1Bless you , my son . I've just trapped my hand between two boats . Praise the Lord , hallelujah , god is with you . You can imagine what was going on .
Speaker 2I've just stubbed my toe . Oh dear , oh dear , oh sorry Charlie .
Speaker 1It's okay , James .
Speaker 2I've just hit my hand with a hammer . Oh , that hurt a bit .
Speaker 1Oh , golly gosh , we're so sorry .
Speaker 2No , this is . We've got to be real , haven't we ? So that's why the scripture says demand this is where the church falls down because it's not betraying Jesus , the ordinary man in the street Demand Christ Jesus . It's not betraying him , as he was , because the ordinary man in the street can't relate to the religious one . To the religious one that you're trying to give him .
Speaker 1Because when you look , it's like the saints , isn't it ? It's like the ones , the apostles that we read about . The church and religion have put them in stained glass windows high up and they're all walking around . And you have put them in stained glass windows high up and they're they're all walking around and you look at them and think I can't get near them . But when you look at paul , when you look at the fishermen , when you look at all what they , what the church calls the saints , they were men , men that was anointed by christ what is revealed to us today is that the church in general ain't talking about their 30 years that Jesus spent as a carpenter , are they ?
Speaker 1no . And living in the house with his brothers no .
Speaker 2And the neighbors talking about them no , they're not talking about that stuff , because to get to know him , we need to know about , we need to have some sort of idea , because then , when we know that , it makes the fact that he was fully God even even Fully God . Even greater than what we ever thought .
Speaker 1When you think , look , just staying in John chapter one , it says in the beginning . So what does that actually mean
? The beginning of time before the world , even in the beginning , was the word , and the word was with god and the word was god . He was with god in the beginning . Through him , all things were made . Without him . When it talks about him , it is it's talking about the human , it is talking about him , the man , christ Jesus . But he is the son of the everlasting father . He is the father because he says I and the father are one .
Speaker 1Yes , yes , I am the father , or one , so there's many references where you can't separate them , but you can . Only for a breath , for a few moments . You can see them in their oh gosh , I can't even word it because it makes me just want to get under the table . Because you can't actually word it . You know , because when you look at him in his full deity , fully God , the Lamb , without blemish , john said behold the lamb of god . But john knew him . John knew john knew him . But then he said behold the lamb of god and he said .
Speaker 2Jesus said in john 16 32 I'm not alone , for my father is with me , so he's with the Father . Him and the Father are one . And he has to be fully sinless to go to the cross , because if he'd committed sin , he'd be going to the cross for himself . You see that ? Yeah , because he had to be sinless to take our wicked sins on him and take the Father's wrath . If he'd been sinning , he'd be going to the cross for himself , wouldn't he ? The ?
Speaker 1man . Christ Jesus lived for 33 years or thereabouts , whatever that was completely and absolutely temptated , lived every way . See everything , witnessed everything , had every way . See everything , witnessed everything , had every conversation under the sun . Everything was breaking out in his life , his family's life , his brothers . He had brothers . Jesus had brothers . Jesus had A earthly stepfather . You know his mum and his dad . The scripture says very clearly that Joseph was thinking about divorcing her quietly . Yes , yeah , so there's a , there's a family that he's in a family . That is that there is tensions that that joseph could have carried . For how long could he have carried ? What really was ? Who is this jesus ? So so is that ? Who is this Jesus ? Is he my son , mary , where you been ?
Speaker 2Yeah , no , he's got all that going on , but when the story of Joseph isn't really told .
Speaker 1It's not told and really the father , the full story of Mary is not the stepfather .
Speaker 2The full story of Mary is not really told either , because they have you imagine that 30 years . They got to know him . Right , they must have got to know him . I mean , if you , you know , she accepted that she was going to have this virgin birth and it was going to be Christ . But what does that mean ? She'd had no idea what that meant .
Speaker 1She was a young 15 , 16-year-old girl , even younger than that .
Speaker 2She had no idea what that meant for this child . Who imagine that put it into your care until the God of all gods , it's put into your care , the man . The Bible doesn't really tell us anything about that , but it reveals something . I think , and I'm just thinking about this , the very first miracle he performed that we know , he was in Weatherspoons it could have been .
Speaker 1He turned that bad lager into Stella .
Speaker 2Artoris , but what they came to Mary didn't they ? They came to Mary and Mary said speak to Jesus Now .
Speaker 1So she's got to know him . You've hit St Right , you've hit Saint right , you've hit Saint Evie there , right . So when you think about that , talk to Jesus . So there is extra biblical knowledge that has been kept from us that only Joseph , his stepdad , his mum , mary and Jesus , the connection that them three had as a family unit . So for Mary to go , just go and ask my son yes , she knew , she knew , she knew , even though he hadn't done a miracle , that we know of , that we know of , as in the writings , in the writings , because we understand what the scripture says . So for her to say have a word with him , she knew who he was .
Speaker 2And she got to know who he was through that 30 years Because you know , as a young girl ?
Speaker 1Yeah , as a young girl . She nurtured him .
Speaker 2All she sees is a little baby . You imagine that Is this the Christ ? Is this Christ the saviour of ?
Speaker 1the world Born in a stable . It's been rejected . There's no room at the inn . We've been rejected .
Speaker 2So you don't know what you is he going to ? What's he going to do ? What's going to happen ? Is he growing up ? So they've grown up . Joseph has taught him the trade as a carpenter . They've all grown , but they know . They know . They know because she said on that wedding feast in Canaan speak to Jesus .
Speaker 1Amazing when you think , even looking at Joseph , even looking at his stepdad , his earthly dad that took him under his roof , what sort of reward did Joseph get when you look at this stuff ? Because the church always wants to spiritualise everything , doesn't it ? Religion always wants to get a new , latest song out . There's so much in the Jesus story that makes me feel comfortable as a human being that this family unit went through everything , got a stepfather , he's in the house of brothers , he's a tradesman . There must have been a time when I'd felt a bit short . Have a word with Jesus . The roof's leaking . Lord , do something , can you ? No , but he didn't do anything . He didn't do anything like that until he was called and that calling and his ministry started . But she noticed this is this time .
Speaker 1Yeah , this she knew . Yeah , so Joseph , the story of Joseph as the stepfather is almost . It drops off the page . It drops off the page . Yeah , it's almost , it drops off the page . It drops off the page . Yeah , so , for 30-odd years and 33 years , even up to the crucifixion , where is Joseph amongst the ? Because he so Joseph was a father , he was his father . So he would have put and he would have instilled and installed into Jesus Joseph's understanding of a father . But Joseph had in his hands the father of fathers .
Speaker 2Imagine oi , Jesus , Listen , get to bed .
Speaker 1Get to bed now .
Speaker 2Get off the iPhone .
Speaker 1Get off it , leave . Come off that . Get off , leave it . I'll turn the internet off , but it's interesting .
Speaker 2The story of Jesus . Yeah , it's just interesting that dropped into me that wedding feast in Canaan , the Churchill of you going that was his first miracle and it just goes over it it just goes over it . But there's so much in that because Mary , his mother , she knew , yeah , she knew , and all of a sudden no one knew . No one knew Except .
Speaker 1Mary , exactly .
Speaker 2Exactly , no one knew , it was a quiet thing . He didn't go Tommy Cooper , just like that .
Speaker 1Just like that .
Speaker 2He didn't do a magic trick or anything , he just did it quietly .
Speaker 1He just did it quietly . So when you look at the story the Jesus story , as this is titled this podcast it doesn't go down the spiritual churchy road , because it's always spiritual and it's always the kingdom , because it's the king . It doesn't go down the religious route .
Speaker 1We don't need to go down the religious route , because there is all power , all authority in his story and what fascinates me is Joseph . How did Joseph feel when suddenly he sees this young man suddenly coming into this , anointing and calling ? He's been crucified . My son , the boy that I brought up , the one that we sat on the rock at lunchtime . We shared a sandwich together . It makes me want to cry when I really think of Joseph .
Speaker 1Yeah , joseph , watching and seeing his stepson that he looked after , that he nurtured , that , he trained , that they sharpened tools together . They spent time together , they had a bit of banter together , they laughed , they joked and who'd done absolutely nothing wrong .
Speaker 2Who'd ?
Speaker 1done nothing wrong his son , because he was his son because he was given he was given and he was placed in the care of of a mum and a dad , because the weight on their shoulders .
Speaker 2The church wants to go from him being jesus little baby . Yeah to jesus 33 doesn't ? It skips out all that except for the bit about when there was , when he was in the temple . But he skips throughout all of that .
Speaker 1He skips throughout those personal relationships between all that between that family , that family and his brothers , and his brothers and work colleagues .
Speaker 2He didn't mention any of that the town , the village where they was . Because that's interesting , isn't it ? Because when he went back , yeah , the carpenter's son . Yeah , exactly , a prophet is without honour in his own town , in his own town . So they've gone . They just looked at him , they just looked at him .
Speaker 1As Isaiah says in Isaiah 53 . He grew up like a tender shoot out of dry ground . He had no beauty to attract us to him , nothing in his appearance that we should desire . He was just a boy in their eyes . That's Jesus . That's the carpenter he built my extension . A prophet yeah , what ? That's the truth . A prophet is without honor in his own town . That's what happened when he went back . And this is the god , and this is that created them . This is the god , that that created . Oh man , this is just too big . This is just enormous . This is just massive I can't believe it .
Speaker 2And that happens , you know , in in , in the world , where people who had been certain way yeah suddenly change and follow people don't believe it .
Speaker 1So you've got a tradesman , because they recognize him as the tradesman , as the son of of that unusual family . We're not quite sure where jesus came from , but we've heard rumors around the village and the town that Jesus might not be . What possibly
Is Joseph ? So there's all this conversation . He might not have even looked like Joseph . He might not have even looked like him . You know when you think , and all this sort of stuff going on . So you've got this . You can call it a displaced family to the onlookers in .
Speaker 2But he's a guy that's grown up in that and before long people are going . Oh , that's Joseph's son , jesus .
Speaker 1That's Joseph's dad .
Speaker 2And oh , he's a carpenter . Oh yeah , he come and he fixed my cabinet . He made a chair for us . Yeah well , he's a good guy .
Speaker 1He's all right .
Speaker 2He's not bad , you know . He don't hear a bad word said about Jesus . Do you know what I mean ? That's what it would have been . And then for him to go back and start doing miracles no , they don't want that . They don't . We can't have that . It's too much for them . He's the carpenter .
Speaker 1It's just blown their minds , hasn't it ? It's just done it . So this is interesting , because real callings are on real people . Real callings on real people , people that have been through .
Speaker 2Not manufactured .
Speaker 1Not manufactured by the church and because you've been brought up in a Christian household , you are a pastor because my dad's a pastor . You are a worship leader because my dad's a leader you are . I'll tell you what . We'll keep you in this little holy huddle and we'll put you in the pulpit . We'll put you in the church office . You can work for the church . You can do this when , actually , who are really who across the board of the UK ? Who is really living a true calling ? Many are called , Few are chosen , Not many anointed teachers , I'm afraid to say , across the platform in the UK at this moment .
Speaker 1They , yeah , they all want the anointing , don't they , they all want it , but you can want it all you want .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 1But there's only one . There's only one Because where do the gifts come from ? The gifts are given , given by who ? By God , by the deity , by the power of the Holy Spirit . The gifts are given , but you can't go to a Bethel teaching group and then suddenly , at the end of 12 weeks , because you've paid five grand , become a miracle worker .
Speaker 2That's a great point . That's a great point . You can't suddenly become an evangelist , you , that's a great point .
Speaker 1You can't suddenly become an evangelist because you've paid . You can't because a man has given you a certificate .
Speaker 2And told you you're now anointed , but give me five , grand Five and you can be anything . That's exactly what the world says .
Speaker 1That's exactly what the world says Come into my surgery and I'll make you Betty from Billy .
Speaker 2Give us a few , you can be anything you want to be in this world and the church is doing exactly the same , and the deal is , we get the gifts from the father through the son , don't we so ?
Speaker 1the gifts are given , salvation is given , everything is given . So when we talk about pastors and leaders and preachers and teachers of the word , you are given a gift . To deliver the gift . You can't be taught . There's no teaching . No , there is a certain area of study and learning , because christ was in the temple studying the scriptures . All of us , as believers , need to study the scriptures . But then there is another layer where god uses and god takes the person and here anoints them . I think the hardest thing for anyone to do is to live in an anointing when you can't operate in that anointing at the moment yeah , I mean that's a yeah .
Speaker 1God gives you a vision and a dream , and it's not for now , and you've got to get back on the and that now , and you've got to get back on the saw , and that's the problem .
Speaker 2You've got to get back in the triangle , mate . That's a great . Never do away with the Old Testament , because the Isaiah , just for one thing he says in there he shapes us like an arrow and keeps us in the quiver until he's ready to use us Exactly .
Speaker 1You're shaped , you're anointed , you are called , you are chosen , you are ready in the eyes of god and you are in the backpack . You're not ready to come out , ready to ? Come out , and that's I'm in the moses basket but the church is getting me out and there's a problem with a lot of people that they don't want to wait , and I've seen it .
Speaker 2I've seen it too often where people have been accelerated too quickly without having that firm foundation , without having the 30 years you know 30 years .
Speaker 1It was so important to jesus want it the 30 years on the tools .
Speaker 2That was so important I love that . I love this podcast it podcast . We've expanded stuff that they never thought we'd do . But it's made us realise . The story of Jesus and really if you listen out there and you haven't grasped more of Jesus today , I think I don't know . You know , maybe you weren't listening fully to what we were saying , because I've learnt a lot more about Jesus today Than the church has ever taught us . And we ain't even , we haven't even started .
Speaker 1We haven't really started .
Speaker 2We'll come back to this next week and , I don't know , we may even get to the cross , but at some point we will get to the cross .
Speaker 1Don't you find this fascinating ? One last little thing Christ was a carpenter . What did he work with ?
Speaker 2Timber .
Speaker 1What did he go to ? A cross that was made out of timber . There is so much in the story of Jesus . There is so much in the story of Jesus , fully God , fully man .
Speaker 2But if you grasp what we've been saying today and listen to this podcast a couple of times , because if you grasp what we're saying today , you'll get nearer to Jesus and you'll have more of a relationship with him . And where will he lead you ? Only to one place , and that's the Father .
Speaker 1And then , when you look at the father , who do you see Jesus ?
Speaker 2yeah , and we haven't even . We've got to do the father's story in a few weeks time . Yeah , and that is incredible , because that's a story that's not really told too much , is it ?
Speaker 1no , because you've got the story of two fathers , haven't you ?
Speaker 2well , the father Joseph , the father gets Joseph . I thought .
Speaker 1I'd get some bad rap . There's so much in the father , the father's stepfather , joseph , and the father . So much in Jesus' story . It's been great
, it's been really . You know , and we pray wherever you are . Is that we just look at Jesus ? As Hebrews ? Chapter 12 , verse 2 , says keep your eyes on Jesus , the author , the perfecter , of your faith , wherever you are . Today , simon's brought a great title to the table , fueled and stirred by the Holy Spirit , jesus Christ , the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords . You can capture us on many multiple platforms . You can find us on Amazon Music , apple Play , alexa , iheart Radio . There's so many other platforms that are out there Buzzsprout , spotify . Listen to these podcasts back and just type in the search engine hashtag Christian Straight Talk and if you need Simon , we've got the email address . That's all up there for him on the website and all that sort of stuff . You can find us . But you don't really need to search for us . You need to find jesus , above all that it's jesus amen , god bless .
Speaker 1Have a great day in the name of jesus . God bless , thank you .