He is risen!

Foreign.

Welcome to the Abundant Life Podcast, bringing you encouragement and challenging believers to spiritual change and growth by applying biblical principles to everyday life.

And now your hosts, Sasso Mendez and Ben Arellano.

Welcome, everybody, to the Abundant Live Podcast.

This is episode number 75.

I am here with my good friend and faithful servant in the faith, Sasso Mendez.

Hey, Ben.

What's going on?

Episode 75.

What's up, brother?

How's it going?

Been a minute.

Good.

Yeah.

It has been a few minutes since our last episode of 74 with Aaron.

It's a different format because we don't have a guest today.

We don't.

I've been trying to get a couple of guests on here, but it's just.

I don't know, hasn't worked out, but hopefully they can still come on.

I'd love to have them, but we'll see.

I love to get Anthony on.

I don't know if he's born again, though.

I know he's in the process.

He's seeking, you know, but.

Well, he's on three of the exchange.

Right.

So, I mean, he just finished.

Finish three.

Yeah.

So tomorrow he would do four.

It's like, you know.

What's his name?

Musgrave.

Musgrave.

Yeah.

He's like, you know, if you make.

Three, it's like you're an honorary Christian.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So he's.

He's right there.

He didn't get the degree, but.

Yeah, you're.

Yeah.

You got your GED for sure.

Yeah.

So, I mean.

Yeah, I mean, he was asking a bunch of questions.

Like, I think he's super close.

If he's not saved already.

Well, it's interesting.

I have him in group, and he's very knowledgeable, you know, but.

But anyway, man, so we've not had taco talk in a minute, so.

No, I know Today we enjoyed some.

Some hamburgers together at.

Pretty good at Chili's, and it was a pretty good deal.

I mean, they have that pick three deal.

Sinfully good.

And what was really interesting to me, three for me.

The three.

Yeah.

Three for me and for 10.99.

Right.

And said 11.99.

I don't know.

Was it 11.99?

That's what it said, you know, But.

I mean, with tip, it was 14 bucks.

Like, you can't beat that.

Yeah.

I gave her, like, four bucks.

She's good.

Yeah.

No, she did well.

She kept the, you know, everything filled up and stuff.

She kept Maybelline in business with all that makeup.

Yeah.

Night.

Yeah.

So time to leave Baker over There.

Yeah.

So anyway, I. I enjoyed it, but I thought it was interesting that the.

The chips that we had were only, like, halfway gone.

And that's.

Yeah, we didn't finish it.

That's probably because, you know, they brought our salad right in, you know, right away.

And so we, you know, kind of munched on that.

And then, yeah, they brought the burger,.

Partially because Tony wasn't there.

True.

But usually we smash all the chips, bro.

Like, chips.

And he does smash all the chips.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, that's usually gone.

Yeah.

So, yeah, like Rampage.

Yeah.

Video game.

I don't know if you remember that.

Yeah, I remember.

Yeah.

Because I went to arcade in Tennessee.

I was.

They were laughing at me because I was playing it and that you couldn't die.

You know, they just kept going.

So I was like, wow.

I was like on level 35 or something.

Dang.

Because I'm not good at video games, but I am when there's multiple players.

Options.

Right?

Yeah.

So, yeah, it was a cool, cool night of dinner yesterday.

Took Chuck out.

We.

We did what we call the taco tour.

And it was kind of funny because, you know, we normally have our men's Bible study Tuesday night.

And I told him, hey, they.

They're not having it this week because we're having Good Friday service.

So I told them, hey, let's go.

Let's go grab some food.

I told him, we can go tacos or burgers, because I know those are his two.

You know, that's his.

That's his thing, you know.

And so I get to his house, and that's what he said.

He's like, hey, do you want me to.

Do you want me to tell you where we're going, or do you want to be surprised?

I'm like, no, I'll just be surprised.

So I got to his house.

He's like, dude, I'm so indecisive.

He's like, I got like three spots.

I'm like, oh, that's an easy.

That's an easy answer.

Let's just go to all three.

We'll just get, like, two tacos at each place, and we'll just, you know, we'll just try them out and whoever's best that.

Or they sit down.

Or were they more like go to the counter?

They were all sit down.

Well, I mean, you.

You order at the counter, but yeah,.

You know, I mean, like, you didn't have a weight.

You didn't have to pay three tips, I guess, is my question.

No, but one of them, they Actually brought it out to you.

No, two, actually, all three of them, they brought it out to you.

On all three of them, they brought.

They.

You ordered at the counter, but they brought it out to you.

They give you a number and they brought it out to you.

But first one we went to, I mean, it was.

It was kind of in the hood and it was.

It was pretty good, though.

They were little.

The little small street tacos, you know, short, small.

Two biters, you know, but two double tortilla, you know, it's pretty good.

Corn tortilla.

The cool thing about that place, though, they had the al pastor on the trompo, which.

That's my favorite, and they even put a little piece of pineapple on top, bro.

So when you hit that pineapple, bro, that.

That flavor just in your mouth, you know, Delicious.

Second place was pretty bomb because they loaded the tacos and they had really great salsa.

It was kind of an upscale place, really nice place.

You could, you know, take a date there.

They had an outdoor patio, which we should have had.

We should have ate dinner out there.

I mean, it was pretty nice last night, you know, and.

But yeah, the tacos were loaded.

They were really good.

And the cool thing about this place is one.

One thing you don't find at most taquerias here is that they had carnitas.

And the carnitas were pretty, pretty.

They don't have carnitas out here.

I don't find a lot of taquerias, bro.

With carnitas, bro.

I mean, a lot of them have al pastor, but the thing with their al pastor there is they're never on the trompo.

And if.

If the al pastor is not on the throne, it's just.

It's just carneo de vada, bro.

It's just marinated pork.

But you got to have it on the thrombo.

It's spinning on that thing.

It's getting nice and charred, drizzled with that pineapple.

It's just phenomenal.

But that place had it on the thrombo too, and it was pretty good there.

And then we went to Ebike, Chris's favorite place, which is Eat by Chris.

It's.

It's a spot over here.

We won't even go to his accident injuries.

No, that's X rated, bro.

We can't do that.

We can talk about that.

Easter eggs.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah.

Literally.

So we.

Wow.

We went to this, the spot that he likes and there's by his house or.

Why does he like, it.

Is it?

No, not really.

He's 43rd in Thunderbird.

Well, he's what, on 35th?

Yeah, 35th.

Greenway.

Right.

He's on Greenway.

He's closer to Bell, isn't he?

He's between Bell and Greenway.

He.

He's about a quarter of a mile from Green.

From Greenway, yeah.

So it's a little bit of a hike.

I mean, on an ebike.

Not on the ebike.

Anything is accessible, you know?

But I wouldn't drive an ebike on 35th or Thunderbird, bro.

Like, you have to be insane.

Well, that's how you got into an accident, bro.

This guy drive everywhere.

I know.

20 Miles to work on an e bike.

It's just.

It's not.

I'm not.

It's not.

I'm not going to do that.

No way.

That's crazy.

Well, I mean, he's.

He's, you know, kind of crazy.

A little bit.

Yep.

Love you, Chris.

So anyway, yeah, we tried the tacos, and.

And they were pretty phenomenal, bro.

We.

We liked them there at that.

At that place, too.

They had the birria tacos, and we had some roll tacos.

Their salsas were pretty good.

The.

The steak tacos were good.

But the.

The best one was the second one, Taco Cinco.

That was a pretty good taco spot, bro.

And that's where I get.

If I went to three places, I'd be like, man, I should have ate six tacos here instead of wasting my appetite on the.

Well, that's kind of what the idea was, was to figure out, okay, where's the good one?

And so now we know.

So next time, that's just first place we're going, like.

Well, just go to the first and only.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, well, now that we know.

But I mean, we tried three just so we could see if they were any good.

And, you know, like, you're dating.

You're like, okay, now I'm getting married, you know?

Yeah.

So this is my taco cinco right here.

That was it, bro.

That was Rebecca's nickname.

Taco Cinco.

That was the.

That was the taco tour.

Dating.

Dating my tacos.

She's my first wife.

But, yeah, it was cool, man.

It was enjoyable.

It was fun.

Well, Tennessee.

I, I.

When I go to Tennessee, I want to try the Tennessee barbecue.

We had it when we went.

Me, when we took Nate, and.

But I feel like nobody wants.

I mean, they got, like, puckets, but puckets is kind of like chain, you.

Know,.

And I think it's okay.

It's decent.

But we went downtown.

Downtown.

And they had a pretty.

Pretty decent barbecue.

And we haven't gone back, so maybe for the wedding, we can go check and, like, Andrew's like, we'll go to this one over here.

And that one's good, but it's not like, you know, barbecue.

Barbecue, like Texas.

They open up the.

The smoker, and they're like, hey, pick your meat.

You know, and it's legit smoked meat.

But we did go to Monaus, which we're gonna have to go to.

It's.

I think it's phenomenal, maybe because they have fried chicken, but you eat right away, you know, like, that's the beauty of a Mexican restaurant.

And Chili's is you get chips and salsa pretty immediately.

And this place right here, they would.

Every day they serve a different entree.

But this, they.

I think it's three meats for lunch, four meats for dinner.

Wow.

But fried chicken is a staple in every meal.

So they have breakfast at midnight, you know, for those clubbers out there.

Wow.

And they serve breakfast till 11.

It's the bacon, the eggs.

They do chicken and waffles.

I don't think they do waffles.

They do fried chicken.

They do pancakes.

Wow.

Okay.

I've never been there for breakfast.

We always been there for lunch.

But it's pretty phenomenal.

So you sit down and they have the cucumbers and vinaigrette salad and coleslaw.

And then they bring out the banana pudding with the dessert.

They bring it all at once.

And right when you first get there.

Rebecca loves dessert at the beginning.

Wow.

They had those little Nilo wafers cookies in that banana.

That's the best.

That's pretty good.

So you got to bypass that.

You can't get full.

You got to just let it tempting you, bro.

I don't do it and don't do it.

That's.

And Rebecca loves a coleslaw.

And the first time I went with Laney, we had the pot roast, fried chicken, spinach, stuffed shells, which I didn't even.

I didn't even put on my plate.

I put some collard greens, whatever.

Just because I felt like it was a vegetable.

But it wasn't that great, you know, it was not my favorite.

It tastes pretty nasty, but I ate it.

And so they brought that green beans, pot roast, fried chicken.

Fried chicken was pretty bomb, though.

So did you.

Did you have.

Because I know Nashville's known for hot chicken.

Did you try any?

Dude, we went on Sunday after church.

It's like a half a block away.

And then Andrew recognized the guy that was.

Maybe owns a restaurant, was his coach when he was playing AAU or whatever that.

I don't know what it's called.

And the son is playing too.

And so Rebecca got the hot chicken, and the.

The black lady was like, I don't know.

This white girl knows this is hot chicken, you know?

And Isaiah got it right.

He likes hot stuff.

And I don't think it's flavorful to me.

And Rebecca had three pieces of chicken.

Wow.

So I'm like, yeah.

She was struggling, so I'm like, yeah, let's trade one out.

And I. Sweating.

Wow.

Yeah.

But it wasn't good.

No, no, it just.

It was kind of like a paste or a coating on it, and it was hot, but it wasn't, like, flavorful like a chile with jalapeno or like, it has a great flavor, but it's just hot.

This.

To me, it was just hot to be hot.

But no flavor.

No, but little Ethan.

Well, he went little, but he finished her one.

He finished half of mine.

Wow.

And I'm like.

Because I'm like, why am I gonna eat this?

It's like, it's not enjoyable.

It's not good, and I'm not gonna eat it.

Wow.

Okay.

But the plain chicken was really good.

So, like, we've been a Hattie B's over there.

It's just.

I mean, the Nashville hot chicken's not my cup of tea.

So the.

The.

The Nashville barbecue.

Is that what's different about that than Texas and then Kansas City?

I think it's comparable.

I don't know.

I've never had Kansas City.

I think it's comparable to.

To Texas.

Okay.

But I mean, I like Terry Blacks from Texas.

That's pretty bomb.

You know, I've had about maybe two or three different ones.

Some people tell me, like, a chain.

I'm like, yeah, the chains.

I wouldn't.

Yeah, mom pop is where it's at.

I mean, it's pretty good.

Like his little Miss good, if not a little bit better.

Well, I don't know if you remember, but when we were.

When we were in Dallas and we went down to deep Alum, and there was some dude that just cruised up and he was pulling his smoker, and he just flipped him open.

He just started slanging right there on the street.

Do you remember that?

No, I don't.

Yeah, he was, like, pulling his bike with the smoker.

No, it was.

He had a truck, but he Was pulling, like, on a trailer, like, you know, so he just.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

He just pulled up.

Pull it in behind himself.

Yeah, he just opened up the smoke.

He had, like, brisket.

He had all kind of stuff.

People getting down with it.

Yeah.

Like, people just started buying it right off the street like that.

Like, he just wrote.

He just pulled up at the barbecue.

Maybe he has a reputation.

You know what I mean?

He might.

He might.

Maybe that's where he just pulls out.

Like he didn't have a food truck.

That.

It was just literally pulling the barbecuer.

One Deep Alum.

They do not have Terry Blacks.

Is there.

Okay.

Me and Nate went to Terry Blacks and Deep Alum.

Okay.

But it's pretty phenomenal.

I mean, Little Miss is really good.

I like Little Miss.

I haven't been there in a minute.

They're Peacon Pie, bro.

Smoked is so good.

The little one.

The little personal.

One personal pan.

It's a.

It's a little round little pie of sin.

Like, it's.

It's so good.

Senpai tastes phenomenal.

Yeah, it's super good.

So we'll have to go to Monal's.

I mean, that's downtown, but yeah, it's.

I think it's fantastic.

I'm down to try it.

I mean, I like.

I love, you know, comfort food.

Fried chicken.

Dave said, I don't like comfort.

I don't like Southern food.

I'm like, what, you live in Nashville, Tennessee?

Nashville, Tennessee, bro.

And it's like a house.

So you're like, in a house, and there's a dining room and different rooms.

So it's like.

It kind of gives you, like.

You're at your.

Yeah.

Like your abuelita's house or something.

Yeah.

Sit around the dinner.

White, you know, black or whatever.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

She said, and it's a legit.

It's like a dinner table with dinner chairs.

It's not like a.

Like a restaurant.

And then.

So let's.

I think we had 10 people on Friday, so we all sat together.

But let's say there's six of you.

They put you with another family.

Okay.

And you guys just fill the table and you share.

And we met somebody from Colorado.

Kind of like the cruise.

Yeah, it can be.

They just mix you on the table.

So they fill the table with whoever.

Whoever's there.

And then you guys just share the food.

Okay.

And then if you run out of chicken, you can say, I want more chicken, and they bring you more chicken.

Bottomless chicken.

Wow.

Well, bottomless anything, really.

You Want more banana pudding, too?

Banana pudding.

Wow.

Good.

All right, you ready to get down?

Yeah, let's get in this, man.

All right, let's do it.

So, yeah, we are doing episode 75 here.

Just real quick.

You can visit us at Abundant Life fm.

We have all of our show notes.

We have a lot of stuff on there, actually.

We have recommendations for food.

I actually have to add a couple more.

I was just looking at that last the other day.

I'm gonna have to add a taco spot there, actually.

That was pretty good, man.

But, yeah, you can also get our show notes there.

You can also get sermons there.

There's a few of our favorite sermons.

And you can also follow us online.

We are on meta, so we're Facebook and Instagram, and we'd love for you guys to give us a.

Like, give us a follow if this episode.

Episode is a blessing to you.

And so today we are going to.

We're going to go ahead and just do an Easter episode.

We.

We.

We didn't get a guest lined up for this particular episode, unfortunately.

But I thought, you know, what a cool week, because this is.

This is a great week.

I mean, I think Easter comparative to Christmas is just far superior.

Like, I mean, this is resurrection week, bro.

This is for the Christian.

Yeah.

Holy week.

This is the gospel, right?

Yeah.

And that's kind of what we're going to get into today day.

So I'm kind of excited for this episode.

Did you want to hit the key verse?

I don't know if you have it pulled up there.

Let's do it.

It's Romans 10:9, but Romans 10:9.

Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So, and I just want to go through some of these.

These points here, kind of outlining the gospel, but really kind of centered on Easter, the resurrection, because.

Because that the resurrection is what's like, everything hinges for the Christian.

Everything hinges on the resurrection.

If there's no resurrection, there's no point for any of us to do anything that we're doing now.

Like, there's no point in going to church, reading the Bible.

There's no point in getting saved or baptized or any of this if that resurrection doesn't happen.

And so that's kind of what I want to talk about today.

Just kind of go through some of these points, but it's mostly centered around the.

Well, the founders of any religion, right, are.

Are dead 100.

They didn't resurrect 100.

You got Buddha, you got Muhammad, you got Joseph Smith, you've got all of these religious, whatever you would call them, leaders, I guess.

I mean, they weren't deities.

Our founders.

Right.

Of the religion.

Sure.

Joseph Smith was the founder of Mormonism.

Right, right.

Muhammad and.

Correct.

But they're dead.

Yeah, literally, you know, and, and that's the thing with Jesus.

He resurrected, which is really cool.

So couple, couple of verses here.

First Corinthians 15, 14 through 17.

And I love, I love actually this chapter and a lot of the verses here at the beginning, they're very gospel centric.

This is a really gospel rich text here.

But 1st Corinthians 15, 14, 17.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

That's the whole point.

Everything hinges on this.

We are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified about God, that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise.

If, if it is true that the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

So it's basically just telling you, hey, like, if this resurrection didn't happen, like, let's just go eat, drink and be married.

Like, let's just go live it up because who cares?

There's all we got.

I heard an interesting quote about somebody that said the, the gospel doesn't spread because it's popular.

It spreads because it's true.

And that's really the key to the, to the gospel is if you look at all.

I mean, and this, Mel Gibson said this on Joe Rogan, that he said, if you look at the people, the disciples that followed Christ, they didn't die for a lie or they didn't die to keep something up.

I mean, you press somebody hard enough, right?

And you watch first 48 hours, these guys give up people like nobody's business.

Oh yeah, they're quick to lie.

But somebody's willing to die for something.

Yeah, that has some merit, right?

Some truth.

And that they saw him, you know, resurrect.

And that's, that's what we, that's the foundation of our, our.

Of what we believe.

Right?

That's.

Well, and there's, you know, some religions that will acknowledge Jesus, but they don't consider him deity.

But the thing about the resurrection is that validates who he was.

Like, that just totally validates.

He was the chosen one, he was the Messiah.

He was the truth of life.

Everything that we read about, not just in the New Testament, but in the Old Testament, like, he's throughout the Old Testament too.

And I know that.

The Jews don't believe currently that the Messiah has come, but he's completely spoken about throughout the Old Testament.

Well, you foretold of it, right?

And, and here it is fulfilled.

Yeah, but yet there's still some unbelief which I, I mean, I, I, I, I don't clearly understand.

But I mean, any going to Israel, right?

You see the, I mean, it's evidence.

Of how can you not believe.

Maybe they just not believe.

Yeah, yeah, they don't believe Jesus was the Messiah, but clearly, I mean, and Apostle Paul even mentioned like this thing was not done in a corner, right?

People saw it, people, it happened whether or not you want to believe it or not.

And, and really in our society, right, we can understand that concept of not believing something people saw because we believe things that are absolutely not true.

Right?

And then we're like, oh no, that's, that's, that's a, that's a dude.

And like, clearly that's not a dude or hey, that's a woman.

Like, yeah, it's not a woman, that's a dude.

Or, or even, not even just that taking it to the extreme, but we, we believe in things that we don't see yet.

People will say, well, I don't see Jesus or I don't see God, I don't believe.

But yeah, I don't, I don't see air, but it's there.

I mean, I'm breathing, bro.

Like it's proof.

But yeah, well, history too, right?

I mean, yeah, we don't have Abraham Lincoln.

Yeah, right, exactly.

Videos of him.

But yeah, we believe he existed because people saw.

Right.

It was foretold.

And even more so this is, yeah, this is even more concrete evidence.

So, so basically, I mean, the point here is, is with, without the resurrection, there's, there's no gospel.

And then I love how there's, there's one more verse I want to hit here real quick.

It's Acts 2:24.

It says God raised him up, losing the pangs of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

It was an impossible ability for him to be consumed by death.

He defeated death, he conquered death.

He, like, I don't know how he did, but it, well, it was through God's power.

I mean, God resurrected him.

But that was, like I said, the evidence of Jesus was deity.

He rose from the dead, he conquered death and he Defeated it for good.

Well, I think of all the symbolism, right, like when he hung on the cross and, you know, the ninth hour and the world turned dark, right?

Just.

It's like the earth was grieving for the Creator that was being crucified.

And then also how the veil, the temple, right, Just ripped into, showing us that we have direct access to the Father, that we no longer had to go to the Holies of Holies and the priest didn't have to.

The ultimate sacrifice was done.

And symbolically, boom, he ripped the veil.

And let's say, hey, now you have what I have with the Father, right?

And the reason why he resurrected, because he's the Son of God.

And I think that differentiates from other religions, too, that don't believe.

Maybe he's a.

He was a prophet or he was a good man.

Yeah.

But the resurrection clearly signifies that he is the Son of God.

Well, and that kind of goes into our next point here.

And, you know, Jesus, he is deity.

He is God.

So.

Well, I can't sit here and explain or fully wrap my head around the Trinity because it's a hard concept, but it's Father, Son, Holy Spirit, one essence, one God.

But it's hard to.

I don't know.

I can't wrap my head around that.

It's hard.

But I believe it like it's.

It's true, you know, And Jesus was.

Jesus is God.

He was God.

He is God.

John 1.

1.

And then verse 14 says, in the beginning was the word, capital W, and the word capital W was with God, and the Word was God.

So it's not just saying that He.

He was some man.

He was God.

And the Word became flesh.

He.

He.

So he was God.

And then he came down to earth as a.

As a.

As a man and dwelt among us.

And we have seen his glory.

Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So, I mean, this speaks to his.

His deity.

He's.

He's not just a man.

And I know there's some religions.

He'll say that while he was a man first and then became God.

Yeah, that's absolutely not true.

So, yeah, I mean, if you look at the Trinity, right, It's.

God is not Jesus.

Jesus is not God.

The Holy Spirit is not Jesus.

Holy Spirit's not Right.

Well, not the Father, right.

But the Holy Spirit is God.

Jesus is God, and God.

God is God.

Right, but they all have three distinct roles that they play, which, I mean, we don't understand.

Person's one essence I don't know, it's.

It's hard.

It's hard to wrap your head around it.

Well, because God was displeased with the son because of the sin of us.

Turned his face, turn.

Turned his back on him.

And yeah, I don't, don't know how.

The dynamics work with that, but God.

Planned, that was God's plan since he created man, was to provide a savior.

But thank God the Father also said that God this to Jesus, this is my beloved son.

And so, I mean, it's.

Yeah, it's an interesting dynamic how all of that works.

And I mean, the, the thing that's interesting about it all too is, I mean, you know, Jesus, God came in the flesh, but he came willingly.

He came by choice.

And then you think about, well, why, like, there's nothing good in and of me that's worth saving.

But he did it because he loves us.

I mean, love is the motive, his love, not the love that we think about because we're conditional and he's unconditional, but he just has this amazing love for us.

And he sent his son to die for us, which is, I don't think,.

I mean, mind blowing.

There's not the greatest guy, right?

Ravi kind of went off the deep.

In there, but he, but he had some really good.

He had some good truth.

And that's what he would say that, you know, the Muslims would say that Abraham sacrificed Ishmael, and Christians, Jews believe it's Isaac.

And instead of getting caught up, which the truth is, it's Isaac because that's what the Bible tells us.

But instead of getting caught up as to who it was, for the Muslim faith, the.

The bigger picture is the reason why.

Why was there a need for a sacrifice?

Right?

And that's the concept that we almost come to.

Like, why did God have to die and why did he die?

Because he loved us and we needed a savior.

And that's, you know, episode number three.

Right.

For the exchange.

Right.

God is love.

Professor George Shout out right there.

And that, I mean, that's, that's just so important in our Christian faith that Jesus died on the cross.

And that's why really, we wouldn't have crosses with crucifix because we feel like he's a risen savior.

Right?

So he's not on the cross.

He's not on the cross.

I don't think the Catholics may believe that he rose again as well.

I don't really, really know.

I'm not too familiar.

They do.

They do, yeah.

Colossians 2, 9 it says, for in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.

Which is interesting, because when he was.

This is.

I know, I know the math doesn't add up, but when he was here, present on this earth, he was 100 man.

But yet, according to this verse, he was 100 deity.

He was 100 God.

And I know no one person is 200 of anything, but he was then.

I can't explain that either, but it was.

Well, no man outside of God.

Right.

Doesn't sin.

Right.

And to live a life here on this earth and not.

I mean, I don't know how he.

That.

That's just.

That's another.

You know, like you're waiting for your taco.

Like,.

What are you, just a little kid?

You know, you just happen to flippantly say something or do something, disobey your.

Parent, like pull your sister's hair.

Yeah, yeah, That's.

Yeah.

But, yeah, completely sinless.

Like, it's.

It's.

It's amazing.

We got Hebrews 1:3 says, he is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.

That's an interesting way to put it.

And he upheld, upholds the universe by the word of his power.

So he's God.

I mean, he has the power.

After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, of the majesty on high.

So the fullness of God dwells in him.

He's not lesser than God.

And.

And Jesus is not created.

He's not a created being.

He's not a created.

He just has always been.

It's like, it's back in what Exodus when, you know, Moses was like, well, who do I tell him?

Who you are.

I am that I am.

Like, he's just always been, yeah, yeah, mic drop.

And people just backed up with the words that he said, right.

When he said, I am.

And in the same thing, when they asked Jesus, I.

He said the same thing.

I am.

And I think that's when all the Pharisees and everybody went nuts.

But, yeah, they wanted to stone him.

Right.

Because he claimed to be the son of God, which he was.

Yeah.

And they thought that was blasphemy.

Yeah.

But.

Yeah, and that's.

I mean, this.

The fullness of God dwells in him.

There's no room for anything else.

Perfect life.

And I think of it just as, you know, Pastor would say.

Pastor Shaw would say, like, he doesn't operate within time.

So we look at the beginning, and there to him, there was no beginning, there's no end.

It's just.

It's transcendent.

He goes wherever he wants.

Like, there's no.

He can go to the beginning of time, you can go to the end of time.

Just like, I think, you know, he's seen my funeral.

He's been there already.

It's already happened.

Right.

It's done.

That's just mind blowing to think that it's already there.

Yeah, he was.

He's.

He's the God of that day.

He's a God of the future.

He's a God of, you know, Armageddon.

And we didn't get to go to Israel.

And this year they got canceled for obvious reasons.

But it's just cool to see the things he talks about in the Bible and the things that are going to happen and the things that have already happened.

Yeah.

And just like we went to Gethsemane before he went to the cross, and the human aspect of him said, hey, if there's any way that you can let this cup pass, please.

And God said, nope.

Right.

He didn't allow it.

And being God as well, he obeyed.

Said, okay, I accept whatever the will of my Father is, I'll do it.

And like the disciples, I fell asleep too, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, so.

Well, and it's interesting because he was submitted to the Father's will while he was here on this earth.

I mean, he.

And obviously was an example to us for us, but it was just.

He was submissive to the Father, you know, I know.

I know you're not a huge the Chosen fan anymore, but we.

We kind of.

We've been watching a few episodes, and it's one thing that's kind of interesting to me is how selective Jesus was when he healed somebody.

But he was always looking to the Father's will, like, so it was like the Father's will that someone got saved or someone that.

Or not saved, but healed.

And maybe someone did not get healed.

I mean, there was one of his disciples that, you know, had an issue and he didn't heal him, but he, you know, healed a blind person or rose somebody from the dead, you know, and it wasn't everybody that he did that with, so it's just interesting.

But he was always submissive to the.

Father's, I think, because he was God.

Right.

I think he could discern the heart as to the motive, as to why somebody wanted to get healed, because I think there's people that were there for the spectacle of it, but were not.

Didn't have the faith to believe that he could do it.

Yeah.

It was like, prove it to me.

And there's other people that.

And he said, your faith have made you whole.

Like, he.

He just.

Well, we saw the one episode where he.

He heals the.

The Roman soldier's son and he's like having not found of such great creative faith in all of Israel.

And that.

That was an amazing episode because the Roman guard kneeled to Jesus in that episode.

It was pretty phenomenal.

It was.

It was one of my favorite episodes.

It was really neat.

Do they do.

So do the theater ones or.

No, like, they show it to the.

Like for each.

I don't know if they do or not, but we've been getting back into it and.

Yeah, it's just been.

It's been good.

It's funny because Marty loves those too.

Does he really?

Yeah.

He asked me, are you.

What season are you on?

I'm like, ah, probably ended at 2.

I don't know.

Yeah, but.

But yeah, I mean that's.

I. I believe because he was God, he can discern the heart.

And there's people that.

And I think there's other things too.

Like people will pray in church to get healed.

And that's not always God's will for your life.

And I think a lot of us just want an easy life and there's no such thing.

True.

And the Apostle Paul, right.

He.

I mean that's probably the.

One of the greatest Christians in the New Testament asked and he said three times.

And he said, no, my grace is sufficient for you.

Like, I'm enough just.

And basically to tell us, like, hey, there's going to be things you go through that you're going to want relief.

And I'm not going to give it to you because I'm gonna.

I'm your.

I'm gonna be there and show you that all you need is me.

Dependence.

Yeah.

And wow, it's really interesting.

That verse stuck out to me the other day, the one that you were talking about with the Apostle Paul.

Because it says when Paul was complaining to Jesus, he said, you know, I have a thorn in my side.

And it was.

It's a messenger of Satan to buffet me.

And messenger is angel.

Satan, obviously.

So demon.

So demon was messing with him.

I know a lot of people say, well, I think maybe he had something physically wrong or something wrong with his eye or like a big nose.

I don't know.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know what it was, honestly.

Sleep apnea.

But we don't know, whatever it was, it was a d. He was being demonized.

Like, that's what he said.

It was a messenger of Satan to buffet me.

And I thought that was kind of interesting too, because that just tells me that that's Satan's game plan.

Right?

I mean, he wants to attack you.

He wants to attack me in whatever way, however he can compromise us.

But what we have to do is just how.

You know.

You know how the apostle Paul responded by, well, I've just gotta.

I've gotta trust God.

His grace is sufficient.

That's.

And that should be our response, too.

What's funny to me is when I think of that Satan, like, coming after you, I always think of the wizard of Oz when those little monkeys and the witch and they took out the straw from this.

From the straw man, the guy rusted it.

They.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

And they scared the lion.

And just.

That's what he does.

He comes in.

Sabotage.

He just takes the straw out of your body.

Right.

And then physically, sometimes, sometimes mentally, sometimes with sin, and sometimes we're working with him as well on that.

On that side.

100.

I just.

That's hot.

Visually, I see him attack, you know, just.

He's just flying over you just like, oh, yeah.

And that's.

That's when we ask God, hey, help us.

You know, that's sweet.

That's what we need because we can't grow without it.

I don't.

I wish I could say, man, I could be spiritual or I could grow in Christ without trials, but that's what.

Sadly, I don't.

It's like going to the gym, right?

You can't.

You can't get gains without pain.

Like, you're.

You're not.

I gave that example on Friday night.

Like, you know, Tony goes to the gym four, five, six times a week.

If you get somebody that only goes once a week like you, you're going to get no gains.

But, you know, Tony's over here.

He's a big dude, but he goes five, six times a week.

Like, he's.

He's lifting a lot, you know, so the same with us.

If we're not, you know, exercising our faith, exercising our.

Our spiritual walk with the Lord, reading his word, praying, doing those things, we're not going to have those spiritual gains.

Yeah.

Just like stress of the physical muscle leads to, you know, strength.

Same stress of the spiritual muscle leads to dependence on God, which leads to growth.

Because your body has no choice to get stronger because you're tearing it down and God breaking You down.

You have no choice but to say God.

Yeah, that's it, right?

I need help.

I mean, I'm in a bad spot.

Yeah.

100.

I'm Rebecca Mendez with Lamplight Ministries where I serve the Lord by loving others.

Through biblical counseling and workshops.

Every day we're reminded of our fallen world through disappointment, grief, fear, despair.

We need a Savior.

And in Jesus Christ we have that Savior.

He came to rescue us, offering his spirit to guide us and his word to comfort, correct and lead us.

If you're a follower of Christ, eager to grow in Him, I'd be honored to walk this journey with you through one on one biblical counseling.

Together we'll explore God's word, find encouragement, and pursue faithful obedience to our Savior.

Please Visit me at lamplightministries.com to book your appointment today.

So one point I want to make here.

You know Jesus through the sufficiency of the cross.

Jesus did not make salvation just possible.

He accomplished it.

Like he, he did it when he was on the cross.

He said it is finished.

Like it was done, it was paid for.

Like there's no other work that needs to be done.

And that's, that's one thing that, you know, a lot of.

I would say all, actually, I would say all world religions other than true Christianity and biblical Christianity, those all world religions are workspace.

Like you have to please your God somehow.

You have to work for your way to heaven, for your ticket to heaven.

You know, some religions say you're going to get 72 virgins when you get there, you know, and you got a. Kamikaze yourself into a building or whatever, you know.

Yeah.

And, and that's just not the case.

I mean that's not how God, God, God sent Jesus and Jesus paid it all.

And all we have to do, which I know it sounds easy, but it wasn't easy for him.

But the easy part is for us to just receive the gift.

Like just receive it.

It's, it's.

I guess I shouldn't say it's easy, it's simple.

It's the simplicity of it.

It's, it's nothing that I have to earn because I can't earn it.

Well, I think it's so, and that's why he said, you know, you come into me as a little child, right?

Because as the child has that childlike faith to just accept what he's told.

And when you get to be an adult, you kind of have your own versions of how you get come to Christ.

And like there's really two religions, right?

We have works based and we have salvation based, right?

One believes that the work is finished and one believes that it's a work in progress.

And I have to do the work because I know.

I think Mormonism is the same way, right?

Like, they believe that Jesus died, but they believe they have to do all I can.

I mean, they don't believe in hell either, but I have to do all I can and then God will do the rest.

And that's.

There's nothing we can do.

Well, then the question becomes how much?

Like, how.

How much is that?

Then?

Like, what does that look like for you?

What does that look like for me?

Or is it different?

Like, like retirement?

How do you know you get, did.

I save enough money?

Or I got $50,000.

Yeah, 50,000 nest egg.

Or am I going to be working at Walmart, you know, as a greeter just to make things like, how do you know?

How do you know what's enough?

Like, how do you know you've reached that?

And really, he said it, right?

It is finished.

He cried that out.

I just finished.

It's done.

It's complete, 100%, the work is completed.

And that's.

I think that's the beauty of, of, you know, what we believe and the resurrection.

And I was talking to Anthony a couple weeks ago, and that's what he was saying.

Like, he was talking about God and he just said, I was looking at this YouTube video and this Chinese doctor was talking about he was studying the eye in medical school.

And from studying the eye, he came to know crisis.

He's like, there's no.

Of all the things, he like kind of mapped it out.

Like if it was a computer program and all the things that had to line up for you to be able to see, there has to be a God, right?

There has to be a creator, There has to be a master designer.

And to think of God.

From the time that Adam sinned, he already had a plan, right?

He didn't, like, wait for Adam.

He.

He knew that this would happen.

He had this plan in place that he would send his son and he would foretell us, he would tell us in the Old Testament, this is what's going to happen.

And even through David, right, He.

He told your.

You will always be on the throne.

Like, well, how is that possible?

And then he showed him, like, well, he is the king, right?

We have these no king protests whatever.

Kind of silly, but we do, as Christians have an ultimate king in.

In Jesus Christ.

Yeah.

I've got a shirt that says, the king is still the king.

He's always going to be the king.

Yeah, so.

So I got a couple verses here.

Hebrews 10, 10, 14 says, and by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.

And this is the key right here.

It says once for all.

And every priest stand, stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.

For by a single offering, he has perfected for all time those who are being sacrificed.

So it's like all of these sacrifices, these, that they did in the Old Testament, they were all just pointing to him because ultimately they couldn't, they couldn't take sins away.

Like they killing a lamb or killing a bull or whatever.

They would kill a dove or whatever.

They wouldn't.

It, it didn't matter like it did.

That doesn't take away sin.

But it's what it represented.

It represented Jesus in the future.

And that's what takes away this.

And when you said once and for all, right, that wasn't a once and for all thing.

That was a process, right?

The Passover, they would take the sacrifice up to.

But that was like a annual thing every year.

It wasn't finished where this is, this was complete because he is ultimately the perfect.

And it was really like a lamb without blemish or a lamb without spot or whatever.

They had to sacrifice the wave offering.

They had, you know, different type of sacrifices, but it wasn't perfect because there's no perfect animal.

But as far as they could tell, right, this was a perfect sacrifice.

And what was funny, well, not funny, but what's interesting, we went to Israel.

They took us to where they thought Jesus was imprisoned before he was crucified.

And it was the house of Caiaphas.

And Caiaphas was responsible for the sacrifice.

It was a high priest.

He was the high priest, right?

So he's responsible for the little lamb or whatever, the sacrifice.

And ultimately he did give up the, the, the ultimate lamb, which was Jesus Christ.

And that was a crazy correlation that we never put together.

And that's what she said that he was.

That Caiaphas actually gave the world the, the, the perfect sacrifice, the perfect lamb.

Wow.

We were kind of blown away.

And that was like our last day there.

That through him it was finished and there was no, there's no longer a need for.

Although they have the red heifer and all that's coming.

Prophecy.

It's interesting, bro.

And I think really with the war that we're seeing.

Right.

We're seeing a lot of things shift and change and yeah.

Oh yeah.

People are going to come against Israel and they're.

They're king.

Right.

Their Savior is going to come, but.

Not the one they're expecting.

Yeah, yeah.

And it's funny because I was looking at something and people think that, you know, you're going to have a smiling Jesus when he comes back or smiling God and it's.

It that's not how he's going to come back.

Oh.

The way he's pictured in re Revelation coming on the white horse, sword coming out of the mouth.

Like I'm like, yeah.

It's not like the nice, you know, Sunday school pictures you see.

Oh, it's not the flannel graph, bro.

Not the final graph.

Yeah, for sure.

I miss those final.

So yeah.

I think point here is Jesus said it was finished, not no other work needs to be added.

There's no.

Nothing I can do.

Additionally because it's not necessary.

There's nothing I can do because it's already been done.

It's already been paid for.

It's like going to the restaurant, somebody pays your bill.

There's nothing else for me to pay.

It's been paid.

You just thank them, you know.

Yeah.

Like.

And that's.

And that's.

I think it's a hard concept for people to grasp and I think my grandfather was in that same boat is how can it not cost me something?

Right.

How can it not like I have to do something for it.

But it cost Jesus everything or cause God his son.

His son.

Yeah.

He sacrificed his son for us.

And then you have the types of Christ like Abraham and Isaac and God provided a ram right in the, in the thicket and the same thing.

God provided a perfect sacrifice for, for mankind.

Yeah.

I think that's what separates true Christianity of Christ following is that we don't.

There's nothing we can do.

Right.

We can't go to church, we can't give money, we can't go on a two year mission.

Right.

And there's just.

We can't work our way there because ultimately we are corrupt human beings.

Right.

That don't.

And just like you said, right is one is enough is enough.

And really it's the moment we're born, we're born in sin.

Yeah.

And there's.

It's insurmountable of what.

And really I think he Talks about in that parable, right?

When he said that guy, the, you know, owed him money and he was forgiven of the great debt.

Like I don't even know how much, like $80 million.

And that's really our debt.

And that wasn't even putting a real number on it.

But to say, like, and then you don't forgive others, like that's what, you know, blows.

Like, I don't think it blows God's mind, but that's what he's like, what's wrong with you?

Like, I forgave you of everything.

And really you had an insurmountable debt that you could never pay, right?

And that's what he's telling you.

But yet I paid it for you, right?

Paid in full.

And I think that's the beauty of, of, of the gospel is that it's, it is paid in full and it's not something we can lose or something that we can give up or once we're saved, that's it, you know, that's.

Why they call it eternal life.

I, I think part of the, part of our problem is pride, bro.

Like, I think pride is what prevents most people from, from receiving the gift.

Because it's like you, you said your grandfather said he had to do something.

You know, we have that mentality here as Westerners or maybe even just around the world in general.

But just, you know, I've gotta, I've gotta achieve.

We're performance based, you know, I've got to achieve something.

I gotta, I gotta score the buckets and make the stats and I've got to do, I've got, I've got to contribute something, you know?

You know, you gotta maybe one up your neighbor, whatever it is, and it's salvation by grace through faith.

Like it's, it's not anything that we do.

Salvation is, is, it's received.

It's a gift received.

It's not achieved, it's not well.

And I think that's the mind blowing concept too, of God's love for us, right, Is that we're so performance based on love.

And as much as Rebecca could say she loves me, I guarantee you I can do some things tonight that she may not love me so much tomorrow.

And that love may wane.

Where God knew all these details, right?

He knew all the dirty.

And he said, I still, and I still love you perfectly.

I don't love you any less.

Less or more.

You can't, you can't gain his love or a parent, right, can be proud of you or.

Hey, I, I man, I love my son or I love my daughter because of you.

Maybe you're a good son or maybe you do things for them, or maybe you're just compliant as a kid.

And that's because our mind is so trained, because we.

Our love is reciprocated.

It's very rare when somebody loves you and spoke of you.

And I mean, when you're.

Maybe you're little, your parents are kind of forced to love you, right?

But as you get older and that relationship is no longer required, sometimes you have a waning, or parents are estranged from their kids.

But God is like, there's nothing you can do to me or for me.

I need.

He's all sufficient right in himself.

He doesn't need us.

He doesn't need us to go to church.

He doesn't need us to tithe.

He doesn't need us to run freedom that lasts.

He doesn't need us to lead groups.

He allows us to be used by him to, to, you know, for the kingdom.

But he's all sufficient, right, because he's.

He's deity, He's God.

And that's what's just amazing.

Because our mind can't comprehend unconditional love.

Truly.

Yeah, I can't because I'm conditional.

Like, if they quit paying me tomorrow, I'm not going to work.

Like, that's it.

And if we, I think if we truly grasp that, like, if we truly would just wrap our head around it as much as possible, I think that would.

That, that could be our driving force or primary motivation for how we live this Christian life.

Like, you know, working out our salvation with trembling and fear.

Like, I think that should be like our, Our.

Why, you know, so to speak.

You know, because he loves me unconditionally.

Like, truly.

Like a true, a pure, true love that I don't.

Yeah, I think I don't know how to give.

Like, a lot of people just would think, like, I don't want to cheat on my wife because that might ruin my relationship.

Relationship.

I think, you know, maturity will get you to the point where I don't want to cheat on my wife because I love my wife.

Right.

And Right.

I don't want to sin against my God because I love my God.

And you look at Joseph, right?

And that was his motivation.

It wasn't getting caught.

It was that, how can I do this against God?

Like, because the relationship that we have, I can't do that.

Where a lot of us just operate on a fear system or, like, I don't want to lose.

I don't want to get caught.

Yeah, I don't want to get caught.

Caught.

But that's, that's an immature response.

The mature response is because he loves me and I love him.

Love me first and I love him.

And I don't want to ruin that relationship that we have.

Absolutely.

Ephesians 2, 8 and 9.

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And it's right there.

And this is not your own doing.

It is the gift of God, not of a result of works so that no one may boast.

And I think that ver.

Those verses right there, like it's quite clear there.

Like, it's nothing that I can do, nothing I can earn.

It's.

It's a gift given by grace.

It's his grace.

And I think that's in the exchange.

Right?

That's one.

God is.

God is grace.

Right.

Is that one of the, the four pillars?

No, it's just the first one is God is holy.

God is just.

God is love.

And then I always forget the last one.

Yeah, I thought grace was one or some one of those.

But, but it's, it's, it's his grace.

And I think that's a concept of we don't understand either because, like, we're not very graceful people.

Like we don't give grace or we don't give mercy like he does.

Like we don't.

And it obviously all originates from love, right?

That's the love that he has for us.

Romans 3:28 says, For.

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Titus 3:5.

He saves us not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his work own mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.

And so again, it's, it's his doing.

He saved us not because we're good, but because he's good, because he loves us.

And it's a love that we just, we can't fathom.

We don't, we don't.

We don't understand his love.

We don't understand that true love.

Well, I think even in the.

As you would say, the.

I forget the.

There's a Christian word for the legalism of the church, right?

If we could work our way to heaven, or we could do certain things, or we could tithe our way to heaven, we certainly would boast about it and we certainly would say, well, I did this or I did that, and we do it anyway, right?

Because we, we're filled with pride and we think there's level of spirituality.

Like, well, I'm, I'm not.

I mean, I'm beyond that person.

Yeah.

And then we're just like, he hates pride.

And we're like, ah, well, we can't, you know, we remember the story.

You know, like, I'm glad I'm not like that sinner, you know, and that's how we are.

Right.

Because really, we are like, wow, he's praying like this.

But I mean, I, I could pray so much better.

And that's partially why I did.

I dislike public praying, but I, I know it's biblical, but because I don't trust my.

I mean, I say things that I normally would not say in a private prayer.

Right.

Just being honest because I just.

It's a temptation to impress the people I'm praying in front of.

And that's, I guess, my own spiritual flaw or spiritual sin.

But it's, it's just hard for the reality to be.

Yeah.

It's real.

Yeah.

When I'm talking by myself, I don't, I don't care about anybody else.

I'm not, I'm just praying.

You're not trying to impress yourself.

Correct?

It's hard to pray.

Yeah.

It's hard to pray with a bunch of people and not like, if you're with, you know, pastor.

And I mean, it's just, what is he thinking about me?

What am I going to say?

Or you have to do the Sunday morning prayer and I go up there and you're like, oh, hope.

What I said is, I don't say a bad word or, you know, whatever.

There's all kind of things that go through your mind.

Yeah, I'm sorry, take that out.

But when you're just privately praying, it's just a, you know, a personal conversation between you and God.

So just, it's just different.

But.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%.

I mean, if grace could be earned, it's.

It's no longer.

Is longer grace, but.

Oh, go ahead, Go ahead.

No, go ahead.

And I would say the, the, the real big thing too, for me, like body would say, is, you know, if we could lose our salvation, we certainly would.

Oh, 100.

And I know we deal with somebody at freedom the last that, you know, really struggles with the idea of losing salvation.

And that's, that's.

I mean, he doesn't give us a gift to take it away because now we're basing it on our works.

That's not salvation.

And really, I don't know if you can be saved and, and think that way.

Or maybe you're just not convinced that what he's done is finished.

Because when you truly believe it's finished, like, I don't ask.

Rebecca, hey, are we still married today?

Right?

I.

We got in a fight and I blew up at you.

Are we still married?

Like, well, yeah, you know, we just messed up, like, move on.

And even more so too.

Perfect God.

Yeah, like you're in the family of God.

As much as my parents may want to disown me, you know, in earlier days, right.

They can't because they had.

I mean, I'm in the 23 chromosomes or that's it.

That's locked in.

It's baked into the pie.

Sorry.

You know what I mean?

Yeah.

It was funny because we were having that discussion in one of the.

In group for FTL and talking about how, you know, salvation is.

It's a permanent.

You know, it's.

You don't, you don't lose it.

And you know, one of the guys was, you know, struggling with the, you know, that you could lose it.

And I won't say who, but it's, it was funny because one of the, one of the guys said, yeah, but God, you know, God doesn't take it away because he's not an Indian giver.

I thought that was funny.

But it's true though.

I mean, I mean, if, if he saved you, why would he unsave you?

Or like, if he, if he's, if he saves you, how could I lose what he gave me?

Like, how could I lose that salvation?

Which, and why would they call it eternal life?

Like, why would he say, I give you eternal life?

Like, if it's not eternal, like, if you can lose it, it's not eternal.

Like, you just lost it.

And if you can lose it, like you said, then you must be able to earn it back.

Which means that's not, that's not true salvation.

Because true salvation does not come through any type of merit that I can do.

No works, right?

We believe in a no works religion, right?

If I never went to church again, I never read my Bible, which obviously.

Those things would be evidence that you are saved.

But it's not, it's not the prerequisite for salvation.

It's.

There's no, the prerequisite for salvation is this faith and repentance.

Like, it's just believing.

Like, call on the name of Jesus and like, believe in the resurrection, just like it said in Romans 10, 9, and you'll be saved.

There's nothing I can do to.

He's already done the work.

He finished it's done.

I think that's what Paul says too, right?

He talks about your works.

Like your works doesn't make you a Christian, but by your works, you, you are known that you are a Christian because you are compelled to do things for the person that you love that saved you.

Right?

It's, it's, you know, even animals, you save a little animal, they appreciate it.

I mean, that's why I think Rebecca, you know, little Fernie hated me and loved Rebecca because he had a thorn and she took it out and that dog would do anything for her.

Right.

And sadly, we're not the same when, when we think of what cross Christ did for us on the cross.

Yeah, sadly.

So one of the, one of the.

Things that a lot of people like to talk about is that, you know, they try to talk, talk away or explain away that Jesus had a physical death and was buried in that he physically rose, bodily rose.

A lot of people kind of will say, well, he maybe he swooned, he didn't quite die, or, you know, or they, you know, he didn't, he didn't really die some.

He just kind of faked his death or something, you know, something crazy like that.

But that's not true.

We have the Scriptures and we have First Corinthians 15, 3, 4, says, for I delivered to you as a first importance what I also received, that Christ died first.

And so he died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.

And that's just talking about, hey, this was prophesied that he was buried.

Okay, so that's a physical burying.

That he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures.

So it was physical.

It was a physical death, physical burial and the physical resurrection.

He, he, he wrote.

I mean, he was seen by people.

He even told.

Was it Thomas?

Hey, put your, put your hand here.

Put your hand in the hole in my hand, you know, and, and Thomas said, oh, my Lord and my God.

Like I believe, you know, he walked with the guys to mae us, you know, physically talking to them.

I mean, it was physical.

Well, what's interesting to me is that you're saying that the Romans would allow themselves to not finish the job in crucifixion, right?

True.

They were experts, bro, in killing.

And they would not just, okay, we're going to let this one slide.

We won't kill him.

We'll just beat him up pretty bad.

We'll put him in this tomb.

But he's still kind of alive.

Like, there's no way that would have happened.

Like they wouldn't allow it.

They, and they even said, like, we're going to, we're going to tell this story that.

So we better put a guard there because if he gets out, it's going to be worse than what we did to him.

So we could make sure we're going to roll a big stone and we're going to guard our reputation.

Right.

And they would not allow their reputation just looking at it from that moment in time, the Romans would not allow the reputation to be at stake to say, well, let's just hurt them.

And you know, like the casino movie where they.

He pretend he's beating him up and he's really not.

Yeah, yeah.

And that, I mean, I guarantee you they made sure, like they were gonna.

And they're like, no, he's dead.

He's.

He's.

He gave up the ghost.

And he talks about that too, right?

He cries out it is finished.

And he gives up the ghost, saying it like.

And that literally means he's.

He's gone, he's dead.

And they mourned for him, right?

They didn't falsely mourn for that.

He wasn't dead.

I mean, they, they gave him the embalment and they did all that for him, Prepared his body, wrapped him up and he just.

Well, and if you really think about the crucifixion, I know, like the first.

Was it the first movie that Mel Gibson did?

The Passion.

Passion.

I watched it.

It's pretty, it's pretty hard to watch.

But you really think about it.

Yeah.

I mean, Jesus experienced tremendous physical torment.

I mean, just in the flogging and the beating and the cat of night tales or whatever they call it.

I mean, even just after that, before the crucifixion, fiction.

I mean, he was dying.

Like, he was.

He had probably extreme blood loss at that point.

I mean.

And then, you know, they hammer nails into your hands and feet, you know, stick the corn, the crown of thorns and.

And I mean, he couldn't hardly breathe up there.

Like, that was an excruciating death.

I mean, I can't even imagine what, what that was like.

I mean, I probably would have died just because I'm.

I'm a wimp, you know, I'm soft, bro, compared to that generation.

You know what I mean?

That generation, I mean, they.

I mean, they walked from Egypt to this to.

To the promised land.

And I'm just like, I, I walk around the block and I'm like, bro, I'm good.

Yeah.

I walk into church and like, yeah, it's hot today.

Yeah.

But Yeah, I mean that just, just the, the torment alone that he had, the physical torment that he had.

I mean he almost probably died just from that prior to the crucifixion.

I just don't understand how you can think that he did not die.

Like.

Yeah, I don't think anybody would you swoon that in history, right?

That the Romans, crucified, lived.

Yeah.

They're probably undefeated in killing people.

Well, and Pontius Pilate, I mean he was a political leader.

Like he was not about to mess up.

I'm sure he, that was an elected position or whatever.

I mean however he got to that position, I mean he's not going to want to give that up.

And as soon as he washed his hands, I almost feel bad for him.

Like dude, why did you do that?

You almost let him go.

Like you almost like saved, you know.

But know it was written and it was, it was prophesied.

And that's what's crazy, right?

Like God knew that he would do that and he allowed it.

Like he, he knew that he would to his will, as he said would, he would go along with it.

Well, it's almost like even you know, cuz.

Cuz the Lord, I mean he's working in everybody's life and it's, it's interesting because his wife had the dreams, right?

He's like, I dreamed about this man today, like have nothing to do with him.

Like his wife's like dude, like no, like leave him alone.

And he almost let him go and then he ended up, okay, we'll give Brabus up, go for it.

And that's what's crazy, right?

He gave up somebody that was a criminal for the Son of God.

Yeah.

And then I think I just love that position too.

On the cross when you had the two thieves and they both had the same chance, right.

And one chose to put his faith in Jesus Christ and the other said, well if he was God.

Right.

And I think that's the healing part too.

Right.

Is that people aren't healed because they truly don't believe.

And he didn't understand everything but he realized like man, this is the Son of God and he's.

Because of that faith, he said, today I will see you in paradise.

And what a, what a position to be on.

And you're an absolute torment getting crucified and then the next moment you leave this world and you're, you're with you with the Savior.

That'd be amazing.

Yeah, that's like you didn't live a life.

No.

A reputable life.

Of any kind.

Right.

I really should diffuse the whole works salvation right there.

Right.

He had no chance to come off that cross and what could he do for God?

He couldn't get baptized.

He couldn't.

He couldn't do any works.

Like it wasn't going to no mission.

He was no missionary.

He didn't tithe.

Nope.

Didn't go to church.

He didn't need to.

Nope.

He was boom, in paradise.

Yeah.

That's.

If that doesn't tell you, right.

That it's.

There's nothing you can do.

I don't know what tells you.

Pretty clear.

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He was seen by 500, right.

1 Corinthians 15:6.

Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive.

Well at that time, through though some have fallen asleep.

I mean they had.

He had witnesses.

He had people that witnessed him.

I mean he had the, the road to Emmaus.

He, you know, he was talking to the two disciples and then they didn't even recognize him, which is kind of odd.

Mary saw him, right.

And then he was in, he appeared in the room with the disciples and that's where Thomas was going to put his.

His finger in his hand.

And then he appeared to the 500.

So he appeared to.

He.

There was a.

People saw him like afterwards.

Like it's not, it's not just making it this up.

Like it's people's other words, witnesses.

I think that's what Paul said, right?

Like this wasn't done in the corner.

Like we all know this happened.

Like I'm not, I shouldn't have to persuade you that like we went to Chili's today.

Like we were both there, bro.

Like, yeah, maybe you don't want to admit you, you know, you had a burger, but hey, we both did, you know, we both had burger fries.

I don't know why that takes convincing, but yeah, apparently.

And then even Matthew 28:5,6.

But in the angel said to the woman, do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here.

Free is risen, as he said.

Come see the place where he lay and further evidence.

Right.

And the earthquake to move the stone himself, right?

God.

And to bring him to life, someone.

Had to be heavy.

They had to lock him in there.

Like you said, the Romans, they were professionals.

They knew what they were doing.

They weren't going to let him go.

No, no.

And that guy, I don't know whatever happened to him, you know, the guy that was guard, they might have killed him, you know what I mean?

Cuz that was such a right powerful thing.

Like, well, you let Jesus out and it opened up.

I really think they believe that he would be resurrected.

Like they knew that it was a possibility because if it wasn't, they wouldn't have guarded the, the tomb.

I mean, I think they guarded it from people stealing him.

Stealing the body, but.

Or stealing it and claiming that he was alive or he.

Yeah, you know, but yeah, that's what's crazy too is like just like the folding of the napkin, right?

Like when they're eating and just like the way his, his body lay and the clothes that they had covering him like signified that he's coming back.

Just like as they would in the Jewish tradition of a meal, you know, just the way you put your napkin means like I want to still smash or I'm done eating.

And he left it in a way that says, I'm coming back.

Yeah.

And what a powerful.

And that's what's crazy about the Bible, right?

There's so much symbolism in there, I think especially when you go to Israel because you see it from a Jewish perspective and it makes sense where we look at everything through American eyes and it doesn't always tell the full Western cult context of the picture that he is portraying.

So yeah, I love that he's coming back, man.

That's.

Who knows, we might be pretty close, right?

I think so.

I think we won't get the formaldehyde.

I think we'll, we'll surpass that.

You know, there was, there was an episode of, I think it was the Oprah Winfrey show and she, she was, I don't know, in the middle of an interview or something, but some woman stood up I think and said, well, well, Jesus is the only way to get to heaven.

And then I think Oprah got like super offended and said, no, what are you talking about?

About there, there's this, this way and this way and this way, and that's that meme, you know, taco for you, taco for you.

And.

And so I'm just here to debunk that and just say Jesus is the only way.

I mean, it's quite clear in scripture.

I mean, nobody else died for me but Jesus.

Jesus died for me.

Nobody offers me salvation.

That's the other thing, too, is like you look at other religions.

Other religions don't offer salvation in that.

In that fashion.

But John 14, 14, six.

I mean, this sums it up right here.

It says, jesus, say unto him, I.

This is Jesus speaking.

I am the way, the truth, and the life, and nobody comes to the Father except through me.

And that's.

That's the truth.

When you said that the veil was torn, that was torn because Jesus said it was finished.

But we have to go through Jesus.

Jesus is the one that died.

Jesus is the one that was buried and resurrected.

So he's the way.

You know, I know, and I know the disciples were like, where are you going?

I don't know where you.

How do I know where you're going?

Going.

Well, he's like, I am the way.

Like, you just have to know me, know who I am, trust in me, believe in me.

So he is the only way.

There is no other way.

There's no other.

There's no other deity on this planet that can save us.

None.

This is kind of like, you know, everybody says, well, don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Or, you know, you need to diversify your portfolio for retirement.

But this is one instance where it's like, no, Jesus is the way.

And like, that's.

I'm putting all my eggs in that basket because I know when I die, that's where I'm going.

I'm going to go be with him.

No, I'm.

Well, I think you think of it too, as when he says, I am the way.

And we.

I think it makes us feel good to say, well, there's other.

There's multiple ways to get to heaven.

But I really think when the.

When Jesus was crucified and he was risen again, that the light bulb turned on for the disciples, right?

They saw the full picture of what he was talking about.

They didn't understand it because they were like, why?

Why is he saying that?

Like.

Like, what do you mean, I am the way?

Or what do you mean he's going to tear down this temple and build it up again?

Three days?

Like, they thought of literal temple and he was referring to himself.

And so I imagine a lot of light bulbs went on for them once he was.

And all the things that he had said and taught them like, oh wow, okay, that, now that makes, it makes sense to me where I didn't really understand like what he was talking about.

Yeah.

Just like you, you know, we as an adult.

Right.

I can look back at my parents and okay, I understand why you didn't buy me Jordans.

You know what I mean?

Like you were trying to pay, put food on the table.

Yeah.

And you give it context and it makes sense to you.

I think partially for them too.

A lot of light bulbs turned on when like, oh, wow, he is the way.

Like that is the Messiah.

That is.

Wow, that is the son of God.

And even this, the, you know, the Roman soldier that was there at his crucifixion said, truly this man is a son, the son of God.

Like he was like, wow.

And I don't know if he believed it's on it like he did, but that what the actions that he, he died and how he died, he was like, wow, he, he is who he says he is.

Yeah.

I would almost say he probably did get saved.

I mean that's belief, right?

Yeah, he believes he's the son of God.

Like, like, wow, that's, that's powerful.

Yeah.

First or I'm sorry, first Timothy 2.

5 Says, for there is one God and there is one mediator between God, God and men.

The man Christ Jesus.

And again, that's the mediator.

The vial is torn.

We have Jesus as the mediator between us and God.

That's why we can come boldly to the throne of God because of what Jesus did.

Amen.

Acts 4:12 says, and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved.

And so there it is.

I mean it's quite clear in scripture that Jesus is, is the way.

He's the only way.

And yeah, it might sound, you know, I'm kind of, what do they call it, like close minded or whatever you want to call it.

That's fine, I don't really care.

But that, because Jesus is the only way.

It's not a, it's not up for debate.

He's the only way.

100 I think.

And there's, you know, I tell my kids, like, don't speak in absolutes.

Like everybody does this, everybody does that.

But when it comes to Christianity, there are absolutely absolute truth and there's absolutely closed mindedness.

Because when you have the Truth.

There's no open mindedness.

Yeah.

Because it can't be.

Because the truth is the truth, no matter what.

Right.

And that's.

That's.

He referred to himself as the truth because he is.

And that people will even say now, is that the gospel truth?

That's what how people used to talk.

Yeah.

Like, oh, is that true?

Like, that's the gospel truth, meaning that the gospel is real and it's truth.

And people normally believe that.

And we live in a society that your own truth is your truth, when we know that it's still the gospel truth is the way we would say it.

Well, and that's.

That's our culture too, right?

Our culture right now is, you know, you have to be inclusive.

And it's like, no, bro.

Like, it's exclusive.

Jesus is.

He's the way.

It's not.

There's no debate on that one.

Maybe I got to be inclusive on, you know, trying to.

Three different taco spots.

Yeah, but that's different.

Like, it's.

This is.

We're talking.

We're talking about eternity here.

And I'm gonna put.

I'm gonna put all my eggs in that basket because I.

My soul's at stake here.

Like, that's my soul, bro.

Where am I going?

There was a dude yesterday at the taco store and he had a shirt on, a T shirt.

And he said, hell.

Hell is like a dance floor.

And he had some dude dancing.

And I'm just thinking, bro, like, you just deceived.

Like, I feel sorry for you, bro.

Like, yeah, that's not gonna be some dance floor.

It's not gonna be.

That's gonna be a dance floor.

You want to be, bro.

Yeah, that's.

That's not good.

And just you have first Peter 1:3 here.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from.

From the dead.

I mean, as you know, as we go.

I mean, I don't know if you want to do anything about the mediator here.

Yeah, well, I just.

I mean, that's.

And like you said, that's the veil too, right?

That's that we can have the same access to the Father as Jesus did.

And that's what he said in John.

He said that we might.

I want my.

My prayer requests.

Really?

What did Jesus pray for?

Is that my people that you've given me here on Earth, that they would have what you and I have, they would enjoy this relationship, right?

Like.

Like we would go to Monal's and experience the fried chicken together.

Right.

Even greater than that.

Like, this relationship that I can have with my father, I want them to have as well.

I'm like, wow, what a powerful picture.

It really is.

Because, I mean, you.

You really think about, like, back in the Old Testament, you had the high priest and they had to go and do that sacrifice once a year in the holy of Holies, and they had to go do it, like, a certain way.

I mean, they had their, you know, format, and they had to follow it to a T. Had to.

You know, it was probably very stressful, I would think.

Oh, yeah.

And to think that now that veil's torn because of what Jesus did.

I can go directly to the Father.

I don't need some.

I don't need some priest, some man to hear my sins or try to forgive me of my sins, because, I mean, Jesus already paid for it.

I go to him.

I go directly to the Father.

Like, I go to the source.

I don't have to mess around here with, you know, trying to get forgiven here.

Like, that's not necessary.

It's not.

It's not even, like, true.

It doesn't.

It's not how it works.

I can go directly to God.

I can go boldly to the throne.

Of grace, or even they would put the Pope.

Right.

As a deity on earth.

Like, he is God here.

Right.

That's the mouthpiece of Jesus or whatever they say.

Yeah.

No, blasphemous.

It is really.

It really.

I mean, they're passing out little.

Jesus is at freedom, alas.

And I'm like, I don't want that.

Like, I just think it's taking him lightly, and they can laugh about it, but.

Right.

I just would not.

You know, that's my conviction.

Like, there's one in my car because I think Tony left it in there or something.

I'm like, bro, Tony, the shoes.

Giving them house.

And I was like, oh.

Oh, man.

So.

Yep.

So Romans 10 just kind of.

I guess we can kind of wrap it up here.

We've kind of covered a lot of stuff.

Jesus is eternal Jesus.

He was not a created being.

He was always.

Always been.

He's.

He was there in creation, which is kind of an amazing thing out.

I think that that's covered in.

In.

In the first chapter of John as well.

He made everything.

He made everything that we see visibly or invisibly that we don't see.

I mean, the heavens, the.

I mean, it's.

I think today they had the.

The Space launch thing for the moon thing, right?

Oh, Elon from NASA.

Oh, really?

I didn't know about that.

Yeah, the moon looks beautiful out there, by the way.

And we were kind of watching the video and they were nice.

It was kind of funny.

Well, I don't know if I'll go and you tell that because I'll tell you after because I don't know if it's proper for, for the podcast, but they were going, and it's just darkness, bro.

Like, it's, we're like, you can't even tell they're moving.

But I'm just like, yeah, that's space.

Like, it's just vast.

It's huge.

But can you, I couldn't even imagine being out there.

Well, the universe, right?

Yeah, this is just.

But, but that, Jesus made that, bro.

And so, and the work was finished, right?

Jesus completed it.

He said it is finished.

And when he said it's finished, it means it's finished.

It doesn't mean it's almost finished.

I mean, he said it's finished.

Take him at his word.

And we have, you know, grace versus, you know, works based righteousness.

And it's, it's, it's through his grace.

We can't work for it.

We can't work for that grace.

Grace is grace.

And then we have the, you know, the physical resurrection, physical death.

Everything was physical.

He was physically here as a human being.

And that's, that's what's really interesting to me too because it does describe Scripture, does say that he was tempted in every way that we are tempted.

I mean, he experienced everything from, you know, loss, sadness.

I mean, when his friend Lazarus died, he wept.

You know, he had all of these different experiences that we have yet with no sin, which is truly amazing.

And then like, we just, we just covered.

He's, he's our mediator.

He's our, he's our meter between, between us and God.

I mean, without him, we cannot go to God boldly through the throne of grace.

But because of what he did, we, we can do that.

I mean, I would say like as we close, right?

I, I, I would.

Today I got an email from, you know, big boss and just saying, you know, enjoy your holiday this, this weekend.

And had a bunch of rabbits and eggs and I think that's PC, right, for the work culture.

And I, I just remember Rebecca used to live with his family and the mom would put out clothes and the, the Easter Bunny supposedly would put these out.

And I think of Satan, right, Using Santa Claus to deviate from you know, Jesus Christ, his birth.

And I think of what he uses today with the Easter bunny and the eggs and for those that are searching, right?

And, you know, just talking about Anthony, and you could tell he was searching for something more, something deeper, that you would just look past those Easter eggs, right?

And you would say, really, why do we celebrate Easter?

What is the reason why people go to church, whether they go to a false church or they go to a church that truly believes in God.

But why do we celebrate Easter?

Like, what happened?

And as Christians, right, this is a special week for us, right?

Friday we will celebrate his crucifixion, and on Sunday, we will.

We will celebrate the risen Savior.

And I would just hate for people to be amiss, to miss what we're saying on this podcast to say, okay, I'm not a believer.

I haven't put my faith in Jesus Christ.

I haven't accepted that free gift.

But this Easter, I'm going to really look and search my own heart and say, it's not about Easter eggs.

It's not about Easter bunnies.

But why do people around the world celebrate Easter?

A Good Friday and Easter, right?

What is the purpose?

And we would call it, right, a resurrection Sunday, because I think that's a much more proper term for it rather than Easter.

But we could all agree that Easter has a deeper meaning.

Yeah, it's well known around the world.

As Easter, but correct, like, we're not hiding eggs.

And.

Yeah, yeah, it's.

It's deeper.

And that really deviates from what Jesus Christ did.

And the importance of.

Of this day as we celebrate this.

Week doesn't even compare, bro.

Yeah, I. I would just wrap up here with a couple verses.

It says, Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life.

Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

And then wrap up with this verse here.

First Peter 1:3.

1.

Yeah.

1:3.

Says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope.

That's a living hope, not a dead hope.

It's living.

Amen.

Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

And it's that resurrection, bro.

There's a movie, it's the Case for Christ, really good movie, where it's Lee Strobel, who.

He was.

Used to be a. I think it was a New York Times or Chicago Times.

Chicago, yeah.

Journalist.

And.

Yeah.

And it's funny because he did not believe he was a Complete atheist, which.

That's a whole nother story.

I don't believe that there's true atheists out there.

Anyway, he was talking to some dude at his.

In his office who was like, yeah, resurrection's like, where it's at.

You.

You figure out the resurrection, if you can.

If you can debunk the resurrection.

It's a house of cars.

You just.

It, It.

It's gone.

It's Christianity's done.

So he's like, okay.

He just takes a challenge.

I'm like, bro, like, you think you're gonna do it?

Like, this has been around for millennia.