1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: For the word of the cross is foolishness to those 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,620 Speaker 1: who are dying, but to us who are being saved, 3 00:00:07,580 --> 00:00:15,010 Speaker 1: it is God. 1 Corinthians 1.18 Dear Lord Jesus, we 4 00:00:15,060 --> 00:00:20,310 Speaker 1: stand in awe of your incarnation, humbled that you would 5 00:00:20,350 --> 00:00:26,410 Speaker 1: choose us to witness your love and grace. Fill our 6 00:00:26,470 --> 00:00:31,210 Speaker 1: hearts with reverence for your holiness. Give us the boldness 7 00:00:31,330 --> 00:00:35,490 Speaker 1: to share your good news without fear of rejection or failure. 8 00:00:37,170 --> 00:00:40,370 Speaker 1: We know that the message of your gospel holds the 9 00:00:40,470 --> 00:00:46,059 Speaker 1: power to change and transform lives. May we press forward 10 00:00:46,100 --> 00:00:50,780 Speaker 1: with boldness and joy, sharing with others the same message 11 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:55,100 Speaker 1: that has changed our lives. May our lives echo the 12 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,670 Speaker 1: shepherd's song of hope and redemption. Empower us with your 13 00:00:59,730 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: Spirit to be bold, brave, and humble in the presence 14 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:12,190 Speaker 1: of others. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you 15 00:01:12,270 --> 00:01:15,630 Speaker 1: for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another 16 00:01:15,690 --> 00:01:19,390 Speaker 1: episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider. 17 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 2: Go therefore and see for yourselves. You will find the 18 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,709 Speaker 2: baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger. The 19 00:01:37,770 --> 00:01:41,250 Speaker 2: angel continued, his words infused with an urgency that set 20 00:01:41,290 --> 00:01:45,330 Speaker 2: their hearts aflame. As he spoke, The choir of angels 21 00:01:45,430 --> 00:01:49,270 Speaker 2: slowly rose their voices. The light swirled to the rising 22 00:01:49,310 --> 00:01:53,910 Speaker 2: and falling of their harmony. Finally, the song crescendoed into 23 00:01:53,950 --> 00:01:57,910 Speaker 2: a resonating song of praise. Then, as suddenly as it 24 00:01:57,950 --> 00:02:01,730 Speaker 2: had come, the light dissipated, leaving the valley bathed in 25 00:02:01,770 --> 00:02:05,330 Speaker 2: the soft glow of the stars once more. The melodies 26 00:02:05,390 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: of heaven were replaced by the gentle whispers of the 27 00:02:08,139 --> 00:02:12,220 Speaker 2: evening wind and a few chirping crickets. The shepherds sat, 28 00:02:12,620 --> 00:02:15,790 Speaker 2: stunned and silent, their minds reeling from the vision they 29 00:02:15,810 --> 00:02:19,350 Speaker 2: had just witnessed. The oldest shepherd turned to his companions. 30 00:02:19,870 --> 00:02:22,829 Speaker 2: Did we all just see that, or is this old 31 00:02:22,889 --> 00:02:26,790 Speaker 2: man finally losing his mind? The two others nodded their 32 00:02:26,830 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: heads in confirmation that they had all borne witness, still 33 00:02:30,970 --> 00:02:34,780 Speaker 2: stunned by what they had seen. Slowly, their eyes turned 34 00:02:34,810 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 2: towards Bethlehem, where a few torchlights still flickered in the distance. 35 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,739 Speaker 2: Resting above the city was a new star, radiant and singular, 36 00:02:44,260 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 2: Unlike any they had seen before, the older shepherd turned 37 00:02:47,980 --> 00:02:51,260 Speaker 2: to his young friend and laughed. You may get to 38 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 2: see royalty after all! They all laughed with unexplainable joy. 39 00:02:56,310 --> 00:03:00,450 Speaker 2: With a shared understanding, they rose, leaving their belongings behind, 40 00:03:01,050 --> 00:03:04,850 Speaker 2: their steps quickening as they ran towards Bethlehem. Their hearts 41 00:03:04,889 --> 00:03:07,650 Speaker 2: were aflame with a joy they could not contain and 42 00:03:07,669 --> 00:03:09,370 Speaker 2: a purpose they could not deny. 43 00:03:14,010 --> 00:03:17,030 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 44 00:03:17,090 --> 00:03:21,170 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. This episode explores the themes 45 00:03:21,250 --> 00:03:25,540 Speaker 3: of reverence, evangelism, and the humbling joy of being chosen 46 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:30,500 Speaker 3: to witness God's goodness. In our last episode, a small 47 00:03:30,540 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 3: group of shepherds were visited by a choir of angels 48 00:03:33,500 --> 00:03:38,010 Speaker 3: proclaiming the newborn King. With passion in their hearts, the 49 00:03:38,070 --> 00:03:40,910 Speaker 3: shepherds will embark on a search for a child lying 50 00:03:40,950 --> 00:03:44,890 Speaker 3: in a manger. Their search for Jesus mirrors our own. 51 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 3: We stumble in darkness, looking for hope around every corner. 52 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 3: And when we finally find Jesus, joy abounds in our hearts. 53 00:03:55,580 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 3: I pray that this story will be a beacon of 54 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:01,730 Speaker 3: hope for anyone lost in darkness. The Gospel of John 55 00:04:01,770 --> 00:04:06,290 Speaker 3: describes Jesus as a light that darkness cannot overcome. The 56 00:04:06,350 --> 00:04:11,110 Speaker 3: closer you are to Christ, the further you are from darkness. Now, 57 00:04:11,710 --> 00:04:15,310 Speaker 3: Let's place ourselves in the sandals of these shepherds. Let's 58 00:04:15,390 --> 00:04:18,510 Speaker 3: step into the presence of Christ and feel the gravity 59 00:04:18,630 --> 00:04:23,210 Speaker 3: of His goodness. This story will showcase the transformative power 60 00:04:23,250 --> 00:04:26,570 Speaker 3: of Jesus' presence and how it changes us from the 61 00:04:26,670 --> 00:04:31,089 Speaker 3: inside out. After this story, we'll unpack themes and lessons 62 00:04:31,350 --> 00:04:33,409 Speaker 3: to take into our daily walk with God. 63 00:04:35,670 --> 00:04:39,770 Speaker 2: The city of Bethlehem was still asleep. Silence covered the 64 00:04:39,830 --> 00:04:43,420 Speaker 2: night like a warm blanket. Dawn was approaching to welcome 65 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: the chirping of birds and the humming of vendors preparing 66 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 2: for the day. The tranquil silence of the morning was 67 00:04:49,779 --> 00:04:53,820 Speaker 2: interrupted by the ragged breaths of shepherds desperately searching for 68 00:04:53,860 --> 00:04:57,220 Speaker 2: a child swaddled in a manger. Are we sure we 69 00:04:57,260 --> 00:05:00,380 Speaker 2: heard the angel correctly? One of them asked. Would the 70 00:05:00,420 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: child really be found in a feeding trough? It seemed absurd, 71 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: but then again. It was absurd for a choir of 72 00:05:07,100 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 2: angels to visit a few lowly shepherds. The wisdom of 73 00:05:10,100 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 2: God seemed like foolishness to the world. None of it 74 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: makes sense, the older shepherds said with a chuckle, but 75 00:05:17,290 --> 00:05:20,370 Speaker 2: we know what we heard and saw. The companions paced 76 00:05:20,410 --> 00:05:23,810 Speaker 2: through town, looking behind fences and walls for any sign 77 00:05:23,830 --> 00:05:27,090 Speaker 2: of a baby in a manger. Their enthusiasm didn't wane, 78 00:05:27,529 --> 00:05:30,190 Speaker 2: especially when they heard the faint cries of a newborn 79 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,750 Speaker 2: baby in the distance. The shepherds followed the sound down 80 00:05:33,770 --> 00:05:36,910 Speaker 2: a cobbled stairway of an inn. Carved into the side 81 00:05:36,930 --> 00:05:39,970 Speaker 2: of the hill, a flickering oil lamp revealed shadows of 82 00:05:40,110 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: two people leaning over a crying baby. The baby's crying 83 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: turned to soft whimpers, eventually soothed by his mother's voice. 84 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:52,700 Speaker 2: The shepherds inched closer, finally stopping at its entrance. When 85 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 2: they reached the stable, their bodies froze in reverence. Their 86 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:00,020 Speaker 2: minds grappled with the enormity of what lay within, like 87 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:02,900 Speaker 2: Moses near the burning bush. They knew that they were 88 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,580 Speaker 2: on holy ground. The air was thick with expectancy as 89 00:06:06,620 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 2: they peered into the shadows. Joseph met their eyes and 90 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,140 Speaker 2: stood up. He stepped forward, blocking their view of his 91 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:17,930 Speaker 2: wife and child. Who are you? he asked sternly. Mary 92 00:06:17,970 --> 00:06:21,470 Speaker 2: reached out and touched his arm, her eyes filled with understanding. 93 00:06:21,930 --> 00:06:25,150 Speaker 2: They came to see him, she whispered, her eyes soft 94 00:06:25,210 --> 00:06:29,630 Speaker 2: and tired. Joseph's eyes softened and he nodded, stepping aside 95 00:06:29,690 --> 00:06:33,550 Speaker 2: to allow the shepherds to approach. With hesitant steps, the 96 00:06:33,589 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 2: shepherds came closer, their hearts fluttering with awe and eyes 97 00:06:37,710 --> 00:06:41,740 Speaker 2: brimming with tears. The humble surroundings faded away as they 98 00:06:41,779 --> 00:06:45,140 Speaker 2: beheld him. The baby Jesus lay in a manger, his 99 00:06:45,180 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 2: tiny form wrapped in swaddling clothes, his face radiant with 100 00:06:49,100 --> 00:06:53,060 Speaker 2: innocence and promise. They were overwhelmed with joy and humility. 101 00:06:53,540 --> 00:06:57,420 Speaker 2: God chose these simple men to witness his newborn son. 102 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: The knowledge was a weight and a blessing, a secret 103 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,119 Speaker 2: that filled them with a reverence they had never known. 104 00:07:04,660 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 2: The younger shepherd of the three stepped forward with humility. 105 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,620 Speaker 2: He pulled out a woolen blanket he had woven himself 106 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 2: from his lambs. He handed it to Mary. His voice, 107 00:07:14,380 --> 00:07:18,140 Speaker 2: choked with emotion, faltered as he spoke. For the child! 108 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,540 Speaker 2: A humble gift! Mary's eyes beamed with gratitude as she 109 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,180 Speaker 2: accepted the offering, her lips curving into a gentle smile. 110 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,910 Speaker 2: Thank you, she whispered. Her voice was warm and soothing. 111 00:07:30,450 --> 00:07:33,930 Speaker 2: The shepherds bowed to Jesus, their bodies trembling with the 112 00:07:33,990 --> 00:07:38,210 Speaker 2: enormity of the moment. A profound and unbreakable connection had 113 00:07:38,250 --> 00:07:41,630 Speaker 2: been forged, a moment in time that would resonate throughout 114 00:07:41,690 --> 00:07:46,190 Speaker 2: the ages. Mary didn't say anything. She pondered everything in 115 00:07:46,230 --> 00:07:50,190 Speaker 2: her heart, wondering what the future held for Jesus. The 116 00:07:50,230 --> 00:07:52,930 Speaker 2: shepherds stood and bowed their heads to Mary and Joseph. 117 00:07:53,510 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: They exited the stable, stealing one final glance at the 118 00:07:56,830 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 2: child before they left. The sun began to rise over 119 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 2: the hills, painting the sky with hues of gold and pink. 120 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,560 Speaker 2: Their hearts were filled with an overflowing well of joy. 121 00:08:07,940 --> 00:08:11,420 Speaker 2: Their contemplative walk slowly turned into a dance of praise 122 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 2: and worship. Soon enough, the shepherds were shouting through the streets, 123 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 2: their voices raised in worship and faces glowing with a 124 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,940 Speaker 2: light that drew curious onlookers. Some shook their heads, thinking 125 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:26,570 Speaker 2: the shepherds were crazy, drunk or both. But the shepherds, 126 00:08:26,910 --> 00:08:30,380 Speaker 2: undeterred by scorn, proclaimed that the Messiah had been born, 127 00:08:30,860 --> 00:08:34,300 Speaker 2: and they had been privileged to see him. Word began 128 00:08:34,340 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 2: to spread like ripples in a pond, the whispers growing 129 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: in strength and conviction. The shepherds' testimony, although unlikely, rekindled 130 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,570 Speaker 2: hope in a few who heard it. If the Messiah 131 00:08:45,590 --> 00:08:49,270 Speaker 2: had truly been born, then hope for Israel was alive. 132 00:08:49,929 --> 00:08:52,550 Speaker 2: The testimony reached the ears of some of the servants 133 00:08:52,590 --> 00:08:57,030 Speaker 2: of Herod, the land's ruler. Their faces paled, their hearts 134 00:08:57,170 --> 00:09:00,430 Speaker 2: pounding with fear and hope. They did not tell Herod, 135 00:09:00,770 --> 00:09:04,490 Speaker 2: choosing instead to hold silent, their minds filled with dreams 136 00:09:04,530 --> 00:09:07,980 Speaker 2: of redemption from the oppression of Rome. Once weighed down 137 00:09:08,010 --> 00:09:11,060 Speaker 2: by sorrow and suffering, the land seemed to awaken to 138 00:09:11,100 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 2: a new possibility. The whispers grew into a chorus of voices, 139 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 2: a community united by faith and longing. In that humble stable, 140 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,740 Speaker 2: a child had been born, a king who would change 141 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 2: the world. The shepherds, once forgotten guardians of their flock, 142 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 2: had become heralds of a new era, their voices resonating 143 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,900 Speaker 2: with the truth that would transcend time and space. As 144 00:09:35,940 --> 00:09:39,430 Speaker 2: the day unfolded, the sun casting a golden glow on 145 00:09:39,470 --> 00:09:43,750 Speaker 2: the land, the shepherds returned to their fields. Their souls 146 00:09:43,790 --> 00:09:47,490 Speaker 2: were forever changed. They looked to the bright blue skies 147 00:09:47,850 --> 00:09:52,050 Speaker 2: and basked in the sun's warmth. Their eyes would permanently 148 00:09:52,090 --> 00:09:55,689 Speaker 2: be filled with wonder and gratitude that God had chosen 149 00:09:55,750 --> 00:09:59,010 Speaker 2: them to bear witness to his greatest gift. It was 150 00:09:59,070 --> 00:10:00,910 Speaker 2: a story they would never forget. for the rest of 151 00:10:00,950 --> 00:10:05,550 Speaker 2: their lives, a tale of faith and providence, of humility 152 00:10:05,730 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 2: and grace. They had stood on holy ground, and they 153 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,540 Speaker 2: had witnessed God incarnate. In the silence of the fields, 154 00:10:13,820 --> 00:10:16,940 Speaker 2: as the sheep grazed and the world moved on, they 155 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,810 Speaker 2: would remember, and they would give thanks, their voices raised 156 00:10:20,870 --> 00:10:23,869 Speaker 2: in a song that would echo through the ages a 157 00:10:23,929 --> 00:10:26,050 Speaker 2: melody of hope and redemption. 158 00:10:26,070 --> 00:10:31,830 Speaker 3: I want us all to pause for a moment and 159 00:10:31,870 --> 00:10:35,710 Speaker 3: consider how strange this scene would be to an ancient reader. 160 00:10:37,150 --> 00:10:40,310 Speaker 3: The God of all creation chose to dwell among us, 161 00:10:40,990 --> 00:10:43,990 Speaker 3: not in the form of a tyrant or warrior, but 162 00:10:44,050 --> 00:10:47,550 Speaker 3: as a child. When he was born, he chose to 163 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,449 Speaker 3: be born from a poor family in a stable, set 164 00:10:51,510 --> 00:10:54,510 Speaker 3: in a feeding trough, and as he lay there in 165 00:10:54,550 --> 00:10:58,709 Speaker 3: a manger, his first worshippers were a few lowly shepherds. 166 00:11:00,530 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 3: God packaged a remarkable event in unremarkable circumstances. This is 167 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,900 Speaker 3: proof to us that God uses the foolish things of 168 00:11:09,940 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 3: this world to confound the wisdom of the wise. We 169 00:11:13,940 --> 00:11:17,230 Speaker 3: often want to see God move in mighty and miraculous ways, 170 00:11:17,630 --> 00:11:21,430 Speaker 3: like Moses parting the seas, or Elijah calling down fire 171 00:11:21,470 --> 00:11:26,650 Speaker 3: from heaven. Still, the Christmas story reminds us that God 172 00:11:26,690 --> 00:11:31,030 Speaker 3: is also at work in life's mundane and unremarkable margins. 173 00:11:32,610 --> 00:11:36,069 Speaker 3: God chose to move in a run-down stable surrounded by 174 00:11:36,210 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 3: ordinary shepherds. Therefore, He can work in your life as well. 175 00:11:42,420 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 3: The shepherds' reaction as they entered the stable was pure awe. 176 00:11:46,860 --> 00:11:49,069 Speaker 3: They felt the weight of the moment. They were in 177 00:11:49,110 --> 00:11:54,570 Speaker 3: the presence of something holy and divine. In today's fast-paced, 178 00:11:54,750 --> 00:11:58,910 Speaker 3: noisy world, the concept of reverence can seem outdated and 179 00:11:59,030 --> 00:12:03,530 Speaker 3: out of touch. Yet these simple men teach us timeless 180 00:12:03,590 --> 00:12:07,980 Speaker 3: lessons about reverence and worship. What does it mean to 181 00:12:08,010 --> 00:12:11,940 Speaker 3: have reverence and awe for God? First, it means to 182 00:12:12,020 --> 00:12:17,300 Speaker 3: recognize God's holiness. Just as Moses stood before the burning bush, 183 00:12:18,210 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 3: the shepherds realized that they were on holy ground and 184 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:27,300 Speaker 3: responded accordingly. This encounter invites us to recognize God's sanctity 185 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 3: in our lives. Do we approach God with the recognition 186 00:12:30,980 --> 00:12:34,950 Speaker 3: that He is holy and set apart from us? Second, 187 00:12:35,290 --> 00:12:39,790 Speaker 3: the shepherds allowed themselves to be suspended in wonder. Their 188 00:12:39,830 --> 00:12:42,410 Speaker 3: hearts were fluttering with awe in the presence of Christ. 189 00:12:43,530 --> 00:12:47,170 Speaker 3: This awe and wonder at God's nature is something we 190 00:12:47,190 --> 00:12:51,179 Speaker 3: can cultivate by reflecting on God's greatness, His love, and 191 00:12:51,460 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 3: His works in our lives. It requires us to pause 192 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,809 Speaker 3: and ponder and press in to the glory of God. 193 00:12:58,970 --> 00:13:01,630 Speaker 3: When was the last time you stepped back and allowed 194 00:13:01,670 --> 00:13:03,610 Speaker 3: yourself to be in awe of God?