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Speaker 1: For judgment is without mercy. To the one who has

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Speaker 1: shown no mercy, mercy triumphs over judgment. James two thirteen.

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Speaker 1: Dear Heavenly Father, we stand in awe of the mercy

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Speaker 1: you demonstrated when you sent your son to be born

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Speaker 1: in a manger, to live among us, and ultimately to

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Speaker 1: give his life for a redemption. We are forever grateful

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Speaker 1: for this unparalleled act of mercy, a divine gift that

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Speaker 1: forever change the course of humanity. Father, Let the spirit

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Speaker 1: of Christmas remind us to extend mercy as freely as

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Speaker 1: we have received it from you. As we give gifts

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Speaker 1: to our loved ones, let us also give forgiveness to

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Speaker 1: those who have wronged us, understanding to those who have

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Speaker 1: misunderstood us, and kindness to those who may be in need.

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Speaker 1: Teach us to celebrate Christmas not just with festive cheer,

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Speaker 1: but but genuine love and mercy that mirrors your heart.

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Speaker 1: Let mercy triumph over judgment in our lives, transforming our

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Speaker 1: hearts and the hearts of those around us. In the

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Speaker 1: name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King, we pray Amen.

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Speaker 2: The midday sun hung heavy in the sky, its scorching

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Speaker 2: rays beat down on Joseph's back. He worked to the

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Speaker 2: sound of rhythmic chiseling against the stone, scraping of wood.

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Speaker 2: It was a symphony of his dedication to his craft

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Speaker 2: and devotion to his family. The life of a craftsman

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Speaker 2: wasn't glamorous work, but he found joy in it. He

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Speaker 2: cherished his trade. He enjoyed molding something useful and beautiful

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Speaker 2: that would bless others to day. He swung his hammer

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Speaker 2: with even more joy than usual. He ground the bricks

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Speaker 2: with more for nesse than usual, and precisely sanded every beam.

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Speaker 2: He wasn't shaping just another project. He was making the

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Speaker 2: foundation of his and Mary's future home. While Mary aided

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Speaker 2: her cousin Elizabeth with her pregnancy and birth, Joseph toiled

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Speaker 2: under the sun, shaping their future. Each sound of his

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Speaker 2: hammer falling on to the chisel was a note in

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Speaker 2: the symphony of their shared dreams. In his mind's eye,

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Speaker 2: he saw tiny feet scampering across the stone floor and

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Speaker 2: heard the echo of laughter ringing through the rooms. He

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Speaker 2: envisioned holding Mary close, their eyes resting fondly on their

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Speaker 2: children at play. Joyful anxiety gnawed at his heart. He

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Speaker 2: longed for Mary's return. His gaze wandered to the winding roads. Above.

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Speaker 2: His eyes saw a lone carriage approaching. Shading his eyes

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Speaker 2: against the blazing sun, he discerned the figure of Mary.

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Speaker 2: His heart surged with joy, and he dropped his hammer,

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Speaker 2: hurrying towards her. I can't wait for her to see

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Speaker 2: the progress I've made on our own, he thought, a

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Speaker 2: smile playing at the cons of his mouth as he

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Speaker 2: dashed towards her. She was a long way away. He

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Speaker 2: watched her, from a distance get off the carriage and

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Speaker 2: briskly walk home with her parents. Their heads were down

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Speaker 2: and shoulders hunched forward. Yet Joseph was too excited to

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Speaker 2: notice such things. His heart was a flutter with anticipation

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Speaker 2: to see her eyes widen in surprise, to hear her

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Speaker 2: laughter fill the air, to wash her lips, curve into

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Speaker 2: a grin at the sight of the burgeoning home. These

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Speaker 2: were the moments he yearned for. He stopped at the

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Speaker 2: world to clean himself. After steadying his hands and breath,

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Speaker 2: he approached her father's house and knocked at the door.

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Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham. With today's episode of the

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Speaker 3: Bible in a year podcast. Today's story is inspired by

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Speaker 3: Matthew Chapter one, verse nineteen, when Joseph discovers that Mary

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Speaker 3: is pregnant. Joseph is a central figure in the Christmas

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Speaker 3: story and is often overshadowed by the more prominent characters.

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Speaker 3: Yep I believe Joseph is an unheralded hero of great character.

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Speaker 3: In this story, we find Joseph at a poignant crossroads,

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Speaker 3: grappling with feelings of betrayal while standing on the precipice

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Speaker 3: of a divine intervention who would change the course of

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Speaker 3: the world. The Birth of Jesus was filled with key

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Speaker 3: moments when everything could have been thwarted. One of those

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Speaker 3: moments will happen in this story when Joseph has the

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Speaker 3: right to stone Mary for adultery. Joseph will find himself

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Speaker 3: in a position that many of us find ourselves in.

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Speaker 3: We all have moments where we can lash out in

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Speaker 3: anger and show judgment, or choose the path of mercy. Often,

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Speaker 3: the way of compassion is the more challenging trail to tread.

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Speaker 3: Joseph could end all his hurt and problems by showing

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Speaker 3: Mary judgment, but the measure of a man's character is

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Speaker 3: often revealed not in how he uses his power, but

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Speaker 3: in how he retrains it. Jesus said, Blessed are the meek,

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Speaker 3: for they shall inherit the earth. Meekness does not mean weakness,

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Speaker 3: It means power under control. Will Joseph lash out and

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Speaker 3: use his authority to end Mary? Or will he show

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Speaker 3: meekness and mercy ushering in the greatest story ever told.

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Speaker 3: Let's find out now in this cinematic retelling of Matthew

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Speaker 3: Chapter one, verse nineteen. Afterwards, we'll unpack the deep and

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Speaker 3: hidden things.

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Speaker 2: The journey home from her cousin's home seemed to drag

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Speaker 2: on forever. Mary was reeling with anxiety, counting her every heartbeat.

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Speaker 2: On the way back to Nazareth, a storm of emotions

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Speaker 2: welled within her, but she had no choice but to

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Speaker 2: go home. Sure, she thought of running or remaining with Elizabeth,

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Speaker 2: but that was not the past God had chosen for her.

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Speaker 2: The cart dropped Mary off at the corner of the

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Speaker 2: city gates. She was back in Nazareth. Her feet were

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Speaker 2: heavy with the burden of the secret she bore, yet

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Speaker 2: she held her chinhai. Her spirit, bolstered by the divine promise,

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Speaker 2: nestled within her Her siblings were the first to see

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Speaker 2: her arrive. They ran to her, jumping in the air

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Speaker 2: and squealing. She managed a brief smile before locking eyes

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Speaker 2: with her parents. Her mother covered her mouth and her

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Speaker 2: father tightened his fist. They could see what the children couldn't.

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Speaker 2: Mary was with child. Mary followed her parents silently to

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Speaker 2: their house. Her father shut the door. Mary breathed in

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Speaker 2: and whispered a silent prayer. She prayed the Lord would

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Speaker 2: soften their hearts. She hoped God had somehow spoken to

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Speaker 2: them too. The warmth in her home was replaced by

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Speaker 2: the chill of her parent's gaze. With a trembling voice

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Speaker 2: holding back rage, her father spoke softly, saying Mary, what

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Speaker 2: have you done? Before Mary could answer, her mother grabbed

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Speaker 2: her by the shoulders with tears in her eyes.

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Speaker 4: Your virtue, Mary, why have you done this? What happened?

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Speaker 2: Mary's lower lip began to quiver, but she knew she

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Speaker 2: had to remain strong or else they might portray guilt.

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Speaker 2: She wasn't guilty. She was the opposite of guilty. She

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Speaker 2: was chosen above all others. She cleared her throat and

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Speaker 2: looked her parents in the eyes.

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Speaker 4: Before I left for Elizabeth's. I was visited by an angel.

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Speaker 4: He told me God had chosen me to bear a

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Speaker 4: child of promise. I did not disgrace you, Joseph or myself.

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Speaker 4: I have been called by God to raise the Son

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Speaker 4: of God.

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Speaker 2: Disbelief and anger came upon them. You've blood shame to

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Speaker 2: us and to Joseph, and you shame God even more

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Speaker 2: with your story. Her father yelled. His voice was cracking

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Speaker 2: from a mixture of anger and betrayal. The sharp sting

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Speaker 2: of their accusations left a bitter taste in Mary's mouth.

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Speaker 2: She tried to explain, her voice filled with the desperate

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Speaker 2: hope that they would understand, but the storm of their

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Speaker 2: wrath drowned her out. Just then, there was a knock

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Speaker 2: at the door. Mary knew that knock, the same knock

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Speaker 2: would greet her every day at dusk for a stroll

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Speaker 2: through the garden. Mary's father opened the door. Behind it

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Speaker 2: was Joseph, beaming with anticipation to see his bride to be.

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Speaker 2: His smile was quickly interrupted when he saw Mary's hand

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Speaker 2: on her midsection. Confusion etched lines on his forehead, and

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Speaker 2: bitter betrayal painted his gaze. His world like hers, immediately

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Speaker 2: spun off its axis. Mary's father leaned into Joseph and whispered, Joseph,

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Speaker 2: we've just found out ourselves. We didn't know, we swear.

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Speaker 2: Joseph's eyes were fogging with restrained tears. He looked as

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Speaker 2: if he was going to break, but he didn't. Mary.

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Speaker 2: He whispered why. Mary could barely stand the look of

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Speaker 2: betrayal on his face. She tried explaining everything to him,

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Speaker 2: but the story seemed too outlandish. Mary's father, a stern

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Speaker 2: and righteous man, made his judgment. Joseph, she has wronged you.

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Speaker 2: You have the right to punish her, even to stonor

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Speaker 2: if you wish. Her words were cutting to Mary's soul.

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Speaker 2: Her own father had just permitted Joseph to execute her.

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Speaker 2: Her fate was now in the hands of a man

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Speaker 2: whose face was about to burst with grief. Joseph's gaze

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Speaker 2: moved from her father to Mary, the silent question lingering

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Speaker 2: in his eyes. Then, with a wave of anger and despair,

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Speaker 2: he turned and walked away. His departure left a chilling

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Speaker 2: silence that hung heavily in the room. Mary and her

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Speaker 2: parents were left wondering what he would choose. Joseph went

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Speaker 2: to be alone, he stormed past the site where he

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Speaker 2: had built the foundation for their new home. With sadness

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Speaker 2: weighing heavy on his shoulders, he hiked into the hills

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Speaker 2: and watched the sun descend over the plains outside Nazareth.

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Speaker 2: Betrayal gnawed at Joseph's heart. He stood on the grass inside,

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Speaker 2: watching the final rays of light recede from view. The

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Speaker 2: sun's final rays painted the sky above a lush and

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Speaker 2: vibrant pink. Beneath the torrent of Joseph's emotions, there was

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Speaker 2: an undercurrent of anger towards God. Have I not been loyal?

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Speaker 1: He whispered.

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Speaker 2: I have toiled to build our home. I have shone

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Speaker 2: restraint and kindness. Pain shot up Joseph's heart and lingered

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Speaker 2: in his throat as he spoke. He stood and yelled

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Speaker 2: at the wind. I did everything I was supposed to do,

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Speaker 2: had remained faithful? How you paid your commands? What have

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Speaker 2: I done? To the surface. His voice cracked, and then

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Speaker 2: he crumbled to the ground and wept. A thousand thoughts

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Speaker 2: whirled around in his mind as he grappled with the

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Speaker 2: reality before him. He was torn between the laws of

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Speaker 2: the land and his affection for Mary, His honor, demanded

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Speaker 2: he react. It is kindness, whispered another path. He was

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Speaker 2: at the crossroads of judgment and mercy. Which path would

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Speaker 2: he choose? Why should I show mercy? He thought? What

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Speaker 2: good has been good done? In the depths of his turmoil.

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Speaker 2: Joseph was a just and righteous man. Thousands of small

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Speaker 2: decisions to do the right thing every day had already

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Speaker 2: forged a character within him. He sighed and watched the

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Speaker 2: colorful horizon give way to the darkness. The coolness of

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Speaker 2: the evening began to settle over the grassy valley below.

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Speaker 2: Joseph closed his eyes and whispered, I have made my choice.

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Speaker 2: He would not subject Mary to public shame, nor stoke

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Speaker 2: the fires of scandal. He would divorce her quietly, mercifully,

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Speaker 2: even as he grappled with the shards of his shattered dreams.

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Speaker 2: He chose kindness over revenge, mercy over judgment. It was

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Speaker 2: a decision that echoed the depths of his character and

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Speaker 2: the unwavering strength of his heart. The night was filled

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Speaker 2: with his silent and somber resolution. Under the exposed stars.

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Speaker 2: Joseph laid back on the grassy slope and drifted off

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Speaker 2: to sleep.

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Speaker 3: According to the Jewish tradition of the time, betrothal was

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Speaker 3: as binding as marriage. It must have felt like a

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Speaker 3: painful betrayal when Mary revealed that she was pregnant. Mary, however,

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Speaker 3: stirred firm in her truth, telling the divine message she

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Speaker 3: had received. Her resolve in this challenging situation is admirable,

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Speaker 3: but it also sets the stage for Joseph's crucial decision.

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Speaker 3: Despite his initial feelings of betrayal, Joseph's actions reveal his

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Speaker 3: remarkable character. The scripture describes him as a just man,

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Speaker 3: implying his righteousness and adherence to the law. However, he

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Speaker 3: was also unwilling to disgrace Mary publicly, indicating his compassion

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Speaker 3: and mercy. At the time, according to the Mosaic law,

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Speaker 3: he could have had Mary stone for adultery. Instead, he

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Speaker 3: decided to divorce her quietly, choosing mercy over judgment. This

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Speaker 3: decision was monumental in his personal life and in the

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Speaker 3: broader scope of God's salvation plan. Joseph's mercy mirrors God's

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Speaker 3: mercy towards us, a core theme of the Christmas story.

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Speaker 3: But God, through an angelic dream, would soon intervene, ensuring

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Speaker 3: Joseph's understanding and cooperation with his divine plan. As we

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Speaker 3: reflect on this portion of the Nativity story, Joseph's example

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Speaker 3: is both an encouragement and a challenge. He stood at

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Speaker 3: the crossroads of judgment and mercy and chose the path

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Speaker 3: of mercy, unknowingly echoing the profound mercy God offers to

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Speaker 3: us through the birth of Jesus. This Christmas, let us

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Speaker 3: strive to model Joseph's example in our own lives. When

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Speaker 3: we feel betrayed or hurt, ny we have the strength

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Speaker 3: to choose mercy over judgment, remembering that God chose mercy

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Speaker 3: for us, gifting us his son to guide us toward love, forgiveness,

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Speaker 3: and reconciliation. The Christmas story isn't only about the miraculous

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Speaker 3: birth of Jesus, but also about the people God chose

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Speaker 3: to be part of that miracle. Just as Joseph had

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Speaker 3: a crucial part to play, we too have a role

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Speaker 3: in God's divine narrative. Like Joseph. May we be willing

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Speaker 3: to embrace life's unexpected urns, bearing in mind that in

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Speaker 3: doing so we become part of God's grand story of

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Speaker 3: salvation and mercy. In our next episode, Joseph will be

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Speaker 3: face to face with the same angel that stole Zechariah's

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Speaker 3: voice and heralded the coming of Christ. Joseph's loyalty and

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Speaker 3: character will be tested, and the journey to the Manger

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Speaker 3: will be underway. Thanks for listening to today's Bible in

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Speaker 3: a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.

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Speaker 3: Download Theprey dot com at and make prayer a priority

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Speaker 3: in your life. If you enjoy this podcast, share it

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Speaker 3: with someone you love. By sharing this podcast, you can

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Speaker 3: make a difference in someone's life. And if you want

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Speaker 3: more resources on how to tap into God's power for

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Speaker 3: successful Christian living, be sure to visit Jagraham dot org.

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Speaker 3: God bless you.