Podcasts about Nazareth

Read OnlineIn the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.” Luke 1:26–29The phrase “full of grace” is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It can be translated more literally as “having been graced” or “you who have been fully graced.” The tense of the word indicates that Mary has been graced by God in a unique and ongoing way, implying that this grace was not a one-time event but something encompassing her entire being and continuing to have effect.What was the Blessed Virgin Mary's response to this amazing greeting? She pondered the archangel's greeting with humility and initially responded with silence and in awe. Gabriel, aware of Mary's humility in her silence, says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God…” Gabriel then goes on to tell her she will conceive the Son of God within her womb.Given her immaculate nature and the fullness of grace within her soul, Mary immediately obeyed the archangel's command and did not give into fear. Yet her “greatly troubled” heart led her to ongoing pondering and contemplation of all that was said to her.As we draw closer to the Solemnity of Christmas, we are invited to share in the Blessed Mother's contemplation of the mystery of the Incarnation. We can be certain that as Gabriel departed from her, her prayerful pondering did not cease. The ongoing fullness of grace within her soul led her to the deepest contemplation of this divine mystery that was humanly possible. Her mind would have penetrated the words spoken to her and perceived the mystery of the Incarnation taking place within her womb in ways that even she could not explain. With the fullness of grace came the fullness of infused knowledge, which is beyond human articulation.In our lives, we often fail to humbly ponder the profound reality of the Incarnation. We must have a “troubled heart” in the sense of remaining in awe of what God has done for us by taking on our human nature. We must allow Mary's pondering to become our own so that we enter more deeply into the great mystery we celebrate.As we prepare for the celebration of Christmas, reflect upon Mary's pondering mind and heart. Though we will never engage in her depth of contemplative prayer, she is our model. We must accept every divine mystery revealed to us with faith and then grapple with each mystery on a deeper level that can only be accomplished by contemplative prayer. Those who attain this depth of prayer are drawn exceptionally close to God Who uses them to continue the effect of the Incarnation by spiritually giving birth to Christ in their lives. Immaculate Mother of God, you were called “full of grace” by the Archangel Gabriel. You humbly listened to all that was spoken to you and accepted it with faith, surrender, and humility. Please pray for me, that I will imitate your pondering Immaculate Heart so that I will be better prepared for the great Solemnity of Christmas Day. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Fra Angelico, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!’” (Luke 1:26–28 NLT) It’s difficult for us to understand, two thousand years after the events of Luke 1, the significance of the angel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary in Nazareth. After all, the Lord could have found the future mother of the Messiah in Rome, the capital of the greatest power on earth at the time. He could have found her in Athens, the cultural center of the world. He could have found her in Jerusalem, the spiritual center of the world. But God chose Nazareth, an obscure city that was notorious for its sin. Years later, when Jesus’ future disciple Nathaniel heard that Jesus was from there, he said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46 NLT). If Nathaniel had been present during the events recorded in Judges 6, he might have asked, “Can anything good come from the least important member of the least important clan of the tribe of Manasseh?” And he would have been stunned at what God accomplished through Gideon. If Nathaniel had been present when Samuel was anointing the king of Israel, he might have asked, “Can anything good come from the eighth son of Jesse, a shepherd who writes and sings psalms?” And he would have been stunned by what God accomplished through David. If it seems to us that God chooses unlikely people—or people from unlikely places—to accomplish His work on earth, it’s only because we have such a limited perspective on people’s potential. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (NIV). God obviously saw something extraordinary in Mary’s heart. What’s amazing about Mary is that she lived a godly life in a godless place—and that she did so as a very young teenager. Many Bible scholars believe she may have been as young as twelve, but not much older than fourteen, when God chose her. Here she was, a nobody living in a nothing town in the middle of nowhere—precisely the kind of person that God goes out of His way to call. He chose an unknown girl in a relatively unknown city to bring about the most well-known event in human history, an event so significant that we divide human time by it. Maybe you’re trying to live out your faith in a godless place today, maybe at work or school or among unbelieving family members. You’re wondering if it can be done. It can. Mary stands as an example for us, proving that it is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly world. Reflection question: What challenges do you face in trying to live a godly life in an ungodly world? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com      NOW LETS LOOK A LITTLE FURTHER INTO THE TEXT IN LUKE 1 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God. 36 And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment. 38 Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. And the angel left her.     The Whole Christmas story is filled with fear… and Wonder… but fear none the less Angel to Zach “Don't be afraid” Angel to Joseph “Don't be afraid” Angel to Mary “Don't be afraid” Angel to Shepherds “Don't be afraid”   It seems to me that sometimes when God is at his finest work we might be a little afraid when we do not understand how or why!  A PLAN OF EPIC PROPORTIONS… and yet people are still afraid. Wether they know him or not, trust him or not - there was fear they had to overcome.  Zach did not believe Mary did believe - but both came with fear   Both Zach and Mary had doubt… but Zach got zapped… why not Mary? I have an idea… v. LK.1:38 Behold I am a servant of God… Zachariah was a priest… head knowledge, but not much heart knowledge. Mary not much head knowledge, but great heart knowledge.    *Mary did not ask in doubt, but rather with the intent of … ok, so go on, what further instruction do I need to know.  Zach said let me tell you why this won't happen. Mary said… how will this happen? 

It is Christmas time and we are discovering the fullness of the Origin Story of Jesus. Matthew and Luke tell us so much more than the moment of Jesus' birth. Dr. Jack Beck joins us again to talk about how the geography matters in the way we understand who Mary and Joseph are. This week we start with Nazareth. How big was it? Where was it located? Did the geography influence what people expected from life? Discover more about Dr. Beck, his books, and videos  HEREWatch the wealth of options on Dr. Beck's YouTube channel HEREDiscover Dr. Beck's books HEREContact Cyndi Parker through Narrative of Place.Join Cyndi Parker's  Patreon Team!

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. – Luke 2:51

Today in History: Possibly the day when the angel Gabriel visited Miriam (Yeshua's mother) in Nazareth, nine months before Rosh HaShanah and the fall feasts in the month Tishrei (see Luke 1:26–38).This week's portion is called Miketz (At the end) Suggested Historical Reading: 1 Maccabees 7–8TORAH PORTION: Genesis 42:19–43:15GOSPEL PORTION: Matthew 23:1–12What verse spoke to you most today and why?Did you learn something about God?Daily Bread for Kids is a daily Bible reading podcast where we read through the Torah and the Gospels in one year! Helping young Bible-readers to study God's Word, while also discovering its Jewish context!THE KIDS' JOURNAL is available from ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arielmedia.shop⁠⁠⁠⁠BUSY MOMS who want to follow the Daily Bread readings on podcast for adults, can go to ⁠⁠https://dailybreadmoms.com⁠⁠The Bible translation we are reading from is the Tree of Life Version (TLV) available from the Tree of Life Bible Society.INSTAGRAM: @dailybreadkids @arielmediabooks @dailybreadmomsTags: #DailyBreadMoms #DailyBreadJournal #BibleJournaling #Messianic #BiblePodcast #BiblicalFeasts #Journal #biblereadingplan #Messiah #JewishRoots #Yeshua #GodIsInControl #OneYearBible #MomLife #MotherCulture #FaithFilledMama #BiblicalWomanhood #Proverbs31woman

Original broadcast 12/25/2024... In the dark days of the reign of Herod, the descendants of King David lived under the radar in humility even as they awaited the imminent arrival of the Messiah. A (probably young) man named Joseph lived in the town of Nazareth and would become the earthly father of Jesus - the child of Mary & the Holy Spirit. Mike Aquilina has written a book that places us in Nazareth, Jerusalem, and the region to see what day-to-day life was life among David's descendants. Mike and Bishop Caggiano talk about St Joseph and His World on Let Me Be Frank… detailing Joseph's four interactions with angels, his silence, the 1000-mile flight to Egypt, his life as a carpenter in Nazareth, and much more. Check out the Veritas mobile app

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. – Luke 2:51

Teaching on Mark 6:1-6

The Promise of RestorationToday's Passage: Luke 4:16-21And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,    because he has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives    and recovering of sight to the blind,    to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”For more information about this Advent season, visit our Christmas at Fellowship page. There you can find more resources, as well as information about pursuing Christ and celebrating him this season with our church. 

26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,In mense autem sexto, missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilaeae, cui nomen Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.ad virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Joseph, de domo David : et nomen virginis Maria. 28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.Et ingressus angelus ad eam dixit : Ave gratia plena : Dominus tecum : benedicta tu in mulieribus. 29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.Quae cum audisset, turbata est in sermone ejus, et cogitabat qualis esset ista salutatio. 30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.Et ait angelus ei : Ne timeas, Maria : invenisti enim gratiam apud Deum. 31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.Ecce concipies in utero, et paries filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Jesum : 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.hic erit magnus, et Filius Altissimi vocabitur, et dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris ejus : et regnabit in domo Jacob in aeternum, 33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.et regni ejus non erit finis. 34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?Dixit autem Maria ad angelum : Quomodo fiet istud, quoniam virum non cognosco? 35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.Et respondens angelus dixit ei : Spiritus Sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi. Ideoque et quod nascetur ex te sanctum, vocabitur Filius Dei. 36 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:Et ecce Elisabeth cognata tua, et ipsa concepit filium in senectute sua : et hic mensis sextus est illi, quae vocatur sterilis : 37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.quia non erit impossibile apud Deum omne verbum. 38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.Dixit autem Maria : Ecce ancilla Domini : fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Et discessit ab illa angelus.

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. – Luke 2:51

In this episode of The Road to Bethlehem, we explore the emotional and spiritual journey of Joseph and Mary as they navigate the challenges of their divine calling. Joseph grapples with disbelief and heartbreak upon learning of Mary's pregnancy, but an angelic visitation restores his faith and courage. Meanwhile, Mary finds solace and support from her mother and prepares to visit her cousin Elizabeth. The episode highlights themes of faith, redemption, and the power of belief amidst societal judgment and personal turmoil.Joseph, Mary, angelic visitation, faith, redemption, divine calling, societal judgment, personal turmoil, Bethlehem, ChristmasJoseph's world crumbles as he learns of Mary's news.Mary finds unexpected compassion from her mother.An angel reveals the truth to Joseph, restoring his faith.Nazareth is abuzz with gossip and suspicion.Mary's friend makes a heartbreaking mistake.Joseph recalls a traumatic childhood memory.Mary shares her divine encounter with her mother.Joseph decides to protect Mary from public disgrace.Mary's mother believes in her daughter's divine calling.Joseph receives a divine mission to name the child Jesus.KeywordsTakeaways

The third part of The Road to Bethlehem takes listeners on a journey through Israel, following Mary as she travels to Elizabeth's home, witnessing miracles and facing challenges. It highlights the faith and courage of Mary, the wisdom of Elizabeth, and the strength of Joseph as they navigate societal judgments and divine interventions. The narrative culminates in the birth of John, a miracle child, and sets the stage for Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem.Keywords:Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, Bethlehem, miracle, faith, prophecy, birth, journey, IsraelTakeaways:Mary's journey to Elizabeth's home is filled with hope and fear.Elizabeth's greeting to Mary is prophetic and joyful.Joseph faces societal judgment but stands by Mary with conviction.The birth of John is a miraculous event celebrated by the community.Zachariah's voice returns, filled with praise and prophecy.Mary and Elizabeth share a deep bond over their miraculous pregnancies.Joseph's decision to support Mary is guided by divine intervention.The community's reaction to John's birth is one of awe and wonder.Mary's return to Nazareth is met with mixed reactions from the community.The episode sets the stage for Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem.

In this episode of 'Road to Bethlehem,' we journey with Mary and Joseph as they leave Nazareth, facing the challenges of travel while Mary is in her third trimester. The episode captures the emotional farewells, the physical hardships of the journey, and the spiritual significance of their path. As they travel, they encounter windstorms, wolves, and the weight of their divine mission, all while moving towards Jerusalem and ultimately Bethlehem, where the Messiah is to be born.Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph, Nativity, Journey, Messiah, Jerusalem, Travel, Faith, Divine Mission, WolvesMary and Joseph's journey was filled with emotional farewells and physical challenges.The couple faced windstorms and wolves, highlighting the dangers of their path.Mary's pregnancy added complexity to their travel, requiring careful planning.Joseph's protective nature was evident as he ensured Mary's safety.The journey was not just physical but deeply spiritual, with divine significance.The episode captures the essence of faith and perseverance in the face of adversity.Jerusalem's sight brought a sense of awe and purpose to Mary and Joseph.The narrative emphasizes the importance of trust in God's plan.The couple's journey symbolizes the intersection of human struggle and divine purpose.The episode sets the stage for the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem.KeywordsTakeaways

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: Sponsoring in honor of my father, John, who beat cancer through faith, endurance and love. You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:1–5 - In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [2] This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] And all went to be registered, each to his own town. [4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, [5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

Today’s Topics: Joshua Charles joins Terry for Friday with the Fathers 1) Gospel – Luke 1:26-38 – The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Terry and Joshua discuss miracle stories of Early Father of the Church,  Saint Augustine

Dave Myers discusses Mark 1:9—“And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan” (ASV).

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-11  Who, for us and for our salvation came down from heaven,  and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried;  and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father…  John 17:5  John 17:24  "...the supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us...lies not in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter Sunday message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man - that the second person of the Godhead...took humanity without loss of deity, so that Jesus of Nazareth was as truly and fully divine as he was human. Here are two mysteries for the price of one - the plurality of persons within the unity of God, and the union of Godhead and manhood in the person of Jesus." – JI Packer, Knowing God.   + The Triumph of the Son's Obedience Luke 2:51  "What Christ saw in Gethsemane was God with the sword raised. The sight was unbearable. In a few short hours, he would stand before that God answering for the sin of the world: indeed, identified with the sin of the world... Consequently, to quote Luther again, 'No one ever feared death so much as this man.' He feared it because for him it was no sleep, but the wages of sin: death with the sting; death unmodified and unmitigated; death as involving all that sin deserved. He, alone, would face it without a 'covering', providing by his very dying the only covering for the world, but doing so as a holocaust, totally exposed to God's abhorrence of sin. And he would face death without God, deprived of the one solace and the one resource which had always been there. The wonder of the love of Christ for his people is not that for their sake he faced death without fear, but that for their sake he faced it, terrified. Terrified by what he knew, and terrified by what he did not know, he took damnation lovingly." – Donald Macleod, The Person of Christ.  + The Triumph of the Son's Cross Colossians 2:13–15 Hebrews 2:14–15 "When Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, was nailed to the cross, Satan thought that he had won the day. The old serpent had stung him to death, vainly imagining that all was over with him. I think I see the arch-fiend gloating over the awful agonies of the dying Savior, and maliciously taunting him as he hung there apparently forsaken by God and man. "Ah!" says he, "Seed of the woman, I have indeed bruised thy heel. I have made men reject thee and put thee to death; I have vexed and tormented thee, I have scorned and scouted thee, and thou hast not a word to say for thyself, and now thy soul must soon depart out of thy body." Yet as the devil was still pouring out his vainglorious boasts and taunts, with a mighty voice the expiring Savior cried, "It is finished;" and in that moment his soul sprang upon the enemy and utterly routed him forever." – Charles Spurgeon, Christ Triumphant.   + The Triumph of the Son's Exaltation Ephesians 1:20–23 Isaiah 45:22–25 + You must decide about Jesus; You cannot be neutral about him + You must imitate Jesus. You cannot confess him but refuse to conform to him 2 Corinthians 8:9

And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. – Luke 2:51

The message of Christmas is: I may mess things up, but I'm in them!  “In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don't be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.” Mary responded, “I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.” Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In this episode, we meet Joseph, the strong, silently noble, carpenter from Nazareth. His character is put to the test, when his betrothed has some unexpected news to share.Today's Bible verse is James 2:13, from the King James Version.Download the Pray.com app for more Christian content including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Pray.com is the digital destination for faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “And I'm not talking about the distant future, where super intelligence leads us to traveling the galaxies and overcoming death and All that. I mean the nearer term future...in a world where we keep accelerating towards better and better and more capable AI...I think AI is uncategorically the best hope for accelerating prosperity. It will touch everything.” ~Guillaume Verdon, better known for his X handle “Beff Jezos”, as heard on episode 8“The Accelerationists” of the podcast The Last Invention, hosted by Gregory Warner. “Turning and turning in the widening gyreThe falcon cannot hear the falconer;Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world… The best lack all conviction, while the worstAre full of passionate intensity…A vast image …Troubles my sight:Somewhere in sands of the desertA shape with lion body and the head of a man,A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,Is moving its slow thighs, while all about itReel shadows of the indignant desert birds.The darkness drops again; but now I knowThat twenty centuries of stony sleepWere vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”~Written about the bleakness of the future by William Butler Yeats in 1919 in the aftermath of WWI, the height of the global flu pandemic of 1918-19 which nearly killed his pregnant wife, the wake of the Easter uprising in Ireland against the British crown, and the beginning (in his view) of the collapse of the civilization Europe had spent the last 1600 years building.SERMON PASSAGE selected passages (NIV)Exodus 16 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.” Deuteronomy 8 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Micah 5 2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Luke 2 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  John 6 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty…” 51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”…58 “This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Luke 1:26-38 ESV Birth of Jesus Foretold26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.

Audio Recording Scripture TextsSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Lessons & CarolsLuke 1:26-38 (ESV)26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.Matthew 1:18-23 (ESV)18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us).

Luke 1:26-38 English Standard VersionBirth of Jesus Foretold26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.English Standard Version (ESV)The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.ESV Text Edition: 2025. 

Advent is the season in our church calendar in which we celebrate the birth of Christ and anticipate His return. The Christmas season reminds us that God came to dwell among us and His plan of salvation goes through Jesus of Nazareth. Join us for this year's advent series as we explore Jesus' presence throughout the Old Testament and how God's plan was always Jesus "From the Beginning."PRAYERText (904) 770-3037 if you would like a member of our prayer team to pray with or for you.NEXT STEPSAre you ready to learn more about what it means to walk with Christ, get baptized, or get connected within the church body? Click here to complete our digital connect card: https://fathom.churchcenter.com/people/forms/31883GOT QUESTIONS?Learn more about Fathom Church at http://fathom.church/WE'RE HERE FOR YOU!If you are looking for more encouragement and biblical teaching throughout the week, we hope you'll follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or download the Churchcenter app: https://churchcenter.com/setupMORE WAYS TO LISTEN:Fathom Beyond Sunday Podcast - Conversations with a biblical worldview and real life application - listen in on an engaging chat between leaders at Fathom discussing faith, life, and how we can carry the truth of the word taught on Sunday into our week Monday through Saturday.Fathom Family Podcast - Real talk on how to build a Godly marriage that is in it for the long haul while leading your kids toward their God-given potential and purpose in Christ.See all the ways to listen here: http://fathom.church/category/listen/

Audio Recording Scripture TextsSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Lessons & CarolsLuke 1:26-38 (ESV)26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.Matthew 1:18-23 (ESV)18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”(which means, God with us).

We're so glad you are here! Thanks for checking out Sunday's message!-- SUNDAY'S NOTES --The prophetic fulfillment in the conception and birth of Jesus testify to the miracle of God's power!But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. Micah 5:2 NLTAt that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. Luke 2:1-7 NLTGod's has the power to do both the improbable and impossible according to His will and purpose. To presume we know how God should act is to mistrust His sovereign wisdom and love. Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 NLTI pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else, not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. Ephesians 1:19-22 NLTTo believe God can't or doesn't do miracles today is to completely miss on the impact of His power and compassion! I dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. Lamentations 3:21- 25 NLTOur hope is forever in the compassion and power of our ever-present, all-knowing, miracle working Messiah!-POEM-Our merciful messiah came in a mangerWith hidden strength soon to be shown. Immanuel here to save and to heal,His power and presence, He came to make known. The God who created the stars and the heavensCreated my inner most being too. A universe so large it's hard to conceiveWith tiny electrons for creations glue.God's power is boundless, beyond descriptionHis love is vast, and yet intimately near. Awe and honor are owed to our SaviorStill He calls us to come, no reason to fear.This world is caught in a cosmic conflictThe fight is for every heart and soulThe prince of darkness, the architect of brokenKill, steal, and destroy his only goal. Our fallen world in the pangs of deathIncludes various hellish hurts and painMany are we in need of a miracle Exactly the reason Immanuel came. The babe born at Christmas is here to heal Discontentment, addiction, broken bodies and heartsHis sovereign discernment guides His compassionHis Grace and mercy never miss the mark. -------------------------------------------------Download the 828 Church app!To view our latest e-newsletter, the Midweek Momentum, and subscribe to our weekly updates, go here! https://linktr.ee/828church

In this sermon by Chris Romig, the focus is on the significance of Nazareth and the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary in Luke 1. Chris Romig begins by noting Nazareth's humble reputation and connects its name to the prophecy in Isaiah about a "branch" from Jesse's roots—the Messiah. He shares insights from his pilgrimage to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation, emphasizing the longstanding reverence for this location in Christian tradition. Rather than concentrating on the miracle of the virgin birth or Mary's faith—common sermon themes—Chris Romig centers on Gabriel's message itself: Jesus is the long-promised King from David's line, whose kingdom will have no end. He highlights how this promise has always fueled the hope of God's people, even though suffering and the curse of sin still dominate the world. Ultimately, Chris Romig encourages believers to live with hope and purpose as they await Christ's return. He urges the church to pray "Thy kingdom come," to live as signs of God's kingdom now, and to trust that Jesus, the King, will one day bring healing and restoration to all creation.

“In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:8-11 NASB “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:16-21 NASB These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. John 15:11 NASB How Do We Pursue And Experience Joy In A Broken World? Repent and believe Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14,15 NASB Practice gratitude Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NIV Pray about everything Discipline your mind Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 NIV

Isaiah speaks to a people sunk in darkness, and brings the promise of light. That promise, delivered with sweet certainty, comes to fulfilment in the arrival of Immanuel, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. That language of darkness is equally applicable to all men who are living without and apart from Christ Jesus, which is why we need to understand the lack of light (walking and living in deep and death-like darkness), the hope of light (God's gracious gift to benighted men), and the gift of light, which is God's own Son, come into the world for salvation.

In this episode of 'Road to Bethlehem,' we journey with Mary and Joseph as they leave Nazareth, facing the challenges of travel while Mary is in her third trimester. The episode captures the emotional farewells, the physical hardships of the journey, and the spiritual significance of their path. As they travel, they encounter windstorms, wolves, and the weight of their divine mission, all while moving towards Jerusalem and ultimately Bethlehem, where the Messiah is to be born. Keywords Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph, Nativity, Journey, Messiah, Jerusalem, Travel, Faith, Divine Mission, Wolves Takeaways Mary and Joseph's journey was filled with emotional farewells and physical challenges. The couple faced windstorms and wolves, highlighting the dangers of their path. Mary's pregnancy added complexity to their travel, requiring careful planning. Joseph's protective nature was evident as he ensured Mary's safety. The journey was not just physical but deeply spiritual, with divine significance. The episode captures the essence of faith and perseverance in the face of adversity. Jerusalem's sight brought a sense of awe and purpose to Mary and Joseph. The narrative emphasizes the importance of trust in God's plan. The couple's journey symbolizes the intersection of human struggle and divine purpose. The episode sets the stage for the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem.

Galatians 4:4-6 4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! Luke 2:21-39 21And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Jesus Presented at the Temple 22And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord) 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29Lord, now you are letting your servant[a] depart in peace,according to your word;30for my eyes have seen your salvation31that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,32a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and for glory to your people Israel. 33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. 36And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.[b] She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. The Return to Nazareth 39And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

Mary and Joseph trusted God and responded quickly to His Word... Zechariah didn't. Zechariah was a priest and should have known better, yet these two teenagers showed us what faith and obedience looks like.  We also learned that Mary lived with Elizabeth for 3 months before going back to Nazareth. Elizabeth's encouragement was just what Mary needed. We are learning so much from the wonderful Christmas Story. Pastor Rick spoke this message to the CrossPoint Church.

These days, having a child out of wedlock is pretty much a valid lifestyle choice in many cultures. I'm not saying that it's right, just that that's how it's perceived. But back in Jesus' day … man it was a huge scandal. Seriously.   A MISCONCEPTION Well, here we are hurtling towards Christmas. You know, it's interesting when you look at the candy cane – you know that simple little cane with the white and then the three small stripes and then the big stripe – and we think of it as a candy cane, but the confectioner who first created it, didn't create it as a candy cane. He created it as a "J" for Jesus and the white was there to symbolise the holiness of God and the three small stripes were there to symbolise the stripes on His back when He was beaten and the one thick stripe, the red stripe was there to symbolise the blood of Jesus. Isn't it funny how we take symbols to do with Christmas and a whole bunch of other things and we change their meaning – we re-interpret them – and I think it's really true of this thing that we call Christmas. You know, as I look at my four years studying at Bible College, the most profound thing that I learned was this – that theologians, and I can class myself as one of those – we love to take the stories of God in the Bible and snip them up and put them in little piles which we call doctrines. You know, the doctrine of the Trinity; the doctrine of original sin; the doctrine of the incarnation and so we think, "WOW, you know, I've sorted out God; I've got Him is little piles; I have a systematic theology and now I understand God." Well, in a sense that's good, because it's good to know what we believe and why we believe it and look at the whole council of God in His Word. But you know something, if that's all we do, I think maybe, we missed the point because God's chosen way of revealing Himself to us is mostly through stories. Stories throughout history of His engagement with His chosen people, Israel, and then in the New Testament, stories of His new promise; stories of His grace as the church grew out of a revelation of God through Jesus Christ. God speaks to us through His story in history and to me that's the most profound insight that I got after four years of Bible College. And no where is that more true than in Jesus. John in his Gospel calls Jesus the Word, "In the beginning was the Word." Jesus is God talking to us saying, "This is what I'm like." Jesus is a message in a bottle. And Jesus is unique – He is the only person in history, as the Son of God, who could have chosen the place, the time and the circumstances of His birth. Let's just think about that for a minute. It's true isn't it? If Jesus is who He says He is – the Son of God – He is the only person in history that could have chosen the circumstances of His birth. Well, if that's true; if it was a deliberate choice, what is God saying to us about Himself through the manner in which Jesus came into the world, through this story that we now call Christmas. See, it's not some neat doctrine; it's not some neat theology of the incarnation. We learn about Christmas through the stories in Matthew and Mark and Luke and John and I guess, in a sense, many of us know them backwards. But Matthew begins, after the great, long genealogy that we looked at the other week – Matthew now begins with this story – if you've got a Bible, grab it, open it – we are going to Matthew, chapter 1, beginning at verse 18. It says this: "Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way." So in other words, here's the story. "When His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he decided to do that, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife for the child conceived in her is from God the Holy Spirit. She will bear you a son and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "look the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and they shall name Him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us". When Joseph awoke from the sleep he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He took her as his wife but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a Son and he named Him Jesus." So here's Mary, pregnant from the Holy Spirit. How? Well, Luke tells us the angel appeared to her and said, "Fear not!" Have you ever seen a Christmas card with "Fear not!" plastered across the front? Not really! So how to you think Mary felt? She gets spoken to by an angel; she gets told not to be afraid, "you're going to be pregnant because God the Holy Spirit is going to make you pregnant." Now how do you think it went when Mary told Joseph? Here's this single teenage girl from this place called Nazareth; Nowheresville and she wanders in with her belly swollen and she says to her fiancee, "Well, Joe, it's like this – I didn't sleep with anyone – God did this!" WOW! Would you believe her? Joseph didn't – he planned to dismiss her quietly because this was a society where getting pregnant out of wedlock was a disgraceful thing. I mean, the Hebrew law commanded the women who were caught in adultery be stoned to death so the social context was that it wasn't a life style choice; it was something that you stoned someone to death for. But Joseph has a dream. Remember he doesn't have a New Testament; he doesn't know how it's going to turn out. He has this subjective thing called a dream and even if it were true, what incredible pain. How many times would Mary have gone over the angel's words? How many times do you think Joseph would be second guessing his dream? How breathtakingly reckless was God to allow the whole future of humanity to hang on the responses of these two poorly educated, hapless, rural teenagers? I mean, we know Him as Lord, the Christ, the Son of God but His parents and family friends; Mary's little illegitimate baby; the bastard; the stigma. Yet that's what Jesus chose for Himself. That's why I've called this message, "The Illegitimate God". You and I, we read this story of Christmas with a sense of wander and awe and we know how it ended. Then, back then and there? Well, for them it was a scandal; it was a fantasy; it was, "Is God really doing this?"   SOME VISITORS So here we are looking at this story of Christmas – firstly, the way that this baby was conceived – the sense of scandal that would have followed Him around when He was a little child – but then He was born into this brutal, political climate. Let's read on the story; this space and time and situation that God chose for His Son to be born into. We are going to pick it up in Matthew, chapter 2, beginning at verse 1: In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem asking, "Where is this child that has been born the King of the Jews, because we observed His star at it's rising and we have come to pay homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened and all Jerusalem with him. And calling together all the chief priests and the scribes and the people, he enquired of them, 'where the Messiah was to be born?' And they told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet, "And you Bethlehem in the land of Judea, are by no means the least amongst the rulers of Judea, for from you shall come a ruler who is to be the Shepherd of His people, Israel." And the story goes on that Herod secretly called for the wise men and he told them, "Go and find this Jesus and come and tell me", because he wanted to kill Jesus. We look at the politics of Palestine and Israel today – the mess – there seems to be no solution – they just keep shooting each other and blowing each other up. Back then it wasn't much different! You had a brutal Roman empire and the Roman Emperor ruled over a whole bunch of countries including this little country called Israel. And under him you had a despot; an Herodian King. And then this Herodian dynasty – we know about Herod – they were sort of half breeds and they were illegitimate and they were in cahoots with the Romans – together they oppressed the people. The religious leaders were part of all that and there was this sense of hopelessness amongst the people. It was every bit as messy then as it is today. And into this malaise is born Jesus, the Son of God and then these wise men – these Magi (a Magi was an astrologer; a sooth sayer). All of this was forbidden in the Old Testament – people who worshipped the stars were to be stoned to death. And they came from where? From the East; from Babylon – eighty kilometres south of what today is Baghdad. And remember, Babylon was a place of horror and evil for first century Israelites because that's where in 587 and 586 BC they were exiled into slavery. So God invites the Magi; these astrologers from hell to come to the birth of His Son and to worship Him. If you and I were God would we have invited them? I don't think so. And yet God doesn't just invite them but how does He go and get them from Babylon to Bethlehem? Does He send them a prophet? Does He send them John the Baptist? Does He send them a letter? Does He send them the Scriptures? He doesn't do any of those, He sends them a star. You see, God chooses a symbol that they can understand and follow and brings them to worship this child. Babylon who once destroyed the temple and exiled the chosen people is now worshipping the true God. God may well have hated their sin but He loved them much more that He hated their sin. And then one night in a dream – if you flick over the page to Matthew, chapter 2, beginning at verse 13 – Joseph has another dream, it says this: Now after the Magi had left, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and says: "Get up and take this child and His mother and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child and destroy Him. So Joseph got up, took the child and His mother by night and went to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord, through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I have called My Son." See, here we go again – Joseph is having another dream – this subjective thing. It's not like he sits down and he reads the New Testament; he reads the Old Testament and God speaks to him through His Word. No, God spoke to Joseph through a dream and so Joseph and Mary and Jesus all became refugees. They had no rights; they had no land; they had no possessions; they were fleeing for their lives. There are thirty two point nine million refugees in the world today. That's grown by almost fifty percent in just twelve months. Jesus, the Son of God becomes a refugee. How long? What would they live on? Where would they live? Where would they go? Would they be safe? They had to endure hardship for the first few years of His little life. Would you or I, if we were God, have put our son through this? And you read on in Matthew, chapter 2, verses 16 to 18. "When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. This massacre of the infants – have you ever seen a Christmas card about the massacre of the infants? See, we turn Christmas into this little pantomime, but the birth of Jesus into this world; the time when God stepped into this world and became man was a brutal time; it was a tough time and it was the time God chose for His Son. I mean, today we see suicide bombers in the Middle East and the shelling of targets and the shooting by snipers – imagine if you added to that the slaughter of all the children under two in and around Bethlehem – you don't see that on a Christmas card do you? What was God thinking by sending His Son into such a mess?   SO WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT GOD? And then of course, after they returned from Egypt, Jesus and His family moved to Nazareth – you can read it in Matthew, chapter 2, beginning at verse 19. When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up and take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel for those who are seeking the child's life are now dead. So Joseph got up, took the child and His mother and he went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea, in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there and after being warned in a dream, he went to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: "He will be called a Nazarene." God allowed, indeed, constructed the circumstances so that the Son of God would grow up in the backblocks of nowhere – in Nazareth. Does anything good come out of Nazareth? And He became a carpenter; not the King; not the head of theology at Jerusalem seminary; not the chief grand whatever in the synagogue or the temple – a lowly carpenter. So what do we learn about God? If God chose the circumstances into which Jesus would be born; if He chose these two young teenagers; if He chose the stable in Bethlehem; if He chose Herod and the persecution and the flight, what does that tells us about God? If Jesus came to reveal God to us, what do we learn about God from the first Christmas? When you read through the Old Testament about God you see His sovereignty; His power; His hugeness; His transcendence. Isaiah says: To whom will you compare Me? Who is My equal," says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and see who created all these stars. See, God is great. Here at Christmas we see this greatness reduced to the size of the single fertilised egg – not even visible to the human eye. Born in the stable with the stench of cow dung and urine on the floor, hunted down, a refugee, the massacre of these infants around Him and then slinking back to Nazareth to eek out an ignominious existence as a carpenter, relying on two uneducated teenage bumpkins for safety and nurture – with always the hint of scandal – Mary's little illegitimate child. Well may God be great but hang on a minute, when you look at Christmas, my God is also small. My God is also humble. If you look at this theological doctrine of incarnation, Jesus the Son of God and the Son of Man – He's different to us yet He's the same as us. But if we really ask ourselves the question, we would mostly conclude that Jesus was fundamentally different from you and me. But like Luther, I believe that if we are even to begin to understand what God is saying in Jesus, we have to draw the conclusion that Jesus is God, deep graven into the flesh. Like the candy cane – on the one hand, white and pure and blameless and different, but with a red stripe; with the blood, suffering like us, He lived, He suffered, He cried, He struggled, like us. That's the point of Christmas; that's the point of Jesus being born into these brutal circumstances, in such humble surrounds. This is God saying, "Jesus is like us". We can have the best doctrine of the incarnation and completely miss the point. God is humble. He shows us that in a profound way at Christmas. He chose the time. He chose the circumstances. He chose the stable and the animals in it. He connects with us. That's why Jesus says later in Matthew, chapter 11, verse 28: Come to Me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest in your souls." And later in John, chapter 16, verse 33: "I've said these things to you that in Me you might have peace for in this world you will have tribulations but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world." What a contradiction! God, the sovereign God who created all the universe through Jesus, all things that were created were, in fact, created. And yet He calls Himself humble; He makes Himself low at Christmas time. But then everything about Jesus is a contradiction. On the one hand He's the Lion of Judah; on the other hand He's the Lamb of God. When I look at the Christmas story – just the way it is, just plain and simple – look at the circumstances that Jesus was born into, you know what I see? I see something that rings true; I see an authenticity; I see a Jesus who comes humbly into this world and then says, "Come to Me because I'm gentle, I'm humble of heart." I see a Jesus who was prepared to be a refugee; who is prepared to be under threat of death. It's an amazing thing, Christmas and you know, if we just look at it as a pantomime; if we just sing the wonderful little songs and still look at it as children, I think we miss the point. God chose an amazing time for Jesus to be born and we look at Christmas by knowing how it all ended up. We've read the whole New Testament; we have the benefit of knowing that He died and rose again and the church grew up out of that and two thousand years on, you know, we are living the life. So we look back at Christmas through a whole bunch of history and stuff that those people, at that time, simply didn't have. Philip Yancey sums it up this way – I love what he says. This is what he writes: "He is the image of the invisible God; the first born over all creation," an apostle would later write, "He is before all things and in Him all things hold together," But the few eye witnesses on Christmas night saw none of those things. They saw an infant struggling to work never before used lungs. It's the story of a God who steps out of heaven, powerful, transcendent, able to choose anything He wants – He chooses Mary and Joseph; He chooses a stable; He chooses for His Son to become a refugee; He chooses for His Son to grow up in Nazareth as a carpenter. God speaks to us through this Christmas story. God went to extraordinary lengths to say this: "I am humble of heart. I have come to be one of you. I have come to walk in your shoes, in your skin, to experience all the things that you experience." It's the message of Christmas. A God who reaches out in the most amazing way; in the most startling way; in a way that we would never have done if we were God – and speaks to us His love and His desire to have a relationship with us. That is what Christmas is about.

Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. — Luke 2:1 The Christmas story is shaped, in part, by a government decision: a census. People in Palestine likely griped about Caesar's decree—and, according to tradition, a Jewish citizen was expected to register in their own ancestral town. That made things inconvenient for Joseph and Mary, who was near the end of her pregnancy. They had to travel about 90 miles (145 km) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a weeklong journey by donkey.Caesar thought he was counting subjects, but God had a bigger plan. Joseph's ancestral town, Bethlehem, was also known as “the town of David,” and prophecies stated that the Savior would descend from Israel's King David (Isaiah 9:6-7, 11:1-10) and be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). God used a government regulation to prepare the way for Jesus as the promised Messiah and King.It's not uncommon today to hear criticisms about governments. Whether it's taxes, policies, trade regulations, or extra paperwork, people get frustrated with government leaders and their demands. But the Christmas story shows that God works even through government inconveniences to make his salvation known. Jesus came to bring the presence of God to sinful humanity, despite the inconvenient circumstances into which he came.In what ways can you see the Lord working today, despite situations that may be difficult or inconvenient for you? Almighty God, you reign over all things. Open our eyes to see your presence and work, even in situations that we find difficult. For Jesus' sake, Amen.

I recently heard a provocative defender of Christianity say, “put aside your Marvel characters and dedicate yourself to honoring the Blessed Saint JOSEPH, the earthly father of Jesus. He is the perfect example of what a REAL man and courageous HERO should be.” Ee96. Bishop Robert Barron books available at https://amzn.to/44W7nwN Joseph of Nazareth books available at https://amzn.to/4aVqVpa Gospel of Matthew available at https://amzn.to/3sxXmZS ENJOY Ad-Free content, Bonus episodes, and Extra materials when joining our growing community on https://patreon.com/markvinet SUPPORT this channel by purchasing any product on Amazon using this FREE entry LINK https://amzn.to/3POlrUD (Amazon gives us credit at NO extra charge to you). Mark Vinet's HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA podcast: www.parthenonpodcast.com/history-of-north-america Mark's TIMELINE Video channel: https://youtube.com/c/TIMELINE_MarkVinet Website: https://markvinet.com/podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.vinet.9 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HistoricalJesu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denarynovels Mark's books: https://amzn.to/3k8qrGM Audio credit: Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons-Go to Joseph, Episode #360, 27dec2023 (Word on Fire Catholic Ministries). Audio excerpts reproduced under the Fair Use (Fair Dealings) Legal Doctrine for purposes such as criticism, comment, teaching, education, scholarship, research and news reporting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Talmud says that before God inflicts a wound he creates the cure. Yeshua of Nazareth, the prophet of the second Temple, taught the cure to the wound that the nation was about to undergo. It's all about love.

The angel Gabriel was sent from Godto a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,of the house of David,and the virgin's name was Mary.And coming to her, he said,“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”But she was greatly troubled at what was saidand pondered what sort of greeting this might be.Then the angel said to her,“Do not be afraid, Mary,for you have found favor with God.Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,and you shall name him Jesus.He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”But Mary said to the angel,“How can this be,since I have no relations with a man?”And the angel said to her in reply,“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.Therefore the child to be bornwill be called holy, the Son of God.And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,has also conceived a son in her old age,and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;for nothing will be impossible for God.”Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.May it be done to me according to your word.”Then the angel departed from her.

What was the journey of Mary and Joseph really like? Join Jim Scudder in Israel as he retraces their steps from Nazareth to Bethlehem—visiting Mary's Well, Ein Karem, and Nazareth Village. This special InGrace episode brings the story of Jesus' first days to life, just in time for Christmas.

12-12-25 & 12-19-25 H.C.C. is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation specializing in counseling, healing, teaching, ministering in the Spirit and deliverance. It is based on Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and patterns its practice after the Book of Acts. It’s board members include one licensed Assembly of God pastor and one former Arizona prison chaplain. The ministry also operates the House of Healing and the Charity Counselor’s Association in central Phoenix. The Biblical theme of the ministry is Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost & power. He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." One of the main services provided by the ministry is to provide free counseling services to the poor. https://hardcorechristianity.com/Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gospel of John Week 24 Scripture: John 18:38 - 19:24. As we begin our story today, Pilate is telling the crowd he finds no basis for a charge against Jesus. So he offered to free a prisoner asking if they wanted Barabbas or Jesus released.  The crowd wants Barabbas release and then Pilate has Jesus flogged. Pastor talks in graphic detail what a flogging was like, the equipment used and what Jesus experienced: excruciating pain, horrendous suffering, brutal torture, and cruel ridicule.  Again Pilate goes out to the crowds telling them he can find no basis for a charge. Pilate brings Jesus out in front of the crowd and the crowd shouts to crucify Him. The Jewish leaders insisted that Jesus had to die because he claimed to be the Son of God. Pilate says to Jesus, "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" And Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." From that time on Pilate tried to set Jesus free. But the Jewish leaders kept shouting, that if Pilate let Jesus go that he would be opposing Caesar.  So then Pilate brought Jesus out and Pilate sat down on the judge's seat and on this day, The Day of Preparation of the Passover, at noon, Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified. The soldiers took Jesus. Carrying His own cross, Jesus was brought to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha) and Jesus was crucified with two others —one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pastor shares in graphic detail about the brutality and reality of crucifixion. And how this is what Jesus endured for us. Jesus goes to the cross willingly, a clear testimony that God loved this world so much that He was willing to endure this and that, in a way beyond our ability to fully comprehend, is the love of the Living God in such a way that He took on human flesh, and He endured this for us. It is a clear indication of just how much He cares for us and when we read this it drives us to our knees realizing, "Oh Lord, have mercy on me a sinner." The the Son of God came to save us, because we could not save ourselves. Pastor goes on to talk about archeological discoveries and the possible locations of Golgotha and Jesus' tomb along with sharing many personal photos including a picture of the "Jerusalem Cross." We pick back up with the story with Pilate having a sign posted on Jesus' cross that said in three languages, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The religious leaders protested because they told Pilate it was what Jesus only "claimed." Pastor then shares a personal discovery that came to him as he was preparing for this study. It's a fascinating piece about the name of the Living God, written by Pilate and placed over the head of the crucified Jesus. (No I won't share any more than that!!  You will have to take a listen to Pastor sharing what he discovered!) In verse 23 of chapter 19 we read that the soldiers took Jesus clothes, dividing them into 4 pieces and then took his undergarment and cast lots for it. This is a fulfillment of the prophetic words from Psalm 22:18. Pastor takes the time to explore more of Psalm 22 that has several verses fulfilled in the death and crucifixion of Jesus. We see that this is not a miscarriage of justice by evil human beings. Rather, this is a profound fulfillment of God's prophetic word that was uttered by King David a thousand years before it took place. And this is not just simply a story. This is history.  This is His - story. This is my Savior's story. Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com Watch the video from our website! https://www.awakeusnow.com/2-year-study-of-the-gospels-upper Watch the video from our YouTube Channel!! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTaaqrC3dMOzMkhPyiNWwlJRpV6Bwpu01     ⁃    The Gospel of John study is part five of five of our Two Year Study of the Gospels.      ⁃    The Gospel of John may be one of the most powerful books ever written. Many people have come to faith after reading only this book of the Bible.  Scholarly and archeological discoveries in recent decades give us new insight on details in the Gospel of John. We can now understand it as the most Jewish rather than the most "Gentile/Greek" of the Gospels, and when we do that we see many things that we missed before. Our 2 year study of the gospels is great for large group, small group or home group study and can be started at any time!

The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121125.cfmOn December 11, the Marian Fathers celebrate the spiritual founding of our community, dating back to 1670 when St. Stanislaus Papczyński made his solemn oblation and offered his whole being to God and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without original sin. In his vow, he promised to promote and defend her honor even to the cost of his life. Today, Fr. Matt reminds us that this mission continues.Before the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was officially defined in the 1800s, St. Stanislaus endured opposition and misunderstanding—yet he remained steadfast. Why? Because Mary is the New Eve, created immaculate to cooperate perfectly with Christ, the New Adam, in God's plan of redemption. As Fulton Sheen often noted, humanity fell through a man, a woman, and a tree—and God redeemed us through a Man, a Woman, and the Tree of the Cross.Mary's sinlessness reveals the beauty of the new creation, where Jesus makes all things new. She shows us not only who she is, but who we are called to become through grace. Fr. Matt explains why the Church Fathers taught that Mary experienced no birth pains in Bethlehem: her true labor pains came later at the Cross, where she became the Mother of all the living. Her Immaculate Conception is not a detail—it is the key to understanding who we are in Christ and the destiny God desires for us.As we approach Christmas, distortions about Mary often resurface, especially depictions that undermine her immaculate dignity. But honoring her means honoring God's work in her. St. Stanislaus's vow challenges us today: defend her honor, protect the truth of the faith, and never allow the Queen of Heaven to be diminished. When we keep Mary in her rightful place, the Holy Spirit finds a dwelling place in us just as He did in Nazareth. ★ Support this podcast ★

12-11-25 & 12-18-25 H.C.C. is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation specializing in counseling, healing, teaching, ministering in the Spirit and deliverance. It is based on Matthew, Mark, Luke & John and patterns its practice after the Book of Acts. It’s board members include one licensed Assembly of God pastor and one former Arizona prison chaplain. The ministry also operates the House of Healing and the Charity Counselor’s Association in central Phoenix. The Biblical theme of the ministry is Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost & power. He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil." One of the main services provided by the ministry is to provide free counseling services to the poor. https://hardcorechristianity.com/Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the wonder you lost somewhere between wrapping paper, deadlines, and traffic could actually come back and lead you straight to Jesus? This week on The Cutting Room Floor, Neil sits down with Scott to talk Christmas nostalgia, and Mary's fierce childlike faith. In a season that can feel rushed and noisy, the conversation invites us to look through the eyes of a teenager from Nazareth, one who didn't just hope God could move, but trusted He would.   Mary's response wasn't sentimental; it was courageous. Saturated in Scripture, rooted in promise, she embraced a calling far beyond her understanding with a simple, steady "Let it be." That's the invitation of Christmas: not to do more, perform better, or polish ourselves into worthiness, but to stand in awe at the God who came near. Your Challenge: This week, act like a kid on purpose. Slow down. Notice beauty. Drink cocoa. Look at lights. Let wonder lead you back to worship, not worry.  Hosts: Neil Gregory & Scott Nickell ⸻ What We Discuss Scott's unapologetic love for Christmas Why Die Hard is (apparently) a Christmas movie The return of Christmas According to Kids and why the team ran it back   Mary's Magnificat and her surprising theological grit   Humble obedience vs. trying to "do better" Scripture memory  Recovering dangerous wonder in a grown-up world When faith feels like microscope vs. telescope living   How worship, lights, music, and tradition awaken childlike joy Christmas and Easter: morning and night of the same story   ⸻ About Southland Christian Church Southland is one church meeting in multiple locations across central Kentucky. We believe Jesus came for the lost and the broken, which means there's a place for everyone here. Around here, that means we worship defiantly, speak truth unashamedly, and extend grace generously. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach across Central Kentucky and all around the world, visit: https://southland.church/give

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 2025 Gospel Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.  

Luke 1:26–38 - [26] In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. [28] And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” [29] But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. [30] And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. [31] And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” [34] And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” [35] And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. [36] And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. [37] For nothing will be impossible with God.” [38] And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (ESV)   THE EVENING MINDSET IS COMING! Beginning January 1 - 2026 - A new DAILY podcast will be available to help you wind down, reset your mind on God’s truth, and prepare for a night of rest and rejuvenation. “The Daily Mindset” will launch on the podcast player of your choice on January 1, 2026. Subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode: https://EveningMindset.com

Glenn discusses the FBI's recent arrest of the suspected January 6 pipe bomber, over five years after the incident took place. Stu breaks down what we know about the Minnesota taxpayer money allegedly going to a terrorist group. Is Tim Walz actually retarded? Sister Christina, of the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth, joins to discuss the Christmas letters the order sends to abortion clinics that are saving lives and bringing people to Jesus Christ. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glenn discusses the FBI's recent arrest of the suspected January 6 pipe bomber, over five years after the incident took place. Glenn and Stu react to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's recent questionable department choices. Why do New Yorkers vote to undo any progress made in New York City? Glenn speaks on the importance of having true, God-given meaning. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) joins to discuss the recent SCOTUS decision that upheld Texas' new redistricting map. Stu breaks down what we know about the Minnesota taxpayer money allegedly going to a terrorist group. Is Tim Walz actually retarded? Sister Christina, of the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth, joins to discuss the Christmas letters the order sends to abortion clinics that are saving lives and bringing people to Jesus Christ. Glenn breaks down the difference between Donald Trump, the performer, and Donald Trump, the individual.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices