WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.850 --> 00:00:03.710 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.750 --> 00:00:06.509 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun and 3 00:00:06.589 --> 00:00:13.609 practical ways. Hey, everybody. Welcome to The Bible Guys. It 4 00:00:13.689 --> 00:00:14.339 is Jeff. 5 00:00:14.630 --> 00:00:16.179 It is so good to be back. 6 00:00:16.300 --> 00:00:17.539 Yes, and Chris. And Chris. 7 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:19.320 And that's who we are. That's right. 8 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:22.000 And we are welcoming you because we're thrilled that you're here. 9 00:00:22.019 --> 00:00:22.679 We're The Bible Guys. 10 00:00:22.859 --> 00:00:25.780 We are. We are TheBibleGuys.com, by the way. 11 00:00:26.019 --> 00:00:26.539 Okay. 12 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:27.960 Yeah, if you want to go check it out, there 13 00:00:28.100 --> 00:00:28.379 it is. 14 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:28.839 Okay. 15 00:00:29.399 --> 00:00:33.130 So, hey, today, Jeff... We are in a series about 16 00:00:33.170 --> 00:00:35.700 dangerous prayers, of course. Yes. But this week we are 17 00:00:35.729 --> 00:00:39.100 starting a theme called Prayers of Intercession. Oh. 18 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:39.719 Isn't that cool? 19 00:00:39.740 --> 00:00:41.280 Yeah, yeah. Great. Yeah. 20 00:00:41.299 --> 00:00:42.340 What does intercession mean? 21 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:43.979 To intercede. Yeah. 22 00:00:44.420 --> 00:00:48.659 To pray on behalf of others or to appeal to 23 00:00:48.729 --> 00:00:51.530 God for care and intervention. 24 00:00:51.710 --> 00:00:54.259 Yes. Yes. Yes. And so anyway, we're going to start 25 00:00:54.299 --> 00:00:58.560 out with a segment that Desiree has given to us before, 26 00:00:58.600 --> 00:00:59.880 but she put a little twist on it today. 27 00:00:59.939 --> 00:01:00.240 Okay. 28 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:02.000 She's calling it theological taboo. 29 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:03.060 Oh, okay. 30 00:01:03.219 --> 00:01:03.460 Yeah. 31 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:06.780 Theological taboo. Things we're not allowed to talk about in theology. 32 00:01:07.620 --> 00:01:09.629 That's what it sounds like. That's what it sounds like. 33 00:01:09.650 --> 00:01:10.290 But no, that's not it. 34 00:01:10.290 --> 00:01:10.670 Oh, okay. 35 00:01:10.730 --> 00:01:14.049 It's the game of taboo using theological terms. Okay. So 36 00:01:14.230 --> 00:01:17.670 it is, Chris has to describe a Bible concept without 37 00:01:17.790 --> 00:01:21.170 using five forbidden words. So if you're watching... As opposed 38 00:01:21.189 --> 00:01:22.810 to just listening. Hopefully we're going to put these five 39 00:01:22.849 --> 00:01:25.390 words on the screen for you. And then maybe the 40 00:01:25.709 --> 00:01:28.049 people can race to see if they could get. 41 00:01:27.890 --> 00:01:30.760 It before you can. Okay. So I have to guess 42 00:01:30.859 --> 00:01:32.180 the theological concept. 43 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:32.599 Yes. 44 00:01:32.840 --> 00:01:33.099 Okay. 45 00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:36.680 And do you think that you're better than all our listeners? 46 00:01:37.379 --> 00:01:37.760 I don't know. 47 00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:39.900 I don't know. All right. 48 00:01:40.099 --> 00:01:40.599 I'm tired. 49 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:42.640 Depends on how sassy you're feeling. Okay. Yeah. 50 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:43.040 Here we go. 51 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:49.000 Okay. Gee whiz. Okay. What is the longest talk called 52 00:01:49.049 --> 00:01:49.939 given by our Savior? 53 00:01:50.420 --> 00:01:51.140 No, Sermon on the Mount. 54 00:01:51.620 --> 00:01:52.959 Boom, baby. Boom. 55 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:54.060 Yes, I am. 56 00:01:54.219 --> 00:01:58.120 I was not allowed to say Jesus, Mountain, Beatitudes, Disciples, 57 00:01:58.359 --> 00:01:59.079 or Matthew. 58 00:01:59.480 --> 00:01:59.719 Ooh. 59 00:02:00.609 --> 00:02:03.409 Yeah. So I said, I said, I said, Talk and Savior. 60 00:02:03.569 --> 00:02:03.810 Yes. 61 00:02:04.329 --> 00:02:04.489 Right. 62 00:02:04.510 --> 00:02:05.969 That's pretty good. That's right. 63 00:02:06.829 --> 00:02:08.229 Okay. All right. And we only have one more. 64 00:02:08.270 --> 00:02:09.370 Okay, man. That was awesome. 65 00:02:09.569 --> 00:02:10.500 Good one. We only have one more. Yeah. 66 00:02:10.509 --> 00:02:12.120 I'm feeling good about this. Okay. Here we go. 67 00:02:12.139 --> 00:02:14.319 By the way, do you, do you think that our people... 68 00:02:14.830 --> 00:02:17.370 are listening, they knew, do they know that it's a 69 00:02:17.370 --> 00:02:18.069 long sermon? 70 00:02:18.129 --> 00:02:20.090 Well, the ones that have been listening to the Bible guys, 71 00:02:20.129 --> 00:02:21.949 we've talked about the Sermon on the Mount three times. 72 00:02:22.650 --> 00:02:23.090 Oh, yeah. Yeah. 73 00:02:23.129 --> 00:02:26.050 So these people, the long timers, they're prepared. 74 00:02:26.370 --> 00:02:28.710 Yes. Yes. Don't give them more credit, Chris. 75 00:02:28.729 --> 00:02:29.629 That's right. That's right. 76 00:02:30.949 --> 00:02:33.050 Oh, maybe there's new people. All right. Here we go. 77 00:02:33.110 --> 00:02:37.139 This next one. Oh, gee whiz. Oh, okay. All right. 78 00:02:37.180 --> 00:02:42.500 Here we go. A fancy word for humanity and God 79 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:43.340 coming together. 80 00:02:45.530 --> 00:02:48.969 A fancy word for humanity and God coming together. 81 00:02:48.990 --> 00:02:52.479 It's not reconciliation. Okay. 82 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:54.319 But it's... Redemption? 83 00:02:54.759 --> 00:03:02.860 Yeah. It happens through the O positive of our Savior. 84 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:05.580 The O positive of the blood. Oh, atonement. 85 00:03:05.699 --> 00:03:06.000 Yes. 86 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:13.840 Oh, that's awesome. The O positive. You're just assuming. 87 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.139 I'm just assuming. Actually, O negative would have been more appropriate, right? 88 00:03:17.500 --> 00:03:18.539 Because that's the universal blood. 89 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:19.280 The universal blood. 90 00:03:19.300 --> 00:03:19.759 Yeah. 91 00:03:20.599 --> 00:03:23.840 Oh, that's so funny. So the atonement, right, where Jesus 92 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:25.139 paid the price with his blood. 93 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:25.400 Yes. 94 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:25.879 That's right. 95 00:03:25.900 --> 00:03:31.400 I wasn't allowed to say sin, Jesus, blood, sacrifice, or cross. 96 00:03:31.659 --> 00:03:35.969 That was great. Good job, Chris. 97 00:03:36.030 --> 00:03:36.610 Thank you, sir. 98 00:03:36.710 --> 00:03:37.330 Well, there you go. 99 00:03:37.629 --> 00:03:40.340 Yep. All right. So the Sermon on the Mount and atonement. Yes. 100 00:03:40.500 --> 00:03:41.020 So that is.. 101 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:42.439 So were you allowed to say theological? 102 00:03:43.629 --> 00:03:43.960 Well.. 103 00:03:43.909 --> 00:03:44.610 Or doctrinal? 104 00:03:44.689 --> 00:03:45.719 Yeah, I.. 105 00:03:45.849 --> 00:03:46.810 Yeah, you could have said that. 106 00:03:46.930 --> 00:03:47.270 Yeah, yeah. 107 00:03:47.430 --> 00:03:47.610 Yep. 108 00:03:48.270 --> 00:03:50.710 Okay. Well, I mean, it is called theological taboo. I 109 00:03:50.710 --> 00:03:54.310 thought that was a given. Okay. Yeah. So anyway, that's fun. 110 00:03:55.849 --> 00:03:56.150 All right. 111 00:03:56.229 --> 00:03:58.650 There you go. I'm the king of the world. 112 00:03:59.310 --> 00:04:02.240 Yeah. Hey, you know what else is fun? What? The 113 00:04:02.250 --> 00:04:06.300 tax collector's humble cry contracted with the Pharisee's pride. 114 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:06.780 Okay. 115 00:04:07.659 --> 00:04:11.650 Okay. Because... That's the title. That's fun. That's the title 116 00:04:11.689 --> 00:04:12.830 that Desiree gave us. 117 00:04:13.110 --> 00:04:14.889 Okay. That's the title. 118 00:04:14.909 --> 00:04:15.509 That's fun. 119 00:04:15.610 --> 00:04:17.709 All right. That is. That's going to be fun. Well, 120 00:04:17.790 --> 00:04:22.829 in Luke chapter 18. Because you've been out for a spell. Yes. 121 00:04:23.449 --> 00:04:25.500 You know, and we have maybe a few extra minutes 122 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:27.620 because that was a quick segment. Maybe give us an 123 00:04:27.660 --> 00:04:30.300 update as to what you've been doing across the country. 124 00:04:30.699 --> 00:04:31.720 Just taking naps. 125 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:32.339 No. 126 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:37.329 Yeah. Well, where have I been since? 127 00:04:37.350 --> 00:04:38.189 Well, I guess around the world. 128 00:04:38.230 --> 00:04:40.990 Yeah, yeah. I was in Mexico. 129 00:04:41.290 --> 00:04:41.470 Yep. 130 00:04:42.290 --> 00:04:44.769 Working with some church planters down there. There's a tremendous 131 00:04:45.329 --> 00:04:48.610 new church planting movement that's beginning in Mexico that's just phenomenal. 132 00:04:49.209 --> 00:04:51.990 And so we were in Mexico City and the surrounding areas. 133 00:04:52.670 --> 00:04:55.910 And then I was home for a day and preached 134 00:04:55.949 --> 00:04:56.329 on Sunday. 135 00:04:56.529 --> 00:04:56.709 Yep. 136 00:04:56.990 --> 00:05:00.350 And then went to Egypt and we are working with 137 00:05:00.410 --> 00:05:05.459 some disciple makers there. and introduce the idea to about 138 00:05:05.459 --> 00:05:09.759 80 new pastors that are looking to launch in the 139 00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:12.060 next year. And so we're thinking this is going to 140 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:14.720 be hundreds and hundreds, maybe thousands of people that will 141 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:16.459 be being trained as a result. So we're super excited 142 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:19.339 about that. And then I had just, my wife went 143 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.939 with me and we went with a board member and 144 00:05:21.980 --> 00:05:24.839 his wife. And so we ran around Egypt for a 145 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:27.399 few days and just did all the things. 146 00:05:27.500 --> 00:05:28.240 Work hard, play hard. 147 00:05:28.300 --> 00:05:30.850 Yeah, yeah. So we went and saw King Tut's tomb 148 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:32.370 and King Tut's in the tomb, you know, and we 149 00:05:32.899 --> 00:05:35.620 We did a bunch of hikes and saw stelas and 150 00:05:36.120 --> 00:05:39.540 we saw the pyramids and we rode a boat on 151 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:41.079 the Nile River and all that kind of stuff. 152 00:05:41.100 --> 00:05:42.220 Did Bonnie get to go on the pyramid? 153 00:05:42.459 --> 00:05:47.120 Yeah, yeah. Bonnie went. Yeah. And then we also took 154 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:50.139 a balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings. Yeah, yeah. 155 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:51.899 We did a balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings. 156 00:05:51.930 --> 00:05:52.370 It was pretty cool. 157 00:05:52.379 --> 00:05:53.810 Wow. Good for you. 158 00:05:53.819 --> 00:05:55.759 Yeah, that was pretty neat. It was great. And we stayed. 159 00:05:55.790 --> 00:05:57.970 You know what we did? We stayed in three hotels. 160 00:05:58.110 --> 00:06:00.889 One in Aswan, one in Luxor, and one in Cairo. 161 00:06:01.350 --> 00:06:04.720 All three of them. Howard Carter, he's the discoverer of 162 00:06:04.759 --> 00:06:07.779 King Tut. He stayed in those. Winston Churchill stayed in 163 00:06:07.819 --> 00:06:11.800 those hotels. And so did Agatha Christie. In Aswan, the 164 00:06:11.860 --> 00:06:14.920 old Cataract Hotel, is where Agatha Christie wrote Death on 165 00:06:14.939 --> 00:06:18.550 the Nile. And so they were these old classic 1930s 166 00:06:19.189 --> 00:06:22.329 colonial type hotels that were phenomenal. It was so much fun. So, yeah, 167 00:06:22.350 --> 00:06:26.470 that's what we did. And then I got back, preached 168 00:06:26.709 --> 00:06:27.689 six times over the weekend. 169 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:28.100 Yeah. 170 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:29.839 Because we just launched new Saturday services. 171 00:06:29.860 --> 00:06:30.100 Yes. 172 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:32.040 And then I had to go to a board meeting 173 00:06:32.100 --> 00:06:35.740 in Raleigh yesterday, today, or the last two days. So yeah. Yeah. 174 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:37.360 It's good to be back. It's been, it's been, I've 175 00:06:37.379 --> 00:06:40.250 been gone 35 out of the last 45 days. 176 00:06:40.990 --> 00:06:42.009 That is crazy. 177 00:06:42.069 --> 00:06:43.850 I know it's been brutal, but this is the end. 178 00:06:44.209 --> 00:06:46.149 It's just how it all stacked up. You know, our 179 00:06:46.170 --> 00:06:49.750 little vacation thing kind of got squeezed between a bunch 180 00:06:49.810 --> 00:06:52.910 of other ministry trips. So yeah, it's good, but it's 181 00:06:52.930 --> 00:06:53.329 good to be back. 182 00:06:53.589 --> 00:06:57.399 Yeah. So, so with Kyle, which was, I guess, two 183 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:01.180 weeks ago, I was trying to reference the Timothy Initiative website. 184 00:07:01.220 --> 00:07:02.959 We were making jokes because I never looked it up. Oh, 185 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:06.319 TTI Online. I was like, TTI.com. And he goes, is 186 00:07:06.339 --> 00:07:06.779 that what it is? 187 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:07.639 I'm like, I don't know. 188 00:07:07.980 --> 00:07:08.300 What is it? 189 00:07:08.540 --> 00:07:09.519 TTI Online. 190 00:07:10.300 --> 00:07:11.540 Oh, TTI Online? 191 00:07:11.699 --> 00:07:12.139 Dot org. 192 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:12.759 Dot org. 193 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:18.439 Yeah. It's the worst. It's the worst. Almost every letter 194 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:21.620 combination has been bought up and then it's worth thousands 195 00:07:21.670 --> 00:07:23.990 of dollars to be able to buy those. So yeah, 196 00:07:24.009 --> 00:07:26.430 TTI Online dot org. That's what we are. 197 00:07:26.709 --> 00:07:29.129 Okay, very good. All right, very cool. So, hey, that 198 00:07:29.300 --> 00:07:33.720 is our time for that segment and update, obviously. So 199 00:07:34.060 --> 00:07:37.860 let us move on to Luke chapter 18, verses 9 200 00:07:37.860 --> 00:07:38.860 through 14. 201 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:41.079 So this is one of my favorite passages. 202 00:07:41.100 --> 00:07:41.319 Stop. 203 00:07:41.480 --> 00:07:42.240 If you were wondering. 204 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:46.509 Stop. That's hilarious. Because I think. 205 00:07:47.889 --> 00:07:49.990 It's kind of you and me praying in the temple 206 00:07:50.310 --> 00:07:51.329 is how this goes. 207 00:07:51.810 --> 00:07:54.350 By the way, when you said that on Sunday. Wilson 208 00:07:54.379 --> 00:07:56.850 was listening to the 830 service because he spoke at Stoney, 209 00:07:57.569 --> 00:08:00.550 which is two of our campuses. And you were giving 210 00:08:00.569 --> 00:08:01.790 me a hard time. You're like, well, it's because I 211 00:08:01.810 --> 00:08:04.389 love the Bible, Chris. He's like, Chris doesn't love the Bible. 212 00:08:04.790 --> 00:08:06.310 And Wilson was feeling for me on the other end. 213 00:08:06.350 --> 00:08:10.550 He goes, stop making fun of Chris. And I was like, 214 00:08:10.569 --> 00:08:12.569 and he goes, he goes, he was like, he did 215 00:08:12.589 --> 00:08:14.810 like one comment too many. And I go, dude, I go, 216 00:08:14.829 --> 00:08:15.750 listen to the Bible guys. 217 00:08:15.829 --> 00:08:17.420 It's always one comment too many. 218 00:08:17.860 --> 00:08:19.540 I said, listen to the Bible guys. I think this 219 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:20.680 is like a regular thing. 220 00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:25.750 Yeah. So our listeners may not know this. About 10 221 00:08:25.750 --> 00:08:27.589 years ago, you did a roast for me before you 222 00:08:27.610 --> 00:08:28.410 ever came on staff. 223 00:08:28.430 --> 00:08:31.009 Oh, mercy. It's still one of the best things I've 224 00:08:31.170 --> 00:08:31.509 ever done. 225 00:08:31.629 --> 00:08:35.120 It was 28 minutes of full-on brutality, right? Which I 226 00:08:35.149 --> 00:08:36.279 love roasts anyways. 227 00:08:36.419 --> 00:08:37.779 Yeah. But that was hot. 228 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:41.200 But the idea of a roast is you tell a 229 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:46.029 shocking joke and then you up it. And then you 230 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:48.220 go where nobody believes you're going to go, right? So 231 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:50.820 it's like three levels. So it's always one or two 232 00:08:50.940 --> 00:08:53.379 jokes too many. It's just the nature of our friendship, 233 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:53.539 I think. 234 00:08:53.559 --> 00:08:55.299 And do you think I accomplished that? Oh, you sure did. 235 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:57.429 I'm still sore from it. 236 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:00.240 It was just body blow after body blow. 237 00:09:00.299 --> 00:09:01.179 It was 10 years ago. 238 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:04.179 It was so funny. But that's kind of the nature 239 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:07.399 of our friendship is just maybe one joke too many 240 00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:08.360 most of the time. 241 00:09:08.379 --> 00:09:08.820 That's funny. 242 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:12.620 Anyways, here we go. In Matthew 18, verse 9, it says, 243 00:09:13.590 --> 00:09:16.450 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great 244 00:09:16.509 --> 00:09:20.129 confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else. 245 00:09:21.549 --> 00:09:21.809 Wow. 246 00:09:22.909 --> 00:09:24.809 Here's what it says. Two men went to the temple 247 00:09:24.830 --> 00:09:26.769 to pray and one was a Pharisee and the other 248 00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:30.080 was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself 249 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:32.879 and prayed this prayer. I thank you, God, that I'm 250 00:09:32.899 --> 00:09:37.460 not like other people, cheaters and sinners and adulterers. I'm 251 00:09:37.539 --> 00:09:40.809 certainly not like that tax collector. I fast twice a 252 00:09:40.830 --> 00:09:42.549 week and I give you a tenth of my income. 253 00:09:43.419 --> 00:09:45.399 but the tax collector stood at a distance and dared 254 00:09:45.460 --> 00:09:48.519 not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, 255 00:09:48.539 --> 00:09:51.100 he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, Oh God, be 256 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:54.429 merciful to me, for I am a sinner. I tell you, 257 00:09:54.789 --> 00:09:58.370 this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. 258 00:09:58.889 --> 00:10:01.059 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those 259 00:10:01.100 --> 00:10:04.559 who humble themselves will be exalted. That's one of the 260 00:10:04.580 --> 00:10:05.740 coolest stories Jesus told. 261 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:08.779 Yeah, I believe so. Yeah. I believe so. By the way, 262 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:09.600 are you reading NIV? 263 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:10.919 I was reading NLT. 264 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:16.889 Are you sure about that? Yes. Well, that is not 265 00:10:16.950 --> 00:10:21.659 what lines up for me, and this is NLT. Oh, well. Okay. 266 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:25.019 So it's probably a different revision. So they've updated the 267 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:27.919 NLT a couple of times. Okay. Yeah. What does yours say? 268 00:10:28.340 --> 00:10:30.259 Like, for instance, look at like verse 11. It says, 269 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.350 the Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer. I 270 00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:34.830 thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like 271 00:10:34.909 --> 00:10:35.490 everyone else. 272 00:10:35.830 --> 00:10:36.110 Oh, wow. 273 00:10:36.169 --> 00:10:38.250 For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't 274 00:10:38.289 --> 00:10:42.470 commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. 275 00:10:42.769 --> 00:10:46.809 Okay. So it's probably the difference between the revision you 276 00:10:46.850 --> 00:10:49.149 have and the revision I have. They revised it a 277 00:10:49.169 --> 00:10:50.629 couple of times for readability. 278 00:10:51.049 --> 00:10:51.309 Okay. 279 00:10:51.409 --> 00:10:51.529 Yeah. 280 00:10:52.070 --> 00:10:57.230 Okay. So either way, the translation is extremely close. And 281 00:10:58.389 --> 00:11:00.100 I wonder which version was on the screen. I don't know. 282 00:11:00.789 --> 00:11:06.919 But anyway, this is an interesting thing, I think, when 283 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:12.960 you think about some of the only... I don't want 284 00:11:12.980 --> 00:11:17.519 to categorize it just to Pharisees. It's like one of 285 00:11:17.559 --> 00:11:22.490 the major things that Jesus focused on was how religious 286 00:11:22.610 --> 00:11:26.230 people can hinder the kingdom of God. Yeah. 287 00:11:26.509 --> 00:11:27.470 Right? 288 00:11:27.570 --> 00:11:35.029 It was like religiosity or self-righteousness, thinking that you're... And 289 00:11:35.149 --> 00:11:39.039 by the way, even well-intentioned people, right? Because you give... 290 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:41.879 I've made this comment before. You give the Pharisees more 291 00:11:41.899 --> 00:11:43.950 credit than I do. And you said, hey, they're only 292 00:11:43.990 --> 00:11:46.970 doing what they were taught was right. Right. Like they 293 00:11:46.990 --> 00:11:49.149 were believing that they were doing good. Yeah. Right. 294 00:11:49.230 --> 00:11:51.309 And so they were mastering what they were told was 295 00:11:51.950 --> 00:11:52.669 the right way to live. 296 00:11:52.970 --> 00:11:53.149 Right. 297 00:11:53.289 --> 00:11:53.450 Yeah. 298 00:11:53.789 --> 00:11:56.629 And so whereas I'm just like, I think that, you know, 299 00:11:56.690 --> 00:11:59.710 they I see them more as abusive sort of people. 300 00:12:00.860 --> 00:12:03.200 But either way, you know, because, you know, Jesus did say, 301 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:07.919 you know, a bunch of times. But and obviously, you know, 302 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:12.000 I have a angst against people, religious, abusive people. But anyway, 303 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:14.620 the bottom line is, it doesn't matter. The point is, 304 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:19.759 is that Jesus spent his time uncovering even well-intentioned people 305 00:12:22.009 --> 00:12:27.649 who can sort of leverage religiosity or the rules, trying 306 00:12:27.669 --> 00:12:32.289 to do what's right in a bad way. And he 307 00:12:32.389 --> 00:12:34.269 often did it. I would argue and say it was 308 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:36.720 the thing that he sort of did the most, right? 309 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:41.909 Like he sort of preached against that idea Maybe more 310 00:12:41.950 --> 00:12:42.750 than any other idea. 311 00:12:43.690 --> 00:12:46.190 Well, he confronted them more than he confronted anybody else. 312 00:12:46.269 --> 00:12:48.070 I think he preached more about the kingdom of God 313 00:12:48.129 --> 00:12:49.769 than he did about bad guys. 314 00:12:50.950 --> 00:12:53.429 No, no, no. I'm not talking about his good stuff. 315 00:12:53.710 --> 00:12:55.269 I'm talking about the thing that he. 316 00:12:55.669 --> 00:12:58.529 Went up against. The stuff he stood against. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 317 00:12:58.690 --> 00:13:02.250 He points out that these guys aren't great. So, here's 318 00:13:02.269 --> 00:13:09.820 the thing. The Pharisees were one group. It would be 319 00:13:09.860 --> 00:13:14.690 like Republicans and Democrats, it would be like Baptists and Methodists. 320 00:13:14.990 --> 00:13:17.009 It would be Catholics and Lutherans kind of a thing. 321 00:13:17.610 --> 00:13:21.470 There were Pharisees and there were Sadducees. And then you 322 00:13:21.509 --> 00:13:22.230 had the priest class. 323 00:13:22.269 --> 00:13:23.730 And the Sadducees were sad, you see. 324 00:13:23.769 --> 00:13:26.049 Yeah, because they didn't believe in a resurrection. They didn't 325 00:13:26.070 --> 00:13:28.850 believe in resurrection or miracles. So what you had is 326 00:13:28.870 --> 00:13:31.669 you had the Pharisees that believed in the importance of 327 00:13:31.690 --> 00:13:35.379 the law and of keeping every element of the law. 328 00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:41.080 And they were looking forward to eternity. Yeah. The Sadducees 329 00:13:41.700 --> 00:13:46.679 didn't believe in eternity and they felt like the faith 330 00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:50.320 of their people was more about connecting with God and 331 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:54.200 making your life better here on earth and maintaining their 332 00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:57.200 cultural identity, right? Those are two big things. And so 333 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:01.370 they made up sort of the religious rabbi class, the 334 00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:04.690 teacher class. And then you had the priests who made 335 00:14:04.730 --> 00:14:07.460 up the priestly class. And then what you had in 336 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:11.220 the Sanhedrin, which was their Supreme Court, you had a 337 00:14:11.340 --> 00:14:14.389 mix of the priestly class and then these rabbi class. 338 00:14:14.970 --> 00:14:17.970 They would then be voted onto their Supreme Court. So 339 00:14:18.009 --> 00:14:21.590 the reality is a generic Pharisee didn't have a lot 340 00:14:21.610 --> 00:14:24.330 of power. So people say, oh, they were so abusive. 341 00:14:24.830 --> 00:14:27.960 Some were. They just had a lot of influence. There's 342 00:14:27.980 --> 00:14:30.080 a difference between power and influence. Their influence was, oh, 343 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:32.610 shame on you, right? You should be more like us. 344 00:14:33.220 --> 00:14:35.879 And they go slap people on the wrist and that 345 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:40.399 kind of thing. But it was so oppression. I don't 346 00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:43.179 know that it was there. Just shame. They were like 347 00:14:43.220 --> 00:14:44.779 the shame class. They were the group that just wanted 348 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:46.360 to say, shame on you, shame on you, shame on you. 349 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:47.320 You should be more like us. 350 00:14:47.659 --> 00:14:47.830 Yeah. 351 00:14:47.970 --> 00:14:50.039 And I think that that's where Jesus got frustrated with them. 352 00:14:50.110 --> 00:14:52.590 They were tithing 10% of his income is the right 353 00:14:52.610 --> 00:14:53.049 thing to do. 354 00:14:53.789 --> 00:14:53.990 Right? 355 00:14:54.049 --> 00:14:57.549 Jesus says at one point, you tithe even on your table, right? 356 00:14:58.870 --> 00:14:59.110 Dill. 357 00:14:59.429 --> 00:15:01.769 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Spicy. Yeah, cinnamon and all that kind 358 00:15:01.789 --> 00:15:03.669 of stuff. All your spicy, your table spices. He says, 359 00:15:03.889 --> 00:15:04.429 and you should. 360 00:15:05.129 --> 00:15:05.309 Right. 361 00:15:05.450 --> 00:15:09.980 Just don't forget the bigger things of God's laws. 362 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.399 Yeah, don't ignore the weightier matters. 363 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:15.539 Yeah, yeah. And so Jesus commends them on occasion for 364 00:15:15.580 --> 00:15:20.759 the lifestyle. He always judges them for the attitude. He 365 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:24.080 never says, oh, you shouldn't be so holy. He never 366 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:25.879 says you shouldn't be so pure. He never says that. 367 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:30.330 So he does not tear down their holiness, he tears 368 00:15:30.389 --> 00:15:33.309 down their attitude about it. Look how good I am. 369 00:15:33.370 --> 00:15:36.090 Like somehow they're earning their way to heaven. And so 370 00:15:36.149 --> 00:15:38.549 that's the lesson that you're getting here. He's not mad 371 00:15:38.570 --> 00:15:41.460 at this guy over the fact that he's not a cheater, 372 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:45.360 not a public center, not an adulterer, and that he's 373 00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:47.820 a tither. Jesus isn't mad at him about that. That's 374 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:50.879 not the thing, right? So you never find Jesus tearing 375 00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:54.649 them down for the lifestyle. He goes after them over 376 00:15:54.690 --> 00:15:57.850 their attitude that they're somehow superior than other people. 377 00:15:58.080 --> 00:15:59.740 Yeah. Well, I mean, that's how it starts, doesn't it? 378 00:15:59.820 --> 00:15:59.960 Right. 379 00:16:00.139 --> 00:16:03.190 It actually says Jesus told this story to a group 380 00:16:03.230 --> 00:16:05.750 of people who had great confidence in their own righteousness 381 00:16:05.830 --> 00:16:08.789 and scorned everybody else. And that's really the abuse that 382 00:16:08.830 --> 00:16:11.269 I'm talking about. It's the scorning of it. 383 00:16:13.539 --> 00:16:15.419 Which is the difference between you and me. So you 384 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:19.100 have woo, right? So for our listeners and StrengthsFinders, for 385 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:20.059 the personality types. 386 00:16:20.440 --> 00:16:22.450 Yeah. Right? Which, by the way, we have a lot 387 00:16:22.470 --> 00:16:23.090 of the same stuff. 388 00:16:23.190 --> 00:16:25.470 Yeah, we do. Almost all of them are the same. 389 00:16:25.529 --> 00:16:28.210 There is a difference. And the one is so winning 390 00:16:28.250 --> 00:16:32.820 others over. The human connection between you. It's why people 391 00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:36.419 love you so much. Is you make this really deep human. 392 00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:37.120 Some. 393 00:16:37.179 --> 00:16:38.759 Most. Most people love you. 394 00:16:38.779 --> 00:16:40.360 Okay, I'll take it. 395 00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:44.820 Yeah, yeah. And it's because you make this deep human connection. 396 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:46.240 And so, I think that there's a lot of empathy 397 00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:50.039 and all those things in you. I have self-assurance. So... 398 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:53.100 The woo, you win others over, but you also really 399 00:16:53.139 --> 00:16:55.639 want people to like you, right? That's a big part 400 00:16:55.659 --> 00:16:58.019 of it. Whereas I have self-assurance. And so I'm not 401 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:00.659