Latest / Abide Meditation App / A Starry Holy Night with God _ Sleep in His Peace with Abide Meditation

Transcript

A Starry Holy Night with God _ Sleep in His Peace with Abide Meditation · Abide Meditation App

• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Abide Meditation has everything you need for a peaceful night's sleep.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: Download Abide from the app Store today. Season's greetings to
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: you on this peaceful night and welcome to this sleep
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: story from Abide. I'm James and it's my joy to
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: guide you through tonight's story called Written in the Stars.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: There's something about a star, isn't there something special, Something
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: that fills the human heart with promise of things to come.
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: The way a heavily star sparkles and glimmers in the
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: evening sky can fill us with expectation and comfort. The
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: sight of a single, solitary, luminous star twinkling in the
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: darkest night sky speaks to us of hope, residing hope
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: that no matter how dark the night's season, light is
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: still greater. As John one verse five says, the light
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: This Christmas season, when we gaze up at the night
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: sky clustered with the starry host, let us remember one
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: of the most important stars that ever twinkled in the sky,
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: the star in the East that guided the Three Wise
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: Men to discover the location of Jesus Christ, their savior
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: and King The scripture tonight that will be guiding our
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: guiding light is found in Matthew two verses nine and ten.
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: the star, which they saw in the east, went before
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: them till it came and stood over where the young
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: exceeding great joy. Tonight, I hope you will rejoice with
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: exceeding great joy as you look upon the guiding light
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: of Jesus Christ. He is your morning and evening star
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: this Christmas. He will guide you to find him as
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: the wise Magi have found him more than two thousand
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: years ago. This is the season to remember why we
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: can have exceeding great joy every day. The advent of
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: the Christ Child has changed our forever forever. But first,
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: let's get cozy in bed. This is one of the
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: most powerful moments of the day when we get too
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: completely relax and let go of every care and concern,
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: everything that might weigh on us. On this Christmas season
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: evening you can experience deep quietness and rest. Your cozy
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: bed is one of the most safe and secure places
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: for you. Precious listener, God is watching over you. He
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: is like a star shining above you every moment of
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: every day. So know that you are seen and looked
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: after by your father in heaven. I invite you to
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: make yourself comfortable, adjust the pillows, pull up your blankets,
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: dim or turn off the lights, and when you are ready,
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: come to stillness. You may have been vertical all day
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: longing to be horizontal, and now you are. Notice how
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: relieving it is for your head and legs and arms
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: and back. Breathe deeply as you let all tension go.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: Imagine that tension is falling off you and sinking to
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: the floor. All you are left with is lightness and peace.
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: Keep breathing gently and deeply, filling all stagnant air, evaporating
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: away and leaving your body only fresh air is filling
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: your lungs now as you breathe in fresh oxygen. Bring
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: your awareness to the Holy Spirit within you and around you.
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: Since his presence. It may be subtle, or it may
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: be more tangible. May be bringing peace to your heart
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: or calm to your emotions. Or maybe he is bringing
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: you a sensation in your body of warmth or feeling
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: like liquid love that's running down your back. His presence
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: is most precious and his words are sweeter than honey
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: on your lips. You are able to experience his presence
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: during your daily life, just as keenly as you can
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: experience him in the quietness. It takes awareness and invitation,
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: just like you are practicing now. He will cause this
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: Christmas bedtime story to not only encourage you, but to
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: transform and heal you and give you exceeding great joy.
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: Most wonderful and precious Holy Father, we are in awe
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: of you. Your goodness knows no limits. We are in
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: awe and wonder at your care and compassion for this
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: lost and broken world. You cared about the salvation of
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: the group of wise Magi who came from the East.
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: They were spiritual seekers seeking truth, seeking the real meaning
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: of life, seeking the savior of the world, and you
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: guided them to the very answer to all their questions,
• 6:32
  Speaker 1: Jesus himself. You wanted to guide them to the truth
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: so that they could forsake all false gods and find
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: the one true God. You led them to their very
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: salvation through your creation in the heavens, a celestial body
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: in the dark night sky. You illuminated their way with
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: a clear, uncomplicated and luminous signed so they could find
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: the location of the young child. Jesus the Christ. Thank
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: you for this special moment in history more than two
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: thousand years ago. It shows us that when we seek you,
• 7:16
  Speaker 1: we will find you. When we search for you with
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: all our hearts, you will be found by us, and
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: you will give us exceeding great joy. In Jesus Holy
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: and Mighty name, Amen, continue to rest in this sacred moment.
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: Precious listener, as I read over you Tonight's Christmas bedtime tale,
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: perhaps you can even see the stars outside your bedroom
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: window right now, or perhaps with eyes gently closed, you
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: can imagine in your mind's eye the starry night sky
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: on a night such as this more than two thousand
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: years ago, somewhere out in the recesses of the desert
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: of the ancient world, where a group of kings from
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: the east. Legend has it these great men were priests
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: of the Zoroastrian religion and had traveled all the way
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: from Persia and Babylon, seeking the Messiah by the Star
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: of Bethlehem. In to Night's tale, we will journey with
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: these spiritual seekers as they follow the stars and heavenly
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: signs in their pursuit of the Savior a short time
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: after his birth. A good way to start our bedtime
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: story is by going back thousands of years earlier. So
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: relax and listen as I read the prophecy about this
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: group of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty verses one to six. Arise, shine,
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. The gentiles shall come to your light
• 9:30
  Speaker 1: and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: your eyes all around, and see they all gather together.
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: They come to you. Your sons shall come from Afar,
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: swell with joy, because the abundance of the sea shall
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: be turned to you. The wealth of the gentiles shall
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: the Drome, dairies of Midian and Epha, all those from
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: Shebas shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. Isn't it
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: amazing that God knew in advance that gentiles and kings
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: would come from Afar seeking the Messiah and the brightness
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: of his rising. He even predicted the details of their
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: quest for the Savior. Arise, shine, for your light has
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you,
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. This imagery
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: speaks of the star that arose to light the way
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: to jesus advent to the world. The Star of Bethlehem
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: arose and shone when deep darkness covered the earth. The
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: glory of the Lord was seen by the magi as
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: they followed the star, And as we will see when
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: the wise men discover the small child Jesus Isaiah's prophecy
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: was true. Then you shall see and become radiant, and
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: your heart shall swell with joy. They shall bring gold
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: and frankencense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. Now,
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: as you continue relaxing into sleep, I am going to
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: lead you in an imaginative contemplation that will bring this
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: Christmas story to life, but before I do, I will
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: read the full rapitual account of the Wise Men from
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: Matthew two verses one through ten. Jesus was born in
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod. About
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem,
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: asking where is the new born King of the Jews.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: We saw his star as it rose, and we have
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: come to worship him. King Herod was deeply disturbed when
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: law and asked, where is the Messiah supposed to be
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: born in Bethlehem in Judea. They said, for this is
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: what the prophet wrote, And you of Bethlehem, in the
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: of Judah. For a ruler will come from you, who
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: will be the shepherd for my people Israel. Then Herod
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: called for a private meeting with the wise men, and
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and search carefully
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: for the child, and when you find him, come back
• 13:22
  Speaker 1: and tell me so that I can go and worship
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: him too. After this interview, the wise men went their way,
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: and the star they had seen in the east guided
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: over the place where the child was. When they saw
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: house and saw the child with his mother Mary, and
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold. Frankensnse and myrrhr.
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: So precious listener, I invite you to snuggle down, and,
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: if you like, and envision yourself there in that very
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: time two millennia ago, at the turning point and hinge
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: of history, when BC turned to AD. Imagine that you
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: also are one of these wise magi from the east.
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: You have been seeking the answers of life in so
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: many different religious doctrines and ideologies and ritualistic methods. All
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: of them promised you solace for your soul. All of
• 14:41
  Speaker 1: them promised paradise and freedom from pain and worry. And
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: yet here you are probably worse off than before, with
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: more questions than you had at the start of your pursuit.
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: Of meaning. You feel more need for peace and redemption
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: than you and your fellow magi have long scoured the
• 15:05
  Speaker 1: scrolls and have discovered many prophetic utterances from ancient Hebrew scribes.
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: They spoke of a savior being born in Israel, a
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: man who will emancipate his people from sin. He will
• 15:21
  Speaker 1: save the world and bring justice, mercy, and grace. You
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: read the writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said, for
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: unto us a child is born, unto us a son
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: and his name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God,
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: other wise men in your land gathered together and decided
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: to seek this savior, you did not know a moment
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: of hesitation. Joining their number. It wouldn't be easy. It
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: would be a very long journey. It would hold many
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You knew
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long desert stretches.
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: And yet the joy and glee in your heart was irrepressible.
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: You had never known such a feeling of faith rise
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: up in your heart. You knew in the deepest part
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: of you that you were going to find this Messiah.
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: You couldn't explain it, but you felt like you were
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: born for such a time as this, at this exact
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: time and history. So no matter what came, you would
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: pursue this god Man to the ends of the earth
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: if need be. You and your wise companions set forth faithfully,
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: trusting that as you saw it, you would find that
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: as you knocked, the door would be opened to you.
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: You all loaded up your camels with supplies to last
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: many weeks, and you brought the finest gifts the east,
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: possessed gold of matchless purity, frankincense that was burned only
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: by the highest of priests in your land, and mirror
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: that had been sourced from the resin of the rarest
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: trees in the east. You mounted your steeds, sending up
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: prayers to the heavens, to the god who created the
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts. You
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission. You
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who would
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: free you from darkness and pain. And so you all
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: set forth on the long journey. You were experts and
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: studying the skies to guide your way, so you searched
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: the heavens. But lo, and behold, barely one night had
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: passed when the most luminous and radiant white star arose
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: in the sky in the distance. You had seen glorious
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: stars in your time, but never in all your years
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: on earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur and incandescent
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body. It almost
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: stopped your group in their tracks. You were transfixed in awe.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: With a burning fire of hope in your heart, you
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: felt compelled to follow it. It seemed to point in
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: the direction of Israel, so this confirmed your hopes. Eventually
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: you approached the land, and unfortunately, news of your quest
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: had reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly, you
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: had to pay him a visit and let him know
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes a
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it would
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding star diminished in the sky, and
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: you could not see it But once you were released
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search and behold
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: to your great elation, and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: of Hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 19:59
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: find the truth, the truth that you had searched for
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: all your life, the real reason for your existence on earth.
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: The sight of it filled you with sacred awe and
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the one to
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: whom it was leading you was the real reason for
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: your awe and worship. No longer would you worship the stars,
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: sun or moon, for they were simply signs of the
• 20:56
  Speaker 1: one who made them. They are simply pointing to the
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: greatest one of all, the one True God, the God
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: over all the heavens. As your group gazed at this star,
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: you followed it with more haste and fervor than before.
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: It seemed to grow closer and closer every mile, brighter
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: and brighter, shinier and shinier. Although your camels were weary
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: and tired from many long weeks on the road, they
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: seemed to hasten their pace also, as though they too
• 21:33
  Speaker 1: sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: to rest above the town of Bethlehem, and in the
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: town the star was fixed directly above a humble little cottage.
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: The stars shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house,
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: as though pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling.
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: Soon arrived at the house, and with a mix of
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: trepidation and a heart beating with an excitement you had
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: never known, you knocked on the door. A very beautiful
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: young woman, still but a fresh faced teenager, opened the
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: door smiling, and there behind her, playing by the fire's side,
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: with gleaming starlight beaming down on him, was a small child.
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: He looked up at the doors opening, and grinned widely
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: at you wall in a daze. You all fell to
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: your knees. No, no, not even your knees. You fell
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: to your faces in the dust. You were all sobbing
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude. In
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing were
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now feil
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: felt like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: the king of all kings, the Lord of all lords?
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: What would ever be good enough? This little boy owned
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: the heavens, the land, and the sea. What could you
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: give him? As though you all thought of it simultaneously,
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: you and all the magi knelt again by him and
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: offered him your lives, all of you body, soul, mind
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: and spirit. Still that seemed lowly, but you could not
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: give more than that. To give him your all, holding
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: nothing back, was your best offering. As he received you
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: with equal joy and elation, you knew you had found
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: your peace and salvation. Yes, but more than that, you
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: had found the one with whom you would be spending
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: the rest of eternity. The paradise you had longed for
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: your whole life, the hope and death and the answer
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: to life, and that was cause for great celebration. Join
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: me as we close our Christmas story to night in prayer.
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: Wonderful Father, to night, we have shared in the longing
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: and joy that the wise men did. We praise you
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: that on this night two thousand years ago you gave
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: us the gift of your son, and we now have
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: eternal life paradise forever with you by our side. Thank
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: you for giving us guiding stars in our journey. And
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: would your Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to you
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: so we may know you more clearly, love you more dearly,
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: and follow you more nearly. And your precious Sun our
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: Saviour's name. Amen, Allow me to finish our time tonight
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: with a benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine,
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: for your light has come and the glory of the
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people, But the
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you and his glory will be
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. May the Lord rise over you this
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: Christmas season night, and may His glory be seen upon
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: you today and every day. May you have a very
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: merry Christmas, and more than ever, may you abide in Christ.
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: Let's listen again and to this sleep story about the
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: journey of the Magi to find Jesus. Continued to rest
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: in this sacred moment, Precious listener, as I read over
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: you Tonight's Christmas bedtime tale. Perhaps you can even see
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: the stars outside your bedroom window right now, or perhaps
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: with eyes gently closed, you can imagine in your mind's
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: eye the starry night sky on a night such as this.
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: More than two thousand years ago, somewhere out in the
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: recesses of the desert of the ancient world, were a
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: group of kings from the East. Legend has it these
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: great men were priests of the Zoroastrian religion and had
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: traveled all the way from Persia and Babylon, seeking the
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: Messiah by the Star of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale, we
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: will journey with these spiritual seekers as they follow the
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: stars and heavenly signs in their pursuit of the Savior
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: a short time after his birth. A good way to
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: start our bedtime story is by going back thousands of
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: years earlier. So relax and listen as I read the
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: prophecy about this group of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: verses one to six. Arise, shine, for your light has come,
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you,
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. The gentiles
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: shall come to your light and kings to the brightness
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: see they all gather together. They come to you. Your
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: sons shall come from Afar, and your daughters shall be
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy, because the abundance
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: of the sea shall be turned to you. The wealth
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: of the gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: camels shall cover your land, the Drome, dairies of Midian
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: and Epha, all those from Shebas shall come. They shall
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: bring gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim the praises
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: of the Lord. Isn't it amazing that God knew in
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: advance that gentiles and kings would come from Afar seeking
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: the Messiah and the brightness of his rising. He even
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: predicted the details of their quest for the Savior. Arise, shine,
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. This imagery speaks of the star that
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: arose to light the way to jesus advent to the world.
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: The Star of Bethlehem arose and shone when deep darkness
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: covered the earth. The glory of the Lord was seen
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: by the magi as they followed the star. And as
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: we will see when the wise men discover the small
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: child Jesus Isaiah's prophecy was true. Then you shall see
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy.
• 30:07
  Speaker 1: They shall bring gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: the praises of the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: into sleep, I am going to lead you in an
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: imaginative contemplation that will bring this Christmas story to life.
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: But before I do, I will read the full scriptural
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: account of the Wise Men from Matthew two verses one
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: through ten. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea during
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: the reign of King Herod. About that time, some wise
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking where is
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: the new born King of the Jews. We saw his
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: was every one in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of
• 31:10
  Speaker 1: the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked,
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: where is the Messiah supposed to be born in Bethlehem
• 31:18
  Speaker 1: and Judea? They said, for this is what the prophet wrote.
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: And you, o, Bethlehem and the land of Judah, are
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: not least among the ruling cities of Judah. For a
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: ruler will come from you, who will be the shepherd
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: for my people Israel. Then Herod called for a private
• 31:39
  Speaker 1: meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them,
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child, and
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: when you find him, come back and tell me so
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: that I can go and worship him too. After this interview,
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: the wise men went their way, and the star they
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: went ahead of them and stopped over the place where
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: the child was. When they saw the star, they were
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. So precious listener,
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: I invite you to snuggle down, and, if you like,
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: and envision yourself there in that very time two millennia ago,
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: at the turning point and hinge of history, when b
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: C turned to a d imagine that you also are
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: one of these wise magi from the east. You have
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: been seeking the answers of life, and so many different
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: religious doctrines and ideologies and ritualistic methods, all of them
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: promised to you solace for your soul, all of them
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: promised paradise and freedom from pain and worry. And yet
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: here you are probably worse off than before, with more
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: questions than you had at the start of your pursuit
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: of meaning. You feel more need for peace and redemption
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: than ever. You and your fellow magi have long scoured
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: the scrolls and have discovered many prophetic utterances from ancient
• 33:43
  Speaker 1: Hebrew scribes. They spoke of a savior being born in Israel,
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: a man who will emancipate his people from sin. He
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: will save the world and bring justice, mercy, and grace.
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: You read the writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said,
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: for unto us a child is born, unto us a
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: and his name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God,
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the
• 34:24
  Speaker 1: other wise men in your land gathered together and decided
• 34:27
  Speaker 1: to seek this savior, you did not know a moment
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: of hesitation in joining their number. It wouldn't be easy.
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: It would be a very long journey. It would hold
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: many pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: knew you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: desert stretches. And yet the joy and glee in your
• 34:54
  Speaker 1: heart was irrepressible. You had never known such a feeling
• 34:58
  Speaker 1: of faith right up in your heart. You knew, in
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: the deepest part of you that you were going to
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: find this Messiah. You couldn't explain it, but you felt
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: like you were born for such a time as this,
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: at this exact time and history. So no matter what came,
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: you would pursue this god man to the ends of
• 35:21
  Speaker 1: the earth if need be. You and your wise companions
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: set forth, faithfully, trusting that as you saw it you
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: would find that as you knocked, the door would be
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: opened to you. You all loaded up your camels with
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: supplies to last many weeks, and you brought the finest
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: gifts the east, possessed gold of matchless purity, frankinsense that
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: was burned only by the highest of priests in your land,
• 35:55
  Speaker 1: and murr that had been sourced from the resin of
• 35:58
  Speaker 1: the rarest trees in the east. You mounted your steeds,
• 36:03
  Speaker 1: sending up prayers to the heavens, to the god who
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: created the skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts.
• 36:13
  Speaker 1: You prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission.
• 36:17
  Speaker 1: You prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: would free you from darkness and pain. And so you
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: all set forth on the long journey. You were experts
• 36:30
  Speaker 1: and studying the skies to guide your way. So you
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: searched the heavens. But lo and behold, barely one night
• 36:39
  Speaker 1: had passed when the most luminous and radiant white star
• 36:44
  Speaker 1: arose in the sky in the distance. You had seen
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: glorious stars in your time, but never in all your
• 36:53
  Speaker 1: years on earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur and
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: incandescent magnific and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body. It
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: almost stopped your group in their tracks. You were transfixed
• 37:11
  Speaker 1: in awe. With a burning fire of hope in your heart,
• 37:16
  Speaker 1: you felt compelled to follow it. It seemed to point
• 37:20
  Speaker 1: in the direction of Israel, so this confirmed your hopes.
• 37:25
  Speaker 1: Eventually you approached the land, and unfortunately, news of your
• 37:30
  Speaker 1: quest had reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly,
• 37:35
  Speaker 1: you had to pay him a visit and let him
• 37:37
  Speaker 1: know of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: a flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it
• 37:46
  Speaker 1: would be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding star diminished in the sky and
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: you could not see it. But once you were released
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search, and behold,
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: to your great elation and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: of hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 38:14
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 38:21
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 38:26
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 38:31
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 38:34
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 38:45
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 38:52
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 38:56
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 38:58
  Speaker 1: find the truth, the truth that you had searched for
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: all your life, the real reason for your existence on earth.
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: The sight of it filled you with sacred awe and
• 39:11
  Speaker 1: a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the one to
• 39:15
  Speaker 1: whom it was leading you was the real reason for
• 39:18
  Speaker 1: your awe and worship. No longer would you worship the stars,
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: sun or moon, for they were simply signs of the
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: one who made them. They are simply pointing to the
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: greatest one of all, the One True God, the God
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: over all the heavens. As your group gazed at this star,
• 39:42
  Speaker 1: you followed it with more haste and fervor than before.
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: It seemed to grow closer and closer every mile, brighter
• 39:51
  Speaker 1: and brighter, shinier and shinier. Although your camels were weary
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: and tired from many long weeks on the road, they
• 40:00
  Speaker 1: seemed to hasten their pace also, as though they too
• 40:05
  Speaker 1: sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came
• 40:12
  Speaker 1: to rest above the town of Bethlehem, and in the
• 40:16
  Speaker 1: town the star was fixed directly above a humble little cottage.
• 40:22
  Speaker 1: The stars shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house,
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: as though pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling.
• 40:31
  Speaker 1: You soon arrived at the house, and, with a mix
• 40:34
  Speaker 1: of trepidation and a heart beating with an excitement you
• 40:38
  Speaker 1: had never known, you knocked on the door. A very
• 40:43
  Speaker 1: beautiful young woman, still but a fresh faced teenager, opened
• 40:48
  Speaker 1: the door smiling, and there behind her, playing by the
• 40:52
  Speaker 1: fire's side, with gleaming starlight beaming down on him, was
• 40:57
  Speaker 1: a small child. He looked up at the doors opening
• 41:02
  Speaker 1: and grinned widely at you all in a daze. You
• 41:06
  Speaker 1: all fell to your knees, No, no, not even your knees,
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: You fell to your faces in the dust. You were
• 41:15
  Speaker 1: all sobbing uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude.
• 41:22
  Speaker 1: In a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing
• 41:26
  Speaker 1: were fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now
• 41:31
  Speaker 1: felt like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer
• 41:36
  Speaker 1: the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords?
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: What would ever be good enough? This little boy owned
• 41:45
  Speaker 1: the heavens, the land, and the sea. What could you
• 41:49
  Speaker 1: give him? As though you all thought of it simultaneously,
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: you and all the magi knelt again by him and
• 41:59
  Speaker 1: offered him your lives, all of you body, soul, mind
• 42:04
  Speaker 1: and spirit. Still that seemed lowly, but you could not
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: give more than that. To give him your all, holding
• 42:15
  Speaker 1: nothing back, was your best offering. As he received you
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: with equal joy and elation, you knew you had found
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: your peace and salvation. Yes, But more than that, you
• 42:31
  Speaker 1: had found the one with whom you would be spending
• 42:33
  Speaker 1: the rest of eternity, the paradise you had longed for
• 42:38
  Speaker 1: your whole life, the hope and death and the answer
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: to life. And that was cause for great celebration. Join
• 42:50
  Speaker 1: me as we close our Christmas story tonight in prayer.
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: Wonderful Father, tonight we have shared in the longing and
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: joy that the wise men did. We praise you that
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: on this night two thousand years ago you gave us
• 43:08
  Speaker 1: the gift of your son, and we now have eternal
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: life paradise forever with you by our side. Thank you
• 43:18
  Speaker 1: for giving us guiding stars in our journey. And would
• 43:21
  Speaker 1: your Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to you so
• 43:25
  Speaker 1: we may know you more clearly, love you more dearly,
• 43:29
  Speaker 1: and follow you more nearly. And your precious Sun our
• 43:34
  Speaker 1: Saviour's name. Amen, allow me to finish our time tonight
• 43:43
  Speaker 1: with a benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine,
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: for your light has come and the glory of the
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 43:58
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people. But the
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 44:06
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. May the Lord rise over you this
• 44:12
  Speaker 1: Christmas season night, and may his glory be seen upon
• 44:16
  Speaker 1: you to day and every day. May you have a
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: very merry Christmas, and more than ever, may you abide
• 44:27
  Speaker 1: in Christ. Let's listen again to this sleep story about
• 44:34
  Speaker 1: the journey of the Magi to find Jesus, continue to
• 44:40
  Speaker 1: rest in this sacred moment. Precious listener, as I read
• 44:45
  Speaker 1: over you to Night's Christmas bedtime tale. Perhaps you can
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: even see the stars outside your bedroom window right now,
• 44:55
  Speaker 1: or perhaps with eyes gently closed, you can imagine in
• 44:59
  Speaker 1: your mind the starry night sky on a night such
• 45:06
  Speaker 1: as this, more than two thousand years ago, somewhere out
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: in the recesses of the desert of the ancient world,
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: where a group of kings from the east. Legend has it,
• 45:21
  Speaker 1: these great men were priests of the Zoroastrian religion and
• 45:25
  Speaker 1: had traveled all the way from Persia and Babylon, seeking
• 45:30
  Speaker 1: the Messiah by the Star of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale,
• 45:37
  Speaker 1: we will journey with these spiritual seekers as they follow
• 45:41
  Speaker 1: the stars and heavenly signs in their pursuit of the
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: Savior a short time after his birth. A good way
• 45:51
  Speaker 1: to start our bedtime story is by going back thousands
• 45:55
  Speaker 1: of years earlier. So relax and listen. I read the
• 46:00
  Speaker 1: prophecy about this group of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty
• 46:06
  Speaker 1: verses one to six. Arise, shine, for your light has come,
• 46:15
  Speaker 1: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 46:19
  Speaker 1: For behold the darkness shall cover the earth and deep
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you,
• 46:28
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. The gentiles
• 46:32
  Speaker 1: shall come to your light and kings to the brightness
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and
• 46:40
  Speaker 1: see they all gather together. They come to you. Your
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: sons shall come from Afar, and your daughters shall be
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 46:55
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy, because the abundance
• 46:59
  Speaker 1: of this sea shall be turned to you. The wealth
• 47:03
  Speaker 1: of the gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: camels shall cover your land, the Drome, dairies of Midian
• 47:12
  Speaker 1: and Epha, all those from Shebas shall come. They shall
• 47:17
  Speaker 1: bring gold and frankencense, and they shall proclaim the praises
• 47:22
  Speaker 1: of the Lord. Isn't it amazing that God knew in
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: advance that gentiles and kings would come from Afar seeking
• 47:33
  Speaker 1: the Messiah and the brightness of his rising. He even
• 47:38
  Speaker 1: predicted the details of their quest for the Savior. Arise, shine,
• 47:45
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 47:49
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 47:54
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people, but the
• 47:58
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise and his glory will be seen upon you.
• 48:06
  Speaker 1: This imagery speaks of the star that arose to light
• 48:10
  Speaker 1: the way to jesus advent to the world. The Star
• 48:14
  Speaker 1: of Bethlehem arose and shone when deep darkness covered the earth.
• 48:19
  Speaker 1: The glory of the Lord was seen by the magi
• 48:23
  Speaker 1: as they followed the star. And as we will see
• 48:26
  Speaker 1: when the wise men discover the small child Jesus Isaiah's
• 48:31
  Speaker 1: prophecy was true. Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 48:36
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy. They shall bring
• 48:40
  Speaker 1: gold and frankencense, and they shall proclaim the praises of
• 48:45
  Speaker 1: the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing into sleep, I'm
• 48:53
  Speaker 1: going to lead you in an imaginative contemplation that will
• 48:58
  Speaker 1: bring this Christmas story to life. But before I do,
• 49:03
  Speaker 1: I will read the full scriptural account of the Wise
• 49:06
  Speaker 1: Men from Matthew two verses one through ten. Jesus was
• 49:13
  Speaker 1: born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod.
• 49:19
  Speaker 1: About that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: in Jerusalem, asking where is the new born King of
• 49:26
  Speaker 1: the Jews. We saw his star as it rose and
• 49:31
  Speaker 1: we have come to worship him. King Herod was deeply
• 49:36
  Speaker 1: disturbed when he heard this, as was every one in Jerusalem.
• 49:41
  Speaker 1: He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers
• 49:44
  Speaker 1: of religious law and asked, where is the Messiah supposed
• 49:48
  Speaker 1: to be born in Bethlehem in Judea. They said, for
• 49:53
  Speaker 1: this is what the prophet wrote, And you, o Bethlehem,
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: in the land of Judah, are not least among the
• 50:01
  Speaker 1: ruling cities of Judah. For a ruler will come from you,
• 50:05
  Speaker 1: who will be the shepherd for my people Israel. Then
• 50:10
  Speaker 1: Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men,
• 50:14
  Speaker 1: and he learned from them the time when the star
• 50:16
  Speaker 1: first appeared. Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and
• 50:21
  Speaker 1: search carefully for the child, and when you find him,
• 50:26
  Speaker 1: come back and tell me, so that I can go
• 50:29
  Speaker 1: and worship him too. After this interview, the wise men
• 50:35
  Speaker 1: went their way, and the star they had seen in
• 50:38
  Speaker 1: the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: them and stopped over the place where the child was.
• 50:46
  Speaker 1: When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.
• 50:50
  Speaker 1: They entered the house and saw the child with his
• 50:52
  Speaker 1: mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then
• 50:57
  Speaker 1: they opened their treasure chests and gave gave him gifts
• 51:00
  Speaker 1: of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. So precious listener, I invite
• 51:09
  Speaker 1: you to snuggle down, and, if you like, and envision
• 51:13
  Speaker 1: yourself there in that very time two millennia ago, at
• 51:19
  Speaker 1: the turning point and hinge of history, when BC turned
• 51:23
  Speaker 1: to ad. Imagine that you also are one of these
• 51:28
  Speaker 1: wise magi from the East. You have been seeking the
• 51:32
  Speaker 1: answers of life in so many different religious doctrines and
• 51:36
  Speaker 1: ideologies and ritualistic methods. All of them promised you solace
• 51:43
  Speaker 1: for your soul. All of them promised paradise and freedom
• 51:48
  Speaker 1: from pain and worry. And yet here you are probably
• 51:53
  Speaker 1: worse off than before, with more questions than you had
• 51:57
  Speaker 1: at the start of your pursuit of meaning. You feel
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: more need for peace and redemption than ever. You and
• 52:07
  Speaker 1: your fellow magi have long scoured the scrolls and have
• 52:12
  Speaker 1: discovered many prophetic utterances from ancient Hebrew scribes. They spoke
• 52:18
  Speaker 1: of a savior being born in Israel, a man who
• 52:21
  Speaker 1: will emancipate his people from sin. He will save the
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: world and bring justice, mercy, and grace. You read the
• 52:31
  Speaker 1: writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said, for unto us
• 52:36
  Speaker 1: a child is born, unto us, a son is given,
• 52:40
  Speaker 1: and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his
• 52:45
  Speaker 1: name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God, the
• 52:50
  Speaker 1: Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the other
• 52:56
  Speaker 1: wise men in your land gathered together and decided to
• 53:00
  Speaker 1: seek this savior, you did not know a moment of
• 53:03
  Speaker 1: hesitation in joining their number. It wouldn't be easy. It
• 53:08
  Speaker 1: would be a very long journey. It would hold many
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You knew
• 53:19
  Speaker 1: you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long desert stretches.
• 53:24
  Speaker 1: And yet the joy and glee in your heart was irrepressible.
• 53:29
  Speaker 1: You had never known such a feeling of faith rise
• 53:32
  Speaker 1: up in your heart. You knew in the deepest part
• 53:35
  Speaker 1: of you that you were going to find this Messiah.
• 53:40
  Speaker 1: You couldn't explain it, but you felt like you were
• 53:43
  Speaker 1: born for such a time as this, at this exact
• 53:47
  Speaker 1: time and history. So no matter what came, you would
• 53:51
  Speaker 1: pursue this god Man to the ends of the earth.
• 53:55
  Speaker 1: If need be, You and your wise companions set forth faithfully,
• 54:01
  Speaker 1: trusting that as you saw it, you would find that
• 54:05
  Speaker 1: as you knocked, the door would be opened to you.
• 54:11
  Speaker 1: You all loaded up your camels with supplies to last
• 54:14
  Speaker 1: many weeks, and you brought the finest gifts the east,
• 54:18
  Speaker 1: possessed gold of matchless purity, frankincense that was burned only
• 54:24
  Speaker 1: by the highest of priests in your land, and mirror
• 54:28
  Speaker 1: that had been sourced from the resin of the rarest
• 54:31
  Speaker 1: trees in the east. You mounted your steeds, sending up
• 54:36
  Speaker 1: prayers to the heavens, to the god who created the
• 54:40
  Speaker 1: skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts. You
• 54:45
  Speaker 1: prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission. You
• 54:50
  Speaker 1: prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who would
• 54:54
  Speaker 1: free you from darkness and pain. And so you all
• 54:59
  Speaker 1: set forth on the long journey. You were experts and
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: studying the skies to guide your way. So you searched
• 55:07
  Speaker 1: the heavens. But lo, and behold, barely one night had
• 55:11
  Speaker 1: passed when the most luminous and radiant white star arose
• 55:16
  Speaker 1: in the sky in the distance. You had seen glorious
• 55:22
  Speaker 1: stars in your time, but never in all your years
• 55:26
  Speaker 1: on earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur and incandescent
• 55:31
  Speaker 1: magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body. It almost
• 55:39
  Speaker 1: stopped your group in their tracks. You were transfixed in
• 55:44
  Speaker 1: awe with a burning fire of hope in your heart.
• 55:48
  Speaker 1: You felt compelled to follow it. It seemed to point
• 55:53
  Speaker 1: in the direction of Israel, so this confirmed your hopes.
• 55:58
  Speaker 1: Eventually you approached the and unfortunately news of your quest
• 56:03
  Speaker 1: had reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly, you
• 56:08
  Speaker 1: had to pay him a visit and let him know
• 56:10
  Speaker 1: of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes a
• 56:14
  Speaker 1: flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it would
• 56:19
  Speaker 1: be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 56:24
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding star diminished in the sky and
• 56:28
  Speaker 1: you could not see it. But once you were released
• 56:32
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search and behold
• 56:38
  Speaker 1: to your great elation, and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 56:42
  Speaker 1: of hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 56:46
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 56:53
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 56:58
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 57:03
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 57:07
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 57:13
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 57:17
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 57:25
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 57:28
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 57:31
  Speaker 1: find the truth, the truth that you had searched for
• 57:35
  Speaker 1: all your life, the real reason for your existence on earth.
• 57:41
  Speaker 1: The sight of it filled you with sacred awe and
• 57:43
  Speaker 1: a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the one to
• 57:47
  Speaker 1: whom it was leading you was the real reason for
• 57:51
  Speaker 1: your awe and worship. No longer would you worship the stars,
• 57:56
  Speaker 1: sun or moon, for they were simply signs of the
• 58:00
  Speaker 1: one who made them. They are simply pointing to the
• 58:04
  Speaker 1: greatest one of all, the One True God, the God
• 58:09
  Speaker 1: over all the heavens. As your group gazed at this star,
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: you followed it with more haste and fervor than before.
• 58:18
  Speaker 1: It seemed to grow closer and closer every mile, brighter
• 58:23
  Speaker 1: and brighter, shinier and shinier. Although your camels were weary
• 58:29
  Speaker 1: and tired from many long weeks on the road, they
• 58:33
  Speaker 1: seemed to hasten their pace also, as though they too
• 58:37
  Speaker 1: sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came
• 58:44
  Speaker 1: to rest above the town of Bethlehem, and in the
• 58:48
  Speaker 1: town the star was fixed directly above a humble little cottage.
• 58:54
  Speaker 1: The stars shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house,
• 58:58
  Speaker 1: as though pointing and victoriously to its master's dwelling. You
• 59:04
  Speaker 1: soon arrived at the house, and with a mix of
• 59:07
  Speaker 1: trepidation and a heart beating with an excitement you had
• 59:11
  Speaker 1: never known, you knocked on the door. A very beautiful
• 59:16
  Speaker 1: young woman, still but a fresh faced teenager opened the
• 59:20
  Speaker 1: door smiling, And there behind her, playing by the fire's side,
• 59:26
  Speaker 1: with gleaming starlight beaming down on him, was a small child.
• 59:32
  Speaker 1: He looked up at the doors opening and grinned widely
• 59:35
  Speaker 1: at you wall in a daze. You all fell to
• 59:39
  Speaker 1: your knees. No, no, not even your knees. You fell
• 59:44
  Speaker 1: to your faces in the dust. You were all sobbing,
• 59:49
  Speaker 1: uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude. In
• 59:55
  Speaker 1: a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing were
• 59:59
  Speaker 1: fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now felt
• 1:00:05
  Speaker 1: like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer the
• 1:00:09
  Speaker 1: King of all kings, the Lord of all lords? What
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 1: would ever be good enough? This little boy owned the heavens,
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 1: the land, and the sea. What could you give him?
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 1: As though you all thought of it simultaneously, you and
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 1: all the magi knelt again by him and offered him
• 1:00:32
  Speaker 1: your lives, all of you body, soul, mind and spirit.
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 1: Still that seemed lowly, but you could not give more
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 1: than that. To give him your all, holding nothing back,
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 1: was your best offering. As he received you with equal
• 1:00:54
  Speaker 1: joy and elation, you knew you had found your peace
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 1: and salvation. Yes, but more than that, you had found
• 1:01:03
  Speaker 1: the one with whom you would be spending the rest
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 1: of eternity, the paradise you had longed for your whole life,
• 1:01:12
  Speaker 1: the hope and death, and the answer to life. And
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: that was cause for great celebration. Join me as we
• 1:01:24
  Speaker 1: close our Christmas story to night in prayer. Wonderful Father,
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 1: to night we have shared in the longing and joy
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 1: that the wise men did. We praise you that on
• 1:01:36
  Speaker 1: this night two thousand years ago, you gave us the
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 1: gift of your son, and we now have eternal life
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 1: paradise forever with you by our side. Thank you for
• 1:01:50
  Speaker 1: giving us guiding stars in our journey. And would your
• 1:01:54
  Speaker 1: Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to you so we
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 1: may know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and
• 1:02:02
  Speaker 1: follow you more nearly. And your precious Sun our Saviour's name. Amen.
• 1:02:13
  Speaker 1: Allow me to finish our time to night with a
• 1:02:15
  Speaker 1: benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine, for your
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 1: light has come, and the glory of the Lord has
• 1:02:27
  Speaker 1: risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the
• 1:02:31
  Speaker 1: earth and deep darkness the people. But the Lord will
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 1: arise over you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 1: May the Lord rise over you this Christmas season night,
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 1: and may his glory be seen upon you to day
• 1:02:50
  Speaker 1: and every day. May you have a very merry Christmas,
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: and more than ever, may you abide in Christ. Let's
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 1: listen again to this sleep story about the journey of
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 1: the Magi to find Jesus continued to rest in this
• 1:03:14
  Speaker 1: sacred moment, Precious listener, as I read over you tonight's
• 1:03:19
  Speaker 1: Christmas bedtime tale, perhaps you can even see the stars
• 1:03:24
  Speaker 1: outside your bedroom window right now, or perhaps with eyes
• 1:03:29
  Speaker 1: gently closed, you can imagine in your mind's eye the
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 1: starry night sky on a night such as this, more
• 1:03:40
  Speaker 1: than two thousand years ago, somewhere out in the recesses
• 1:03:44
  Speaker 1: of the desert of the ancient world, were a group
• 1:03:48
  Speaker 1: of kings from the east. Legend has it these great
• 1:03:54
  Speaker 1: men were priests of the Zoroastrian religion and had traveled
• 1:03:59
  Speaker 1: all the way from Persia and Babylon, seeking the Messiah
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: by the Star of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale, we will
• 1:04:10
  Speaker 1: journey with these spiritual seekers as they follow the stars
• 1:04:14
  Speaker 1: and heavenly signs in their pursuit of the Savior a
• 1:04:18
  Speaker 1: short time after his birth. A good way to start
• 1:04:24
  Speaker 1: our bedtime story is by going back thousands of years earlier.
• 1:04:29
  Speaker 1: So relax and listen as I read the prophecy about
• 1:04:34
  Speaker 1: this group of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty verses one
• 1:04:39
  Speaker 1: to six. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and
• 1:04:47
  Speaker 1: the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold,
• 1:04:52
  Speaker 1: the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people.
• 1:04:58
  Speaker 1: But the Lord will arise over you, and his glory
• 1:05:01
  Speaker 1: will be seen upon you. The gentiles shall come to
• 1:05:05
  Speaker 1: your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
• 1:05:10
  Speaker 1: Lift up your eyes all around, and see they all
• 1:05:14
  Speaker 1: gather together. They come to you. Your sons shall come
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 1: from Afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 1: Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart
• 1:05:28
  Speaker 1: shall swell with joy, because the abundance of the sea
• 1:05:33
  Speaker 1: shall be turned to you. The wealth of the Gentiles
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: shall come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover
• 1:05:41
  Speaker 1: your land, the Drome, dairies of Midian and Epha, all
• 1:05:46
  Speaker 1: those from Shebas shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense,
• 1:05:52
  Speaker 1: and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. Isn't
• 1:05:59
  Speaker 1: it amazing that God knew in advance that gentiles and
• 1:06:02
  Speaker 1: kings would come from Afar seeking the Messiah and the
• 1:06:07
  Speaker 1: brightness of his rising. He even predicted the details of
• 1:06:12
  Speaker 1: their quest for the Savior. Arise, shine, for your light
• 1:06:19
  Speaker 1: has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 1: upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 1: and deep darkness the people. But the Lord will arise
• 1:06:32
  Speaker 1: over you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 1: This imagery speaks of the star that arose to light
• 1:06:42
  Speaker 1: the way to Jesus advent to the world. The Star
• 1:06:47
  Speaker 1: of Bethlehem arose and shone. When deep darkness covered the earth.
• 1:06:52
  Speaker 1: The glory of the Lord was seen by the magi
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 1: as they followed the star. And as we will see
• 1:06:59
  Speaker 1: when the wise men discover the small child Jesus. Isaiah's
• 1:07:03
  Speaker 1: prophecy was true. Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy. They shall bring
• 1:07:12
  Speaker 1: gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim the praises of
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing into sleep, I'm
• 1:07:25
  Speaker 1: going to lead you in an imaginative contemplation that will
• 1:07:30
  Speaker 1: bring this Christmas story to life. But before I do,
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 1: I will read the full scriptural account of the wise
• 1:07:38
  Speaker 1: Men from Matthew two verses one through ten. Jesus was
• 1:07:45
  Speaker 1: born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod.
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 1: About that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived
• 1:07:55
  Speaker 1: in Jerusalem, asking where is the new born King of
• 1:07:59
  Speaker 1: the Jews. We saw his star as it rose, and
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 1: we have come to worship him. King Herod was deeply
• 1:08:08
  Speaker 1: disturbed when he heard this, as was every one in Jerusalem.
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 1: He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers
• 1:08:16
  Speaker 1: of religious law and asked where is the Messiah supposed
• 1:08:21
  Speaker 1: to be born in Bethlehem and Judea, They said, for
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 1: this is what the prophet wrote. And you, o Bethlehem,
• 1:08:30
  Speaker 1: in the land of Judah, are not least among the
• 1:08:33
  Speaker 1: ruling cities of Judah. For a ruler will come from you,
• 1:08:38
  Speaker 1: who will be the shepherd for my people Israel. Then
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 1: Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men,
• 1:08:46
  Speaker 1: and he learned from them the time when the star
• 1:08:49
  Speaker 1: first appeared. Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and
• 1:08:54
  Speaker 1: search carefully for the child, and when you find him,
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: come back and tell me so that I can go
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 1: and worship him too. After this interview, the wise men
• 1:09:07
  Speaker 1: went their way, and the star they had seen in
• 1:09:10
  Speaker 1: the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of
• 1:09:14
  Speaker 1: them and stopped over the place where the child was.
• 1:09:18
  Speaker 1: When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.
• 1:09:22
  Speaker 1: They entered the house and saw the child with his
• 1:09:25
  Speaker 1: mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then
• 1:09:30
  Speaker 1: they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,
• 1:09:35
  Speaker 1: and myrrhr, so precious listener, I invite you to snuggle down,
• 1:09:44
  Speaker 1: and if you like, and envision yourself there in that
• 1:09:47
  Speaker 1: very time two millennia ago, at the turning point and
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 1: hinge of history, when BC turned to ad. Imagine that
• 1:09:59
  Speaker 1: you all or are one of these wise magi from
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 1: the East. You have been seeking the answers of life
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 1: in so many different religious doctrines and ideologies and ritualistic methods.
• 1:10:13
  Speaker 1: All of them promised you solace for your soul. All
• 1:10:18
  Speaker 1: of them promised paradise and freedom from pain and worry.
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 1: And yet here you are probably worse off than before,
• 1:10:28
  Speaker 1: with more questions than you had at the start of
• 1:10:30
  Speaker 1: your pursuit of meaning. You feel more need for peace
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 1: and redemption than ever. You and your fellow magi have
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 1: long scoured the scrolls and have discovered many prophetic utterances
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 1: from ancient Hebrew scribes. They spoke of a savior being
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 1: born in Israel, a man who will emancipate his people
• 1:10:55
  Speaker 1: from sin. He will save the world and bring justice, mercy,
• 1:11:01
  Speaker 1: and grace. You read the writings of the prophet Isaiah,
• 1:11:06
  Speaker 1: which said, for unto us a child is born, unto
• 1:11:10
  Speaker 1: us a son is given, and the government shall be
• 1:11:15
  Speaker 1: upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 1: counselor the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 1: So when the other wise men in your land gathered
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 1: together and decided to seek this savior, you did not
• 1:11:35
  Speaker 1: know a moment of hesitation in joining their number. It
• 1:11:39
  Speaker 1: wouldn't be easy. It would be a very long journey.
• 1:11:43
  Speaker 1: It would hold many pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers,
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 1: and thieves. You knew you would suffer hunger and thirst,
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 1: and the long desert stretches. And yet the joy and
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: glee in your heart was it pressible. You had never
• 1:12:02
  Speaker 1: known such a feeling of faith rise up in your heart.
• 1:12:06
  Speaker 1: You knew in the deepest part of you that you
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 1: were going to find this Messiah. You couldn't explain it,
• 1:12:14
  Speaker 1: but you felt like you were born for such a
• 1:12:16
  Speaker 1: time as this, at this exact time and history. So
• 1:12:22
  Speaker 1: no matter what came, you would pursue this god Man
• 1:12:25
  Speaker 1: to the ends of the earth if need be. You
• 1:12:30
  Speaker 1: and your wise companions set forth, faithfully, trusting that as
• 1:12:34
  Speaker 1: you saw it, you would find that as you knocked,
• 1:12:39
  Speaker 1: the door would be opened to you. You all loaded
• 1:12:44
  Speaker 1: up your camels with supplies to last many weeks, and
• 1:12:48
  Speaker 1: you brought the finest gifts. The east possessed gold, of
• 1:12:53
  Speaker 1: matchless purity, frankinsense that was burned only by the highest
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: of priests in your land, and mrr that had been
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 1: sourced from the resin of the rarest trees in the east.
• 1:13:06
  Speaker 1: You mounted your steeds, sending up prayers to the heavens,
• 1:13:11
  Speaker 1: to the God who created the skies and the galaxies
• 1:13:14
  Speaker 1: and all the starry hosts. You prayed for guidance and
• 1:13:19
  Speaker 1: direction and a fruitful mission. You prayed fervently to find
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 1: your savior, the one who would free you from darkness
• 1:13:28
  Speaker 1: and pain. And so you all set forth on the
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: long journey. You were experts and studying the skies to
• 1:13:37
  Speaker 1: guide your way. So you searched the heavens. But lo,
• 1:13:41
  Speaker 1: and behold, barely one night had passed when the most
• 1:13:46
  Speaker 1: luminous and radiant white star arose in the sky in
• 1:13:50
  Speaker 1: the distance. You had seen glorious stars in your time,
• 1:13:56
  Speaker 1: but never in all your years on earth, you witnessed
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 1: the wild grandeur and incandescent magnificence and incandescent magnificence of
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 1: this celestial body. It almost stopped your group in their tracks.
• 1:14:14
  Speaker 1: You were transfixed in awe, with a burning fire of
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 1: hope in your heart, you felt compelled to follow it.
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 1: It seemed to point in the direction of Israel, so
• 1:14:28
  Speaker 1: this confirmed your hopes. Eventually you approached the land, and unfortunately,
• 1:14:34
  Speaker 1: news of your quest had reached the royal palace of
• 1:14:37
  Speaker 1: King Herod. Reluctantly, you had to pay him a visit
• 1:14:42
  Speaker 1: and let him know of your plans. You saw in
• 1:14:45
  Speaker 1: King Herod's eyes a flash of jealousy and decided amongst
• 1:14:50
  Speaker 1: yourselves that it would be best to say as little
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 1: as possible. Oddly enough, that night, your guiding star diminished
• 1:14:59
  Speaker 1: in sky and you could not see it. But once
• 1:15:03
  Speaker 1: you were released from Herod's presence, you returned to your
• 1:15:08
  Speaker 1: search and behold to your great elation, and in rapture,
• 1:15:13
  Speaker 1: the glistening beacon of hope reappeared in the night sky.
• 1:15:18
  Speaker 1: You were all overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 1: a miracle. You were magi and believed in magic, but
• 1:15:29
  Speaker 1: this far surpassed any magic. You didn't want anything further
• 1:15:34
  Speaker 1: to do with magic. Now that you had seen a
• 1:15:37
  Speaker 1: real life miracle with your own naked eyes, you would
• 1:15:44
  Speaker 1: be speaking about this until the day you died. No
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 1: one could convince you it was false or imagined. You
• 1:15:52
  Speaker 1: had this luminous star that guided you during the day
• 1:15:59
  Speaker 1: and during the night night was evidence enough for you
• 1:16:02
  Speaker 1: that you were going to find the truth, the truth
• 1:16:06
  Speaker 1: that you had searched for all your life, the real
• 1:16:10
  Speaker 1: reason for your existence on earth. The sight of it
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: filled you with sacred awe and a worshipful impulse. But
• 1:16:19
  Speaker 1: you knew that the one to whom it was leading
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 1: you was the real reason for your awe and worship.
• 1:16:26
  Speaker 1: No longer would you worship the stars, sun or moon,
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 1: for they were simply signs of the one who made them.
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: They are simply pointing to the greatest one of all,
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 1: the One True God, the God over all the heavens.
• 1:16:44
  Speaker 1: As your group gazed at this star, you followed it
• 1:16:47
  Speaker 1: with more haste and fervor than before. It seemed to
• 1:16:52
  Speaker 1: grow closer and closer every mile, brighter and brighter, shinier
• 1:16:57
  Speaker 1: and shinier. Although your camels were weary and tired from
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 1: many long weeks on the road, they seemed to hasten
• 1:17:07
  Speaker 1: their pace also, as though they too sensed that their
• 1:17:11
  Speaker 1: redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came to rest above
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 1: the town of Bethlehem, and in the town the star
• 1:17:22
  Speaker 1: was fixed directly above a humble little cottage. The stars
• 1:17:27
  Speaker 1: shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house, as though
• 1:17:31
  Speaker 1: pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling. You soon
• 1:17:37
  Speaker 1: arrived at the house, and, with a mix of trepidation
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 1: and a heart beating with an excitement you had never known,
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 1: you knocked on the door. A very beautiful young woman,
• 1:17:50
  Speaker 1: still but a fresh faced teenager, opened the door smiling,
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 1: And there behind her, playing by the fireside, with gleaming
• 1:17:59
  Speaker 1: stars beaming down on him, was a small child. He
• 1:18:05
  Speaker 1: looked up at the doors opening and grinned widely at you.
• 1:18:08
  Speaker 1: All in a daze. You all fell to your knees. No, no,
• 1:18:14
  Speaker 1: not even your knees. You fell to your faces in
• 1:18:18
  Speaker 1: the dust. You were all sobbing uncontrollably with mirth and
• 1:18:24
  Speaker 1: joy and relief and gratitude. In a moment of time,
• 1:18:29
  Speaker 1: decades of yearning and longing were fulfilled with great humility.
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 1: You offered him what now felt like lowly and pitiful gifts.
• 1:18:40
  Speaker 1: What could you offer the King of all kings, the
• 1:18:43
  Speaker 1: Lord of all lords? What would ever be good enough?
• 1:18:49
  Speaker 1: This little boy owned the heavens, the land, and the sea.
• 1:18:53
  Speaker 1: What could you give him, as though you all thought
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 1: of it simultaneous, you and all the magi knelt again
• 1:19:03
  Speaker 1: by him and offered him your lives, all of you body, soul,
• 1:19:09
  Speaker 1: mind and spirit. Still that seemed lowly, but you could
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 1: not give more than that. To give him your all,
• 1:19:19
  Speaker 1: holding nothing back, was your best offering. As he received
• 1:19:25
  Speaker 1: you with equal joy and elation, you knew you had
• 1:19:29
  Speaker 1: found your peace and salvation. Yes, but more than that,
• 1:19:35
  Speaker 1: you had found the one with whom you would be
• 1:19:37
  Speaker 1: spending the rest of eternity, the paradise you had longed
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 1: for your whole life, the hope and death and the
• 1:19:46
  Speaker 1: answer to life. And that was cause for great celebration.
• 1:19:55
  Speaker 1: Join me as we close our Christmas story to night
• 1:19:58
  Speaker 1: in prayer. Wonderful Father, tonight we have shared in the
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 1: longing and joy that the wise men did. We praise
• 1:20:08
  Speaker 1: you that on this night two thousand years ago you
• 1:20:12
  Speaker 1: gave us the gift of your son, and we now
• 1:20:16
  Speaker 1: have eternal life paradise forever with you by our side.
• 1:20:22
  Speaker 1: Thank you for giving us guiding stars in our journey.
• 1:20:26
  Speaker 1: And would your Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to
• 1:20:29
  Speaker 1: you so we may know you more clearly, Love you
• 1:20:33
  Speaker 1: more dearly, and follow you more nearly and your precious
• 1:20:38
  Speaker 1: son our Saviour's name. Amen, allow me to finish our
• 1:20:46
  Speaker 1: time tonight with a benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine,
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 1:20:59
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 1:21:03
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people. But the
• 1:21:08
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 1:21:11
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. May the Lord rise over you this
• 1:21:17
  Speaker 1: Christmas season night, and may his glory be seen upon
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 1: you today and every day. May you have a very
• 1:21:27
  Speaker 1: merry Christmas, and more than ever, may you abide in Christ.
• 1:21:36
  Speaker 1: Let's listen again to this sleep story about the journey
• 1:21:39
  Speaker 1: of the Magi to find Jesus. Continue to rest in
• 1:21:46
  Speaker 1: this sacred moment, precious listener, as I read over you
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 1: tonight's Christmas bedtime tale. Perhaps you can even see the
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 1: stars outside your bedroom window right now, or perhaps with
• 1:22:01
  Speaker 1: eyes gently closed, you can imagine in your mind's eye
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 1: the starry night sky on a night such as this.
• 1:22:12
  Speaker 1: More than two thousand years ago, somewhere out in the
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 1: recesses of the desert of the ancient world, were a
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 1: group of kings from the East. Legend has it these
• 1:22:26
  Speaker 1: great men were priests of the Zoroastrian religion and had
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 1: traveled all the way from Persia and Babylon, seeking the
• 1:22:35
  Speaker 1: Messiah by the Star of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale, we
• 1:22:42
  Speaker 1: will journey with these spiritual seekers as they follow the
• 1:22:46
  Speaker 1: stars and heavenly signs in their pursuit of the Savior
• 1:22:51
  Speaker 1: a short time after his birth. A good way to
• 1:22:56
  Speaker 1: start our bedtime story is by going back thousands of
• 1:23:00
  Speaker 1: years earlier. So relax and listen as I read the
• 1:23:05
  Speaker 1: prophecy about this group of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty
• 1:23:11
  Speaker 1: verses one to six. Arise, shine, for your light has come,
• 1:23:19
  Speaker 1: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 1:23:23
  Speaker 1: For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep
• 1:23:28
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you,
• 1:23:33
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. The gentiles
• 1:23:37
  Speaker 1: shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 1: of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and
• 1:23:45
  Speaker 1: see they all gather together. They come to you. Your
• 1:23:50
  Speaker 1: sons shall come from Afar, and your daughters shall be
• 1:23:54
  Speaker 1: nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 1:24:00
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy, because the abundance
• 1:24:04
  Speaker 1: of the sea shall be turned to you. The wealth
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 1: of the Gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of
• 1:24:12
  Speaker 1: camels shall cover your land, the Drome, dairies of Midian
• 1:24:17
  Speaker 1: and Epha, all those from Shebas shall come. They shall
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 1: bring gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim the praises
• 1:24:27
  Speaker 1: of the Lord. Isn't it amazing that God knew in
• 1:24:33
  Speaker 1: advance that gentiles and kings would come from Afar seeking
• 1:24:38
  Speaker 1: the Messiah and the brightness of his rising. He even
• 1:24:43
  Speaker 1: predicted the details of their quest for the Savior. Arise, shine,
• 1:24:50
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 1:24:54
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 1:24:59
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 1:25:03
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 1:25:07
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. This imagery speaks of the star that
• 1:25:14
  Speaker 1: arose to light the way to Jesus advent to the world.
• 1:25:19
  Speaker 1: The Star of Bethlehem arose and shone when deep darkness
• 1:25:22
  Speaker 1: covered the earth. The glory of the Lord was seen
• 1:25:26
  Speaker 1: by the magi as they followed the star, and as
• 1:25:30
  Speaker 1: we will see when the wise men discover the small
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 1: child Jesus Isaiah's prophecy was true. Then you shall see
• 1:25:39
  Speaker 1: and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy.
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 1: They shall bring gold and frankencense, and they shall proclaim
• 1:25:48
  Speaker 1: the praises of the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 1: into sleep, I'm going to lead you in an agitative
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 1: contemplation that will bring this Christmas story to life. But
• 1:26:06
  Speaker 1: before I do, I will read the full scriptural account
• 1:26:10
  Speaker 1: of the wise men from Matthew two, verses one through ten.
• 1:26:17
  Speaker 1: Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign
• 1:26:22
  Speaker 1: of King Herod. About that time, some wise men from
• 1:26:26
  Speaker 1: eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking where is the new
• 1:26:30
  Speaker 1: born King of the Jews. We saw his star as
• 1:26:34
  Speaker 1: it rose, and we have come to worship him. King
• 1:26:39
  Speaker 1: Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was
• 1:26:44
  Speaker 1: everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading
• 1:26:47
  Speaker 1: priests and teachers of religious law and asked, where is
• 1:26:52
  Speaker 1: the Messiah supposed to be born in Bethlehem in Judea.
• 1:26:56
  Speaker 1: They said, for this is what the prophet wrote, and you, O,
• 1:27:02
  Speaker 1: Bethlehem and the land of Judah are not least among
• 1:27:05
  Speaker 1: the ruling cities. Of Judah, for a ruler will come
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 1: from you, who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.
• 1:27:14
  Speaker 1: Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men,
• 1:27:19
  Speaker 1: and he learned from them the time when the star
• 1:27:21
  Speaker 1: first appeared. Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and
• 1:27:26
  Speaker 1: search carefully for the child, and when you find him,
• 1:27:31
  Speaker 1: come back and tell me so that I can go
• 1:27:34
  Speaker 1: and worship him too. After this interview, the wise men
• 1:27:39
  Speaker 1: went their way, and the star they had seen in
• 1:27:43
  Speaker 1: the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of
• 1:27:47
  Speaker 1: them and stopped over the place where the child was.
• 1:27:51
  Speaker 1: When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 1: They entered the house and saw the child with his
• 1:27:57
  Speaker 1: mother Mary, and they bowed l and worshiped him. Then
• 1:28:02
  Speaker 1: they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,
• 1:28:07
  Speaker 1: and myrrh. So precious listener, I invite you to snuggle down, and,
• 1:28:16
  Speaker 1: if you like, and envision yourself there in that very
• 1:28:20
  Speaker 1: time two millennia ago, at the turning point and hinge
• 1:28:25
  Speaker 1: of history, when BC turned to a d Imagine that
• 1:28:31
  Speaker 1: you also are one of these wise magi from the east.
• 1:28:36
  Speaker 1: You have been seeking the answers of life in so
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 1: many different religious doctrines and ideologies and ritualistic methods. All
• 1:28:46
  Speaker 1: of them promised you solace for your soul. All of
• 1:28:50
  Speaker 1: them promised paradise and freedom from pain and worry. And
• 1:28:55
  Speaker 1: yet here you are probably worse off than before, with
• 1:29:00
  Speaker 1: more questions than you had at the start of your
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 1: pursuit of meaning. You feel more need for peace and
• 1:29:07
  Speaker 1: redemption than ever. You and your fellow magi have long
• 1:29:14
  Speaker 1: scoured the scrolls and have discovered many prophetic utterances from
• 1:29:19
  Speaker 1: ancient Hebrew scribes. They spoke of a savior being born
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 1: in Israel, a man who will emancipate his people from sin.
• 1:29:30
  Speaker 1: He will save the world and bring justice, mercy, and grace.
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 1: You read the writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said,
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 1: for unto us a child is born, unto us a
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 1: son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
• 1:29:49
  Speaker 1: and his name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God,
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 1: the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the
• 1:30:01
  Speaker 1: other wise men in your land gathered together and decided
• 1:30:05
  Speaker 1: to seek this savior, you did not know a moment
• 1:30:08
  Speaker 1: of hesitation. In joining their number. It wouldn't be easy
• 1:30:13
  Speaker 1: it would be a very long journey. It would hold
• 1:30:16
  Speaker 1: many pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You
• 1:30:23
  Speaker 1: knew you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 1: desert stretches, And yet the joy and glee in your
• 1:30:31
  Speaker 1: heart was irrepressible. You had never known such a feeling
• 1:30:36
  Speaker 1: of faith rise up in your heart. You knew in
• 1:30:39
  Speaker 1: the deepest part of you that you were going to
• 1:30:42
  Speaker 1: find this Messiah. You couldn't explain it, but you felt
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 1: like you were born for such a time as this,
• 1:30:51
  Speaker 1: at this exact time and history. So no matter what came,
• 1:30:56
  Speaker 1: you would pursue this god Man to the ends of
• 1:30:59
  Speaker 1: the earth if need be. You and your wise companions
• 1:31:04
  Speaker 1: set forth, faithfully, trusting that as you saw it, you
• 1:31:08
  Speaker 1: would find that as you knocked, the door would be
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 1: opened to you. You all loaded up your camels with
• 1:31:17
  Speaker 1: supplies to last many weeks, and you brought the finest
• 1:31:22
  Speaker 1: gifts the east, possessed gold of matchless purity, frankincense that
• 1:31:28
  Speaker 1: was burned only by the highest of priests in your land,
• 1:31:32
  Speaker 1: and mirror that had been sourced from the resin of
• 1:31:35
  Speaker 1: the rarest trees in the east. You mounted your steeds
• 1:31:40
  Speaker 1: sending up prayers to the heavens, to the God who
• 1:31:44
  Speaker 1: created the skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts.
• 1:31:50
  Speaker 1: You prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission.
• 1:31:55
  Speaker 1: You prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who
• 1:31:58
  Speaker 1: would free you from darkness and pain. And so you
• 1:32:04
  Speaker 1: all set forth on the long journey. You were experts
• 1:32:08
  Speaker 1: and studying the skies to guide your way. So you
• 1:32:11
  Speaker 1: searched the heavens. But lo, and behold, barely one night
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 1: had passed when the most luminous and radiant white star
• 1:32:21
  Speaker 1: arose in the sky in the distance. You had seen
• 1:32:26
  Speaker 1: glorious stars in your time, but never in all your
• 1:32:30
  Speaker 1: years on earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur and
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 1: incandescent magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body. It
• 1:32:43
  Speaker 1: almost stopped your group in their tracks. You were transfixed
• 1:32:48
  Speaker 1: in awe, with a burning fire of hope in your heart,
• 1:32:53
  Speaker 1: you felt compelled to follow it. It seemed to point
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 1: in the direction of Israel, so this confirmed your hopes.
• 1:33:03
  Speaker 1: Eventually you approached the land, and unfortunately, news of your
• 1:33:07
  Speaker 1: quest had reached the royal palace of King Herod reluctantly
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 1: you had to pay him a visit and let him
• 1:33:15
  Speaker 1: know of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes
• 1:33:19
  Speaker 1: a flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it
• 1:33:23
  Speaker 1: would be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 1:33:29
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding star diminished in the sky and
• 1:33:33
  Speaker 1: you could not see it. But once you were released
• 1:33:37
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search and behold
• 1:33:43
  Speaker 1: to your great elation, and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 1:33:47
  Speaker 1: of hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 1:33:51
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 1:33:58
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 1:34:03
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 1:34:08
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 1:34:12
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 1:34:22
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 1:34:29
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 1:34:33
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 1: find the truth, the truth that you had searched for
• 1:34:40
  Speaker 1: all your life, the real reason for your existence on Earth.
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 1: The sight of it filled you with sacred awe and
• 1:34:48
  Speaker 1: a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the one to
• 1:34:52
  Speaker 1: whom it was leading you was the real reason for
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 1: your awe and worship. No longer you worship the stars,
• 1:35:01
  Speaker 1: sun or moon, for they were simply signs of the
• 1:35:05
  Speaker 1: one who made them. They are simply pointing to the
• 1:35:09
  Speaker 1: greatest one of all, the One True God, the God
• 1:35:14
  Speaker 1: over all the heavens. As your group gazed at this star,
• 1:35:19
  Speaker 1: you followed it with more haste and fervor than before.
• 1:35:23
  Speaker 1: It seemed to grow closer and closer every mile, brighter
• 1:35:28
  Speaker 1: and brighter, shinier and shinier. Although your camels were weary
• 1:35:34
  Speaker 1: and tired from many long weeks on the road, they
• 1:35:38
  Speaker 1: seemed to hasten their pace also, as though they too,
• 1:35:42
  Speaker 1: sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came
• 1:35:49
  Speaker 1: to rest above the town of Bethlehem, and in the
• 1:35:53
  Speaker 1: town the star was fixed directly above a humble little cottage.
• 1:35:59
  Speaker 1: The star shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house,
• 1:36:03
  Speaker 1: as though pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling.
• 1:36:09
  Speaker 1: You soon arrived at the house, and with a mix
• 1:36:11
  Speaker 1: of trepidation and a heart beating with an excitement you
• 1:36:15
  Speaker 1: had never known. You knocked on the door. A very
• 1:36:20
  Speaker 1: beautiful young woman still but a fresh faced teenager opened
• 1:36:25
  Speaker 1: the door smiling, And there behind her, playing by the
• 1:36:30
  Speaker 1: fire's side, with gleaming starlight beaming down on him, was
• 1:36:35
  Speaker 1: a small child. He looked up at the doors opening
• 1:36:39
  Speaker 1: and grinned wildly at you wall in a daze. You
• 1:36:43
  Speaker 1: all fell to your knees. No, no, not even your knees.
• 1:36:49
  Speaker 1: You fell to your faces in the dust. You were
• 1:36:52
  Speaker 1: all sobbing, uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude.
• 1:37:00
  Speaker 1: In a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing
• 1:37:04
  Speaker 1: were fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now
• 1:37:09
  Speaker 1: felt like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 1: the king of all kings, the Lord of all lords?
• 1:37:18
  Speaker 1: What would ever be good enough? This little boy owned
• 1:37:23
  Speaker 1: the heavens, the land, and the sea. What could you
• 1:37:26
  Speaker 1: give him? As though you all thought of it simultaneously,
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 1: you and all the magi knelt again by him and
• 1:37:36
  Speaker 1: offered him your lives, all of you, body, soul, mind,
• 1:37:42
  Speaker 1: and spirit. Still that seemed lowly, but you could not
• 1:37:48
  Speaker 1: give more than that. To give him your all, holding
• 1:37:52
  Speaker 1: nothing back, was your best offering. As he received you
• 1:37:58
  Speaker 1: with equal joy and life, you knew you had found
• 1:38:02
  Speaker 1: your peace and salvation. Yes, but more than that, you
• 1:38:08
  Speaker 1: had found the one with whom you would be spending
• 1:38:10
  Speaker 1: the rest of eternity, the paradise you had longed for
• 1:38:15
  Speaker 1: your whole life, the hope and death and the answer
• 1:38:19
  Speaker 1: to life. And that was cause for great celebration. Join
• 1:38:28
  Speaker 1: me as we close our Christmas story tonight in prayer.
• 1:38:33
  Speaker 1: Wonderful Father, tonight we have shared in the longing and
• 1:38:37
  Speaker 1: joy that the wise men did. We praise you that
• 1:38:41
  Speaker 1: on this night two thousand years ago you gave us
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 1: the gift of your son, and we now have eternal
• 1:38:49
  Speaker 1: life paradise forever with you by our side. Thank you
• 1:38:55
  Speaker 1: for giving us guiding stars in our journey. And would
• 1:38:59
  Speaker 1: your Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to you so
• 1:39:02
  Speaker 1: we may know you more clearly, love you more dearly,
• 1:39:07
  Speaker 1: and follow you more nearly. And your precious Sun our
• 1:39:11
  Speaker 1: Saviour's name. Amen, Allow me to finish our time tonight
• 1:39:20
  Speaker 1: with a benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise shine,
• 1:39:27
  Speaker 1: for your light has come and the glory of the
• 1:39:31
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 1:39:36
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people. But the
• 1:39:40
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 1:39:44
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. May the Lord rise over you this
• 1:39:49
  Speaker 1: Christmas season night, and may his glory be seen upon
• 1:39:53
  Speaker 1: you today and every day. May you have a very
• 1:40:00
  Speaker 1: merry Christmas, and more than ever, may you abide in Christ.
• 1:40:11
  Speaker 1: There's something about a star, isn't there something special, something
• 1:40:18
  Speaker 1: that fills the human heart with promise of things to come.
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 1: The way a heavenly star sparkles and glimmers in the
• 1:40:26
  Speaker 1: evening sky can fill us with expectation and comfort. The
• 1:40:32
  Speaker 1: sight of a single, solitary, luminous star twinkling in the
• 1:40:36
  Speaker 1: darkest night sky speaks to us of hope, residing hope
• 1:40:42
  Speaker 1: that no matter how dark the night's season, light is
• 1:40:46
  Speaker 1: still greater. As John one, verse five says, the light
• 1:40:51
  Speaker 1: shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
• 1:40:57
  Speaker 1: This Christmas season, when we gaze up but the night
• 1:41:00
  Speaker 1: sky clustered with the starry host, let us remember one
• 1:41:05
  Speaker 1: of the most important stars that ever twinkled in the sky,
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 1: the star in the east that guided the three wise
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 1: men to discover the location of Jesus Christ, their savior
• 1:41:17
  Speaker 1: and King. The scripture tonight that will be guiding our
• 1:41:23
  Speaker 1: guiding light is found in Matthew two, verses nine and ten.
• 1:41:30
  Speaker 1: When they had heard the King, they departed, and lo,
• 1:41:34
  Speaker 1: the star, which they saw in the east, went before
• 1:41:37
  Speaker 1: them till it came and stood over where the young
• 1:41:41
  Speaker 1: child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
• 1:41:45
  Speaker 1: exceeding great joy. Tonight, I hope you will rejoice with
• 1:41:51
  Speaker 1: exceeding great joy as you look upon the guiding light
• 1:41:55
  Speaker 1: of Jesus Christ. He is your morning and evening star
• 1:42:01
  Speaker 1: this Christmas. He will guide you to find him as
• 1:42:05
  Speaker 1: the wise Magi have found him more than two thousand
• 1:42:09
  Speaker 1: years ago. This is the season to remember why we
• 1:42:13
  Speaker 1: can have exceeding great joy every day. The advent of
• 1:42:19
  Speaker 1: the Christ Child has changed our forever forever. But first,
• 1:42:26
  Speaker 1: let's get cozy in bed. This is one of the
• 1:42:29
  Speaker 1: most powerful moments of the day. When we get too
• 1:42:34
  Speaker 1: completely relax and let go of every care and concern,
• 1:42:40
  Speaker 1: everything that might weigh on us. On this Christmas season,
• 1:42:44
  Speaker 1: evening you can experience deep quietness and rest. Your cozy
• 1:42:50
  Speaker 1: bed is one of the most safe and secure places
• 1:42:54
  Speaker 1: for you. Precious listener, God is watching over you. He
• 1:43:00
  Speaker 1: is like a star shining above you every moment of
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 1: every day. So know that you are seen and looked
• 1:43:08
  Speaker 1: after by your Father in heaven. I invite you to
• 1:43:13
  Speaker 1: make yourself comfortable, adjust the pillows, pull up your blankets,
• 1:43:19
  Speaker 1: dim or turn off the lights, and when you are ready,
• 1:43:23
  Speaker 1: come to stillness. You may have been vertical all day
• 1:43:28
  Speaker 1: longing to be horizontal, and now you are. Notice how
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 1: relieving it is for your head and legs and arms
• 1:43:37
  Speaker 1: and back. Breathe deeply as you let all tension go.
• 1:43:45
  Speaker 1: Imagine that tension is falling off you and sinking to
• 1:43:49
  Speaker 1: the floor. All you are left with is lightness and peace.
• 1:43:56
  Speaker 1: Keep breathing gently and deeply, feeling all stagnant air evaporating
• 1:44:03
  Speaker 1: away and leaving your body only fresh air is filling
• 1:44:08
  Speaker 1: your lungs now as you breathe in fresh oxygen. Bring
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 1: your awareness to the Holy Spirit within you and around you.
• 1:44:19
  Speaker 1: Sense his presence. It may be subtle, or it may
• 1:44:26
  Speaker 1: be more tangible. He may be bringing peace to your
• 1:44:30
  Speaker 1: heart or calm to your emotions, or maybe he is
• 1:44:35
  Speaker 1: bringing you a sensation in your body of warmth or
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 1: feeling like liquid love that's running down your back. His
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 1: presence is most precious, and his words are sweeter than
• 1:44:50
  Speaker 1: honey on your lips. You are able to experience his
• 1:44:54
  Speaker 1: presence during your daily life, just as keenly as you
• 1:44:58
  Speaker 1: can experience him in the quietness. It takes awareness and invitation,
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 1: just like you are practicing now. He will cause this
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 1: Christmas bedtime story to not only encourage you, but to
• 1:45:16
  Speaker 1: transform and heal you and give you exceeding great joy.
• 1:45:24
  Speaker 1: Most wonderful and precious Holy Father, we are in awe
• 1:45:29
  Speaker 1: of you. Your goodness knows no limits. We are in
• 1:45:33
  Speaker 1: awe and wonder at your care and compassion for this
• 1:45:38
  Speaker 1: lost and broken world. You cared about the salvation of
• 1:45:42
  Speaker 1: the group of wise Magi who came from the East.
• 1:45:46
  Speaker 1: They were spiritual seekers seeking truth, seeking the real meaning
• 1:45:52
  Speaker 1: of life, seeking the savior of the world, and you
• 1:45:56
  Speaker 1: guided them to the very answer to all their questions,
• 1:46:01
  Speaker 1: Jesus himself. You wanted to guide them to the truth
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 1: so that they could forsake all false gods and find
• 1:46:11
  Speaker 1: the one true God. You led them to their very
• 1:46:16
  Speaker 1: salvation through your creation in the heavens, a celestial body
• 1:46:21
  Speaker 1: in the dark night sky. You illuminated their way with
• 1:46:25
  Speaker 1: a clear, uncomplicated, and luminous sign so they could find
• 1:46:31
  Speaker 1: the location of the young child. Jesus the Christ, thank
• 1:46:36
  Speaker 1: you for this special moment in history more than two
• 1:46:40
  Speaker 1: thousand years ago. It shows us that when we seek you,
• 1:46:45
  Speaker 1: we will find you. When we search for you with
• 1:46:48
  Speaker 1: all our hearts, you will be found by us, and
• 1:46:52
  Speaker 1: you will give us exceeding great joy. In Jesus Holy
• 1:46:58
  Speaker 1: and Mighty name. Amen continued to rest in this sacred moment.
• 1:47:06
  Speaker 1: Precious listener, as I read over you Tonight's Christmas bedtime tale,
• 1:47:13
  Speaker 1: perhaps you can even see the stars outside your bedroom
• 1:47:16
  Speaker 1: window right now, or perhaps with eyes gently closed, you
• 1:47:22
  Speaker 1: can imagine in your mind's eye the starry night sky
• 1:47:29
  Speaker 1: on a night such as this. More than two thousand
• 1:47:32
  Speaker 1: years ago. Somewhere out in the recesses of the desert
• 1:47:36
  Speaker 1: of the ancient world, were a group of kings from
• 1:47:40
  Speaker 1: the East. Legend has it these great men were priests
• 1:47:47
  Speaker 1: of the Zoroastrian religion and had traveled all the way
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 1: from Persia and Babylon, seeking the Messiah by the Star
• 1:47:56
  Speaker 1: of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale, we will journey with these
• 1:48:02
  Speaker 1: spiritual seekers as they follow the stars and heavenly signs
• 1:48:07
  Speaker 1: in their pursuit of the Savior a short time after
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 1: his birth. A good way to start our bedtime story
• 1:48:17
  Speaker 1: is by going back thousands of years earlier. So relax
• 1:48:22
  Speaker 1: and listen as I read the prophecy about this group
• 1:48:26
  Speaker 1: of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty verses one to six. Arise, shine,
• 1:48:36
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 1:48:40
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 1:48:45
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 1:48:50
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 1:48:53
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. The gentiles shall come to your light
• 1:48:58
  Speaker 1: and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 1: your eyes all around, and see they all gather together.
• 1:49:07
  Speaker 1: They come to you. Your sons shall come from Afar,
• 1:49:12
  Speaker 1: and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then
• 1:49:16
  Speaker 1: you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall
• 1:49:20
  Speaker 1: swell with joy, because the abundance of the sea shall
• 1:49:24
  Speaker 1: be turned to you. The wealth of the gentiles shall
• 1:49:28
  Speaker 1: come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
• 1:49:34
  Speaker 1: the drome dairies of Midian and Epha, all those from
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 1: Shebas shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and
• 1:49:44
  Speaker 1: they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. Isn't it
• 1:49:50
  Speaker 1: amazing that God knew in advance that gentiles and kings
• 1:49:54
  Speaker 1: would come from Afar seeking the Messiah and the brightness
• 1:49:59
  Speaker 1: of his rising. He even predicted the details of their
• 1:50:04
  Speaker 1: quest for the Savior. Arise, shine, for your light has
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 1: come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 1:50:15
  Speaker 1: For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep
• 1:50:20
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you,
• 1:50:24
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. This imagery
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 1: speaks of the star that arose to light the way
• 1:50:34
  Speaker 1: to jesus advent to the world. The Star of Bethlehem
• 1:50:39
  Speaker 1: arose and shone when deep darkness covered the earth. The
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 1: glory of the Lord was seen by the magi as
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 1: they followed the star, And as we will see when
• 1:50:50
  Speaker 1: the wise men discover the small child Jesus. Isaiah's prophecy
• 1:50:55
  Speaker 1: was true. Then you shall see and become radiant, and
• 1:51:00
  Speaker 1: your heart shall swell with joy. They shall bring gold
• 1:51:04
  Speaker 1: and frankincense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. Now,
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 1: as you continue relaxing into sleep. I am going to
• 1:51:17
  Speaker 1: lead you in an imaginative contemplation that will bring this
• 1:51:22
  Speaker 1: Christmas story to life. But before I do, I will
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 1: read the full scriptural account of the Wise Men from
• 1:51:30
  Speaker 1: Matthew two verses one through ten. Jesus was born in
• 1:51:37
  Speaker 1: Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod. About
• 1:51:43
  Speaker 1: that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem,
• 1:51:48
  Speaker 1: asking where is the new born King of the Jews.
• 1:51:52
  Speaker 1: We saw his star as it rose, and we have
• 1:51:55
  Speaker 1: come to worship him. King Herod was deeply disturbed when
• 1:52:00
  Speaker 1: he heard this, as was every one in Jerusalem. He
• 1:52:05
  Speaker 1: called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of
• 1:52:08
  Speaker 1: religious law and asked, where is the Messiah supposed to
• 1:52:12
  Speaker 1: be born in Bethlehem and Judea. They said, for this
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 1: is what the prophet wrote. And you, o, Bethlehem, in
• 1:52:21
  Speaker 1: the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling
• 1:52:25
  Speaker 1: cities of Judah. For a ruler will come from you,
• 1:52:29
  Speaker 1: who will be the shepherd for my people Israel. Then
• 1:52:34
  Speaker 1: Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men,
• 1:52:38
  Speaker 1: and he learned from them the time when the star
• 1:52:40
  Speaker 1: first appeared. Then he told them go to Bethlehem and
• 1:52:45
  Speaker 1: search carefully for the child. And when you find him,
• 1:52:50
  Speaker 1: come back and tell me so that I can go
• 1:52:53
  Speaker 1: and worship him too. After this interview, the wise men
• 1:52:58
  Speaker 1: went their way, and the star they had seen in
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 1: the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 1: them and stopped over the place where the child was.
• 1:53:10
  Speaker 1: When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.
• 1:53:13
  Speaker 1: They entered the house and saw the child with his
• 1:53:16
  Speaker 1: mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then
• 1:53:21
  Speaker 1: they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,
• 1:53:26
  Speaker 1: and myrrhr, so, precious listener, I invite you to snuggle down, and,
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 1: if you like, and envision yourself there in that very
• 1:53:39
  Speaker 1: time two millennia ago, at the turning point and hinge
• 1:53:44
  Speaker 1: of history, when b C turned to a d imagine
• 1:53:50
  Speaker 1: that you also are one of these wise magi from
• 1:53:54
  Speaker 1: the east. You have been seeking the answers of life
• 1:53:57
  Speaker 1: in so many different religious doctrinees and ideologies and ritualistic methods.
• 1:54:04
  Speaker 1: All of them promised to you solace for your soul,
• 1:54:09
  Speaker 1: all of them promised paradise and freedom from pain and worry.
• 1:54:14
  Speaker 1: And yet here you are probably worse off than before,
• 1:54:19
  Speaker 1: with more questions than you had at the start of
• 1:54:22
  Speaker 1: your pursuit of meaning. You feel more need for peace
• 1:54:26
  Speaker 1: and redemption than ever. You and your fellow magi have
• 1:54:33
  Speaker 1: long scoured the scrolls and have discovered many prophetic utterances
• 1:54:38
  Speaker 1: from ancient Hebrew scribes. They spoke of a savior being
• 1:54:43
  Speaker 1: born in Israel, a man who will emancipate his people
• 1:54:47
  Speaker 1: from sin. He will save the world and bring justice, mercy,
• 1:54:52
  Speaker 1: and grace. You read the writings of the prophet Isaiah,
• 1:54:57
  Speaker 1: which said, for unto us child is born, unto us
• 1:55:02
  Speaker 1: a son is given, and the government shall be upon
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful counselor
• 1:55:12
  Speaker 1: the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
• 1:55:20
  Speaker 1: So when the other wise men in your land gathered
• 1:55:22
  Speaker 1: together and decided to seek this savior, you did not
• 1:55:26
  Speaker 1: know a moment of hesitation in joining their number. It
• 1:55:30
  Speaker 1: wouldn't be easy. It would be a very long journey.
• 1:55:35
  Speaker 1: It would hold many pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers,
• 1:55:40
  Speaker 1: and thieves. You knew you would suffer hunger and thirst,
• 1:55:44
  Speaker 1: and the long desert stretches. And yet the joy and
• 1:55:49
  Speaker 1: glee in your heart was irrepressible. You had never known
• 1:55:54
  Speaker 1: such a feeling of faith rise up in your heart.
• 1:55:58
  Speaker 1: You knew in the deepest part of you that you
• 1:56:00
  Speaker 1: were going to find this Messiah. You couldn't explain it,
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 1: but you felt like you were born for such a
• 1:56:08
  Speaker 1: time as this, at this exact time and history. So
• 1:56:13
  Speaker 1: no matter what came, you would pursue this god Man
• 1:56:17
  Speaker 1: to the ends of the earth if need be. You
• 1:56:21
  Speaker 1: and your wise companions set forth faithfully, trusting that as
• 1:56:26
  Speaker 1: you saw it, you would find that as you knocked,
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 1: the door would be opened to you. You all loaded
• 1:56:35
  Speaker 1: up your camels with supplies to last many weeks, and
• 1:56:40
  Speaker 1: you brought the finest gifts the east. Possessed gold of
• 1:56:44
  Speaker 1: matchless purity, frankinsense that was burned only by the highest
• 1:56:49
  Speaker 1: of priests in your land, and mrr that had been
• 1:56:53
  Speaker 1: sourced from the resin of the rarest trees in the east.
• 1:56:57
  Speaker 1: You mounted your steeds, sending prayers to the heavens, to
• 1:57:02
  Speaker 1: the God who created the skies and the galaxies and
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 1: all the starry hosts. You prayed for guidance and direction
• 1:57:11
  Speaker 1: and a fruitful mission. You prayed fervently to find your savior,
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 1: the one who would free you from darkness and pain.
• 1:57:22
  Speaker 1: And so you all set forth on the long journey.
• 1:57:26
  Speaker 1: You were experts and studying the skies to guide your way,
• 1:57:30
  Speaker 1: so you searched the heavens. But lo, and behold, barely
• 1:57:34
  Speaker 1: one night had passed when the most luminous and radiant
• 1:57:39
  Speaker 1: white star arose in the sky in the distance. You
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 1: had seen glorious stars in your time, but never in
• 1:57:49
  Speaker 1: all your years on earth had you witnessed the wild
• 1:57:53
  Speaker 1: grandeur and incandescent magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body.
• 1:58:02
  Speaker 1: It almost stopped your group in their tracks. You were
• 1:58:06
  Speaker 1: transfixed in awe. With a burning fire of hope in
• 1:58:11
  Speaker 1: your heart, you felt compelled to follow it. It seemed
• 1:58:16
  Speaker 1: to point in the direction of Israel, so this confirmed
• 1:58:20
  Speaker 1: your hopes. Eventually you approached the land, and unfortunately, news
• 1:58:26
  Speaker 1: of your quest had reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly,
• 1:58:32
  Speaker 1: you had to pay him a visit and let him
• 1:58:34
  Speaker 1: know of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes
• 1:58:38
  Speaker 1: a flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it
• 1:58:42
  Speaker 1: would be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 1:58:48
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding star diminished in the sky and
• 1:58:52
  Speaker 1: you could not see it. But once you were released
• 1:58:56
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search and behold
• 1:59:02
  Speaker 1: to your great elation, and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 1:59:06
  Speaker 1: of hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 1:59:10
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 1:59:17
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 1:59:22
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 1:59:27
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 1:59:31
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 1:59:37
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 1:59:41
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 1:59:48
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 1:59:52
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 1:59:54
  Speaker 1: find the truth, the truth that you had searched for
• 1:59:59
  Speaker 1: all your life, the real reason for your existence on earth.
• 2:00:05
  Speaker 1: The sight of it filled you with sacred awe and
• 2:00:07
  Speaker 1: a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the one to
• 2:00:11
  Speaker 1: whom it was leading you was the real reason for
• 2:00:15
  Speaker 1: your awe and worship. No longer would you worship the stars,
• 2:00:20
  Speaker 1: sun or moon, for they were simply signs of the
• 2:00:24
  Speaker 1: one who made them. They are simply pointing to the
• 2:00:28
  Speaker 1: greatest one of all, the One True God, the God
• 2:00:33
  Speaker 1: over all the heavens. As your group gazed at this star,
• 2:00:38
  Speaker 1: you followed it with more haste and fervor than before.
• 2:00:42
  Speaker 1: It seemed to grow closer and closer every mile, brighter
• 2:00:47
  Speaker 1: and brighter, shinier and shinier. Although your camels were weary
• 2:00:53
  Speaker 1: and tired from many long weeks on the road, they
• 2:00:57
  Speaker 1: seemed to hasten their pace also, as though they too
• 2:01:01
  Speaker 1: sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came
• 2:01:08
  Speaker 1: to rest above the town of Bethlehem, and in the
• 2:01:12
  Speaker 1: town the star was fixed directly above a humble little cottage.
• 2:01:18
  Speaker 1: The stars shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house,
• 2:01:22
  Speaker 1: as though pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling.
• 2:01:28
  Speaker 1: You soon arrived at the house, and with a mix
• 2:01:30
  Speaker 1: of trepidation and a heart beating with an excitement you
• 2:01:34
  Speaker 1: had never known, you knocked on the door. A very
• 2:01:39
  Speaker 1: beautiful young woman, still but a fresh faced teenager, opened
• 2:01:44
  Speaker 1: the door, smiling, and there behind her, playing by the
• 2:01:49
  Speaker 1: fire's side, with gleaming starlight beaming down on him was
• 2:01:54
  Speaker 1: a small child. He looked up at the doors opening
• 2:01:58
  Speaker 1: and grinned wildly at you all in a daze. You
• 2:02:02
  Speaker 1: all fell to your knees. No, no, not even your knees.
• 2:02:08
  Speaker 1: You fell to your faces in the dust. You were
• 2:02:11
  Speaker 1: all sobbing uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude.
• 2:02:19
  Speaker 1: In a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing
• 2:02:23
  Speaker 1: were fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now
• 2:02:28
  Speaker 1: felt like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer
• 2:02:32
  Speaker 1: the king of all kings, the Lord of all lords?
• 2:02:37
  Speaker 1: What would ever be good enough? This little boy owned
• 2:02:42
  Speaker 1: the heavens, the land, and the sea. What could you
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 1: give him? As though you all thought of it simultaneously,
• 2:02:52
  Speaker 1: you and all the magi knelt again by him and
• 2:02:55
  Speaker 1: offered him your lives, all of you body, mind and spirit.
• 2:03:03
  Speaker 1: Still that seemed lowly, but you could not give more
• 2:03:07
  Speaker 1: than that. To give him your all, holding nothing back,
• 2:03:12
  Speaker 1: was your best offering. As he received you with equal
• 2:03:18
  Speaker 1: joy and elation, you knew you had found your peace
• 2:03:22
  Speaker 1: and salvation. Yes, but more than that, you had found
• 2:03:27
  Speaker 1: the one with whom you would be spending the rest
• 2:03:30
  Speaker 1: of eternity, the paradise you had longed for your whole life,
• 2:03:36
  Speaker 1: the hope and death and the answer to life, and
• 2:03:40
  Speaker 1: that was cause for great celebration. Join me as we
• 2:03:48
  Speaker 1: close our Christmas story tonight in prayer. Wonderful Father, tonight
• 2:03:54
  Speaker 1: we have shared in the longing and joy that the
• 2:03:57
  Speaker 1: wise men did. We praised you that on this night
• 2:04:01
  Speaker 1: two thousand years ago you gave us the gift of
• 2:04:05
  Speaker 1: your son, and we now have eternal life paradise forever
• 2:04:11
  Speaker 1: with you by our side. Thank you for giving us
• 2:04:15
  Speaker 1: guiding stars in our journey. And would your Holy Spirit
• 2:04:19
  Speaker 1: keep pointing the way to you so we may know
• 2:04:22
  Speaker 1: you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you
• 2:04:27
  Speaker 1: more nearly. And your precious Sun our Saviour's name. Amen,
• 2:04:37
  Speaker 1: Allow me to finish our time tonight with a benediction
• 2:04:40
  Speaker 1: over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine, for your light
• 2:04:47
  Speaker 1: has come and the glory of the Lord has risen
• 2:04:51
  Speaker 1: upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth
• 2:04:56
  Speaker 1: and deep darkness the people. But the will arise over you,
• 2:05:01
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. May the
• 2:05:06
  Speaker 1: Lord rise over you this Christmas season night, and may
• 2:05:10
  Speaker 1: His glory be seen upon you today and every day.
• 2:05:17
  Speaker 1: May you have a very merry Christmas, and more than ever,
• 2:05:22
  Speaker 1: may you abide in Christ. Let's listen again to this
• 2:05:28
  Speaker 1: sleep story about the journey of the Magi to find Jesus.
• 2:05:36
  Speaker 1: Continue to rest in this sacred moment, Precious listener, as
• 2:05:40
  Speaker 1: I read over you Tonight's Christmas bedtime tale. Perhaps you
• 2:05:46
  Speaker 1: can even see the stars outside your bedroom window right now,
• 2:05:51
  Speaker 1: or perhaps with eyes gently closed, you can imagine in
• 2:05:55
  Speaker 1: your mind's eye the starry night sky on a night
• 2:06:01
  Speaker 1: such as this, more than two thousand years ago, somewhere
• 2:06:06
  Speaker 1: out in the recesses of the desert of the ancient world,
• 2:06:10
  Speaker 1: where a group of kings from the east. Legend has
• 2:06:17
  Speaker 1: it these great men were priests of the Zoroastrian religion
• 2:06:21
  Speaker 1: and had traveled all the way from Persia and Babylon,
• 2:06:26
  Speaker 1: seeking the Messiah by the Star of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale,
• 2:06:33
  Speaker 1: we will journey with these spiritual seekers as they follow
• 2:06:37
  Speaker 1: the stars and heavenly signs in their pursuit of the
• 2:06:41
  Speaker 1: Savior a short time after his birth. A good way
• 2:06:47
  Speaker 1: to start our bedtime story is by going back thousands
• 2:06:51
  Speaker 1: of years earlier. So relax and listen as I read
• 2:06:56
  Speaker 1: the prophecy about this group of seeking kings from Isaiah
• 2:07:01
  Speaker 1: sixty verses one to six. Arise, shine, for your light
• 2:07:09
  Speaker 1: has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen
• 2:07:13
  Speaker 1: upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
• 2:07:19
  Speaker 1: and deep darkness the people. But the Lord will arise
• 2:07:23
  Speaker 1: over you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
• 2:07:27
  Speaker 1: The gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to
• 2:07:31
  Speaker 1: the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around,
• 2:07:36
  Speaker 1: and see they all gather together. They come to you.
• 2:07:41
  Speaker 1: Your sons shall come from Afar, and your daughters shall
• 2:07:45
  Speaker 1: be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and
• 2:07:49
  Speaker 1: become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy, because
• 2:07:54
  Speaker 1: the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you.
• 2:07:58
  Speaker 1: The wealth of the gentiles shall come to you. The
• 2:08:02
  Speaker 1: multitude of camels shall cover your land, the Drome, dairies
• 2:08:07
  Speaker 1: of Midian and Epha, all those from Shebas shall come.
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 1: They shall bring gold and frankencense, and they shall proclaim
• 2:08:17
  Speaker 1: the praises of the Lord. Isn't it amazing that God
• 2:08:24
  Speaker 1: knew in advance that gentiles and kings would come from Afar,
• 2:08:28
  Speaker 1: seeking the Messiah and the brightness of his rising. He
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 1: even predicted the details of their quest for the Savior. Arise, shine,
• 2:08:41
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 2:08:45
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 2:08:50
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 2:08:54
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 2:08:58
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. This imagery speaks of the star that
• 2:09:05
  Speaker 1: arose to light the way to jesus advent to the world.
• 2:09:10
  Speaker 1: The Star of Bethlehem arose and shone when deep darkness
• 2:09:14
  Speaker 1: covered the earth. The glory of the Lord was seen
• 2:09:17
  Speaker 1: by the magi as they followed the star, And as
• 2:09:21
  Speaker 1: we will see when the wise men discover the small
• 2:09:24
  Speaker 1: child Jesus. Isaiah's prophecy was true. Then you shall see
• 2:09:30
  Speaker 1: and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy.
• 2:09:35
  Speaker 1: They shall bring gold and frankencense, and they shall proclaim
• 2:09:39
  Speaker 1: the praises of the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing
• 2:09:47
  Speaker 1: into sleep, I am going to lead you in an
• 2:09:50
  Speaker 1: imaginative contemplation that will bring this Christmas story to life.
• 2:09:57
  Speaker 1: But before I do, I will read the full scriptural
• 2:10:00
  Speaker 1: account of the Wise Men from Matthew two verses one
• 2:10:05
  Speaker 1: through ten. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during
• 2:10:12
  Speaker 1: the reign of King Herod. About that time, some wise
• 2:10:16
  Speaker 1: men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking where is
• 2:10:21
  Speaker 1: the new born King of the Jews. We saw his
• 2:10:25
  Speaker 1: star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.
• 2:10:30
  Speaker 1: King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as
• 2:10:35
  Speaker 1: was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the
• 2:10:38
  Speaker 1: leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, where
• 2:10:43
  Speaker 1: is the Messiah supposed to be born in Bethlehem in Judea.
• 2:10:47
  Speaker 1: They said, for this is what the prophet wrote, and
• 2:10:52
  Speaker 1: you of Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not
• 2:10:56
  Speaker 1: least among the ruling cities of Judah. Ruler will come
• 2:11:00
  Speaker 1: from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.
• 2:11:06
  Speaker 1: Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men,
• 2:11:10
  Speaker 1: and he learned from them the time when the star
• 2:11:12
  Speaker 1: first appeared. Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and
• 2:11:17
  Speaker 1: search carefully for the child, and when you find him,
• 2:11:22
  Speaker 1: come back and tell me so that I can go
• 2:11:25
  Speaker 1: and worship him too. After this interview, the wise men
• 2:11:31
  Speaker 1: went their way, and the star they had seen in
• 2:11:34
  Speaker 1: the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of
• 2:11:38
  Speaker 1: them and stopped over the place where the child was.
• 2:11:42
  Speaker 1: When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.
• 2:11:45
  Speaker 1: They entered the house and saw the child with his
• 2:11:48
  Speaker 1: mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then
• 2:11:53
  Speaker 1: they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold,
• 2:11:57
  Speaker 1: frankensense and myrrhr so precious listener, I invite you to
• 2:12:06
  Speaker 1: snuggle down, and, if you like, and envision yourself there
• 2:12:10
  Speaker 1: in that very time two millennia ago, at the turning
• 2:12:15
  Speaker 1: point and hinge of history, when b C turned to
• 2:12:20
  Speaker 1: a d imagine that you also are one of these
• 2:12:24
  Speaker 1: wise magi from the east. You have been seeking the
• 2:12:28
  Speaker 1: answers of life in so many different religious doctrines and
• 2:12:32
  Speaker 1: ideologies and ritualistic methods. All of them promised you solace
• 2:12:39
  Speaker 1: for your soul. All of them promised paradise and freedom
• 2:12:44
  Speaker 1: from pain and worry. And yet here you are probably
• 2:12:49
  Speaker 1: worse off than before, with more questions than you had
• 2:12:53
  Speaker 1: at the start of your pursuit of meaning. You feel
• 2:12:56
  Speaker 1: more need for peace and redemption than ever. You and
• 2:13:03
  Speaker 1: your fellow magi have long scoured the scrolls, and have
• 2:13:08
  Speaker 1: discovered many prophetic utterances from ancient Hebrew scribes. They spoke
• 2:13:14
  Speaker 1: of a savior being born in Israel, a man who
• 2:13:17
  Speaker 1: will emancipate his people from sin. He will save the
• 2:13:22
  Speaker 1: world and bring justice, mercy, and grace. You read the
• 2:13:27
  Speaker 1: writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said, for unto us
• 2:13:32
  Speaker 1: a child is born, unto us a son is given,
• 2:13:36
  Speaker 1: and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his
• 2:13:41
  Speaker 1: name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God, the
• 2:13:46
  Speaker 1: Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the other
• 2:13:52
  Speaker 1: wise men in your land gathered together and decided to
• 2:13:56
  Speaker 1: seek this Savior, you did not know a moment of
• 2:13:59
  Speaker 1: hesitat in joining their number. It wouldn't be easy. It
• 2:14:04
  Speaker 1: would be a very long journey. It would hold many
• 2:14:08
  Speaker 1: pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You knew
• 2:14:15
  Speaker 1: you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long desert stretches.
• 2:14:20
  Speaker 1: And yet the joy and glee in your heart was irrepressible.
• 2:14:25
  Speaker 1: You had never known such a feeling of faith rise
• 2:14:28
  Speaker 1: up in your heart. You knew, in the deepest part
• 2:14:31
  Speaker 1: of you that you were going to find this Messiah.
• 2:14:36
  Speaker 1: You couldn't explain it, but you felt like you were
• 2:14:39
  Speaker 1: born for such a time as this, at this exact
• 2:14:43
  Speaker 1: time and history. So no matter what came, you would
• 2:14:47
  Speaker 1: pursue this god man to the ends of the earth
• 2:14:51
  Speaker 1: if need be. You and your wise companions set forth, faithfully,
• 2:14:57
  Speaker 1: trusting that as you saw it, you would find that
• 2:15:01
  Speaker 1: as you knocked, the door would be opened to you.
• 2:15:07
  Speaker 1: You all loaded up your camels with supplies to last
• 2:15:10
  Speaker 1: many weeks, and you brought the finest gifts the east,
• 2:15:14
  Speaker 1: possessed gold of matchless purity, frankensense that was burned only
• 2:15:20
  Speaker 1: by the highest of priests in your land, and mirror
• 2:15:24
  Speaker 1: that had been sourced from the resin of the rarest
• 2:15:27
  Speaker 1: trees in the east. You mounted your steeds, sending up
• 2:15:32
  Speaker 1: prayers to the heavens, to the god who created the
• 2:15:36
  Speaker 1: skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts. You
• 2:15:41
  Speaker 1: prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission. You
• 2:15:46
  Speaker 1: prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who would
• 2:15:50
  Speaker 1: free you from darkness and pain. And so you all
• 2:15:55
  Speaker 1: set forth on the long journey. You were experts and
• 2:15:59
  Speaker 1: studying the sky eyes to guide your way. So you
• 2:16:02
  Speaker 1: searched the heavens. But lo and behold, barely one night
• 2:16:07
  Speaker 1: had passed when the most luminous and radiant white star
• 2:16:12
  Speaker 1: arose in the sky in the distance. You had seen
• 2:16:17
  Speaker 1: glorious stars in your time, but never in all your
• 2:16:21
  Speaker 1: years on earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur and
• 2:16:26
  Speaker 1: incandescent magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body. It
• 2:16:34
  Speaker 1: almost stopped your group in their tracks. You were transfixed
• 2:16:40
  Speaker 1: in awe. With a burning fire of hope in your heart,
• 2:16:44
  Speaker 1: you felt compelled to follow it. It seemed to point
• 2:16:49
  Speaker 1: in the direction of Israel, so this confirmed your hopes.
• 2:16:54
  Speaker 1: Eventually you approached the land, and unfortunately, news of your
• 2:16:58
  Speaker 1: quest had reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly,
• 2:17:04
  Speaker 1: you had to pay him a visit and let him
• 2:17:06
  Speaker 1: know of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes
• 2:17:10
  Speaker 1: a flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it
• 2:17:15
  Speaker 1: would be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 2:17:20
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding star diminished in the sky and
• 2:17:24
  Speaker 1: you could not see it. But once you were released
• 2:17:28
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search and behold
• 2:17:34
  Speaker 1: to your great elation, and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 2:17:38
  Speaker 1: of hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 2:17:42
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 2:17:49
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 2:17:54
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 2:17:59
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 2:18:03
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 2:18:09
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 2:18:13
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 2:18:21
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 2:18:24
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 2:18:27
  Speaker 1: find the truth, the truth that you had searched for
• 2:18:31
  Speaker 1: all your life, the real reason for your existence on earth.
• 2:18:37
  Speaker 1: The sight of it filled you with sacred awe and
• 2:18:39
  Speaker 1: a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the one to
• 2:18:43
  Speaker 1: whom it was leading you was the real reason for
• 2:18:47
  Speaker 1: your awe and worship. No longer would you worship the stars,
• 2:18:52
  Speaker 1: sun or moon, for they were simply signs of the
• 2:18:56
  Speaker 1: one who made them. They are simply points to the
• 2:19:00
  Speaker 1: greatest one of all, the one True God, the God
• 2:19:05
  Speaker 1: over all, the heavens. As your group gazed at this star,
• 2:19:10
  Speaker 1: you followed it with more haste and fervor than before.
• 2:19:14
  Speaker 1: It seemed to grow closer and closer every mile, brighter
• 2:19:19
  Speaker 1: and brighter, shinier and shinier. Although your camels were weary
• 2:19:25
  Speaker 1: and tired from many long weeks on the road, they
• 2:19:29
  Speaker 1: seemed to hasten their pace also, as though they too
• 2:19:33
  Speaker 1: sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came
• 2:19:40
  Speaker 1: to rest above the town of Bethlehem, and in the
• 2:19:44
  Speaker 1: town the star was fixed directly above a humble little cottage.
• 2:19:50
  Speaker 1: The stars shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house,
• 2:19:54
  Speaker 1: as though pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling.
• 2:20:00
  Speaker 1: You soon arrived at the house, and, with a mix
• 2:20:03
  Speaker 1: of trepidation and a heart beating with an excitement you
• 2:20:06
  Speaker 1: had never known, you knocked on the door. A very
• 2:20:12
  Speaker 1: beautiful young woman, still but a fresh faced teenager, opened
• 2:20:16
  Speaker 1: the door smiling, and there behind her, playing by the
• 2:20:21
  Speaker 1: fire's side, with gleaming starlight beaming down on him, was
• 2:20:26
  Speaker 1: a small child. He looked up at the doors opening
• 2:20:30
  Speaker 1: and grinned widely at you. Wall In a daze, you
• 2:20:34
  Speaker 1: all fell to your knees. No, no, not even your knees.
• 2:20:40
  Speaker 1: You fell to your faces in the dust. You were
• 2:20:43
  Speaker 1: all sobbing, uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude.
• 2:20:51
  Speaker 1: In a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing
• 2:20:55
  Speaker 1: were fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now
• 2:21:00
  Speaker 1: felt like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer
• 2:21:05
  Speaker 1: the king of all kings, the Lord of all lords?
• 2:21:09
  Speaker 1: What would ever be good enough? This little boy owned
• 2:21:14
  Speaker 1: the heavens, the land, and the sea. What could you
• 2:21:17
  Speaker 1: give him? As though you all thought of it simultaneously,
• 2:21:24
  Speaker 1: you and all the magi knelt again by him and
• 2:21:27
  Speaker 1: offered him your lives, all of you body, soul, mind
• 2:21:33
  Speaker 1: and spirit. Still that seemed lowly, but you could not
• 2:21:39
  Speaker 1: give more than that. To give him your all, holding
• 2:21:43
  Speaker 1: nothing back, was your best offering. As he received you
• 2:21:49
  Speaker 1: with equal joy and elation, you knew you had found
• 2:21:53
  Speaker 1: your peace and salvation. Yes, but more than that, you
• 2:21:59
  Speaker 1: had found the one with whom you would be spending
• 2:22:01
  Speaker 1: the rest of eternity, the paradise you had longed for
• 2:22:06
  Speaker 1: your whole life, the hope and death and the answer
• 2:22:10
  Speaker 1: to life, And that was cause for great celebration. Join
• 2:22:19
  Speaker 1: me as we close our Christmas story tonight in prayer.
• 2:22:24
  Speaker 1: Wonderful Father, tonight we have shared in the longing and
• 2:22:28
  Speaker 1: joy that the wise men did. We praise you that
• 2:22:32
  Speaker 1: on this night two thousand years ago you gave us
• 2:22:36
  Speaker 1: the gift of your son, and we now have eternal
• 2:22:40
  Speaker 1: life paradise forever with you by our side. Thank you
• 2:22:46
  Speaker 1: for giving us guiding stars in our journey. And would
• 2:22:50
  Speaker 1: your Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to you so
• 2:22:54
  Speaker 1: we may know you more clearly, love you more dearly,
• 2:22:58
  Speaker 1: and follow you more nearly. And your precious Sun our
• 2:23:03
  Speaker 1: Saviour's name. Amen. Allow me to finish our time tonight
• 2:23:11
  Speaker 1: with a benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine,
• 2:23:18
  Speaker 1: for your light has come and the glory of the
• 2:23:22
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 2:23:27
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people. But the
• 2:23:31
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you and his glory will be
• 2:23:35
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. May the Lord rise over you this
• 2:23:40
  Speaker 1: Christmas season night, and may his glory be seen upon
• 2:23:44
  Speaker 1: you today and every day. May you have a very
• 2:23:51
  Speaker 1: merry Christmas, and more than ever, may you abide in Christ.
• 2:24:00
  Speaker 1: Let's listen again to this sleep story about the journey
• 2:24:03
  Speaker 1: of the Magi to find Jesus. Continue to rest in
• 2:24:09
  Speaker 1: this sacred moment. Precious listener, as I read over you
• 2:24:14
  Speaker 1: Tonight's Christmas bedtime tale. Perhaps you can even see the
• 2:24:19
  Speaker 1: stars outside your bedroom window right now, or perhaps with
• 2:24:24
  Speaker 1: eyes gently closed, you can imagine in your mind's eye
• 2:24:29
  Speaker 1: the starry night sky on a night such as this.
• 2:24:35
  Speaker 1: More than two thousand years ago, somewhere out in the
• 2:24:39
  Speaker 1: recesses of the desert of the ancient world, were a
• 2:24:43
  Speaker 1: group of kings from the east. Legend has it these
• 2:24:50
  Speaker 1: great men were priests of the Zoroastrian religion and had
• 2:24:54
  Speaker 1: traveled all the way from Persia and Babylon, seeking the
• 2:24:59
  Speaker 1: Messiah by the Star of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale, we
• 2:25:05
  Speaker 1: will journey with these spiritual seekers as they follow the
• 2:25:09
  Speaker 1: stars and heavenly signs in their pursuit of the Savior
• 2:25:14
  Speaker 1: a short time after his birth. A good way to
• 2:25:20
  Speaker 1: start our bedtime story is by going back thousands of
• 2:25:24
  Speaker 1: years earlier. So relax and listen as I read the
• 2:25:29
  Speaker 1: prophecy about this group of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty
• 2:25:34
  Speaker 1: verses one to six. Arise, shine for your light has come,
• 2:25:43
  Speaker 1: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 2:25:47
  Speaker 1: For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep
• 2:25:52
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you,
• 2:25:56
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. Giles shall
• 2:26:01
  Speaker 1: come to your light, and kings to the brightness of
• 2:26:04
  Speaker 1: your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and see
• 2:26:10
  Speaker 1: they all gather together. They come to you. Your sons
• 2:26:14
  Speaker 1: shall come from Afar, and your daughters shall be nursed
• 2:26:18
  Speaker 1: at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 2:26:23
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy, because the abundance
• 2:26:28
  Speaker 1: of the sea shall be turned to you. The wealth
• 2:26:31
  Speaker 1: of the gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of
• 2:26:36
  Speaker 1: camels shall cover your land, the Drome, dairies of Midian
• 2:26:40
  Speaker 1: and Epha, all those from Shebas shall come. They shall
• 2:26:45
  Speaker 1: bring gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim the praises
• 2:26:51
  Speaker 1: of the Lord. Isn't it amazing that God knew in
• 2:26:56
  Speaker 1: advance that gentiles and kings would come from Afar seeking
• 2:27:01
  Speaker 1: the Messiah and the brightness of his rising. He even
• 2:27:07
  Speaker 1: predicted the details of their quest for the Savior. Arise, shine,
• 2:27:14
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 2:27:17
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 2:27:22
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 2:27:27
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 2:27:31
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. This imagery speaks of the star that
• 2:27:37
  Speaker 1: arose to light the way to jesus advent to the world.
• 2:27:42
  Speaker 1: The Star of Bethlehem arose and shone when deep darkness
• 2:27:46
  Speaker 1: covered the earth. The glory of the Lord was seen
• 2:27:50
  Speaker 1: by the magi as they followed the star. And as
• 2:27:54
  Speaker 1: we will see when the wise men discover the small
• 2:27:57
  Speaker 1: child Jesus Isaiah's prophesy he was true. Then you shall
• 2:28:03
  Speaker 1: see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy.
• 2:28:07
  Speaker 1: They shall bring gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim
• 2:28:12
  Speaker 1: the praises of the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing
• 2:28:20
  Speaker 1: into sleep, I'm going to lead you in an imaginative
• 2:28:24
  Speaker 1: contemplation that will bring this Christmas story to life. But
• 2:28:30
  Speaker 1: before I do, I will read the full scriptural account
• 2:28:34
  Speaker 1: of the wise Men from Matthew two verses one through ten.
• 2:28:41
  Speaker 1: Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign
• 2:28:45
  Speaker 1: of King Herod. About that time, some wise men from
• 2:28:49
  Speaker 1: eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking where is the new
• 2:28:54
  Speaker 1: born King of the Jews. We saw his star as
• 2:28:58
  Speaker 1: it rose, and we have come to worship him. King
• 2:29:03
  Speaker 1: Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was
• 2:29:07
  Speaker 1: every one in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the
• 2:29:11
  Speaker 1: leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, where
• 2:29:15
  Speaker 1: is the Messiah supposed to be born in Bethlehem and Judea.
• 2:29:20
  Speaker 1: They said, for this is what the prophet wrote, And you, o,
• 2:29:25
  Speaker 1: Bethlehem and the land of Judah, are not least among
• 2:29:29
  Speaker 1: the ruling cities of Judah. For a ruler will come
• 2:29:33
  Speaker 1: from you, who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.
• 2:29:38
  Speaker 1: Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men,
• 2:29:42
  Speaker 1: and he learned from them the time when the star
• 2:29:45
  Speaker 1: first appeared. Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and
• 2:29:50
  Speaker 1: search carefully for the child, and when you find him,
• 2:29:54
  Speaker 1: come back and tell me so that I can go
• 2:29:57
  Speaker 1: and worship him too. After this interview, the wise men
• 2:30:03
  Speaker 1: went their way, and the star they had seen in
• 2:30:06
  Speaker 1: the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of
• 2:30:10
  Speaker 1: them and stopped over the place where the child was.
• 2:30:14
  Speaker 1: When they saw the star, they were filled with joy
• 2:30:18
  Speaker 1: they entered the house and saw the child with his
• 2:30:21
  Speaker 1: mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then
• 2:30:26
  Speaker 1: they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,
• 2:30:31
  Speaker 1: and myrrhr, so precious listener, I invite you to snuggle down, and,
• 2:30:40
  Speaker 1: if you like, and envision yourself there in that very
• 2:30:43
  Speaker 1: time two millennia ago, at the turning point and hinge
• 2:30:49
  Speaker 1: of history, when b C turned to a d imagine
• 2:30:55
  Speaker 1: that you also are one of these wise magi from
• 2:30:58
  Speaker 1: the east. You have been seeking the answers of life
• 2:31:02
  Speaker 1: in so many different religious doctrines and ideologies and ritualistic methods.
• 2:31:09
  Speaker 1: All of them promised to you solace for your soul,
• 2:31:13
  Speaker 1: all of them promised paradise and freedom from pain and worry.
• 2:31:18
  Speaker 1: And yet here you are probably worse off than before,
• 2:31:24
  Speaker 1: with more questions than you had at the start of
• 2:31:26
  Speaker 1: your pursuit of meaning. You feel more need for peace
• 2:31:30
  Speaker 1: and redemption than ever. You and your fellow magi have
• 2:31:37
  Speaker 1: long scoured the scrolls and have discovered many prophetic utterances
• 2:31:43
  Speaker 1: from ancient Hebrew scribes. They spoke of a savior being
• 2:31:47
  Speaker 1: born in Israel, a man who will emancipate his people
• 2:31:51
  Speaker 1: from sin. He will save the world and bring justice, mercy,
• 2:31:56
  Speaker 1: and graced the writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said,
• 2:32:03
  Speaker 1: for unto us a child is born, unto us, a
• 2:32:07
  Speaker 1: son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
• 2:32:13
  Speaker 1: and his name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God,
• 2:32:18
  Speaker 1: the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the
• 2:32:25
  Speaker 1: other wise men in your land gathered together and decided
• 2:32:28
  Speaker 1: to seek this savior, you did not know a moment
• 2:32:31
  Speaker 1: of hesitation in joining their number. It wouldn't be easy.
• 2:32:36
  Speaker 1: It would be a very long journey. It would hold
• 2:32:40
  Speaker 1: many pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You
• 2:32:47
  Speaker 1: knew you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long
• 2:32:50
  Speaker 1: desert stretches. And yet the joy and glee in your
• 2:32:54
  Speaker 1: heart was irrepressible. You had never known such a feeling
• 2:32:59
  Speaker 1: of rise up in your heart. You knew in the
• 2:33:03
  Speaker 1: deepest part of you that you were going to find
• 2:33:06
  Speaker 1: this Messiah. You couldn't explain it, but you felt like
• 2:33:11
  Speaker 1: you were born for such a time as this, at
• 2:33:14
  Speaker 1: this exact time and history. So no matter what came,
• 2:33:19
  Speaker 1: you would pursue this God man to the ends of
• 2:33:22
  Speaker 1: the earth, if need be. You and your wise companions
• 2:33:27
  Speaker 1: set forth, faithfully, trusting that as you saw it you
• 2:33:32
  Speaker 1: would find that as you knocked, the door would be
• 2:33:36
  Speaker 1: opened to you. You all loaded up your camels with
• 2:33:41
  Speaker 1: supplies to last many weeks, and you brought the finest
• 2:33:45
  Speaker 1: gifts the east, possessed gold of matchless purity, frankinsense that
• 2:33:52
  Speaker 1: was burned only by the highest of priests in your land,
• 2:33:56
  Speaker 1: and mrr that had been sourced from the resin of
• 2:33:59
  Speaker 1: the rarest tree in the east. You mounted your steeds,
• 2:34:04
  Speaker 1: sending up prayers to the heavens, to the God who
• 2:34:07
  Speaker 1: created the skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts.
• 2:34:13
  Speaker 1: You prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission.
• 2:34:18
  Speaker 1: You prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who
• 2:34:22
  Speaker 1: would free you from darkness and pain. And so you
• 2:34:27
  Speaker 1: all set forth on the long journey. You were experts
• 2:34:31
  Speaker 1: and studying the skies to guide your way. So you
• 2:34:34
  Speaker 1: searched the heavens. But lo, and behold, barely one night
• 2:34:40
  Speaker 1: had passed when the most luminous and radiant white star
• 2:34:44
  Speaker 1: arose in the sky. In the distance. You had seen
• 2:34:50
  Speaker 1: glorious stars in your time, but never in all your
• 2:34:54
  Speaker 1: years on earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur and incandescence,
• 2:35:00
  Speaker 1: magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body. It almost
• 2:35:07
  Speaker 1: stopped your group in their tracks. You were transfixed in awe.
• 2:35:13
  Speaker 1: With a burning fire of hope in your heart, you
• 2:35:16
  Speaker 1: felt compelled to follow it. It seemed to point in
• 2:35:21
  Speaker 1: the direction of Israel, so this confirmed your hopes. Eventually
• 2:35:27
  Speaker 1: you approached the land, and unfortunately, news of your quest
• 2:35:31
  Speaker 1: had reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly, you
• 2:35:36
  Speaker 1: had to pay him a visit and let him know
• 2:35:38
  Speaker 1: of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes a
• 2:35:43
  Speaker 1: flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it would
• 2:35:47
  Speaker 1: be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 2:35:52
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding star diminished in the sky and
• 2:35:57
  Speaker 1: you could not see it. But once you were released
• 2:36:00
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search and behold
• 2:36:06
  Speaker 1: to your great elation, and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 2:36:10
  Speaker 1: of hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 2:36:15
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 2:36:22
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 2:36:27
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 2:36:32
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 2:36:35
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 2:36:41
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 2:36:45
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 2:36:53
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 2:36:56
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 2:36:59
  Speaker 1: find the true truth, the truth that you had searched
• 2:37:03
  Speaker 1: for all your life, the real reason for your existence
• 2:37:07
  Speaker 1: on earth. The sight of it filled you with sacred
• 2:37:11
  Speaker 1: awe and a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the
• 2:37:15
  Speaker 1: one to whom it was leading you was the real
• 2:37:18
  Speaker 1: reason for your awe and worship. No longer would you
• 2:37:23
  Speaker 1: worship the stars, sun or moon, for they were simply
• 2:37:28
  Speaker 1: signs of the one who made them. They are simply
• 2:37:32
  Speaker 1: pointing to the greatest one of all, the One True God,
• 2:37:37
  Speaker 1: the God over all the heavens. As your group gazed
• 2:37:41
  Speaker 1: at this star, you followed it with more haste and
• 2:37:45
  Speaker 1: fervor than before. It seemed to grow closer and closer
• 2:37:49
  Speaker 1: every mile, brighter and brighter, shinier, and shinier. Although your
• 2:37:56
  Speaker 1: camels were weary and tired form many long weeks on
• 2:38:00
  Speaker 1: the road, they seemed to hasten their pace also, as
• 2:38:05
  Speaker 1: though they too, sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently,
• 2:38:12
  Speaker 1: the star came to rest above the town of Bethlehem,
• 2:38:16
  Speaker 1: and in the town the star was fixed directly above
• 2:38:19
  Speaker 1: a humble little cottage. The stars shone like a heavenly
• 2:38:25
  Speaker 1: spotlight above the house, as though pointing proudly and victoriously
• 2:38:30
  Speaker 1: to its master's dwelling. You soon arrived at the house,
• 2:38:34
  Speaker 1: and with a mix of trepidation and a heart beating
• 2:38:38
  Speaker 1: with an excitement you had never known, you knocked on
• 2:38:42
  Speaker 1: the door. A very beautiful young woman, still but a
• 2:38:47
  Speaker 1: fresh faced teenager, opened the door smiling, And there behind her,
• 2:38:52
  Speaker 1: playing by the fire side, with gleaming starlight beaming down
• 2:38:57
  Speaker 1: on him, was a small child. He looked up at
• 2:39:01
  Speaker 1: the doors opening and grinned widely at you. All in
• 2:39:06
  Speaker 1: a daze. You all fell to your knees. No, no,
• 2:39:10
  Speaker 1: not even your knees. You fell to your faces in
• 2:39:14
  Speaker 1: the dust. You were all sobbing uncontrollably with mirth and
• 2:39:20
  Speaker 1: joy and relief, and gratitude in a moment of time,
• 2:39:25
  Speaker 1: decades of yearning and longing were fulfilled with great humility.
• 2:39:31
  Speaker 1: You offered him what now felt like lowly and pitiful gifts.
• 2:39:36
  Speaker 1: What could you offer the King of all kings, the
• 2:39:39
  Speaker 1: Lord of all lords? What would ever be good enough?
• 2:39:45
  Speaker 1: This little boy owned the heavens, the land, and the sea.
• 2:39:49
  Speaker 1: What could you give him? As though you all thought
• 2:39:55
  Speaker 1: of it, simultaneously, you and all the magi knelt again
• 2:39:59
  Speaker 1: by him and offered him your lives, all of you body, soul,
• 2:40:04
  Speaker 1: mind and spirit. Still that seemed lowly, but you couldnot
• 2:40:11
  Speaker 1: give more than that. To give him your all, holding
• 2:40:15
  Speaker 1: nothing back, was your best offering. As he received you
• 2:40:22
  Speaker 1: with equal joy and elation, you knew you had found
• 2:40:25
  Speaker 1: your peace and salvation. Yes, But more than that, you
• 2:40:31
  Speaker 1: had found the one with whom you would be spending
• 2:40:34
  Speaker 1: the rest of eternity, the paradise you had longed for
• 2:40:39
  Speaker 1: your whole life, the hope and death and the answer
• 2:40:43
  Speaker 1: to life. And that was cause for great celebration. Join
• 2:40:51
  Speaker 1: me as we close our Christmas story tonight in prayer.
• 2:40:57
  Speaker 1: Wonderful Father, tonight we have share and the longing and
• 2:41:01
  Speaker 1: joy that the wise men did We praise you that
• 2:41:05
  Speaker 1: on this night two thousand years ago, you gave us
• 2:41:09
  Speaker 1: the gift of your son, and we now have eternal
• 2:41:12
  Speaker 1: life paradise forever with you by our side. Thank you
• 2:41:19
  Speaker 1: for giving us guiding stars in our journey. And would
• 2:41:22
  Speaker 1: your Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to you so
• 2:41:26
  Speaker 1: we may know you more clearly, love you more dearly,
• 2:41:30
  Speaker 1: and follow you more nearly. And your precious Sun our
• 2:41:35
  Speaker 1: Saviour's name. Amen, allow me to finish our time tonight
• 2:41:43
  Speaker 1: with a benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine,
• 2:41:51
  Speaker 1: for your light has come and the glory of the
• 2:41:55
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 2:41:59
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people. But the
• 2:42:04
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you and his glory will be
• 2:42:07
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. May the Lord rise over you this
• 2:42:12
  Speaker 1: Christmas season night, and may his glory be seen upon
• 2:42:17
  Speaker 1: you today and every day. May you have a very
• 2:42:23
  Speaker 1: merry Christmas, and more than ever, may you abide in Christ.
• 2:42:32
  Speaker 1: Let's listen again to this sleep story about the journey
• 2:42:35
  Speaker 1: of the Magi to find Jesus. Continue to rest in
• 2:42:42
  Speaker 1: this sacred moment, precious listener, as I read over you
• 2:42:46
  Speaker 1: Tonight's Christmas bedtime tale. Perhaps you can even see the
• 2:42:51
  Speaker 1: stars outside your bedroom window right now, or perhaps with
• 2:42:57
  Speaker 1: eyes gently closed, you can imagine in your mind's eye
• 2:43:01
  Speaker 1: the starry night sky on a night such as this,
• 2:43:08
  Speaker 1: more than two thousand years ago, somewhere out in the
• 2:43:12
  Speaker 1: recesses of the desert of the ancient world, where a
• 2:43:16
  Speaker 1: group of kings from the east. Legend has it, these
• 2:43:22
  Speaker 1: great men were priests of the Zoroastrian religion and had
• 2:43:27
  Speaker 1: traveled all the way from Persia and Babylon, seeking the
• 2:43:31
  Speaker 1: Messiah by the Star of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale, we
• 2:43:38
  Speaker 1: will journey with these spiritual seekers as they follow the
• 2:43:42
  Speaker 1: stars and heavenly signs in their pursuit of the Savior
• 2:43:47
  Speaker 1: a short time after his birth. A good way to
• 2:43:52
  Speaker 1: start our bedtime story is by going back thousands of
• 2:43:56
  Speaker 1: years earlier. So relax and listen as I read the
• 2:44:01
  Speaker 1: prophecy about this group of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty
• 2:44:07
  Speaker 1: verses one to six. Arise, shine, for your light has come,
• 2:44:15
  Speaker 1: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 2:44:19
  Speaker 1: For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and deep
• 2:44:24
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you.
• 2:44:29
  Speaker 1: And his glory will be seen upon you. The gentiles
• 2:44:33
  Speaker 1: shall come to your light and kings to the brightness
• 2:44:37
  Speaker 1: of your rising. Lift up your eyes all around, and
• 2:44:41
  Speaker 1: see they all gather together. They come to you. Your
• 2:44:46
  Speaker 1: sons shall come from Afar, and your daughters shall be
• 2:44:50
  Speaker 1: nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 2:44:56
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy, because the abundance
• 2:45:00
  Speaker 1: of the sea shall be turned to you. The wealth
• 2:45:04
  Speaker 1: of the gentiles shall come to you. The multitude of
• 2:45:08
  Speaker 1: camels shall cover your land, the Drome, dairies of Midian
• 2:45:13
  Speaker 1: and Epha, all those from Shebas shall come. They shall
• 2:45:18
  Speaker 1: bring gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim the praises
• 2:45:23
  Speaker 1: of the Lord. Isn't it amazing that God knew in
• 2:45:29
  Speaker 1: advance that gentiles and kings would come from Afar seeking
• 2:45:34
  Speaker 1: the Messiah and the brightness of his rising. He even
• 2:45:39
  Speaker 1: predicted the details of their quest for the Savior. Arise, shine,
• 2:45:46
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 2:45:50
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 2:45:55
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 2:45:59
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 2:46:03
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. This imagery speaks of the star that
• 2:46:10
  Speaker 1: arose to light the way to jesus advent to the world.
• 2:46:15
  Speaker 1: The Star of Bethlehem arose and shone when deep darkness
• 2:46:18
  Speaker 1: covered the earth. The glory of the Lord was seen
• 2:46:22
  Speaker 1: by the magi as they followed the star. And as
• 2:46:26
  Speaker 1: we will see when the wise men discover the small
• 2:46:29
  Speaker 1: child Jesus. Isaiah's prophecy was true. Then you shall see
• 2:46:35
  Speaker 1: and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy.
• 2:46:40
  Speaker 1: They shall bring gold and frankencense, and they shall proclaim
• 2:46:44
  Speaker 1: the praises of the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing
• 2:46:52
  Speaker 1: into sleep, I'm going to lead you in an imaginative
• 2:46:56
  Speaker 1: contemplation that will bring this Christmas to life. But before
• 2:47:02
  Speaker 1: I do, I will read the full scriptural account of
• 2:47:06
  Speaker 1: the Wise Men from Matthew two, verses one through ten.
• 2:47:13
  Speaker 1: Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign
• 2:47:18
  Speaker 1: of King Herod. About that time, some wise men from
• 2:47:22
  Speaker 1: eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking where is the new
• 2:47:26
  Speaker 1: born King of the Jews. We saw his star as
• 2:47:30
  Speaker 1: it rose, and we have come to worship him. King
• 2:47:35
  Speaker 1: Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this as was
• 2:47:40
  Speaker 1: every one in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the
• 2:47:43
  Speaker 1: leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, where
• 2:47:48
  Speaker 1: is the Messiah supposed to be born in Bethlehem in Judea.
• 2:47:52
  Speaker 1: They said, for this is what the prophet wrote, And you,
• 2:47:57
  Speaker 1: o Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least
• 2:48:01
  Speaker 1: among the ruling cities of Judah. For a ruler will
• 2:48:05
  Speaker 1: come from you, who will be the shepherd for my
• 2:48:08
  Speaker 1: people Israel. Then Herod called for a private meeting with
• 2:48:13
  Speaker 1: the wise men, and he learned from them the time
• 2:48:16
  Speaker 1: when the star first appeared. Then he told them, go
• 2:48:21
  Speaker 1: to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child, and when
• 2:48:26
  Speaker 1: you find him, come back and tell me so that
• 2:48:29
  Speaker 1: I can go and worship him too. After this interview,
• 2:48:35
  Speaker 1: the wise men went their way, and the star they
• 2:48:38
  Speaker 1: had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It
• 2:48:42
  Speaker 1: went ahead of them and stopped over the place where
• 2:48:45
  Speaker 1: the child was. When they saw the star, they were
• 2:48:49
  Speaker 1: filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the
• 2:48:52
  Speaker 1: child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and
• 2:48:56
  Speaker 1: worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure check and gave
• 2:49:01
  Speaker 1: him gifts of gold, frankincense, and Myrrh. So precious listener,
• 2:49:09
  Speaker 1: I invite you to snuggle down, and, if you like,
• 2:49:13
  Speaker 1: and envision yourself there in that very time two millennia ago,
• 2:49:19
  Speaker 1: at the turning point and hinge of history, when BC
• 2:49:24
  Speaker 1: turned to AD. Imagine that you also are one of
• 2:49:29
  Speaker 1: these wise magi from the East. You have been seeking
• 2:49:33
  Speaker 1: the answers of life in so many different religious doctrines
• 2:49:37
  Speaker 1: and ideologies and ritualistic methods. All of them promised you
• 2:49:43
  Speaker 1: solace for your soul, all of them promised paradise and
• 2:49:48
  Speaker 1: freedom from pain and worry. And yet here you are
• 2:49:53
  Speaker 1: probably worse off than before, with more questions than you
• 2:49:58
  Speaker 1: had at the start of your pursuit of me. You
• 2:50:01
  Speaker 1: feel more need for peace and redemption than ever. You
• 2:50:08
  Speaker 1: and your fellow magi have long scoured the scrolls and
• 2:50:12
  Speaker 1: have discovered many prophetic utterances from ancient Hebrew scribes. They
• 2:50:18
  Speaker 1: spoke of a savior being born in Israel, a man
• 2:50:22
  Speaker 1: who will emancipate his people from sin. He will save
• 2:50:26
  Speaker 1: the world and bring justice, mercy, and grace. You read
• 2:50:32
  Speaker 1: the writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said, for unto
• 2:50:36
  Speaker 1: us a child is born, unto us a son is given,
• 2:50:41
  Speaker 1: and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his
• 2:50:46
  Speaker 1: name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God, the
• 2:50:50
  Speaker 1: Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the other
• 2:50:57
  Speaker 1: wise men in your land gathered together and decided to
• 2:51:01
  Speaker 1: seek this savior, you did not know a moment of
• 2:51:04
  Speaker 1: hesitation in joining their number. It wouldn't be easy. It
• 2:51:09
  Speaker 1: would be a very long journey. It would hold many
• 2:51:13
  Speaker 1: pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You knew
• 2:51:19
  Speaker 1: you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long desert stretches.
• 2:51:24
  Speaker 1: And yet the joy and glee in your heart was irrepressible.
• 2:51:30
  Speaker 1: You had never known such a feeling of faith rise
• 2:51:33
  Speaker 1: up in your heart. You knew in the deepest part
• 2:51:36
  Speaker 1: of you that you were going to find this Messiah.
• 2:51:40
  Speaker 1: You couldn't explain it, but you felt like you were
• 2:51:44
  Speaker 1: born for such a time as this, at this exact
• 2:51:48
  Speaker 1: time and history. So no matter what came, you would
• 2:51:52
  Speaker 1: pursue this god Man to the ends of the earth
• 2:51:55
  Speaker 1: if need be. You and your wise companion set forth, faithfully,
• 2:52:02
  Speaker 1: trusting that as you saw it, you would find that
• 2:52:06
  Speaker 1: as you knocked, the door would be opened to you.
• 2:52:11
  Speaker 1: You all loaded up your camels with supplies to last
• 2:52:15
  Speaker 1: many weeks, and you brought the finest gifts the east,
• 2:52:19
  Speaker 1: possessed gold of matchless purity, frankincense that was burned only
• 2:52:25
  Speaker 1: by the highest of priests in your land, and mirror
• 2:52:29
  Speaker 1: that had been sourced from the resin of the rarest
• 2:52:32
  Speaker 1: trees in the east. You mounted your steeds, sending up
• 2:52:37
  Speaker 1: prayers to the heavens, to the god who created the
• 2:52:40
  Speaker 1: skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts. You
• 2:52:46
  Speaker 1: prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission. You
• 2:52:51
  Speaker 1: prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who would
• 2:52:55
  Speaker 1: free you from darkness and pain. And so you all
• 2:53:00
  Speaker 1: set forth on the long journey. You were experts and
• 2:53:04
  Speaker 1: studying the skies to guide your way. So you searched
• 2:53:08
  Speaker 1: the heavens. But lo, and behold, barely one night had
• 2:53:12
  Speaker 1: passed when the most luminous and radiant white star arose
• 2:53:17
  Speaker 1: in the sky in the distance. You had seen glorious
• 2:53:23
  Speaker 1: stars in your time, but never in all your years
• 2:53:27
  Speaker 1: on earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur and incandescent
• 2:53:32
  Speaker 1: magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body. It almost
• 2:53:40
  Speaker 1: stopped your group in their tracks. You were transfixed in awe.
• 2:53:46
  Speaker 1: With a burning fire of hope in your heart, you
• 2:53:49
  Speaker 1: felt compelled to follow it. It seemed to point in
• 2:53:54
  Speaker 1: the direction of Israel, so this confirmed your hopes. Eventually
• 2:53:59
  Speaker 1: youpproached the land, and unfortunately, news of your quest had
• 2:54:04
  Speaker 1: reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly, you had
• 2:54:09
  Speaker 1: to pay him a visit and let him know of
• 2:54:11
  Speaker 1: your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes a flash
• 2:54:16
  Speaker 1: of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it would be
• 2:54:20
  Speaker 1: best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough, that night,
• 2:54:26
  Speaker 1: your guiding star diminished in the sky and you could
• 2:54:29
  Speaker 1: not see it. But once you were released from Herod's presence,
• 2:54:35
  Speaker 1: you returned to your search and behold to your great elation,
• 2:54:40
  Speaker 1: and in rapture, the glistening beacon of hope reappeared in
• 2:54:44
  Speaker 1: the night sky. You were all overjoyed at this miracle.
• 2:54:52
  Speaker 1: It was indeed a miracle. You were magi and believed
• 2:54:56
  Speaker 1: in magic, but this far surpassed any magic. You didn't
• 2:55:01
  Speaker 1: want anything further to do with magic. Now that you
• 2:55:05
  Speaker 1: had seen a real life miracle with your own naked eyes.
• 2:55:12
  Speaker 1: You would be speaking about this until the day you died.
• 2:55:16
  Speaker 1: No one could convince you it was false or imagined.
• 2:55:20
  Speaker 1: You had this luminous star that guided you during the
• 2:55:27
  Speaker 1: day and during the night. Was evidence enough for you
• 2:55:30
  Speaker 1: that you were going to find the truth, the truth
• 2:55:34
  Speaker 1: that you had searched for all your life, the real
• 2:55:38
  Speaker 1: reason for your existence on earth. The sight of it
• 2:55:42
  Speaker 1: filled you with sacred awe and a worshipful impulse. But
• 2:55:47
  Speaker 1: you knew that the one to whom it was leading
• 2:55:49
  Speaker 1: you was the real reason for your awe and worship.
• 2:55:55
  Speaker 1: No longer would you worship the stars, sun or moon,
• 2:56:00
  Speaker 1: for they were simply signs of the one who made them.
• 2:56:03
  Speaker 1: They are simply pointing to the greatest one of all,
• 2:56:07
  Speaker 1: the One True God, the God over all the heavens.
• 2:56:12
  Speaker 1: As your group gazed at this star, you followed it
• 2:56:16
  Speaker 1: with more haste and fervor than before. It seemed to
• 2:56:20
  Speaker 1: grow closer and closer every mile, brighter and brighter, shinier
• 2:56:26
  Speaker 1: and shinier. Although your camels were weary and tired from
• 2:56:31
  Speaker 1: many long weeks on the road, they seemed to hasten
• 2:56:35
  Speaker 1: their pace also, as though they too sensed that their
• 2:56:39
  Speaker 1: redemption drew nigh. Presently the star came to rest above
• 2:56:46
  Speaker 1: the town of Bethlehem, and in the town the star
• 2:56:50
  Speaker 1: was fixed directly above a humble little cottage. The stars
• 2:56:56
  Speaker 1: shone like a heavenly spotlight above the house, as so,
• 2:57:00
  Speaker 1: pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling. You soon
• 2:57:05
  Speaker 1: arrived at the house, and with a mix of trepidation
• 2:57:09
  Speaker 1: and a heart beating with an excitement you had never known,
• 2:57:14
  Speaker 1: you knocked on the door. A very beautiful young woman,
• 2:57:18
  Speaker 1: still but a fresh faced teenager opened the door smiling,
• 2:57:23
  Speaker 1: And there behind her, playing by the fire's side, with
• 2:57:27
  Speaker 1: gleaming starlight beaming down on him, was a small child.
• 2:57:33
  Speaker 1: He looked up at the doors opening and grinned widely
• 2:57:36
  Speaker 1: at you wall in a daze. You all fell to
• 2:57:40
  Speaker 1: your knees. No, no, not even your knees. You fell
• 2:57:45
  Speaker 1: to your faces in the dust. You were all sobbing
• 2:57:49
  Speaker 1: uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude. In
• 2:57:56
  Speaker 1: a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing were
• 2:58:00
  Speaker 1: fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now felt
• 2:58:05
  Speaker 1: like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer the
• 2:58:10
  Speaker 1: King of all kings, the Lord of all lords. What
• 2:58:14
  Speaker 1: would ever be good enough? This little boy owned the heavens,
• 2:58:19
  Speaker 1: the land, and the sea. What could you give him?
• 2:58:26
  Speaker 1: As though you all thought of it simultaneously, you and
• 2:58:29
  Speaker 1: all the magi knelt again by him and offered him
• 2:58:33
  Speaker 1: your lives, all of you body, soul, mind and spirit.
• 2:58:40
  Speaker 1: Still that seemed lowly, but you could not give more
• 2:58:44
  Speaker 1: than that. To give him your all, holding nothing back,
• 2:58:49
  Speaker 1: was your best offering. As he received you with equal
• 2:58:55
  Speaker 1: joy and elation, you knew you had found your peace
• 2:58:59
  Speaker 1: and salvation. Yes, but more than that, you had found
• 2:59:04
  Speaker 1: the one with whom you would be spending the rest
• 2:59:07
  Speaker 1: of eternity, the paradise you had longed for your whole life,
• 2:59:13
  Speaker 1: the hope and death, and the answer to life. And
• 2:59:17
  Speaker 1: that was cause for great celebration. Join me as we
• 2:59:24
  Speaker 1: close our Christmas story tonight in prayer. Wonderful Father, tonight
• 2:59:31
  Speaker 1: we have shared in the longing and joy that the
• 2:59:34
  Speaker 1: wise men did. We praise you that on this night
• 2:59:38
  Speaker 1: two thousand years ago you gave us the gift of
• 2:59:42
  Speaker 1: your son, and we now have eternal life paradise forever
• 2:59:48
  Speaker 1: with you by our side. Thank you for giving us
• 2:59:52
  Speaker 1: guiding stars in our journey, and would your Holy Spirit
• 2:59:56
  Speaker 1: keep pointing the way to you so we may know
• 2:59:59
  Speaker 1: you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you
• 3:00:04
  Speaker 1: more nearly. And your precious Sun our Saviour's name. Amen.
• 3:00:13
  Speaker 1: Allow me to finish our time tonight with a benediction
• 3:00:17
  Speaker 1: over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine, for your light
• 3:00:24
  Speaker 1: has come and the glory of the Lord has risen
• 3:00:28
  Speaker 1: upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth
• 3:00:33
  Speaker 1: and deep darkness the people. But the Lord will arise
• 3:00:37
  Speaker 1: over you, and his glory will be seen upon you.
• 3:00:43
  Speaker 1: May the Lord rise over you this Christmas season night,
• 3:00:47
  Speaker 1: and may his glory be seen upon you today and
• 3:00:51
  Speaker 1: every day. May you have a very merry Christmas, and
• 3:00:57
  Speaker 1: more than ever, may you abide in Christ. Let's listen
• 3:01:05
  Speaker 1: again to this sleep story about the journey of the
• 3:01:08
  Speaker 1: Magi to find Jesus continued to rest in this sacred moment.
• 3:01:16
  Speaker 1: Precious listener, as I read over you tonight's Christmas bedtime tale,
• 3:01:22
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you can even see the stars outside your bedroom
• 3:01:26
  Speaker 1: window right now, or perhaps with eyes gently closed, you
• 3:01:31
  Speaker 1: can imagine in your mind's eye the starry night sky
• 3:01:38
  Speaker 1: on a night such as this. More than two thousand
• 3:01:42
  Speaker 1: years ago, somewhere out in the recesses of the desert
• 3:01:46
  Speaker 1: of the ancient world, were a group of kings from
• 3:01:49
  Speaker 1: the east. Legend has it these great men were priests
• 3:01:56
  Speaker 1: of the Zoroastrian religion and had traveled all the way
• 3:02:00
  Speaker 1: from Persia and Babylon, seeking the Messiah by the Star
• 3:02:05
  Speaker 1: of Bethlehem. In tonight's tale, we will journey with these
• 3:02:12
  Speaker 1: spiritual seekers as they follow the stars and heavenly signs
• 3:02:16
  Speaker 1: in their pursuit of the Savior a short time after
• 3:02:20
  Speaker 1: his birth. A good way to start our bedtime story
• 3:02:27
  Speaker 1: is by going back thousands of years earlier. So relax
• 3:02:31
  Speaker 1: and listen as I read the prophecy about this group
• 3:02:35
  Speaker 1: of seeking kings from Isaiah sixty verses one to six. Arise, shine,
• 3:02:45
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 3:02:49
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 3:02:54
  Speaker 1: cover the earth, and deep darkness the people. But the
• 3:02:59
  Speaker 1: Lord will rise over you, and his glory will be
• 3:03:02
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. The gentiles shall come to your light,
• 3:03:07
  Speaker 1: and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up
• 3:03:11
  Speaker 1: your eyes all around, and see they all gather together.
• 3:03:16
  Speaker 1: They come to you. Your sons shall come from Afar,
• 3:03:21
  Speaker 1: and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then
• 3:03:25
  Speaker 1: you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall
• 3:03:29
  Speaker 1: swell with joy, because the abundance of the sea shall
• 3:03:34
  Speaker 1: be turned to you. The wealth of the Gentiles shall
• 3:03:38
  Speaker 1: come to you. The multitude of camels shall cover your land,
• 3:03:44
  Speaker 1: the drone dairies of Midian and Epha, all those from
• 3:03:48
  Speaker 1: Shebas shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and
• 3:03:53
  Speaker 1: they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. Isn't it
• 3:04:00
  Speaker 1: amazing that God knew in advance that gentiles and kings
• 3:04:04
  Speaker 1: would come from Afar seeking the Messiah and the brightness
• 3:04:09
  Speaker 1: of his rising. He even predicted the details of their
• 3:04:13
  Speaker 1: quest for the Savior. Arise, shine, for your light has come,
• 3:04:21
  Speaker 1: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
• 3:04:25
  Speaker 1: For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep
• 3:04:29
  Speaker 1: darkness the people. But the Lord will arise over you,
• 3:04:34
  Speaker 1: and his glory will be seen upon you. This imagery
• 3:04:41
  Speaker 1: speaks of the star that arose to light the way
• 3:04:44
  Speaker 1: to Jesus advent to the world. The Star of Bethlehem
• 3:04:48
  Speaker 1: arose and shone when deep darkness covered the earth. The
• 3:04:53
  Speaker 1: glory of the Lord was seen by the magi as
• 3:04:56
  Speaker 1: they followed the star, And as we will see when
• 3:05:00
  Speaker 1: when the wise men discover the small child Jesus Isaiah's
• 3:05:04
  Speaker 1: prophecy was true, Then you shall see and become radiant,
• 3:05:09
  Speaker 1: and your heart shall swell with joy. They shall bring
• 3:05:13
  Speaker 1: gold and frankincense, and they shall proclaim the praises of
• 3:05:18
  Speaker 1: the Lord. Now, as you continue relaxing into sleep, I'm
• 3:05:26
  Speaker 1: going to lead you in an imaginative contemplation that will
• 3:05:31
  Speaker 1: bring this Christmas story to life. But before I do,
• 3:05:36
  Speaker 1: I will read the full scriptural account of the wise
• 3:05:39
  Speaker 1: Men from Matthew two, verses one through ten. Jesus was
• 3:05:46
  Speaker 1: born in Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod.
• 3:05:52
  Speaker 1: About that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived
• 3:05:56
  Speaker 1: in Jerusalem, asking where is the new born King of
• 3:06:00
  Speaker 1: the Jews. We saw his star as it rose, and
• 3:06:04
  Speaker 1: we have come to worship him. King Herod was deeply
• 3:06:09
  Speaker 1: disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem.
• 3:06:14
  Speaker 1: He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers
• 3:06:17
  Speaker 1: of religious law and asked, where's the Messiah supposed to
• 3:06:21
  Speaker 1: be born in Bethlehem and Judea. They said, for this
• 3:06:27
  Speaker 1: is what the prophet wrote. And you, o, Bethlehem, in
• 3:06:31
  Speaker 1: the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling
• 3:06:34
  Speaker 1: cities of Judah. For a ruler will come from you,
• 3:06:39
  Speaker 1: who will be the shepherd for my people Israel. Then
• 3:06:43
  Speaker 1: Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men,
• 3:06:47
  Speaker 1: and he learned from them the time when the star
• 3:06:50
  Speaker 1: first appeared. Then he told them, go to Bethlehem and
• 3:06:55
  Speaker 1: search carefully for the child, and when you find him,
• 3:06:59
  Speaker 1: come back. I can tell me so that I can
• 3:07:02
  Speaker 1: go and worship him too. After this interview, the wise
• 3:07:08
  Speaker 1: men went their way, and the star they had seen
• 3:07:11
  Speaker 1: in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead
• 3:07:15
  Speaker 1: of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
• 3:07:19
  Speaker 1: When they saw the star, they were filled with joy.
• 3:07:23
  Speaker 1: They entered the house and saw the child with his
• 3:07:26
  Speaker 1: mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then
• 3:07:30
  Speaker 1: they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense,
• 3:07:36
  Speaker 1: and myrrhr, so precious listener, I invite you to snuggle down, and,
• 3:07:45
  Speaker 1: if you like, and envision yourself there in that very
• 3:07:48
  Speaker 1: time two millennia ago, at the turning point and hinge
• 3:07:54
  Speaker 1: of history, when BC turned to ad that you also
• 3:08:01
  Speaker 1: are one of these wise magi from the East. You
• 3:08:04
  Speaker 1: have been seeking the answers of life in so many
• 3:08:08
  Speaker 1: different religious doctrines and ideologies and ritualistic methods. All of
• 3:08:14
  Speaker 1: them promised you solace for your soul. All of them
• 3:08:19
  Speaker 1: promised paradise and freedom from pain and worry. And yet
• 3:08:24
  Speaker 1: here you are probably worse off than before, with more
• 3:08:29
  Speaker 1: questions than you had at the start of your pursuit
• 3:08:32
  Speaker 1: of meaning. You feel more need for peace and redemption
• 3:08:37
  Speaker 1: than ever. You and your fellow magi have long scoured
• 3:08:43
  Speaker 1: the scrolls and have discovered many prophetic utterances from ancient
• 3:08:48
  Speaker 1: Hebrew scribes. They spoke of a savior being born in Israel,
• 3:08:54
  Speaker 1: a man who will emancipate his people from sin. He
• 3:08:58
  Speaker 1: will save the world and bring justice, mercy, and grace.
• 3:09:04
  Speaker 1: You read the writings of the prophet Isaiah, which said,
• 3:09:08
  Speaker 1: for unto us a child is born, unto us a
• 3:09:12
  Speaker 1: son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
• 3:09:18
  Speaker 1: and his name shall be called Wonderful counselor the Mighty God,
• 3:09:23
  Speaker 1: the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. So when the
• 3:09:29
  Speaker 1: other wise men in your land gathered together and decided
• 3:09:33
  Speaker 1: to seek this savior. You did not know a moment
• 3:09:36
  Speaker 1: of hesitation in joining their number. It wouldn't be easy.
• 3:09:41
  Speaker 1: It would be a very long journey. It would hold
• 3:09:45
  Speaker 1: many pitfalls and dangers, wild animals, robbers, and thieves. You
• 3:09:52
  Speaker 1: knew you would suffer hunger and thirst, and the long
• 3:09:55
  Speaker 1: desert stretches. And yet the joy and glee in your
• 3:09:59
  Speaker 1: heart it was irrepressible. You had never known such a
• 3:10:04
  Speaker 1: feeling of faith rise up in your heart. You knew
• 3:10:08
  Speaker 1: in the deepest part of you that you were going
• 3:10:10
  Speaker 1: to find this Messiah. You couldn't explain it, but you
• 3:10:15
  Speaker 1: felt like you were born for such a time as this,
• 3:10:19
  Speaker 1: at this exact time and history. So no matter what came,
• 3:10:24
  Speaker 1: you would pursue this god Man to the ends of
• 3:10:27
  Speaker 1: the earth, if need be. You and your wise companions
• 3:10:32
  Speaker 1: set forth, faithfully, trusting that as you saw it, you
• 3:10:37
  Speaker 1: would find that as you knocked, the door would be
• 3:10:41
  Speaker 1: opened to you. You all loaded up your camels with
• 3:10:46
  Speaker 1: supplies to last many weeks, and you brought the finest
• 3:10:50
  Speaker 1: gifts the East, possessed gold of matchless purity, frankinsense that
• 3:10:57
  Speaker 1: was burned only by the highest of priests in your
• 3:10:59
  Speaker 1: life and mirror that had been sourced from the resin
• 3:11:03
  Speaker 1: of the rarest trees in the east. You mounted your steeds,
• 3:11:09
  Speaker 1: sending up prayers to the heavens, to the God who
• 3:11:12
  Speaker 1: created the skies and the galaxies and all the starry hosts.
• 3:11:18
  Speaker 1: You prayed for guidance and direction and a fruitful mission.
• 3:11:23
  Speaker 1: You prayed fervently to find your savior, the one who
• 3:11:27
  Speaker 1: would free you from darkness and pain. And so you
• 3:11:32
  Speaker 1: all set forth on the long journey. You were experts
• 3:11:36
  Speaker 1: and studying the skies to guide your way. So you
• 3:11:39
  Speaker 1: searched the heavens. But lo, and behold, barely one night
• 3:11:44
  Speaker 1: had passed when the most luminous and radiant white star
• 3:11:49
  Speaker 1: arose in the sky in the distance. You had seen
• 3:11:55
  Speaker 1: glorious stars in your time, but never in all your
• 3:11:59
  Speaker 1: years on earth Earth had you witnessed the wild grandeur
• 3:12:03
  Speaker 1: and incandescent magnificence and incandescent magnificence of this celestial body.
• 3:12:12
  Speaker 1: It almost stopped your group in their tracks. You were
• 3:12:16
  Speaker 1: transfixed in awe. With a burning fire of hope in
• 3:12:20
  Speaker 1: your heart, you felt compelled to follow it. It seemed
• 3:12:25
  Speaker 1: to point in the direction of Israel. So this confirmed
• 3:12:29
  Speaker 1: your hopes. Eventually you approached the land, and unfortunately, news
• 3:12:35
  Speaker 1: of your quest had reached the royal palace of King Herod. Reluctantly,
• 3:12:41
  Speaker 1: you had to pay him a visit and let him
• 3:12:43
  Speaker 1: know of your plans. You saw in King Herod's eyes
• 3:12:47
  Speaker 1: a flash of jealousy, and decided amongst yourselves that it
• 3:12:52
  Speaker 1: would be best to say as little as possible. Oddly enough,
• 3:12:57
  Speaker 1: that night, your guiding starred menished in the sky and
• 3:13:01
  Speaker 1: you could not see it. But once you were released
• 3:13:05
  Speaker 1: from Herod's presence, you returned to your search and behold
• 3:13:11
  Speaker 1: to your great elation, and in rapture, the glistening beacon
• 3:13:15
  Speaker 1: of hope reappeared in the night sky. You were all
• 3:13:19
  Speaker 1: overjoyed at this miracle. It was indeed a miracle. You
• 3:13:27
  Speaker 1: were magi and believed in magic, but this far surpassed
• 3:13:32
  Speaker 1: any magic. You didn't want anything further to do with magic.
• 3:13:37
  Speaker 1: Now that you had seen a real life miracle with
• 3:13:40
  Speaker 1: your own naked eyes, you would be speaking about this
• 3:13:46
  Speaker 1: until the day you died. No one could convince you
• 3:13:50
  Speaker 1: it was false or imagined. You had this luminous star
• 3:13:58
  Speaker 1: that guided you during the day and during the night.
• 3:14:01
  Speaker 1: Was evidence enough for you that you were going to
• 3:14:04
  Speaker 1: find the truth, the truth that you had searched for
• 3:14:08
  Speaker 1: all your life, the real reason for your existence on earth.
• 3:14:14
  Speaker 1: The sight of it filled you with sacred awe and
• 3:14:17
  Speaker 1: a worshipful impulse. But you knew that the one to
• 3:14:21
  Speaker 1: whom it was leading you was the real reason for
• 3:14:24
  Speaker 1: your awe and worship. No longer would you worship the stars,
• 3:14:30
  Speaker 1: sun or moon, for they were simply signs of the
• 3:14:34
  Speaker 1: one who made them. They are simply pointing to the
• 3:14:37
  Speaker 1: greatest one of all, the One True God, the God
• 3:14:42
  Speaker 1: over all the heavens. As your group gazed at this star,
• 3:14:48
  Speaker 1: you followed it with more haste and fervor than before.
• 3:14:52
  Speaker 1: It seemed to grow closer and closer every mile, brighter
• 3:14:56
  Speaker 1: and brighter, shinier and shinier. Although your camels were weary
• 3:15:02
  Speaker 1: and tired from many long weeks on the road, they
• 3:15:06
  Speaker 1: seemed to hasten their pace also, as though they too,
• 3:15:11
  Speaker 1: sensed that their redemption drew nigh. Presently, the star came
• 3:15:17
  Speaker 1: to rest above the town of Bethlehem, and in the
• 3:15:21
  Speaker 1: town the star was fixed directly above a humble little cottage.
• 3:15:27
  Speaker 1: The stars shone like a heavenly spotlight. Above the house,
• 3:15:32
  Speaker 1: as though pointing proudly and victoriously to its master's dwelling.
• 3:15:37
  Speaker 1: You soon arrived at the house, and, with a mix
• 3:15:40
  Speaker 1: of trepidation and a heart beating with an excitement you
• 3:15:44
  Speaker 1: had never known, you knocked on the door. A very
• 3:15:49
  Speaker 1: beautiful young woman, still but a fresh faced teenager, opened
• 3:15:54
  Speaker 1: the door smiling, And there behind her, playing by the
• 3:15:58
  Speaker 1: fire's side, with gleaming starlight beaming down on him, was
• 3:16:03
  Speaker 1: a small child. He looked up at the doors opening
• 3:16:07
  Speaker 1: and grinned widely at you all in a daze. You
• 3:16:12
  Speaker 1: all fell to your knees. No, no, not even your knees.
• 3:16:17
  Speaker 1: You fell to your faces in the dust. You were
• 3:16:21
  Speaker 1: all sobbing, uncontrollably with mirth and joy and relief and gratitude.
• 3:16:28
  Speaker 1: In a moment of time, decades of yearning and longing
• 3:16:32
  Speaker 1: were fulfilled with great humility. You offered him what now
• 3:16:37
  Speaker 1: felt like lowly and pitiful gifts. What could you offer
• 3:16:42
  Speaker 1: the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords?
• 3:16:47
  Speaker 1: What would ever be good enough? This little boy owned
• 3:16:51
  Speaker 1: the heavens, the land, and the sea. What could you
• 3:16:55
  Speaker 1: give him? As though you all thought of it simultaneously,
• 3:17:02
  Speaker 1: you and all the Magi knelt again by him and
• 3:17:05
  Speaker 1: offered him your lives, all of you body, soul, mind
• 3:17:10
  Speaker 1: and spirit. Still that seemed lowly, but you could not
• 3:17:16
  Speaker 1: give more than that. To give him your all, holding
• 3:17:20
  Speaker 1: nothing back, was your best offering. As he received you
• 3:17:26
  Speaker 1: with equal joy and elation, you knew you had found
• 3:17:30
  Speaker 1: your peace and salvation. Yes, but more than that, you
• 3:17:36
  Speaker 1: had found the one with whom you would be spending
• 3:17:39
  Speaker 1: the rest of eternity, the paradise you had longed for
• 3:17:43
  Speaker 1: your whole life, the hope and death and the answer
• 3:17:48
  Speaker 1: to life. And that was cause for great celebration. Join
• 3:17:56
  Speaker 1: me as we close our Christmas story tonight in prayer.
• 3:18:02
  Speaker 1: Wonderful Father, tonight we have shared in the longing and
• 3:18:06
  Speaker 1: joy that the wise men did. We praise you that
• 3:18:09
  Speaker 1: on this night two thousand years ago you gave us
• 3:18:13
  Speaker 1: the gift of your son, and we now have eternal
• 3:18:17
  Speaker 1: life paradise forever with you by our side. Thank you
• 3:18:23
  Speaker 1: for giving us guiding stars in our journey. And would
• 3:18:27
  Speaker 1: your Holy Spirit keep pointing the way to you so
• 3:18:31
  Speaker 1: we may know you more clearly, love you more dearly,
• 3:18:35
  Speaker 1: and follow you more nearly. And your precious son, our
• 3:18:40
  Speaker 1: Saviour's name Amen. Allow me to finish our time tonight
• 3:18:48
  Speaker 1: with a benediction over you from Isaiah sixty. Arise, shine,
• 3:18:56
  Speaker 1: for your light has come, and the glory of the
• 3:19:00
  Speaker 1: Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall
• 3:19:04
  Speaker 1: cover the earth and deep darkness the people. But the
• 3:19:09
  Speaker 1: Lord will arise over you, and his glory will be
• 3:19:12
  Speaker 1: seen upon you. May the Lord rise over you this
• 3:19:17
  Speaker 1: Christmas season night, and may his glory be seen upon
• 3:19:22
  Speaker 1: you today and every day. May you have a very
• 3:19:28
  Speaker 1: merry Christmas. And more than ever, may you abide in Christ.