Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and
of the Assembly Ephesians five thirty two. Dear Heavenly Father,
we are reminded this season of the depth of your
love for us, a love so deep that it is
compared to the bond between a husband and a wife.
(00:23):
We are the Church your bride, and Jesus Christ is
our heavenly bridegroom. Thank you, Lord for this sacred relationship.
Thank You for your unconditional love, enduring patience, an unending
faithfulness to us. Help us to truly grasp this divine mystery,
(00:48):
to respond to your love in a way that honors you.
May we be faithful to you, seeking to know you
more each day, and living in a way that reflects
your love for the world. Teach us to love one
another as you have loved us, fostering unity, kindness, and
(01:11):
understanding within the body of Christ. As we ponder this
great mystery, fill us with awe and gratitude for your love.
Then guide us in walking in faithful response to it.
In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen. Thank you
(01:33):
for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another
episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Joseph picked up his pace and rounded the corner towards
the light, But before he could see anything, the cave
flooded with water, and Joseph found himself swimming for his
life amidst a violent storm in the middle of the sea.
Waves and breakers crashed over him. He swam but made
no progress. The waves thrashed and the riptide dragged him
down underneath. Joseph sank in a free fall into the
(02:11):
black abyss until a current pushed him onto the shore.
The storm subsided, and Joseph looked out at a golden
sunset hovering over the glassy sea. Suddenly, a luminous figure
appeared before him, an angel standing upon the glassy water.
His eyes were filled with wisdom and compassion. Joseph was
(02:31):
struck by awe and reverence. You're not Joseph, son of David.
What is conceived? And Mary is of the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his
name Jesus, where he will save his people from their sins.
The words wrapped around Joseph like a warm embrace, filling
(02:51):
him with an understanding that transcended earthly wisdom.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
Hello and Welcome to another Christmas episode of Story to
the Messiah. I'm Rabbi Schneider from Discovering the Jewish Jesus,
here to guide you through this tale of adventure, faith
and faith. Today's episode is a dramatization of Mary and
Joseph's marriage. What a strange and beautiful event that must
have been. The circumstances surrounding their union were far from ordinary.
(03:20):
The costumes back then were set in stone, and nobody
deviated from them. It was not the path Mary and
Joseph imagined for themselves, But I suppose that's how life is.
Sometimes we expect life to follow a predictable course, but
unexpected twist and turns force us to adapt. The Bible
shows us that a life truly lived in obedience to
(03:42):
God is rarely predictable. I'm reminded of James four verses
thirteen through fifteen, when it talks about making plans. It says, now, listen,
you say today or tomorrow, we'll go to this city
or that city, spend a year there, carry on business,
and make you do not even know what will happen tomorrow?
(04:03):
What is your life? You're a miss that appears for
a while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say,
if it's a Lord's will, we will live and do
this or that. James is communicating an important lesson in life.
For all of us. Life takes unexpected turns, and we
must look for God in all of it. Proverbs sixteen
(04:25):
nine says a man's heart plans his way, but the
Lord directs his steps. We don't rely on our plans
or schedules to get through life. Instead, we rely in
the Lord's direction and strength to overcome the unknowns. The
Christmas story was filled with unknowns. As this series continues,
(04:46):
the plot will thicken and become more dramatic, and all
the turmoil, danger and mystery, Mary and Joseph must rely
on each other for support and God for guidance. In
a sense, this is what Christmas means for all of us.
This season is about immersing ourselves in the loving embrace
of family and the majesty of our God. Let's continue
(05:08):
down the row with Joseph. As he seeks out Mary.
The Lord has given him a dream confirming that Mary
is pregnant with God's son. Joseph, determined to do what
is right by Mary, finds her and takes her as
his wife. Let's listen now and join me after, so
we can unpack Christmas truths and applications to strengthen our
(05:28):
faith even for today.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Joseph ran down the hill back to Nazareth with love
in his heart and courage in his bones. His dream
had provided clarity and purpose. He and Mary were chosen
to raise God's son, the chosen Messiah, and save your
Israel had been waiting for. Joseph ran to Mary's house,
the angel's words still ringing in his ears. His feet
barely touched the ground as he rushed to tell her
(05:55):
of his divine revelation. He found her in the garden
outside her home. She was neeling, her soft hands delicately
tending to the flowers. She had such a grace and elegance.
Her beauty, especially now, enraptured Joseph. A flood of memories
from the childhood came rushing back to him. Even as
a boy, he had always known that she was the
(06:15):
one for him, Mary, Joseph said softly. She looked up.
Her eyes were still tinged with the sadness of the
last meeting. Joseph approached slowly and knelt beside her. He
took her hand in his, then placed another on her
belly and smiled, his name will be Jesus. Mary's eyes
widened with amazement and relief. Her lips pursed together, holding
(06:39):
back tears. Joseph embraced her and allowed her to sob
in his arms. He stroked the back of her head
and whispered, the Angel told me everything I need to know.
He pulled back and held her face. He wiped tears
from her eyes with his thumbs and smiled.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
We will struggle Mary. The people not understand, but I
am with you. I will marry you. We will raise
this child together as husband and wife. Whatever comes our way,
we know the Lord would be on our side.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Joseph's words were a healing balm to Mary's soul. She
no longer had to carry this burden and blessing on
her own. She would have someone by her side to
walk the peaks and valleys of God's divine path. She
gently touched Joseph's face and said something she had said before,
but never with the same weight and meaning.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
I love you, Joseph.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
And those words, spoken honestly and without prompting, were exactly
what Joseph needed. Joseph wanted to hold kiss and marry
her right there in the garden. But he knew he
had to show restraint. They had to tread lightly, for
the entire village thought Mary had been unfaithful. It would
only be a matter of time before they speculated Joseph
was the father and they had both broken tradition. Mary
(07:59):
rose to her feet, sensing the thoughts racing through Joseph's mind.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
We will have to tell my parents, We will have
to tell everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Joseph nodded.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Don't worry, he said, leave it to me, Mary. I
will not let anyone dishonor you. We can't keep others
from judging us.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Mary said, all we can do is obey the Lord
and trust that he will go before us.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
The two of them left the garden and ventured to
Marry's home. There they sat together and explained everything to
her parents. Mary's father listened skeptically, the cultural traditions and
judgments weighing heavily on his mind. He did not reject
Joseph's words outright, but wore an expression of deep concern.
The villagers and extended family, too, were unreceptive. Whispers of
(08:43):
scandal and disbelief circulating like a bitter wind. Even so,
Joseph and Mary were determined to be wed. They planned
a modest wedding, simple but filled with the profound joy
of their unique bond. Mary underwent all the cleansing rituals,
and Joseph gathered a few faithful men to blow Chaffar's
They held the ceremony in the olive grove just before sunset.
(09:05):
As the day's last rays trickled through the trees, Joseph
saw his bride approach. His heart fluttered at the sight
of her. Although their union was under strange circumstances, he
found himself hopeful that his future with Mary would be
filled with quiet joy. Surrounded by only a few who
accepted them, they exchanged vows and gifts. Their eyes met,
(09:26):
and in that sacred moment they saw each other and
the incredible journey ahead. The excitement for their new life,
the child they would raise, and the love they would
share was captured in that single, timeless glance. That night
in the hupper, they did not consummate their marriage. Joseph
knew something sacred was at work with in Mary. He
would not know her intimately until after the birth of Jesus. Instead,
(09:49):
he tucked Mary into her bed and laid at her feet.
He had a tenderness towards his wife, but it was
not a weak devotion. His love was protective and a
testament to the strength of his ca character. By the
warm flickering of candlelight, they spoke of their future, their hopes,
their dreams, and their fears, but always with faith in
each other and in the divine plan that had brought
(10:12):
them together. The world might doubt in scorn, but Joseph
and Mary knew they were a part of something greater,
something beautiful, something eternal. They were not alone. They were guided,
protected and loved by the creator of all things, and
that was all they needed.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
In deciding to marry Mary, Joseph demonstrated his obedience to
God's directive and willingness to face potential societal backlash. Even
though the rest of the world didn't understand Mary and
Joseph's predicament. They had each other and that's all they needed.
Their decision to get married and remain devoted to each
(10:52):
other reflects the strength of marriage and of the marriage covenant.
Marriage is not just a physical bond, is it a
mere government contract, as some would lead you to believe.
Many see marriage as a recognition of two people's love
for each other, like being recognized in marriage is a
validation of your identity. But marriage is far more than that.
(11:15):
Marriage is a covenant before God, a sacred commitment, and
a sanctuary of support, love, and strength. Marriage is not
just about the world validating your love. If it were,
then Joseph and Mary shouldn't have been marriage, since nobody
approved of what was happening. No, marriage is a bond
designed to endure trials and the unexpected turns of life,
(11:38):
and ultimately, marriage is a reflection of Christ's love for us.
In Ephesians five, Paul describes marriage as a mysterious and
profound image of the love and devotion Christ has for
the Church and the Church has for Christ. Joseph's willingness
to proceed with the marriage, despite the appearance of skin,
(12:01):
highlights marriages of partnership designed to weather storms. He and
Mary must have drawne strength from each other throughout their
challenging yet divinely appointed journey. This act is an encouragement
for all married couples, a call to stand together to
face adversity, providing mutual support, understanding, and love. Marriage is
(12:23):
a steady pillar when the world around us begins to crumble.
We know that Mary and Joseph must have had that
to endure what they did. In the coming episodes, we'll
see their relationship put to the test as they brave
a hurrowing journey to Joseph's homeland. Another theme explored in
this episode is surrendering expectations. Mary and Joseph both had
(12:46):
to surrender their expectations of a traditional mirital life. They
had to embrace God's extraordinary plan, which involve potential ridicule
and misunderstanding from their community. Rendering of expectations is a
central theme of the Christmas narrative. It points to the
idea that God's plans often defy human expectations and require
(13:10):
our obedience and trust our ministry. Discovering the Jewish Jesus
highlights prophecies and foreshadowings of the Messiah. Yet there seemed
to be a misunderstanding many Jews of the time had
about the Messiah. They expected some sort of political liberator
and king to come and deliver them from Roman oppression. Instead,
(13:32):
the Messiah came humbly, feeding the poor and fishing with
the commoners. God's greatest gift to humanity. Jesus arrived in
a way that defied all human expectations, not in a
palace but a humble stable, not to a queen but
a virgin from Nazareth. The willingness of Mary and Joseph
(13:55):
to change your expectations and to obediently align with God's
plan allowed for the first Christmas and the arrival of
our Savior. As we reflect on the Christmas story, we
can draw inspiration from Marry and Joseph's experiences. Christmas is
a time of joy and celebration, but it's also a
time to reflect on our own willingness to trust God
(14:18):
when its plans for us to fire expectations. This season,
let us remember the strength of the marriage bond as
exhibited by Marry and Joseph. Let Us also embrace the
humility and obedience they showed even when God's plans were
beyond their understanding. This Christmas, let us welcome Jesus into
(14:38):
our hearts, homes, and lives, willing to surrender our expectation
in favor of God's divine plan. Maybe your traditions will
be shaken up this year, maybe the dreams will fall through,
But you know what that's okay, because the one concept
of Christmas is Christ and this will serve never change.
(15:02):
Thank you for joining me today on our journey through
the Nativity. Be sure to tune in next time as
the plot thickens and Mary and Joseph are forced to
leave Nazareth because of a decree made by Caesar. If
you want to learn more about my ministry, you can
visit discovering the Jewish Jesus dot com. If you've been
enjoying this podcast, be sure to share it with a
(15:23):
friend so they can find hope during this Christmas season
as well, and be sure to download the Prey dot
com app to make prayer the priority of your life.