Latest / Bible in a Year with Jack Graham / A Dream of Courage

Transcript

A Dream of Courage · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Of the increase of his government and of peace, there
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  Speaker 1: shall be no end, on David's throne and on his kingdom,
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  Speaker 1: to establish it and to uphold it with justice and
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  Speaker 1: with righteousness from that time on even forever. The zeal
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  Speaker 1: of Yahweh of armies will perform this. Isaiah 9.7 Dear Lord,
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  Speaker 1: This season we rejoice in the birth of Christ, whose
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  Speaker 1: arrival was foretold by the prophets and whose reign will
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  Speaker 1: never end. We stand in awe of your divine plan,
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  Speaker 1: so beautifully unfolded in that humble manger. Your redemption plan
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  Speaker 1: brings hope, peace, justice, and eternal life to all who believe.
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  Speaker 1: As we decorate our homes with lights and sing carols
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  Speaker 1: and share gifts, let us also share the message of
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  Speaker 1: Christ's eternal kingdom, a kingdom built on love, mercy, and righteousness.
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  Speaker 1: Help us to be ambassadors of this kingdom here on earth,
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  Speaker 1: extending your peace and joy to all around us. In
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  Speaker 1: the name of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate and whose
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  Speaker 1: return we await, we pray. Amen.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph's heart was a storm of emotion. His dreams shattered,
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  Speaker 2: trust broken and love betrayed. The news of Mary's pregnancy
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  Speaker 2: had been a blow unlike any other. Anger, confusion and
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  Speaker 2: a profound sense of loss gnawed at his soul.
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  Speaker 1: He lay down on.
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  Speaker 2: A grassy hill, where he and Mary had once shared
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  Speaker 2: dreams and made promises to one another. Lying on the
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  Speaker 2: soft earth, he looked up at the stars. Those distant
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  Speaker 2: beacons of hope and guidance seemed dull, dimmed by his
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  Speaker 2: grief and anger. His mind replayed their meeting earlier in
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  Speaker 2: the day. He could still see the look of regret
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  Speaker 2: in Mary's eyes. Or was it sorrow? Her father's stern
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  Speaker 2: and unyielding voice echoed in his ears, granting him the
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  Speaker 2: right to stone her. The very thought sent a shudder
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  Speaker 2: through him. How had they come to this? Tears welled
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  Speaker 2: in his eyes, and he clenched his fist, wrestling with
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  Speaker 2: helplessness and anger. And yet, through it all, he couldn't
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  Speaker 2: ignore the look in Mary's eyes. She didn't carry herself
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  Speaker 2: like someone who had done something wrong. Was there somehow
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  Speaker 2: more to this story that he just couldn't grasp? A
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  Speaker 2: fatigue slowly overcame his restless mind. He drifted into a
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  Speaker 2: fitful sleep. His last thoughts were a prayer for clarity.
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  Speaker 1: Guidance and mercy.
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  Speaker 3: We're so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. The Bible in a Year podcast
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  Speaker 3: is an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: to you each week through the support of listeners just
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: like you. Your support today is so important that we
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: want to thank you for your gift by giving you
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: a copy of my book called The Jesus Book. It
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: is a powerful guide that shows how every book of
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: the Bible points to Jesus and and how his living word,
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: the truth of God's word, will transform your life. So
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  Speaker 3: to get a copy of the Jesus book, simply go
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  Speaker 3: to jackgraham.org slash Jesus. That's jackgraham.org slash Jesus. And thank
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  Speaker 3: you for your support. Today's story is inspired by Matthew 1,
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  Speaker 3: verse 19, when Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant. Joseph
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  Speaker 3: is a central figure in the Christmas story, and is
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  Speaker 3: often overshadowed by the more prominent characters. Yet, I believe
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  Speaker 3: Joseph is an unheralded hero of great character. In this story,
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  Speaker 3: we find Joseph at a poignant crossroads, grappling with feelings
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  Speaker 3: of betrayal while standing on the precipice of a divine
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  Speaker 3: intervention that would change the course of the world. The
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  Speaker 3: birth of Jesus was filled with key moments when everything
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  Speaker 3: could have been thwarted. One of those moments will happen
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  Speaker 3: in this story, when Joseph has the right to stone
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  Speaker 3: Mary for adultery. Joseph will find himself in a position
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  Speaker 3: that many of us find ourselves in. We all have
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  Speaker 3: moments where we can lash out in anger and show
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  Speaker 3: judgment or choose the path of mercy. Often, the way
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  Speaker 3: of compassion is the more challenging trail to tread. Joseph
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  Speaker 3: could end all his hurt and problems by showing Mary judgment.
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  Speaker 3: But the measure of a man's character is often revealed
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  Speaker 3: not in how he uses his power. Jesus said, Blessed
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  Speaker 3: are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness
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  Speaker 3: does not mean weakness. It means power under control. Will
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  Speaker 3: Joseph lash out and use his authority to end Mary?
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  Speaker 3: Or will he show meekness and mercy, ushering in the
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  Speaker 3: greatest story ever told? Let's find out now. in this
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  Speaker 3: cinematic retelling of Matthew chapter 1, verse 19. Afterwards, we'll
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  Speaker 3: unpack the deep and hidden themes.
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  Speaker 2: In the depths of slumber, Joseph was caught up in
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  Speaker 2: a vivid and terrifying dream. He found himself standing at
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  Speaker 2: the base of a dark and foreboding hill. Jagged rocks
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  Speaker 2: laced the trail ascending the mountain. Lightning flashed above it,
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  Speaker 2: revealing a brief and terrifying image of a tree. No,
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  Speaker 2: not a tree.
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  Speaker 3: Something else.
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  Speaker 2: Something more terrifying. Joseph couldn't quite make it out, so
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  Speaker 2: he moved closer. In the darkness, Joseph could see a
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  Speaker 2: silhouetted figure hanging from the tree. He marched up the hill,
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  Speaker 2: working against the wind and rain. He stumbled and fell
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  Speaker 2: onto his hands and knees. Joseph looked at his hands
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  Speaker 2: in terror. The ground beneath him was soaked with a
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  Speaker 2: mixture of water and blood. He screamed and looked up
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  Speaker 2: again at the top of the hill. The river of
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  Speaker 2: water and blood was running downward from the tree above.
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  Speaker 1: What is up there? he thought.
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  Speaker 2: The lightning flashed again with piercing light, and Joseph immediately
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  Speaker 2: found himself elsewhere. He was at the base of a
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  Speaker 2: cave carved into the side of a mountain. All was quiet,
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  Speaker 2: and the only light source was from within the cave.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph followed the faint glimmer, keeping his balance on the
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  Speaker 2: cave's jagged walls. As he inched closer, the air became warmer,
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  Speaker 2: like a room filled with the comfort of a fireplace.
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  Speaker 2: The entire cave became filled with the scent of frankincense
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  Speaker 2: and myrrh. As Joseph navigated the cave, he could hear
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  Speaker 2: the sound of a child's cry. Then, a hushing lullaby.
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  Speaker 2: The voice singing was gentle and soft, like the evening
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  Speaker 2: spring breeze.
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  Speaker 1: Joseph knew that voice. Mary, is that you? He gasped.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph picked up his pace and rounded the corner towards
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  Speaker 2: the light. But before he could see anything, the cave
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  Speaker 2: flooded with water, and Joseph found himself swimming for his
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  Speaker 2: life amidst a violent storm in the middle of the sea.
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  Speaker 2: Waves and breakers crashed over him. He swam but made
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  Speaker 2: no progress. The waves thrashed, and the riptide dragged him
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  Speaker 2: down underneath. Joseph sank in a freefall into the black
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  Speaker 2: abyss until a current pushed him onto the shore. The
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  Speaker 2: storm subsided, and Joseph looked out at a golden sunset
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  Speaker 2: hovering over the glassy sea. Suddenly, a luminous figure appeared
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  Speaker 2: before him, an angel standing upon the glassy water. His
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  Speaker 2: eyes were filled with wisdom and compassion. Joseph was struck
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  Speaker 2: by awe and reverence. Fear not, Joseph, son of David.
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  Speaker 2: For what is conceived in Mary is of the Holy Spirit.
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  Speaker 2: She will bear a son. and you shall call his
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  Speaker 2: name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
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  Speaker 2: The words wrapped around Joseph like a warm embrace, filling
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  Speaker 2: him with an understanding that transcended earthly wisdom. Joseph wanted
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  Speaker 2: to ask questions, but he couldn't speak. Instead, his gaze
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  Speaker 2: was turned to the sea. The sunset's colors painted the
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  Speaker 2: glassy water with images of prophecy, promise, and divine love.
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  Speaker 2: He saw his forefather, David, and the mighty temple. He
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  Speaker 2: saw a humble child, a mighty king, a savior, and
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  Speaker 2: a servant. He saw Mary, her face radiant with grace,
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  Speaker 2: her role in the divine plan, both beautiful and burdensome.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph was left with a profound sense of peace, a
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  Speaker 2: clarity that resonated through every fiber of his being. He
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  Speaker 2: knew what he must do. The sea receded into the sunset,
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  Speaker 2: as if gravity's force was pulling it backwards. A great
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  Speaker 2: wall of water loomed over him. Then, with a mighty crash,
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  Speaker 2: the ocean fell onto Joseph. He awoke with panic, confusion,
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  Speaker 2: and awe. The night was quiet, and the light of
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  Speaker 2: the stars was replaced with the rising sun's first light.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph stood to his feet and wiped the sweat from
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  Speaker 2: his brow. The morning sun radiated over the hills, splashing
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  Speaker 2: the valley below with vibrant color. Joseph's once anxious heart
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  Speaker 2: was filled with excitement. He still didn't entirely know what
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  Speaker 2: was happening, but he knew God was on the move.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph's path was more evident now. He would take Mary
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  Speaker 2: as his wife, trust in the Lord's plan, and embrace
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  Speaker 2: this miraculous journey before them. For the child they would
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  Speaker 2: raise was not just a fulfillment of prophecy... but a
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  Speaker 2: beacon of hope and redemption for all mankind. The doubts
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  Speaker 2: and fears of yesterday were gone, replaced by faith, love,
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  Speaker 2: and a determination to serve the will of the Most High.
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  Speaker 2: It wasn't the life Joseph imagined for himself.
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  Speaker 1: It was better.
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  Speaker 2: Although struggle awaited him, it was the path to purpose.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph ran down the hill back to Nazareth with love
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  Speaker 2: in his heart and courage.
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  Speaker 1: In his bones.
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  Speaker 3: This story offered us a dramatized version of Joseph's dream.
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  Speaker 3: Truth be told, we don't know the exact imagery of
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  Speaker 3: his dream, but we do know what God told him
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  Speaker 3: through his vision. The angel of the Lord came to
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  Speaker 3: Joseph and addressed him as Joseph, son of David. Does
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  Speaker 3: that title sound familiar to you? If you've read the
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  Speaker 3: Gospels before, you'll know that Son of David is one
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  Speaker 3: of the many titles given to Jesus. The title Son
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  Speaker 3: of David is one of those. Both Joseph and Mary
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  Speaker 3: were descendants from the lineage of King David. This holds
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  Speaker 3: significant weight since the Messiah was prophesied to come from
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  Speaker 3: the line of David. 2 Samuel chapter 7 mentions the
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  Speaker 3: Messiah coming directly from David's line. However, the title Son
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  Speaker 3: of David embodies more than mere physical lineage. It acknowledges
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  Speaker 3: Jesus as a king greater than David. Isaiah chapter 9
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  Speaker 3: is one of the most famous Christmas prophecies we have.
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  Speaker 3: It reads like this, For a child is born to us,
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  Speaker 3: a son is given to us, and the government will
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  Speaker 3: be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
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  Speaker 3: Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase
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  Speaker 3: of his government and of peace there shall be no end.
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  Speaker 3: On David's throne and on his kingdom to establish it
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  Speaker 3: and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from
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  Speaker 3: that time on even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of
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  Speaker 3: armies will perform this. When individuals addressed Jesus as the
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  Speaker 3: Son of David, their words were a testament to their
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  Speaker 3: faith in him. The Pharisees, entrenched in pride and self-righteousness,
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  Speaker 3: remained blind to the truth that others so readily accepted,
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  Speaker 3: and they became adversarial towards Jesus. Jesus used the title
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  Speaker 3: Son of David to confound the Pharisees further, questioning how
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  Speaker 3: the Messiah, being David's son, could be addressed as My Lord.
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  Speaker 3: by David himself. This puzzle exposed their lack of understanding
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  Speaker 3: regarding the Messiah's true nature. This event illuminates the deeper
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  Speaker 3: meaning of the title. The Messiah is more than David's
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  Speaker 3: physical son. He is greater than David. And as stated
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  Speaker 3: in Revelation 22, verse 16, he's both the root and
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  Speaker 3: the offspring of David. Joseph was the right man to
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  Speaker 3: raise God's son, not just because he was from the
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  Speaker 3: line of David, but because he was a man of integrity, courage,
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  Speaker 3: and obedience. Joseph's immediate response to this dream was obedience.
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  Speaker 3: He was not merely accepting Mary. He was accepting God's
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  Speaker 3: call to be part of a divine mission. To take
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  Speaker 3: Mary as his wife amidst societal expectations and norms would
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  Speaker 3: require immense courage. Joseph's courage was founded on faith, trust
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  Speaker 3: in God's word, and his understanding of the enormity of
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  Speaker 3: God's plan. These qualities made his forefather, David, a beloved
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  Speaker 3: and influential king. Being the stepfather to Jesus, knowing the
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  Speaker 3: child was not his own, yet embracing him as his son,
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  Speaker 3: was an act of unmatched bravery. It required putting aside
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  Speaker 3: personal emotions, fears, and societal judgments. The story of Joseph's
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  Speaker 3: dream interweaves themes of divine intervention, obedience, faith, courage, and
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  Speaker 3: human cooperation with the divine will. It reminds us of
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  Speaker 3: God's sovereign plan and the individuals chosen to participate in it.
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  Speaker 3: As we celebrate Christmas, may we reflect on Joseph's role
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  Speaker 3: in the Christmas narrative, his courage, bravery, and integrity. May
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  Speaker 3: we be inspired to live with similar faith, to heed
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  Speaker 3: God's call in our lives, and to act with integrity
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  Speaker 3: and bravery, embodying the true spirit of Christmas. The story
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  Speaker 3: of Joseph's dream is a timeless reminder that God's plans
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  Speaker 3: are perfect, and He equips those He calls, even in
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  Speaker 3: the most unexpected circumstances. In our next episode, Joseph will
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  Speaker 3: approach Mary and they'll fight against culture and slander together.
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  Speaker 3: Their union will strengthen them for the trials ahead and
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  Speaker 3: provide an on-ramp for Jesus to be born. Thank you
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  Speaker 3: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. And
• 14:55
  Speaker 3: before we go, I wanted to let you know that
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  Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year podcast is an outreach of
• 15:00
  Speaker 3: PowerPoint Ministries and can only come to you each week
• 15:04
  Speaker 3: through the support of listeners like you. Your support today
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: is so important that we want to thank you for
• 15:11
  Speaker 3: your gift by giving you a copy of my book
• 15:13
  Speaker 3: called The Jesus Book. This book is a powerful guide
• 15:17
  Speaker 3: that shows how every book in the Bible points to
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: Christ and how you can better read and understand the
• 15:22
  Speaker 3: Bible and how God's Word transforms our lives. So to
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: get your copy of The Jesus Book, simply go to
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: jackgram.org slash Jesus. That's jackgram.org slash Jesus. And thank you
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: for your support.