Mary and Joseph take the newborn Jesus to be dedicated to the temple. There, they meet a prophet who gives blessings and warnings of things to come.
Today's Bible verse is Isaiah 40:31, from the King James Version.
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Speaker 1: But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.
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Speaker 1: They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall
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Speaker 1: run and not be weary. They shall walk and not
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Speaker 1: faint Isaiah forty thirty one. Dear Heavenly Father, in our
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Speaker 1: weariness and in times of exhaustion, this verse is a
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Speaker 1: beacon of hope. Help us to continually place our trust
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Speaker 1: and hope in you, knowing that it is only through
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Speaker 1: you that we can find renewed strength and vitality when
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Speaker 1: we feel like we can't go on. Remind us to
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Speaker 1: look and wait upon you and to rely on your
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Speaker 1: boundless strength. Teach us to soar like eagles, with a
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Speaker 1: perspective that rises above our present circumstances, focusing on your
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Speaker 1: eternal promises. May we run the race before us with endurance,
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Speaker 1: knowing that you are with us every step of the way,
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Speaker 1: empowering us to press forward. Thank you, Father for the
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Speaker 1: assurance that, no matter how tired we may feel, you
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Speaker 1: are our source of strength and renewal. In the powerful
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Speaker 1: and loving name of Jesus, we pray, Amen. Thank you
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Speaker 1: for praying with me today. Stay tuned now for another
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Speaker 1: episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
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Speaker 2: Jesus was eight days old, and as was the custom,
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Speaker 2: he was circumcised and dedicated to the Lord. When it
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Speaker 2: was time for him to be dedicated at the Temple,
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Speaker 2: Mary and Joseph traveled with their sacrifices to Jerusalem. The
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Speaker 2: journey from Bethlehem to Jerusalem was not far. In fact act,
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Speaker 2: Mary and Joseph found joy in traveling without turmoil and danger.
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Speaker 2: They slowly walked the path with anticipation and faith. Joseph
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Speaker 2: led Mary and Jesus to the Temple gates, his eyes
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Speaker 2: wide with reverence as they approached the majestic structure. Its
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Speaker 2: walls were vast and magnificent, arrayed with gold, ivory, and cedar,
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Speaker 2: standing as a testament to the glory and majesty of God.
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Speaker 2: The descendants of David approached the Temple, their hearts filled
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Speaker 2: with surreal awe, their footsteps echoing with the weight of
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Speaker 2: both history and prophecy.
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Speaker 3: Welcome to another Christmas episode of Stories of the Messiah
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Speaker 3: i'm Ethan from the Jesus Podcast. Today's episode is taken
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Speaker 3: from Luke Chapter two, verses twenty one through thirty five.
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Speaker 3: Mary and Joseph, as was the custom of the day
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Speaker 3: took Jesus to be circumcised and dedicated in the Temple.
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Speaker 3: As they entered the temple, they'll meet a stranger with
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Speaker 3: the found message of hope, salvation, and warning. Before we
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Speaker 3: begin today's story, let's talk about the significance of circumcision
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Speaker 3: on the eighth Day. As you already know, my ministry
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Speaker 3: is dedicated to showcasing the message of Christ in the
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Speaker 3: Old and New Testaments. This act of circumcision on the
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Speaker 3: eighth Day is a significant Jewish custom with deep meaning
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Speaker 3: and spiritual weight. Jesus's circumcision on the eighth Day was
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Speaker 3: more than a cultural custom. It was an act of
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Speaker 3: obedience to God's command and a symbol of the covenant
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Speaker 3: relationship between God and his people. Circumcision in the Old
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Speaker 3: Testament represented an external sign of an internal commitment to
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Speaker 3: follow God's ways. By following this command, Mary and Joseph
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Speaker 3: align Jesus with the traditions of Israel and the promise
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Speaker 3: God made to Abraham. In Jesus, this covenant finds its
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Speaker 3: fullest expression the God Man. Jesus Christ embodies the perfect
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Speaker 3: obedience we fail to attain. Through faith in him, we
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Speaker 3: enter into a new covenant where the sign is not
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Speaker 3: physical circumcision, but the circumcision of our hearts. Paul made
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Speaker 3: that very claim in Colossians chapter two, verse eleven, when
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Speaker 3: he said in him also you were circumcised with a
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Speaker 3: circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of
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Speaker 3: the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ. Through Christ, we
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Speaker 3: are all brought into the promise of Abraham. With that knowledge,
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Speaker 3: Let's immerse ourselves in this story and meet a man
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Speaker 3: named Simeon, who was waiting for the fulfillment of a
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Speaker 3: promise made by God. After this story we will mind
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Speaker 3: the depths of Simeon's prophetic statements.
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Speaker 2: Sitting under the shadow of the templed gates was a
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Speaker 2: man named Simeon. His face was etched with the lines
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Speaker 2: of age and wisdom. His eyes were filled with a
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Speaker 2: patient longing. He sat there quietly every day, watching his
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Speaker 2: new born children were brought in to be dedicated. The
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Speaker 2: thought of new life being raised in the love of
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Speaker 2: the lord enlivened him a spark that sustained him through
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Speaker 2: the long, slow march of time. Yet there was one
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Speaker 2: child in particular he was waiting to see. For years,
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Speaker 2: Simeon had waited to see the Messiah enter the temple gates.
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Speaker 2: The Lord had told him long ago that he would
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Speaker 2: witness his coming, so he waited patiently, his spirit attuned
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Speaker 2: to the heartbeat of Eternity, his soul resonant with the
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Speaker 2: whispers of the Lord. Age had fought against Simeon's will
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Speaker 2: for quite some time, but he was determined to see
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Speaker 2: God's promise fulfilled. He prayed in the shade of the
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Speaker 2: temple walls, his voice a soft murmur, his mind filled
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Speaker 2: with visions and dreams of redemption, until the Holy Spirit
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Speaker 2: on his heart. Simeon opened his eyes and his breath
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Speaker 2: caught in his throat as he saw Mary and Joseph
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Speaker 2: entering the temple courtyard with a baby. Simeon's old heart
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Speaker 2: fluttered in his chest, a wild hope igniting within him.
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Speaker 2: His bones ached as he limped over, his voice trembling
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Speaker 2: with emotion. Could this be? He shouted towards Mary and Joseph.
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Speaker 2: Tears fell down his cheeks as he hobbled over to
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Speaker 2: the child, his body quivering with a joy that defied description.
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Speaker 2: Startled Mary stepped back, holding Jesus close. She recoiled with
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Speaker 2: surprise until she caught a glimpse of the man's eyes
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Speaker 2: much like the shepherd's. She could sense that this man
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Speaker 2: knew exactly who Jesus was. God had whispered it to
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Speaker 2: him in the quietness of his heart. The man who
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Speaker 2: trembled before her was not a stranger in a sense.
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Speaker 2: He had known of this child for far longer than her.
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Speaker 2: His eyes were like glassy pools, reflecting in them the
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Speaker 2: joy of the Lord overwhelming. An honest joy could be
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Speaker 2: seen in those ancient, knowing eyes. Simeon extended his reach
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Speaker 2: for the new born Jesus. Instead of recoiling again, Mary
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Speaker 2: rested him in Simeon's trembling arms. He held the baby,
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Speaker 2: tears of joy streaming down his gray beard, his hands
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Speaker 2: cradling the child like someone would a chest of gold.
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Speaker 2: In Simeon's gaze was the look of someone who had
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Speaker 2: found his life's purpose. He held the boy up, his
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Speaker 2: voice filled with wonder and gratitude.
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Speaker 4: Oh, my God, now I may rest in peace, for
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Speaker 4: I have seen your salvation and held it in my arms.
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Speaker 2: He is the radiance of your glorious grace. Simeon leaned
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Speaker 2: down and whispered something into the boy's ear. He kissed
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Speaker 2: Jesus's forehead and gently handed him back to his mother.
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Speaker 2: The old man put a hand on his chest and
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Speaker 2: sighed a breath of relief. The weight was over. Simeon
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Speaker 2: had seen salvation. Mary was speechless. How could this man
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Speaker 2: know so much about Jesus. Simeon fixed his eyes on Mary,
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Speaker 2: his hands holding his shoulders, his gaze piercing her very
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Speaker 2: soul be worn.
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Speaker 5: If my child, this baby is destined to make many
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Speaker 5: fall and rise. Nations will be built on his shoulders,
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Speaker 5: and many will stumble because of him. He will expose
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Speaker 5: the deep darkness of the heart and restore light to
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Speaker 5: those who love him. However, many will seek his life,
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Speaker 5: and a sword will cut straight through his very soul
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Speaker 5: at the sight of it.
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Speaker 2: His words were a prophecy, a blessing, and a warning,
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Speaker 2: all woven into one, a tapestry of destiny that would
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Speaker 2: unfold across time and space. After to dedicating Jesus in
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Speaker 2: the temple, Mary and Joseph departed back to Bethlehem. They
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Speaker 2: remained there in a small home near the very inn
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Speaker 2: that showed their mercy. It was a sanctuary where they
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Speaker 2: could nurture their child and build a place of love
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Speaker 2: tenderness and honor towards the lord. Joseph worked in town,
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Speaker 2: thriving despite his family's rejection. They remained there while Mary recovered,
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Speaker 2: awaiting God's next prompting. In the quiet bliss of Bethlehem,
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Speaker 2: with its green, rolling hills and lush open fields, they
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Speaker 2: found solace and strength, their hearts filled with the knowledge
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Speaker 2: that they were a part of something greater than themselves.
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Speaker 2: They were the guardians of a promise, the bearers of
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Speaker 2: a hope that would ignite the world, And in the
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Speaker 2: soft cooing of their baby, they saw the reflection of eternity.
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Speaker 2: As night draped over the horizon, Joseph and Mary cradled
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Speaker 2: the babe in their arms as they looked out at
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Speaker 2: the stars. A peculiar star fixed above them like a
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Speaker 2: guardian angel. Its light was radiating brighter than the others,
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Speaker 2: posing with light like a beating heart. Little did they
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Speaker 2: know this star was a signal beckoning a group of
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Speaker 2: noblemen from the east. They were masters of astronomy and prophecy.
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Speaker 2: Some called them alchemists, others called them kings. Legends would
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Speaker 2: herald them as magi.
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Speaker 3: Simeon's Patience is a beautiful illustration of what it means
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Speaker 3: to wait on the Lord. Waiting is often associated with inactivity,
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Speaker 3: but biblical waiting is an active trust in God's timing,
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Speaker 3: plans and promises. Simeon was not idle. He was in
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Speaker 3: the temple daily waiting and watching, fully confident in God's faithfulness.
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Speaker 3: Psalm chapter twenty seven, verse fourteen says, wait for the Lord.
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Speaker 3: Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Wait for
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Speaker 3: the Lord. Isaiah chapter forty, verse thirty one one says,
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Speaker 3: but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.
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Speaker 3: They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall
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Speaker 3: run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.
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Speaker 3: These scriptures remind us that waiting on the Lord is
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Speaker 3: a process of renewing, strengthening, and hopeful anticipation. Simeon's waiting
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Speaker 3: culminates in a profound moment of revelation, pointing to a
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Speaker 3: God who keeps his promises. When Simeon finally beholds Jesus,
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Speaker 3: he gives a prophetic encouragement and warning. Simeon's prophecy is
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Speaker 3: rich with significance. He describes Jesus as God's salvation and
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Speaker 3: the light for revelation to the gentiles. This highlights Jesus's
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Speaker 3: universal mission, extending grace and redemption to all nations. His
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Speaker 3: prophecy also foretells division and opposition. Jesus will become a
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Speaker 3: sign that is spoken against, causing many to fall and
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Speaker 3: rise in Israel. The Gospel message, while a source of
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Speaker 3: joy to many, will also expose hidden sins and lead
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Speaker 3: to rejection by others. This emphasizes the polarizing impact of
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Speaker 3: Jesus's message and the choices people must make in response
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Speaker 3: to him. Simeon's words to Mary were both poignant and prophetic.
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Speaker 3: He foresaw that a sword would pierce her soul. This
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Speaker 3: spoke of the pain that Mary would endure, particularly as
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Speaker 3: she witnessed the rejection and crucifixion of her son. Mary's
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Speaker 3: maternal heart will bear the weight of the world's salvation,
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Speaker 3: a joy mingled with immense sorrow. In a broader sense,
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Speaker 3: the piercing of Mary's soul symbolizes the cost of discipleship.
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Speaker 3: Following Jesus entails joy and fulfillment, but also suffering and sacrifice.
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Speaker 3: This passage, beautifully portrayed in the Biblical adaptation, offers timeless
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Speaker 3: lessons for our walk with God. It speaks to our
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Speaker 3: covenant relationship with him, the importance of patient trust, the
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Speaker 3: universal reach of Christ's redemption, and the deep and sometimes
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Speaker 3: painful love that follows faith. As we celebrate Christmas, let
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Speaker 3: us embrace these truths, holding them close, allowing them to
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Speaker 3: shape our lives, and sharing them with others, as the
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Speaker 3: shepherds did with reverence, joy and humility. In the face
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Speaker 3: of the Christ's child, we find all the promises of
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Speaker 3: God fulfilled, a hope that anchors our souls, and a
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Speaker 3: love that compels us to worship and witness. May the
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Speaker 3: story of Jesus's dedication and Simeon's prophecy inspire us to
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Speaker 3: dedicate ourselves afresh to God, to wait on him with hope,
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Speaker 3: embrace the mission of Christ with courage, and to love
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Speaker 3: Him with a love that pierces our very souls. In
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Speaker 3: our next episode, we'll travel east across deserts and open plains.
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Speaker 3: Some Wise, men of power and influence notice an anomaly
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Speaker 3: in the stars, leading them on a journey to meet
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Speaker 3: the prophesied King of the Jews.
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