Israel, A Stone In the Path

Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our Tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

Good morning. Great to see all of y'all. Every week, there are a good number of faces that I see that either I haven't seen ever, and I'm so glad that you found us in a bar. Hopefully, you're in the bar for this purpose instead of thinking that the bar just opened early today. There are some faces that I see in here that I get to see occasionally, like during the summer, and so glad that you are back with us for a few weeks.

And then, of course, the most beautiful faces belong to those that we get to see week in and week out because you are locals and you're part of our tribe fam. Whether you're brand new or you come all the time, we like to say this frequently, tribe is a lot like Olive Garden. If you're here, you're family. So make yourself at home. We have several unique distinctives about our tribe fam.

One of them, you've found out we meet in a bar. Another unique distinctive about our tribe fam is I don't want today's message to be a monologue, but I really would like it to be a dialogue. I welcome your input to help me, to help us preach this message. I want this to be a conversation. I don't know that you've ever sat in a church before where the guy with the microphone on the stage has said, let's do this together.

I wanna hear from you. But it's the first time for everything. So here's how it works. Here at tribe, as we get into the content of today's message, if you have a question

Yes. I feel like

Oh, look at that. Thank you, my sweet, sweet baby. If you have a question about, like, what we're talking about, like, wait a minute. Will you mow over that grass one more time in a different way? If you have a comment like, oh, wow.

What we're talking about reminds me of something else that you've just read or come across. I wanna hear it or if you have like like a connection like there's a hyperlink that's going off in your brain about something that we're talking about that relates to something else. I want to hear it. Questions, comments, and connections. And as Lisa just said, we have a lot of families, especially families this weekend that are traveling.

So they're tuned in to the livestream. And if you were to just, like, raise your hand and say your comment, then people on the livestream would miss out on the benefit of being able to hear what you have to say. And so all you need to do is raise your hand, and Kat has a mic so that we can hear your voice in the room and so that all of our livestream families get to hear you as well. With that in mind, we're going to continue a series of conversations that we've been having about this idea of hanging your hat. Could I get my prop, please?

And will you just maybe put it right here for me?

Anything else, my love?

I will let you know, my love. Inevitably, there will be at least several more things that I need besides your laser like focus and laughing at all of my jokes. Okay. Thank you. So we've been in a series of conversations that I'm titling hanging your hat on god's truth.

And we have been talking about this idea of when a person has a belief this is the the analogy that I that I saw in my mind's eyes. If you think of the sum total of beliefs that you have about anything and the sum total of your beliefs about everything would be considered your worldview. But for for instance, the sum total of what you think about any one subject or specific topic, like, just say politics, for example. The sum total of your belief on the philosophy of politics could be represented by, like, a baseball hat. Now where you hang that hat is what we've been talking about.

And we've used some fun, like like, easy examples, like, what do you believe about Sasquatch? Oh, was that a hand? Did you you really wanted to share. What do you believe about Sasquatch? Fictional, like, I don't know.

My uncle saw him one time. Like, what whatever. All your beliefs about Sasquatch would be would be represented by, like, a baseball hat. Now what you believe and where you hang it, mythical, real, transdimensional, spiritual beings spying on us humans. Okay.

I'm seeing some, like, like, nods. Alright. Alright. We could be same frequency. Where you what you believe about that is where you hang your hat.

And then we've been talking about the principle of the biggest hook. For those of you, how many for how many of you that that phrase is familiar to you? The principle of the biggest hook. Not because you haven't heard it out there because you haven't heard it out there, but we've been talking about it for several weeks. How many of you are like, alright.

Yes. Gotcha. I've heard that before, the principle of the biggest hook. Okay. Good.

Now who would be brave enough to take a to take a shot at explaining to the rest of us in your own words what is the principle of the biggest hook. In your own words, who would wanna take a crack at at what when I say that phrase, what do I mean? This is really more of a reflection on me. Oh. It's going to me.

Okay. Alright, Phil.

Okay. The biggest hook is the biggest shiniest hook around in the room and everybody wants to put their things on that hook because it's the most popular. It's the coolest. It's the thing that's gonna hold whatever you wanna hang on it the best rather than some flimsy toothpick. But it's like a big sturdy metal hook or it's just a big hook.

People like to hang their stuff on it. So like for example that you gave last time was like hanging your hook on like what you think of the moon landing. And so, like, everybody's like, okay, the moon landing's real or the moon landing's fake. And it's like, that's the big hook that everybody wants to put it on. So that's kind of the way I interpret it.

Okay. You're you're you're doing really good. You're on the you're on the right track. So if a hat is a belief, then then a hook is is a narrative that lines up the most closely with our belief. And the principle of the biggest hook is usually the most compelling narrative will get your belief.

And that that's that's a great example. We've used really safe, easy, fun examples, moon landing, sasquatch. Just shout out and tell me, like, what would be another fun, really safe, silly The Easter bunny. Oh, Easter bunny. Where yeah.

Where you hang your hat on the Easter bunny? How about aliens? Reverse reverse engineer tech that that, like, some American shadow government only has access to to zap passenger planes in and out of oh, I'm losing some folks. I'm pull the curtain. Did you have your what were you gonna say?

We went from Easter money to climate change. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. You people. So so let let let's use because I'm not taking a stand on any of those things.

I'm just using them as examples. So calm down. Don't let your religious undies get all bunched up. Oh, there's another one. Like, can can the pastor say religious undies in church?

Were you gonna hang your hat there? Oh, I don't care. That's a great one. Let's use climate change for for as an example. Where do you hang your hat on climate change?

And that is a great example of of an illustration of this principle. Usually, the most compelling narrative is the biggest hook that most people are invited to hang their hat on. Now I'm not making a value judgment on climate change at all, but I'll say this. The most compelling narrative isn't always true. And as we started this series, we thought we read a passage from the Old Testament that talked about god was through the prophet Isaiah was speaking words of judgement against an elected official in the like upper leadership of the king in the nation of Israel And he said he said, I'm gonna remove you from a from that position, and I'm going to install someone else.

And then he used a metaphor, and he said, lie. I will I he will be like, similar metaphor, a strong peg that I will drive into the wall, and he will be able to shoulder a lot of responsibility. Your beliefs about anything, especially very serious matters and matters of faith. God places so much value in you as an individual. He values your beliefs.

And the desire of his heart is that none of the beliefs where you would hang your hat would be hung on a peg that cannot bear the weight of your belief. Your belief is too valuable and important. He the desire of God's heart is that you would hang your hat on any number of beliefs only on a a hook or peg that would be strong enough to support that belief. Because how many of you know? And you don't need to raise your hand.

Every single hook that you have hung your beliefs. How about how about sex before marriage? How about homosexuality? How about Jesus as not just a great teacher, but an actual man who who lived in history and who was simultaneously fully human and fully god, who died on a Roman cross. Where do you hang your belief there?

Myth, something that my parents taught, learned in Sunday school, or have you hung your hat on I've met him? And there's nothing that you can say. No compelling narrative other than he is alive and he is real and he has saved me from my sin and washed me in the precious blood that he shed on Calvary. You can, to use a climbing phrase, you can yard on that all day long and it's a bomber hold. So, we've been talking.

We've been talking about various aspects, various hooks that that are relevant to us as as a society and as culture today. Before we get into today's conversation, let me just check-in with you to see if would you have any clarifying statements to add to what we've been talking about for, like, a moment or two, or would you have any questions that you would like me to to help you understand? I want you to be able to really grab a hold of what we're talking about.

You just brought up the concept of an experience that you can't deny. Alright. And I think the scripture that comes to heart for me is they overcame by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. You can hang your hat on your testimony no matter what anybody compels you to think otherwise. So

good. Other thoughts? Questions? If you have your bible with you this morning, would you turn to the book of Zechariah? While you're turning to the book of Zechariah, at the top of your notes, you can write the title of this morning's conversation.

We're in week three of this conversation, and we're going to talk about Israel, a stone in the path. You can write the title of that conversation down. Israel, a stone in the path. Zechariah chapter 12, and Kat will hand you the mic and would somebody please read out loud verses two through, excuse me, one, yeah. I have one and two right there.

Yep. Let's see. Hold on. Yes. Let's read one through three.

This message concerning the fate of Israel came from the Lord. This message is from the Lord who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the human spirit. I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicated Hold on.

Don't read it like a telephone book. You're doing great.

Sorry. Sorry.

Just just

Okay. Okay. Okay.

Like a delicious

This message concerning the faith of Israel came from the lord. This message is from the lord who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the human spirit. I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nations stagger when they send their armies to besiege Jerusalem and Judah. On that day, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves.

Alright. On that day so when you hear that phrase in the Old Testament, you hear it, you you hear it used in several different versions to just give you a little bit of context. Alright? On that day, on the day of judgment, on that great day, sometimes you hear on that the great and terrible day, but there's several different versions of this of the same theme so that whenever you read that in the Old Testament and you see it in the book of Revelation in the New Testament, that should that should make a little bell in your head go off. Ah, god is talking about an ultimate an ultimate experiential reality or fulfillment of that phrase.

There can be types and shadows and partial fulfillments. For example, after the seventy years of captivity in Babylon when Israel comes back into the land on that day, when I deliver Israel, there is a partial fulfillment and some of those partial fulfillments we've already seen in history but I just want you to make a little mental note in your brain. Whenever you hear that phrase, you can always look forward to a future literal fulfillment of that passage. And in fact, that's what we have here in Zechariah verse three. On the or let's go to verse two.

I will make Jerusalem like, he's using a metaphor here, an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nation stagger. Oh, quick pause. Stagger. Does anybody have a New Testament hyperlink that goes off in their brain when they hear this idea of stagger has to do with Jesus. Stagger, your hand's about to go up.

Stumble, lose your footing. Help me. Just say it. Oh, he is the cornerstone. Yes.

Yes. But there's there's a moment that let me let me see who might have the same hyperlink in their brain. Just shout it out.

Okay.

Okay. Alright. Well, we are kinda wanna we are kinda one of those churches, y'all. Be not drunk on the wine, instead be filled with the holy spirit. Okay?

So that's in the New Testament. I'm thinking about a an actual Jesus moment. Okay. When when he when he stumbles, so that's in the film, the passion of the Christ. We don't have anything in the text that says that he lost his footing.

Although he is tired and Joseph of Arama a man named Joseph of Cyrene comes to carry his cross because he's he's worn out and tired. Okay. Okay. We're getting a little closer there. Stagger, stumble, lose your footing to fall down, to fall back.

Get up. We go. There we go. In the Garden Of Gethsemane, when the Roman soldiers and the temple guards come to confront, we're here for Jesus of Nazareth, and he says, now, now, this is your chance. You can't fall down because you're already sitting but just like lean back dramatically for me but not yet.

Well, you gotta wait for the moment. We're here for Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus steps forward and says, I am he. Now some of y'all weren't playing along, so I'll give you another chance. The Roman soldiers step forward.

Remember, he's been betrayed by a kiss from Judas, and they're like, we're here for Jesus of Nazareth. He stepped forward and says, I'm the one who you're looking for. I am he. Oh. It's there there is an intended literary hyperlink there.

I have placed Jerusalem. I have made Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nation stagger. When they encounter Jerusalem, when the Roman soldiers and the temple guards encountered the man Jesus with his words, I am he. They lost their footing because well, I won't tell you why. You tell me why.

Why did they lose their footing? They had their beliefs about Jesus hung on the wrong foot, on the wrong peg. I said that you tell me, and then I just told you. Sorry. I just got too excited.

Are you seeing that connection now? Is there a little hyperlink like forming? I will I will make so you can so here's what you do. You look up that passage in the gospel of John, find its address, and then you flip back to Zechariah, and then you put that address there so that next time you're reading Zechariah and you come across that, you'll see that that verse in the New Testament, and that will help solidify that that connection in your brain. I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nation stagger when they send their armies to besiege Jerusalem and Judah.

Then he uses another another analogy. On that day uh-oh. Should be another hyperlink thinking about the the great and terrible day of judgment, the return of Jesus. I will make Jerusalem like an immovable rock. All of the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only jack their back.

As we read just a moment ago, god has placed Israel like a large stone in the path of the nations. Every single nation and every single person, including everyone under the sound of my voice this morning, whether you're gathered in this room, watching the livestream, or or are listening to the podcast at a later date, Israel is a stone in your path. And every individual must negotiate, navigate this stone. Some very popular narratives out there. What's the sum total of your beliefs, your thoughts on Israel?

Where do you hang your hat when it comes to the land, the people, and the city of the great king? And let's be honest. There's probably a really large number of you that's like, I I mean, I don't know. I haven't even I don't think of Israel often. I I don't know.

Even if you have a small amount of beliefs, the sum total of your beliefs, you're hanging your hat somewhere. Let's talk about just three really popular narratives that we, as as people, are invited to hang our hats when it comes to Israel. The first popular narrative is that Israel is a brutish, colonizing, apartheid state, oppressing native, innocent Palestinian people. Very popular right now. And there is a lot of substance put forward that is compelling, that would invite a person to hang their hat on that hook.

Compelling, very compelling. There's another popular narrative, another popular shiny hook with sparkles that says, forget Israel. There's always been conflict in The Middle East. There always will be conflict in The Middle East. I've got more important things to worry about, namely movies on Lifetime or just no.

It's not directed at anybody. It's just a for instance or for example. Or, like, why would I worry about Israel when I can just keep scrolling? Why would I worry about Israel when I've got I've while I'm on vacation, and I'm here in beautiful Jackson Hole looking at the scenery and white water rafting and hiking up Cascade Canyon and and feeling and enjoying the the cool mountain air. Like, Israel's so far away from me.

Like, it's just irrelevant. It's a very, very popular narrative that people are invited to hang their hat on. Yeah. It just doesn't really bother. This is they're always fighting and squabbling about something.

There's another popular narrative within the church that says and it's a small minority, although popular, small minority, who hold tightly to the position that Israel has had their chance and that God has removed his hand of blessing and covenant and protection from them, and it is now come to rest on us as Gentiles in the church. And so whatever happens to Israel is whatever happens to Israel. God has turned his back on them. And we need not concern ourselves with Israel because they are under god's mighty hand of judgment. And instead, we should be concerning ourselves with ourselves.

Israel's been broken off, cast aside, forgotten by god. And now and he has replaced Israel with the Gentile Christian church. It's a very popular narrative. And the comp there are many compelling aspects to that narrative because a person can cherry pick a good number of verses that would seem to support that narrative. So where have you hung your hat on the nation?

The where have you hung your hat, the totality of your beliefs about Israel? And since the war that broke out in on October 7, have you moved your hat from one hook to another? That would be that would be a really interesting question if we had if we were just, like, you know, sitting on my back deck and enjoying the the evening. That would be a really I would I I genuinely I genuinely would be interested to hear if you've moved your hat from one hook to another, and what's caused you to move your hat from one hook to another. Let me do this since we can't all sit on my back porch and enjoy a conversation together.

Let me do this. And this is the this is this is really safe question that I'll ask you. For how many of you first question. For how many of you you really didn't have a hook that you hung your beliefs on Israel until until after October 7, And now there is, you would say, there is a hook that you hang your hat now on. Raise your hand.

Okay. For how many of you next question. How many of you, you've moved your hat from one hook to another since October 7? Alright. A few more of you.

How many of you did not raise your hand on the last two questions? Alright. Alright. You all have you all had a belief on Israel. You you all did.

Maybe you were just like, I don't know. Maybe set it on the table. How many of you from the South and your mom or your grandma got got after you, seeing it's bad luck if you put your hat on the table? Yeah. I can see several southern moms in here be like, well, it is.

Oh,

should do I need to ask that question? For okay. For how many of you your your your hat didn't change hooks after October's okay. There we go. Alright.

Thank you for yeah. Thank you. Alright. Alright. Interesting.

You didn't change your you didn't move your hat from one hook to another after October 7. There were a lot of hands that went up. Most of your hands went up. Okay. Wow.

Interesting. Alright. I'm not going to tell you where you need to hang your hat, but I will let god's word tell you where to hang your hat. Then the question becomes, how much do you adhere to God's word when it's only convenient, when it only lines up with where you happen to already hang your hat? Have you laid down your life?

And you say, Lord, you tell me where to hang my hat about anything. Alright. You're the you're the boss. So what is what is what is god's word said? So let's first address the popular narrative that Israel is the bad guy and that Israel is at fault.

That is a narrative even though we've just seen a recent explosion of it in the media since October 7 and evermore so. It only it only builds louder and louder and louder. Just because it's louder doesn't mean it's true. Correct. Okay.

Good. You're all rational humans. Although it's very compelling. Hang your hat here. Hang your hat here.

Hang your hat here. Hang your hat here. Hang your hat here. Why don't you hang your hat here? Everybody's hanging their hat here.

Look how many hats are hung here. Hang your hat here. This narrative that Israel is the bad guy. This narrative is as old as the nation of Israel itself. There's a story in Nehemiah chapter four where exiles come back into the land that God has given them, and they're rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

And enemies of Israel are mocking the efforts of Israel to reestablish their sovereignty and to protect their own borders. In this instance, in Nehemiah chapter four, they're building a wall, but opponents and detractors of Israel mock and scorn Israel, and they say, look at that pathetic wall. If even a, what, little animal? Yes. Who said that?

Jonathan, very good. If even a little fox were to run on that wall, the wall would tumble and fall over and collapse in a heap of ruins. Mock and scorn and ridicule and finger pointing and name calling, the narrative that we're hearing about Israel is not new. It's old and boring. Oh my gosh.

Try something different. If even a little fox were to walk on this wall, why is Israel? Who are the who are you to say that you get to establish and protect your own boundaries? That is absurd and ridiculous. The the popular narrative that you're hearing today is as old and worn out and played out as the bible itself.

But why has this narrative been perpetuated for thousands of years? Why Israel? We have to dig deep to find the taproot of why the Jews are the most persecuted people group in the history of the world. And why the land of Israel, which is something like 8,750 square miles, the most contested piece of dirt in a totality of 57,000,000 square miles of dry ground on this ball of dirt we call Earth. By the way, 8,750 square miles is approximately point zero zero zero zero one sixth percent of the total land mass on planet Earth.

And if I were to put that in perspective for you, how many of you like regular M and M's or peanut M and M's? Regular M and M's? Peanut M and M's. Oh, lot of oh, how about recent peanut butter M and M's? Yeah.

Okay. Alright. Let's do peanut butter M and M's. Okay. If you are brain's like, okay.

I'm I'm back engaged. Oh. Oh. She likes those peanut butter m and m's. Alright.

So take your your normal large size shipping container. Can you picture that in your mind? Just a normal large shipping container. Fill it packed with peanut butter M and M's. That would represent the total square miles of dry ground on planet Earth.

Now if you were to remove the number of peanut m and m's that represented Israel, how many peanut butter M and M's would you have? That's right. A handful of 16 M and M's. 16 M and M's that don't melt in your hand but melt in your mouth, 16 of them compared to a container ship container Shipping. Shipping container full of them.

Such a small piece of ground, such a small tribe of people under persecution for thousands of years. Why? Why? Why Israel? Some somebody go ahead.

Say it one more time. It's it's god's city, the city of god. It is the place, the geographical physical location that the god, the creator of heaven and earth, the master of all of creation, and the lord of the entire universe has said, I have picked this piece of dirt as my home, and I have picked these people as my people. But that still doesn't quite explain the reason for the antagonism and hostility. For thousands of years, rancor, visceral persecution poured out on these people.

Could it possibly be that there's a truth here that we don't understand? Woah. Woah. I'm asking you the question. What's the truth in that little land and those people?

What is the truth in that little land and those people? Up to Chris and then back to Kate.

Could it possibly be because Satan knows that there's still so much battle that he can try and gain ground in in the hearts of people around the world?

Yeah. You're you're you're ping ping ping. I touched my nose. You're onto it. Let me hear what Kate has to say, and then we're gonna elaborate on that.

Yeah. I'm just, I'm hyperlinking this Zechariah passage with and then are talking with, almost like equating Jerusalem and Jesus and how the enemy thought when Jesus went to the cross that he had victory. Yeah. And that he brought death to this man. And I feel the same way about Jerusalem.

Like, the enemy is just has so much messaging and so, you know, much, yeah, just set against Jerusalem because he's he's he knows that if he can keep Jerusalem under other powers that it'll he thinks it'll thwart god's plans. Yes. And so there's so much energy going towards that.

You you guy you guys are so on the right track. If we zoom out, we have all of the pertinent information we will ever need contained within this book, the canon of scripture, the Old Testament, New Testament. Although there's some deuterocanonical works that we do not take as as scripture but can shed some color and light on the great cosmic unfolding of history that the Bible tells us that there was an angel, a cherubim, the most beautiful of all of the spiritual beings who says that his place was so close to the throne that he stood on on on coals of flaming fire that close to the throne, and he was in charge of the music. He was a choir director directing twenty four seven praise and and and adoration towards the throne room of god. And because he occupied such a close place and position and because he was so beautiful and because he had so many gifts and talents and there was so much favor on this being's life that all of the spiritual beings in the heavenly realm, god's big cosmic family, they're all created with free will.

And pride entered into this being's heart. And he's like, why should god get all the credit and all the glory? This is this this is a story from the Bible. Pride enter into his heart, and then he said, well, I will he the Bible records one thing, but he did two things. I will ascend to the throne myself.

But then from some some deuterocanonical work like extra biblical literature that we can read to see to fill in some colors and some shading that we also get a glimpse of in Genesis chapter six that not only did he go up, he came down. The daughters of Adam caught the eye of these spiritual beings, and they desired to have them as their own and as they took them as their own, they created offspring that were hybrids, human part, human, part spiritual. The Bible says that they were men of renowned demigods, and we see that all throughout our lore, Greek, Roman mythology, and and and god said, you've stepped across the boundary line of my cosmic order. You're done and you're out. He was cast down out of heaven into this realm, out of the presence of the stones of fire.

The man whose eyes burned like fire, whose hair is white as wool, who lives in unapproachable light. And he became twisted with envy and hate and jealousy because he saw that god so loved the world. The first thing he did was create man and woman in his image. And then he placed them in a beautiful garden where he would have that fellowship with him that Satan or Lucifer has been excluded from. And Satan became the very first vandal committing acts of vandalism.

Because he couldn't get at god and because he had created no thing of beauty or or anything worthwhile on his own as all vandals do, all they can do is tear down and destroy and spray graffiti on other people's hard work and sacrifice in artistic beauty. He is a vandal. And his goal has been to tear at humanity and knowing what you guys have just said. Knowing that in Genesis three, when the curse was pronounced, there was also a messianic promise. The very first promise that God said, from the seed of the woman, there will come what we know of as an anointed one, Christ, a messiah, a savior.

And since that time, Satan has been studying human history and human and human the human race and the family of God. And the moment that god said among all of the other nations, I'm gonna pick this motley crew, this rabble, this this nothing special about them group of people, and I'm going to reveal myself to them. I'm going to give them my laws and my covenants. They are intended to be a kingdom of of priests that serve me and are a light unto the nations. Satan's like, oh, that's who the Messiah is gonna come through, and that's who I'm going after.

And for thousands of years, whether it has been the the Canaanites that were living in that region before god said, this is the land I'm giving you and has dogged the heel of the Israelites through pharaoh who commanded that their off offspring be thrown into the Nile River through a program of systematic genocide, through Babylonian invasion, Assyrian invasion, Roman occupation, pogroms, and death camps throughout Europe. There has been a systematic attempt to wipe out the people and the covenant of Israel because Satan is a vandal. So when so when you ask that that that beautiful question, oh, why? It is because Satan is a vandal, and all he can do is try to tear down and pollute and destroy the most beautiful of god's plans. A special people group, a messiah to come.

And when Jesus came on Earth, the world didn't recognize him. The enemy thought, oh, maybe this is he they the enemy knew even though us people didn't that that was the son of god. Remember what Jesus said? Maybe it was Mark chapter three, but I think he does it in Mark a couple of times. Like, he casts out a demon like, have you come to torment us, Jesus, son of the most high god?

And he's like, shut up. They knew. Remember the the the the pigs on the hillside, is now the time that you've come to, like, it's not yet. It's not yet because there is coming a time. Why such popular narrative inviting us to hang our hat on the nation of Israel?

It is a false narrative that Israel is the bad guy. If you're hanging your hat there, you're welcome to hang your hat anywhere you want. But I'm telling you, if you hang your hat on the narrative that Israel is the bad guy, Number one, it is a false narrative. It is out of and number two, it is out of line with the entire context of scripture. And I do feel like it's that I do need to say, even though Israel, as the Bible describes it, as God's firstborn, and the children whom God first shared his covenant with, that does not mean that Israel is perfect and can do no wrong.

It's important to to say that because I don't want you to think that I'm looking at the nation of Israel with some sort of rose colored glasses. All you need to do is look at the history of Israel in their relationship with the lord to have those rose colored glasses yanked right off of your face. Turn in your bibles to Deuteronomy chapter seven, and we're gonna start to land the plane. Verses six and nine. Six through nine.

That's really small. I crammed it all up there on the screen. Deuteronomy chapter seven verse six and nine. Here is the truth. For you are a holy people who belong to the lord your god.

Of all of the people on earth, the lord your god has chosen you, the nation of Israel, to be his own special treasure. The lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you are more numerous than the other nations, because you're perfect, because you're the most moral, because because you can do no wrong. That's not what he's saying. For you are the smallest of all of the nations. Rather, it was simply that the lord loves you.

And he was keeping the oath that he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of pharaoh, king of Egypt. Understand therefore that the lord your god is indeed god. He is the faithful god who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his command. We are not excluded from this.

As people of the new covenant, we're not excluded from it at all. We get in on it. Cozy right in there, just scooch on in. We're invited to. But know that this was first said, and it is for Israel.

Two more verses, two more places. Isaiah chapter nine. Let's turn there. I'll start reading in verse one and we're not gonna go past verse seven. Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever.

The land of Zebulon and Nephtali will be humbled, But there will be a time in the future when Galilee Of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. What's that? A hyperlink to? Jesus. That's right.

Good good job. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. You will enlarge the nation of Israel and its people will rejoice. You will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder.

For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor's rod just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian. It's yes and. Is there an oppressive yoke on your shoulders today of gloom, of of spiritual oppression, of chemical depression? This verse is for you today.

It's yes and. It's for you today, and it was for Israel as they came out of bondage and bondage and captivity in Egypt. Yes. And when Israel came out from under being exiled in Babylon. And, yes, and there is a futural a future literal fulfillment that we look forward to.

My theological position is I would be a futurist. Jesus is coming back riding on the clouds with heaven. We who are alive on the earth, we will receive resurrected bodies. We will join him in the clouds as he returns to Earth and then after he puts his enemies under his foot and makes them his footstool, we get to partner with him for a thousand years to renew and to rejuvenate planet Earth. All of those all of those desires that are in your heart to see justice, to see social justice, to see environmental justice, the pollution, and the raping and pillaging of this planet to destroy our planet for just the greedy gobbling of our natural resources, we get to partner with the lord in renewing the earth.

That's why you have those in you because I also believe that we very well could be living in the generation of the lord's return. It's for a future fulfillment. You will break the oppressor's rod just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian, the boots of the warrior, and the uniforms blood stained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire, for a child is born to us, a son is given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders. A hook that the government of the nations will rest on him, and he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty god, everlasting father, prince of peace.

His government and its peace will never end. This is a narrative that you can hang your hat on. I said there were there that there was just one more Matthew chapter 21 verse 44 It's up on the screen. Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces and it will crush anyone on whom it falls. Israel is a stone in your path.

You can't try to leverage it out of the way. You can't try to lift it and put it in a nice convenient box. You will throw your back out. The best thing that you can do when it comes to the nation of Israel is throw yourself on the rock which is Jesus. Allow him to shatter any preconceived notions you may have about the nation of Israel, the people of the covenant, or the city of the great king, and allow him to reform a biblical theology of the nation of Israel and his covenant with those people.

You will be shattered. But it is better to fall on that rock and be shattered than for you to be foolish or arrogant enough to try to lift that stone with your own strength and put it in a box or a category or to try to roll it out of your way. The words that I've been saying for the last fifteen, twenty seconds or so are more spiritual than practical. Your brain might not be getting it, but my prayers that my words are piercing your spirit. What will you do with Israel?

You must fall on the rock of Jesus and be shattered. You can pretend that it's not there. You can try to roll it out of the way and throw your back out or you can fall on that rock and be shattered. Jesus, you tell me. It's the stone that will only grow in size and in irritation to the nations of the world.

It's better now allow the Holy Spirit to help you form a biblical theology of Israel. Not a church historical perspective, not dogma. Holy Spirit, what do you want me to know about the nation of Israel and where I stand? That's what it means to fall on the rock and be shattered. Caleb, is that making any sense?

I love your honest answer. Holy Spirit, help us. This is a brave prayer to pray right now. Lord Jesus, look at the hat rack of my life and closely examine where have I been hanging my Israel hat on what hook? Does my hat belong there?

Or do you need me to move it? And the surrendered heart will say, I'll hang my hat wherever you want me to, Jesus. You just take care of some business with the lord Perhaps somebody in here is thinking I'm kind of with you, Brian. Israel, okay. Okay.

Maybe I should care a little bit more about Israel. But you are facing an immediate circumstance that is screaming at you. And it's important to you. Okay. Awesome.

Cool. I don't want to devalue that or dismiss to to tippy tippy topest. Second to tippy topest. And everybody knows what tippy topest means, right? The mostest.

Very good. Important thing on God's heart. The most important thing is the sacrifice of his son on the cross. All things were created through him and by him. He's the alpha, the omega, the beginning, and the end.

He created all things and sustains all things. He is the all in all penultimate second tippy top is Israel. And if you study god's heart for Israel, you will develop a heart for Israel and then you will see your circumstance. You will see your specific circumstance in the nation of Israel because they've been there and done all that. And you will see how God treated and loved and was patient with and delivered and poured out his affection and had to chastise many times Israel, and you will see yourself in the story of Israel.

Your love for Israel will grow. Your love for your father will grow. Your love for Jesus as he stood on the Mount Of Olives overlooking Jerusalem and said, oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I've longed to gather you. He says, the city that stones the prophets and kills the messengers, how I've longed to gather you, Israel, you Gentiles, under my wings, like a hen does her chicks. But I'm struggling with sobriety.

I'm struggling with with this this stigma of a divorce that hangs over my head thinking that I'm damaged goods and I'm struggling with like not being able to pay these medical bills that are stacking up. I'm telling you. I'm telling you. Gaze intently upon Israel and god's love for Israel not to idolize Israel. But you will see yourself in Israel, and you will see how God has dealt with Israel, and you will suddenly see yourself in Israel's shoes and how he loved and has provided for Israel.

Yep. Let me pray for you, and we'll get out of here. Jesus help us. Help us where we hang our hat when it comes to the nation of Israel. Help us.

Father, I pray for that you would touch hearts of individuals to just to just be like, you know what? I I was going to do this one thing. I was going to maybe like watch a Lifetime movie on the TV this afternoon and just relax, but but Lord, maybe I feel you touching my heart to like go to the town square at 5PM today. Lord, give us the courage to take a stand for what's precious to your heart today. And father, I pray for the hearts of every individual gathered here.

Meet their needs according to your riches and glory. Speak peace and healing and freedom and deliverance and joy over the people here and I command a special blessing on anybody that's joining us here today that took time out of their precious, valuable vacation to come to Jackson Hole and come to church this morning. Bless them, lord. Show em how much you love em by like letting em see a bear or something. Better yet, just touch their heart.

Give us a great week. We pray these things in Jesus name, the strong son of god and everybody said, amen. I love you so very much. I want you to have a great week. And remember, Braden, you got this.

Have a great week.