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Speaker 1: Let us pray, and there came a voice from heaven, saying,

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Speaker 1: thou art my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.

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Speaker 1: Mark one eleven. As I step into my purpose, I

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Speaker 1: thank you that, like Jesus, I am being baptized into

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Speaker 1: my new life and mission here on earth before I

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Speaker 1: even begin. I thank you that, also, like Jesus, you

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Speaker 1: have affirmed and validated me as your child. With my

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Speaker 1: identity secured, I know that even as I walk through

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Speaker 1: the deserts of temptation, you are with me and have

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Speaker 1: equipped me to overcome the lies of Satan. When I

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Speaker 1: am tempted with comfort instead of commitment, I will remind

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Speaker 1: Satan of your word and command him to flee. When

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Speaker 1: Satan tries to get me to doubt my identity, I

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Speaker 1: will remind him that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

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Speaker 1: When Satan tempts me with the luxury and fame of

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Speaker 1: this world, I will remind him that the source of

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Speaker 1: my fulfillment comes from you, Lord, and that it is

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Speaker 1: you who elevates me, and I will command him to flee.

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Speaker 1: I thank you, Lord, that through your word I have

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Speaker 1: supernatural steadfastness and resolve. Satan has no authority over my life,

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Speaker 1: and through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, I

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Speaker 1: have complete victory in Jesus name. Amen. Listening to these

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Speaker 1: daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue hearing from

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Speaker 1: the Lord by listening to Today's Bible in a Year

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Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a Year dot.

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Speaker 2: Com Baptism and temptation. In our last story, we peered

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Speaker 2: into the childhood of Jesus. Even as a young boy,

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Speaker 2: his purpose was clear. He was to teach the word

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Speaker 2: of God and turn people's hearts of stone into hearts

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Speaker 2: of flesh. Although his family did not entirely understand, Jesus

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Speaker 2: grew up with purpose and omission. He grew in strength

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Speaker 2: and wisdom, worked as a carpenter, and waited to begin

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Speaker 2: his ministry. Now we see John preparing the way of

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Speaker 2: Christ through baptism. He preached repentance until the day of

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Speaker 2: the Lord finally arrived. Then before his very eyes, God

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Speaker 2: enters in inspired by the Gospels.

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Speaker 3: In our last episode, we heard how Jesus, at just

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Speaker 3: twelve years of age, was full of wisdom and insight

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Speaker 3: and in perfect fellowship with God. His desire was to

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Speaker 3: be near to the Father, and when his parents went

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Speaker 3: to Jerusalem for Passover, Jesus spent his days in the temple,

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Speaker 3: sitting with teachers and rabbis, answering questions, but also sharing

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Speaker 3: the depth of his understanding, so that all around him

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Speaker 3: were amazed. From an early age, just twelve, it was

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Speaker 3: clear that he knew his purpose, even when others didn't

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Speaker 3: understand it. Today we'll see John the Baptist preaching repentance

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Speaker 3: and baptizing people, preparing the way for Jesus' ministry to begin.

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Speaker 3: God was using him to soften the hearts of his people,

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Speaker 3: turning them back to him and getting them ready to

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Speaker 3: meet the Messiah. Then we'll hear how Jesus came onto

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Speaker 3: the scene God's very presence Immanuel among his people, the

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Speaker 3: lamb that would take away the sin of the world.

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Speaker 3: Let's listen now to the reading of God's word.

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Speaker 2: John rose to the sounds of birds chirping in the trees.

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Speaker 2: Crawling out of his makeshift hut, he could see the

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Speaker 2: morning light peeking through the edge of the forest. He

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Speaker 2: stretched his lean and muscular arms to the sky, breathing

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Speaker 2: in the cool morning air. He walked down to the

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Speaker 2: brook near by and washed his shaggy hair. Then he

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Speaker 2: ate his breakfast, cooked locusts from the desert with honey

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Speaker 2: he foraged from the trees. John prayed to the Lord

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Speaker 2: after his meal, calling upon him for favor and anointing.

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Speaker 2: He strapped his cloak of camel fur securely around his

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Speaker 2: waist and ventured off to the Jordan River. A multitude

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Speaker 2: of people gathered by the Jordan waiting for John. They

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Speaker 2: had been meeting him for weeks, now listening to him

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Speaker 2: proclaiming the way of the Lord. John scanned the sea

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Speaker 2: of faces and stepped into the river. The water was

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Speaker 2: cool and refreshing. He turned around to the people and

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Speaker 2: raised his voice. Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is ne,

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Speaker 2: he yelled. One by one, the people walked into the

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Speaker 2: water with John and were baptized. Their submersion in the

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Speaker 2: water represented a turning away from sin and idolatry. It

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Speaker 2: was often accustomed gentiles would undergo to come into the

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Speaker 2: family of God. Yet Jews flocked to John to be baptized.

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Speaker 2: Their hearts were softening towards the Lord, and they knew

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Speaker 2: they needed to turn from their selfish ways and be restored.

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Speaker 2: John would preach the truth of God to thousands of

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Speaker 2: people daily. Then he would baptize those whose hearts were

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Speaker 2: ready to receive the restoration. John would baptize each person,

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Speaker 2: and the crowd would erupt in cheves. A revival was

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Speaker 2: beginning in the heart of Israel. John knew that the

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Speaker 2: day of the Lord was coming. Very soon. As John

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Speaker 2: was baptizing, he saw a group of hooded figures coming

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Speaker 2: towards the water. It was the Pharisees and Scetacees, the

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Speaker 2: religious elite responsible for upholding the law. They stared at

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Speaker 2: John with scorl wornful eyes. They had spent their entire

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Speaker 2: lives sowing seeds of shame into the people of God.

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Speaker 2: Yet John would not allow them to poison his followers.

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Speaker 2: John marched out of the water and pointed towards them,

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Speaker 2: brood of vipers. He shouted, do not presume you are

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Speaker 2: secure with the Lord, because you are children of Abraham.

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Speaker 2: God could make these rocks children of Abraham if he pleased.

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Speaker 2: The men said nothing. They only glared at John with loathing.

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Speaker 2: John continued, saying, come and bear fruit worthy of repentance,

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Speaker 2: for a day will come when all that does not

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Speaker 2: bear good fruit will be cut off. The people marveled

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Speaker 2: at John's words. John's eloquence and bravery stirred the children

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Speaker 2: of God. They began to mumble rumors of him being

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Speaker 2: the promised Messiah. John paused for a long moment, and

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Speaker 2: the people were silent as they waited for him to speak.

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Speaker 2: John touched the water and let it fall out of

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Speaker 2: his hands. I baptize you with water, said calmly. But

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Speaker 2: the one who comes after me will baptize you with

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Speaker 2: the fire of the Holy Spirit. John's words were interrupted

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Speaker 2: as he saw a man standing in the crowd. John's

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Speaker 2: eyes widened and his lower lip began to quiver. The

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Speaker 2: man stepped forward from the group of people standing on

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Speaker 2: the shore. A few tears streamed down John's hairy face

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Speaker 2: as he watched Jesus walk into the water. John could

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Speaker 2: barely speak. His entire purpose in life was to prepare

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Speaker 2: the way of God's chosen and here he was standing

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Speaker 2: before him. Behold the lamb of God who takes away

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Speaker 2: the sins of the world, he whispered to himself. Jesus

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Speaker 2: smiled and held his cousin's shoulder. Would you baptize me, John,

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Speaker 2: he asked. John shook his head. Let it not be so,

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Speaker 2: my Lord, it is you who should be baptizing me.

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Speaker 2: Jesus held up his hand and grinned.

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Speaker 3: Let it be so.

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Speaker 2: It is fitting to fulfill what is about to take place.

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Speaker 2: So John agreed and led Jesus deeper into the water.

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Speaker 2: John held the middle of Jesus's back with one hand

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Speaker 2: and his arm in another. Then John slowly dipped Jesus

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Speaker 2: back into the water. The crowd watched silently as Jesus

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Speaker 2: went under the river. As John brought Jesus back up,

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Speaker 2: the skies opened up. A bright light shone like a

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Speaker 2: second sun, and the Holy Spirit descended down in the

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Speaker 2: form of a dove. All in attendance awed as they

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Speaker 2: heard the voice of God speak for the first time

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Speaker 2: in over four hundred years. This is my beloved son.

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Speaker 2: It is with him. I am pleased. This event marked

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Speaker 2: the beginning of Jesus's ministry. The favor of the Father

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Speaker 2: and the presence of the Spirit dwelled richly with the

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Speaker 2: promised son. In his baptism, Jesus modeled repentance for the

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Speaker 2: rest of humanity. He identified with sinful and broken man,

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Speaker 2: Yet he was not sinful nor broken. Already Jesus was

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Speaker 2: beginning to take on the dirtiness of mankind. The Holy

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Speaker 2: Spirit dwelled with Jesus richly, and it was by his

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Speaker 2: guiding presence that Jesus departed the Jordan into the wilderness.

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Speaker 2: Jesus hiked the hills outside Judea. There he fasted for

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Speaker 2: forty days, seeking the presence and wisdom of God. Jesus

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Speaker 2: fixed his gaze on the nation of Israel. A gentle

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Speaker 2: wind blew rustling the tall grass beside him. He was

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Speaker 2: hungry for food, yes, However, Jesus was more hungry for

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Speaker 2: the restoration of his people. As he was praying to

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Speaker 2: the Lord, a slithering presence entered his midst. Jesus looked

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Speaker 2: over his shoulder to find the accuser behind him. The

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Speaker 2: author of deception, disguised as an angel of light, loomed

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Speaker 2: over Jesus as he sat. This was the same enemy

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Speaker 2: that spoke to Eve in the garden, Satan. The two

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Speaker 2: did not stand as equals. However, Satan, in his pride,

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Speaker 2: believed he could trick Jesus into compromising his heart. He

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Speaker 2: knew Jesus was hungry from fasting, so he drew in

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Speaker 2: close to Jesus and whispered, what good is the son

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Speaker 2: of God? If he cannot feed himself, why not just

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Speaker 2: make these stones into bread. Surely you are able. Jesus

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Speaker 2: was fully God and fully man, so the human side

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Speaker 2: of him hurt from hunger. However, he would not be swayed.

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Speaker 2: Man does not live by bread alone, he said, but

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Speaker 2: every word that pours forth from the voice of God.

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Speaker 2: Satan spat and took Jesus up into a high place

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Speaker 2: to gaze at the kingdom of the earth. You see

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Speaker 2: those kingdoms, Jesus, Look at those people. They are ready

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Speaker 2: to be ruled, to be conquered. I am in the

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Speaker 2: ears of every king in the world. If you bow

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Speaker 2: to me, all of it shall be yours. Satan's words

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Speaker 2: were soft and cunning, However they dripped with poison. Jesus

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Speaker 2: turned away and looked deeply into the angel's eyes. It

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Speaker 2: is written you shall worship God, and God alone. Only

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Speaker 2: he is worthy to serve, he said. Jesus's voice was

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Speaker 2: strong and resolute. Growing angry, Satan took Jesus to the

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Speaker 2: edge of the Mighty Temple. Below there were thousands of people.

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Speaker 2: He had Jesus gaze upon the multitudes. He whispered softly

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Speaker 2: in Jesus's ears, saying, if you truly are the son

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Speaker 2: of God, why not throw yourself over. Surely the angels

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Speaker 2: will come to your rescue. They will see it too,

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Speaker 2: the people, they will see your glory. Jesus looked down

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Speaker 2: at the people below. He did not need them to

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Speaker 2: watch a spectacle. He wanted their hearts to turn towards

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Speaker 2: him and be saved from their own sin. You shall

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Speaker 2: not test the Lord your God, Jesus said. His last

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Speaker 2: answer was a rebuke as well. So Satan crawled back

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Speaker 2: into the shadows. So Jesus returned to the people. After

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Speaker 2: forty long days he ate, He gathered his strength and

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Speaker 2: marched towards Galilee.

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Speaker 3: As we begin today's reading, we meet a very unusual man.

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Speaker 3: John the Baptizer didn't fit the mold of society. He

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Speaker 3: lived in the desert, eating insects and honey and wearing

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Speaker 3: camel's hair. But this was no madman. His voice was

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Speaker 3: strong and sure. He spoke boldly, proclaiming that the Kingdom

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Speaker 3: of God was on the way, and each day he

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Speaker 3: grew larger and larger crowds Jews and others whose hearts

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Speaker 3: were being warmed toward God, and as they heard Jod's

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Speaker 3: call for repentance, they came to be baptized as a

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Speaker 3: sign of their commitment to turn away from their sin

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Speaker 3: and begin a brand new commitment to God. God worked

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Speaker 3: powerfully through John the Baptist, just as he said he would,

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Speaker 3: to prepare the way of the Lord, the Messiah to

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Speaker 3: begin his ministry. This was a threat to the religious

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Speaker 3: establish bishment the powerful and oppressive Pharisees and Sadducees who

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Speaker 3: wielded power and control over the Jews with dogma and

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Speaker 3: burdensome rules. They watched from a distance, sneering, seething at

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Speaker 3: this man who preached repentance and forgiveness from sin, not religion.

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Speaker 3: But John did not cower before them. He was courageous.

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Speaker 3: He called them out. He called them actually a brute

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Speaker 3: of vipers, poisonous snakes threats. John called them to repentance

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Speaker 3: as well, warning them that the day was coming when

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Speaker 3: they would be cut off from bearing any fruit. His

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Speaker 3: boldness impressed the crowds. They began to wonder if he

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Speaker 3: was the Messiah. The people were ready for a savior,

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Speaker 3: and they wanted John to be their hero. But he

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Speaker 3: was quick to correct their misconception. His baptism was with water,

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Speaker 3: but the one who was to come would baptize them

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Speaker 3: with the fire of God's spirit. It would signify a

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Speaker 3: deeper change of life. And then one day, suddenly Jesus

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Speaker 3: came through the out John knew exactly who he was,

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Speaker 3: even if others didn't. This was the very moment for

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Speaker 3: which John had been born, and he didn't miss it.

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Speaker 3: Here was the savior the world needed, and he announced loudly,

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Speaker 3: boldly that Jesus was the lamb that would take away

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Speaker 3: the sins of the world. Then what Jesus did shocked John.

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Speaker 3: He asked to be baptized, and John was incredulous. He

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Speaker 3: in fact protested shouldn't Jesus be the one baptizing him,

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Speaker 3: But Jesus assured him that this was what must take place,

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Speaker 3: and so Jesus submitted to the baptism of John to

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Speaker 3: fulfill all righteousness. And then something supernatural happened. God spoke

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Speaker 3: from heaven. The voice from the heavens gave the people

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Speaker 3: a clear message that we find in Matthew three point seventeen.

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Speaker 3: And behold, a voice from heaven said, this is my

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Speaker 3: beloved son with whom I am well pleased. As God

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Speaker 3: the Father spoke, God's Spirit in the former of a dove,

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Speaker 3: descended and rested on Jesus. So here we see the Trinity,

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Speaker 3: the triune God, all three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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Speaker 3: The meeting was abundantly clear to everyone present, and it

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Speaker 3: should be to us this one the savior of the world.

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Speaker 3: Jesus was more than a prophet or a teacher. He

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Speaker 3: was God's one and only son, and God's Spirit anointed

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Speaker 3: him and appointed him to be the savior of the world.

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Speaker 3: Immediately after this event, Jesus went alone, filled with God's spirit,

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Speaker 3: to the wilderness. He fasted forty days and was tempted

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Speaker 3: by God's adversary, the devil. Satan, knew that Jesus' presence

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Speaker 3: and ministry would spell his end, his ultimate defeat, so

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Speaker 3: he attacked him at the very outset of his ministry,

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Speaker 3: trying to destroy the mission of God, just as he

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Speaker 3: had done with Adam and Eve. Satan twisted God's word,

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Speaker 3: but Jesus stood firm against every attack. Each temptation he

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Speaker 3: fired back with scripture showing that with God's word we

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Speaker 3: overcome the enemy. The word of God is like a weapon.

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Speaker 3: It is a sword, the sword of the spirit. This

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Speaker 3: was real temptation. This was more than just the testing

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Speaker 3: of Jesus's mind and meddle. In this moment, Jesus demonstrates

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Speaker 3: that he can identify with us and the temptations we face,

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Speaker 3: because just as he faced and overcame temptations in his life,

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Speaker 3: he empowers us now by his spirit to overcome every temptation.

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Speaker 3: He went to the cross and died for our sins

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Speaker 3: so that we no longer need to be bound by

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Speaker 3: our sins. Satan is soundly defeated, and now we can

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Speaker 3: live in the victory that is ours in Christ. Thank

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Speaker 3: you Jesus for coming to this earth to take away

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Speaker 3: our sins. We know that you are the Lamb of God,

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Speaker 3: the precious One who gave your life on the cross

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Speaker 3: so that we could be forgiven. Thank you for taking

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Speaker 3: on every temptation of the enemy so that we could

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Speaker 3: live in the promise and the piece of victory in You.

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Speaker 3: And we pray this in your powerful and saving name. Amen.

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Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible. In a year,

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Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. You can download

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Speaker 3: thepray dot com app and make Bible study and prayer

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Speaker 3: the priority of your life. And if you appreciate this podcast,

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Speaker 3: please share it with someone else. I also want to

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Speaker 3: encourage you to go to Jack Graham dot org. That's

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Speaker 3: Jack Graham dot org for we have resources that are

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Speaker 3: free and available for you so that you may know

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Speaker 3: Christ and grow in Him. God bless you.

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Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare

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Speaker 1: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.

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Speaker 4: Welcome to the previous podcast where Hope is our only bias.

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Speaker 4: Each day, we'll unpack the most prominent stories happening in

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Speaker 4: the news and offer from a Christian perspective. We won't

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Speaker 4: shy away from the hard topics, and we won't dilute

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Speaker 4: the hopeful message of Christ. This is more than a

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Speaker 4: daily brief on the news. It's a way to be

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Speaker 4: informed and transformed. Listen to Pray News on the iHeartRadio app,

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Speaker 4: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.