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December 10, 2025 15 mins

In this episode, we meet Mary, the quiet and humble hero of God, chosen to bear God’s chosen redeemer.

Today's Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9, from the King James Version.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He has said to me, my grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather glory in my weakness, that the power
of Christ may rest on me. Second Corinthians twelve nine.
Dear Heavenly Father, when we feel weak, inadequate, or overwhelmed,

(00:25):
we reminded that it is precisely in these moments that
your strength, power, and grace shine brightest. We ask for
the humility to accept our weaknesses, and the faith to
see them not as failures, but as opportunities for your
power to be displayed. Help us, Lord, to rely not

(00:48):
on our own strength, but on the abundant grace you
freely give us in our struggles and trials. Let us
feel your presence and power resting upon us, giving us
the courage and resilience to endure through our weaknesses. May
we be a testament to your infinite strength and love.

(01:13):
We pray in the name of Jesus, our source of
power and grace. Amen.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
Nazareth was far from a vibrant, bustling town. Its character
was more defined by its ordinary, even dull nature, far
removed from the trade routes, absent any shoreline, and devoid
of the rich cultural tapestry found in other cities. Nazareth
was perhaps most notable for its unremarkableness, a town with
no glorious past, her old tales, or exciting happenings. Yet,

(01:50):
the dusty and forgotten town, far from the holy City
of Jerusalem was about to be visited by God himself.
The God who had been silent and hidden in the
margins of history for four hundred years was about to
descend upon humanity. In this forsaken city Nazareth, God's hero
would be revealed.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
We're so glad you joined us on the Bible and
of your podcast today. The Bible into your Podcast is
an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come to
you each week through the support of listeners just like you.
Your support today is so important that we want to
thank you for your gift by giving you a copy
of my book called The Jesus Book. It is a

(02:34):
powerful guide that shows how every book of the Bible
points to Jesus and how his living word, the truth
of God's Word, will transform your life. So to get
a copy of The Jesus Book, simply go to Jack
Graham dot org. Slash Jesus. That's Jack Graham dot Org
slash Jesus and thank you for your support. The Christmas

(02:56):
season is upon us. This is the perfect time to
explore the beautiful and epic journey of the Nativity. Christ's
birth is a tale of drama, danger, loyalty, and divine intervention.
It's my joy to guide you today as we are
introduced to Mary, a young woman from the small city

(03:18):
of Nazareth. Mary's story is that of humility, strength and devotion.
Mary was a mere vessel in the grand plan of salvation,
but she stands as an example for all believers today.
Her humble submission to God's will and her strength and
the face of adversity reminds us of the remarkable ways

(03:41):
God uses ordinary people for his extraordinary purposes. We're about
to immerse ourselves in a cinematic retelling of Matthew and
Luke's account of Mary. As we listen and reflect on
her life, may we be inspired to approach our walk
with God God with the same humility and strength, trusting

(04:03):
in his plan regardless of our challenges and uncertainty. The
life of Mary teaches us that when we submit to
God's will, he provides the strength we need to fulfill
his purpose. This is only the beginning of Mary's harrowing story.
Let's listen now and then unpack more of the deeper

(04:25):
themes of her life.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
Afterwards, sunrise broke over the dusty hills surrounding Nazareth. The
mild morning rays gently broke the chill of dawn. Its
light methodically sifted through the window in Mary's room. She
slowly awoke, her lungs filled with the dry and crisp air.
She carefully wrapped herself up, with deliberate caution not to

(04:48):
stir her siblings.

Speaker 4 (04:49):
She stepped into.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
The awakening day. The cool, dry breeze gently caressed her cheeks.
Animals responded to the rooster's call, and life began to hum.
As families awoke from their rest most grasping a pale,
Mary started her daily trek towards the town's lone well.
Nazareth was far from a vibrant, bustling town. Its character
was more defined by its ordinary, even dull nature. Far

(05:12):
removed from the trade routes, absent any shoreline, and devoid
of the rich cultural tapestry found in other cities, Nazareth
was perhaps most notable for its unremarkableness, a town with
no glorious past, no heroic tales, and no exciting happenings. Yet,
for Mary, a flicker of anticipation made Nazareth seem less monotonous.
She was engaged to be married to one of the

(05:34):
local Stonemasons, Joseph. He was hardly the most handsome man
in Nazareth, nor the most skilled craftsman, but he was kind.
His gentle and quiet strength made him a kindred spirit
to Mary. To her, being betrothed to Joseph was exciting
a break in Nazareth's otherwise dull life. Mary drew water
from the well with the other young women in the town.

(05:56):
They playfully questioned Mary about her marriage and dreamed about
their own future wives, mothers, friends, and elders in the community.
It was a simple and joyful life, Mary led. She
wouldn't trade it for anything. Mary lugged her filled pale
back home. Her siblings had left for their chores and
her parents had started their day's work in the market place.
She climbed the incline leading to her home, her arms

(06:18):
aching under the weight of the water. She pushed the
door open with her foot entered and turned around, only
to find a divine creature resting on her room's lattice. Greeting, Oh,
favorite one, the angel announced, making Mary startle and loose
grip on her pail. Waters splashed across the room, and
Mary stumbled backwards on to the hard floor. Trying to

(06:39):
escape the surprise visitor. She attempted to rush out, but
the angel appeared before her, his face wearing a reassuring smile.

Speaker 4 (06:47):
Please do not be afraid. The Lord is with you.

Speaker 2 (06:50):
His words left Mary puzzled, yet her fear was slightly alleviated.
She slowly retreated and sat on her bed's edge.

Speaker 4 (06:57):
The angel spread his arms wide. I am Gabriel, and
I have come bearing good news. You, oh favorite one,
have been chosen. What does that mean?

Speaker 2 (07:08):
Mary asked, her hands absently fidgeting in her lap. The
angel's smile grew wider as he spoke. His words were
an intermingling of news and worship. Unto the Lord, Mary,
you have found favor with God, Gabriel explained. You are
to pare a burden and blessing unlike any other in
the world. His voice was melodic. You, Mary will conceive

(07:32):
a son. The child in your womb will be God's
chosen one, the mighty, son of the Most High, who
will bear the weight of mankind. The Lord will establish
his kingdom through him. He will inherit David's throne, and
his kingdom will be eternal, his glory everlasting. The impact

(07:54):
of Gabriel's words left Mary perplexed. She shook her head
in disbelief. How can this be?

Speaker 4 (08:00):
I am a virgin, I am young and have not
known a man.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
Her eyes welled up, the enormity of the revelation overwhelming her. Gabriel,
noticing her distress, descended to eye level. The angel wasn't human,
but he wore an emphathetic grin as he reassured Mary
of her Calling.

Speaker 4 (08:19):
Mary, all things are possible with God. The Holy Spirit
will come upon you. The power of the Highest God
will overshadow you. The child you carry will be the
son of God himself.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
Seeing her eyes widen in shock, he continued, your.

Speaker 4 (08:36):
Cousin, Elizabeth, well past her Childberry ages already six months pregnant.
Now tell me is there anything the Lord cannot do?

Speaker 2 (08:46):
For a moment, Mary sat in silence. She could feel
God's spirit strengthening her, Her racing thoughts begin to settle
into a calm stream. Closing her eyes tightly, she laid
a hand on her belly. It was then she felt
the favor of a.

Speaker 4 (09:00):
God wash of her.

Speaker 2 (09:02):
Joy. Indescribable and incomprehensible joy filled her. She stood, wiping
her tears and dusting off her dress, a smile gracing
her face as she met Gabriel's gaze. After a deep breath,
she proclaimed, I am God's servant.

Speaker 4 (09:21):
I will gladly receive his will according to what you've said.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
With a nod, Gabriel vanished. Mary stepped outside. The sun
was high of her head. She bathed in its warm
rays and watched the village resume its regular rhythm. She
heard birds chirping and harmony with the gentle breeze. Suddenly,
the mundane day radiated with a divine glow. Her heart
pounded with anticipation and fear would lay ahead. Yet she

(09:47):
knew Gabriel's words held true. What would Joseph think? What
would her family do? So many questions race through her mind.
Mary decided the best thing to do was visit her
cousin Elizabeth to witness what God was doing.

Speaker 3 (10:03):
This was not the life Mary expected for herself. Let's
put ourselves in Mary's shoes for a moment. She's young,
betrothed to be married, and has her whole life ahead
of her. She was undoubtedly dreaming about her wedding day,
having children with Joseph, and living a simple life in Nazareth.
But God had different plans for Mary. It can be

(10:26):
hard when God interrupts our plans, can't it. There are
key moments in our lives when we expect one thing
to happen, but it turns out God has different plans.
Luke Chapter one says that Mary graciously accepted God's plans
for her. It couldn't have been easy. Think about all
the hardship Mary would endure because of God's calling on

(10:48):
her life. What would her parents think? Would Joseph leave
her when he found out? When God calls us to
something new, sometimes we can become consumed with the risks
and thoughts of persecution, discomfort, and rejection can dominate our headspace.
Mary is a wonderful example of quietly and humbly accepting

(11:11):
God's will for her life. She asked Gabriel how it
would be possible since she was a virgin, indicating her
innocence and purity. But after the Angel explained, she didn't
hesitate or resist, but simply said, behold, I am the
servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according

(11:31):
to your word. Her willingness to step into the unknown
and accept a mission that would lead to hardship and
misunderstanding shows an unparalleled humility and a commitment to the Lord.
This humility was not the result of low self esteem
or lack of ambition. Instead, it was rooted in an

(11:51):
accurate understanding of who God is and who she was
in relationship to him. Mary recognized her role in god
Its plan, accepting it graciously, even with its potential for
personal cost and societal shame. Mary's strength, often overlooked, is
an essential part of her character. It would have taken

(12:14):
great fortitude to accept such a call, knowing that it
could result in her being ostracized or even worse, stone
to death. According to the laws of the time, stoning
was on the table. In addition, the physical and emotional
toll of bearing and raising a child under such circumstances
is unimaginable. You know the saying God never gives you

(12:38):
more than you can handle. You hear that saying thrown
around quite a lot, but I'd like to humbly challenge
that idea. The Bible shows us story after story of
people who are given more than they can handle. Moses
certainly couldn't have freed the people of Israel on his own.
Daniel couldn't have survived the Lion's den. The Bible continually

(13:02):
shows us that God does give us more than we
can handle. We're sometimes faced with challenges too significant to
endure on our own, but that is when the strength
of God's spirit is shown. Remember what God said to
Paul in Two Corinthians twelve, chapter nine. He encouraged Paul, saying,

(13:23):
my grace is sufficient for you, for my power will
be made perfect in weakness. That is why Paul said
that he would boast all the more in his weakness,
because that is when the strength of God was most
evident in his life. And future episodes will be immersed
in the heart wrenching struggle of Mary and Joseph. Together,

(13:46):
they'll face near death experiences and close calls, but God's
providential strength will carry them through. People often associate the
God of the Old Testament with strength and God the
New Testament with gentleness, but Christ's power is no different
from the God who formed the cosmos and parted sees.

(14:08):
They're the same. We can take comfort in knowing that
with Him by our side, we can endure anything that
comes our way this Christmas season. Let us remember the
great calling Christ has given each of us. Like Mary,
you and I have been given a great mission. May
we shoulder that mission with grace, humility, and reliance on God.

(14:32):
Mary's journey has just begun, and we are just getting
started with the epic story of the Nativity. Thank you
for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast, And
before we go, I wanted to let you know that
the Bible into your podcast is an outreach of PowerPoint
Ministries and can only come to you each week through

(14:53):
the support of listeners like you. Your support today is
so important that we want to thank you for you
gift by giving you a copy of my book called
The Jesus Book. This book is a powerful guide that
shows how every book in the Bible points to Christ
and how you can better read and understand the Bible
and how God's Word transforms our lives. So to get

(15:16):
your copy of The Jesus Book, simply go to jaggraham
dot org slash Jesus. That's jaggraham dot org slash Jesus.
And thank you for your support.
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Host

Jack Graham

Jack Graham

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