Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP122306
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02:23 Oh, thank you.
02:26 It's an honor for me to introduce 02:27 to you today a family, I'm so proud of. 02:32 You're gonna learn their story in just a few moments. 02:36 I want to introduce this family to you in shifts 02:39 so I'm gonna step away from the here. 02:45 I want you to meet the Filipova family 02:47 but first I want to meet, 02:49 want you to meet papa Yuliyan. 02:52 Yuliyan Filipova was one of my students 02:55 here this last spring in our preaching class, 02:57 preaching to the contemporary world 02:58 at the theological seminary 03:00 and Yuliyan, always nice to have you here. 03:02 You used to sitting about right in that row, 03:04 row number two. 03:05 I'm gonna let you since you are preacher 03:07 you just hold that microphone 03:09 because this man has an incredible story. 03:11 Now I'm gonna bring the rest of the family in 03:13 for where we are going in our Christmas journey today. 03:15 But Yuliyan, I want to start in Bulgaria. 03:18 What was the town you are born in Bulgaria? 03:21 Vidin. Vidin. Vilin. 03:22 Vidin. Yeah. Vidin. 03:24 On the Danube. 03:25 You born into a Christian home, what denomination was it? 03:28 Atheist. Yeah. Oh, you were in a atheist home? 03:32 So this is back during the communist era? 03:34 Yes, exactly. 03:35 You just hold that little closer to you. 03:37 During the communist area, okay. 03:39 So no church? 03:40 No. No God? 03:43 Religion was opium for the mass. 03:45 Opium for the masses. 03:46 Atheism what was taught in school. 03:48 Atheism at home. Atheism everywhere. 03:53 Bible forbidden. 03:54 But God obviously had His eye on you from the very beginning. 03:58 I want to start the story age 13 04:00 we got the couple guns stories. 04:01 Let's take the first gun story, shotgun. 04:03 Okay. 04:05 I was very innovative-- inventive boy. 04:08 I decided to make a rifle myself 04:11 or better say kind of shotgun with pellets. 04:16 And one day I decided to try the power of my shotgun 04:20 and to see if its able to go through the windshield of a car 04:25 that was parked about 70 yards away from home. 04:30 And of course I was eager to do that 04:33 and I put extra gunpowder, extra pellets in my shotgun 04:40 and because of these I gave the shot 04:43 but it came backwards right into my face. 04:46 The gun exploded in your face? Yes. 04:47 They rushed you to the hospital. 04:50 The doctor is worried about you're having eyesight at all 04:53 and then he makes for a communist doctor 04:55 a most interesting statement to you. 04:57 I was sitting in the room under a microscope 05:00 and he was doing something on me 05:02 and he explained that my eyes 05:04 were totally covered with the gunpowder 05:07 and this was what prevented me of seeing 05:10 and he said-- he made the remarkable 05:13 comment, Atheist doctor. 05:16 What did he say? 05:17 I don't know if there is God to hear him 05:19 but if there is one pray that my hand stayed still. 05:26 Did you pray? 05:30 That was the first time I took serious God, 05:34 I didn't know who this God made to be. 05:37 I hold it for you. 05:38 I just, just decided to try and said God, 05:44 if you really exist just help me to get my eyesight 05:48 and hold the hand of this doctor. 05:51 You got through the-- you got through that procedure 05:53 you were still able to see? 05:54 Did you become a believer than? 05:57 Actually I was able to see even without glasses 06:00 that that doctor he had promised me 06:02 I would have to wear 06:04 but amazingly the human nature 06:07 is so resistant to God's grace 06:11 I was the same unbeliever as before. 06:13 So this Bulgarian teenager turns 20, 06:16 was is it mandatory military service in Bulgaria? 06:21 So you are in the army? Yeah. 06:23 Your son-in-law is home, they just arrived last night. 06:26 He is in the US army, he is US army ranger. 06:28 Going to Iraq in February. 06:30 Yeah, so you are in the army, you have to be? 06:32 Yeah. Another gun story. 06:34 Three, three life threatening accidents 06:38 but let's just take accident number one. 06:40 Well, we were at the shooting range 06:43 and we were down shooting. 06:45 I was about to raise, we were lying down 06:49 and at this moment I had the impression I was glued 06:53 to the ground as if somebody had sat over my body 06:58 and I couldn't move 06:59 and nobody was around in 10, 12 feet area. 07:04 And I started asking myself what's going on? 07:07 And in a split of a second I just heard the shot. 07:13 It happened with one of my fellow soldiers 07:16 has forgotten to empty the magazine of his AK47 07:22 and from a distance of about 10 feet he gave a shot. 07:28 Had I be able to stand up at this moment 07:32 I will be hit by the bullet for sure. 07:34 So you feel this unseen hand pushing you down 07:39 and you believe in God than? 07:40 No. 07:43 It's amazing how human being 07:45 resistant towards God's calling 07:47 and God kept to shout into my ears in order to hear. 07:53 Two more life threatening incidents 07:55 we'll leave those out. 07:56 Because I want to go to that moment you are in the army 07:59 and you get into a fist fight 08:02 and you fight with the wrong, the wrong man. 08:05 Yeah, that was the wrong man. 08:07 I beat him up but really 08:10 I'm not thought of it especially now 08:12 and even then I wasn't felt 08:14 because just few minutes after the fight 08:18 I realized too late that the guy was the nephew 08:22 of the colonel of the unit, 08:26 of the boss of our military unit. 08:29 And that man for me, a military tribunal 08:33 and a six month of prison if they charge me. 08:37 But amazingly somebody shows up 08:39 in prison with you, to visit you. 08:41 No, I never went to prison. 08:45 I just decided to try again praying to God 08:48 as I did at the age of 13. 08:51 All right. 08:52 And I prayed that's never before 08:55 and God did a miracle. 08:58 He worked on the hand of the heart of this young fellow 09:02 and he came to me apologize for being offensive 09:07 and since he said don't worry all charges dropped. 09:12 I spoke with my uncle, you're okay. 09:18 You believe in God now? 09:19 Yes. 09:22 I want you to come out here. 09:23 You believe so it took that that almost jail sentence. 09:28 Yeah. Yeah. 09:29 And so what did you do with you belief in God then? 09:32 Well, I went to the university 09:33 to pursue my engineering degree. 09:34 So you are out of the army now? 09:36 Out of the army. Engineering degree. 09:37 Yes. All right. 09:39 And I was on a quest for this God who saved my life, 09:42 who did so many miracles for me. 09:45 And I said okay, I'll try first 09:47 with the Christians I didn't know 09:51 and I was on a quest for a Bible 09:53 and one day by chance I discovered 09:55 with one of my fellow students had a Bible. 09:59 So I asked him to lend me 10:01 his Bible everybody for two or three hours. 10:04 So he loaned you his Bible two to three hours a day. 10:06 Yes. 10:08 And one Friday evening I was reading in Matthew 10:11 and I came to those place in Matthew 7:7 where it says 10:15 "Ask and it will be given to you, 10:17 seek and you will find, 10:18 knock and it will be opened to you." 10:21 Then I just knelt in the spot and said Lord, 10:24 if it were You who saved my life so many time in a row 10:30 then tomorrow I'll go with this fellow 10:32 to the Adventist church. 10:33 So he had invited you to come to church? 10:34 Yes, although he wasn't an Adventist either. 10:37 Oh, he wasn't? Okay. No. 10:39 And if they give me over there a Bible 10:42 I'm not telling anybody about it. 10:44 If they give me a Bible 10:45 then I'll know it was You who saved my life. 10:49 So you go to church the next morning. 10:51 And after the Sabbath school I sat on the first row 10:55 and a guy approached me and said, 10:57 "Would you like to have a Bible?" 10:59 Now I will be chilled to have one. 11:02 And in a minute or two he disappears 11:03 and brought me the Bible. 11:04 I open it and on the first page I wrote, 11:07 "Ask and it will be given to you, 11:08 seek and you will find, 11:10 knock and it will be opened to you." 11:11 Isn't that some. Hallelujah, hallelujah. 11:16 But the story is not over. 11:17 The story is not over because a little later 11:20 in the worship service just as we are getting ready 11:22 to do here the offering plate came by what did you do? 11:26 When the offering plate in the same service came by 11:29 I put there all the money I had in my wallet 11:32 that was worth one third of my stipend. 11:36 You just emptied your wallet into it. 11:37 I emptied my wallet to the full 11:39 and I knew till the end of the month 11:42 all about a week or ten days 11:44 I didn't get any money, anything to eat nothing. 11:47 You just gave all your food money away? 11:49 Yeah. You gave it to God? 11:50 Yes. Out of gratitude. 11:51 Yes. I was so delighted 11:53 and so grateful for what He has done for me. 11:56 Praise God. So then what happened? 11:59 Well, guess what, normally after ten days 12:02 we have to lose a lot of weight I didn't lost even an pound. 12:08 You ate for ten days. I ate for ten days. 12:10 Because every day people will meet me on the street 12:14 from the same church that saw me just once 12:17 they recognize me and say, 12:18 why, don't you come for lunch or dinner? 12:21 And even twice I was invited for breakfast. 12:25 You told me when we were sharing the story 12:28 you said that you had your meals covered 12:30 for the ten days that you were without a stipend. 12:32 Isn't that some? 12:33 Yeah, all right, 12:36 are you a believer now with all your heart? 12:38 Yes. Yes. 12:40 And then you need time to read the Bible. 12:44 I needed time to read the Bible. 12:45 On the next day after the Sabbath 12:46 I got the Bible, Sunday, I read the whole day 12:49 from the morning till the evening 12:53 and as the evening approached 12:55 I saw I had to prepare for my classes on the next day 12:58 and I said Lord, I would like to have time to read Your book. 13:03 Then I remembered 13:04 what I had written in the first page of the Bible 13:06 and I knelt down and prayed. 13:09 Please, Lord, give me time to read the Bible. 13:12 I want the students who are here to listen to this one. 13:16 All right, you so asked God you need 13:18 extra time to read the Bible? 13:19 Yes. 13:20 How did God answer the prayer? 13:21 On the next day in the morning 13:23 I went to the university and it was changed, 13:26 many people were coming back from the university 13:28 and it was so early morning. 13:30 I said what's wrong with these guys. 13:32 And when I approached the building 13:34 I saw a big poster saying, strike. 13:38 All the communist professors out of the university. 13:41 It was the time of the change 13:43 of communism to democracy in Bulgaria 13:46 and the students association decided to throw out 13:49 the communistic professors out of the university. 13:50 So how much time did God give you 13:52 to study the Bible through the strike? 13:54 Fifty eight days in a row. 13:57 Can you imagine that? 13:59 Fifty eight days, now I don't want to suggest anything 14:01 if there any university students who stayed home 14:03 over the Christ's break 14:04 because we are non-union school here 14:06 so don't even bother praying that prayer. 14:09 Fifty eight days 14:11 and you read the Bible every day? 14:12 Yes. 14:13 Every day and I was every day 14:14 with the pastor asking questions 14:17 I read also the Great Controversy during this time. 14:20 And you go back to that church 14:22 and eventually you meet this 14:23 beautiful young lady named Milana. 14:26 And she was afraid of me. And she was afraid. 14:28 I wasn't the very Christian looking guy. 14:31 But you fell in love. Yes. 14:32 You began to bring your engineering colleagues 14:34 and friends you led them to Christ. 14:37 I want to invite Milana and your daughter Lora 14:40 to come and join us here because the story 14:42 now expands a bit Yuliyan, and God is still 14:48 obviously strategically at work in your life. 14:51 You fall in love with this lovely lady. 14:53 You lady stand right here by papa. 14:55 By your husband. 14:56 You fall in love with this lovely lady Milana. 15:00 You get married. Yep. 15:02 Lora is born. Where were you born, Lora? 15:05 Bulgaria. Where in Bulgaria. 15:07 Vidin. Vidin. 15:09 The same town where you were born, yeah? 15:10 Okay. 15:12 But you know that 15:14 God is saying something to you, sensing in your heart 15:16 that God has called you to ministry. 15:18 And by the way having heard you preaching 15:19 that class I know God has called you to preach here. 15:22 Strong preacher and a very careful, 15:24 very careful biblical thinker. 15:27 So the Lord opens a way for you to go 15:31 to Bogenhofen is that right? 15:33 Exactly. Yeah, to go to Bogenhofen. 15:34 One year or how long you were there? 15:36 More than five years. Five years so you go to school. 15:38 And during that time Lora, are you in a church school? 15:40 Yes. 15:41 Where there any church schools in Bulgaria? 15:42 No. 15:43 No, church schools but in Bogenhofen 15:45 you get to go to a church school. 15:47 Yeah. 15:48 Then the call comes to ministry 15:50 and you are out to back to Bulgaria. 15:52 That's right. 15:54 Any doc-- any masters program 15:56 over there in Europe that was available. 15:58 Just in Germany but many people 16:00 were encouraging me to come to Andrews. 16:02 So they say come to Andrews. Yes. 16:03 You got a sponsorship? 16:06 The German's will say yes, and no. 16:11 Okay, I get it. 16:12 I didn't get any sponsorship just in the last day 16:15 before I left Bogenhofen people came to me 16:17 and put money in my hands and they said, 16:20 this money to pay you tickets 16:22 and the first tuition to come to Andrews 16:25 afterwards you are on your own. 16:27 And they didn't give any money for Lora? 16:29 No. 16:30 Eleven years old at the time 16:31 when you came to be in church school. 16:33 So you get to Andrews University 16:35 and I want to cut right to this, this closing moment. 16:38 The very next morning after you arrived Milana 16:41 at Andrews University over in the apartment Beachwood? 16:44 That Beachwood court and then you are coming out 16:49 of the apartments and you meet somebody. 16:51 You knew this person for a long time. 16:53 Yeah, exactly. 16:54 Just by accident the person met us. 16:56 We've never seen this woman before 16:58 and she approaches us and say, you look new here. 17:02 Do you have kids? Yes, we have one daughter. 17:05 Where is she gonna go to school? 17:07 We said, of course, to the public school. 17:08 We are not rich people to send our kid 17:10 to an Adventist institution. 17:13 And she said, no, no, no, no, no, 17:15 Adventist education is not just for rich people, she said. 17:19 You go to Ruth Murdoch you talk with the Swinyard 17:24 the principal of that time for Ruth Murdoch 17:28 and he will find a way. 17:31 Well, it was surprising to me and I but anyway we both did. 17:36 I spoke with Dr. Swinyard and then he said, yes. 17:40 And I thought only because of my Slavic accent 17:43 and because of my broken English 17:44 the guy didn't understand 17:45 that we don't have the money to pay the tuition. 17:48 And I tried to rephrase and to explain, 17:51 he said I understand what you said. 17:54 Yeah. 17:55 But it's okay. Praise God. 17:57 And then he said some thing very important. 17:59 They are faithful Adventist who love Christian education, 18:04 who love your daughter and faithfully 18:07 they give money to support the school, 18:09 to support children that cannot afford to pay the tuition. 18:15 And Lora, you knew that 18:16 you are gonna be have to be in public school. 18:18 You have been in public school in Bulgaria 18:19 and you realize you are gonna out be in public school. 18:21 Now when you got the word 18:23 that you are gonna be able to get in Ruth Murdoch. 18:25 Were you happy with that at all? 18:27 Of course. 18:29 And you been at Ruth Murdoch now how many years? 18:33 This is the fourth year. 18:35 What grade are you in? Eight. 18:37 This is you last year at Ruth Murdoch? 18:38 What do you like best about Ruth Murdoch Elementary School? 18:41 Well, the teachers at Ruth Murdoch 18:43 really care about you and they just show me 18:46 how to live a Christian life by how they were living in. 18:49 Yeah. 18:51 We are so proud that A, you are graduating this year. 18:55 B, that God has a dream for you life 18:57 just as much as He had a dream for momma and papa 18:59 and see papa, that God is gonna continue to provide for you 19:03 and your little family while you are here. 19:05 When you are done you are going back to Bulgaria? 19:07 My initial plan when I came here 19:09 was to go to the PhD before I go back 19:11 but I don't know right now-- 19:13 I hope you go back to Bulgaria. 19:15 Bulgaria needs you. I would like. 19:17 Thank you Yuliyan, 19:18 and Milana and Lora, God bless you. 19:20 We are so honored to have you part of our Pioneer family. 19:22 Thank you very much. God bless you. 19:23 How about a warm congratulations 19:25 to our family who have found God's help. 19:33 Let's pray together. 19:36 oh, God, like those wise men, 19:39 lead us, lead us, lead us 19:43 and may their response be ours not just this Christmas 19:46 but every step across 19:53 the uncharted journey ahead. 19:55 May the star guide us, we pray in Christ name, amen. 20:02 Speaking of those "We Three Kings" 20:04 that the Bells just played for us. 20:07 Did you know, true, this is true, 20:08 did you know that the wise men stayed in motels 20:13 on their journey from the east to west? 20:17 Absolutely true. 20:18 Thanks to my Oystein LaBianca who is an anthropologist 20:21 and archeologist here at Andrews University. 20:24 I'm gonna show you some pictures right now 20:28 one of their motels. 20:30 It's called a caravanserai. 20:33 The caravanserai's were motels 20:35 for the business travelers of the east 2,000 years ago. 20:37 Underground caves dug right out of the desert sand. 20:41 And before I put the pictures up 20:42 let me just read to you this note Oystein sent to me. 20:45 So you get a little bit of feel 20:46 for what you are about to see, fascinating. 20:49 Hi, Dwight, attached is an image showing 20:51 the inside of an ancient cave what you are about to see, 20:55 located on the outskirts of a Amman, Jordan. 20:58 You know where that is? 20:59 The city of the Decapolis known 21:00 in the time of Christ is Philadelphia. 21:03 Dating based on archeological and epigraphic evidence 21:07 the carvings inside dating to the centuries 21:10 immediately before and after the birth of Christ 21:12 the cave was located by Andrews University 21:15 archeological in 1993 while conducting 21:18 an archeological survey 21:19 in the region to the south of Amman. 21:22 The cave has a panel in the back 21:23 which contains a large number 21:24 of Bedouin tribal marks, you will see those. 21:27 Drawings of camels and donkeys 21:28 and the names of certain specific tribes 21:30 written in Thamudic and Safaitic 21:32 to very similar types of pre-Islamic Arabic scripts 21:36 commonly used by tribes from the east 2,000 years ago. 21:39 Two drawings illustrating how this cave 21:41 might have been used by these Arab tribes man follow 21:46 in separate slides these are drawings by Rhonda Root 21:49 who is here at Andrews University 21:50 professor in the division of architecture, 21:52 she is a professional artist you will see those in a moment. 21:54 What is significant about this cave 21:56 and its inscription panel is that 21:58 it lend support to your point about Arabs 22:01 roaming the deserts to the east, 22:02 there is no disputing that these caves 22:04 were used by pre-Islamic Arab tribes man. 22:06 So far no one has attempted to search the panel 22:08 to see if there might be any sings 22:10 on it that could link directly to the story of the wise men. 22:14 Let's put those pictures up on the screen now. 22:17 There is a caravanserai, that is a motel 2,000 years ago 22:21 for travelers in the east. 22:25 Now Rhonda has brought her artistic eye to that 22:29 to that to give us a sense of what that 22:30 actually looked like 2,000 years ago. 22:32 You see that, right out of the desert 22:34 that motel comes as springing up 22:37 and travelers would stop there be fed, sleep 22:41 and then head on the rest of their journey. 22:44 Inside the caravanserai there are the inscriptions. 22:49 Nomadic Bedouin Arab tribesman 22:52 put those inscriptions up there. 22:55 In fact, here is Rhonda's rendition of that. 22:59 They would tell the story, they would describe perhaps. 23:02 So those who came to visit all of that archeologically 23:06 now verifying that in fact 23:09 in this Transjordan region to the east of Israel 23:13 even our three wise men would have spent 23:17 their days in those motels. 23:18 You know, they traveled at night, didn't they. 23:20 So they would spend the days in the caravanserai 23:22 and then at night they would follow that star. 23:24 We three kings, we don't know if they really were three. 23:30 We really don't know much about these three. 23:31 Is it were these heroes of the Christmas story. 23:34 We don't know what they look like. 23:38 We don't know the route they traveled. 23:39 We-- now we can picture the motels they stayed in. 23:42 We don't even know the quantity of their gifts. 23:47 I have those three gifts right here, 23:49 my friend Conrad Demsky dropped by the office 23:51 the other day and said hey, Dwight, look, 23:53 here are the three gifts that the wise men brought. 23:56 Very interesting about these three gifts by the way. 23:59 Did you know that 5th century Arabia, 24:02 all right 5th century B.C., Arabia 24:05 they specialized in the production-- 24:08 now I'll just look in just a moment. 24:10 They specialized in the production 24:11 of frankincense, and myrrh. 24:13 In fact, Herodotus the Greek historian 5th century B.C., 24:16 wrote that these two products 24:17 frankincense, myrrh could only be procured in Arabia. 24:22 Thus lending support collaborating support 24:24 to our previous teaching that in deed 24:26 these three wise men were Arabs. 24:29 You see you won't hear for the previous two teachings 24:31 you go to our website and you can download 24:33 those teachings on podcast 24:35 and you can listen to it at you leisure. 24:36 So Conrad says, hey take a look at these. 24:38 I'll be very careful with these because here they are, 24:41 here is the gold I'm not gonna open this. 24:44 I have no idea. Can you see that on the screen? 24:48 Yeah, this is the gold. 24:51 There is the gold 24:52 and the little tag at the bottom of this. 24:54 I open this, I have to smell it. 24:55 It doesn't have the smell anymore. 24:57 Don't think this is 2,000 years old 24:58 but this is the frankincense, this is the frankincense 25:02 and this one right here is the myrrh. 25:05 Isn't that something frankincense and myrrh 25:07 are only produced back in those days in Arabia. 25:13 Good. Thank you very much, David. 25:18 Now, let's face it, ladies and gentlemen 25:22 and thank you Conrad Demsky for that. 25:24 Let's face it. 25:25 There is so little we know about 25:27 these three Arab strangers 25:29 who came seeking Christ but there is one, one, just one 25:33 and on this final portion of this advent series 25:37 that we have been reflecting upon. 25:39 I want to draw your attention to on significant 25:43 and shining distinction about these three wise men 25:47 that we may have never noticed before 25:48 and that is-- hold on here, listen to this 25:51 in the entire Christmas narrative 25:53 in the gospels from stem to stern 25:56 the entire Christmas story the wise men are the only ones, 26:00 they are the only ones not the shepherds, 26:05 God bless those country lads maybe some of them were older, 26:07 not Joachim and Anna, 26:08 you remember those two elderly saints that were later 26:11 meet the Christ child in Jerusalem's temple 26:14 at his dedication. 26:15 Not Jerusalem's hierarchy of the religious elite 26:17 who refused to believe not even Joseph and Mary, 26:21 this is what astounding, only, only these kings, 26:25 these Arab kings from the east 26:26 in the entire record of the Christmas story 26:28 they are the only ones that worship 26:32 the baby in the entire story. 26:36 Nobody but the wise men 26:39 worships the Christ child in the Christmas story. 26:42 Open your Bible one last time please, 26:44 to the gospel of Matthew, St. Matthew Chapter 2 26:48 one more reading together. 26:51 Part three in this advent series Matthew Chapter 2, 26:55 if you didn't bring a Bible grab 26:56 the pew Bible in front of you. 26:57 It will be page 649 in your pew Bible. 27:00 Isn't this something they are the only ones, 27:02 watch this, Matthew Chapter 2. 27:05 We've read so many versus in this 27:07 we'll cut to the ending of the story. 27:10 Drop down to verse 9 please. 27:12 Matthew 2:9 I'm in the New King James Version 27:15 which will be the version you have in your pew Bible 27:18 and it will be the version we have on the screen. 27:20 Matthew 2:9 let's read. 27:22 "When they heard the king," 27:24 so they had this private audience for King Herod, 27:26 we noted that last time. 27:27 "They departed, and behold, the star 27:30 which they had seen in the East went before them, 27:32 till it came and stood over where the young Child was." 27:35 Now verse 10, "When they saw the star, 27:38 they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy." 27:41 And that's where we hit the pause button last time 27:42 but let's move on now. 27:43 Verse 11 "And when they had come into the house," 27:48 watch them now, 27:49 "When they had come into the house they saw 27:51 the young Child with Mary His mother, 27:53 and fell down and worshiped Him. 27:56 And when they had opened their treasures, 27:57 they presented gifts to Him, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 28:00 Then verse 12, "Being divinely warned in a dream 28:02 that they should not return to Herod, 28:04 they departed for their own country another way." 28:07 The only ones lock it down, 28:10 the only ones in the entire Christmas narrative 28:13 that worship the baby are these wise men. 28:18 Question is why? 28:20 I mean was there something about the surroundings 28:22 of that baby that was a huge clue 28:26 to the legal residence of this new born. 28:28 Anything in the surroundings. 28:29 Oh, you kidding, hard impossible. 28:32 Joseph and Mary I remind you 28:34 are still residing in Bethlehem's in stable. 28:39 Now I got to tell you I've had a difficult time here 28:42 with the Christmas narrative, we've never talked about it. 28:44 I just you know, once in a while 28:45 you live with some of these questions you say, 28:46 I don't understand how it fits. 28:48 I'll be honest, trying to somehow 28:53 harmonize the obvious discrepancy 28:55 between Luke and Matthew's two accounts, 28:58 these are the only two accounts 28:59 of the birth of the Christ child 29:01 and I haven't been able to make them fit. 29:03 Because in Luke's account the record is very clear. 29:06 He was born in a backyard cave. 29:09 He was born in a manger where they keep the animals 29:10 and that was a backyard cave. 29:12 That's, that's Luke's story. 29:13 But in Matthew story, which we just read 29:16 in Matthew story it says when they came to the house. 29:20 So which one is right? 29:21 Was He born in the house or was He born in a stable? 29:26 But then came my conversation 29:27 a few days ago with Oystein LaBianca 29:28 and I tell you what, my conundrum was resolved. 29:30 I want to show you some backyard caves. 29:33 Watch this fascinating again. 29:35 I'm gonna show you some backyard caves 29:36 from the middle east, from Palestine 29:39 but before, before I do this let me just start this 29:43 and then we will put the caves up. 29:45 Here's another not that Oystein send me after our conversation. 29:48 Dwight, here are three images of caves adorned 29:51 and I want-- let's go ahead and put an image up right now. 29:54 So that's a backyard cave all right, 29:57 in the region of Bethlehem, all right. 30:00 Here are three images of caves adorned 30:02 with masonry entrances from my collection 30:04 of over three dozen of such cave habitations in Jordan. 30:08 I have no doubt that the place 30:09 where Christ was born was a cave not a barn. 30:12 Okay. 30:13 We have no archeological evidence 30:14 for barns anywhere in Palestine. 30:17 People of means lived in houses 30:19 and sheltered their animals in open air pens or caves. 30:22 Let's put another one out. Look at this. 30:24 Poor people lived with their animals in caves 30:26 during the cold months of the year 30:28 and when moving the tents or simply camp 30:30 in front of the caves during the warmer months. 30:32 In practically every village I visited in Jordon 30:35 you will find new construction hiding older construction 30:39 which typically involved masonry caves 30:41 as part of a larger house cave habitation complex. 30:44 Let's put one more up there. Look at that. 30:46 The inn in Bethlehem likely-- I'm still reading Oystein, 30:49 the inn in Bethlehem likely were such a complex, 30:51 a house with a cave in the back which doubled as animal pen 30:55 and overflow bedroom for guests. 31:00 Isn't that some? 31:03 Archeology confirms that in fact 31:05 both Luke and Matthew are correct. 31:08 It really was a stable in a cave out back 31:11 but because of the stone construction-- 31:13 constructed structure in front of the cave you could certainly 31:16 and accurately call it a house. 31:22 But when the wise men going back to them now, 31:24 when the wise men walk into this cave house 31:26 whatever he wanted, normal creature he want to use, 31:29 when they walk into this cave house pitch black. 31:33 There hardly was a shred of evidence 31:37 that they are in the presence of royalty. 31:39 Was there? 31:40 I want to share with you 31:43 a quotation worth brooding over-- there's a line here 31:47 that I hope you will take away with you. 31:48 This is J. B. Phillips, the English writer. 31:50 I'll put it on the screen for you, no study guide today, 31:52 put it on the screen for you. 31:54 J. B. Phillips writing, 31:56 "God's insertion of himself into human history" 31:59 I love this "God's insertion of himself into human history 32:02 was achieved with an almost 32:04 frightening quietness and humility. 32:09 There was no advertisement, 32:10 no publicity, no special privilege, 32:13 in fact the entry of God into his own world" 32:16 here is what just says stuck in my heart 32:19 "the entry of God into his own world 32:20 was almost heartbreakingly humble." 32:24 Isn't it something? Heartbreaking humble. 32:29 "In sober fact" Philips goes on" 32:31 there is little romance or beauty in the thought 32:33 of a young woman looking desperately for place 32:36 where she could giving birth to her first baby. 32:38 I do not think for a moment that Mary complained, 32:41 but it is was a bitter commentary" 32:43 and the more I thought about it Philips is absolutely right. 32:46 "It was a bitter commentary upon the world 32:49 that no one would give up a bed for a pregnant woman 32:52 and that the Son of God must be born in a stable." 32:57 Isn't that something? 32:59 Almost how do you put almost heartbreakingly 33:02 humble the entry of God. 33:03 It's a bitter commentary on our world. 33:07 Which you given up a bed, 33:08 would you given up a bed for pregnant stranger, come on. 33:13 So why did they worship Him? 33:15 It's only wasn't because of His regal surroundings, no was it. 33:18 Was it than that the-- oh, this must be it. 33:20 The baby the Middle Ages artist were right, 33:23 the baby had a little shining round halo over his head 33:28 and they do that's the one. 33:30 It's got to be that one. Was that it? 33:33 But of course now, let me disabuse you. 33:35 If you think it is let me quickly 33:36 disabuse you of that notion. 33:40 There was no halo, there was no distinctive id 33:43 for this new born as God come to earth 33:45 because you see-- look it, what was true about Christ, 33:48 what was true about Christ in His manhood 33:51 must therefore had been true about Christ in His infancy. 33:56 I want you to take a look at a verse in your Bible. 33:59 This is a picture of Christ manhood. 34:02 Isaiah 53, go back to the gospel prophet for a moment. 34:05 Isaiah 53. 34:09 Notice what the gospel prophet, 34:12 notice the wording he uses to describe 34:16 the presence of the suffering servant, the Messiah. 34:22 This is Isaiah 53, by the way 34:23 it's in the pew Bible's page 496. 34:27 But I want you to see this in your own Bible. 34:29 Speaking of the one who is Immanuel 34:32 who would come to earth, for he, 34:33 this is verse 2 now, Isaiah 53:2 34:35 "For He shall grow up before Him" 34:36 before god "as a tender plant, 34:39 and as a root out of dry ground. 34:41 He has no form or comeliness." 34:45 See, nothing. 34:47 "And when we see Him, there is no beauty 34:50 that we should desire Him." 34:51 Verse 3, "He is despised and rejected by men, 34:54 a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. 34:56 And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him, 34:58 He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." 35:03 In other words ladies and gentlemen, 35:04 there was nothing in the physiognomy of Christ 35:07 that was remotely nothing about Him 35:08 that was remotely physically attractive. 35:11 I'd like to, I'd like to follow that guy. 35:14 There was nothing in Him. 35:16 In fact, hundred years ago these words were written. 35:19 Let me put them on the screen for you. 35:20 "Jesus labored constantly for one object, 35:23 all His powers were employed 35:24 for the salvation of men and women, 35:26 every act of His life tended to that end. 35:28 He traveled on foot, 35:29 teaching His followers as He went. 35:31 His garments were dusty and travel stained, 35:34 and His appearance was uninviting." 35:38 Not neutral, it was uninviting. 35:41 Wow, please, isn't that something 35:44 and his appearance was uninviting. 35:47 "But the simple, pointed truths 35:48 which fell from His divine lips soon caused 35:51 His hearers to forget His appearance, 35:55 and to be charmed, not with the man, 35:57 but with the doctrine He taught." 36:00 Sometimes you are I are little but envious. 36:03 I mean, come on let's be honest. 36:05 We see people walk by us and say man, 36:08 why was I born the way I was. 36:12 Look at Jesus, He came, there was nothing. 36:16 In fact, he was almost uninvited like please, 36:20 but God of the universe laid it all aside. 36:25 No beauty that we should desire Him. 36:27 No physical attraction. 36:30 Let's also be honest there are some people that we see-- 36:33 I'd like to follow that woman, I'd like to follow that guy. 36:35 Hey, their charisma there. 36:37 Nothing, zero. 36:43 We had our annual staff retreat this last week 36:46 and we were discussing Jim symbol-- 36:48 I mean Jim Collins his book "Good to Great" 36:52 and in the first chapter of his book 36:54 he talks about level five leadership. 36:55 The greatest companies in the United States 36:57 they are found are led by level five leaders. 37:00 Level five leaders are noted 37:01 for their profound modesty and humility. 37:04 I mean, its exact opposite that you would expect 37:06 from a great company. 37:07 They are known for their humility 37:09 and so we are sitting here in our staff circle 37:12 kind of ruminating on that thinking that you know, 37:15 Jesus was classic level five, wasn't He. 37:17 He operated out of personal modesty and humility. 37:19 In fact, Tim Nixon, Pastor Tim 37:21 was on the route with me today. 37:24 Tim points out and says hey wait, 37:25 you know, that's absolutely true 37:26 because you think about it when John the Baptist 37:27 is trying to show Jesus to his disciples 37:31 he has to keep saying hey, guys, 37:33 I know they look like this, there He is. 37:36 He keeps saying it on and on behold, look, there He is. 37:38 Look, look, there was nothing in Christ 37:40 that said, wow, I want to follow that man. 37:44 Zero. Zero. 37:47 We just read His appearance is uninviting, 37:49 there was no beauty that we should desire Him. 37:51 And if that was true of Christ is the man 37:53 had to have certainly been true of Christ the child. 37:55 No halo to identify Him, so how do they know? 37:57 Here's the question, how do they know to bow down? 38:01 Go back to, go back to chapter 2 and verse 11. 38:05 "And when they had come into the house," 38:06 see why does this happen? 38:08 "They saw the young Child with Mary His mother, 38:11 and they fell down 38:13 " they fell down" and worshiped Him." 38:16 The Greek word for fell down is pipto. 38:18 Very interesting word. It means going 38:19 from an erect position posture, going erect to, to prostrate 38:23 with your forehead pressed against the earth 38:25 as an expression of profound reverence. 38:28 In fact, Matthew will use the same word a little later 38:31 in the gospel story when Satan comes 38:33 in the third temptation in the wilderness. 38:34 You remember that third temptation? 38:35 Fall down and worship me and no Calvary 38:38 you can have the whole planet. 38:40 Satan is begging for Christ pipto, 38:44 fall on His face. 38:46 But Christ refused to do before Satan. 38:48 The wise men freely did before the Christ. 38:51 How is that read? 38:52 "And they fell down and worshiped Him." 38:56 I want you to just kind of, 38:57 just for a moment wrap your mind around that scene. 39:02 I remember its pitch black, 39:04 maybe a torch somewhere flickering. 39:08 There kings find themselves in the dark, it's been night. 39:12 They only travel at night remember. 39:14 The star has stopped in Bethlehem, 39:16 its pointing to this cable stave 39:18 behind Bethlehem's in obediently. 39:22 I don't know how that light pointed by obediently 39:24 they stepped into the dank dark barnyard cave 39:28 of diferous domesticated animals 39:31 enclosed body order mammal halitosis 39:36 would be reason enough for some of us to wish, 39:38 can I stay out and refresh? 39:40 You guys let me know 39:41 what you're finding there and tell me. 39:44 One could be forgiven for thinking. 39:45 You think about the wise men. 39:47 Now put yourself in their place. 39:48 One could be forgiven for thinking. 39:50 We have been following the star for weeks for this. 39:56 I mean, one that would be tempted to wonder 39:57 if one of the wise man say hey, guys, stay right here. 39:59 I'm gonna go back and I got to make 40:00 sure that this star is pointing down on this thing. 40:03 Is it down on here? 40:09 No, royal entourage, 40:11 no government dignitaries, no accouterments of majesty. 40:15 Nothing but a hole in the side of the hill. 40:18 Two parents and a baby and the baby's parent's 40:21 as far as these Arab kings, these Arab scholars 40:25 can tell in the grove that single flickering torch 40:27 they appeared to be two very, very humble peasant people 40:32 who you would never id out of a police line up you ask to say, 40:36 please pick the mother and stepfather of God, 40:38 Almighty God, pick them out of this id line. 40:40 You never would pick them. 40:43 And the baby, this new born 40:45 that they have been traveling for mile after mile across 40:48 hot and cold desert sand, the baby. 40:52 Isn't even in an better cradle. 40:54 The parents have flocked a box of caffeine 40:55 into a makeshift bassinet. 40:57 That's all it is. No halo. 41:01 The infant wrapped in strips of un-sterile dirty cloths 41:05 to keep the baby warm in the night air chill of that cave. 41:08 There is nothing that physically says 41:13 this is the one, nothing. 41:16 And yet the record reads and this is what-- 41:17 I'll tell you what Oystein 41:18 might wondering so this Christmas. 41:20 The record reads, look at it down verse 11 41:25 "And when they saw the Child with Mary His mother, 41:28 they fell down and worshiped Him." 41:32 They are on their faces 41:34 before the baby chases and worship God. 41:38 Hey, guys, please, please explain this to me. 41:40 Explain this to me. 41:42 Just a few days later 41:44 these very same parents they don't dress, 41:46 the very same parents will present this very same 41:50 new born child in Jerusalem'sholy temple 41:53 for the requisite levitical dedication 41:55 of the first born male child 41:57 and the priest will pick up that very same baby 42:01 and hold him in his crucial arms 42:03 without a solitary premonition 42:06 that he has divine majesty within his embrace. 42:09 What's the difference? Nothing's changed. 42:15 How should we explain it, the wise men? 42:18 You know what, it is the shining truth 42:21 about the wise men. 42:23 And that is the heart can see 42:27 what the mind will not and there in my friends, 42:32 lies the compelling truth of the Christmas story, 42:34 the grand story of Christmas. 42:35 We see everybody else in the Christmas story 42:37 looked upon that baby with their mind 42:39 and decided it cannot be 42:43 but it was these children of the east 42:44 who gazed upon them with their heart 42:46 and concluded it must be He. 42:53 Their heart could see what the mind would not. 43:02 Their heart can see what the mind would not. 43:05 Which is why by the way Israel's great Shema 43:09 opens with the line 43:10 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your" what? 43:13 With all your what? 43:15 "With all your heart." Heart first. 43:18 The heart must lead and when heart leads 43:20 the mind will follow but the heart must lead 43:22 for the heart can see what the mind will not. 43:25 Which is why the wise men worshiped 43:26 when the rest did not. 43:29 Got a prayer this morning and I was reading 43:30 Desire of Ages and I came across 43:31 these words after the manuscript 43:33 was written we slipped in there just a moment ago. 43:35 I want to put them on the screen for you Desire of Ages 43:37 that classic on the life of Jesus. 43:38 look at this, "Beneath the lowly guise of Jesus, 43:43 the wise men recognized the presence of Divinity. 43:47 They gave their hearts to Him as their Savior, 43:51 what a faith was their's! 43:58 The heart can see but the mind will not. 44:04 By the way that's a word of hope 44:06 and promise for those of you 44:07 who even in this season of Christmas joy 44:12 are troubled by a anemones uncertainty in your soul. 44:15 Some of you are looking to the future today. 44:18 Your future looks dark as black as the night over Bethlehem. 44:24 You are not sure of what lies ahead for you 44:27 and it feels for you, it feels like the guiding star 44:30 has vanished from your sky, 44:32 you struggle to know the will of God in your life, 44:34 your mind is fatigue, your emotions are exhausted 44:38 and your spirit confused. 44:43 In this midnight of your own soul 44:45 learn the lesson of the wise men, please, 44:48 learn the lesson of the wise men. 44:50 The heart can see what the mind will not. 44:54 So my friend, listen to your heart. 44:56 Just listen to your heart. 44:59 Listen, listen to your heart. 45:03 Trust in the Lord with all your heart 45:07 and lean not to your own understanding 45:09 and all your ways acknowledge Him. 45:12 He will direct your path. 45:15 The star is still there I'm sure 45:18 in your life the star is still there. 45:22 Listen to your heart because the wise men 45:25 has shown us all it is only when we worship the Christ 45:28 with all our hearts even in the dark 45:30 or perhaps especially in the dark. 45:34 Its only then the God's dream will follow 45:37 and His way for our future will be made plain 45:42 for "Then, being warned divinely warned in a dream 45:45 that they should not return to Herod, 45:48 they departed for their own country another way." 45:52 There is another way for you 45:54 that you have not yet considered. 45:55 Listen to your heart this Christmas, 45:57 listen to your heart. 46:00 God has that other way and you will see it. 46:03 You will see it one day, 46:07 just listen, listen to your heart. 46:14 Let me conclude now as I often like to do 46:18 on this Christmas Sabbath. 46:21 I find a great story for the Christmas season. 46:25 This is the place that I've choose to slip it in. 46:29 So I'm gonna read you Tom Darling's story 46:33 entitled "The Beast." 46:35 Once came the title for this 46:37 Christmas harmony today, "The Beast." 46:39 Listen to this, he was the ugliest of men 46:45 and he had a request that seemed completely unacceptable. 46:50 Came to my desk holding the job application in his huge hand. 46:54 I asked him to be seated 46:55 and his giant boak filled the chair. 46:59 He was the ugliest man I had ever seen 47:03 and his presence made me uneasy. 47:06 I had never seen anyone so physically repulsive 47:09 and to think that he was applying for job 47:10 at the department store seem completely unacceptable. 47:13 In my ten years as personal manager 47:15 I had seen all kinds of applicants 47:16 but this was extraordinary to say the least. 47:21 But in response to my questions 47:23 his voice was surprisingly gentle. 47:26 More sincere the most 47:28 and at the same time more anxious. 47:31 His application stated that he was employed by a carnival 47:34 which was presently set up on the outskirts of town. 47:39 You are already employed, I said to him 47:41 so why is that you like this temporary job at the store? 47:44 Well, sir, he replied 47:46 its just a kind of job I have always wanted. 47:51 There may be many applicants for the job. 47:53 I told him the competition is very keen. 47:54 I know that, he answered. 47:57 His beady eyes searching mine but I'm willing to take the job 48:01 without pay and the hours won't conflict 48:03 with my job at the carnival. 48:06 Well, I said finally, if you should get the position 48:11 you will be paid at the advertised rate. 48:14 He shrugged his gigantic shoulders, 48:16 I'd still wanted if they paid nothing. 48:18 I never wanted anything more, sir. 48:20 Never in my whole life. 48:23 I dismissed him down and advising him 48:25 that he would be considered fairly 48:26 along with the other applicants. 48:29 At the door he turned and thanked me 48:31 his great ugly face sending shutters through me. 48:37 And for the rest of the day I could not forget him. 48:41 When sheer repulse on this comes into your life 48:44 its not easy forgotten but there was more to this man 48:47 than his pitiful frightening features his sincerity, 48:49 his desperation, clung to my memory 48:52 and I was determined that he is one 48:53 of God's creatures was entitled to a fair opportunity. 48:55 Perhaps I was being foolish, reckless even to consider him 48:58 but there was nothing else I could do 49:00 and still call myself a human being just as he was. 49:05 All that night I couldn't sleep. 49:09 I kept thinking about this poor and fortunate creature 49:11 who must have experienced great hardships 49:12 in his lifetime because of his ugliness. 49:14 I kept trying to imagine how disappointing life 49:16 must have been for him. 49:17 How frustrating, how hopeless just a side of him 49:20 and curt loathing and banishment. 49:22 He had to be an all cast a target 49:24 for ridicule to the apathetic 49:26 and the uncompassionate of the world. 49:28 The next day I decided, 49:31 I decided I had to see him in his own environment, 49:33 so I went to the carnival ground feeling like a spy. 49:38 It was something I had to do before I decided 49:40 which applicant would get the seasonal job. 49:42 I had to see for myself what type of work 49:43 this man with a beast like features 49:46 and the angel like voice did. 49:49 After some searching and questioning 49:50 I was directed to a tent 49:51 over which hung a sign reading the human? 49:55 Beast. 49:59 Not wanting to think much about this distasteful 50:00 announcement I bought a ticket went inside 50:02 and stood in the back row of a large group of curious people. 50:06 And last the lights dim and the spot light played 50:08 on a crucially built stage. 50:10 In a few minutes he emerged from behind that curtain 50:12 and gasp of horror rose from the crowd, children scream 50:15 and mother's who should have known better than 50:17 to bring them in there in the first place 50:18 hugged into their breathes. 50:20 He was painted unearthly colors 50:22 and his great boak was bent under the weighted chains 50:25 which surrounded his massive body. 50:28 Back and forth across the stage he ride uttering deep gutter 50:33 o groans in the smiles of a caged animal. 50:37 He was indeed the beast he played 50:39 and my heart ached for this man 50:40 who had sat before only yesterday 50:42 and pleaded for an escape. 50:44 No matter how brief from this agonizing role he played 50:47 before adjourning and ridiculing 50:49 mob of thrill seekers. 50:52 The only time he seem to break out 50:54 of the frightening character was each time some one would 50:56 hustle the child from the tent. 50:58 His sad eyes followed the children 51:00 with sheer unmistakable anguish. 51:04 I wanted until the tent was emptied 51:07 and made my way inside the curtain and I found him. 51:10 He looked at me in shame. 51:14 I wish he hadn't come here, he said in that soft voice. 51:19 I wish-- if you still want the job, 51:22 I said to him, it's yours. 51:25 His giant head nodded 51:28 disbelief, oh, yes, yes, yes, I do. 51:31 And be at the store tomorrow afternoon at four, I said. 51:35 And again the great head nodded and I left. 51:37 Next day because of other duties 51:38 I was unable to be at the store when he started on the job. 51:41 I arrive at six o'clock and went directly 51:43 to the toy department and there he was surrounded 51:47 by great multitude of delighted children. 51:51 The expressions on their faces told me 51:53 that I had not made a mistake. 51:55 The face which has brought jeers 51:56 and hoots from so many others, 51:58 so many times in his life at the carnivals 52:01 was not hidden behind a white beard 52:04 and his huge frame clothed 52:05 in the red and white suit of Santa Clause. 52:10 The eyes which had chilled people to the bone 52:13 were no longer sad but filled with tears of joys. 52:15 He took one child after another on to his lap 52:18 playing the wonderful friend of children. 52:21 They all loved and trusted. 52:25 The end. 52:29 It's true, isn't it? It's true. 52:33 The heart can see what the mind will not. 52:39 Then let us look with all our hearts this Christmas 52:44 and we too, I believe, we too shall see Him 52:47 whom to see 52:50 and know His life eternal. 52:55 Want you to sit back, close you eyes, 52:59 and listen now as my wife Karen sings for us 53:03 a beautiful plaintive carol. 53:06 It's called the star carol. 53:08 Having heard this since my childhood, 53:09 want you to be as blessed 53:12 as I was the first time I heard it. 53:14 Listen to this story of Christmas. 53:37 Long years ago 53:41 On a deep winter night 53:46 High in the heavens 53:49 A star shone bright 53:55 While in the manger 53:58 A wee baby lay 54:03 Sweetly asleep 54:07 On a bed of hay 54:13 Jesus our Lord 54:16 Was that baby so small 54:22 Lay down to sleep 54:26 In a humble stall 54:32 Then came the star, and it stood over head 54:40 Shedding its light 54:44 'Round his little head 54:51 Dear baby Jesus 54:55 How tiny thou art 55:00 I'll make a place 55:04 For thee in my heart 55:10 And when the stars, in the heavens I see 55:18 Ever and always 55:22 I'd think of thee 55:28 Ever and always 55:34 I'd think of thee 55:49 Let's stand for prayer. 56:06 And so heavenly Father, dear baby Jesus, 56:11 we cannot understand it 56:16 but like the wise men of all we wish 56:18 with all our hearts to worship You too. 56:23 The year is heading away, 56:25 we know not what lies before us. 56:30 But oh, God, let our heart see what the mind will not 56:36 and when we see you teach us to follow. 56:45 And now may the grace of the Father, 56:48 and the love of the Son and the communion of the Spirit 56:51 abide with us into that journey, 56:54 into the new year, amen. 57:00 Hello, I'm Dwight Nelson. 57:01 During this holiday season when everyone 57:03 is celebrating Jesus birthday by giving gifts 57:06 I want to encourage you to take the opportunity 57:08 and share Jesus with someone. 57:10 This book the "Life of Jesus" written by Ellen White 57:13 is one of the best books I found on the life of Christ. 57:16 It's the perfect gift. 57:18 This hard cover classic looking edition published 57:20 by Review and Herald has beautiful art work depicting 57:23 the most expressive scenes of the Savior's life. 57:26 Based on the gospels it shows that Jesus loves 57:28 and cares for each of us the world over. 57:32 Here's a book with the good news of Jesus 57:34 that is your perfect opportunity 57:35 to share the greatest gift of all. 57:38 For this holiday season 57:39 why don't you give the Life of Jesus? 57:43 As we celebrate the birth of Jesus 57:45 this season call our toll free number 57:48 and take advantage of this holiday offer. 57:51 The "Life of Jesus" retails for $34.99 57:54 but this book is yours for a donation of $25 or more. 57:58 That's right for donation of $25 per book 58:02 you'll receive this colorful inspirational 58:05 masterpiece on the life of Jesus. 58:07 What better gift for your family, 58:10 your friends, you neighbors this holiday. 58:13 So call our toll free number 1-877-HIS-WILL. 58:19 We'll pay the shipping and handling charges. 58:22 Call for as many copies of this classic 58:24 on Christ life as you need. 58:27 Call right now. |
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