thousands of years, God followed his people and spoke mightily through heroes, kings, poets, and prophets… But for 400 years, there was silence… What happened in those silent years?
Today's Bible verse is Philippians 2:5-7, from the King James Version.
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Speaker 1: Have this in mind, which was also in Christ. Jesus,
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Speaker 1: who existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality
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Speaker 1: with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself
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Speaker 1: taking the form of a servant. Being made in the
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Speaker 1: likeness of men and being found in human form, he
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Speaker 1: humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, Yes,
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Speaker 1: the death of the Cross Philippians two five through eight.
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Speaker 1: Dear Lord, we are in awe of the gift of
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Speaker 1: you who left the splendor of heaven to be borne
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Speaker 1: in a humble manger. May your selfless love and humility
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Speaker 1: inspire us to live lives of compassion, kindness, and self sacrifice.
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Speaker 1: As we celebrate your birth, our Savior, help us to
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Speaker 1: embrace the spirit of giving, not just in presence, but
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Speaker 1: in presence, offering our time, love and empathy to those
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Speaker 1: around us. May the miracle of Christmas fill our hearts
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Speaker 1: with gratitude and joy, and may we strive to walk
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Speaker 1: in your footsteps of sharing your love with a world
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Speaker 1: in need. In your precious name, we pray, Amen, Thank
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Speaker 1: you for praying with me to day. Stay with us
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Speaker 1: for more wisdom from the Bible. With today's episode of
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Speaker 1: Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider, the.
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Speaker 2: Entire world resided in the shadow of Rome. Julius Caesar,
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Speaker 2: Emperor and Genius, reached out his hand and seized power
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Speaker 2: wherever he could. His authority went unquestioned, and his sword
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Speaker 2: found the necks of many foes. It was an era
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Speaker 2: steeped in strife and unrest, when men forged their destinies
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Speaker 2: amidst the anvil of war and the hammer of politics.
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Speaker 2: As the glory of Rome was about to blossom under
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Speaker 2: Julius Caesar, a child was born into the world. Little
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Speaker 2: did anyone know this child would one day be worshiped
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Speaker 2: as a god. He would amass followers from nations around
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Speaker 2: the ancient world, rallying them under his name. This child
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Speaker 2: was born in the zenith of Roman potential. His name
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Speaker 2: was Octavian.
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Speaker 3: Hello everyone, and welcome to another Christmas episode of the
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Speaker 3: Jesus Podcast. I'm Ethan from pray dot Com. We're taking
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Speaker 3: time from now until Christmas to explore the rich and
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Speaker 3: powerful story of the Nativity. If the Jesus Podcast has
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Speaker 3: blessed you, consider following and subscribing to the podcast so
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Speaker 3: you never miss an episode. So far, we've surveyed some
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Speaker 3: of the prophecies heralding the coming of Jesus. We saw
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Speaker 3: how the Messiah's coming was foretold from the beginning. The
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Speaker 3: hope and longing for a redeemer endured throughout the generations.
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Speaker 3: Before we are introduced to our classic Christmas heroes like Zachariah, Elizabeth, Mary,
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Speaker 3: and Joseph, we're going back into the anals of history.
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Speaker 3: Jesus was born into a unique time in history where
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Speaker 3: the boot of Rome was pressing against the throat of Israel.
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Speaker 3: The cruel rule of Caesar Augustus spread across the ancient world.
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Speaker 3: Let's tune in now to this cinematic retelling of Caesar's
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Speaker 3: rise to power. Afterward, we'll explore why this story is
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Speaker 3: paramount to the Christmas message.
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Speaker 2: Octavian was born under the lineage of Caesar. He was
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Speaker 2: the adored son of the Roman Empire Julius Caesar. His
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Speaker 2: illustrious uncle was considered a titan among mortals. He claimed
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Speaker 2: swaths of land for the Roman Empire with brutality and force.
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Speaker 2: But were power and conquest bloom, so did the fauns
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Speaker 2: of treachery. Julius Caesar fell beneath a blade wielded by
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Speaker 2: his kin, leaving an empire fractured and trembling on the
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Speaker 2: brink of chaos. Rome was vulnerable and in disarray. Young
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Speaker 2: Octavian was ready to rise in his uncle's place, determined
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Speaker 2: to lift Rome and carry its glory on his shoulders.
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Speaker 2: As Octavian strode for power, he was flanked by Marc, Anthony,
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Speaker 2: and Lepidus, generals in the Armies of Caesar. The three
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Speaker 2: men all claimed Rome as theirs, but only one could
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Speaker 2: be emperor. Their clash was titanic, splitting the empire into
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Speaker 2: three realms. Each leader had command over his dominion, but
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Speaker 2: Octavian would not be denied the throne. Anthony and Octavian
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Speaker 2: stood as adversaries on the battlefield. Anthony's rage boiled against Octavian.
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Speaker 2: If the East is to be mine, Anthony declared, his
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Speaker 2: eyes hard with resolve, Then let it be known that
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Speaker 2: I will not bow to you, Octavian, not in this lifetime.
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Speaker 2: So the dance began, with each ruler amassing legions of
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Speaker 2: loyal warriors, their eyes alight with the fire of the
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Speaker 2: one true king they believed in. The War was brutal,
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Speaker 2: and the once united Rome risked consuming itself within mark.
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Speaker 2: Anthony and Queen Cleopatra of egypt A massed in army
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Speaker 2: they believed to be unwrithed. The blood soaked the sand
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Speaker 2: as swords and shields camp. Although their troops were fierce,
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Speaker 2: Octavian was undeterred by the staggering might of Anthony and Cleopatra.
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Speaker 2: He masterfully marshaled his men and slaughtered the armies of Anthony.
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Speaker 2: Lepidus was now next, and his troops were subdued and
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Speaker 2: banished to the far north. On a battlefield now hallowed
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Speaker 2: by the blood and honor of countless men, Octavia the
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Speaker 2: victor stood surveying the horizon. He was alone, the last
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Speaker 2: man standing amidst the ruins of a rivalry that had
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Speaker 2: swallowed all hope. He stood over the battlefield and marched
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Speaker 2: towards the summit, overlooking the carnage. His rivals had been defeated,
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Speaker 2: and no one was left to stand in his way.
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Speaker 2: His breath misted the cool air as he whispered, I
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Speaker 2: am no longer Octavian, I am Caesar Augustus. War wounds
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Speaker 2: ravaged the Roman Empire, and its people desperately sought peace.
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Speaker 2: With the mantle of power secure on his shoulders. Caesar
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Speaker 2: Augustus set out to heal his empire. I have dreamed
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Speaker 2: of a Rome reborn. He addressed the masses, his voice
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Speaker 2: resonating through the crowd's silence. Today we embark on a
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Speaker 2: journey towards that dream. His rule brought stability, silencing the
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Speaker 2: discord that had torn at the very fabric of Rome.
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Speaker 2: Yet the taste of power was addictive, and Augustus sought
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Speaker 2: to climb to divine heights. He reduced the Roman senate
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Speaker 2: to mere whispers in the hallways of power, himself rising
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Speaker 2: above the mortal coils to be revered as a god.
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Speaker 2: His soldiers were disciples, now his governors, his apostles, all
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Speaker 2: bending their knees in supplication to their Lord and God.
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Speaker 2: The shadow of Rome enveloped the nation of Israel. Israelites
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Speaker 2: watched in quiet dismay, their homeland slowly losing its identity
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Speaker 2: under Roman dominance. Rome's insidious influence diluted their once proud culture.
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Speaker 2: It was like being under the boot of Babylon once again.
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Speaker 2: Amid subjugation and tragedy. They clung to God and cried
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Speaker 2: out to him for salvation. The pain of their oppression
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Speaker 2: fuelled their longing for a hero, a redeemer. They clung
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Speaker 2: to the words of the prophecy spoken to David long ago.
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Speaker 2: When your days are a I will establish the throne
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Speaker 2: of his kingdom forever. The people yearned for the promised savior,
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Speaker 2: a beacon and the desolation to restore their land and
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Speaker 2: their dignity. Isaiah's words echoed in their hearts. The people
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Speaker 2: walking in darkness had seen a great light. They waited,
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Speaker 2: their eyes brimming with hope, their hearts heavy with expectation.
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Speaker 2: They imagined a ruler that would rival Caesar Augustus. They
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Speaker 2: envisioned a messiah who would reclaimed the Holy Mount and
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Speaker 2: thwart the armies of Rome. They imagined conquests like David
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Speaker 2: and riches like Solomon. Yet as the wheel of fate turned,
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Speaker 2: no one could have anticipated the form their redemption would take.
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Speaker 2: Caesar Augustus Emperor and God. Families would disrupt their lives
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Speaker 2: and travel to the homeland of their kin to be counted.
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Speaker 2: This census, another example of Rome's power, would make way
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Speaker 2: for the Messiah to be born.
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Speaker 3: Let's unpack the story of Caesar Augustus together. You may
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Speaker 3: wonder why we highlighted a part of Caesar's story in
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Speaker 3: a Christmas podcast. It's because Octavian's rise to power sets
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Speaker 3: the stage for the Messiah to be born. The tale
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Speaker 3: of Octavian's assent to the throne is vital for us
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Speaker 3: to understand because we wouldn't have the Christmas story without it.
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Speaker 3: His expansive reach into the Eastern world enveloped Israel. Although
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Speaker 3: the Pax Romana brought unprecedented peace to the Roman Empire,
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Speaker 3: God's people were pressed for all they had. Increased taxes
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Speaker 3: and Roman regulation were the crucibles for religious radicals and
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Speaker 3: self righteousness. That oppression began a domino effect of events
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Speaker 3: that led to Jesus' birth, most notably the census that
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Speaker 3: would take Mary and Joseph away from Nazareth and to Bethlehem.
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Speaker 3: This story also contrasts the reigning kingdom of Rome and
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Speaker 3: the incoming Kingdom of Christ. Octavian's rise as the sole
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Speaker 3: ruler of Rome marked a turning point in history. All
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Speaker 3: of the ancient world was enveloped under his rule, including Israel.
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Speaker 3: In the times of Moses, David, and Elijah, the idols
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Speaker 3: of the age were gods like Bail, Dagon, and Asherah.
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Speaker 3: They were false Canaanite gods who entrapped the people of
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Speaker 3: Israel in false worship. Yet during the time of Jesus,
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Speaker 3: Peter and Paul, the false god was Caesar. Through sheer
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Speaker 3: force and will power, he made himself to be like
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Speaker 3: a god. He demanded the worship of his followers, and
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Speaker 3: whoever defied him faced death. But while Caesar's rule was
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Speaker 3: marked with brutality and self glorification, Jesus's rule was marked
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Speaker 3: by grace and self sacrifice. Christmas is not only a
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Speaker 3: time as self lebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but
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Speaker 3: it's also an opportunity to reflect on the kingdom he
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Speaker 3: brought into this world, represented most vividly by Caesar Augustus
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Speaker 3: during the festive season. Let's explore these contrasts. In the
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Speaker 3: era when Christ was born, Caesar Augustus ruled a vast empire.
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Speaker 3: His kingdom was one of conquest, political intrigue, and earthly power.
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Speaker 3: He sought to unify people under the banner of Rome,
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Speaker 3: but his methods were often forceful and self serving. In
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Speaker 3: stark contrast, Jesus came to establish a kingdom not of
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Speaker 3: this world. His reign is one of peace, justice, and
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Speaker 3: righteousness founded on love and self sacrifice. The Kingdom of
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Speaker 3: God transcends all borders, and its king invites all to
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Speaker 3: partake in its blessings. Caesar Augustus was known for his
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Speaker 3: ambition and pride. He built monuments to his own glory
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Speaker 3: and inscribed his name on coins as son of God.
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Speaker 3: His rule was characterized by self aggrandizement and the pursuit
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Speaker 3: of personal power. Jesus, the true Son of God, stands
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Speaker 3: in total opposition to Caesar's pride and self serving nature.
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Speaker 3: Born in a manger, living a life of humility, and
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Speaker 3: dying a criminal's death, Jesus exemplified self sacrifice. He he washed
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Speaker 3: his disciples feet and gave his life for all humanity.
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Speaker 3: The Gospel of Christ does something extraordinary that no earthly
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Speaker 3: kingdom can achieve. It creates a people unified that not
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Speaker 3: by nationality, race, creed, culture, or socio economic status, but
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Speaker 3: by a shared love for Christ. The Gospel invites all people,
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Speaker 3: rich and poor, jew and gentile, slave and free to
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Speaker 3: come to Jesus. It tears down the walls that divide us,
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Speaker 3: offering a common ground in the person and work of Christ.
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Speaker 3: In Christ, we find a new identity that transcends all
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Speaker 3: earthly distinctions. We are children of God, citizens of a
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Speaker 3: heavenly kingdom. Our loyalty to Christ binds us together in
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Speaker 3: a community that reflects the love and grace of our King.
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Speaker 3: As we celebrate Christmas, let us reflect on these profound contrasts.
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Speaker 3: While the kingdom of Caesar Augustus was characterized by power, pride,
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Speaker 3: and self service, the Kingdom of God stands as a
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Speaker 3: beacon of love, humility, and self sacrifice. May we, as
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Speaker 3: followers of Christ, imitate our humble King. Let us serve
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Speaker 3: one another and love, recognizing that true greatness in God's
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Speaker 3: Kingdom is found in being a servant of all. And finally,
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Speaker 3: as we look to the Manger, may we see the
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Speaker 3: hope of a better kingdom, a kingdom not of this world,
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Speaker 3: but one that is coming. May our hearts be filled
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Speaker 3: with joy this Christmas as we reflect on the true
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Speaker 3: King and his kingdom. May our lives be marked by
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Speaker 3: the humility, love, and unity that characterizes the Kingdom of God.
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