WEBVTT
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This program is made possible by the giving
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of the God called partners of Renner Ministries.
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Get ready for a teaching
that feeds your spirit
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and your mind - where the
word is the anchor in
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uncertain times
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and doctrine doesn't bend to culture.
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We keep it simple,
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but dive deep revealing a
truth that strengthens us,
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a love that emboldens,
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and a mission that touches the world.
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Let's join Rick Renner.
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Hey friends, this is Rick Renner
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and you can see on the screen behind me
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that today we're gonna be
talking about details about
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that cave where Jesus was born
just outside of Bethlehem.
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And today we're specifically going
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to be answering the question,
what are swaddling clothes
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and what is a manger?
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You are going to love
this program, my friends.
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There are so many treasures
in the Christmas story
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and that's why I want you
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to order the whole series called, Christmas
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The Rest of the Story. There is
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so much you've never heard before.
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The subtitle says - Amazing insights about Christmas you've
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never heard before.
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It's 15 parts.
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It comes in multiple formats
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and it comes with a great study guide.
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And my friends, I have put
so much into this study guide
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that I want you to get
it and really enjoy it.
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And the reason we do a study
guide is because when you read
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and hear or read and see,
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it really gets the teaching
down deep inside you.
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So be sure to order the series
and get the study guide.
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And right now we're also
offering you my book
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by the same title, Christmas, The Rest of the Story.
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The back of the book says, There's more
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to this story than you've been told -
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and there really is. It is amazing,
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everything in the Christmas story - Who were the magi?
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What was the value of their gifts?
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Why did the angels appear to
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that particular group of shepherds?
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What are swaddling clothes? What is a manger?
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Why did God choose Mary?
Why did God choose Joseph?
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There's just so much in this wonderful story
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and I want you to get Christmas, The Rest of the Story.
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You can get all these
things by going online
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or by giving us a call right now.
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And when you reach out to us,
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please let us know how to pray for you.
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We believe Jeremiah 33:3,
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it says, Call unto me.
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I'll hear you, I'll answer you and I'll show you great
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and mighty things.
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We saw in the last program that Jesus is a master artisan.
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He has the special knack of
taking things that are dull
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and making them shiny again.
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And if you have anything in your life
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that seems a little dull
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or needs a touch of God,
Jesus is just waiting
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to put his hand onto it
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and he'll turn it into
something wonderful.
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But let us know how to pray
and we'll pray with you.
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You can call us or you can send us an email,
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but right now I want you to watch this
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and then I'll be right back.
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Do you think you know the Christmas story: a babe
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and a manger, 3-wise men and a few lowly shepherds.
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But did you know that's just part
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of the story. In Rick Renner's timeless new book, Christmas
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The Rest of the Story, Rick uncovers the stunning details
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of the nativity story
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you've never heard like -
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How many wise men there could have been?
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How far they would've traveled?
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And why Herod was troubled at the news at the
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birth of a new king?
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When I was growing up, I
heard the same Christmas story
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year after year
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and I loved it. When I got older,
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I found treasures in the Christmas story
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that no one had shared with me.
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That's what is in this book,
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and I wrote it to share with you
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and for you to share
with those whom you love.
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When you call or go online
right now to order this book
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for just $45,
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you'll receive the timeless story of Christmas,
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now, beautifully told in this landmark Christmas keepsake.
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Through his detailed watercolor illustration, Christmas,
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The Rest of the Story, invites families
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to explore the true meaning
of Christmas as they interact
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with the story across the
stunning hand-drawn pages.
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Bound in a hardcover large format book,
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you'll create a family tradition that will last
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for generations. Great as a gift
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or for enhancing your own traditions.
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Order the book today, Christmas, The Rest of the Story
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for just $45.
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Call now or go to renner.org to order.
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Don't miss this special Christmas offer.
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Today we're gonna be answering the question,
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What are swaddling clothes and what is a manger?
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But in the first program this week, we saw
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that the Emperor Constantine had a mother whose name was
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Helena, and she converted to Christ
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and really became an avid follower of the Lord.
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And because she had access
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to the Imperial Treasury in Constantinople,
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she took the money and she traveled to Palestine.
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That's what it was called
back in those days.
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And she began to research
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and investigate where were
all the key locations having
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to do with the life of Jesus?
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And at that time, the descendants
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of 1st Century believers were still around.
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And so she was able to interview them
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and really find out where many
of these events took place.
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She found out where Jesus was born.
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She found out where Jesus was crucified,
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where he was buried,
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where he was baptized in the river Jordan
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and many of the places where
Jesus conducted miracles
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and she memorialized and commemorated all of those places.
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Well in the year 326,
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she had money from the Imperial Treasury.
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And because she had interviewed many descendants
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of 1st Century Christians, she found the place
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where Jesus was born.
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And indeed it was a cave
just like we had been told
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by Justin Martyr
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and by the great theologian, Origen. Justin Martyr wrote in
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the year 150 and Origen wrote in the year 248. One wrote
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150 years
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after the birth of Jesus. Origen wrote nearly 250 years
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after the birth of Jesus.
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There was a lot of
information about the place
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where Jesus was born
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and when she really
understood this was the cave
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where Jesus was born,
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she used those funds from
the Imperial Treasury
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with a decree from her son who
was the Emperor Constantine,
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and they constructed the First Church
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of the Nativity in 326.
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That's when construction began.
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They dedicated it in 339 and it stood for nearly 200 years.
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And then the Emperor Justinian came to power
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and he said - Wow - this site is so momentous,
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we need a greater church on that site than the one
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that was built by Helena.
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So he constructed what we see
today when we go to Bethlehem,
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which is called the
Church of the Nativity.
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And it was dedicated in the year 520 AD,
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which means for more than 1500 years,
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believers have been going
there to see the place
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where Jesus was born.
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And I understand that it's quite a shock
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to people when they get there
because in our minds we think
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that Jesus was born in
a barn made out of wood.
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We think that Jesus was placed
in a manger made out of wood.
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Why do we think that? Because that's
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what we see on Christmas cards
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and that's what we see on
paintings that were rendered
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during the Middle Ages
by Italian painters.
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But my friends, that
picture is completely wrong.
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Jesus was not born in a wooden barn.
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He was not placed in a wooden manger.
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Jesus was born in a cave.
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And the Bible tells us in Luke 2:7,
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that Mary brought forth her firstborn son
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and wrapped him in swaddling clothes
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and laid him in a manger
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because there was no
room for them in the inn.
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Now, the very fact
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that Jesus was born in
a cave does not mean
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that it was not a barn
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because the shepherds all
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around Bethlehem used
the local caves for barns.
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That was a Bethlehem barn.
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But what's funny to me is millions of Christians
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around the world sing "Away in a Manger"
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and they don't even know what it means.
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What is a manger? Or they sing "Silent Night Holy Night.
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But was it really a silent night?
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In fact, it was a pretty noisy night,
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and that's what I'm going to show you
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today in the scriptures.
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But let's begin in Luke 2:1, which says,
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And it came to pass in those days
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that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus
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that all the world should be taxed.
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That word decree really describes a decree which was given
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by Caesar Augustus, but it was enacted by the Roman Senate.
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And when the Roman Senate gave such a decree, it had
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to be obeyed.
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So everyone had to participate.
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And the verse says, all the world should be taxed.
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The word world is a very specific Greek word which describes
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the inhabited world or the civilized world.
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And in fact, it is the very Greek word used
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to describe the entire Roman Empire.
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And during the time of Caesar Augustus,
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the Roman Empire's territory
nearly doubled in size
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and they needed more money
for construction for all kinds
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of things that were going
on across the empire.
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So the purpose of this taxation
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or this worldwide census was
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to determine the size of the empire.
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Then they would know what is the tax base
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and how much money they could generate
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for their projects all
over the Roman Empire.
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And really the word tax
means to be enrolled.
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It refers to a governmental census.
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And again, so they could determine the possible tax revenue
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and the budget of the government.
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And the Bible says,
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and all went to be taxed
everyone under his own city.
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And in verse 3, the word, all,
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and the word, everyone, is important
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because both of them confirm something important.
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The word, all, the Greek word pantis, means everyone all
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with no one excluded.
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The word everyone, is a translation
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of the Greek word hekagtos
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which also means everyone
all, no one excluded,
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which means everyone in
the empire was to leave
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where they were
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and they were to return
to their ancient city
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where their family first began
and where they were enrolled.
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And this means large numbers
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of people were on the
move at the same time.
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In fact, it was the 1st time in human history
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that an entire empire was moving at the same time.
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To accommodate this decree,
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businesses, schools
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and stores were closed. Salaries were suspended.
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Work was brought to a screeching halt as individuals
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and whole families from across
the Roman world were packing
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their belongings
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and hunting for that place
where their family came from.
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They were moving, moving, moving
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to be registered in the census.
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And it's very likely
that there was a concert
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of complaining about the government from one end
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to the other end of the Roman Empire.
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Why are they requiring us to do this?
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Why couldn't we just be
census where we live?
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Why do we have to go back
to our original hometown?
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But God was at work clearly
orchestrating events
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to fulfill biblical prophecy.
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We're told in Micah 5:2,
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nearly 730 years
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before Jesus was born, that Christ the Messiah,
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would be born in the city of Bethlehem.
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Wow! In order for that prophecy to be fulfilled,
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God put the whole world in
movement just to get Mary
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and Joseph to Bethlehem in time for Jesus to be born
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and to fulfill biblical prophecy.
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Maybe Mary and Joseph didn't
want to go, we don't know.
262
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But because of this
decree, they had no choice.
263
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They had to return to
the city of Bethlehem.
264
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This decree from Caesar
Augustus was the catalyst
265
00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.330
that brought them there.
266
00:12:13.330 --> 00:12:14.470
And it demonstrates to me
267
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and to you that God will do anything he has to do to get you
268
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and me where we need to be.
269
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And in fact, if needed, God will still inconvenience people.
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He will change plans.
271
00:12:26.410 --> 00:12:29.800
He'll do anything he has to
do to get you where you need
272
00:12:29.800 --> 00:12:33.970
to be in his ultimate
destiny for your life.
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00:12:33.970 --> 00:12:37.480
Say amen. But what about that trip from Nazareth
274
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to Bethlehem?
275
00:12:38.590 --> 00:12:41.860
Well, we read in Luke 2:4 -
276
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And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city
277
00:12:44.920 --> 00:12:47.680
of Nazareth into Judea unto the city of David,
278
00:12:47.680 --> 00:12:51.550
which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house
279
00:12:51.550 --> 00:12:53.500
and of the lineage of David.
280
00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:57.130
Well, the distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem is 70
281
00:12:57.130 --> 00:13:00.880
to 90 miles depending on the route that you take.
282
00:13:00.880 --> 00:13:04.030
For a person in really good shape that's not pregnant,
283
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it would take about 3-days, 4-days:
284
00:13:07.060 --> 00:13:09.520
you could travel about 20 miles a day.
285
00:13:09.520 --> 00:13:13.660
But for a woman who was greatly pregnant like Mary was,
286
00:13:13.660 --> 00:13:16.450
it could take 7 to 10 days
287
00:13:16.450 --> 00:13:17.950
and it was a horrible trip
288
00:13:17.950 --> 00:13:20.740
for a pregnant woman. Along the way,
289
00:13:20.740 --> 00:13:23.230
she would need multiple breaks to rest.
290
00:13:23.230 --> 00:13:26.170
She need to go to the restroom
and it would require she
291
00:13:26.170 --> 00:13:28.720
and Joseph to set up tent, break down tent,
292
00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:31.720
all along the way. My friends,
293
00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:36.010
this clearly was not an easy
trip, especially for a woman
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00:13:36.010 --> 00:13:38.140
who was great with child -
295
00:13:38.140 --> 00:13:41.950
but it was part of the plan of
God to get them to Bethlehem
296
00:13:41.950 --> 00:13:45.220
so Jesus would be born in
the right place according
297
00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:47.080
to biblical prophecy.
298
00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:51.010
And it tells me that not only
will God inconvenience other
299
00:13:51.010 --> 00:13:52.900
people to get you where you need to be,
300
00:13:52.900 --> 00:13:54.520
he may inconvenience you
301
00:13:54.520 --> 00:13:57.730
and ask you to do really
something difficult to be
302
00:13:57.730 --> 00:13:59.050
where you need to be.
303
00:13:59.050 --> 00:14:01.630
Wow. As you serve God, you need
304
00:14:01.630 --> 00:14:04.750
to understand there really will be times when God will ask
305
00:14:04.750 --> 00:14:07.360
you to do something that's not comfortable
306
00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:08.410
and not convenient.
307
00:14:08.410 --> 00:14:11.140
But if you're willing to
do it, God will get you
308
00:14:11.140 --> 00:14:13.330
where you need to be.
309
00:14:13.330 --> 00:14:16.870
And Joseph and Mary were
willing to do whatever it was
310
00:14:16.870 --> 00:14:19.570
to be in Bethlehem at the right time.
311
00:14:19.570 --> 00:14:24.310
But the Bible tells us that
Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
312
00:14:24.310 --> 00:14:28.570
And the word, Bethlehem, means the house of bread.
313
00:14:28.570 --> 00:14:30.580
And this is really significant
314
00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:33.790
because in John 6:41, Jesus said,
315
00:14:33.790 --> 00:14:37.150
I am the bread which came down from heaven.
316
00:14:37.150 --> 00:14:41.080
Jesus really is the living bread that came down from Heaven.
317
00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.370
And he was even born in Bethlehem, which is the house
318
00:14:45.370 --> 00:14:49.390
of bread. With pinpoint precision,
319
00:14:49.390 --> 00:14:52.460
God fulfilled his prophecy through Micah
320
00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:56.270
and supernaturally birthed salvation, which became bread
321
00:14:56.270 --> 00:15:00.050
to the entire human race: the bread of salvation, the bread
322
00:15:00.050 --> 00:15:02.930
of healing, the bread of prosperity, the bread
323
00:15:02.930 --> 00:15:04.070
of God's promises.
324
00:15:04.070 --> 00:15:05.960
Jesus is the living bread,
325
00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:09.920
and he was born in Bethlehem,
the house of bread.
326
00:15:09.920 --> 00:15:14.150
But the Bible goes on to tell us - to be taxed with Mary,
327
00:15:14.150 --> 00:15:17.030
his espoused wife being great with child.
328
00:15:17.030 --> 00:15:19.100
And so it was that while they were there,
329
00:15:19.100 --> 00:15:23.180
the days were accomplished
that she should be delivered.
330
00:15:23.180 --> 00:15:25.340
But when the Bible says
she was great with child,
331
00:15:25.340 --> 00:15:28.400
the Greek literally means - she was very pregnant
332
00:15:28.400 --> 00:15:30.710
or very far along in pregnancy,
333
00:15:30.710 --> 00:15:33.740
or one who was right on
the verge of giving birth
334
00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:35.270
and that it happened.
335
00:15:35.270 --> 00:15:37.460
Luke 2:7 says,
336
00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:41.150
And she brought forth her firstborn son
337
00:15:41.150 --> 00:15:43.130
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes
338
00:15:43.130 --> 00:15:44.690
and laid him in a manger
339
00:15:44.690 --> 00:15:47.360
because there was no room for them in the inn.
340
00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:50.450
But notice Jesus here is called the firstborn.
341
00:15:50.450 --> 00:15:52.040
And in Greek it is a word
342
00:15:52.040 --> 00:15:54.830
that literally means
the firstborn implying
343
00:15:54.830 --> 00:15:56.900
that others will later be born.
344
00:15:56.900 --> 00:15:58.910
And Jesus was the firstborn.
345
00:15:58.910 --> 00:16:00.770
He was the only one virgin born
346
00:16:00.770 --> 00:16:02.990
because he was the son of God.
347
00:16:02.990 --> 00:16:04.685
Now, there are religious
traditions which say
348
00:16:04.685 --> 00:16:07.220
that Mary never had any other children,
349
00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:09.350
but all you have to do is look at the Bible
350
00:16:09.350 --> 00:16:12.110
because in Matthew 13:55
351
00:16:12.110 --> 00:16:15.140
and 56, it tells us explicitly that
352
00:16:15.140 --> 00:16:19.400
after Jesus was born, other
brothers were born as well.
353
00:16:19.400 --> 00:16:23.330
They were named Joseph,
James, Jude, and Simon.
354
00:16:23.330 --> 00:16:26.840
And verse 56 says, there
were at least two sisters.
355
00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:29.720
So after Jesus was born,
there were another six kids
356
00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:30.980
that were born in the family.
357
00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:32.480
And it's amazing that all
358
00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:35.150
of these kids later were
involved in the ministry.
359
00:16:35.150 --> 00:16:37.730
James became the leader
of the church in Jerusalem
360
00:16:37.730 --> 00:16:38.900
and wrote the book of James.
361
00:16:38.900 --> 00:16:42.860
Jude became an apostle and wrote the book of Jude.
362
00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:46.880
But Luke 2:7 says that when Jesus was born in
363
00:16:46.880 --> 00:16:48.110
that cave in Bethlehem,
364
00:16:48.110 --> 00:16:52.010
Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes
365
00:16:52.010 --> 00:16:54.860
and laid him in a manger.
366
00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:57.800
So I'm to ask you, do you know
what are swaddling clothes,
367
00:16:57.800 --> 00:17:01.190
and do you know what a manger really looked like?
368
00:17:01.190 --> 00:17:04.940
Most people base their mental
images on these things based
369
00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:09.290
on Christmas cards and
Christmas cards are wonderful,
370
00:17:09.290 --> 00:17:12.380
but Christmas cards
are not entirely right.
371
00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:14.330
The painters and the illustrators
372
00:17:14.330 --> 00:17:16.490
who design our Christmas
cards put everything
373
00:17:16.490 --> 00:17:17.750
on the front of a card
374
00:17:17.750 --> 00:17:20.240
so we'd see the whole picture at once.
375
00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:21.890
They put the Magi there,
376
00:17:21.890 --> 00:17:23.840
the shepherds there, the angels there.
377
00:17:23.840 --> 00:17:26.450
But my friends, they were not
all there at the same time.
378
00:17:26.450 --> 00:17:29.240
In fact, you're going to discover the Magi didn't show up
379
00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:31.010
until two years later.
380
00:17:31.010 --> 00:17:35.060
And very often the Christmas cards show the Holy Family in a
381
00:17:35.060 --> 00:17:39.440
barn made out of wood and a manger made out of wood.
382
00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:42.890
But when we take a deeper look at the story, we find
383
00:17:42.890 --> 00:17:45.050
that the paintings and the greeting cards are
384
00:17:45.050 --> 00:17:47.090
woefully wrong.
385
00:17:47.090 --> 00:17:49.500
Let's begin with what we know about
386
00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:51.210
swaddling clothes.
387
00:17:51.210 --> 00:17:54.120
The words, swaddling clothes, are from a Greek word
388
00:17:54.120 --> 00:17:56.100
that describes the bandages
389
00:17:56.100 --> 00:17:58.710
or strips of material that were used
390
00:17:58.710 --> 00:18:02.190
for wrapping the little
legs of newborn lambs.
391
00:18:02.190 --> 00:18:05.550
And of course those bandages
would've been available in
392
00:18:05.550 --> 00:18:08.730
that cave because that
cave was used as a barn.
393
00:18:08.730 --> 00:18:11.520
And it's likely that on the very night that Jesus was born,
394
00:18:11.520 --> 00:18:13.950
there were little lambs in that cave.
395
00:18:13.950 --> 00:18:15.570
Shepherds used that cave.
396
00:18:15.570 --> 00:18:18.270
So these materials would have been there.
397
00:18:18.270 --> 00:18:22.350
But in typical fashion
of caves near Bethlehem,
398
00:18:22.350 --> 00:18:25.140
there would have been animals in the cave
399
00:18:25.140 --> 00:18:26.940
that night when Jesus was born,
400
00:18:26.940 --> 00:18:29.580
most likely little lambs among them.
401
00:18:29.580 --> 00:18:32.640
And because little lambs were
being born there, there needed
402
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:36.000
to be these swaddling
clothes to protect the legs
403
00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.770
of the little newborn lambs.
404
00:18:37.770 --> 00:18:39.960
And because Jesus was born in a cave
405
00:18:39.960 --> 00:18:43.650
that possibly had those little
lambs, those strip of cloth
406
00:18:43.650 --> 00:18:46.500
or swaddling clothes were available there,
407
00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:50.670
and they were used by Mary
to wrap little baby Jesus,
408
00:18:50.670 --> 00:18:54.480
the lamb of God when he was born.
409
00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:58.410
And this means that Jesus in his very 1st appearance on
410
00:18:58.410 --> 00:19:02.490
Earth symbolically foreshadowed his purpose of coming
411
00:19:02.490 --> 00:19:05.370
that he was born to be the lamb of God,
412
00:19:05.370 --> 00:19:08.310
to take away the sin of the world.
413
00:19:08.310 --> 00:19:11.850
Remember in John 1:29
414
00:19:11.850 --> 00:19:15.210
and 36, John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the lamb
415
00:19:15.210 --> 00:19:18.450
of God, which takes away the sin of the world.
416
00:19:18.450 --> 00:19:20.700
In 1 Peter 1:19, Peter says,
417
00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:23.760
Jesus is the spotless lamb of God.
418
00:19:23.760 --> 00:19:25.590
In Revelation 5:12
419
00:19:25.590 --> 00:19:27.690
and Revelation 13:5, we read
420
00:19:27.690 --> 00:19:30.030
that Jesus is the lamb slain
421
00:19:30.030 --> 00:19:32.310
before the foundation of the world.
422
00:19:32.310 --> 00:19:36.240
And the title - Lamb of God - makes the term,
423
00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:38.970
swaddling clothes, extremely significant
424
00:19:38.970 --> 00:19:40.440
to the Christmas story
425
00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:44.250
because Jesus in his very 1st appearance is wrapped
426
00:19:44.250 --> 00:19:47.460
with the same bandages which
were used for little lambs.
427
00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:51.540
Jesus laid in that manger
as the little lamb of God
428
00:19:51.540 --> 00:19:54.570
that was born to take
away the sin of the world.
429
00:19:54.570 --> 00:19:57.210
But what is a manger?
430
00:19:57.210 --> 00:19:59.490
Well, the Bible says explicitly
431
00:19:59.490 --> 00:20:02.190
that Mary laid him in a manger.
432
00:20:02.190 --> 00:20:03.390
And due to paintings
433
00:20:03.390 --> 00:20:05.640
and illustrations on Christmas cards,
434
00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:07.860
most people have in their mind the picture
435
00:20:07.860 --> 00:20:09.990
of a manger made out of wood.
436
00:20:09.990 --> 00:20:12.330
But my friends, that's not right.
437
00:20:12.330 --> 00:20:15.720
We're told by the theologian Origen, when he wrote in the
438
00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:17.640
year 248 AD,
439
00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:22.530
that the cave in Jerusalem still had the manger in which
440
00:20:22.530 --> 00:20:24.360
Christ was born.
441
00:20:24.360 --> 00:20:26.820
Well, if the manger had been made of wood,
442
00:20:26.820 --> 00:20:30.540
it would've rotted or it
would've fallen into disrepair
443
00:20:30.540 --> 00:20:31.860
or been carried away.
444
00:20:31.860 --> 00:20:35.880
But in 248 AD, Origen wrote - There is shown at Bethlehem
445
00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:38.160
the cave where Christ was born
446
00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:39.840
and the manger in the cave
447
00:20:39.840 --> 00:20:41.640
where he was wrapped in swaddling clothes.
448
00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:43.860
And this site is still greatly talked
449
00:20:43.860 --> 00:20:45.990
of in surrounding places.
450
00:20:45.990 --> 00:20:48.100
And of course, again,
if it was made of wood,
451
00:20:48.100 --> 00:20:49.570
it wouldn't have been there any longer.
452
00:20:49.570 --> 00:20:52.990
But mangers in those caves
were not made out of wood.
453
00:20:52.990 --> 00:20:54.820
They were fashioned out of stone.
454
00:20:54.820 --> 00:20:57.550
And in fact, they were
carved right into the wall
455
00:20:57.550 --> 00:21:00.010
of the cave, which makes sense
456
00:21:00.010 --> 00:21:04.360
that it was still visible
nearly 250 years later.
457
00:21:04.360 --> 00:21:07.930
It existed for more than 250 years.
458
00:21:07.930 --> 00:21:09.940
And Origen said, you can still go there,
459
00:21:09.940 --> 00:21:10.990
you can still see it.
460
00:21:10.990 --> 00:21:14.200
And it's interesting that today when you descend the steps
461
00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:17.530
into the grotto below the Church of the Nativity,
462
00:21:17.530 --> 00:21:20.200
there is still a manger of stone
463
00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:22.600
that is carved into the wall of the cave.
464
00:21:22.600 --> 00:21:25.630
Whether it is that manger
or not, we don't know,
465
00:21:25.630 --> 00:21:28.690
but it would've been a
manger just like that one.
466
00:21:28.690 --> 00:21:30.100
But I have to ask another question -
467
00:21:30.100 --> 00:21:32.890
Why was there no room in the inn
468
00:21:32.890 --> 00:21:35.650
that night? We're told in Luke 2:7,
469
00:21:35.650 --> 00:21:38.620
there was no room for them in the inn.
470
00:21:38.620 --> 00:21:41.350
And religious tradition says there was no room for them
471
00:21:41.350 --> 00:21:42.850
because they were poor.
472
00:21:42.850 --> 00:21:44.290
But we saw in previous programs
473
00:21:44.290 --> 00:21:46.540
that Joseph was well compensated.
474
00:21:46.540 --> 00:21:48.880
He was not a poor carpenter.
475
00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.800
He had money to pay for a room,
476
00:21:50.800 --> 00:21:55.150
but Bethlehem was just a little tiny obscure village
477
00:21:55.150 --> 00:21:58.210
and there were not many places for travelers to stay.
478
00:21:58.210 --> 00:22:00.760
And most people simply stayed on the 2nd floor
479
00:22:00.760 --> 00:22:04.090
of big houses, but there weren't many of them in Bethlehem.
480
00:22:04.090 --> 00:22:05.830
And so when they arrived late,
481
00:22:05.830 --> 00:22:08.500
all the places were already taken. And
482
00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:11.110
because there was no place for them to go in
483
00:22:11.110 --> 00:22:14.920
an inn on a 2nd floor, they retreated into the back
484
00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:16.060
of that cave.
485
00:22:16.060 --> 00:22:18.790
And the Bible says - Mary was great with child
486
00:22:18.790 --> 00:22:21.250
and was about to give birth.
487
00:22:21.250 --> 00:22:24.250
So because they found no
other place to go, they went
488
00:22:24.250 --> 00:22:25.480
to the back of that cave
489
00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:30.010
and that is where Mary gave
birth to the son of God.
490
00:22:30.010 --> 00:22:32.320
I've been in many of those caves
491
00:22:32.320 --> 00:22:34.180
around the ancient city of Bethlehem.
492
00:22:34.180 --> 00:22:36.880
I've seen it's very easy to imagine
493
00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:38.680
how they would've been used as a barn.
494
00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:41.050
But today people love to sing "Away in a manger".
495
00:22:41.050 --> 00:22:44.260
They don't even know what a manger is or "Silent Night".
496
00:22:44.260 --> 00:22:47.350
But I have to ask again - Was it really a silent night?
497
00:22:47.350 --> 00:22:48.640
Probably not.
498
00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:51.940
It was a cave filled with
noisy animals, possibly
499
00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:54.850
with shepherds, possibly
with other travelers
500
00:22:54.850 --> 00:22:57.340
who also could not find a place to stay.
501
00:22:57.340 --> 00:23:02.290
But in the back of that cave, Jesus was born.
502
00:23:02.290 --> 00:23:05.290
And below the present church of the Nativity
503
00:23:05.290 --> 00:23:07.930
in Bethlehem, there really are 2 sets
504
00:23:07.930 --> 00:23:10.990
of steps which go down into the lower grotto
505
00:23:10.990 --> 00:23:14.650
where you can find a bronze store in the marble
506
00:23:14.650 --> 00:23:17.530
that indicates the place where Jesus was born.
507
00:23:17.530 --> 00:23:18.880
And if you look nearby,
508
00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:22.780
you will see a stone manger carved out
509
00:23:22.780 --> 00:23:24.730
of the wall of the cave.
510
00:23:24.730 --> 00:23:27.250
So now we know what our swaddling clothes
511
00:23:27.250 --> 00:23:29.530
and we know what is a manger.
512
00:23:29.530 --> 00:23:31.480
When people go there today,
it's difficult for them
513
00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:34.060
to imagine this was the
site where it took place
514
00:23:34.060 --> 00:23:35.950
because today it's so religiously
515
00:23:35.950 --> 00:23:38.050
decorated. But history affirms -
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it really is where Jesus was born.
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00:23:40.660 --> 00:23:43.840
But when we come back in the
next program, we're going
518
00:23:43.840 --> 00:23:46.670
to understand the miracle that occurred in
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00:23:46.670 --> 00:23:49.010
that cave when Jesus was born.
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00:23:49.010 --> 00:23:52.100
I'll be back in just a moment
and I want to pray for you.
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00:23:52.100 --> 00:23:54.410
Do you really know the story of Christmas?
522
00:23:54.410 --> 00:23:56.630
Is there more to the story about the birth
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00:23:56.630 --> 00:23:58.970
of our Savior than what you've been told? In this
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00:23:58.970 --> 00:23:59.990
series - Christmas,
525
00:23:59.990 --> 00:24:02.990
The Rest of the Story, Rick Renner dives deep into the parts
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00:24:02.990 --> 00:24:05.720
of the Christmas story that
most people have never heard.
527
00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:08.780
Rick says, I've studied
this story for decades
528
00:24:08.780 --> 00:24:11.900
and I found fabulous treasures
no one ever shared with me.
529
00:24:11.900 --> 00:24:14.780
In this series, we explore the Bible, history,
530
00:24:14.780 --> 00:24:16.010
historical writings,
531
00:24:16.010 --> 00:24:19.460
and so much more so we can really understand all the events
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00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:21.980
that took place surrounding the birth of Jesus.
533
00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:25.250
Rick answers questions like -
Why did God choose Mary?
534
00:24:25.250 --> 00:24:27.140
Was Joseph really a carpenter?
535
00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:30.110
Why was Herod so troubled by Jesus' birth?
536
00:24:30.110 --> 00:24:31.490
Who were the Magi
537
00:24:31.490 --> 00:24:34.160
and what was the estimated value of their gifts?
538
00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:37.640
This 15-part documentary type series is available in digital
539
00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:41.060
or physical format starting at just $24,
540
00:24:41.060 --> 00:24:43.730
and we are excited to also
offer you Rick's stunning new
541
00:24:43.730 --> 00:24:46.130
book, Christmas, The Rest of the Story.
542
00:24:46.130 --> 00:24:48.020
It's a book you'll want
to share with friends
543
00:24:48.020 --> 00:24:49.970
and family at this time of the year.
544
00:24:49.970 --> 00:24:53.900
This hardcover 300 page fully illustrated book is a keepsake
545
00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:57.320
that friends and family will pass on to future generations.
546
00:24:57.320 --> 00:25:00.350
Don't miss this special offer: the series, Christmas,
547
00:25:00.350 --> 00:25:01.550
The Rest of the Story,
548
00:25:01.550 --> 00:25:04.790
and the beautiful book, Christmas - The Rest of the Story.
549
00:25:04.790 --> 00:25:06.290
Call the number on your screen now
550
00:25:06.290 --> 00:25:08.060
or go to renner.org to order.
551
00:25:08.060 --> 00:25:09.560
Call or go online now.
552
00:25:11.450 --> 00:25:12.710
Hey, this is Rick Renner,
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00:25:12.710 --> 00:25:15.950
and right now I'm standing
in the reception area
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00:25:15.950 --> 00:25:18.800
of the Tulsa Ministry headquarters,
555
00:25:18.800 --> 00:25:21.920
and this building is just so wonderful.
556
00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:26.720
You know, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 10:21, The lips
557
00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:29.690
of the righteous feed many.
558
00:25:29.690 --> 00:25:32.390
And I know that is our assignment.
559
00:25:32.390 --> 00:25:36.530
God has called us to feed many
people the trusted teaching
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00:25:36.530 --> 00:25:38.990
of the Bible, and together with you
561
00:25:38.990 --> 00:25:40.520
and all of our partners,
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00:25:40.520 --> 00:25:44.450
we really are taking the trusted teaching of the word of God
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00:25:44.450 --> 00:25:47.180
to the very ends of the earth.
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00:25:47.180 --> 00:25:51.230
Right now, we've paid off about 82% of this facility
565
00:25:51.230 --> 00:25:53.600
and that is just wonderful -
566
00:25:53.600 --> 00:25:55.580
but now we need to knock it out of the ballpark.
567
00:25:55.580 --> 00:25:57.140
We need to finish this
568
00:25:57.140 --> 00:26:00.050
because when we're finished
paying off this facility,
569
00:26:00.050 --> 00:26:03.860
that frees up finances so
we can take the teaching
570
00:26:03.860 --> 00:26:07.550
of the Bible to more places
across the face of the earth
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00:26:07.550 --> 00:26:10.400
where people are crying out for someone
572
00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:12.410
to feed them the word of God.
573
00:26:12.410 --> 00:26:14.690
And my friends, we can
only do it with your help.
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00:26:14.690 --> 00:26:17.870
So thank you if you're
already a part of the team,
575
00:26:17.870 --> 00:26:21.410
and if not yet part of the
team, please join us as a part
576
00:26:21.410 --> 00:26:23.570
of the Giving Team to pay off this facility
577
00:26:23.570 --> 00:26:25.460
so we can be finished with it
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00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:28.310
and use these funds to
take the gospel further
579
00:26:28.310 --> 00:26:30.710
to other places across the world.
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00:26:37.820 --> 00:26:39.620
We've covered a lot of information today
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00:26:39.620 --> 00:26:42.260
and tomorrow we're gonna
really understand the miracle
582
00:26:42.260 --> 00:26:45.000
that occurred in that
cave when Jesus was born.
583
00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:46.560
But I'm offering you my series
584
00:26:46.560 --> 00:26:50.850
and the study guide called Christmas, The Rest of the Story,
585
00:26:50.850 --> 00:26:53.910
and we're also offering you my book by the same title.
586
00:26:53.910 --> 00:26:56.040
It is fully illustrated; when you get this
587
00:26:56.040 --> 00:26:59.190
you will simply be thrilled: Christmas, The Rest
588
00:26:59.190 --> 00:27:00.960
of the Story.
589
00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:03.360
You can order all these
things by going online
590
00:27:03.360 --> 00:27:05.070
or by giving us a call.
591
00:27:05.070 --> 00:27:09.150
But Father, we thank you
that Jesus was born for us.
592
00:27:09.150 --> 00:27:12.360
We thank you the King of Glory came to the earth
593
00:27:12.360 --> 00:27:15.660
as the little lamb of God to take away our sin.
594
00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:18.690
Oh, we thank you for this.
We thank you for repentance.
595
00:27:18.690 --> 00:27:21.900
We thank you that we've been
washed in the blood of Jesus,
596
00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:23.760
the Lamb of God.
597
00:27:23.760 --> 00:27:25.650
Amen.
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00:27:25.650 --> 00:27:27.060
Hey, I'll be back tomorrow,
599
00:27:27.060 --> 00:27:30.060
but remember Ecclesiastes 8:4 which says,
600
00:27:30.060 --> 00:27:34.650
"Where the word of a king is, there is power."
601
00:27:34.650 --> 00:27:36.900
If you've never received
Jesus as your Savior
602
00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:41.280
and Lord, now is the time for
you to experience a new life
603
00:27:41.280 --> 00:27:43.440
Jesus has to give you.
604
00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:47.550
Pray this prayer with me right now - Lord,
605
00:27:47.550 --> 00:27:51.540
I repent of my sin and receive you as my Savior
606
00:27:51.540 --> 00:27:54.510
and Lord. Wash away my sin
607
00:27:54.510 --> 00:27:57.540
and make me completely new.
608
00:27:57.540 --> 00:28:01.320
I thank you that my sin is removed
609
00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:06.320
and Satan no longer has any
right to lay claim on me.
610
00:28:06.870 --> 00:28:10.860
I faithfully promise that
I will serve you as my Lord
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00:28:10.860 --> 00:28:12.540
for the rest of my life.
612
00:28:13.410 --> 00:28:14.410
Amen.
613
00:28:15.270 --> 00:28:17.490
Thank you for joining Rick Renner today.
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00:28:17.490 --> 00:28:19.620
For more information about Renner Ministries
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00:28:19.620 --> 00:28:22.560
and product resources, visit renner.org.