December 9, 2024 • 14 mins
In this episode, we meet Mary, the quiet and humble hero of God, chosen to bear God’s chosen redeemer.
Today's Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9, from the King James Version.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He has said to me, my grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather glory in my weakness, that the power
of Christ may rest on me. Second Corinthians twelve nine.
Dear Heavenly Father, when we feel weak, inadequate, or overwhelmed,
(00:25):
we reminded that it is precisely in these moments that
your strength, power, and grace shine brightest. We ask for
the humility to accept our weaknesses, and the faith to
see them not as failures, but as opportunities for your
power to be displayed. Help us, Lord, to rely not
(00:48):
on our own strength, but on the abundant grace you
freely give us in our struggles and trials. Let us
feel your presence, power resting upon us, giving us the
courage and resilience to endure through our weaknesses. May we
(01:09):
be a testament to your infinite strength and love. We
pray in the name of Jesus, our source of power
and grace. Amen.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Nazareth was far from a vibrant, bustling town. Its character
was more defined by its ordinary, even dull nature, far
removed from the trade routes, absent any shoreline, and devoid
of the rich cultural tapestry found in other cities. Nazareth
was perhaps most notable for its unremarkableness, a town with
no glorious past, herold tales, or exciting happenings. Yet, the
(01:47):
dusty and forgotten town, far from the holy City of
Jerusalem was about to be visited by God himself. The
God who had been silent and hidden in the margins
of history for four hundred years was about to descend
upon humanity. In this forsaken city Nazareth, God's hero would
be revealed.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham. With today's episode of the
Bible and a year podcast, the Christmas season is upon us.
This is the perfect time to explore the beautiful and
epic journey of the Nativity. Christ's birth is a tale
of drama, danger, loyalty, and divine intervention. It's my joy
(02:32):
to guide you today as we are introduced to Mary,
a young woman from the small city of Nazareth. Mary's
story is that of humility, strength and devotion. Mary was
a mere vessel in the Grand Plan of salvation, but
she stands as an example for all believers today. Her
(02:53):
humble submission to God's will and her strength and the
face of adversity reminds us of the remarkable ways God
uses ordinary people for his extraordinary purposes. We're about to
immerse ourselves in a cinematic retelling of Matthew and Luke's
account of Mary. As we listen and reflect on her life,
(03:16):
may we be inspired to approach our walk with God
with the same humility and strength, trusting in his plan
regardless of our challenges and uncertainty. The life of Mary
teaches us that when we submit to God's will, he
provides the strength we need to fulfill his purpose. This
(03:37):
is only the beginning of Mary's harrowing story. Let's listen
now and then unpack more of the deeper themes of
her life.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Afterward, sunrise broke over the dusty hills surrounding Nazareth. The
mild morning rays gently broke the chill of dawn. Its
light methodically sifted through the window in Mary's room. She
slowly awoke, her lungs filled with the dry and crisp air.
She carefully wrapped herself up with deliberate caution not to
(04:06):
stir her siblings. She stepped into the awakening day. The cool,
dry breeze gently caressed her cheeks. Animals responded to the
rooster's call, and life began to hum As families awoke
from their rest. Grasping a pale Mary started her daily
trek towards the town's lone well. Nazareth was far from
a vibrant, bustling town. Its character was more defined by
(04:28):
its ordinary, even dull nature. Far removed from the trade routes,
absent any shoreline, and devoid of the rich cultural tapestry
found in other cities, Nazareth was perhaps most notable for
its unremarkableness, a town with no glorious past, no heroic tales,
and no exciting happenings. Yet for Mary, a flicker of
anticipation made Nazareth seem less monotonous. She was engaged to
(04:52):
be married to one of the local Stonemasons, Joseph. He
was hardly the most handsome man in Nazareth, nor the
most skilled craftsman, but he was. His gentle and quiet
strength made him a kindred spirit to Mary. To her,
being betrothed to Joseph was exciting a break in Nazareth's
otherwise dull life. Mary drew water from the well with
(05:13):
the other young women in the town. They playfully questionary
about her marriage and dreamed about their own futures as wives, mothers, friends,
and elders in the community. It was a simple and
joyful life, Mary led. She wouldn't trade it for anything.
Mary lugged her filled pale back home. Her siblings had
left for their chores and her parents had started their
day's work in the marketplace. She climbed the incline leading
(05:35):
to her home, her arms aching under the weight of
the water. She pushed the door open with her foot,
entered and turned around, only to find a divine creature
resting on her room's lattice writtings. Oh favorite one, the
angel announced, making Mary startle in loose grip on her pail.
Waters splashed across the room, and Mary stumbled backwards onto
(05:56):
the hard floor, trying to escape the surprise visitor. Empty
to rush out, but the angel appeared before her, his
face wearing a reassuring smile. Please do not be afraid,
the Lord is with you. His words left Mary puzzled,
yet her fear was slightly alleviated. She slowly retreated and
sat on her bed's edge. The angel spread his arms wide.
(06:18):
I am Gabriel, and I have come bearing good news. You,
oh favorite one, have been chosen.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
What does that mean?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Mary asked, her hands absently fidgeting in her lap. The
angel's smile grew wider as he spoke. His words were
an intermingling of news and worship. Unto the Lord, Mary,
you have found favor with God, Gabriel explained, you are
to pare a burden and blessing unlike any other in
the world. His voice was melodic. You, Mary, will conceive
(06:50):
a son. The child in your womb would be God's
chosen one, the mighty son of the most High, who
will bear the weight of man. The Lord will establish
his kingdom through him. He will inherit David's throne, and
his kingdom will be eternal, his glory everlasting. The impact
(07:12):
of Gabriel's words left Mary perplexed. She shook her head
in disbelief.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
How can this be? I am a virgin, I am young,
and have not known a man.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Her eyes welled up, the enormity of the revelation overwhelming her. Gabriel,
noticing her distress, descended to eye level. The angel wasn't human,
but he wore an empathetic grin as he reassured Mary
of her calling. Mary, all things are possible.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
With God.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The power of
the Highest God will overshadow you. The child you carry
will be the son of God himself. Seeing her eyes
widen in shock, he continued, your cousin, Elizabeth well pastor
Childbery ages already six months pregnant. Do till me. Is
(08:02):
there anything the Lord cannot do? For a moment, Mary
sat in silence. She could feel God's spirits strengthening her.
Her racing thoughts began to settle into a calm stream.
Closing her eyes tightly, she laid a hand on her belly.
It was then she felt the favor of a God
wash of her. Joy. Indescribable and incomprehensible. Joy filled her.
(08:26):
She stood, wiping her tears and dusting off her dress,
a smile gracing her face as she met Gabriel's gaze.
After a deep breath, she proclaimed.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
I am God's servant. I will gladly receive his will
according to what you've said.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
With a nod, Gabriel vanished. Mary stepped outside. The sun
was high overhead. She bathed in its warm rays and
watched the village resume its regular rhythm. She heard birds
chirping in harmony with the gentle breeze. Suddenly, the mundane
day radiated with a divine glow. Her heart pounded with
anticipation and fear of would lay ahead. Yet she knew
(09:06):
Gabriel's words held true. What would Joseph think? What would
her family do? So many questions race through her mind.
Mary decided the best thing to do was visit her
cousin Elizabeth to witness what God was doing.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
This was not the life Mary expected for herself. Let's
put ourselves in Mary's shoes for a moment. She's young,
betrothed to be married, and has her whole life ahead
of her. She was undoubtedly dreaming about her wedding day,
having children with Joseph, and living a simple life in Nazareth.
But God had different plans for Mary. It can be
(09:45):
hard when God interrupts our plans, can't it. There are
key moments in our lives when we expect one thing
to happen, but it turns out God has different plans.
Luke Chapter one says that Mary graciously accept did God's
plans for her. It couldn't have been easy, think about
all the hardship Mary would endure because of God's calling
(10:07):
on her life. What would her parents think? Would Joseph
leave her when he found out? When God calls us
to something new, sometimes we can become consumed with the
risks involved. Thoughts of persecution, discomfort, and rejection can dominate
our headspace. Mary is a wonderful example of quietly and
(10:29):
humbly accepting God's will for her life. She asked Gabriel
how it would be possible since she was a virgin,
indicating her innocence and purity, But after the angel explained,
she didn't hesitate or resist, but simply said, behold, I
am the servant of the Lord. Let it be to
(10:49):
me according to your word. Her willingness to step into
the unknown and accept a mission that would lead to
hardship and misunderstanding shows an unpas paralleled humility and a
commitment to the Lord. This humility was not the result
of low self esteem or lack of ambition. Instead, it
(11:10):
was rooted in an accurate understanding of who God is
and who she was in relationship to him. Mary recognized
her role in God's plan, accepting it graciously, even with
its potential for personal cost and societal shame. Mary's strength,
often overlooked, is an essential part of her character. It
(11:33):
would have taken great fortitude to accept such a call,
knowing that it could result in her being ostracized or
even worse, stone to death. According to the laws of
the time, stoning was on the table. In addition, the
physical and emotional toll of bearing and raising a child
under such circumstances is unimaginable. You know, the saying God
(11:56):
never gives you more than you can handle. Hear that
say thrown around quite a lot, But I'd like to
humbly challenge that idea. The Bible shows us story after
story of people who are given more than they can handle.
Moses certainly couldn't have freed the people of Israel on
his own. Daniel couldn't have survived the lions den The
(12:19):
Bible continually shows us that God does give us more
than we can handle. We're sometimes faced with challenges too
significant to endure on our own, but that is when
the strength of God's spirit is shown. Remember what God
said to Paul in Two Corinthians twelve, chapter nine. He
(12:41):
encouraged Paul, saying, my grace is sufficient for you. For
My power will be made perfect in weakness. That is
why Paul said that he would boast all the more
in his weakness, because that is when the strength of
God was most evident in his life. In future episodes
will be immersed in the heart wrenching struggle of Mary
(13:03):
and Joseph. Together, they'll face near death experiences and close calls,
but God's providential strength will carry them through. People often
associate the God of the Old Testament with strength and
the God of the New Testament with gentleness. But Christ's
power is no different from the God who formed the
(13:24):
cosmos and parted sees. They're the same. We can take
comfort in knowing that with Him by our side, we
can endure anything that comes our way. This Christmas season,
let us remember the great calling Christ has given each
of us. Like Mary, you and I have been given
a great mission. May we shoulder that mission with grace, humility,
(13:49):
and reliance on God. Mary's journey has just begun, and
we are just getting started with the epic story of
the Nativity. Join us for our next episode as we
follow Mary to the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah. As
she learns more about her calling, her womb begins to expand,
(14:09):
she will no longer be able to hide what's happening.
I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot
com at and make prayer a priority in your life.
If you enjoy this podcast, share it with someone you love.
By sharing this podcast, you can make a difference in
someone's life. And if you want more resources on how
to tap into God's power for successful Christian living, be
(14:33):
sure to visit Jagraham dot org. God bless you
He has said to me, my grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather glory in my weakness, that the power
of Christ may rest on me. Second Corinthians twelve nine.
Dear Heavenly Father, when we feel weak, inadequate, or overwhelmed,
(00:25):
we reminded that it is precisely in these moments that
your strength, power, and grace shine brightest. We ask for
the humility to accept our weaknesses, and the faith to
see them not as failures, but as opportunities for your
power to be displayed. Help us, Lord, to rely not
(00:48):
on our own strength, but on the abundant grace you
freely give us in our struggles and trials. Let us
feel your presence, power resting upon us, giving us the
courage and resilience to endure through our weaknesses. May we
(01:09):
be a testament to your infinite strength and love. We
pray in the name of Jesus, our source of power
and grace. Amen.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Nazareth was far from a vibrant, bustling town. Its character
was more defined by its ordinary, even dull nature, far
removed from the trade routes, absent any shoreline, and devoid
of the rich cultural tapestry found in other cities. Nazareth
was perhaps most notable for its unremarkableness, a town with
no glorious past, herold tales, or exciting happenings. Yet, the
(01:47):
dusty and forgotten town, far from the holy City of
Jerusalem was about to be visited by God himself. The
God who had been silent and hidden in the margins
of history for four hundred years was about to descend
upon humanity. In this forsaken city Nazareth, God's hero would
be revealed.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham. With today's episode of the
Bible and a year podcast, the Christmas season is upon us.
This is the perfect time to explore the beautiful and
epic journey of the Nativity. Christ's birth is a tale
of drama, danger, loyalty, and divine intervention. It's my joy
(02:32):
to guide you today as we are introduced to Mary,
a young woman from the small city of Nazareth. Mary's
story is that of humility, strength and devotion. Mary was
a mere vessel in the Grand Plan of salvation, but
she stands as an example for all believers today. Her
(02:53):
humble submission to God's will and her strength and the
face of adversity reminds us of the remarkable ways God
uses ordinary people for his extraordinary purposes. We're about to
immerse ourselves in a cinematic retelling of Matthew and Luke's
account of Mary. As we listen and reflect on her life,
(03:16):
may we be inspired to approach our walk with God
with the same humility and strength, trusting in his plan
regardless of our challenges and uncertainty. The life of Mary
teaches us that when we submit to God's will, he
provides the strength we need to fulfill his purpose. This
(03:37):
is only the beginning of Mary's harrowing story. Let's listen
now and then unpack more of the deeper themes of
her life.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Afterward, sunrise broke over the dusty hills surrounding Nazareth. The
mild morning rays gently broke the chill of dawn. Its
light methodically sifted through the window in Mary's room. She
slowly awoke, her lungs filled with the dry and crisp air.
She carefully wrapped herself up with deliberate caution not to
(04:06):
stir her siblings. She stepped into the awakening day. The cool,
dry breeze gently caressed her cheeks. Animals responded to the
rooster's call, and life began to hum As families awoke
from their rest. Grasping a pale Mary started her daily
trek towards the town's lone well. Nazareth was far from
a vibrant, bustling town. Its character was more defined by
(04:28):
its ordinary, even dull nature. Far removed from the trade routes,
absent any shoreline, and devoid of the rich cultural tapestry
found in other cities, Nazareth was perhaps most notable for
its unremarkableness, a town with no glorious past, no heroic tales,
and no exciting happenings. Yet for Mary, a flicker of
anticipation made Nazareth seem less monotonous. She was engaged to
(04:52):
be married to one of the local Stonemasons, Joseph. He
was hardly the most handsome man in Nazareth, nor the
most skilled craftsman, but he was. His gentle and quiet
strength made him a kindred spirit to Mary. To her,
being betrothed to Joseph was exciting a break in Nazareth's
otherwise dull life. Mary drew water from the well with
(05:13):
the other young women in the town. They playfully questionary
about her marriage and dreamed about their own futures as wives, mothers, friends,
and elders in the community. It was a simple and
joyful life, Mary led. She wouldn't trade it for anything.
Mary lugged her filled pale back home. Her siblings had
left for their chores and her parents had started their
day's work in the marketplace. She climbed the incline leading
(05:35):
to her home, her arms aching under the weight of
the water. She pushed the door open with her foot,
entered and turned around, only to find a divine creature
resting on her room's lattice writtings. Oh favorite one, the
angel announced, making Mary startle in loose grip on her pail.
Waters splashed across the room, and Mary stumbled backwards onto
(05:56):
the hard floor, trying to escape the surprise visitor. Empty
to rush out, but the angel appeared before her, his
face wearing a reassuring smile. Please do not be afraid,
the Lord is with you. His words left Mary puzzled,
yet her fear was slightly alleviated. She slowly retreated and
sat on her bed's edge. The angel spread his arms wide.
(06:18):
I am Gabriel, and I have come bearing good news. You,
oh favorite one, have been chosen.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
What does that mean?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Mary asked, her hands absently fidgeting in her lap. The
angel's smile grew wider as he spoke. His words were
an intermingling of news and worship. Unto the Lord, Mary,
you have found favor with God, Gabriel explained, you are
to pare a burden and blessing unlike any other in
the world. His voice was melodic. You, Mary, will conceive
(06:50):
a son. The child in your womb would be God's
chosen one, the mighty son of the most High, who
will bear the weight of man. The Lord will establish
his kingdom through him. He will inherit David's throne, and
his kingdom will be eternal, his glory everlasting. The impact
(07:12):
of Gabriel's words left Mary perplexed. She shook her head
in disbelief.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
How can this be? I am a virgin, I am young,
and have not known a man.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Her eyes welled up, the enormity of the revelation overwhelming her. Gabriel,
noticing her distress, descended to eye level. The angel wasn't human,
but he wore an empathetic grin as he reassured Mary
of her calling. Mary, all things are possible.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
With God.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The power of
the Highest God will overshadow you. The child you carry
will be the son of God himself. Seeing her eyes
widen in shock, he continued, your cousin, Elizabeth well pastor
Childbery ages already six months pregnant. Do till me. Is
(08:02):
there anything the Lord cannot do? For a moment, Mary
sat in silence. She could feel God's spirits strengthening her.
Her racing thoughts began to settle into a calm stream.
Closing her eyes tightly, she laid a hand on her belly.
It was then she felt the favor of a God
wash of her. Joy. Indescribable and incomprehensible. Joy filled her.
(08:26):
She stood, wiping her tears and dusting off her dress,
a smile gracing her face as she met Gabriel's gaze.
After a deep breath, she proclaimed.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
I am God's servant. I will gladly receive his will
according to what you've said.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
With a nod, Gabriel vanished. Mary stepped outside. The sun
was high overhead. She bathed in its warm rays and
watched the village resume its regular rhythm. She heard birds
chirping in harmony with the gentle breeze. Suddenly, the mundane
day radiated with a divine glow. Her heart pounded with
anticipation and fear of would lay ahead. Yet she knew
(09:06):
Gabriel's words held true. What would Joseph think? What would
her family do? So many questions race through her mind.
Mary decided the best thing to do was visit her
cousin Elizabeth to witness what God was doing.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
This was not the life Mary expected for herself. Let's
put ourselves in Mary's shoes for a moment. She's young,
betrothed to be married, and has her whole life ahead
of her. She was undoubtedly dreaming about her wedding day,
having children with Joseph, and living a simple life in Nazareth.
But God had different plans for Mary. It can be
(09:45):
hard when God interrupts our plans, can't it. There are
key moments in our lives when we expect one thing
to happen, but it turns out God has different plans.
Luke Chapter one says that Mary graciously accept did God's
plans for her. It couldn't have been easy, think about
all the hardship Mary would endure because of God's calling
(10:07):
on her life. What would her parents think? Would Joseph
leave her when he found out? When God calls us
to something new, sometimes we can become consumed with the
risks involved. Thoughts of persecution, discomfort, and rejection can dominate
our headspace. Mary is a wonderful example of quietly and
(10:29):
humbly accepting God's will for her life. She asked Gabriel
how it would be possible since she was a virgin,
indicating her innocence and purity, But after the angel explained,
she didn't hesitate or resist, but simply said, behold, I
am the servant of the Lord. Let it be to
(10:49):
me according to your word. Her willingness to step into
the unknown and accept a mission that would lead to
hardship and misunderstanding shows an unpas paralleled humility and a
commitment to the Lord. This humility was not the result
of low self esteem or lack of ambition. Instead, it
(11:10):
was rooted in an accurate understanding of who God is
and who she was in relationship to him. Mary recognized
her role in God's plan, accepting it graciously, even with
its potential for personal cost and societal shame. Mary's strength,
often overlooked, is an essential part of her character. It
(11:33):
would have taken great fortitude to accept such a call,
knowing that it could result in her being ostracized or
even worse, stone to death. According to the laws of
the time, stoning was on the table. In addition, the
physical and emotional toll of bearing and raising a child
under such circumstances is unimaginable. You know, the saying God
(11:56):
never gives you more than you can handle. Hear that
say thrown around quite a lot, But I'd like to
humbly challenge that idea. The Bible shows us story after
story of people who are given more than they can handle.
Moses certainly couldn't have freed the people of Israel on
his own. Daniel couldn't have survived the lions den The
(12:19):
Bible continually shows us that God does give us more
than we can handle. We're sometimes faced with challenges too
significant to endure on our own, but that is when
the strength of God's spirit is shown. Remember what God
said to Paul in Two Corinthians twelve, chapter nine. He
(12:41):
encouraged Paul, saying, my grace is sufficient for you. For
My power will be made perfect in weakness. That is
why Paul said that he would boast all the more
in his weakness, because that is when the strength of
God was most evident in his life. In future episodes
will be immersed in the heart wrenching struggle of Mary
(13:03):
and Joseph. Together, they'll face near death experiences and close calls,
but God's providential strength will carry them through. People often
associate the God of the Old Testament with strength and
the God of the New Testament with gentleness. But Christ's
power is no different from the God who formed the
(13:24):
cosmos and parted sees. They're the same. We can take
comfort in knowing that with Him by our side, we
can endure anything that comes our way. This Christmas season,
let us remember the great calling Christ has given each
of us. Like Mary, you and I have been given
a great mission. May we shoulder that mission with grace, humility,
(13:49):
and reliance on God. Mary's journey has just begun, and
we are just getting started with the epic story of
the Nativity. Join us for our next episode as we
follow Mary to the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah. As
she learns more about her calling, her womb begins to expand,
(14:09):
she will no longer be able to hide what's happening.
I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot
com at and make prayer a priority in your life.
If you enjoy this podcast, share it with someone you love.
By sharing this podcast, you can make a difference in
someone's life. And if you want more resources on how
to tap into God's power for successful Christian living, be
(14:33):
sure to visit Jagraham dot org. God bless you
Host
Jack Graham
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