1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hello, thank you for listening to your Daily 2 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: Bible Verse, the podcast that examines one verse each day 3 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: to learn more about God and his will for us. 4 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Jennifer Slattery, and after this shirt word 5 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: from our sponsors, we'll continue with our advent series experiencing 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: Christ this Christmas with a discussion on Luke to Verse ten. 7 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: Today's Bible verses Luke to ten. But the Angel said 8 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: to them, do not be afraid. I'd bring you good 9 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 1: news that will cause great joy for all the people. 10 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: How is your joy this holiday season? If you're like me, 11 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: it comes in verse amid painful circumstances and all the 12 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: emotional triggers that arise over the long, gray, cold winter months. 13 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: But that's also why I love today's verse. It assures 14 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: me that the joy of Christ can break through our 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: darkest seasons. It also reminds me that deep sorrow and 16 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 1: joy can coexist and often do this side of glory. 17 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: Before I launch into today's discussion, I want to encourage 18 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: those of you who are feeling frazzled this holiday season 19 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: to listen to last week's Faith Over Your podcast episode 20 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: on practical and biblical ways to experience less stress and 21 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: more joy and peace this Christmas. Find that content on 22 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: Lifeaudio dot Com or wherever you access podcast content, and 23 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: now for today's discussion. When I read Luke chapter two, 24 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: I'm struck by the fact that God chose Shepherds, a 25 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: group disliked and disdained in the first century, to be 26 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,279 Speaker 1: among the first to hear the good news. His people 27 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: had been anticipating for centies that the Messiah had come. 28 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: In this the Lord reminds us that he offers his 29 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: gift of grace to all. He loves each of us uniquely, 30 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: passionately and completely. Imagine how you might have felt had 31 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: you been among those men gazing up at the illuminated 32 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: night sky to see not a cutesy cupid like our 33 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: culture often depicts angels, but likely a warrior like creature 34 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: you've never seen before suddenly appearing above you. I wonder, 35 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: were these men people of faith? What did they know 36 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: and believe about Almighty God? Were they awaiting the Messiah's coming? 37 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: Or had they settled into the apathy that often comes 38 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: as we muddle through our sometimes pleasant, sometimes hard world. 39 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: Regardless of their past, I'm certain their lives changed for 40 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: the better that Holy Night when the Lord implanted hope 41 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: into their weary souls. Don't be afraid, God's messenger, said 42 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: a common angelic greeting that highlights how shocking this supernatural 43 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: display must have been. Can you imagine the sense of 44 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: awe and overwhelmed the shepherds must have experienced when the 45 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: presence of God his glory illuminated the quiet, starlit countryside. 46 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: Don't be afraid, he said, I bring you good news, 47 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 1: joyful news. This reminds us of the Lord's heart for us. 48 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: He doesn't want us to live in fear, despair, shame, 49 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: or guilt. Jesus came to bring us soul deep joy, 50 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: a joy greater than our circumstances and stronger than our fear. 51 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: Do you see the contrast revealed in this encounter? The 52 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: shepherds likely endured a life of significant hardship. Their job 53 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: wasn't easy. They spent days months out alone in the elements, 54 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: without access to hot foodem bed or to baths. They 55 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: were probably also accustomed to exclusion and being ostracized, as 56 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: they carried a reputation for being dirty, dishonest, and immoral. 57 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: But despite that, despite the fact that they'd likely spend 58 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: the rest of their lives living on the outskirts of society, 59 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: tending sheep. The Angel promised them joy through Christ. The 60 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: joy of knowing that God remains on the throne and 61 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: was still orchestrating good for his people, of knowing they 62 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: could live in a right relationship with their Father, absolved 63 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: of all their sins and lovingly faithfully led to the 64 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: thriving life Jesus promise. The joy of knowing they had 65 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: constant access to the Holy Spirit deposited in their souls 66 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: the minute they chose to accept Christ's gift of grace, 67 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 1: and therefore the assurance of knowing they'd never be alone, 68 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: were never abandoned, defenseless, or beyond hope. The joy of 69 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: being able to proclaim, in any season or circumstance that 70 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: in Christ, every promise of God is yes and Amen, 71 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: as good as done. That very good news of great 72 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: joy applies to us as well. Through our ever deepening 73 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: connection with Jesus, the Savior of the world, we can 74 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: experience great joy regardless of our circumstances, because His love 75 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: and light surrounds and fills us, so that we, by association, 76 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: become the light of the world. People who remain so 77 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: connected with Christ, so filled with his spirit and anchored 78 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: in his love, that his love and grace flow from 79 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: us and onto everyone we encounter. That, my friends, is 80 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: how we actively push back our world's darkness by living 81 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: increasingly in the light of Christ. May we proclaim to 82 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: our souls and to those we encounter the good news 83 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: that Jesus has come, bringing power, transformation, healing, freedom, and 84 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: salvation with him. This week, I invite you to spend 85 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: time gazing up at the stars, reflecting on how you 86 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: might have felt had you been among the tepherds, and 87 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: also how you feel standing beneath the night sky. Consider 88 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: that the one who knows every star by name came 89 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: to you personally with his good news to bring you 90 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: great joy, lasting joy, life changing joy, and maybe ask 91 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: him to sprinkle your days with unexpected bursts of joy 92 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 1: and to help you recognize and enjoy those bursts of 93 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: joy when they come. Let's pray, Holy Father, we are 94 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: so thankful for every promise you lovingly preserve in scripture. 95 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,480 Speaker 1: You didn't have to do that, but by doing that, 96 00:06:54,560 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: you invite us to deeper faith, to deeper trust, to 97 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: see your faithfulness throughout generations. Every promise made and kept. 98 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: Remind us that we can trust you with our whole 99 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: lives because you still sit on the throne. No matter 100 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: how our circumstances appear today, no matter what we're afraid 101 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: of occurring tomorrow, you remain in control, and you watch 102 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: over us. You love us, you care for us, and 103 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: you proclaim to our souls good news of great joy. 104 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:43,080 Speaker 1: Your son has come. And because Jesus came, everything is different. 105 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: Our lives each day can be different. Every day, your 106 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: mercies are new. Your grace covers our greatest fears, our mistakes, 107 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: our regrets, and our shame. Help us to increasingly live 108 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: in that reality. Draw us closer to you, Increase our 109 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: love for you, increase our appreciation for Jesus. Help us 110 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: to carve out time to connect with him this holiday season, 111 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: to listen for his voice, and to trust that he's 112 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: with us even if we don't hear him, even if 113 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: he chooses to remain silent for a time. In those 114 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: seasons of silence, May we choose to trust that your 115 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: silence doesn't mean lack of care. You love fiercely, unconditionally, unwaveringly. 116 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: Your love is enough for us, and we rest in 117 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: that love this holiday season. May it fill us, and 118 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: may it flow from us onto everyone we encounter. That 119 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: as in the name of your son, our Savior, the Messiah, 120 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: who indeed came to bring us good news of great joy, 121 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: it is in his name that we pray. A man 122 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: who think I s