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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Simply Christmas (Part 1)

November 28, 2025 | 29:0

Robert Jeffress - Simply Christmas (Part 1)
In "Simply Christmas" on "Pathway to Victory," Dr. Robert Jeffress delves into the Apostle Paul's one-sentence explanation of Christmas in Galatians 4:4-5. Paul clarifies that in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son to redeem those under the law, offering adoption as sons. Jeffress emphasizes the profound simplicity of Christmas, highlighting God's sovereign plan, the Virgin Birth of Jesus, and the timely fulfillment of prophecies. Through insightful biblical teachings, Jeffress unpacks the true significance of Christmas beyond sentimental traditions, focusing on Jesus as the Son of God who came to offer eternal life through His sacrificial death and resurrection.
#Christmas #Jesus #LoveofGod #Savior #Messiah #Salvation #God'sWill #Plan #Timing #Prophecy #PromisesofGod #VirginBirth #RobertJeffress

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Simply Christmas (Part 1) | November 28, 2025
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist
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  • Church of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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  • And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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  • There have been countless movies, songs, and books written
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  • In honor of christmas, but what if you had to explain the
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  • Meaning of christmas in a single sentence?
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  • Could you do it?
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  • Well, the apostle paul managed to do it, and today
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  • We're going to dig deeply into his plain, yet
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  • Profound summary of the christmas story.
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  • My message is titled "simply christmas," on
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  • Today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Announcer: now is the time to shine the light of the gospel
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: one of the ways you can know it's
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  • About to be christmas, is the airing of
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  • Those christmas movies on television.
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  • I know everybody has their favorite, maybe i shouldn't
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  • Admit this, our family favorite is "elf" with will ferrell,
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  • That is our absolute favorite.
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  • It's part of our christmas ritual to watch "elf."
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  • You may like one of the older ones like "frosty the snowman"
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  • Or "rudolph the red nose reindeer."
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  • I know we have some "it's a wonderful life" fans here today.
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  • Or maybe you like that perennial classic,
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  • "how the grinch stole christmas."
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  • Remember the story of the grinch?
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  • He was that creature with a heart two sizes too small.
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  • He absolutely hated christmas.
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  • He hated the trees, the lights, the carols, the feast of beasts,
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  • And so one year he decided to steal christmas from
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  • The whos who populated whoville.
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  • I bet you even remember the song about the grinch.
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  • Why don't you sing along with me?
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  • ♪ "you're a mean one." ♪♪
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  • Well, maybe not, but anyway, you remember the story, don't you?
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  • Many people don't know that dr. seuss, whose real name was
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  • Theodore gisele, wrote "how the grinch stole christmas"
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  • As a protest against the commercialization
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  • Of christmas way back in 1957.
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  • Can you imagine what gisele would write about today
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  • If he saw what is happening in our culture?
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  • You know, to talk about the commercialization
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  • Of christmas seems trite.
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  • I mean, we all know we can allow greed and self-centeredness to
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  • Obscure the real meaning of this holiday, and yet most people,
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  • Even christians, would be hard pressed to explain
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  • What the real meaning of christmas is.
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  • Yeah, they know it's about a baby who was born
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  • In bethlehem 2,000 years ago, but what does that
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  • Incident have to do with my life today?
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  • Well, in one sentence, the apostle paul gives
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  • The clearest explanation for the meaning
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  • Of christmas found anywhere in literature.
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  • And today we're going to look at that one sentence that explains
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  • What christmas is really all about.
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  • If you have your bibles turn to the book of galatians
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  • In the new testament, galatians chapter 4.
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  • Now as a context, remember paul wrote this letter to the church
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  • At galatia, the churches at galatia, to combat a false
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  • Teaching that had come into the church
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  • By a group known as the judaizers.
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  • The judaizers said, "yes, faith in christ is necessary for
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  • Salvation, but it's not sufficient.
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  • You need to trust in christ and go back to the old testament law
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  • And keep that law, and if you do that,
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  • You can have eternal life."
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  • And paul wrote galatians to say, "no, the law was certainly good,
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  • But it was simply preparatory for the coming of christ.
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  • If you're under the law, you're a slave, but christ has come to
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  • Save us from the requirements of the law we could never keep.
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  • Why would you wanna go back and live as a slave
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  • To an impossible list of requirements?
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  • That's why christ came to set us free from the
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  • Requirements of the old testament law."
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  • And it's that coming of christ that paul talks
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  • About in this one sentence found in galatians 4:4
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  • Through 5, look at it with me.
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  • "but when the fullness of time came, god sent
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  • Forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law,
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  • In order that he might redeem those who were under the law,
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  • That we might receive the adoption as sons."
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  • If you've ever taken a journalism class before, you're
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  • Taught that in the opening paragraph of a story, you're
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  • Supposed to answer six key questions.
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  • Who, what, when, how, where, and why.
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  • Paul answers all six of those questions in this one single
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  • Sentence about the coming of christ in the world.
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  • Notice how he answers them.
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  • First of all, the question of who,
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  • Who is the subject of this sentence?
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  • Who is the subject of christmas?
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  • "when the fullness of time came god."
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  • God is the subject of christmas.
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  • God is the one who initiated all of the
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  • Events that led to the coming of christ.
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  • In fact, god is the one who initiates everything that
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  • Happens in the world in general and in your world specifically.
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  • Isn't that what the bible says?
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  • It begins with the words in the beginning, god, god.
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  • God is the first cause of everything that happens, and the
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  • Reason for that is the fact that god is sovereign.
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  • That word sovereign simply means he is in control
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  • Of everything that happens in his creation.
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  • The late pastor and writer ray stedman explained it this way.
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  • "there is the sovereignty of the potter over the clay.
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  • Men make plans, but god makes other plans.
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  • Napoleon had to learn that lesson, he once said, "god is on
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  • The side of the army with the heaviest artillery."
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  • But there came a time in napoleon's
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  • Life when exiled on the island of st.
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  • Helena, he said, "man proposes but god disposes."
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  • Or in the words of mother teresa, "we
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  • Are all pencils in the hand of god."
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  • God is in control.
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  • What does that look like in life?
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  • It means god is in control of life and death.
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  • Genesis 1:27.
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  • He's in control of governments, romans 13:1.
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  • He's sovereign over the angels, psalm 91:11.
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  • He's sovereign over your plans, james 4:15.
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  • He's sovereign over who you will meet, luke 24:13.
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  • He's even sovereign over the so-called
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  • Coincidences in your life, john 4:7.
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  • The idea that god is completely in control, that could be a
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  • Menacing thought if god were some sadistic ogre in heaven
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  • Looking to hurt us, but the fact is, everything god does, every
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  • Action he takes, is motivated by his love for us.
  • 00:08:06.609 --> 00:08:12.315
  • Isn't that what the scripture says?
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  • John 3:16, "for god so loved the world that he gave his only son.
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  • Romans 5:8, "but god demonstrates his love
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  • Toward us in that while we were yet sinners,
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  • He sent christ to die for us."
  • 00:08:25.194 --> 00:08:27.396
  • Or 1st john 4:10, "and here in his love, not that
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  • We loved god but that god loved us and gave
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  • Himself as a propitiation for our sins."
  • 00:08:33.369 --> 00:08:37.006
  • Or ephesians chapter 2.
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  • "but god, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with
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  • Which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses and
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  • Sins, he has made us alive together with christ."
  • 00:08:45.648 --> 00:08:49.719
  • God is the initiator of everything that happens and it
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  • Is god who was the first cause of the events
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  • That led to the coming of christ.
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  • In the fullness of time, god.
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  • Now secondly, what?
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  • What is it that god did?
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  • Well, it says he sent forth his son, underline that word son.
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  • He doesn't say god sent forth an infant, or god sent forth a
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  • Baby, but god sent forth his son.
  • 00:09:16.112 --> 00:09:20.116
  • Too often at christmas we focus on the infancy of
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  • Jesus and that leads us down a wrong path,
  • 00:09:25.187 --> 00:09:28.457
  • Obscuring the real meaning of christmas.
  • 00:09:28.457 --> 00:09:30.359
  • We began, you know, looking at the lights and singing the
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  • Carols, and we get this warm fuzzy feeling inside and then we
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  • Think about the idea of a baby being born, and then we think
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  • About our own children being born, and pretty soon we've
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  • Devolved in this syrupy sentimentality that really has
  • 00:09:42.605 --> 00:09:47.043
  • Nothing to do with what the real message of christmas is.
  • 00:09:47.043 --> 00:09:51.047
  • The fact is, there was nothing unique about a baby
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  • Being born in israel that night, 2,000 years ago,
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  • Hundreds of babies were born that night.
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  • But this baby was different, he was god in the flesh.
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  • Emmanuel, god with us.
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  • And because of that, he alone was capable of taking away our
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  • Sin, that is what made his birth different than any other.
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  • And when did it occur?
  • 00:10:15.971 --> 00:10:17.740
  • When did it happen?
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  • It happened in the fullness of time.
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  • I like the way one paraphrase summarizes it,
  • 00:10:23.713 --> 00:10:26.515
  • At just the right time god sent forth his son.
  • 00:10:26.515 --> 00:10:31.287
  • I want you to think about that phrase,
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  • "in the fullness of time."
  • 00:10:33.656 --> 00:10:36.225
  • Did you know the plan of salvation
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  • Was not some afterthought god had?
  • 00:10:38.494 --> 00:10:41.530
  • God didn't look down at humanity and say, "oh my, look at the way
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  • Those human beings have screwed things up, i better do something
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  • Quickly, i better have a rescue plan."
  • 00:10:48.070 --> 00:10:51.006
  • It didn't happen that way.
  • 00:10:51.006 --> 00:10:52.775
  • Ephesians 1 tells us that the plan of salvation was
  • 00:10:52.775 --> 00:10:56.812
  • Established before the foundation of the world.
  • 00:10:56.812 --> 00:11:01.317
  • Did you know god is never in a hurry to do anything?
  • 00:11:01.317 --> 00:11:04.754
  • He's never late in doing things, god is always on time.
  • 00:11:04.754 --> 00:11:10.326
  • Everything that happens in the world and everything that
  • 00:11:10.326 --> 00:11:13.195
  • Happens in your life is just at the right time,
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  • And that's something you can bank on.
  • 00:11:17.900 --> 00:11:20.736
  • I was reading this week in 2 chronicles 32
  • 00:11:20.736 --> 00:11:23.873
  • The story about king hezekiah.
  • 00:11:23.873 --> 00:11:26.308
  • Word came to hezekiah that the assyrians, very cruel people,
  • 00:11:26.308 --> 00:11:30.379
  • Were going to invade and take jerusalem captive.
  • 00:11:30.379 --> 00:11:34.884
  • Hezekiah cried out to god and god said.
  • 00:11:34.884 --> 00:11:37.186
  • "hezekiah, don't worry about it.
  • 00:11:37.186 --> 00:11:39.522
  • I am going to slay all of the assyrians."
  • 00:11:39.522 --> 00:11:43.559
  • And so hezekiah delivered that word
  • 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:45.861
  • Of promised victory to the israelite's.
  • 00:11:45.861 --> 00:11:48.964
  • The bible says in 2 chronicles 32:8 that the people
  • 00:11:48.964 --> 00:11:53.769
  • Rested themselves upon the word of god.
  • 00:11:53.769 --> 00:11:57.706
  • That word rested means they leaned upon, they depended upon
  • 00:11:57.706 --> 00:12:01.477
  • The word of god, they believed what god said.
  • 00:12:01.477 --> 00:12:07.183
  • You know, i rest on this pulpit believing that
  • 00:12:07.183 --> 00:12:12.288
  • It's not going to move or collapse.
  • 00:12:12.288 --> 00:12:15.257
  • We sit in this room relying on the fact that the ceiling is not
  • 00:12:15.257 --> 00:12:19.995
  • Going to cave in, but god's promise is more reliable than
  • 00:12:19.995 --> 00:12:24.366
  • This pulpit or on this ceiling, we can rest upon
  • 00:12:24.366 --> 00:12:27.970
  • God's promise to do exactly what he has
  • 00:12:27.970 --> 00:12:30.906
  • Promised to do at just the right time.
  • 00:12:30.906 --> 00:12:34.777
  • The coming of christ came at just the right time.
  • 00:12:34.777 --> 00:12:39.148
  • In what sense was it the right time for the coming of christ?
  • 00:12:39.148 --> 00:12:41.884
  • Consider four ways that it was the right time, the fullness of
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  • Time for christ to enter the world.
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  • First of all, it was the right time politically, politically.
  • 00:12:47.823 --> 00:12:52.795
  • The pax romano, the roman peace, pervaded the world and because
  • 00:12:52.795 --> 00:12:57.566
  • Of that you had this great roman road system that went all around
  • 00:12:57.566 --> 00:13:02.671
  • The world, and people were able to travel with great ease making
  • 00:13:02.671 --> 00:13:07.009
  • The proclamation of the gospel very, very easy,
  • 00:13:07.009 --> 00:13:10.446
  • It was the right time politically.
  • 00:13:10.446 --> 00:13:12.948
  • Secondly, it was the right time culturally.
  • 00:13:12.948 --> 00:13:15.584
  • The world was becoming more and more unified.
  • 00:13:15.584 --> 00:13:18.988
  • People were becoming more educated.
  • 00:13:18.988 --> 00:13:21.123
  • More and more people spoke the same language,
  • 00:13:21.123 --> 00:13:24.193
  • Koine greek, the common language of people in
  • 00:13:24.193 --> 00:13:27.496
  • Which the new testament would be written.
  • 00:13:27.496 --> 00:13:30.566
  • It was the right time spiritually for the coming of
  • 00:13:30.566 --> 00:13:33.202
  • Christ, the polytheism, the worship of many gods of the
  • 00:13:33.202 --> 00:13:37.907
  • Romans and greeks was giving way to renewed interest in
  • 00:13:37.907 --> 00:13:41.844
  • Monotheism the worship of one god.
  • 00:13:41.844 --> 00:13:44.346
  • People were awakened once again to the teaching of the old
  • 00:13:44.346 --> 00:13:47.216
  • Testament they had forgotten as evidenced by their acceptance
  • 00:13:47.216 --> 00:13:51.153
  • And interest in the teaching of john the baptist.
  • 00:13:51.153 --> 00:13:54.590
  • But most of all, it was the right time
  • 00:13:54.590 --> 00:13:57.393
  • Prophetically for the coming of christ.
  • 00:13:57.393 --> 00:14:00.496
  • As you know, there were dozens of prophecies in the old
  • 00:14:00.496 --> 00:14:03.265
  • Testament about this coming one, the messiah, about his birth and
  • 00:14:03.265 --> 00:14:08.037
  • About his life and his ministry and all of those prophecies
  • 00:14:08.037 --> 00:14:12.007
  • Converged together that night in bethlehem.
  • 00:14:12.007 --> 00:14:15.210
  • Let me remind you about one of those
  • 00:14:15.210 --> 00:14:16.578
  • Prophecies about christ coming.
  • 00:14:16.578 --> 00:14:19.415
  • It was written 700 years before the fact.
  • 00:14:19.415 --> 00:14:23.252
  • It's found in micah 5 verse 2, you know it well.
  • 00:14:23.252 --> 00:14:26.956
  • "but as for you, god said, bethlehem ephrathah,
  • 00:14:26.956 --> 00:14:30.659
  • Too little to be among the clans of judah.
  • 00:14:30.659 --> 00:14:33.595
  • From you one will go forth from me to be the ruler in israel.
  • 00:14:33.595 --> 00:14:37.833
  • His going forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity."
  • 00:14:37.833 --> 00:14:44.340
  • Jesus would not be born in the center of political power, rome,
  • 00:14:44.340 --> 00:14:49.278
  • The center of religious power, jerusalem.
  • 00:14:49.278 --> 00:14:51.914
  • He would be born in this no account
  • 00:14:51.914 --> 00:14:54.583
  • Dusty village called bethlehem.
  • 00:14:54.583 --> 00:14:57.920
  • Now i want you to think of what god did to make all of that
  • 00:14:57.920 --> 00:15:01.757
  • Possible, jesus would be born in bethlehem.
  • 00:15:01.757 --> 00:15:07.129
  • On that night, the attention of the world was not centered on
  • 00:15:07.129 --> 00:15:11.633
  • Bethlehem, now the attention of the world was centered on rome,
  • 00:15:11.633 --> 00:15:16.739
  • That was the seat of real power people believed.
  • 00:15:16.739 --> 00:15:20.876
  • A year earlier, probably in 4 bc, the emperor
  • 00:15:20.876 --> 00:15:26.348
  • Of rome, the most powerful man in the world
  • 00:15:26.348 --> 00:15:28.917
  • Was a man known as caesar augustus.
  • 00:15:28.917 --> 00:15:32.654
  • Now that wasn't really his name, that was his title.
  • 00:15:32.654 --> 00:15:35.090
  • Caesar means ruler, augustus means
  • 00:15:35.090 --> 00:15:37.860
  • Venerated one, venerated ruler.
  • 00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:40.696
  • His real name was gaius octavius.
  • 00:15:40.696 --> 00:15:43.399
  • He was known as octavian, and octavian in 4 bc had issued a
  • 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:48.704
  • Decree that every citizen of every vassal country that
  • 00:15:48.704 --> 00:15:54.276
  • Belonged to rome would go to his hometown in order to be
  • 00:15:54.276 --> 00:15:58.847
  • Registered for a census for the purpose of taxation.
  • 00:15:58.847 --> 00:16:04.319
  • Octavian's expenses were increasing because of his
  • 00:16:04.319 --> 00:16:08.390
  • Responsibility of caring for all of these nations.
  • 00:16:08.390 --> 00:16:11.627
  • He desperately needed more income, so
  • 00:16:11.627 --> 00:16:13.796
  • He said, "we're going to tax the people."
  • 00:16:13.796 --> 00:16:16.598
  • There were no irs computers back then by which to
  • 00:16:16.598 --> 00:16:19.535
  • Keep track of people, people had to go to their own city
  • 00:16:19.535 --> 00:16:22.738
  • To register for the purpose of taxation.
  • 00:16:22.738 --> 00:16:26.875
  • It's interesting that this man, octavian,
  • 00:16:26.875 --> 00:16:30.746
  • Was known as, quote, the savior of the world.
  • 00:16:30.746 --> 00:16:36.285
  • He was so popular, people called him the savior of the world.
  • 00:16:36.285 --> 00:16:40.589
  • Little did octavian know when he issued that command, that that
  • 00:16:40.589 --> 00:16:44.927
  • Command would cause a man he had never met named joseph to
  • 00:16:44.927 --> 00:16:49.798
  • Travel with his new wife, mary, to a town octavian had never
  • 00:16:49.798 --> 00:16:54.236
  • Heard of, bethlehem, so that mary might give
  • 00:16:54.236 --> 00:16:57.840
  • Birth to the true savior of the world.
  • 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:01.910
  • Isn't that amazing?
  • 00:17:01.910 --> 00:17:03.879
  • As somebody said, "octavian was nothing more than a piece
  • 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:07.049
  • Of lint on the pages of human history."
  • 00:17:07.049 --> 00:17:11.253
  • In the fullness of time, at just the
  • 00:17:11.253 --> 00:17:14.857
  • Right time, god sent forth his son.
  • 00:17:14.857 --> 00:17:20.963
  • How?
  • 00:17:20.963 --> 00:17:22.397
  • How did he do it?
  • 00:17:22.397 --> 00:17:24.066
  • Well, it tells us here again, he was born of a woman.
  • 00:17:24.066 --> 00:17:30.072
  • What does that mean born of a woman?
  • 00:17:30.072 --> 00:17:31.773
  • What's the big deal?
  • 00:17:31.773 --> 00:17:33.108
  • Everybody's born of a woman, aren't they?
  • 00:17:33.108 --> 00:17:34.676
  • How many of you were born of a woman?
  • 00:17:34.676 --> 00:17:37.412
  • Now, this is why this is unique.
  • 00:17:37.412 --> 00:17:39.748
  • First of all, this is a reference
  • 00:17:39.748 --> 00:17:41.350
  • To jesus's virgin birth.
  • 00:17:41.350 --> 00:17:44.653
  • Let me show you what i mean.
  • 00:17:44.653 --> 00:17:46.688
  • Jesus was born of a woman, but he was unique
  • 00:17:46.688 --> 00:17:49.024
  • In that he was born only of a woman.
  • 00:17:49.024 --> 00:17:52.327
  • His father was god himself, and that was part of prophecy.
  • 00:17:52.327 --> 00:17:57.199
  • Isaiah 7:14 written 740 years earlier
  • 00:17:57.199 --> 00:18:01.303
  • Said, "behold a virgin shall conceive."
  • 00:18:01.303 --> 00:18:04.840
  • Now you've heard me say before that word, hebrew word, alma,
  • 00:18:04.840 --> 00:18:08.310
  • Virgin, and isaiah 7:14 simply means young woman.
  • 00:18:08.310 --> 00:18:12.381
  • It can be a virgin, somebody who's not had sexual experience,
  • 00:18:12.381 --> 00:18:15.684
  • But it doesn't have to be a virgin.
  • 00:18:15.684 --> 00:18:17.786
  • There's a reason isaiah in hebrew used that more general
  • 00:18:17.786 --> 00:18:21.190
  • Term because there was a near fulfillment in isaiah's day of a
  • 00:18:21.190 --> 00:18:25.961
  • Woman who would give birth as assigned to isaiah.
  • 00:18:25.961 --> 00:18:29.031
  • She did it the old fashioned way, but it was also a far
  • 00:18:29.031 --> 00:18:32.701
  • Reference to the ultimate fulfillment in the coming of
  • 00:18:32.701 --> 00:18:35.837
  • Jesus who would be born of a virgin.
  • 00:18:35.837 --> 00:18:39.174
  • It's interesting in matthew 1:23 that when matthew, writing in
  • 00:18:39.174 --> 00:18:44.279
  • The greek language, quotes isaiah 7:14, he's not writing in
  • 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:48.283
  • Hebrew, he's writing in greek, and when he comes to that term
  • 00:18:48.283 --> 00:18:51.687
  • Virgin to refer to christ, he uses the greek word parthenos,
  • 00:18:51.687 --> 00:18:56.358
  • Which means one thing only, virgin, somebody who has never
  • 00:18:56.358 --> 00:19:00.596
  • Had a sexual relationship with a man before.
  • 00:19:00.596 --> 00:19:04.099
  • Jesus was born of a virgin.
  • 00:19:04.099 --> 00:19:07.202
  • Why is that essential?
  • 00:19:07.202 --> 00:19:08.737
  • I could spend a whole series talking about the
  • 00:19:08.737 --> 00:19:11.873
  • Necessity of the virgin birth, but here is one
  • 00:19:11.873 --> 00:19:14.743
  • Reason why it was absolutely necessary.
  • 00:19:14.743 --> 00:19:16.945
  • It is the only way he would be qualified to be the messiah and
  • 00:19:16.945 --> 00:19:21.516
  • Sit and rule on the throne of david forever and ever.
  • 00:19:21.516 --> 00:19:25.220
  • Let me show you why that's true.
  • 00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:27.656
  • According to 2 samuel 7 verse 12, the messiah would have to be
  • 00:19:27.656 --> 00:19:33.262
  • Somebody who was a descendant of king david.
  • 00:19:33.262 --> 00:19:37.366
  • In fact, in 2 samuel 7 verse 12, god said to david, "i will raise
  • 00:19:37.366 --> 00:19:41.903
  • Up your descendant after you who will come forth from
  • 00:19:41.903 --> 00:19:45.574
  • You and i will establish his kingdom."
  • 00:19:45.574 --> 00:19:50.012
  • Every jew knew the messiah had to be a descendant of david.
  • 00:19:50.012 --> 00:19:54.783
  • And that's why when you come to the gospel of matthew, which was
  • 00:19:54.783 --> 00:19:58.453
  • Written to the jews, matthew goes through that long genealogy
  • 00:19:58.453 --> 00:20:02.824
  • Of jesus that makes many of us give up on our read through the
  • 00:20:02.824 --> 00:20:07.162
  • Bible in a year program, after we get to matthew 1, we think,
  • 00:20:07.162 --> 00:20:11.066
  • "oh my gosh, what does this have to do with anything?"
  • 00:20:11.066 --> 00:20:13.869
  • The point is, jesus was the messiah because
  • 00:20:13.869 --> 00:20:17.406
  • He met the qualifications of the messiah.
  • 00:20:17.406 --> 00:20:19.841
  • Matthew shows all the way from david through joseph down to
  • 00:20:19.841 --> 00:20:25.681
  • Jesus how jesus was qualified to be the messiah.
  • 00:20:25.681 --> 00:20:29.318
  • He was a descendant of david.
  • 00:20:29.318 --> 00:20:31.887
  • But here's the problem, here's the problem.
  • 00:20:31.887 --> 00:20:36.124
  • One of david's descendants not long after him was a king named
  • 00:20:36.124 --> 00:20:40.996
  • Jeconiah, and jeconiah, who came after david, was so
  • 00:20:40.996 --> 00:20:46.902
  • Evil that god pronounced a curse on jeconiah.
  • 00:20:46.902 --> 00:20:50.772
  • It's found in jeremiah 22:30.
  • 00:20:50.772 --> 00:20:53.208
  • "and god said, 'jeconiah, because of your disobedience,
  • 00:20:53.208 --> 00:20:56.645
  • I'm gonna curse your descendants, so nobody
  • 00:20:56.645 --> 00:20:59.448
  • Who comes after you can sit on the throne
  • 00:20:59.448 --> 00:21:02.217
  • Of david and rule with prosperity.'"
  • 00:21:02.217 --> 00:21:06.321
  • Jeffress: paul's letter to his friends in galatia teaches us
  • 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:13.628
  • Volumes about the simplicity of christmas, and there's much more
  • 00:21:13.628 --> 00:21:17.566
  • I wanna show you.
  • 00:21:17.566 --> 00:21:19.034
  • But right now i'm excited to invite you to participate in the
  • 00:21:19.034 --> 00:21:22.604
  • Now is the time matching challenge.
  • 00:21:22.604 --> 00:21:25.173
  • The total amount is $1.7 million, the largest in our
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  • Ministry's history.
  • 00:21:29.010 --> 00:21:30.812
  • Your gift between now and december 31 will be matched,
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  • Giving you twice the impact on our nation and our world.
  • 00:21:34.850 --> 00:21:38.920
  • We have one life and one chance to share the gospel and reach
  • 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:42.591
  • People for christ, and now is the time to do just that.
  • 00:21:42.591 --> 00:21:46.862
  • Thanks to your support, we're making tremendous strides
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  • Together for the gospel.
  • 00:21:49.965 --> 00:21:52.000
  • Through your prayers and your giving, "pathway to victory" is
  • 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:54.970
  • Reaching far more people than ever before with the ultimate
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  • Hope for troubling times.
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  • Your generosity, doubled through this challenge, will help us
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  • Deliver biblical truth for you and your family and impact even
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  • More lives for jesus christ.
  • 00:22:09.251 --> 00:22:11.887
  • Jesus said his return would be soon, but for you and me, it's
  • 00:22:11.887 --> 00:22:15.857
  • Sooner still.
  • 00:22:15.857 --> 00:22:17.325
  • Thank you in advance for your generous support during this
  • 00:22:17.325 --> 00:22:20.061
  • Critical window of opportunity.
  • 00:22:20.061 --> 00:22:23.298
  • Now, stay right there, i'll be back with more "pathway to
  • 00:22:23.298 --> 00:22:25.734
  • Victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:22:25.734 --> 00:22:27.803
  • Announcer: you want to grow closer to god.
  • 00:22:29.404 --> 00:22:31.540
  • You want your faith to be vibrant and real.
  • 00:22:31.540 --> 00:22:34.342
  • What if you could live every day abiding in christ, connected to
  • 00:22:34.342 --> 00:22:38.346
  • The vine that gives you life?
  • 00:22:38.346 --> 00:22:40.916
  • Discover what it means to truly abide with the brand new 2026
  • 00:22:40.916 --> 00:22:45.887
  • Pathway to victory daily devotional.
  • 00:22:45.887 --> 00:22:48.356
  • This beautiful tan leather devotional accented with brown
  • 00:22:48.356 --> 00:22:51.593
  • And gold foil features 260 biblical insights from dr.
  • 00:22:51.593 --> 00:22:55.864
  • Robert jeffress, now with larger print for easier reading.
  • 00:22:55.864 --> 00:23:00.001
  • Jeffress: jesus said, "i am the vine.
  • 00:23:00.068 --> 00:23:02.270
  • You are the branches.
  • 00:23:02.270 --> 00:23:03.805
  • The one who remains in me and i in him bears much fruit."
  • 00:23:03.805 --> 00:23:08.243
  • Abiding means staying connected to christ through his word, and
  • 00:23:08.243 --> 00:23:12.080
  • That daily connection produces real, lasting fruit in
  • 00:23:12.080 --> 00:23:16.184
  • Your life.
  • 00:23:16.184 --> 00:23:17.552
  • Announcer: start the year understanding who god is and
  • 00:23:17.552 --> 00:23:20.121
  • What he desires from you.
  • 00:23:20.121 --> 00:23:21.957
  • In spring, grow your roots and become more like christ in
  • 00:23:21.957 --> 00:23:25.427
  • Humility, obedience, and servanthood.
  • 00:23:25.427 --> 00:23:28.196
  • In summer, return to the basics of god's instruction manual
  • 00:23:28.196 --> 00:23:31.833
  • For living.
  • 00:23:31.833 --> 00:23:33.201
  • And end the year strongly planted in god's truth.
  • 00:23:33.201 --> 00:23:36.538
  • When you request the devotional, your gift will be doubled in
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  • Impact because of the now is the time matching challenge,
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  • Equipping us to reach our nation and world with the hope of
  • 00:23:42.878 --> 00:23:46.047
  • Our savior.
  • 00:23:46.047 --> 00:23:48.149
  • Are you ready to experience a deeper walk with god in 2026?
  • 00:23:48.149 --> 00:23:52.687
  • Request the 2026 pathway to victory daily devotional today.
  • 00:23:52.687 --> 00:23:56.758
  • Jeffress: christmas is about far more than just the
  • 00:24:00.462 --> 00:24:02.731
  • Birth of a baby, it's about who this baby is and why he came.
  • 00:24:02.731 --> 00:24:08.336
  • Jesus is the son of god who left his throne in heaven to come
  • 00:24:08.336 --> 00:24:12.474
  • Live among us and to be one of us, and he did so knowing that
  • 00:24:12.474 --> 00:24:16.811
  • His time on earth would eventually lead to death
  • 00:24:16.811 --> 00:24:19.748
  • On the cross.
  • 00:24:19.748 --> 00:24:21.082
  • Through his death and resurrection,
  • 00:24:21.082 --> 00:24:23.118
  • We would have eternal life.
  • 00:24:23.118 --> 00:24:25.353
  • That's what christmas is really all about.
  • 00:24:25.353 --> 00:24:28.490
  • And next time we're going to dig deeper into galatians chapter 4
  • 00:24:28.490 --> 00:24:32.594
  • To discover the true meaning of christmas.
  • 00:24:32.594 --> 00:24:35.697
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next on
  • 00:24:35.697 --> 00:24:38.433
  • "pathway to victory."
  • 00:24:38.433 --> 00:24:41.269
  • Jeffress: the same power that raised
  • 00:24:41.269 --> 00:24:43.371
  • Jesus from the dead is in your life if you're a
  • 00:24:43.371 --> 00:24:46.675
  • Christian, giving you power over temptation, over stress, over
  • 00:24:46.675 --> 00:24:51.613
  • Worry, and ultimately power over the grave.
  • 00:24:51.613 --> 00:24:57.018
  • We are adopted as sons into the family of god.
  • 00:24:57.018 --> 00:25:00.989
  • That's why he sent jesus.
  • 00:25:00.989 --> 00:25:04.159
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for
  • 00:25:04.159 --> 00:25:06.461
  • Part two of the message, "simply christmas"
  • 00:25:06.461 --> 00:25:09.064
  • Here on "pathway to victory."
  • 00:25:09.064 --> 00:25:11.833
  • Announcer: experience the beauty of alaska with the
  • 00:25:15.937 --> 00:25:18.239
  • Pathway to victory family june 13-20, 2026.
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  • Sail through the calm waters of the legendary inside passage
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  • Magnificent koningsdam.
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  • Be inspired by award-winning musician michael o'brien's
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  • Powerful worship; share laughter with dennis swanberg,
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  • America's minister of encouragement;
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  • All while exploring frontier towns like juneau,
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  • Skagway, and ketchikan.
  • 00:25:42.797 --> 00:25:44.799
  • Jeffress: there's something powerful about connecting with
  • 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:47.068
  • God and fellow believers in the majesty
  • 00:25:47.068 --> 00:25:50.071
  • Of his untamed wilderness.
  • 00:25:50.071 --> 00:25:52.240
  • From the majestic glaciers to soaring eagles,
  • 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:55.377
  • These moments in god's creation will deepen your
  • 00:25:55.377 --> 00:25:57.979
  • Faith in powerful ways.
  • 00:25:57.979 --> 00:26:00.148
  • Announcer: join us for a spiritual journey through some
  • 00:26:00.148 --> 00:26:02.317
  • Of creation's most spectacular displays.
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  • Call ... or visit ptv.org.
  • 00:26:10.225 --> 00:26:15.463
  • Jeffress: each of us will leave a legacy.
  • 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:20.335
  • What will your legacy be?
  • 00:26:20.335 --> 00:26:22.804
  • Your legacy giving can further
  • 00:26:22.804 --> 00:26:25.006
  • The gospel and be an example
  • 00:26:25.006 --> 00:26:26.875
  • To your children about
  • 00:26:26.875 --> 00:26:28.543
  • What matters most in life.
  • 00:26:28.543 --> 00:26:30.679
  • The world my daughters and grandchildren are growing up in
  • 00:26:30.679 --> 00:26:33.915
  • Is vastly different than the one you and i grew up in.
  • 00:26:33.915 --> 00:26:37.585
  • The gospel of jesus christ is our only answer, and naming
  • 00:26:37.585 --> 00:26:42.657
  • "pathway to victory" as a beneficiary in your will
  • 00:26:42.657 --> 00:26:46.327
  • Helps guarantee that there will be a trusted ministry
  • 00:26:46.327 --> 00:26:49.764
  • That will continue to be salt and light.
  • 00:26:49.764 --> 00:26:52.834
  • Like the ripples that emanate from a rock thrown into a pond,
  • 00:26:52.834 --> 00:26:57.138
  • Your influence for christ can keep going on and on
  • 00:26:57.138 --> 00:27:01.009
  • After you die, with a gift in your will.
  • 00:27:01.009 --> 00:27:04.279
  • What will your legacy be?
  • 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:06.881
  • "only one life, will soon be past.
  • 00:27:06.881 --> 00:27:10.051
  • Only what's done for christ will last."
  • 00:27:10.051 --> 00:27:10.051