Podcasts about Simeon

Live from the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer & Retail Conference in New York, our analysts discuss the latest macro trends and pressures impacting the U.S. consumer.Read more insights from Morgan Stanley.----- Transcript -----Michelle Weaver: Welcome to Thoughts on the Market. We're coming to you live from Morgan Stanley's Global Consumer and Retail Conference in New York City, where we have more than 120 leading companies in attendance. Today's episode is the first in a two-part special focused on the consumer where we'll focus on the K economy and the health of the U.S. Consumer. Tomorrow for the next episode, we'll turn our attention to AI. My colleagues and I are eager to dig into this discussion. With me on stage, we have Arunima Sinha from the Global and U.S. Economics team, Simeon Guttman, our U.S. Hardlines, Broad Lines, and Food Retail Analyst, and Megan Clap, U.S. Food Producers and Leisure Analyst.It's Thursday, December 4th at 10:00 AM in New York. So, to start, I want to go through the health of the consumer. That's of course been a theme that's been on display at the conference today. And 2025 has really been a year of mixed signals. But overall spending has held up while inflation has weighed on confidence, especially among lower- and middle-income households. Arunima, I want to start with you on the macro front as we head into year end. How would you describe the overall state of the consumer? What are you expecting in terms of real wage growth and spending? Arunima Sinha: If we'll just look at the rearview mirror in terms of Q1 through Q3, this year spending growth on a real basis has been holding up. So, in the first half of this year, about 1.5 percent on average. For the third quarter, given the data that we do now have in hand, we're tracking about 3 percent, quarter-on-quarter, on a real basis. But I think it is important to emphasize that this is already a step down than the numbers that we were seeing last year. So, in 2024 on these Q-on-Q numbers, we were running somewhere between 3.9-4 percent. So there already has been some slowdown. The recurring theme that we've had this year is how are the drivers of consumption going to weigh on different cohorts? And so, how is the labor market going away and how are wealth effects going to play out? And that, sort of, tied in squarely with the narrative that we've been emphasizing this whole year, which is that for the upper income cohorts, those net wealth effects have been very, very supportive. $50 trillion in net wealth that's been created just over the last three years. And that has continued for this year as well. And so, meanwhile the labor market has downshifted and that's had a read through into both just nominal wage growth as well as real wage growth. So, for example, on a three-month, three-month basis, that real wage growth, after we've adjusted for the nominal for inflation, has slowed down essentially to stall speed. It used to run, somewhere between 2-2.5 percent, in the first part of this year. And that we think is going to have a read through as we go into this upcoming quarter of Q4, as well as in the first quarter of next year. So just this lagged effect from the slowdown on labor market income is going to weigh; continue to weigh on the middle-income and sort of the upper-, lower- part of the income cohort. So, in terms of our growth forecasts for spending, over this quarter in Q4 and over next quarter in Q1, we are expecting about 1 percent real growth for consumption. That is a two-percentage point step down from where we were in Q3. And then just in terms of disposable income, we're also thinking this particular quarter in Q4 is going to be fairly weak. Michelle Weaver: You spoke a little bit about the different income cohorts there, but I want to double click on that. The K economy has been a really persistent theme as higher income households have benefited from strong market returns. But higher price levels have weighed on lower-income households. What are your expectations for the high versus low-income consumer next year? Arunima Sinha: So next year, we do think that there could be some broadening out in consumption growth. Just overall we have a sequential step up in growth that begins to take place, starting in the second quarter of [20]26. So, we have consumption growth that starts to slowly inch up from about just under 1 percent in the first quarter of [20]26 – all the way up to about 2 percent by the end of the year. What that's going to be driven by, we think that there are going to be some lessening of pressures on the middle-income cohorts. And where is that going to come from? It's going to come from perhaps a still moderate labor market. So, we're not – we don't think we're going to be seeing these big 100,000-150,000 plus jobs being added every month. We're thinking maybe about 60,000 on average per month, for most of next year. But just less policy uncertainty, some boost from the fiscal bill, the fact that monetary policy is going to be heading towards neutral. All of those things should be supportive. Given that the upper-income didn't really slow down this year, we'd also don't think there's going to be a giant acceleration next year. And so, some of that uptick in consumption growth, we think could actually come from the middle-income. And we also think that some of those tariff pressures on inflation are going to start to dissipate after peaking in the first quarter next year. Michelle Weaver: And Simeon, I want to bring the company side into the conversation. What's the early read you've gotten on Black Friday? Expectations into the shopping season were pretty weak. Do you think things could turn out to be better than feared? And are you seeing any differences by income cohort there? Simeon Gutman: The overall take is, it's mixed – to maybe slightly a little worse. I'll answer it in a few different ways. First, the old-fashioned tire kicking that the retail analysts have done during the holiday season. In our hard line, broad line, food retail space mixed to slightly a little worse. In Alex Straton's softline world sounded a little bit better. And then if we combine the takeaways that we've had from companies, at least who presented yesterday, Walmart, Target and some other category killer retailers, it sounded about inline. Underlying trend is relatively stable.I sat on a panel earlier today, with a data aggregator who suggested that the holiday was a little underwhelming. What we don't see; and the underwhelming being at a minus 2 percent run rate for the – I guess, the November to date period, that doesn't include Cyber Monday. What this doesn't account for is the market share shifts. So, one of the ongoing themes across the entire retail landscape has been this big, getting bigger – we say it a lot – but the narrowing funnel of market share. So, the inline updates are probably coming from some of the largest companies, even if the overall holiday was a little underwhelming. Now inline is not anything to write home about. It's harder to get to an inline holiday if you started out below. So inline's okay but not gangbusters. That's probably the right way to characterize it. Michelle Weaver: Megan, same question to you. How is holiday shopping tracking in your space? Have you learned anything surprising about holiday during the conference? Megan Clap: Yeah, I would agree with Simeon relatively inline. I'd say kind of so far so good is what we heard from companies at the conference. We had both Mattel and Shark Ninja product companies that sell into many of the larger retailers that are winning that – that Simeon talked about.Holiday matters a lot for both of them. So, we're still many weeks ahead of us in terms of POS, but Mattel talked about positive POS continuing through the Black Friday season. They left their guidance unchanged today. They're seeing replenishment from their retailers and orders in line with expectations, which was a question just given some of the uncertainty in the landscape. Shark Ninja sells small appliances. They spoke to a strong Black Friday – again, seeing the fourth quarter and holiday play out in line with their expectations. Maybe a couple themes that stood out and one of them was particularly interesting to me. You talked about the K economy, I think, you know, it was very clear the higher end consumer continues to spend and outperform. Value and innovation continue to be things that consumers are looking for. Online seem to do better than in stores. That's what we heard from a lot of companies coming out of last week. And then newer channels like TikTok Shop are coming into the mix and, and brands are seeing, you know, strong growth from those channels as well. Michelle Weaver: And Arunima, I want to wrap this section on Fed policy. How do you expect Fed policy in 2026 to influence consumer spending and recovery, especially for those middle- and lower-income households? Arunima Sinha: We still have the Fed on an easing path into the first half of 2026. So we think 75 basis points and additional policy cuts into next year. But that more or less just takes monetary policy to some estimate of neutral. So, the point is that it's not monetary policy's becoming easier, it is simply just getting too neutral. And so, if we think about the most interest sensitive types of consumption, it's going to come from Housing and it's going to come from Durables. And what our housing strategists are thinking is that given this sort of front end of the curve, our tenure forecast for the middle of next year is still at about 3.75. And so, mortgage rates could dip below 6 percent. So, it's not the front end of the curve. It is that sort of belly of the curve there that's important there. And so there could be some pickup in housing that's going to be important. I think for the middle-income consumer affordability, we think it's still going to be an important concern for housing, but perhaps the middle-income could benefit from some of those lower mortgage rates that are going to come in. Michelle Weaver: ​ Arunima, Simeon, and Megan, thanks for all your insights. And to our live and podcast audiences, thanks for listening. If you enjoy Thoughts on the Market, please leave us a review wherever you listen to the show and share the podcast with a friend or colleague today.

Simeon, an ordinary man, was anointed by God and given prophetic words about Jesus… just 8 days after He was born! Find out what his message meant for Mary… and for us.

In this message, Pastor Neal Nolan is speaking a message during our midweek service entitled "Simeon's Spirit-Filled Hope". This sermon was recorded on December 3rd, 2025 at our main campus in Florence, SC Support the show

Simeon was an ordinary man who had the extraordinary privilege of holding Jesus in his arms... eight days after he was born. Hear his testimony and discover what he said about the Son of God, as Pastor Colin delivers a first-person message from Simeon.

Happy Tuesday! Topics today include giving Tuesday, praying through Luke 2, the sovereignty of God, the most repeated command in the Bible, the promise of peace to every believer, sharing of the good news like the shepherds, accomplishing the will of God according to the Word of God like Joseph and Mary, being filled with the Holy Spirit like Simeon, staying faithful through the years like Anna and more. The Faith Music christmas concert is this Saturday! Get your tickets for Faith Music Christmas here! Janice's books What Do I Have to Lose? Books 1 and 2   are available NOW!! The complete set is just $25. Check it out at FaithMusicRadio.com. >> Also, featuring A Word of Encouragement with Vicky Mutchler, CW Today with Loretta Walker and The Teacher's Key with Cathy Sandiford.  Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and please share this podcast with your friends so we may be an encouragement to them through the music and programming on Faith Music Radio. Music is brought to you by Faith Music Missions. Learn more here >>> https://www.faithmusicmissions.org Eleven2One Facebook  Eleven2One on Instagram Faith Music Radio is a listener supported Christian station.

Bonjour à tous, Aujourd'hui, on vous embarque en direct du circuit de Magny-Cours, où j'ai la chance de rencontrer une figure majeure de la moto belge : Xavier Siméon. Ancien pilote mondial, Xavier revient avec nous sur la naissance de sa passion, du karting – où il devient champion de Belgique en 1998 – jusqu'à ses titres en Superstock. Il évoque ses années Moto2 et nous raconte également son arrivée en MotoGP chez Avintia en 2018, ses débuts difficiles mais riches d'enseignements, avant son passage en MotoE et son aventure victorieuse en endurance avec le SERT. Retraité depuis 2022, il accompagne aujourd'hui de jeunes pilotes comme Barry Baltus et Justine Pedemonte, avec l'envie de transmettre son expérience et sa vision du sport moto. Bonne écoute ! Twitter: @cqep_podDiscord: https://discord.gg/eAG5xemGénérique : “Road trip” by Scott Holmes http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes

What does it mean to wait with hope? Gemma Ryan explores the story of Simeon—a man who waited decades for the Messiah—and invites us into three transformative questions: What are you waiting for? Who are you becoming as you wait? And what is sustaining you in the waiting? She shows us how waiting isn't passive but active, and how our seasons of in-between can become the very places where God refines and transforms us.Key Scripture Passages: Luke 2v1-7, 22-35; Psalm 130; Isaiah 40; Galatians 4v4This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for this episode goes to: Kathleen from Dallas, Texas; Shailaja from Cranbury, New Jersey; Edward from Pacific Palisades, California; Jeremy from Shoreview, Minnesota; and David from Hove, East Sussex. Thank you all so much!If you'd like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.

As we journey toward Christmas, we're reflecting on the stories of who Jesus is. This week, we go to Luke 2 for Simeon's account of meeting the Lord's Messiah and the hope found in Him. Together, we ask the question: Do You Know Him? So settle in and let your heart lean towards our King.Let's tune in and listen.Connect with us: @ascentchurchvaConnect with our Lead Pastor: @pastor.tlaneIf you've just made a decision for Christ, we'd love to celebrate with you. Please connect with us through our A-Card here: https://www.liinks.co/ascentchurch

He was a Galilean of the tribe of Simeon. The Old Testament book that bears his name foretells the destruction of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, by the Medes, and the restoration of the Kingdom of Judah; all of this came to pass. Nahum is counted as the seventh of the Minor Prophets. He reposed in peace. His name means 'consolation' or 'repose.'   Five of the Prophets (Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Daniel) are commemorated in December. At one time a Feast of the Twelve Prophets was celebrated on December 4 at the Church of the Resurrection, but this feast is no longer on the calendar. The days leading up to Christ's Nativity contain many commemorations of the faithful remnant of Israel, all of whose hopes were fulfilled in the birth of the Messiah.

He was a Galilean of the tribe of Simeon. The Old Testament book that bears his name foretells the destruction of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, by the Medes, and the restoration of the Kingdom of Judah; all of this came to pass. Nahum is counted as the seventh of the Minor Prophets. He reposed in peace. His name means 'consolation' or 'repose.'   Five of the Prophets (Nahum, Habbakuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and Daniel) are commemorated in December. At one time a Feast of the Twelve Prophets was celebrated on December 4 at the Church of the Resurrection, but this feast is no longer on the calendar. The days leading up to Christ's Nativity contain many commemorations of the faithful remnant of Israel, all of whose hopes were fulfilled in the birth of the Messiah.

We hope you are inspired and fulfilled by this week's message from Pastor Neil Hopper. https://www.instagram.com/cedarlake_cc/

Join us as we look at the different people who make up the Christmas story, how God used them, and how we can apply their stories to our lives.

God's presence comes in many ways—through praise, through longing, and through God's grace—and it reaches all people, regardless of status or background. From Mary's song of worship to the shepherds' encounter, and from Simeon and Anna's patient waiting to the magi's journey of grace, Christmas reveals God drawing near. This series explores how Jesus makes His presence known to each of us today.Part 1Mary responds to God's work in her life with praise, recognizing His faithfulness and mercy. Her song shows how worship draws our hearts into God's presence. Praise opens our eyes to what God is doing around us.Check out thisisfoundry.com for more information about Foundry Church!Follow @thisisfoundry on social media for updates.

In this episode we examine Luke 1–2 to show that the true Spirit of Christmas is worship — an inward, Godward response as seen in Mary, Elizabeth, Zacharias, the angels, the shepherds, Simeon, and Anna. We contrast superficial holiday rituals with heartfelt praise, and this highlights Mary's recognition that this child was her Savior, and points listeners to Christ as Savior who brings peace and redemption. (Remastered).

Jesus is born. Wonder, peace and joy accompany. Mom and dad present their first born son as a servant to the Lord, a dedication of sorts at the temple. A sacrifice. What we see is generosity is a sacrifice. Then we meet some seekers. Simeon and Ana, and they see with their own eyes what they had been searching for their whole lives. A lifetime of seeking. What we also see is what you seek sets the course of your life.

In this stirring and deeply encouraging Advent message, Pastor Karl launches the new series The King Has Come with a powerful exploration of the first great gift Jesus brings: hope.Turning to Luke 2 and the quiet, largely forgotten figures of Simeon and Anna, Pastor Karl paints a vivid picture of two elderly saints who spent decades waiting in faithful obscurity—praying unanswered prayers, worshiping through silence, and serving without recognition. Yet the moment a 40-day-old baby was carried into the temple, their Spirit-illuminated eyes saw what the crowds missed: the long-promised Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, the Redemption of Jerusalem.Through their story, Pastor Karl reveals that biblical hope is not wishful thinking; it is the confident, unshakable expectation of future good rooted in the unchanging character and faithfulness of God. Hope grows in the hidden soil of daily faithfulness, thrives when God chooses to work in silence, and celebrates the tiny seed because it already trusts the coming harvest. Simeon and Anna never saw Jesus preach, heal, or rise from the dead—yet they held the infant King and departed in peace, because they knew who He was long before they saw what He would do.A tender yet convicting word for everyone who has waited a long time and is still waiting, prayed a long time and is still praying, and hoped a long time and is still hoping. In a season that can feel rushed and noisy, this message calls us to slow down, stay faithful, and train our eyes to recognize the presence of the King—even when He shows up wrapped in the ordinary, the small, and the seemingly insignificant.Because the King has come, hope is not dead. It is alive, resilient, and bubbling up in every heart that keeps showing up and keeps looking for Jesus. Essential listening for anyone who needs fresh hope this Christmas.Watch all our sermons on our youtube channel "Flipside Christian Church"Join us in person 9:00am & 10:30am every Sunday morning.37193 Ave 12 #3h, Madera, CA 93636For more visit us at flipside.churchFor more podcasts visit flipsidepodcasts.transistor.fm

Waiting in Hope (Simeon)

The Christmas season teaches us how to wait and what to wait for, and in Luke 2, Simeon shows us that Christian hope is a Spirit-empowered anticipation of future good rooted in the person and promises of God. Cascades Church is a church in the heart of Metro Vancouver longing to see our city renewed […]

Psalmer: 103:1-3; 697:6; 104:1-4; 105; 110; 421; 108:1-3

103:1-3; 697:6; 104:1-4; 105; 110; 421; 108:1-3

When we think about reading Luke 2, our thoughts naturally turn to the story of Jesus' birth. But what follows is the account of a man named Simeon, a man who marveled at the sight of Jesus because he knew that at last, salvation had come. In this week's message, Pastor John takes us through Simeon's story, showing us what we all should marvel at: the wonder of Jesus.

Post-Thanksgiving vibes in the bomb shelter! Dan and Frank swap holiday stories (Easton–P'burg memories and a new family baby on the way), then crank up the Hot Stove: the Mets' infield shuffle (Simeon for Nimmo talk), what it could mean for Tucker/Bellinger/Realmuto targets, plus the Phillies' quiet start.College football hits Rivalry Week: Texas–A&M, conference title games on deck, and who's really got a path in the new 12-team playoff.Then a full NFL Week 12 whiparound:Chiefs 23, Colts 20 (OT): KC escapes to keep the playoff door cracked.Bears 31, Steelers 28: Chicago steals one; NFC North stays spicy.Patriots 26, Bengals 20: Drake May keeps stacking wins.Ravens 23, Jets 10; Seahawks 27, Titans 24; Packers 27, Vikings 13Lions 34, Giants 27: Jamir Gibbs goes video-game mode late.Jaguars 27, Cardinals 24; Browns 24, Raiders 10; Falcons 24, Saints 10Rams 34, Bucs 7: LA looks hotter by the week.49ers 20, Panthers 9: Turnovers galore, CMC cleans it up.Cowboys 24, Eagles 21: Down 21–0, Dallas storms back—Pickens shines, Dak cooks.Plus: pick standings, lone-wolf chaos, and the Survivor Pool down to three (could this be the week it ends?).Special Thanks to:Fox Brothers Alarms - https://foxbrothersalarms.com First Baptist church of Phillipsburg NJ http://www.fbcpburg.org/

This Sunday marks the beginning of the Advent season, a time of anticipation, reflection, and preparation as we remember Christ's first coming and look forward to His return. Our sermon will focus on the theme of hope - not wishful thinking, but the confident expectation of God's promises fulfilled. We'll explore the story of Simeon, the righteous man in Luke 2 who waited patiently for the Messiah and finally saw God's salvation with his own eyes. His example reminds us that hope is active, shaping how we live and respond to the world around us. We'll also see how hope transforms our daily lives, whether in our marriages, work, parenting, and friendships. Just as Simeon's hope brought clarity and joy in the ordinary moment of seeing a baby in the temple, the hope we have in Christ gives us strength, perspective, and courage in the challenges we face every day. We'll look at biblical examples, like the woman at Bethany who poured costly perfume on Jesus, and modern examples of faith lived with hope, to see how this assurance in God changes everything. Finally, we'll consider how this hope is more than a feeling. It is an anchor for our souls, firm and secure. Through Scripture, we'll reflect on God's promises, the gift of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance, and the assurance that the best is yet to come. My prayer is that each of us will leave this Sunday renewed in hope, confident in Christ's presence in our lives, and inspired to live in light of the great salvation God has promised.

Join us for the inaugural sermon of our 2025 Advent teaching series, "Advent in the Psalms." This week, pastor Matthew teaches about Hope through the life of Simeon and Anna in Luke 2.

This week Pastor Brent walks through the story of Simeon and Anna to show how Jesus brings the gift of true, confident hope. Their expectant faith points us to the promises of God we can trust today—promises fulfilled in Christ and anchored in His love, truth, and faithfulness.

Do You See What I See (What Simeon Saw) - Pastor Brent Ingersoll

Christmas is coming! That news may conjure mixed emotions for many of us as adults, but for the original hearers it was overwhelmingly wonderful news. When joy erupts in our lives that strongly, it often spills out of us in other ways. (There's a reason stores and radio stations start playing certain songs.) Repeatedly in the Gospel of Luke, the response was spontaneous songs of joy - from Zechariah, Mary, the angels and even Simeon. For the next four weeks, as we prepare to celebrate the Incarnation, we're going to reflect on the joy that led them to erupt in hymns of joy and deliverance. We begin this week with the Benedictus: "The Songs of Advent: Zechariah" (Luke 1:67-80).

Join us as we continue our Advent reflection series Introduction. In this second reflection, Dan looks at Simeon and the “peace of recognition”—the kind of peace that comes not from circumstances resolving, but from seeing Christ in the middle of our lostness. A full description of the episode with detailed information. Episode Note A formatted description of this episode, supported by Apple Podcasts. Other podcasting platforms may display this description differently. Episode Type Full (default) A complete episode. Season Number Apple Podcasts only displays season numbers for podcasts with more than one season. Episode Number An episode number. This sets the recommended order for your podcast episodes. Episode Duration (hh:mm:ss) The duration of this episode. Explicit Content This episode contains explicit content. Podcast Analytics URL To track analytics for this episode using a third-party service, enter its URL. Learn more.

The season of Advent makes us contend with waiting. In our struggle, hope gives shape to our waiting and keeps us from giving up. Using the story of Simeon found in Luke 2:25-32, Pastor Jordan Kologe looks at waiting in four movements—what are we waiting for? how do we wait? why can we wait? and the end of waiting. To watch the video referenced in this sermon, please visit bibleproject.com.

Power UpLuke 2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, According to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,, King James VersionIn this episode, we are seeking the Lord on behalf of several right now issues that we are facing on this earth. We are praying for our children, our parents, our loved ones that are suffering with sicknesses, and we are lifting up our leaders. Thank you for being a supporter of this podcast as I grow and learn things will become more like previous episodes, but I do not want to delay the podcast while I learn how to use the new format. Thank you for all of your support. Thank you for your shares. Thank you for joining your faith with my faith so that we can see God move upon the face of the earth if you have a prayer request, you can text 843-790-4229 or submit it by email to seeingwithoutseeing2020@gmail.com. Please put prayer request in the subject line. That email address can be used on Zelle and PayPal. If you desire to sow a seed, you can do that also on cash app at $seeingwithoutseeing. Thank you once again for your support please share this and believe God with us as we seek God.

Sunday Morning, November 30, 2025Hope - Jesus coming into the world brings HOPE for ChristmasSimeon Speaks ... Luke 2:21-35A message delivered by Richard Fleming

Thank you for joining for worship at Meadowbrook.If you are joining via Facebook or YouTube and experiencing any difficulties, consider joining us at https://www.meadowbrookbc.org/live. We also have channels available on the Meadowbrook App as well as Apple and Roku.

Thank you for joining for worship at Meadowbrook.If you are joining via Facebook or YouTube and experiencing any difficulties, consider joining us at https://www.meadowbrookbc.org/live. We also have channels available on the Meadowbrook App as well as Apple and Roku.

Pastor Chris Winans begins a new sermon series for the Advent season of 2025 called “From Promise to Praise”. This week he discusses Simeon from book of Luke, chapter 2 verses 25 to 35, and how God's promise to Simeon to meet the Messiah was faithful.www.cornerstonebrighton.com

By Rev Charlie Lacey | Luke 1: 39-56Luke 1: 39-56 (NIV)On this first Sunday of Advent we began a new series called, ‘Songs of Advent'.  Luke includes four songs in the first two chapters of his Gospel. Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and Simeon, all break into song.  And over the next four weeks we'll see that their song is also our song – as we celebrate what God has done, is doing, and will do to redeem and restore this broken world.

📝 Summary 📝 Title: A Weary World Rejoices Speaker: Jonny Greaves Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Isaiah 40 Overview: In this sermon, Jonny Greaves explores the Christmas story through the lens of weariness. Speaking from Luke 2, Jonny contrasts the brief, humble arrival of Jesus with the explosive, glorious announcement made to the shepherds. Just as the people of Israel waited through 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, we often find ourselves waiting in a weary world. But the appearance of the angels to ordinary shepherds reminds us that God has not forgotten His people. Key Points: The Reality of Weariness: Whether it's the exhaustion of raising children or the spiritual fatigue of living in a broken world, weariness is a real part of the human experience. The 400 Years of Silence: Jonny highlights the historical context of the "Intertestamental Period"—four centuries where God seemed silent, paralleling our own feelings of waiting for promises to be fulfilled. A Savior and a Sign: The sermon draws a powerful contrast between the angel's grand title for Jesus ("Messiah, Lord") and the humble sign given to identify him ("a baby in a manger"). Active Faith: The shepherds didn't just marvel at the angels; they responded with active faith ("Let's go and see"). They connected the ancient promises of God with the reality before them. Comfort, Glory, and Peace: Drawing from Isaiah 40, Jonny reminds us that the message of Christmas is one of comfort. God keeps His promises, His glory is revealed in unexpected ways, and He brings peace to a weary world. Call to Action: If you are feeling weary today, "Listen to the angels." Remember that God is working in small, inconspicuous ways to grow His Kingdom and that He has not abandoned you. 📝 Transcript: A Weary World Rejoices Speaker: Jonny Greaves Scripture Focus: Luke 2:1-20 Jonny Greaves: Thank you. Good morning, everyone. It's been a while. It's good to see you all. So start with the easy stuff. Hands up, who is feeling weary this morning? Some of you are willing to admit it. Some of you are so weary you can't even lift your hands in the air. That's tough, isn't it? Yeah, we are working our way through a couple of different talks in the Sundays coming up to Christmas, talking about, yeah, what it is that we as Christians look forward to at Christmas time. And what it is to worship God and to look to Jesus at this time in a weary world. Yeah, just out of interest, out of all of you who put your hands up before, how many of you had a baby this year? Anyone else? No, just me. I have to remind myself it's okay to feel weary sometimes. But weariness can take many forms and shapes, can't it? But it is also something that Nick's already talked about this morning—it permeates our world, not just our hearts and not just our feelings, but the world itself can seem weary. And this is why this is the subject that we're talking about this morning as we read this passage. We're going to be reading from Luke Chapter 2, if you want to follow along. But yeah, the reason that we're looking at this passage is because it speaks into our world today, and it's very relevant in so many respects. I'm going to be reading it for us in the NIV, and we're starting from verse one of Luke Chapter 2. "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. 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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 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." Just going to pause there a second because we've already done the entire Christmas story. Has anyone ever noticed that when they get to this bit in Nativity plays and stuff, you go, "That seems very anticlimactic"? Isn't this supposed to be the most exciting bit? That was seven verses. But Mary's prayer in the previous chapter was nine verses long. You know, when Mary says, "My soul magnifies the Lord"? Nine verses. And we just read the story of Jesus in seven verses, and one of those was about who the governor of Syria was. Sometimes the Bible is incredibly sparse on detail for some reason. That can be very perplexing sometimes. But often, it is for the very reason that the birth of Jesus in this story is just the setup. It's just the setup to what we're about to read in the next little section. Which is really interesting. And this is the thing—those of you who have ever been on journeys with babies will know it was not uneventful, shall we say. Erica and I, when we only had one baby, decided, "I think it should be fine for us to drive all the way back from Aberdeen in one go." Right? Didn't we? We thought, "It's only seven hours or so with a one-year-old in the back. How bad could it be?" And we got as far as Leeds and he had a meltdown. Bless him. He said, "You have gone too far. This is as far as I can go." Sometimes journeys can be really hard work with babies, and we don't get a lot of detail, do we? We're just here that Mary and Joseph are on their way, that they've been summoned, they have to travel, they're going to the town of David, to the place Joseph's family comes from. And when they get there, a baby arrives. And that's the setup for the rest of the chapter. And then we're going to read the next bit. From verse 8, it says: "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.' 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.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." It's quite an amazing reading to think, when you put it in that context, that the birth of Jesus himself is just a small little first part of this story. If you're splitting this into a three-act play, the birth of Jesus is just the beginning. Op, Jesus has arrived. There he is. He's in Bethlehem. And then the crazy, incredible revelation that comes in the second act is: Angels appear to shepherds. Random nobodies who are out in the middle of nowhere. And God breaks in and appears to them in this crazy and powerful way. If you're wondering, you know, as I said, sometimes the Bible is very sparse on detail. We don't get a lot of detail about the birth of Jesus. And yet we get loads of detail about what is going on in the lives of these shepherds. A day in the life of what it is being a shepherd in Bethlehem. One day, it's probably very just trying to keep warm and stare at sheep. And then the next day, Heaven itself opens up and angels are appearing and there's praising God and there's blinding lights and there's terror! People fearing for their very lives because the very presence of God breaking in. This is not a normal Tuesday for a shepherd, is it? This is crazy. This is something incredible. And yet the story is that the revelation of God to these normal, everyday shepherds is about that very story that I just said had no details about. It's about the thing that had just happened. Jesus had been prophesied. Jesus had been talked about to his mother. If you read in Matthew's gospel, angels had also spoken to Joseph, his father. And they knew this baby was coming. They knew this baby was going to be special. But when the baby arrives, he just arrives. It's just a normal day in a sleepy little town. And there he is. And yet just outside, out on the hills, Heaven opens up and something is revealed to just normal everyday people about this baby. This baby is special. So special that something is revealed to these shepherds. And that's what we're going to look at. And the things that the angel speaks about. First of all, is not to be afraid. It's one of those interesting stories that we kind of forget that when these stories happen in the Bible, so often biblical characters throw themselves on the ground in fear and terror. That they see something that they are not expecting. Something so far outside normality they fear for their very lives. Because the presence of God is breaking in to this place. The analogy that we often use with our kids is talking about how the sun is really, really good for you. But if you get too close to it, you're going to get burnt. And it's the presence of God is incredible and life-giving, and also terrifyingly dangerous. And that they're in the midst of this weird place where God is revealing Himself to them and the angel comes and speaks and says, "Do not be afraid." This is why, because of what he is declaring. This is good news of great joy for all people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God. It says a baby has been born. A Savior. A Savior has been born in verse 11. And then in verse 12, the sign that the Savior has been born is a tiny baby wrapped in cloths lying in an animal food trough. What a weird juxtaposition, hey? What a weird contrast of God saying that his promised Savior has arrived, and a little baby is lying in a place where they've just not got enough space to fit a baby in. In a crowded house full of people and animals. Here's a baby that's just arrived. And yet this is the sign. This is the sign to them that God is doing something. I'm just going to jump in here to ask you, how well do you know the history of the country that you live in right now? That you're in? We're going to do a little quick quiz. Can we have the next slide? Here's a question for you. If you roll back the clock 400 years, what do you know about the year 1625? Come on, hands up. Anybody? Anybody feeling super confident that they know anything that happened in the year 1625? (Interacting with audience) Yeah? (Audience member speaks) Not quite, but you're close! Yes. We did get a new monarch. Does anyone know who it was? It was Charles I. There you go. We went from James I to Charles I in 1625. So Charles I arrived on the throne of England in 1625. Anyone want to take a stab? We didn't have Prime Ministers. Who was the speaker of the House of Commons? Anybody? Speaker of the Parliament? Do I hear Sir Thomas Crew? I had to Google that one. I didn't know that one apparently. Yes. Over in America, the Dutch colonists called a tiny little place New Amsterdam. They settled that in 1625, which is now one of the biggest cities in the world, New York City, was founded 400 years ago in 1625. When I asked this question last week to the youth and I said to them, "What do you know about the year 1625?" I said, "There was rumblings that a Civil War might be breaking out in this country. How many of you knew that a Civil War happened in the 1600s?" I got a range of responses from "What?" all the way to "Oh yeah." That was the spectrum. And what I didn't get a single one was, "Of course. Obviously everyone knows about King Charles coming to the throne in 1625. Everyone knows about the English Civil War." What I definitely got was a few responses of, "So what?" "So what?" 400 years is ancient history to us. As I just demonstrated. I also demonstrated when I was speaking to them, I said, "Thank goodness. I'm really pleased that your biblical knowledge is slightly better than your English history knowledge." That we have some a bit more idea because we're working through the timeline of the Bible with the youth at the moment. And this is exactly the kind of things I'm wanting them to help to understand. The timeline of the Bible is significant to the story of the Bible and was significant to the people in Jesus' day in this story. But here's the question. How relevant was it do you think? If 1625 is ancient history to us and the stories of the Bible at this time when Jesus was born—the stories of Nehemiah returning and rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after they've been thrown down, and Ezra re-establishing a temple that had been stripped out and destroyed and trying to bring the people back to worshiping God the way that they were supposed to—all these things are centuries old. At least 400 years old. And since then? Nothing. There have been no prophets. There have been no signs. There have been no angels appearing to people for 400 years. Not only was it not a normal day in the life of a shepherd, this was not normal in the life of Israel at this period in time. What this period of time was signified by was a time of waiting. And waiting. And waiting and waiting and waiting. For generations. The people of Israel had been waiting and waiting and waiting because God had made promises. And the people were asking, "What do these promises really look like? And what do they mean for us today?" Interestingly, as I said, some of those last stories we have of the Old Testament, that Jerusalem was destroyed and burned down and had been almost completely obliterated, and that God had brought back his people bit by bit and they'd rebuilt the walls and they re-established the temple. Jerusalem itself was looking pretty good at this period in history at the time of Jesus. It was quite prosperous. It was quite rich. They had rebuilt a really big fancy temple. Also, they had Romans marching on the streets. They had an occupying force who was really pulling the strings. They had a puppet King on the throne who was living very nicely and doing very well for himself. But they were also a people that were occupied and oppressed by other nations. They weren't truly free and they weren't truly sovereign. And yet, some people were saying, you know, "The promises of God. We've just got to hold onto them and wait for them." Some people must have been saying, "It's been centuries. Surely God's forgotten about us." So it's really amazing to see that the changes that happen when God breaks in at this period in history. He does it in a sleepy backwater town, outside the town, up in the hills. Angels appear to shepherds. Lowly, everyday working people. And God breaks in and shows to them, and here's why. This is what the angel says. "This is good news of great joy for all the people." This is for you. This is for them. These were nobodies in the society of their day. And the good news of Jesus is that a Savior has been born and it's good news for you. It was good news for everybody. And that's what we declare, isn't it? It is good news for all of us. The verse I really particularly want to focus on—can we have the next slide up, Graham?—is this particular little verse. That I've been talking a lot about just how incredible and crazy it is when these angels appear and what that experience must have been like. But in particular, I want to focus on how they respond. So the first angel appears, makes these promises, declares that a Savior has been born. They're going to see a sign when they see a baby. And then verse 13 it says: "A great company of heavenly host appear with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.'" It's a declaration of a Savior coming and a declaration of peace. And then verse 15 says: "When the angels had left them and gone into heaven..." When the darkness closes back in... This is what they say to each other. They say: "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." When I was talking about what the people of Israel would have been thinking about when you've been waiting, waiting for centuries, the question they would have been asking is: Does God keep his promises? Does he keep his promises? Because God had promised so many things to Israel and to his people. That the latest promises in the times of the prophets, the ones that they had heard most recently in their history, were promises that God wasn't going to abandon them. That God wasn't going to leave them. That God wasn't going to let them be forgotten and waste away and just disappear. They weren't going to be just like all the other nations. That these were a people that God had chosen for a particular purpose with a particular plan in mind. That way, way back, millennia before, in the times of Abraham, God had promised that the people of Israel were the ones who were going to bring blessing to the nations. That through the children of Abraham, God was going to establish blessing. He wanted to bring goodness and life and love back into a world that is full of all the opposite of those things. We already talked about just how weary the world is. The people of Bethlehem at this time would have known the weariness of the world. Nothing is new under the sun. There are wars and there are famines. There's natural disasters. There's the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. All these things have been going on for all time. And yet those promises had been spoken over those people, and they hadn't seen anything. And then this incredible story is God appearing, speaking to shepherds, and this is how they respond: "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened." They've heard God speak in an incredible and powerful way. But they don't just take that as, "That's not it. They're out there and all of a sudden they have this amazing bright shining light. They fear for their lives. They don't know what's going on. But when it goes, their response is, 'Let's go and see.' Let's go and see." Let's go and see if God is doing what he promised. This word is saying that there's a Savior coming, and the words of a Savior, the promises of a Savior had been spoken over the people of Israel for centuries. So many promises. You go all the way back to the time of Moses, when God talks about reclaiming his people and healing them and restoring them. And you read the prophets that speak about God giving his people new hearts and re-establishing his promises to them, and re-establishing those ancient promises to bless all the nations through them. All those promises... they'd been waiting to see fulfilled. And some people have been looking. Some people have been looking for God to keep his promises. That's one of the patterns as you read Luke's gospel all the way through. We haven't read Chapter 1, but if you read Chapter 1 and you read Chapter 2 onwards, you see introductions, tiny little slice of life of characters who are people who believe in God and are waiting for him to keep his promises. Centuries on, when they've seen nothing. Some of them are very, very old. My favorite Bible story is when you get to Simeon who meets Jesus when Jesus is just a tiny baby. Because he's described as a person who has just been waiting. Waiting, waiting, waiting. That's all he's been doing. And that there would have been many people in Israel who were still waiting at this time. And when they hear the promises of God, that God is going to rescue his people, they want to go and see it. That's what they want to do. They want to go and see it. Let's go and see. So that's what they do. They go to see it. They see the promises fulfilled and they see the baby just lying there. I always wondered, you know, it doesn't actually say... it's interesting, the angel says, "A Savior is going to be born and this is going to be the sign, the sign is going to be a tiny little baby." Doesn't necessarily put two and two together. The angel says, "There's going to be a Savior and this is the sign, an incredible thing is going to happen, you're going to find a baby in a weird place." And yet the shepherds put two and two together. They see him and they say, they speak about the promises that were made over him. They put those two things together. They see a tiny baby, but they're like, "But what we heard... the promises of God is that this guy is going to be the Savior. This tiny little baby is going to be the Savior of our people." It's incredible that this is the response that they have. And yet it's really encouraging to me. You know, these shepherds would have known what it is to live in a weary world. And in that respect, they're a lot like us. So, let's look at some of the things that come up through this passage. Can I have the next slide up, Graham? God is speaking and has been speaking for centuries. And it's at this point in the Bible, when we read this story, centuries of promises are coming true. I'm going to read a quick passage from Isaiah Chapter 40. God had been speaking through the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years before. And this is one of the promises that were made through the prophet Isaiah. This is from Isaiah Chapter 40, starting at verse 1. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.'" The promises of God are that the glory of God is going to be revealed. Through the prophet Isaiah, God is preaching comfort to his people. Knowing that they've got centuries of waiting to go. They've got to trudge through a weary world over and over, generation after generation, and all they've got to hold onto is the comfort of knowing that God has promised something and that God keeps his promises. They never saw it. You read Hebrews Chapter 11 and it describes all the heroes of faith going all the way back to the beginning of the Bible and it speaks about all these towering figures of faith like Moses and Abraham, and describes how they lived their life in faith. And at the end of the chapter it says every single one of these people never saw the fulfillment of the promises. But they lived by faith because they understood: God keeps his promises. Even if we don't see it. God keeps his promises. That's the comfort that God is establishing for his people. He has not forgotten them. And he's not abandoned them. And yet these promises that I'm reading to you now, for the shepherds, were hundreds of years old. They had to believe: "Is this really true? Does God really keep his promises?" The comfort that was found in knowing that God keeps his promises was illustrated to them by the glory of God. We speak about glory as, you know, bright shiny lights. That's how I depicted it on my slides. You know, that it says the glory of the Lord shone around them. And yet it's a picture of the reality. You know, I said that this wasn't a normal Tuesday for the shepherds. It says heaven opened up. And when you see inside, you see the heavenly host praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest" and "on earth peace." That's a normal Tuesday for them. That wasn't a one-off. But when heaven is opened up and you see the heavenly host revealed, they're always praising God. They're always speaking that truth. They're always demonstrating God is the same God. A God who keeps his promises. A God who sends a Savior. Just wait. Just wait. Because it's coming. And then these are the lucky ones. The blessed shepherds who get to see God is keeping his promise. And they get to experience the joy of knowing that God is bringing his promises into reality right there in front of them in the shape of a tiny little baby. [Baby cries in background] Hello. Just woken up. God is speaking comfort. God is speaking of glory. God is bringing joy into the world. Into a weary world. So we're going to respond by singing together. We're going to do a Christmas song. Because that's what I want to do. Graham's going to put a song on for us together. Feel free to stand up, sit down, whatever you want to do. But we're going to sing with the angels. Are you feeling weary? You don't have to put your hand up this time. Because it's okay if you are. It really is. Because weariness is reality. It's the reality of this world that we live in. And the other reality is what we see peeled away when heaven opens up in front of these angels. That's reality. Angels praising God and saying "Give glory to God in the highest and on earth peace." God is bringing and establishing peace. So how are we going to respond? The best piece of advice I can give to you is... I think David Eden said it best... Angels aren't just for Christmas. Listen to the angels. That's my advice for you. If you're feeling weary today, listen to the angels. Because the angels are speaking comfort to people. God hasn't forgotten us. God hasn't abandoned us. They're speaking of his glory. He has a plan. He has sent a Savior. He is the one who has established the plans to bring Jesus into this world in small and inconspicuous ways. This is how God's kingdom grows on the earth. This is how God's kingdom is growing in us and through us. In small and inconspicuous ways. But God is establishing his kingdom. He's turning the world upside down. And also joy. If you want to experience joy today, listen to the angels. The angels are speaking of glory to God and peace on earth that is because of Jesus. Because of this little baby who arrived. Knowing that the sacrifice he was going to make was going to reclaim his people from death. And sin itself was going to be destroyed. These are the message of hope that the angels proclaimed. So we're going to respond by singing together.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays His life down for His sheep. His sheep are an integral part of His mission and purpose - their salvation is right there in that close unity between the Father and the Son. Praise God that His sheep hear His voice!

We are all born into sin and we will all die with our natural inclination to sin. However, although we cannot overcome our sin nature, God can. And He did! Let us remember that we are born again and called to a better way. Acknowledge your natural weakness to sin, submit to God, and content for righteousness!

Get The Gift of Christ Advent Calendar DevotionalTwo men saw Jesus face-to-face, but only one walked away fulfilled. Why? And what does that reveal about your hope this Advent? In this episode, you'll discover the hidden difference between Simeon and Herod and how their responses to Jesus expose the real reason your hope sometimes feels heavy, disappointing, or spiritually dry. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, longing for closeness with God, or trying to reclaim the Hope of Advent, this episode will help you shift from self-centered desire to God-centered trust, so you can experience the fulfillment your heart craves this Christmas season.Scriptures ReferencedLuke 2:25 -35Luke 23:6-12Want to savor more goodness in your busy life? You're in the right place!Connect with like-minded women: If you're ready to find balance and peace, come together with women who understand the beauty of living a multifaceted life. ⁠⁠Join the community!⁠⁠Step into a calmer holiday rhythm: The Calm Christmas Workshop gives you space to pause, reflect, and shape the kind of Christmas you actually want to experience; Christ-centered, joy-filled, and free of overwhelm. ⁠⁠Enter the workshop today!Deepen your relationship with Christ before Christmas day: Get The Gift of Christ Advent Calendar Devotional and study the Gospel of Luke.Walk through the holiday season getting to know Christ the Man and wake up Christmas morning feeling peaceful and prepared. Get the devotional here!Let's Connect:Email: ⁠hello@p31virtues.com⁠Note: The show notes may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!

Main Passage: 1 Timothy 2:1-4As we are on mission in the world it will not be the case that everyone we meet will immediately give their lives to the Lord. We will face opposition. But we must not lose heart! The Lord calls for us to pray for the lost, just as He prayed for us before we were saved. We must be consistent in praying for individual lost people, our city, culture, nation, and the world. We se great examples of this in Simeon and Anna in the temple, Daniel in captivity, and Nehemiah in captivity.

No child will be able to start taking puberty blockers from December 19. The Government says the Ministry of Health has found a lack of evidence for the benefits or risks of gender dysphoria or incongruence treatment - gonadotropin - releasing hormone analogues. Health Minister Simeon Brown says they're putting up safeguards until more evidence is available. "Effectively, what we're doing is putting in place a restriction on the prescribing of these drugs for this purpose to make sure that those who are prescribing look at the wider range of treatments or things that can be done." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(7:14) Bible Study: 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63 Father talks about the sacredness of he Eucharist. (22:57) Break 1 The Heart of the Heart of God (31:07) Letters: What are the different types of love. Father talks about the good the true and the beautiful. Father answers these and other questions, send him a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (39:19) Break 2 (40:42) Word of the Day See (46:22) Phones: Steve - Last wed. you said you would tell us a story about St. Josephat and you never got to it. also, in Luke 2, Simeon 'appeared' and the other bible is said that he 'inspired by the spirit by the spirit' James - I say a rosary every day so do I have to do two if I want to participate in the Novena? Pete - My grandmother said that she might have been visited by an angel. Is there anything written about our lady or angles coming to children?

Genesis 49–50 What To Do Before You Die 1. Leave Words That Last (49:13-28) 2. Model Faith for the Next Generation (49:29-50:14) 3. Free Others Through Forgiveness (50:15-21) 4. Leave Behind Reminders of Your Faith (50:22-26) Jacob's Prophetic Blessings to His 12 Sons: Reuben: The firstborn who forfeited his preeminence through instability and sin. Simeon and Levi: Violent brothers whose anger led to dispersion among Israel. Judah: The tribe destined for leadership and kingship, from whom the Messiah would come. Zebulun: A tribe that would prosper through trade along the coast. Issachar: A strong but complacent worker who would submit to forced labor. Dan: A tribe that would bring justice to Israel but also act treacherously, like a serpent. Gad: A warrior tribe that would be attacked but would ultimately triumph. Asher: Blessed with rich food and prosperity, providing delicacies fit for kings. Naphtali: Free-spirited and fruitful, known for beauty and eloquence. Joseph: The fruitful and faithful son abundantly blessed and protected by God. Benjamin: Fierce and victorious in battle, like a ravenous wolf dividing the spoil.

This message takes us deep into Acts 13, where we encounter the church of Antioch—a congregation of unlikely leaders who became instrumental in launching the first missionary movement. The leadership team included Barnabas, a Levite from the wrong place; Simeon from North Africa, facing racial prejudice; Lucius from Libya, a Gentile convert; Manaen from royal privilege; and Paul, formerly a persecutor of Christians. Each had reasons to feel disqualified, yet God used them powerfully. The central truth here challenges everything we believe about our own limitations: God uses the least likely people to do the most unlikely things. This isn't just ancient history—it's a mirror reflecting our own insecurities and excuses. We're confronted with the reality that every reason we think disqualifies us from kingdom work is demolished by this chapter. The Antioch church wasn't great because of pedigree or talent; they excelled in the basics—worship, fasting, and prayer. They positioned themselves to need God, and He showed up. The story of Paul confronting the sorcerer Elymas reveals that our past struggles aren't prisons but training grounds. What was meant to destroy us, God redeems for His purposes. The question becomes intensely personal: Are we spectators or participants in God's mission? Are we living as 'Comcast Christians,' merely watching life happen, or are we stepping into the calling that's been placed on our lives? God doesn't need our perfection or our credentials—He's looking for our 'yes.'

MESSAGE | Dr. Brian Payne (Pastor) "Blessed Through the Offspring of Abraham" Genesis 49:1-12 1 | A Prophecy to Reuben (v. 1-4) 2 | A Prophecy to Simeon and Levi (v. 5-7) 3 | Prophecy to Judah (v. 8-12)

Revelation 7 ESV The 144,000 of Israel Sealed7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,12,000 from the tribe of Gad,6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher,12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali,12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon,12,000 from the tribe of Levi,12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun,12,000 from the tribe of Joseph,12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.A Great Multitude from Every Nation9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,    and serve him day and night in his temple;    and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;    the sun shall not strike them,    nor any scorching heat.17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,    and he will guide them to springs of living water,and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.

In this mind-bending episode of Bigfoot Society, host Jeremiah Byron sits down with Dr. Simeon Hein — author of Dark Matter Monsters — to explore the bridge between science and the unexplained.Simeon dives deep into how Bigfoot, UFOs/UAPs, and other paranormal encountersmay connect through dark matter physics, electromagnetic fields, and resonant energy phenomena. Discover how eyewitness reports, environmental changes, and even “the hitchhiker effect” could reveal hidden scientific truths behind mysterious creatures and high-strangeness events.

Welcome back to another wild episode of NNFA Podcast with the Casey Jones of NNFA, Simeon Goodson! He's back fresh off a casino run with Hannibal Buress, still lit from Dave & Buster's, and ready to drop gems (and chaos). Dave and Simeon dive into everything from Ozempic and Bad Bunny fandoms to Atlantic City pastors and hood dogs. It's raw, hilarious, and splendiferous! LIKE, SHARE & SUBSCRIBE to NNFA https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLAUp-4rTF4q4XLujbJ51YQ NO NEED FOR APOLOGIES TOUR DATES https://www.linktr.ee/nnfaNNFA MERCH https://nnfa.creator-spring.com/ BONUS EPISODES https://www.patreon.com/c/ImDaveTemple?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink -----------------Follow host Derek GainesIG https://www.instagram.com/thegreatboy/ Follow host Dave TempleIG https://www.instagram.com/imdavetemple/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DAT46Follow Simeon GoodsonIG - https://www.instagram.com/simdelacreme/ Follow No Need for ApologiesInstagram https://www.instagram.com/nnfapodcast/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@noneedforapologies Facebook https://www.facebook.com/noneedforapologies/Produced by Teona SashaIG https://www.instagram.com/teonasasha/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@teonasasha -----------------To advertise your product on our podcasts please email jimmy@gasdigitalmarketing.com with a brief description about your product and any shows you may be interested in advertising on.SEND US MAIL:GaS Digital StudiosAttn: NNFA151 1st Ave # 311New York, NY 10003"No Need for Apologies" - NEW Episodes every Saturday at 3PM/ET on YouTube-----------------See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unlike so many others who missed Jesus, Anna and Simeon were able to recognize the unexpected majesty of the newborn King. Their story raises the question for us: Will we see Jesus this Christmas?