December 9, 2025 • 26 mins
(00:00:00) Welcome to Rest
(00:00:49) Introducing tonight's story
(00:01:52) The Nativity (Luke 1-2)
Settle in for a quiet, heartfelt reading of Luke 1–2; The Nativity story told in a soft, restful tone for peaceful sleep this Christmas season. 🕊︎✞
Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Merry Christmas 🤍
NEW episodes are released weekly! Every Tuesday at 6PM (GMT).
If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate and leave a comment, it really goes a long way to help the podcast🌞
Support us:
Music from Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/movediz/genesis
License code: WSD5IYUC9IWPSH1B
https://uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/gentle-resonance
License code: 2LGOBROGIUL9QVOA
(00:00:49) Introducing tonight's story
(00:01:52) The Nativity (Luke 1-2)
Settle in for a quiet, heartfelt reading of Luke 1–2; The Nativity story told in a soft, restful tone for peaceful sleep this Christmas season. 🕊︎✞
Wishing you a wonderful and blessed Merry Christmas 🤍
NEW episodes are released weekly! Every Tuesday at 6PM (GMT).
If you enjoy the show, please follow, rate and leave a comment, it really goes a long way to help the podcast🌞
Support us:
- Rate the show on Spotify and leave comments on your favourite episodes
- Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts
- Subscribe to our YouTube channel
- Stay up to date with all our latest news on our Instagram.
Music from Uppbeat
https://uppbeat.io/t/movediz/genesis
License code: WSD5IYUC9IWPSH1B
https://uppbeat.io/t/tranquilium/gentle-resonance
License code: 2LGOBROGIUL9QVOA
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good evening, and welcome to Rest, your sanctuary for peaceful
sleep and relaxation. Whether you're escaping daily stresses or seeking
a nightly companion, you're in the right place. My name
is Jessica, and I'll be your host this evening. Before
(00:27):
we begin, why don't you turn off your screens and
turn down your volume. Now that's done, let's unwind and
help you ease into a blessed rest. Tonight we'll be
(00:56):
immersing ourselves in one of the most beloved stories of
all time and one of my personal favorites, the Nativity,
as told in the Gospel of Luke chapters one and two.
These chapters capture the true heart of Christmas, reminding us
(01:19):
of the night that hope entered the world in the
humblest of ways. As I read, let these familiar scenes
float through your mind. Mary and Joseph's quiet arrival in Bethlehem,
the angels announcing the birth of a savior, and the
(01:42):
first moments of Jesus's life bringing light to a dark
and waiting world. During the reign of King Herod the
Great of Judea, there was a Junjewish priest named Zechariah
(02:02):
who served in the temple as part of the priestly
Order of a Baija. His wife, Elizabeth, was also from
a family of priests and was a descendant of Aaron.
They were both righteous before God, living virtuously and following
(02:22):
the commandments of the Lord blamelessly. But they were childless
since Elizabeth was baron, and now they were both quite old.
One day, Zechariah's priestly order was on duty and he
was serving as a priest. He was chosen by the
(02:44):
casting of lots according to the custom of the priesthood.
So the honor fell upon Zechariah to enter the Holy
Place and burn incense before the Lord. A large crowd
of worshippers had gathered to pray outside the temple at
the hour when incense was being offered. All at once
(03:08):
an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing just
to the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was
startled and overwhelmed with fear, but the angel reassured him, saying,
don't be afraid, Zechariah. God is showing grace to you,
(03:33):
for I have come to tell you that your prayer
for a child has been answered. Your wife Elizabeth will
bear you a son, and you are to name him John.
His birth will bring you much joy and gladness. Many
will rejoice because of him, and he will be one
(03:57):
of the great ones in the sight of God. He
will drink no wine or strong drink, but he will
be filled with the Holy Spirit, even while still in
his mother's womb, and he will persuade many in Israel
to convert and turn back to the Lord their God.
(04:20):
He will go before the Lord as a forerunner, with
the same power and anointing as Elijah the Prophet. He
will be instrumental in turning the hearts of the father's
in tenderness back to their children, and the hearts of
the disobedient back to the wisdom of their righteous fathers.
(04:44):
And he will prepare a united people who are ready
for the Lord's appearing. Zechariah asked the angel, how do
you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man
and my wife is too old to give me a child.
(05:05):
What sign can you give me to prove this will happen?
Then the angel said, I am Gabriel. I stand beside
God himself. He has sent me to announce to you
this good news. But now, since you did not believe
(05:26):
my words, you will be stricken, silent, and unable to
speak until the day my words have been fulfilled at
their appointed time, and a child is born to you
that will be your sign. Meanwhile, the crowds outside kept
(05:49):
expecting him to come out. They were amazed over Zecharia's delay,
wondering what could have happened inside the sanctuary. When he
finally did come out, he tried to talk, but he
couldn't speak a word, and they realized from his gestures
(06:09):
that he had seen a vision while in the holy place.
He remained mute as he finished his days of priestly
ministry in the temple and then went back to his
own home. Soon afterward, his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and
(06:30):
went into seclusion for the next five months. With joy,
she exclaimed, see how kind it is of God to
gaze upon me and take away the disgrace of my barrenness.
During the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, the angel Gabriel
(06:52):
was sent from God's presence to an unmarried girl named
Mary living in Nazareth, a village in Galilee. She was
engaged to a man named Joseph, a true descendant of
King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, rejoice, beloved
(07:15):
young woman, for the Lord is with you and you
are anointed with great favor. Mary was deeply troubled over
the words of the angel and bewildered over what this
may mean for her, But the Angel reassured her, saying,
(07:35):
do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord
has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise
you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with
a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus.
He will be supreme and will be known as the
(08:00):
Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will enthrone
him as a king on the throne of his ancestor David.
He will reign as a king of Israel forever, and
his reign will have no limit. Mary said, but how
(08:20):
could this happen? I am still a virgin. Gabriel answered,
the spirit of holiness will fall upon you, and Almighty
God will spread his shadow of power over you in
a cloud of glory.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
This is why the child.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Born to you will be holy and he will be
called the Son of God. What's more, your aged aunt
Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son. The barren
one is now in her sixth month. Not one promise
(08:59):
from God is empty of power. Nothing is impossible with God.
Then Mary responded, saying, yes, I will be a mother
for the Lord as his servant. I accept whatever he
has for me. May everything you have told me come
(09:23):
to pass. And the angel left her. Afterward, Mary arose
and hurried off to the hill country of Judea, to
the village where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived. Arriving at their home,
Mary entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the moment
(09:45):
her aunt heard Mary's voice, the baby within Elizabeth's womb
jumped and kicked, and suddenly Elizabeth was filled to overflowing
with the Holy Spirit. With a loud voice, she prophesied
with power, Mary, you are a woman given the highest
(10:09):
favor and privilege above all others, for your child is
destined to bring God great delight.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
How did I deserve such.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
A remarkable honor to have the mother of my Lord
come and visit me. The moment you came in the
door and greeted me, my baby danced inside me with joy.
Great favor rests upon you, for you have believed every
(10:42):
word spoken to you from the Lord, and Mary sang
this song. My soul is ecstatic, overflowing with praises to God.
My spirit bursts with joy over my life, life giving God.
(11:02):
For he set his tender gaze upon me, his lowly
servant girl. And from here on everyone will know that
I have been favored and blessed. The Mighty One has
worked a mighty miracle for me.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Holy is his name. Mercy kisses all who.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Fear him, from one generation to the next. Mighty power
flows from him to scatter all those who walk in pride.
Powerful princes, He tears from their thrones, and he lifts
up the lowly to take their place. Those who hunger
(11:47):
for him will always be filled, but the smug and
self satisfied he will send away empty, because he can
never forget to show mercy. He has helped his chosen servant, Israel,
keeping his promises to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Before going home.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. When Elizabeth's
pregnancy was full term, she gave birth to a son.
All her family, friends and neighbors heard about it, and
they too were overjoyed, for they realized that the Lord
(12:36):
had showered his wonderful mercy upon her. When the baby
was eight days old, according to their custom, all the
family and friends came together for the circumcision ceremony. Everyone
assumed that the parents would name the baby Zechariah after
(12:57):
his father, but Elizabeth spoke up and said, no, his
name is John. What they exclaimed, no one in your
family line has that name. So they gestured to the
baby's father to ask what to name the child. He
(13:20):
motioned for a writing tablet, and to the amazement of all,
he wrote, his name is John. Instantly, Zechariah could speak again,
and his first words were praises to the Lord. The
fear of God fell on the people of their village,
(13:42):
and the news of this astounding event traveled throughout the
hill country of Judea.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Everyone was in awe over it.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
All who heard this news were astonished and wondered, since
a miracle bro his birth, what on earth will this
child become? Clearly, God's presence is upon this child in
a powerful way. Then Zechariah was filled to overflowing with
(14:16):
the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying, Praise be to
the Exalted Lord God of Israel, for he has seen
us through eyes of grace, and he comes as our
hero God to set us free. He appears to us
as a mighty savior, a trumpet of redemption from the
(14:41):
house of David his servant, just as he promised long
ago by the words of his holy prophets. They prophesied
he would come one day and save us from every
one of our enemies and from the power of those
who hate us. Now he has shown us the mercy
(15:03):
promised to our ancestors, for he has remembered his holy covenant.
He has rescued us from the power of our enemies,
fulfilling the sacred oath he made with our father Abraham.
Now we can boldly worship God with holy lives, living
(15:25):
in purity as priests in his presence every day. And
to you, I prophes I, my little son, you will
be known as the prophet of the Most High. You
will be a forerunner, going before the face of the
Lord Yahweh to prepare hearts.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
To embrace his ways.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
You will preach to his people the revelation of salvation,
the cancelation of all our sins, to bring us back
to God, the splendor light of Heaven's glorious sunrise is
about to break upon us in holy visitation, all because
(16:10):
the merciful heart of our God is so very tender.
The word from heaven will come to us with dazzling
light to shine upon those who live in darkness near
death's dark shadow, and he will illuminate the path that
leads to the way of peace. Afterward, their sun grew
(16:36):
up and was strengthened by the Holy Spirit, and he
grew in his love for God. John chose to live
in the lonely wilderness until the day of his public
appearance to Israel.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
During those days, the Roman emperor.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Caesar Augustus ordered that the first sense be taken throughout
his empire. Quirinius was the governor of Syria at that time.
Everyone had to travel to the hometown of their family
to complete the mandatory census. So Joseph and his wife
(17:17):
Mary left Nazareth, a village in Galilee, and journeyed to
their hometown in Judea, to the village of Bethlehem, King
David's ancient home. They were required to register there since
they were both direct descendants of David. Mary was pregnant
(17:38):
and nearly ready to give birth when they arrived in Bethlehem,
Mary went into labor, and there she gave birth to
her firstborn son. She wrapped the newborn baby in strips
of class, and Mary and Joseph laid him in a
(17:59):
feeding trough since there was no available space in any
upper room in the village. That night, in a field
near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks. Suddenly an
angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them,
(18:23):
lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God.
And the shepherds were terrified, but the angel reassured them, saying,
don't be afraid, for I have come to bring you
good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard,
(18:46):
and it is for everyone everywhere. For today in Bethlehem,
a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh,
the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miraculous sign.
You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth
(19:09):
and lying in the feeding trough. Then, all at once,
in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared,
the very armies of heaven, and they all praised God,
singing glory to God in the highest realms. Of heaven,
(19:33):
for there is peace and a good hope given to
the sons of men. When the choir of angels disappeared
and returned to heaven, the shepherd said to one another,
let's go. Let's hurry and find this word who is
born in Bethlehem, and see for ourselves what the Lord
(19:57):
has revealed to us. So they hurried off and found
their way to Mary and Joseph, and there was the
baby lying in a feeding trough. Upon seeing this miraculous sign,
the shepherds recounted what had just happened. Everyone who heard
(20:19):
the shepherd's story was astonished by what they were told,
but Mary treasured all these things in her heart and
often pondered what they meant. The shepherds returned to their flock,
ecstatic over what had happened. They praised God and glorified
(20:41):
him for all they had heard and seen for themselves,
just like the Angel had said. On the day of
the baby's circumcision ceremony, eight days after his birth, his
parents gave him the name Jesus, the name prophesied by
(21:03):
the Angel before he was born. Forty days after the
birth of her son, Mary's time of purification had completed,
so she came to the temple with a sacrifice. According
to the Law of Moses. So Mary and Joseph took
baby Jesus to Jerusalem to be dedicated before the Lord.
(21:28):
For it is stated in the Law of the Lord,
every first born male shall be set apart for God
and is required to offer a prescribed sacrifice, either a
pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. As they
(21:48):
came to the temple to fulfill this requirement, an elderly
man was there waiting, a resident of Jerusalem whose name
was Simeon.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
He was a very good man, a.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Lover of God who kept himself pure, and the spirit
of Holiness rested upon him. Simeon believed in the imminent
appearing of the one called the Refreshing of Israel, for
the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would
(22:24):
not see death before he saw the Messiah, the anointed
One of God. Keeping his promise, the Holy Spirit led
Simeon to be in the temple court at the very
moment Jesus' parents entered to fulfill the requirement of the sacrifice.
(22:47):
Simeon cradled the baby in his arms and praised God
and prophesied, Lord and Master, I am your loving servant,
and now I can die content, for you have fulfilled
your promise to me. With my own eyes, I have
(23:10):
seen your word, the savior you sent into the world.
He will be glory for your people Israel, and the
revelation light for all people everywhere. Mary and Joseph stood
there or struck over what was being said about their baby.
(23:35):
Simeon then blessed them and prophesied over Mary, saying, a
painful sword will one day pierce your inner being, for
your child will be rejected by many in Israel, and
the destiny of your child is this. He will be
(23:58):
laid down as a miracle sign for the downfall and
resurrection of many in Israel. Many will oppose this sign,
but it will expose to all the innermost thoughts of
their hearts before God. A prophetess named Anna was also
(24:23):
in the temple court that day. She was from the
tribe of Asher and the daughter of Fanuel. Anna was
an aged widow who had been married only seven years
before her husband passed away. After he died, she chose
(24:43):
to worship God in the temple continually for the past
eighty four years. She had been serving God with night
and day prayer and fasting. While Simeon was for saying
over Mary and Joseph and the baby, Anna walked up
(25:06):
to them and burst forth with a great chorus of praise.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
To God for the child.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
From that day forward, she told everyone in Jerusalem who
was waiting for their redemption that the anticipated Messiah had come.
When Mary and Joseph had completed everything required of them
by the law of the Lord, they took Jesus and
(25:36):
returned to their home in Nazareth. In Galilee, the child
grew more powerful in grace, for he was being filled
with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.
(26:01):
From the home
Good evening, and welcome to Rest, your sanctuary for peaceful
sleep and relaxation. Whether you're escaping daily stresses or seeking
a nightly companion, you're in the right place. My name
is Jessica, and I'll be your host this evening. Before
(00:27):
we begin, why don't you turn off your screens and
turn down your volume. Now that's done, let's unwind and
help you ease into a blessed rest. Tonight we'll be
(00:56):
immersing ourselves in one of the most beloved stories of
all time and one of my personal favorites, the Nativity,
as told in the Gospel of Luke chapters one and two.
These chapters capture the true heart of Christmas, reminding us
(01:19):
of the night that hope entered the world in the
humblest of ways. As I read, let these familiar scenes
float through your mind. Mary and Joseph's quiet arrival in Bethlehem,
the angels announcing the birth of a savior, and the
(01:42):
first moments of Jesus's life bringing light to a dark
and waiting world. During the reign of King Herod the
Great of Judea, there was a Junjewish priest named Zechariah
(02:02):
who served in the temple as part of the priestly
Order of a Baija. His wife, Elizabeth, was also from
a family of priests and was a descendant of Aaron.
They were both righteous before God, living virtuously and following
(02:22):
the commandments of the Lord blamelessly. But they were childless
since Elizabeth was baron, and now they were both quite old.
One day, Zechariah's priestly order was on duty and he
was serving as a priest. He was chosen by the
(02:44):
casting of lots according to the custom of the priesthood.
So the honor fell upon Zechariah to enter the Holy
Place and burn incense before the Lord. A large crowd
of worshippers had gathered to pray outside the temple at
the hour when incense was being offered. All at once
(03:08):
an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing just
to the right of the altar of incense. Zechariah was
startled and overwhelmed with fear, but the angel reassured him, saying,
don't be afraid, Zechariah. God is showing grace to you,
(03:33):
for I have come to tell you that your prayer
for a child has been answered. Your wife Elizabeth will
bear you a son, and you are to name him John.
His birth will bring you much joy and gladness. Many
will rejoice because of him, and he will be one
(03:57):
of the great ones in the sight of God. He
will drink no wine or strong drink, but he will
be filled with the Holy Spirit, even while still in
his mother's womb, and he will persuade many in Israel
to convert and turn back to the Lord their God.
(04:20):
He will go before the Lord as a forerunner, with
the same power and anointing as Elijah the Prophet. He
will be instrumental in turning the hearts of the father's
in tenderness back to their children, and the hearts of
the disobedient back to the wisdom of their righteous fathers.
(04:44):
And he will prepare a united people who are ready
for the Lord's appearing. Zechariah asked the angel, how do
you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man
and my wife is too old to give me a child.
(05:05):
What sign can you give me to prove this will happen?
Then the angel said, I am Gabriel. I stand beside
God himself. He has sent me to announce to you
this good news. But now, since you did not believe
(05:26):
my words, you will be stricken, silent, and unable to
speak until the day my words have been fulfilled at
their appointed time, and a child is born to you
that will be your sign. Meanwhile, the crowds outside kept
(05:49):
expecting him to come out. They were amazed over Zecharia's delay,
wondering what could have happened inside the sanctuary. When he
finally did come out, he tried to talk, but he
couldn't speak a word, and they realized from his gestures
(06:09):
that he had seen a vision while in the holy place.
He remained mute as he finished his days of priestly
ministry in the temple and then went back to his
own home. Soon afterward, his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and
(06:30):
went into seclusion for the next five months. With joy,
she exclaimed, see how kind it is of God to
gaze upon me and take away the disgrace of my barrenness.
During the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, the angel Gabriel
(06:52):
was sent from God's presence to an unmarried girl named
Mary living in Nazareth, a village in Galilee. She was
engaged to a man named Joseph, a true descendant of
King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, rejoice, beloved
(07:15):
young woman, for the Lord is with you and you
are anointed with great favor. Mary was deeply troubled over
the words of the angel and bewildered over what this
may mean for her, But the Angel reassured her, saying,
(07:35):
do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord
has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise
you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with
a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus.
He will be supreme and will be known as the
(08:00):
Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will enthrone
him as a king on the throne of his ancestor David.
He will reign as a king of Israel forever, and
his reign will have no limit. Mary said, but how
(08:20):
could this happen? I am still a virgin. Gabriel answered,
the spirit of holiness will fall upon you, and Almighty
God will spread his shadow of power over you in
a cloud of glory.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
This is why the child.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Born to you will be holy and he will be
called the Son of God. What's more, your aged aunt
Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son. The barren
one is now in her sixth month. Not one promise
(08:59):
from God is empty of power. Nothing is impossible with God.
Then Mary responded, saying, yes, I will be a mother
for the Lord as his servant. I accept whatever he
has for me. May everything you have told me come
(09:23):
to pass. And the angel left her. Afterward, Mary arose
and hurried off to the hill country of Judea, to
the village where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived. Arriving at their home,
Mary entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the moment
(09:45):
her aunt heard Mary's voice, the baby within Elizabeth's womb
jumped and kicked, and suddenly Elizabeth was filled to overflowing
with the Holy Spirit. With a loud voice, she prophesied
with power, Mary, you are a woman given the highest
(10:09):
favor and privilege above all others, for your child is
destined to bring God great delight.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
How did I deserve such.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
A remarkable honor to have the mother of my Lord
come and visit me. The moment you came in the
door and greeted me, my baby danced inside me with joy.
Great favor rests upon you, for you have believed every
(10:42):
word spoken to you from the Lord, and Mary sang
this song. My soul is ecstatic, overflowing with praises to God.
My spirit bursts with joy over my life, life giving God.
(11:02):
For he set his tender gaze upon me, his lowly
servant girl. And from here on everyone will know that
I have been favored and blessed. The Mighty One has
worked a mighty miracle for me.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Holy is his name. Mercy kisses all who.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Fear him, from one generation to the next. Mighty power
flows from him to scatter all those who walk in pride.
Powerful princes, He tears from their thrones, and he lifts
up the lowly to take their place. Those who hunger
(11:47):
for him will always be filled, but the smug and
self satisfied he will send away empty, because he can
never forget to show mercy. He has helped his chosen servant, Israel,
keeping his promises to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Before going home.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. When Elizabeth's
pregnancy was full term, she gave birth to a son.
All her family, friends and neighbors heard about it, and
they too were overjoyed, for they realized that the Lord
(12:36):
had showered his wonderful mercy upon her. When the baby
was eight days old, according to their custom, all the
family and friends came together for the circumcision ceremony. Everyone
assumed that the parents would name the baby Zechariah after
(12:57):
his father, but Elizabeth spoke up and said, no, his
name is John. What they exclaimed, no one in your
family line has that name. So they gestured to the
baby's father to ask what to name the child. He
(13:20):
motioned for a writing tablet, and to the amazement of all,
he wrote, his name is John. Instantly, Zechariah could speak again,
and his first words were praises to the Lord. The
fear of God fell on the people of their village,
(13:42):
and the news of this astounding event traveled throughout the
hill country of Judea.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Everyone was in awe over it.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
All who heard this news were astonished and wondered, since
a miracle bro his birth, what on earth will this
child become? Clearly, God's presence is upon this child in
a powerful way. Then Zechariah was filled to overflowing with
(14:16):
the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying, Praise be to
the Exalted Lord God of Israel, for he has seen
us through eyes of grace, and he comes as our
hero God to set us free. He appears to us
as a mighty savior, a trumpet of redemption from the
(14:41):
house of David his servant, just as he promised long
ago by the words of his holy prophets. They prophesied
he would come one day and save us from every
one of our enemies and from the power of those
who hate us. Now he has shown us the mercy
(15:03):
promised to our ancestors, for he has remembered his holy covenant.
He has rescued us from the power of our enemies,
fulfilling the sacred oath he made with our father Abraham.
Now we can boldly worship God with holy lives, living
(15:25):
in purity as priests in his presence every day. And
to you, I prophes I, my little son, you will
be known as the prophet of the Most High. You
will be a forerunner, going before the face of the
Lord Yahweh to prepare hearts.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
To embrace his ways.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
You will preach to his people the revelation of salvation,
the cancelation of all our sins, to bring us back
to God, the splendor light of Heaven's glorious sunrise is
about to break upon us in holy visitation, all because
(16:10):
the merciful heart of our God is so very tender.
The word from heaven will come to us with dazzling
light to shine upon those who live in darkness near
death's dark shadow, and he will illuminate the path that
leads to the way of peace. Afterward, their sun grew
(16:36):
up and was strengthened by the Holy Spirit, and he
grew in his love for God. John chose to live
in the lonely wilderness until the day of his public
appearance to Israel.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
During those days, the Roman emperor.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Caesar Augustus ordered that the first sense be taken throughout
his empire. Quirinius was the governor of Syria at that time.
Everyone had to travel to the hometown of their family
to complete the mandatory census. So Joseph and his wife
(17:17):
Mary left Nazareth, a village in Galilee, and journeyed to
their hometown in Judea, to the village of Bethlehem, King
David's ancient home. They were required to register there since
they were both direct descendants of David. Mary was pregnant
(17:38):
and nearly ready to give birth when they arrived in Bethlehem,
Mary went into labor, and there she gave birth to
her firstborn son. She wrapped the newborn baby in strips
of class, and Mary and Joseph laid him in a
(17:59):
feeding trough since there was no available space in any
upper room in the village. That night, in a field
near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks. Suddenly an
angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them,
(18:23):
lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God.
And the shepherds were terrified, but the angel reassured them, saying,
don't be afraid, for I have come to bring you
good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard,
(18:46):
and it is for everyone everywhere. For today in Bethlehem,
a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh,
the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miraculous sign.
You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth
(19:09):
and lying in the feeding trough. Then, all at once,
in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared,
the very armies of heaven, and they all praised God,
singing glory to God in the highest realms. Of heaven,
(19:33):
for there is peace and a good hope given to
the sons of men. When the choir of angels disappeared
and returned to heaven, the shepherd said to one another,
let's go. Let's hurry and find this word who is
born in Bethlehem, and see for ourselves what the Lord
(19:57):
has revealed to us. So they hurried off and found
their way to Mary and Joseph, and there was the
baby lying in a feeding trough. Upon seeing this miraculous sign,
the shepherds recounted what had just happened. Everyone who heard
(20:19):
the shepherd's story was astonished by what they were told,
but Mary treasured all these things in her heart and
often pondered what they meant. The shepherds returned to their flock,
ecstatic over what had happened. They praised God and glorified
(20:41):
him for all they had heard and seen for themselves,
just like the Angel had said. On the day of
the baby's circumcision ceremony, eight days after his birth, his
parents gave him the name Jesus, the name prophesied by
(21:03):
the Angel before he was born. Forty days after the
birth of her son, Mary's time of purification had completed,
so she came to the temple with a sacrifice. According
to the Law of Moses. So Mary and Joseph took
baby Jesus to Jerusalem to be dedicated before the Lord.
(21:28):
For it is stated in the Law of the Lord,
every first born male shall be set apart for God
and is required to offer a prescribed sacrifice, either a
pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. As they
(21:48):
came to the temple to fulfill this requirement, an elderly
man was there waiting, a resident of Jerusalem whose name
was Simeon.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
He was a very good man, a.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Lover of God who kept himself pure, and the spirit
of Holiness rested upon him. Simeon believed in the imminent
appearing of the one called the Refreshing of Israel, for
the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would
(22:24):
not see death before he saw the Messiah, the anointed
One of God. Keeping his promise, the Holy Spirit led
Simeon to be in the temple court at the very
moment Jesus' parents entered to fulfill the requirement of the sacrifice.
(22:47):
Simeon cradled the baby in his arms and praised God
and prophesied, Lord and Master, I am your loving servant,
and now I can die content, for you have fulfilled
your promise to me. With my own eyes, I have
(23:10):
seen your word, the savior you sent into the world.
He will be glory for your people Israel, and the
revelation light for all people everywhere. Mary and Joseph stood
there or struck over what was being said about their baby.
(23:35):
Simeon then blessed them and prophesied over Mary, saying, a
painful sword will one day pierce your inner being, for
your child will be rejected by many in Israel, and
the destiny of your child is this. He will be
(23:58):
laid down as a miracle sign for the downfall and
resurrection of many in Israel. Many will oppose this sign,
but it will expose to all the innermost thoughts of
their hearts before God. A prophetess named Anna was also
(24:23):
in the temple court that day. She was from the
tribe of Asher and the daughter of Fanuel. Anna was
an aged widow who had been married only seven years
before her husband passed away. After he died, she chose
(24:43):
to worship God in the temple continually for the past
eighty four years. She had been serving God with night
and day prayer and fasting. While Simeon was for saying
over Mary and Joseph and the baby, Anna walked up
(25:06):
to them and burst forth with a great chorus of praise.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
To God for the child.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
From that day forward, she told everyone in Jerusalem who
was waiting for their redemption that the anticipated Messiah had come.
When Mary and Joseph had completed everything required of them
by the law of the Lord, they took Jesus and
(25:36):
returned to their home in Nazareth. In Galilee, the child
grew more powerful in grace, for he was being filled
with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.
(26:01):
From the home
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