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The Birth of Jesus · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him
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  Speaker 1: in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because
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  Speaker 1: there was no room for them in the inn. Luke
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  Speaker 1: 2.7 Lord, I know that you are the creator of
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  Speaker 1: all things. Because you have already planned out my life,
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  Speaker 1: I will not allow myself to be disheartened when I
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  Speaker 1: am led to give birth to my dreams in undesired circumstances.
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  Speaker 1: Like Jesus, My calling isn't determined by my surroundings, but
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  Speaker 1: is determined by my anointing. With this truth guiding my life,
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  Speaker 1: I thank you that when you bring forth your promise
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  Speaker 1: through me, you will also bring people like Simeon to
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  Speaker 1: me to confirm what you've spoken over my life. I
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  Speaker 1: will not despise the location of my beginnings because I
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  Speaker 1: know that where I currently am isn't where I'll end up.
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  Speaker 1: Like Jesus, you've called me with a purpose, and I'll
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  Speaker 1: shine bright no matter where I start. Because with you, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: I know that my finish line will be glorious. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To
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  Speaker 1: hear the Bible come to life, stay tuned for The
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  Speaker 1: Bible in a Year, brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: The birth of Jesus. In our last story, we learned
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  Speaker 2: about the birth of John. The child was born to
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  Speaker 2: be a proclaimer of the Messiah and make way for
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  Speaker 2: his arrival. We also witnessed the call of Mary to
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  Speaker 2: be the mother of God's Son. Although she was a virgin,
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  Speaker 2: she would bear the child of God, the promised Messiah.
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  Speaker 2: Mary felt the weight of this calling, but resolved in
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  Speaker 2: her heart to see it through. Now we learn about
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  Speaker 2: the birth of God's chosen hero. Jesus, the Son of God,
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  Speaker 2: would be born in the most humble of ways, among animals, shepherds,
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  Speaker 2: and a manger, inspired by the Gospels.
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  Speaker 3: I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
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  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would absolutely love
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  Speaker 3: to send you my daily devotional that will give you
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  Speaker 3: fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment
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  Speaker 3: we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
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  Speaker 3: the pillow, there are thousands of things demanding our attention.
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  Speaker 3: But it's in the midst of all this crush and
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  Speaker 3: hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
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  Speaker 3: truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
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  Speaker 3: you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing
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  Speaker 3: Word by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.
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  Speaker 3: So visit jackgram.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.
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  Speaker 3: That's jackgram.org, jackgram.org. In yesterday's episode, we heard about John
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  Speaker 3: the Baptist who came before Jesus to announce a new
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  Speaker 3: age of liberation, celebration, and salvation. We heard how both
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  Speaker 3: Elizabeth and Mary received news of an unlikely, astonishing, miraculous pregnancy.
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  Speaker 3: These righteous women submitted to God's will and served Him
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  Speaker 3: in a powerful way as mothers to babies who would
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  Speaker 3: grow into men that changed history. Today, we'll hear of
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  Speaker 3: the birth of the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus. His coming was
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  Speaker 3: not as anyone had expected, but rather the birth took
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  Speaker 3: place in a humble stable. His welcoming party was thrown
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  Speaker 3: by dirty shepherds, the outcast of society. So let's listen
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  Speaker 3: now to God's Word.
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  Speaker 2: It was late, and the night sky was painted with
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  Speaker 2: bright stars. Joseph looked up at the vastness of the universe.
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  Speaker 2: He felt small sitting under the galaxies. and thought about
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  Speaker 2: the great plans of God. Then he looked down to
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  Speaker 2: see Mary lying on her side under the blankets. Joseph
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  Speaker 2: stroked her hair and covered her shoulders with the covers.
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  Speaker 2: They were on their way to Bethlehem for the census.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph had wed Mary despite his doubts. It hurt at
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  Speaker 2: first when he saw that she was with child, but
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  Speaker 2: the Lord was faithful and visited him in a dream.
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  Speaker 2: He told him of how Mary became pregnant. Joseph went
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  Speaker 2: from overwhelming heartbreak to overwhelming gratitude. Why did the Lord
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  Speaker 2: choose me, he thought to himself. He was honored and
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  Speaker 2: felt the intense responsibility of caring for the Son of
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  Speaker 2: God and his mother. He sat up all night, determined
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  Speaker 2: to protect her and the unborn child. In just a
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  Speaker 2: day's time, they would be in Bethlehem, the birthplace of David.
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  Speaker 2: It was where Joseph's family was from. He looked at
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  Speaker 2: his wife, filled with tender love for her and the
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  Speaker 2: baby living within. She would give birth any day now,
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  Speaker 2: and Joseph knew time was running out to get into Bethlehem.
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  Speaker 2: The sun peeked its head above the valley, and Mary
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  Speaker 2: awoke gracefully to the sound of chirping birds. She watched
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  Speaker 2: as Joseph was already packing the donkey for the journey.
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  Speaker 2: She saddled up and rode as Joseph walked beside them.
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  Speaker 2: After a full day's journey, the couple could see Bethlehem
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  Speaker 2: in the distance. As they entered the city, Mary began
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  Speaker 2: to feel the pains of labor. Joseph rushed door to
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  Speaker 2: door trying to find a place for the two of
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  Speaker 2: them to stay, but the census had brought far too
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  Speaker 2: many people. They finally knocked on the door of an inn.
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  Speaker 2: Although there was no room for them, they had a
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  Speaker 2: stable where the animals slept. So Joseph and Mary settled there.
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  Speaker 2: As the sun was setting over the western horizon, Mary's
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  Speaker 2: screams echoed throughout the cave-like stable. The pain was unbearable
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  Speaker 2: and the animals were stirring as they watched her labor.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph was beside Mary the whole time, unwavering in his
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  Speaker 2: devotion to her. Just as the sun finished its descent,
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  Speaker 2: the sound of a baby's cries filled the stable. In
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  Speaker 2: the distance, a group of shepherds gazed at the stars
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  Speaker 2: as the sheep settled for the night. The valley was silent,
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  Speaker 2: and the tall grass swayed to the light breeze. Suddenly,
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  Speaker 2: as if the sky was cut open by a long blade,
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  Speaker 2: an angel appeared in light. The radiance of the Lord's
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  Speaker 2: glory surrounded them, and they were terrified. Do not be frightened,
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  Speaker 2: the angel reassured. I have come with good news. In
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  Speaker 2: the town of Bethlehem lies a baby. He is swaddled
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  Speaker 2: securely in a manger at the inn stables. This child
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  Speaker 2: is the Messiah, the Lord, the Savior of the world
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  Speaker 2: and redemption of mankind. The shepherds were speechless. They listened
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  Speaker 2: closely to the angel's words. Then the light radiated even brighter,
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  Speaker 2: and the angel was surrounded by a choir of more angels, singing,
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  Speaker 2: Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and
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  Speaker 2: goodwill towards mankind. And like a vapor in the wind,
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  Speaker 2: they vanished. The shepherds sat there in the quiet. They
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  Speaker 2: could barely believe what had just happened to them. God
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  Speaker 2: had not spoken to mankind in four hundred years since
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  Speaker 2: the prophets. Now, in the dead of night, he decided
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  Speaker 2: to speak to a small group of lowly shepherds. The
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  Speaker 2: wind whistled across the valley, and the sheep were sleeping
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  Speaker 2: soundly in place. The shepherds left their things and ran
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  Speaker 2: towards Bethlehem. They searched the city for hours until they
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  Speaker 2: found the inn. They peered down a small hill towards
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  Speaker 2: the back. Below were a few lights illuminating a small
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  Speaker 2: stable carved into the hill. They approached quietly. There, in
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  Speaker 2: the coolness of the night, they saw him. The baby
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  Speaker 2: was sleeping soundly in a manger surrounded by straw and
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  Speaker 2: torn cloth. He was the most marvelous thing they had
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  Speaker 2: ever seen. He did not glow or speak. He did
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  Speaker 2: not cry in a strange tomb or radiate flames. But
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  Speaker 2: the child was absolutely special. The shepherds knew without a
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  Speaker 2: shadow of a doubt that they were in the presence
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  Speaker 2: of the King of Israel, the Promised One, the Savior
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  Speaker 2: of the world, Jesus Christ. The shepherds fell on their
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  Speaker 2: faces in worship, Tears streamed down their rough faces. Why
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  Speaker 2: would the Lord send them to be the first? They
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  Speaker 2: were but lowly shepherds. The thought humbled them beyond words.
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  Speaker 2: They left the stable and proclaimed what they had seen
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  Speaker 2: in the city streets. Then they returned to their flocks,
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  Speaker 2: praising God for all they had witnessed. Eight days later,
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  Speaker 2: a man named Simeon sat at the gates of the
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  Speaker 2: temple in Jerusalem. He was advanced in years and waited
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  Speaker 2: near the temple gates every day. The Lord had told
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  Speaker 2: him long ago that he would witness the Messiah, so
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  Speaker 2: he waited patiently. He prayed in the shade of the
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  Speaker 2: temple walls until the Holy Spirit tugged on his heart.
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  Speaker 2: He opened his eyes and saw Mary and Joseph entering
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  Speaker 2: the temple courtyard with a small child. They were coming
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  Speaker 2: to present their child to the Lord and dedicate him
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  Speaker 2: accordingly to the law of Moses. Simeon's heart fluttered in
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  Speaker 2: his chest. Tears fell down his cheeks as he hobbled
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  Speaker 2: over to the child. Startled, Mary stepped back and held
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  Speaker 2: Jesus close. But then she looked at the man's eyes. Joy.
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  Speaker 2: Overwhelming and honest joy could be seen in his eyes.
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  Speaker 2: Mary rested him in Simeon's arms. The old man held
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  Speaker 2: the baby and cried out loud to the heavens. He
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  Speaker 2: held the boy up and praised God. Oh my God,
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  Speaker 2: now I may rest in peace. I have seen your
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  Speaker 2: salvation and held it in my arms. He is the
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  Speaker 2: light of the Lord. Simeon gave the child back to
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  Speaker 2: his mother and held both Mary and Joseph in his arms.
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  Speaker 2: Simeon held Mary's shoulders and looked her in the eyes.
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  Speaker 2: His joyful face turned into mourning as he looked at her.
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  Speaker 2: This child is destined to make many fall and rise.
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  Speaker 2: He will expose the depths of every person's heart. Many
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  Speaker 2: will be after him, and a sword will cut straight
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  Speaker 2: through your very soul because of it.
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  Speaker 3: As we began today's reading, Mary and Joseph have traveled
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  Speaker 3: to Bethlehem, the city of David, to be counted in
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  Speaker 3: the census ordered by the king. Mary... is very close
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  Speaker 3: to delivering the child she is carrying. Joseph has obeyed
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  Speaker 3: the Lord and married the young girl even though she
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  Speaker 3: is carrying a child that is not his. And what's more,
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  Speaker 3: he has not had sexual relations with his young wife.
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  Speaker 3: We can often overlook the strength of character and conviction
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  Speaker 3: Joseph possessed in order to act in faith as he did.
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  Speaker 3: What a faithful man! He stood beside Mary as her
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  Speaker 3: protector and provider. and soon he would have the incredible,
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  Speaker 3: weighty role of being the earthly, adoptive father of God's Son.
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  Speaker 3: None of us will ever have the experience of Joseph,
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  Speaker 3: but we will be called to do things that are uncomfortable, uncertain,
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  Speaker 3: and even unpopular. Hard things. Difficult things. We will, as
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  Speaker 3: Joseph did, follow God's will with courage and faith, or
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  Speaker 3: we could choose our own comfort and convenience. We then
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  Speaker 3: heard how the young couple entered into Bethlehem, a fulfillment
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  Speaker 3: of the prophecy that foretold the birth of the Messiah
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  Speaker 3: in this tiny, insignificant town. One would expect luxury accommodations
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  Speaker 3: for the birth of a king, but that's not where
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  Speaker 3: Mary and Joseph were. They were instead in a part
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  Speaker 3: of a home where animals were kept for shelter. It
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  Speaker 3: certainly wasn't luxurious. It was likely smelly, certainly not dignified,
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  Speaker 3: But it was there that Mary delivered to the world
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  Speaker 3: the Son of God, the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
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  Speaker 3: The Word was made flesh. She wrapped him in warm
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  Speaker 3: swaddling blankets and placed him in a feeding trough, a manger. Unconventional,
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  Speaker 3: but nothing about this was conventional or expected. It's all
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  Speaker 3: a miracle. Neither was what happened next. It wasn't to
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  Speaker 3: the local elders or political figures that the birth of
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  Speaker 3: Christ was announced. But it was to shepherds who watched
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  Speaker 3: over their flocks that evening. And yet, it also seems
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  Speaker 3: very fitting that shepherds would receive the first news of
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  Speaker 3: the birth of the good shepherd, the epitome of one
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  Speaker 3: who would lay down his life for his sheep. An
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  Speaker 3: angel of God appeared to these men, and they were
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  Speaker 3: understandably terrified. Who among us would not have been stricken
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  Speaker 3: with fear by such a heavenly invasion? But the angel
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  Speaker 3: told them not to fear, for he brought good news
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  Speaker 3: of great joy, reason to celebrate. The Savior was finally there.
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  Speaker 3: The one Israel waited for so long had now arrived.
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  Speaker 3: So they hurried to Bethlehem and found Jesus, just as
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  Speaker 3: the angels said they would. Luke 2, verses 17 and 18,
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  Speaker 3: tells us what happens. And when they saw it, they
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  Speaker 3: made known the saying that had been told of them
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  Speaker 3: concerning the child, and all who heard it wondered at
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  Speaker 3: what the shepherds told them. The news, the good news,
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  Speaker 3: is always too good to keep to ourselves. Just as
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  Speaker 3: these shepherds shared the message of the birth of Jesus,
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  Speaker 3: so are we to hurry to tell others about him.
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  Speaker 3: We too are the bearers of the good news, the
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  Speaker 3: greatest news ever heard. And we must not keep quiet.
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  Speaker 3: We must not be silent. But we must tell the
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  Speaker 3: world who Jesus is. These shepherds returned to the fields,
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  Speaker 3: praising God for what they had seen. They worshiped God
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  Speaker 3: and they witnessed of the power of God. These are
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  Speaker 3: the two proper responses to an encounter with Jesus Christ.
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  Speaker 3: We end today's reading with a man named Simeon. He
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  Speaker 3: had awaited the Messiah all his life, and God had
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  Speaker 3: promised that he would not die until he actually viewed
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  Speaker 3: the Messiah. When Joseph took the child to the temple
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  Speaker 3: to offer a sacrifice in accordance to the law, Simeon
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  Speaker 3: saw the baby, and he now knew he had seen
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  Speaker 3: the grace and the glory of God. He was ready
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  Speaker 3: for the rest of his life and ready to for
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  Speaker 3: his death. But first he spoke words that foreshadowed the
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  Speaker 3: pain that would come to this baby. Because Jesus came
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  Speaker 3: to save, and to do that, he would have to
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  Speaker 3: suffer the death that all of us deserve on the cross.
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  Speaker 3: There was a long road to Calvary ahead for the
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  Speaker 3: baby Jesus. But the next time we meet visitors from
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  Speaker 3: long distance, these would be those who would worship the
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  Speaker 3: Lord as King of Kings. Stay tuned for next time.
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  Speaker 3: Dear God, We thank you for Jesus, who was born
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  Speaker 3: to give us life, who came to earth so that
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  Speaker 3: we could go to heaven. Thank you for your love
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  Speaker 3: that makes this salvation in Christ possible. Help us to
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  Speaker 3: respond like those shepherds by telling this good news everywhere
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  Speaker 3: we go and to worship you always. In Christ's name, amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, and before we go,
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  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would love to
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  Speaker 3: send you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement
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  Speaker 3: every single day. So visit JackGraham.org to sign up for
• 15:43
  Speaker 3: your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's JackGraham.org.