WEBVTT 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:10.320 Well, welcome to the MetaCurch podcast. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:12.640 We're so glad that you joined us. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:15.759 I'm excited about our inaugural episode. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:18.399 We're starting this off for a very specific reason. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:21.760 It's attached to everything that we do here at MetaCurch. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.079 Here's what Paul wrote to the Ephesians. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:32.079 He said that the job of church leadership is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and to build up the body of Christ. 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:34.960 Everything we do at MetaCurch is about application. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:38.399 And we've been going line by line through the gospel of Luke. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:39.759 We've been going very slow. 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:41.200 We've been very intentional. 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:44.000 What we're going to do today is I have some amazing guests. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:47.840 They're going to help us break down our first series, The Chosen King. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:53.759 We went from Luke chapter one, verse one to Luke chapter four, verse 30. 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:57.920 And it took us 26 weeks to get through those verses. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:59.200 So we're going really slow. 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:02.640 We're trying to let the text speak, trying to let the Holy Spirit speak. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:06.000 And so I want to introduce our guests to you. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.920 You've heard over 20 hours of what I think about these passages. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:18.159 I want you to hear from some people in our church that mean a lot to me and that are really key leaders, not just at Meta, uh, but here in our community. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:20.239 So I'll first introduce Sherry. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:23.519 Uh Sherry, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you're involved in? 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:31.200 Yeah, my name is Sherry, and I have a ministry called Everyday Truths that has a blog and a podcast attached to it. 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:32.959 Spoiler, kind of exciting thing. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.439 We're actually about to start a kids podcast too. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:39.439 But it's just to help you live out your faith in your everyday life. 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:40.400 And so that's what I do. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:40.799 Yeah. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:41.359 Awesome. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:49.280 You guys make sure to check out everything that Sherry is doing, subscribe to her podcasts, and make sure you're following her blog and doing all the things. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:51.760 I also have one of my good friends, DJ. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:54.159 Uh man, he's a leader at MetaCurch. 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:55.280 He's been a great friend to me. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:57.439 DJ, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself? 00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:57.920 Yeah. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:00.079 Um, first of all, you're making me blush a little bit. 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:03.280 How much you love me, but I love you too, man. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:03.920 Yeah, there we go. 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:06.079 Yeah, like you said, my name is DJ Edmond. 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:09.599 Um, I'm a churchgoer at MetaU, at Meta University, at MetaCurch. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:10.240 University. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:12.400 Spoiler alert coming soon. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:16.479 But um, yeah, I volunteer with Meta Youth. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:20.159 Uh, volunteer at Connect and just really love being a part of the church. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:21.520 My wife helped design the logo. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.159 Shout out Nicole. 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:22.719 There we go. 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:23.120 That's right. 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:23.840 New branding. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:24.639 Shout out Nicole. 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:25.520 Yeah. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:26.159 Awesome. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:26.400 Yeah. 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:27.680 Parable Creative, man. 00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:28.960 Check them out as well. 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:36.879 Uh, well, I want to start just kind of at the broadest lens, which is uh the way we're going through Luke is very new. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:43.120 Um, we were a series-based Sunday service, so a three-week series on this, a five-week series on this. 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:48.400 We felt convicted to slow way down, to go all the way through Luke's gospel. 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:50.400 We chose Luke very intentionally. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:57.039 Um, but what have you guys felt about the pace, uh, the approach, the strategy? 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:00.639 What have you just thought about our journey in Luke so far? 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:01.360 Yeah. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:04.639 So I I love series. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:08.080 I podcasts are in series. 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:18.960 I have taught in series, but I think that's something when people jump into scripture, I think that a critical mistake that we make is that we read scripture as a means to an end. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:23.840 We want to get through a reading plan, we want to get through the chapter, and that's great. 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:26.080 Like however you're reading scripture, fantastic. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:29.599 Even if you're just looking at the verse of the day on like the Bible app. 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:30.400 Absolutely. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:39.280 But what it can do when we see scripture as a means to an end or our reading plans that way is it really stifles um curiosity. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:48.319 And I think when we slow down, it creates an opportunity for us to stop and for us to ask questions, give ourselves permission to stop and ask questions. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:53.439 You know, we see in the beginning of Luke when it says Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:58.479 If you stop there, you're like, you know, that's not language we use in our everyday life. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:03:59.199 Like what? 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:00.159 Like, let's stop. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:00.960 Let's take a breath. 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:08.879 If you have a study Bible, it's, you know, you look at a note, it's gonna send you back to Exodus and you're gonna learn more about what they that might mean. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:10.560 We see it all over scripture. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:13.759 And we should stop and ask those questions. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:15.439 Now think of so many examples. 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:19.759 You know, you're reading about Noah's Ark, and you're like, how far is it is like 300 cubits? 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:22.399 Like, if you're interested in that stuff, like stop. 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:25.600 Yeah, get curious when Paul talks about being in Christ. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:26.480 What does that mean? 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.240 Stop and get curious. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:35.279 And I'll never not tell this story, but my son Finlay a few years ago, when he asked, he asked, What does it mean to be in Christ? 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:37.199 Does it mean to wear a Jesus suit? 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:39.279 We'll never not describe it that way. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:48.000 So, anyhow, I love the pacing and us slowing down because I think it's showing people that it's okay to slow down and to get curious about scripture. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:49.360 Yeah, that's very cool. 00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:55.680 Uh, DJ, I'm I on one of these, you know, someone's gonna share something and then the other person's gonna be like, I'm glad you like it. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:56.160 I hate it. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:57.279 I want to go for it, you know. 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:00.079 Uh what are your thoughts just about the pace and how we're going through it? 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:01.680 No, actually, I love it. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:04.000 Same thing that Sherry said, you know, podcasts. 00:05:04.160 --> 00:05:10.639 I I'm a big audiobook person, so you know, I'm down for slowing everything down, really listening to it and breaking it down. 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:13.519 But what's so unique with the Bible is it's a living word, right? 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:15.759 So every time you read it, something new comes up. 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:28.079 And when you slow down and really look at what's being said, I mean certain words, like, you know, uh because comma or and is like, oh, you look at this or behold, like this is important. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:28.639 Yeah, yeah. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:33.199 You know, so just being able to slow it down and see that, and it's it's I like it. 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:33.680 I like it. 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:34.160 It's cool. 00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:52.319 Yeah, you know, one of the things that's been really interesting to observe is um I I kind of felt like, all right, our seasoned believers, because uh MetaCurch, we work extremely hard to be a church for uh everybody at all parts of their faith journey. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:06:01.680 Uh, I thought, man, I don't know if some of our new believers who maybe have never opened the Bible before, if they're gonna be down for like such a slow journey. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:16.160 Um, but what's been interesting is it's been an opportunity as well to not just show what scripture is saying, but to even demonstrate in real time in the preaching how they can read scripture as well. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:26.000 And, you know, I joke uh every once in a while from stage that one of the advantages to having me as your preacher is I don't have the degrees that most preachers have. 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:32.800 You know, uh I really am just exactly what you were saying, slowing down and getting really curious. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:51.439 And I have found that the most meaningful moments uh throughout the whole Chosen King series were not the Greek word studies that I dug super deep and you know, use some of the tools that I've learned through the years, but it was those moments where just the Holy Spirit spoke because I was willing to sit in a text for long enough. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:54.079 And those were the moments that seemed to really hit. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:07:05.600 And uh, and then for our seasoned believers who have been walking for a long time, they've probably read the gospel of Luke over and over and over again, but probably not as slow as we're reading it right now. 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:11.439 And so it seems to be reaching across that spectrum of who we have as a part of our movement. 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:24.560 Uh, one of the main things, so in week one of Luke, uh I made the case that even Paul talks later about how there will be different Christs who come, you know, and you have to be able to spot them. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:34.480 I used the the metaphor of people who look for counterfeit currency and that there's no way they could study every counterfeit bill. 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:37.600 So instead they just study the real thing. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:42.560 And so they can always spot a counterfeit because they know the real thing, and that that's what we're gonna do in Luke. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.720 We're going to get to know the real Jesus. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:08:04.480 And so I wonder if there was any moment or moments as we've gone through Luke where Jesus just felt more real to you, felt a little more 4D than you know, Jesus can be kind of flat uh in how we portray him, or maybe just a different side of who he is or his personality that stood out to you guys. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:10.480 So for me, uh going over the genealogy and stuff, slowing down and going over that. 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:12.959 So a little bit of background for me, I guess. 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:20.480 Right now I'm kind of going back through Genesis and reading through and slowing down most of the time, a little bit at a little bit, but there's so much genealogy there. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:23.759 And I used to read it and I was like, I think you made a joke about it one time. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:28.160 Some of these guys sound like, you know, the Keaton Pilskit, middle linebacker names, right? 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:36.960 But um, you know, I'm reading and I'm looking at it, and I'm slowing down and I'm seeing, I'm like, oh wow, like there's a lot of important stuff going on here in the genealogy. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:44.159 And then, you know, when we slowed down in Luke and looked at the genealogy there, it just kind of shows like Luke chases it all the way back to Adam. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:56.320 Yeah, so like it's Luke is kind of showing hey, Jesus didn't come for the Jewish people, Jewish Jesus didn't come for the Israelites, like he came for everybody, anybody who is descended from Adam. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:57.200 I am here for you. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:08:57.759 That's cool. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:01.600 So that was yeah, that that was one point that definitely stuck out to me for sure. 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:02.000 Yeah. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:04.960 Showed the love of it all, right? 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:06.480 Yeah, yeah, that's powerful. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:07.039 Wow. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:14.720 So something I I really love about Luke is he's very analytical, and he's like the check my math guy. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:21.279 Whereas like his contemporaries are are writing about, you know, gods that live on mountains that don't exist. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:27.200 He's going, No, these are real places and these are real events, and you can go and talk to these people and you can check my math. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:29.120 But which very much speaks to me. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:37.120 Luke is my favorite biblical author, but at the same time, does such a beautiful job really painting the picture of Jesus' humanity. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:43.120 I so relate to so many parts of Jesus' story. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:52.559 Um I didn't come from poverty, but I mean, he does such an amazing job highlighting the poverty of his parents and really showing us what that looks like. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:10:03.759 He, you know, in the temptations, in when it's uh when he's rejected in his own hometown, like all of these pieces, Luke does such an amazing job highlighting Jesus' uh humanity within it. 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:10.639 And I love that that can come side by side with uh just the the facts of the case, if you will. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:11.039 Yeah. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:23.600 Because uh I think when uh we are a thinker and not a feeler, it's when we read something feely, it's easy for us to kind of like discount it or miscount it or whatever the right word is there. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:25.759 But it's so easy for us to do that. 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:33.919 But when you have these two things just held up side by side next to each other, I think it brings this special light to it, especially for the thinkers. 00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:34.879 Yeah, yeah. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:37.360 You know, um, it's interesting you mentioned that. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:44.080 I think the thing that affected me most in the whole Chosen King series uh was the relationship of Jesus to his mom and dad. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:51.360 And um it it has colored so much of how I see even Jesus' later teachings. 00:10:51.600 --> 00:11:04.480 And I had mentioned this in the series, but uh, you know, really uh really understanding that when Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem, uh, that it it doesn't say there was no room at a motel. 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:05.200 Yeah. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:12.159 It says in this culture where everyone has a bonus room for family, no one allowed them to stay with them. 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:21.519 And the the shame of a pre-marriage pregnancy, uh, the shame of poverty, the shame of being from Nazareth, no one would let his mother in. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:34.080 And uh, you know, later when Jesus will say, you know, what you do to the least of these, when you allow someone in, when you take someone in, when you you've done this for me, it's literal. 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:34.559 Yeah. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:37.679 It's like that's what no one did for my mom. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:38.000 Yeah. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:44.559 And to me, that goes to like an emotional level uh that just it paints everything. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:59.519 You know, when you realize that Jesus was adopted by Joseph in this incredibly difficult circumstance, uh, and then you learn historically uh that Joseph uh died when Jesus was fairly young, yeah, you know, and the role he takes with his mother. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:01.200 Yeah, it's it's been so much fun. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:10.000 And what's cool is I I do feel even in my own relationship with Jesus, I'm getting this more clearly defined uh image. 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:14.639 You know, it's it's it was 360p and 720p and 1080p. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:17.519 And it's like I'm trying to get to that 4K, 8K. 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.519 Like I want to see him, you know, in detail. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:23.039 And uh, and what's crazy is we actually haven't seen much Jesus yet. 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:23.919 Yeah. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:27.440 Like we've seen him get baptized, tempted, and show up in Nazareth. 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:31.840 Now we're walking into a new series, the Kingdom Way, and he actually is starting his ministry. 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:32.080 Yeah. 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:36.960 And I think the the picture of the real Jesus is just gonna get more and more clear. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:37.840 Man, I love this. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:38.720 I love this conversation. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:39.279 All right. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:43.519 Um, was there anything in the text in the chosen king section? 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:49.200 So Luke 1 through half of uh Luke 4 that just genuinely surprised you. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:51.039 Hmm. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:56.960 Um I think it kind of goes back with the temptation part of it, right? 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:05.919 So before Jesus did any big work, before he did any big miracle, before he taught any big sermon, like he was like obscure. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:07.279 Like no one knew who he was. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:14.080 You know, on top of you know, not standing on a platform or you know, drawing attention to himself, he said he was born in Nazareth, right? 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:16.159 Or sorry, born in Bethlehem, right? 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:18.000 Um, he grew up in Nazareth. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:18.240 Yeah. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:23.039 And I don't know if you guys watch the chosen or not, but every time they say uh Nazareth, they're like, what good comes from Nazareth? 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:25.919 Like backwoods, you know, nothing, right? 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:31.679 So I think the thing that stuck out to me the most is, you know, when you think about Jesus, yeah, Lord, savior, he is all of that. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:33.200 I'm not taking anything away from that. 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:33.519 Sure. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:38.480 But there's like such a good example there of like how to follow God. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:41.360 Like it's not about you, it's less about you. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:43.360 Empty yourself of you, it's all about him. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:44.639 Here's an example. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:54.639 I'm gonna put on flesh, come down to earth, and before I do any great works, like I'm humble, I'm human, I'm I'm you know, I'm waiting for my time to do what I'm supposed to do. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.759 I'm trusting in what my father God says. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:00.240 Yeah, nothing happens until he says go. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:00.720 That's right. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.039 So that, yeah, that for sure. 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:04.720 That was cool, very cool. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:07.360 Any surprises in the text for you? 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:13.919 No, I think that the way that you highlighted adoption was something that I hadn't thought about. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:15.200 That sermon like broke me. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:36.000 Like when I I was re-listening to it recently, and it's I had just never thought in that much detail about how Jesus, how Joseph adopted Jesus and just how beautiful that was, and just like wholly taking him as his own and just this incredible and beautiful image of of how God does the same with us. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:53.919 And and so really, really considering that day when they went to dedicate Jesus and how Mary walking in was, you know, the shame of not being able to have this uh this ideal sacrifice, yeah. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:06.159 And yet she was holding the most like the ultimate sacrifice in her in her very arms, and the way that Joseph accepted Jesus and the way that it was celebrated by those who were waiting. 00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:06.639 Yeah. 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:14.159 And so that that part, I had never really thought that hard about the day that Jesus was dedicated. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:14.399 Yeah. 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:18.320 And there's so much more there than I think I I'd ever recognized before. 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:18.639 Yeah. 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.120 Is it is it okay if I just add a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of course, please. 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:24.000 What came from that, going back to how you were saying it too? 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:29.840 Uh, like I said, I'm going back through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, all those boring laws and all the sacrifices required. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:43.759 But when you were like, she didn't have the money to get the elaborate sacrifice, like, you know, you go back, I don't know which one is Exodus, Leviticus, one of them, but it talks about like what a woman's supposed to do or what a family's supposed to do when they have a child and the sacrifice is made. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:50.320 But like it kind of once you slow down, it was like, yo, Mary could only do like the two turtle doves or sorry, turtle doves, Christmas, anyway. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.919 Yeah, partridge and a pear tree. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:52.399 Yeah, right. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:58.960 But uh, you know, the the smaller sacrifice, but like, you know, you go back and you're reading all these older, and then the whole thing's connected, right? 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:03.679 Like it shows that God's heart is there for, I mean, everybody. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:09.200 Like, you know, yeah, sure, if you got all the money and you can bring a whole bowl, yeah, go for it. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:19.200 But like, hey, I see you too, you know, on the outer margins of things that maybe not blessed as um, you know, financially as everybody else, but I got something for you too. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:21.120 Like, yeah, I care about everybody. 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:23.919 So that just kind of stuck out like you know, the love of it all. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:24.320 Yeah. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:44.399 It's something that is so beautiful to me is the way that the the life of Jesus is bookended with the shepherds being the first to come and worship, and then the first to go and tell others that Jesus was risen was risen, was women, another group of people who couldn't give testimony in court. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:53.120 And it's like his whole life is bookended, showing how God's heart is for the marginalized, is for the forgotten, is for those who others would say are nothing. 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:54.639 Yeah, and it's it's beautiful. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:55.519 Yeah, yeah. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:17:01.759 You know, it's uh it's recorded in a different gospel, but you know, the first evangelist is the Samaritan woman at the well. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:14.000 You know, um, the first person, uh, I I had a chance to go out to one of our local prisons and and uh and preach at a revival out there, and I preached about the the two thieves on the cross. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:18.400 And as I was preparing for it, which is in Luke, uh, so we're not totally off topic here. 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:26.720 Um but uh uh what struck me is the the repentant thief is the first person in the gospels. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:39.359 I think I'm right about this, the first person to preach a full gospel where it's like uh I rebuke temptation, to you know, the other guy just wants Jesus to save them, you know. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:41.440 So I'm not gonna try to escape my consequence. 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:46.319 I fully admit my guilt, I fully admit Jesus' perfection, and then I put my faith in him. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:46.720 Yeah. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:53.519 And it's like the disciples who walked and talked and ate and slept next to Jesus for three years had not preached that full of a gospel. 00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:56.960 They'd gotten close by saying, You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.079 That's Peter, you know. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.480 Um, but it's a a thief on a cross. 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:08.640 He's about to take his last breath, you know, and so and and all of that, it's like the marginalized, that's that's who Jesus was as well, you know. 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:18.400 And um it's amazing in that moment because it really does make the case that uh where you start out in life has no bearing on God's destiny for you. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:24.640 And uh as an adoptive dad, um, adoption is very hard. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:32.640 It it is extremely expensive financially, emotionally, you know, cognitively, like it is a lot. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:43.039 But Joseph, uh, if you guys, I'm sure you remember, um, to fulfill the prophecy that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David, lineage comes through the Father. 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:45.279 It he had to do that. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:47.359 Um, and yet he had free will. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:47.680 Yeah. 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:48.720 And chose to. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:56.480 And so it's like, man, when God calls us to something, whoever we are, wherever we're from, um, we have to have the willingness to step forward. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:56.720 Yeah. 00:18:56.960 --> 00:19:01.440 Because we don't understand all the dominoes that might be behind the decisions that we make. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:06.319 It's it's really uh, really a stellar moment that really stuck out to me as well. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:06.799 All right. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:17.839 So we may have kind of um talked around this a little bit, but was there another character like you know, the Sunday school answer is like, my favorite character is Jesus, you know? 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:20.720 So we'll set Jesus, we'll never set Jesus aside. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:23.839 The punchline of my favorite joke involves that exact statement. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.640 But there we go. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:26.160 Well, I feel like we have to. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:28.960 Okay, so Sunday school class. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:30.240 Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:36.160 Sunday school class, and the teacher's going, Hey, I'm gonna describe something, and I want you to tell me what it is. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:42.880 And so this is an animal, and it has little eyes and a little nose, and it has a big fluffy tail, and it loves climbing in trees. 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:50.319 And you know, little Timmy in the front row raises his hand and he goes, You know, I know the answer is Jesus, but it sounds an awful lot like a squirrel. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.039 Nice. 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:54.079 Yes, yes, Jesus is always the right answer. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:20:04.400 So, not setting Jesus aside, but setting Jesus aside, uh, was there uh a like favorite character that we encountered uh in The Chosen King? 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:08.720 So I would love it if you were like Jesus. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.160 Jesus was my favorite. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:13.680 Jesus could just say it in Greek or something and be like, it's not the same guy. 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:16.480 Um nailed it. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:21.599 So something that I hadn't fully seen before. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:35.119 And I would say somebody who set an example that I desire to just strive uh to be like is Elizabeth, who has just had the greatest thing in her entire life happen. 00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:40.240 Something that she's dreamed of, something that she's wept for, something that she's cried out to God for. 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:43.279 And when Mary shows up, she celebrates her. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:44.960 Wow, that's really good. 00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:51.200 And and so just that incredible reminder to be someone who celebrates others. 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:57.599 Even on your best day, looking and seeing others, talking about what it is that you see in them. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:06.000 Um anyway, so I loved um, I love Elizabeth in this story and something that kind of was a new kind of aha moment for me as we've been going through it. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:06.799 Yeah, that's big. 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:07.920 What a great connection. 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:09.839 Do you have any characters that stood out to you? 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:12.240 So it's actually Zachariah. 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:13.200 Okay, okay. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:25.440 Um, and the reason why it was Zachariah, so here he is doing his daily job in the temple, doing what he's doing every single day, and literally, I mean, reality just like rips open. 00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:26.960 Here's an angel, boom, right? 00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:29.680 Hey, your wife is gonna have this son, and da-da-da-da-da. 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:33.519 And the first thing Zechariah does is doubt. 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:37.279 And it's just like, wow, like here is all this stuff going crazy. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:39.440 Here's God working right in front of you. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:41.200 And the first thing you're gonna do is doubt. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:42.000 He paid for it. 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:42.240 Yeah. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:47.359 But um, you know, I uh the reason why I relate with that so much is you know, same thing in my life. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:52.000 Like, I think back on all the things that God has done for me and all the things that, you know, have been going on. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:59.279 And, you know, me and my wife and Nicole were having a conversation the other day, and she was just like, Well, I think, you know, you could do this, this, that, and that, and this is possible. 00:21:59.359 --> 00:22:02.000 And I'm like, There's no way that could happen, you know? 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:08.160 And immediately in the back of my mind, it was just like, you know, look at everything God's done for you so far. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:12.160 And here you are, literally awake and breathing, which is a miracle every day. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:13.200 I don't care what anybody says. 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:14.640 That is a miracle, right? 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:19.519 But um here you are alive, breathing, all of this stuff around you. 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:26.960 You got two beautiful children, you got a lovely wife, you got a roof over your head, you know, you have a job, like a lot of things that a lot of people don't have. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.200 Yeah. 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:31.519 And your first reaction when someone tells you that you could do something great is doubt. 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:34.240 Like it's I I found myself in that same position. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.279 It was very convicting. 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:40.559 Like just yeah, that's that's who that's who I that's who I uh identified with the most. 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:41.200 Wow. 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:41.519 Yeah. 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:45.839 I like how you also uh not so subtly called your wife an angel right now. 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:46.640 So that was cool. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:47.119 Yeah. 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:52.079 So uh it's interesting. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:56.000 Uh Zechariah is uh who I think surprised me the most. 00:22:56.319 --> 00:23:05.920 And um, in the same way that I feel like the apostle Thomas, the disciple, then Apostle Thomas, he gets such a bad rep, you know. 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:10.240 It's like yeah, we we've all had a nickname that we're not super happy with, you know. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:12.480 His has lasted like 2,000 years. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:22.240 And when you read just every instance of Thomas, he is so on fire, he is so down, like he will party, he will go to war for you. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:26.960 You know, we know in church history, I believe Thomas is the first person to take the gospel to Asia. 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:31.039 I could, I could be wrong about that, and I'm sure, I'm sure YouTube will fact check me if I am. 00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:36.880 Um, but I mean, a very courageous apostle after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:39.279 And he like he has this moment, right? 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:40.960 And it just brands him for life. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:45.200 Zechariah is kind of, you know, he's the guy that lost his voice because he didn't believe. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:59.680 But you look at the context of the temple and you look at the priests and like the high percentage of priests who were living in rebellion, who were living in sin, who were playing politics. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:04.559 And it's very clear Zechariah is a righteous man. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:06.400 He's righteous before God. 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:18.559 You look at the context, God has not spoken in Israel for 400 years, and yet Zechariah continues to walk into the temple, to do his job, to do it with righteousness. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:36.000 And what's so ironic almost is he's one of the only priests left in Israel still anticipating a move of God, and then a move of God comes, and because it is pointing so specifically at his very, very unique pain, he struggles to accept it, you know? 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:39.599 And so, man, I just really uh I love that. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:53.680 You know, God is so just and um and the the moments where uh I have not been able to just fully grasp onto what God's wanting to do in my life, there are like natural consequences that come from that. 00:24:54.160 --> 00:24:59.039 Um, but God's love to Zechariah is so clear, you know, and it's not like, oh, you don't believe me? 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:00.400 Guess you don't get a son. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:02.319 It's like your wife's already pregnant. 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:02.559 Yeah. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:05.680 Like this is already, I'm not here to tell you something's going to happen. 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:07.119 I'm here to let you know it already has. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:18.640 And uh, so I really, man, Zechariah just took a huge leap up like in uh in my eyes, and and I I think his faithfulness throughout the generations um is is so significant. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:25.680 Something that is really interesting is you know, in the Old Testament, there's only a handful of people that are called righteous. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:26.720 Yeah, that's true. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:36.160 And when you come into the Gospels, you see Elizabeth and Zechariah called righteous, and then a little bit later we see Joseph called righteous, which is super cool. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:38.160 Joseph does not get nearly enough credit. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:44.880 But it's so beautiful because we can see his doubt, but that doubt and faithfulness can stand side by side. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.200 Yeah. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:57.599 And it's such a fantastic reminder that because we have doubt going on, uh, because we're struggling, because whatever's going on in our life, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't still strive to be faithful. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:00.000 So often we throw the baby out with the bathwater. 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:02.400 If everything's not perfect, well, then throw it out. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:10.400 And I think Zechariah is a great example of somebody called righteous who also is doubting and who also is struggling. 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:10.799 Yeah. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:11.119 Yeah. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:13.440 I don't think doubt's the opposite of faith. 00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:15.119 I think apathy is the opposite of faith. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:22.319 And when you're living apathetic, uh, you don't really have to doubt anything because you're not looking to have faith in anything. 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:22.720 Yeah. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:27.119 Um, it is a maybe simpler way to live. 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:35.279 Um, but man, what you miss out on in that spiritual apathy is just uh it's heartbreaking, really, you know. 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:49.359 Um I think the other thing that I had not pieced together until this series is Zechariah's lineage is going to end because he's old, his wife is old, they don't have a kid. 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:53.680 And what that means is his priestly line ends. 00:26:53.920 --> 00:27:00.880 And then God gives him a son, and John grows up and is like, Yeah, I'm not gonna be a priest. 00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:02.720 I mean, just crazy. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:11.920 You know, it's like if you have a law firm or a mechanic shop or whatever, and you're 10 generations in to, you know, my father, his father, his father, his father. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:13.920 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:19.759 And then the the finally a kid comes along and it's the only son and it's the only option, and it's like, I'm doing something else. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:25.039 And not only am I doing something else, I'm gonna stand outside the temple and I'm gonna point at the temple and I'm gonna tell everyone how corrupt it is. 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:25.279 Yeah. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:29.359 And Zechariah like has, he's like, I'm not making this mistake twice. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:33.119 Like, God's called him to this, and he lets John go, you know. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:43.119 It's like a dad who's like really supportive of his kids' like rock aspirations, even though he's like, Yeah, this band's never gonna make it, but he still shows up, you know. 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:52.000 Yeah, I mean, really, it's uh it's a stunning turn and and just it rounds out Zechariah, I think, in a way that I I hadn't seen before. 00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:53.279 Um, well, very cool. 00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:54.880 Let's um let's kind of go through. 00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:58.400 I've grouped some sections together that we went through in Luke. 00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:03.119 Uh, the king revealed, so that's like Luke 1 and 2, the king tested. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:06.720 So this is his baptism, uh, his time in the wilderness. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.720 Then uh the king in conflict. 00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:17.440 And so that's gonna be that very last section we went over where Jesus goes into Nazareth and divies everyone's expectations, and they they try to kill him. 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:20.480 So uh let's start at the king revealed. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:27.519 Um, what what stood out to you, if anything, about how Luke reveals Jesus' identity? 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:32.480 And so walk, walk me through really quick where like what's happening right around. 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:34.640 I just want to like grasp what you're asking. 00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:39.279 Yeah, so uh Luke starts off and he tells these parallel stories. 00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:48.559 So it's like announcement of John, announcement of Jesus, Elizabeth's pregnancy, Mary's pregnancy, kind of goes back and forth. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:54.240 You have the uh prophetic declaration from the same angel Gabriel to both of them. 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:58.480 Um, you know, I think for me, just maybe this will help with the question. 00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:08.079 It's like Christmas comes every year, you think about the birth of Jesus, you go to Christmas Eve service, you read this section in 45 seconds and you move on. 00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:14.799 So for me, there were some things that slowing down in just the kind of the context of Jesus' arrival. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:22.000 I mean, I ended up spending five more weeks there than I thought I was going to, you know, because it just kept speaking to me, speaking to me. 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:28.559 So is there anything that surprised either of you or stood out to you kind of in those uh announcement and birth narratives? 00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:42.799 Well, for me, and I know this isn't like every single gospel, but the fact that God himself stepped out of eternity and put on human flesh, born a baby, and went through everything that we went through. 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:47.519 And like, you know, I have two younger children, so it's like, wow, I'm changing, you know, my baby's diaper. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:50.160 Like, wow, Mary had to change Jesus' diaper. 00:29:50.480 --> 00:29:50.960 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:53.279 You know, Jesus had hiccups, Jesus had diaper, right? 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:54.319 Jesus did this, you know. 00:29:54.400 --> 00:30:00.079 It's kind of funny to think about, but you know, just just really slowing down and thinking about that. 00:30:00.319 --> 00:30:04.640 Here is this being who everything was created through him, right? 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:05.839 He is master of everything. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:14.079 When he comes back, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, like just the most OP, tier ranking, however you want to do it, just S tier, right? 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:15.759