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Behold Him · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: For the word of the cross is foolishness to those
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  Speaker 1: who are dying, but to us who are being saved,
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  Speaker 1: it is God. 1 Corinthians 1.18 Dear Lord Jesus, we
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  Speaker 1: stand in awe of your incarnation, humbled that you would
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  Speaker 1: choose us to witness your love and grace. Fill our
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  Speaker 1: hearts with reverence for your holiness. Give us the boldness
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  Speaker 1: to share your good news without fear of rejection or failure.
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  Speaker 1: We know that the message of your gospel holds the
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  Speaker 1: power to change and transform lives. May we press forward
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  Speaker 1: with boldness and joy, sharing with others the same message
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  Speaker 1: that has changed our lives. May our lives echo the
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  Speaker 1: shepherd's song of hope and redemption. Empower us with your
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  Speaker 1: spirit to be bold, brave, and humble in the presence
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  Speaker 1: of others. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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  Speaker 2: Go therefore and see for yourselves. You will find the
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  Speaker 2: baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. The
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  Speaker 2: angel continued, his words infused with an urgency that set
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  Speaker 2: their hearts aflame. As he spoke, The choir of angels
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  Speaker 2: slowly rose their voices. The light swirled to the rising
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  Speaker 2: and falling of their harmony. Finally, the song crescendoed into
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  Speaker 2: a resonating song of praise. Then, as suddenly as it
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  Speaker 2: had come, the light dissipated, leaving the valley bathed in
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  Speaker 2: the soft glow of the stars once more. The melodies
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  Speaker 2: of heaven were replaced by the gentle whispers of the
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  Speaker 2: evening wind and a few chirping crickets. The shepherds sat,
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  Speaker 2: stunned and silent, their minds reeling from the vision they
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  Speaker 2: had just witnessed. The oldest shepherd turned to his companions.
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  Speaker 2: Did we all just see that, or is this old
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  Speaker 2: man finally losing his mind? The two others nodded their
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  Speaker 2: heads in confirmation that they had all borne witness, still
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  Speaker 2: stunned by what they had seen. Slowly, their eyes turned
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  Speaker 2: towards Bethlehem, where a few torchlights still flickered in the distance.
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  Speaker 2: Resting above the city was a new star, radiant and singular,
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  Speaker 2: Unlike any they had seen before, the older shepherd turned
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  Speaker 2: to his young friend and laughed. You may get to
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  Speaker 2: see royalty after all! They all laughed with unexplainable joy.
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  Speaker 2: With a shared understanding, they rose, leaving their belongings behind,
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  Speaker 2: their steps quickening as they ran towards Bethlehem. Their hearts
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  Speaker 2: were aflame with a joy they could not contain and
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  Speaker 2: a purpose they could not deny.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. This episode explores the themes
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  Speaker 3: of reverence, evangelism, and the humbling joy of being chosen
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  Speaker 3: to witness God's goodness. In our last episode, a small
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  Speaker 3: group of shepherds were visited by a choir of angels
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  Speaker 3: proclaiming the newborn King. With passion in their hearts, the
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  Speaker 3: shepherds will embark on a search for a child lying
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  Speaker 3: in a manger. Their search for Jesus mirrors our own.
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  Speaker 3: We stumble in darkness looking for hope around every corner
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  Speaker 3: and when we finally find Jesus joy abounds in our hearts.
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  Speaker 3: I pray that this story will be a beacon of
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  Speaker 3: hope for anyone lost in darkness. The Gospel of John
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  Speaker 3: describes Jesus as a light that darkness cannot overcome. The
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  Speaker 3: closer you are to Christ the further you are from darkness.
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  Speaker 3: Now Let's place ourselves in the sandals of these shepherds.
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  Speaker 3: Let's step into the presence of Christ and feel the
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  Speaker 3: gravity of His goodness. This story will showcase the transformative
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  Speaker 3: power of Jesus' presence and how it changes us from
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  Speaker 3: the inside out. After this story, we'll unpack themes and
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  Speaker 3: lessons to take into our daily walk with God.
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  Speaker 2: The city of Bethlehem was still asleep. Silence covered the
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  Speaker 2: night like a warm blanket. Dawn was approaching to welcome
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  Speaker 2: the chirping of birds and the humming of vendors preparing
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  Speaker 2: for the day. The tranquil silence of the morning was
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  Speaker 2: interrupted by the ragged breaths of shepherds desperately searching for
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  Speaker 2: a child swaddled in a manger. Are we sure we
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  Speaker 2: heard the angel correctly? One of them asked. Would the
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  Speaker 2: child really be found in a feeding trough? It seemed absurd,
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  Speaker 2: but then again. It was absurd for a choir of
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  Speaker 2: angels to visit a few lowly shepherds. The wisdom of
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  Speaker 2: God seemed like foolishness to the world. None of it
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  Speaker 2: makes sense, the older shepherds said with a chuckle, but
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  Speaker 2: we know what we heard and saw. The companions paced
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  Speaker 2: through town, looking behind fences and walls for any sign
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  Speaker 2: of a baby in a manger. Their enthusiasm didn't wane,
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  Speaker 2: especially when they heard the faint cries of a newborn
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  Speaker 2: baby in the distance. The shepherds followed the sound down
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  Speaker 2: a cobbled stairway of an inn. Carved into the side
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  Speaker 2: of the hill, a flickering oil lamp revealed shadows of
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  Speaker 2: two people leaning over a crying baby. The baby's crying
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  Speaker 2: turned to soft whimpers, eventually soothed by his mother's voice.
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  Speaker 2: The shepherds inched closer, finally stopping at its entrance. When
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  Speaker 2: they reached the stable, their bodies froze in reverence. Their
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  Speaker 2: minds grappled with the enormity of what lay within. Like
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  Speaker 2: Moses near the burning bush, They knew that they were
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  Speaker 2: on holy ground. The air was thick with expectancy as
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  Speaker 2: they peered into the shadows. Joseph met their eyes and
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  Speaker 2: stood up. He stepped forward, blocking their view of his
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  Speaker 2: wife and child. Who are you? he asked sternly. Mary
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  Speaker 2: reached out and touched his arm, her eyes filled with understanding.
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  Speaker 2: They came to see him, she whispered, her eyes soft
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  Speaker 2: and tired. Joseph's eyes softened and he nodded, stepping aside
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  Speaker 2: to allow the shepherds to approach. With hesitant steps, the
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  Speaker 2: shepherds came closer, their hearts fluttering with awe and eyes
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  Speaker 2: brimming with tears. The humble surroundings faded away as they
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  Speaker 2: beheld him. The baby Jesus lay in a manger, his
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  Speaker 2: tiny form wrapped in swaddling clothes, his face radiant with
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  Speaker 2: innocence and promise. They were overwhelmed with joy and humility.
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  Speaker 2: God chose these simple men to witness his newborn son.
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  Speaker 2: The knowledge was a weight and a blessing, a secret
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  Speaker 2: that filled them with a reverence they had never known.
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  Speaker 2: The younger shepherd of the three stepped forward with humility.
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  Speaker 2: He pulled out a woolen blanket he had woven himself
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  Speaker 2: from his lambs. He handed it to Mary. His voice,
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  Speaker 2: choked with emotion, faltered as he spoke. For the child,
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  Speaker 2: a humble gift. Mary's eyes beamed with gratitude as she
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  Speaker 2: accepted the offering, her lips curving into a gentle smile.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you, she whispered. Her voice was warm and soothing.
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  Speaker 2: The shepherds bowed to Jesus, their bodies trembling with the
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  Speaker 2: enormity of the moment. A profound and unbreakable connection had
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  Speaker 2: been forged, a moment in time that would resonate throughout
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  Speaker 2: the ages. Mary didn't say anything. She pondered everything in
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  Speaker 2: her heart, wondering what the future held for Jesus. The
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  Speaker 2: shepherds stood and bowed their heads to Mary and Joseph.
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  Speaker 2: They exited the stable, stealing one final glance at the
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  Speaker 2: child before they left. The sun began to rise over
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  Speaker 2: the hills, painting the sky with hues of gold and pink.
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  Speaker 2: Their hearts were filled with an overflowing well of joy.
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  Speaker 2: Their contemplative walk slowly turned into a dance of praise
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  Speaker 2: and worship. Soon enough, the shepherds were shouting through the streets,
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  Speaker 2: their voices raised in worship and faces glowing with a
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  Speaker 2: light that drew curious onlookers. Some shook their heads, thinking
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  Speaker 2: the shepherds were crazy, drunk, or both. But the shepherds,
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  Speaker 2: undeterred by scorn, proclaimed that the Messiah had been born,
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  Speaker 2: and they had been privileged to see him. Word began
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  Speaker 2: to spread like ripples in a pond, the whispers growing
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  Speaker 2: in strength and conviction. The shepherds' testimony, although unlikely, rekindled
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  Speaker 2: hope in a few who heard it. If the Messiah
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  Speaker 2: had truly been born, then hope for Israel was alive.
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  Speaker 2: The testimony reached the ears of some of the servants
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  Speaker 2: of Herod, the land's ruler. Their faces paled, their hearts
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  Speaker 2: pounding with fear and hope. They did not tell Herod,
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  Speaker 2: choosing instead to hold silent, their minds filled with dreams
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  Speaker 2: of redemption from the oppression of Rome. Once weighed down
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  Speaker 2: by sorrow and suffering, the land seemed to awaken to
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  Speaker 2: a new possibility. The whispers grew into a chorus of voices,
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  Speaker 2: a community united by faith and longing. In that humble stable,
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  Speaker 2: a child had been born, a king who would change
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  Speaker 2: the world. The shepherds, once forgotten guardians of their flock,
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  Speaker 2: had become heralds of a new era, their voices resonating
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  Speaker 2: with a truth that would transcend time and space. As
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  Speaker 2: the day unfolded, the sun casting a golden glow on
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  Speaker 2: the land, the shepherds returned to their fields. Their souls
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  Speaker 2: were forever changed. They looked to the bright blue skies
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  Speaker 2: and basked in the sun's warmth. Their eyes would permanently
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  Speaker 2: be filled with wonder and gratitude that God had chosen
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  Speaker 2: them to bear witness to his greatest gift. It was
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  Speaker 2: a story they would tell for the rest of their lives,
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  Speaker 2: a tale of faith and providence, of humility and grace.
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  Speaker 2: They had stood on holy ground and they had witnessed
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  Speaker 2: God incarnate. In the silence of the fields, as the
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  Speaker 2: sheep grazed and the world moved on, they would remember
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  Speaker 2: and they would give thanks, their voices raised in a
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  Speaker 2: song that would echo through the ages, a melody of
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  Speaker 2: hope and redemption.
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  Speaker 3: I want us all to pause for a moment and
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  Speaker 3: consider how strange this scene would be to an ancient reader.
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  Speaker 3: The God of all creation chose to dwell among us,
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  Speaker 3: not in the form of a tyrant or warrior, but
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  Speaker 3: as a child. When he was born, he chose to
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  Speaker 3: be born from a poor family, in a stable, set
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  Speaker 3: in a feeding trough, and as he lay there in
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  Speaker 3: a manger, his first worshipers were a few lowly shepherds.
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  Speaker 3: God packaged a remarkable event in unremarkable circumstances. This is
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  Speaker 3: proof to us that God uses the foolish things of
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  Speaker 3: this world to confound the wisdom of the wise. We
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  Speaker 3: often want to see God move in mighty and miraculous
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  Speaker 3: ways like Moses parting the seas or Elijah calling down
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  Speaker 3: fire from heaven. Still, the Christmas story reminds us that
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  Speaker 3: God is also at work in life's mundane and unremarkable margins.
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  Speaker 3: God chose to move in a run-down stable environment surrounded
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  Speaker 3: by ordinary shepherds. Therefore, he can work in your life
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  Speaker 3: as well. The shepherds' reaction as they entered the stable
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  Speaker 3: was pure awe. They felt the weight of the moment.
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  Speaker 3: They were in the presence of something holy and divine.
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  Speaker 3: In today's fast-paced, noisy world, the concept of reverence can
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  Speaker 3: seem outdated and out of touch. Yet these simple men
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  Speaker 3: teach us timeless lessons about reverence. and worship. What does
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  Speaker 3: it mean to have reference and awe for God? First,
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  Speaker 3: it means to recognize God's holiness. Just as Moses stood
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  Speaker 3: before the burning bush, the shepherds realized that they were
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  Speaker 3: on holy ground and responded accordingly. This encounter invites us
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  Speaker 3: to recognize God's sanctity in our lives. Do we approach
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  Speaker 3: God with the recognition that He is holy and set
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  Speaker 3: apart from us? Second, the shepherds allowed themselves to be
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  Speaker 3: suspended in wonder. Their hearts were fluttering with awe in
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  Speaker 3: the presence of Christ. This awe and wonder at God's
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  Speaker 3: nature is something we can cultivate by reflecting on God's greatness,
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  Speaker 3: His love, and His works in our lives. It requires
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  Speaker 3: us to pause and ponder and press in to the
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  Speaker 3: glory of God. When was the last time you stepped
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  Speaker 3: back and allowed yourself to be in awe of God? Lastly,
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  Speaker 3: the shepherds responded to God's holiness with evangelism. The shepherds
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  Speaker 3: didn't keep their experience to themselves. They went out into
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  Speaker 3: the streets, proclaiming the birth of the Messiah. Despite scorn
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  Speaker 3: and misunderstanding, the shepherds boldly shared the good news. We
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  Speaker 3: are called to share our faith with others, not fearing rejection.
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  Speaker 3: Their testimony ignited hope in the hearts of those who heard.
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  Speaker 3: Sharing our faith can catalyze hope in a world often
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  Speaker 3: weighed down by despair. Some people will doubt your testimony,
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  Speaker 3: and others will receive it gladly. 1 Corinthians 1, verse
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  Speaker 3: 18 tells us that the gospel is folly to those
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  Speaker 3: who are perishing, but to those who believe, it's a
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  Speaker 3: source of power. The realization that they were chosen to
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  Speaker 3: witness this event overwhelmed the shepherds with joy and humility.
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  Speaker 3: The shepherds were simple men, yet they were chosen. This
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  Speaker 3: is a profound reminder that God's choosing is not based
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  Speaker 3: on status or worldly qualifications, but on His grace. My friends,
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  Speaker 3: you are chosen. You are chosen to be witnesses to
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  Speaker 3: the light and love of Christ. Just as the shepherds
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  Speaker 3: proclaimed the Messiah in the city streets, so too should
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  Speaker 3: we boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus. May this
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  Speaker 3: Christmas season awaken us a renewed reverence, a boldness to
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  Speaker 3: share the joy of Christ, and a profound gratitude that
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  Speaker 3: we have been chosen to be part of God's marvelous plan.
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  Speaker 3: Thanks for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com
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  Speaker 3: sure to visit jagram.org. God bless you.