G‘day! Partakers Christian podcasts of Bible Teaching, Bible Readings, Worship, Prayer and Church History on Podbean to help enable and encourage you! Come listen and interact.
Episodes
Sunday Dec 25, 2022
Sunday Dec 25, 2022
24. The birth of Jesus – Partakers Christmas Bible Thought
Merry Christmas to you and to your family and friends where ever you are in this world! This is Christ’s Mass. Christmas is about God sending ‘his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.’ ‘The Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.’ (1 John 4:9, 14). Christmas is about incarnation. We will look further at what that word means after some readings from the Bible.
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:1-7)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)
That Jesus was a human male is not really disputable with much archaeological and historical evidence about Him. There is more evidence for Jesus than there is for Julius Caesar. The birth of Jesus is extraordinary at every level. Come and listen to find our more!
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Saturday Dec 24, 2022
Saturday Dec 24, 2022
24. Mary's God – Partakers Christmas Bible Thought
In our last podcast, we looked at Mary’s response the visit of her relative Elizabeth, and discovered that in response to Elizabeth’s exclamations, Mary spontaneously bursts into song! A song seemingly of renewal, revolution and reformation. Today we look more at the God of Mary whom she worships and what that has to do with us today. Mary knows that her God is called Almighty. We know it as well through our study of the Bible and in our own lives, I am sure. But how is God, “Almighty”, and just as importantly, why? God being Almighty, can be summed up in 3 words: Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient. Come and listen to find out more about God and Mary's relationship with Him, in this part in the Christmas story!
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
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Friday Dec 23, 2022
Friday Dec 23, 2022
23. Mary’s Song, the Magnificat
In our last podcast, we looked at Mary visiting her relative Elizabeth. Today we continue the Christmas story and discover that in response to Elizabeth’s exclamations, Mary spontaneously bursts into song! A song seemingly of renewal, revolution and reformation. God is on the march and God is going to do something new! Some scholars believe Mary is looking back on all the stories she has heard about how God has dealt with people in the past. Others think that she is being prophetic and only looking ahead to what God will do. I personally think it is both. Come and listen to find out more about this part in the Christmas story!
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home
You can also read more about this in our PulpTheology Book on Amazon! Come on over!!
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Thursday Dec 22, 2022
Thursday Dec 22, 2022
22. Mary visits Elizabeth
In our last podcast, we looked at Mary’s call from God to be the mother of Jesus Christ. Today we continue the Christmas story and see that Mary has gone to see one of her relatives, Elizabeth, who is also with the child whom we later know as John the Baptist. Mary stays there 3 months before returning home. Come and listen to find out more about this part in the Christmas story!
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfil his promises to her!” (Luke 2:39-45)
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Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
Tuesday Dec 20, 2022
20. Joseph
Today we continue looking at the people of the Christmas story. Today it is Joseph, the future husband of Mary. Joseph is quite often the forgotten man of the story. We meet and learn about Joseph in both Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts of the birth of Jesus. He is the quiet man in the story but also a spiritual person who wished to live his life and make his decisions in accordance with God’s will. Joseph’s role was secondary to Mary’s. Nevertheless, it was an important one. Come and listen to find out more about his part in the Christmas story!
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: his mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’
22 All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25)
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Monday Dec 19, 2022
Monday Dec 19, 2022
19. The Magi or Wise Men
Today we continue looking at the people of the Christmas story. Today we look at the Wise Men or Magi! These men were travelling towards Christmas and probably for quite a long time, for it seems they originated in what we now call Iran but used to call Persia. These Wise Men, or as they are also known as Magi, were sort of priestly group - not kings, as is usually supposed in traditional Christmas presentations. They were men who studied the night skies for signs of what was going to happen. Come and listen to find out more about their part in the Christmas story!
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:
6 ‘“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:1-12)
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Saturday Dec 17, 2022
Saturday Dec 17, 2022
A Christmas Prayer of Ephraim
The feast day of your birth resembles You, Lord
Because it brings joy to all humanity.
Old people and infants alike enjoy your day.
Your day is celebrated
from generation to generation.
Kings and emperors may pass away,
And the festivals to commemorate them soon lapse.
But your festival will be remembered until the end of time.
Your day is a means and a pledge of peace.
At Your birth heaven and earth were reconciled,
Since you came from heaven to earth on that day
You forgave our sins and wiped away our guilt.
You gave us so many gifts on the day of your birth:
A treasure chest of spiritual medicines for the sick;
Spiritual light for the blind;
The cup of salvation for the thirsty;
The bread of life for the hungry.
In the winter when trees are bare,
You give us the most succulent spiritual fruit.
In the frost when the earth is barren,
You bring new hope to our souls.
In December when seeds are hidden in the soil,
The staff of life springs forth from the virgin womb
A Christmas Navity hymn & prayer of Ephraim the Syrian (AD 306-373)
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Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
17. Harmony of the Gospel Accounts
Today we have a harmony of the Christmas Nativity from all 4 Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each Gospel gives us a section of the story, therefore telling it from different perspectives.
Our Gospel readings are:
1. Pre-existence of Christ - John 1:1-18
2. Gabriel visits Mary - Luke 1:26-38
3. Mary visits Elizabeth - Luke 1:39-56
4. Angel visits Joseph - Matthew 1:18-24
5. Birth of Jesus Christ - Luke 2:1-7
6. Shepherds visit Jesus - Luke 2:8-20
7. Magi visit Jesus - Matthew 2:1-12
In the next Podcast of this series, we start looking at the people involved in this series!
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Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Prophecies Fulfilled 4 – Who would this Messiah be?
In the part of the Bible which is called the Old Testament, there are over 300 predictions down through history which look forward to the coming of a Messiah or Saviour. That Messiah or Saviour we Christians believe, was the man, the historical figure of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue our adventure! Are you ready?
There are over 300 predictions in the Old Testament look to the coming of a Messiah. That man we Christians believe was Jesus Christ. We continue today by looking at some of the global predications about who this Messiah would be
15 Predicted: This Messiah would be a prophet.
Prediction: Deuteronomy 18:15
Fulfilled: Acts 3:17-24
16 Predicted: This Messiah would be preceded by Elijah.
Prediction: Malachi 4:5-6
Fulfilled: Matthew 11:11-14
17 Predicted: This Messiah would be declared the Son of God.
Prediction: Psalm 2:7
Fulfilled: Matthew 3:16-17
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Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Tuesday Dec 13, 2022
Prophecies Fulfilled 4 – Global predications
In the part of the Bible which is called the Old Testament, there are over 300 predictions down through history which look forward to the coming of a Messiah or Saviour. That Messiah or Saviour we Christians believe, was the man, the historical figure of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue our adventure! Are you ready?
There are over 300 predictions in the Old Testament look to the coming of a Messiah. That man we Christians believe was Jesus Christ. We continue today by looking at some of the global predications about Jesus the Messiah
11. Prediction: Messiah would spend some time in Egypt.
Predicted: Hosea 11:1
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:14-15
12. Prediction: A massacre of children would happen at Messiah's birthplace.
Predicted: Jeremiah 31:15
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:16-18
13. Prediction: A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah.
Predicted: Isaiah 40:3-5
Fulfilled: Luke 3:3-6
14. Prediction: Messiah would be rejected by his own people.
Predicted: Psalm 69:8 Isaiah 53:3
Fulfilled: John 1:11; John 7:5