00:002,000 years ago, Israel, once a proud and free nation, was suffering under the rule of the
00:16mighty Roman Empire. Taxes had to be paid to the Roman Emperor, and the people of Israel
00:22hated the publicans who collected these taxes for the Romans. More than that, they strongly
00:28resented having to pay such heavy and unjust taxes. But anyone who dared to rebel was doomed
00:34to bear the marks of the Roman whip, powers of the Roman sword. Now and then there were
00:39some threats and uprisings, but the Romans ruled over the land with an iron fist, and there
00:45was no way to escape the cruel power of the conquerors. However, throughout the land, there
00:51were some devout people who studied the words of the prophets, hoping that the promised Messiah
00:56would come and save them from their sins. There were so many others who hoped that the
01:00Messiah would unite them in overthrowing the Romans.
01:11How much longer must we suffer the crimes of these cheating, lying Romans? How much longer
01:17must we suffer the Roman whips and swords? Why must we submit to these barbarians? Why must
01:32we pay taxes to them? What can we do? We must bear this oppression with patience, for we know
01:40that God has promised us a Messiah, a Savior. The prophet Isaiah has foretold, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
01:47As if voicing all the thoughts of everyone in Israel, the young man asked the question that lay uppermost on their own
02:17minds. When will this Messiah come? When? No one knew the answer, not even a devout young woman of Nazareth, who would soon become the wife of Joseph, the village carpenter. No, Mary did not know the answer. But even now, the angel of the Lord was to tell her of the great blessing God had in store for her.
02:44Hail thou that art highly favored. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. She was startled and troubled by the angel's greeting, and did not understand its meaning. Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt bring forth the
03:14Son of the Son, and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
03:35How can this be, since I have no husband? The Holy Spirit will come upon thee, and the Most High will overshadow thee. Therefore, the child to be born will be called Holy, the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth in her old age is also to become the mother of a son. For with God nothing shall be impossible.
04:00Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.
04:14To the south, in the hill country of Judea, an elderly couple was patiently awaiting the birth of their child. They knew it was to be a boy. They knew that his name was to be John, and that he would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. This they knew.
04:34His wife, Elizabeth, must have learned the mission of their son from Zacharias. And therefore, she knew that God in his mercy would soon send the promised Savior. But she could not have known when or of whom the Savior would be born.
04:51But they were to know soon, for their cousin Mary had hastened south. Even now, she was at their very door.
04:58Mary!
05:04Mary! Elizabeth!
05:04At this very moment, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she suddenly knew that the promise of the Messiah was soon to be fulfilled.
05:24Blessed are you among women.
05:26And blessed is the child, and blessed is the child, whose mother you are to be.
05:33But why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
05:40For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, my heart was filled with joy.
05:49And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.
05:59My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
06:16For he has regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden.
06:24For behold, henceforth, all generations will call me blessed.
06:31For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
06:38But when Joseph learned that Mary was soon to become a mother, he became deeply troubled.
06:54He did not know what to do.
06:56Being a just man, he did not want to bring any shame on the woman he had chosen to be his wife.
07:02Even his sleep was filled with his troubles.
07:11Then there came to Joseph an angel of the Lord, bringing him the assurance that he sorely needed.
07:17Even his sleep was filled with his troubles.
07:21Then there came to Joseph an angel of the Lord, bringing him the assurance that he sorely needed.
07:28Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is created in her is of the Holy Spirit, and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.
07:58Now the time was drawing near for Mary's child to be born.
08:08But in the meantime, the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, had ordered a census of the people of Israel.
08:14That meant that everyone must go to the birthplace of his parents to register for the purpose of taxation.
08:20And as Joseph and Mary were of the house of David, and the city of David was Bethlehem, they made the tiring journey south to that city.
08:31But when the weary travelers reached the little town of Bethlehem, they found it crowded with those who had also come from near and distant places to be registered for the counting.
08:41My good man, would you hold this animal for me?
08:44It was necessary for Mary to rest, for the journey had been long and tiresome.
08:49We seek shelter for the night.
09:03I'm sorry, but all my rooms are full.
09:05We must have shelter.
09:07My wife is expecting her first child to be born soon, almost any time now.
09:11Have you no friends in the city?
09:13No.
09:14We are from Nazareth.
09:15We know of no other place to stay.
09:17I hate to even suggest this, but the only shelter I could offer you for the night is the stable.
09:23That's the only place I have.
09:26You're very kind.
09:33Come, I'll show you the way.
10:03I'm sorry there are no beds, but there is plenty of good clean hay.
10:17At least you'll keep warm.
10:19May God bless you for your kindness.
10:22I'll bring you some bedding.
10:24If there's anything you need, just ask for it.
10:27Here, I'll leave you the light.
10:33Joseph.
10:39Joseph.
11:03In a place not far away, shepherds were watching over their flock, unaware that the Son of God was being born in a humble stable in Bethlehem.
11:14But they were soon to know, in a most glorious manner, of the fulfillment of God's promise to send a Savior to the throne.
11:21For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11:34For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
11:40And this shall be a sign unto you.
11:45He shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
11:50In a manger.
11:51In a manger.
11:52In a manger.
11:53In a manger.
11:55in a manger.
11:56In a manger.
11:57In a manger.
11:58In a manger.
11:59In a manger.
12:00In a manger.
12:01In a manger.
12:02Ready?
12:03in a manger.
12:04In a manger.
12:05In a manger.
12:07Here in a manger.
12:08Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing which is happening, which the Lord hath made known to us.
12:12and see this thing which has happened, which the Lord hath made known to us.
12:15The shepherds found the place where the Christ child was born,
12:42and Joseph brought them into the stable.
12:52And there, in the manger, they found Jesus, perhaps not as they expected, but surely as they had been told.
13:01With wonderment and great joy, these simple shepherds knelt down and worshipped the Savior of the world,
13:08who had been born in a lowly manger.
13:11And not only they, but the world was to know that on this night the prophecy of Isaiah had been fulfilled.
13:19For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder.
13:29And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
13:41Thank you, απ to God this day, and for heaven, and I really love your wonderment andọ Carlos.
Be the first to comment