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The First Miracle - The Gospels · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. When the ruler of the feast had
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  Speaker 1: tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not
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  Speaker 1: whence it was, but the servants which drew the water knew,
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  Speaker 1: the governor of the feast called the bridegroom. John 2.9
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  Speaker 1: Dear Heavenly Father, give me the boldness, like the men
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  Speaker 1: in today's reading, to leave my comfort and all I
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  Speaker 1: know to follow the plan and purposes of God. As
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  Speaker 1: I focus on Jesus, I will be led by His Spirit.
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  Speaker 1: I will not allow anyone around me to place doubt
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  Speaker 1: in my heart that you are the Messiah, the Chosen One,
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  Speaker 1: to change my life, Jesus. Like your life, Jesus, people
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  Speaker 1: may doubt who you've called me to be because of
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  Speaker 1: how and where I was raised. But I will ignore
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  Speaker 1: the doubters because great things come from obscure places. Quicken
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  Speaker 1: my heart so that I will know the time and
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  Speaker 1: place to use the gifts you've given me. Bless me
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  Speaker 1: with divine obedience so I may walk in the wake
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  Speaker 1: of your miracles and point people to your saving grace.
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  Speaker 1: I declare that this is the season of miracles. I
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  Speaker 1: declare that this is the season of new beginnings. In Jesus' name.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 3: The First.
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  Speaker 2: Miracle In our last story, the heavens were opened up
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  Speaker 2: as John baptized Jesus. The signaling of Jesus' earthly ministry
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  Speaker 2: had begun, and all of history was about to be
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  Speaker 2: shaped forever. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
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  Speaker 2: where he was tempted by Satan. Yet Jesus came out
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  Speaker 2: victorious and proved his power over sin and temptation. Now
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  Speaker 2: we look at Jesus' ministry taking flight. He calls men
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  Speaker 2: to his side and shows them why he is worthy
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  Speaker 2: of following. He attends a wedding with his disciples and
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  Speaker 2: mother and shows that even the Son of God obeys.
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  Speaker 4: His mother when asked. Inspired by the Gospels.
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  Speaker 3: The last time we were together, we heard how John
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  Speaker 3: the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus and how he
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  Speaker 3: baptized Christ in the presence of a multitude of people.
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  Speaker 3: We heard God speak and declare that Jesus is his son.
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  Speaker 3: Following that incredible event, supernatural indeed, Jesus went into the
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  Speaker 3: wilderness where he endured and overcame temptation. And now he
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  Speaker 3: is ready to begin his earthly ministry. Today, we'll hear
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  Speaker 3: about the men Jesus called to walk with him for
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  Speaker 3: his time on earth. These 12 men from different backgrounds,
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  Speaker 3: none of them obvious choices, but all called by God.
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  Speaker 3: Then we'll see as Jesus performs the first of many
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  Speaker 3: miracles at the wedding, the wedding feast at Cana. So
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  Speaker 3: let's listen to God's Word.
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  Speaker 2: John was sitting on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
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  Speaker 2: The gentle waves rose with grace. Behind him were two
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  Speaker 2: of his followers. They spoke of the Lord, His coming,
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  Speaker 2: and the future of mankind. As they were speaking, John
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  Speaker 2: caught a glimpse of Jesus passing by. John nudged both
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  Speaker 2: of his disciples and said, You see that man over there?
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  Speaker 2: The two of them looked at Jesus and nodded. That
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  Speaker 2: is the Lamb of God, the reason I am here.
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  Speaker 2: John's heart skipped a few beats in his chest, and
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  Speaker 2: his throat began to choke up with tears. He is
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  Speaker 2: the one you should follow. The disciples looked at John intensely,
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  Speaker 2: seeing that he truly believed that man to be the Messiah.
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  Speaker 2: So they left John's side and began to follow Jesus.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus was walking by the shore, feeling the soft breeze
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  Speaker 2: on his face. He watched the fishermen tend to their
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  Speaker 2: nets and boats methodically. Jesus could hear the slight shift
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  Speaker 2: of sand behind him. He looked back and saw two
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  Speaker 2: men following him.
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  Speaker 4: He smiled. What are you seeking, my friends?
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  Speaker 2: He asked. The two men stopped, a little embarrassed that
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  Speaker 2: they did not just introduce themselves to Jesus in the
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  Speaker 2: first place. We wish to remain with you, they said.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus nodded warmly and they followed him. The one who
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  Speaker 2: remained with Jesus was Andrew. He listened to Jesus speak.
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  Speaker 2: His words were like fire flowing from the earth. Andrew
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  Speaker 2: eventually brought Jesus to his brother Simon, a fisherman who
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  Speaker 2: was tending to his boat. Simon, he said, we have
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  Speaker 2: found him. We have found the Messiah. Simon was a
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  Speaker 2: loud and boisterous fellow. He had a fighter's spirit and
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  Speaker 2: a sailor's tongue. He looked at Jesus, sizing him up
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  Speaker 2: to judge whether he was a man worth following. He
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  Speaker 2: was not quite sure yet.
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  Speaker 4: Jesus looked at Simon.
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  Speaker 2: He could see all of who he was, inside and out.
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  Speaker 2: He could see the pain in his heart and the
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  Speaker 2: fire in his belly. Jesus laughed and smiled. Ah, Simon,
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  Speaker 2: son of John. You will no longer be called Simon.
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  Speaker 2: Now you will be called Peter the Rock. Curious as
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  Speaker 2: to what Jesus meant, Peter followed him. The next day,
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  Speaker 2: Jesus decided to go further into the city of Galilee.
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  Speaker 2: Crowds of people came in and out of the gates.
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  Speaker 2: As John continued to preach of Jesus' importance, many of
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  Speaker 2: his followers began to follow Jesus. The sea of faces
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  Speaker 2: rose like waves, but Jesus was intent on finding his
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  Speaker 2: chosen men. He saw a man named Philip walking.
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  Speaker 4: By the road.
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  Speaker 2: Philip, Jesus shouted. Philip was alarmed and looked over. Jesus
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  Speaker 2: held his shoulders, looked him in the eyes, and said,
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  Speaker 2: Follow me, Philip. The reason Philip followed is still unknown.
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  Speaker 2: Perhaps it was the way Jesus spoke his name. Perhaps
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  Speaker 2: it was the way he looked him in the eye.
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  Speaker 2: Whatever it was, it made Philip undoubtedly devoted. Later that day,
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  Speaker 2: Philip grabbed his friend Nathanael and said, We have found him,
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  Speaker 2: the one whom Moses spoke of, the Messiah.
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  Speaker 4: He is Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael scoffed. His laughter came
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  Speaker 4: from his belly. Nazareth, he asked.
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  Speaker 2: Can anything good come out of Nazareth? That place is
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  Speaker 2: a dump filled with unsavory people.
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  Speaker 4: Philip shrugged.
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  Speaker 2: Come and see for yourself, he said. So the two
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  Speaker 2: of them walked to where Jesus was sitting. As he
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  Speaker 2: was approaching, Jesus sat up and said, Ah, Nathanael, a
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  Speaker 2: true Israelite, a man in whom there is no corruption.
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  Speaker 4: Nathanael's eyes widened. How do you know who I am?
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  Speaker 4: he asked. Jesus walked closer. It was just the two
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  Speaker 4: of them. I know who you are, Nathaniel.
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  Speaker 2: Even before Philip called you, I was with you under
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  Speaker 2: the fig tree.
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  Speaker 4: I heard you.
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  Speaker 2: Nathaniel's heart broke like a dam when he heard those words.
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  Speaker 2: That was a secret time he had between him and
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  Speaker 2: the Lord. Underneath the fig tree is where he bore
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  Speaker 2: his soul to God.
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  Speaker 4: If Jesus had heard him, it could only mean one thing.
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  Speaker 4: He was God himself. Nathanael fell to his knees.
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  Speaker 2: Truly, you are the Son of God, he said, putting
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  Speaker 2: his hands over his face. Jesus gave a gentle laugh
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  Speaker 2: and said, You say all this because I saw you.
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  Speaker 4: Under the fig tree?
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  Speaker 2: He helped him up to his feet. Trust me, Nathanael,
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  Speaker 2: you will see greater things than that. You will see
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  Speaker 2: heaven opened and the blessings of God poured out. A
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  Speaker 2: few days later, Jesus and some of his followers were
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  Speaker 2: attending a wedding in Cana. Hundreds of people were in attendance,
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  Speaker 2: including Jesus' mother, Mary. Music, food, and wine flowed as
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  Speaker 2: people enjoyed the union of their friends. It was a
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  Speaker 2: joyous occasion until the hosts ran out of wine too early.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus was sitting at a table with a few of
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  Speaker 2: his followers when he saw his mother approaching.' They are
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  Speaker 2: out of wine,' Mary whispered to Jesus.
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  Speaker 4: Jesus smiled at his mother.
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  Speaker 2: He loved her deeply and knew exactly why she had
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  Speaker 2: come to him with this matter. You know my hour
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  Speaker 2: has not yet come, Jesus said. Mary paid no attention
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  Speaker 2: to her son's answer. As only a mother could, she
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  Speaker 2: gathered a few of the servants and brought them to Jesus.
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  Speaker 2: Do what my son tells you to do. She gave
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  Speaker 2: Jesus a look and then left to go reassure the
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  Speaker 2: hosts that there would be more wine soon. Jesus chuckled
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  Speaker 2: and gestured to the servants, Fill up the six stone
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  Speaker 2: water jars to the top with water. So the servants
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  Speaker 2: brought the massive jars to the wells. They filled them
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  Speaker 2: to the brim and brought them back to Jesus. Then
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  Speaker 2: he gestured for the water to be brought to the hosts.
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  Speaker 2: Go and pour the water into their cups. The servants
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  Speaker 2: were confused at Jesus' orders, but did not question him.
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  Speaker 2: They carried the jugs of water to the host and
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  Speaker 2: poured it.
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  Speaker 4: Into his cup.
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  Speaker 2: Out from the jugs came new wine. The host had
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  Speaker 2: no clue that the jars were once filled with water,
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  Speaker 2: but the servants did. They looked back at Jesus smiling.
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  Speaker 2: The disciples who were beside him awed at the miracle.
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  Speaker 2: All were surprised and amazed, all except Mary.
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  Speaker 3: Today we learn how John the Baptist sees Jesus once
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  Speaker 3: again and once more proclaim that the Lord is the
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  Speaker 3: Lamb of God and that his disciples and all others
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  Speaker 3: others should follow him. And so two men left John
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  Speaker 3: the Baptist, and they began to follow Jesus. One of
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  Speaker 3: them was Andrew, who soon called his brother Simon. Simon
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  Speaker 3: was no shrinking violet, and he wasn't afraid to speak
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  Speaker 3: his mind. Jesus knew Simon inside and out from the
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  Speaker 3: moment they met, and he knew that he would serve
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  Speaker 3: a very special purpose. So Jesus gave him a new name.
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  Speaker 3: Simon's name is now The Rock, or Peter. It was
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  Speaker 3: an aspirational name, as Simon still had much to learn
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  Speaker 3: and to grow before he would become the stable, steady rock,
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  Speaker 3: the great apostle. Jesus went to Galilee, and as John
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  Speaker 3: continued to point people to the true Messiah, more and
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  Speaker 3: more people began to follow Jesus. But not all followers
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  Speaker 3: were to be disciples. Jesus went about handpicking the men,
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  Speaker 3: selecting them who would be his inner circle, the ones
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  Speaker 3: who would model their lives after Jesus, their rabbi. You
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  Speaker 3: might think that Jesus would have picked the best and
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  Speaker 3: the brightest on earth, the most learned theological minds, someone
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  Speaker 3: from the priestly caste, those who knew the law inside
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  Speaker 3: and out. But that's not what Jesus did. The men
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  Speaker 3: he picked were the least likely of candidates in so
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  Speaker 3: many ways. Certainly from a human perspective, you wouldn't have
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  Speaker 3: chosen these men. But God's ways are much higher than
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  Speaker 3: our ways. He saw in them, as he sees in us, potential.
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  Speaker 3: What others don't see, God sees. But more importantly, when
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  Speaker 3: God worked through them despite their flaws and weaknesses, he
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  Speaker 3: was glorified. It's the same with us today. Not many
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  Speaker 3: mighty or not many noble are called according to the scriptures.
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  Speaker 3: And God's power, the presence of Jesus, is made perfect
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  Speaker 3: in our weakness. Our failures become a platform for Jesus
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  Speaker 3: to work. Jesus knew exactly how to speak to each
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  Speaker 3: man that he called. And they all saw something in
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  Speaker 3: Jesus that was different, something amazing, something special, a man
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  Speaker 3: worth following, so that they dropped what they were doing,
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  Speaker 3: their careers, their future, and they gave it all to Jesus.
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  Speaker 3: Listen to what Nathanael, one of these men chosen by Christ,
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  Speaker 3: says in John 1 49. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you
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  Speaker 3: are the son of God. You are the king of Israel.
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  Speaker 3: This was just the beginning. Not all of these men
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  Speaker 3: could comprehend at this point who Jesus was and is,
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  Speaker 3: but Nathanael, he knew. This was the beginning of their journey.
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  Speaker 3: And as Jesus said to Nathanael, they would witness much
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  Speaker 3: greater things still. We then heard that Jesus and his
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  Speaker 3: disciple and his mother attended a wedding feast in Cana.
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  Speaker 3: Someone had planned poorly for the feast because they ran
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  Speaker 3: out of refreshments. They ran out of wine. It would
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  Speaker 3: be a huge disappointment and embarrassment if they ran out
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  Speaker 3: of the wine. Mary, who from the beginning, from conception,
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  Speaker 3: knew that Jesus was the chosen Messiah of God, that
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  Speaker 3: he was filled with the power of God, went to
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  Speaker 3: her son and asked him for help. Jesus had not
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  Speaker 3: intended to perform a miracle that day, but he loved
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  Speaker 3: it and he honored his mother. And so he fulfilled
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  Speaker 3: her request. He asked the servant to bring jars and
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  Speaker 3: fill them with water, huge jars. Then the jars were
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  Speaker 3: taken to the host to pour into cups. And amazingly,
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  Speaker 3: when they poured out of the jars, what flowed was
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  Speaker 3: the best wine, far better than the guests had been
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  Speaker 3: served earlier. The servants were amazed. Everyone celebrated. The disciples
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  Speaker 3: who witnessed the miracle began to see what Jesus could do.
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  Speaker 3: They began to believe more and more, and they began
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  Speaker 3: following Christ closer and closer. They know now that he
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  Speaker 3: is the one that the Father has sent to be
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  Speaker 3: the Savior of the world, and more miracles, greater miracles,
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  Speaker 3: were yet to come. Dear God, thank you for Jesus.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for the power of his presence in our lives.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you that even in the simple things, like a
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  Speaker 3: wedding feast, that you bring joy and laughter and happiness
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  Speaker 3: and celebration. We thank you, Jesus, for your joy. And
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  Speaker 3: we thank you that we can live in the abundance
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  Speaker 3: of your life every single day. And we pray this
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  Speaker 3: in your name. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year. I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
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  Speaker 3: bless you.
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  Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by MediShare, an innovative healthcare solution
• 14:48
  Speaker 1: for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.
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