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Speaker 1: Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger and

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Speaker 1: behold my hands. And reach hither thy hand and thrust

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Speaker 1: it into my side, and be not faithless but believing.

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Speaker 1: And Thomas answered and said, unto him, my Lord and

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Speaker 1: my God John twenty twenty seven and twenty eight. Lord,

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Speaker 1: there are times when I felt like doubting Thomas. I

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Speaker 1: had a hard time believing you rose from the grave

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Speaker 1: after you were crucified. That truth takes a great deal

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Speaker 1: more faith than my finite little brain can comprehend. But

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Speaker 1: you understood this unbelief and offered your sacred flesh for

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Speaker 1: him to touch, so he would believe you had a

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Speaker 1: purpose for his life and wanted to rid him of

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Speaker 1: any doubts he had. You have a purpose for my life, too,

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Speaker 1: and you want to erase any doubts I have as well.

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Speaker 1: I want to touch you, Lord, I don't waiver in unbelief.

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Speaker 1: I want to serve you with my whole heart. Amen,

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Speaker 1: stay tuned to immerse yourself in the greatest stories ever told.

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Speaker 1: From pray dot COM's podcast Heroes in the Bible.

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Speaker 2: Hi, I'm doctor Tony Evans, your hosts for Heroes in

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Speaker 2: the Bible Jesus. If you've enjoyed this podcast so far,

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Speaker 2: please share it with your family and friends so that

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Speaker 2: they can know Jesus Christ in a personal way, because

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Speaker 2: knowing Jesus is the key to understanding the Bible. Welcome

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Speaker 2: to the greatest story ever told. It is a story

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Speaker 2: of a shepherd's heart for his sheep, a father's love

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Speaker 2: for his children, and a hero's triumph over death and darkness.

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Speaker 2: This is a story that continues to shape and mold

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Speaker 2: the world around us, bringing the divine heart of God

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Speaker 2: right into the hearts of you and me. This episode

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Speaker 2: gives the Disciples a brief moment with the resurrected Jesus.

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Speaker 2: Witnesses to his resurrection had come to them, but they

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Speaker 2: had yet to truly see him. When they hear his

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Speaker 2: voice and see his scars, they are convinced that he

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Speaker 2: has indeed risen again. However, as we have said before,

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Speaker 2: not everyone's faith journey is the same. Two characters in

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Speaker 2: particular wrestle with shame and doubt, making it hard for

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Speaker 2: them to truly embrace the resurrection. The prelude to this

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Speaker 2: story takes us all the way back to the beginning,

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Speaker 2: when chaos and darkness loomed over the face of the earth,

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Speaker 2: and the spirit of God was hovering over the face

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Speaker 2: of the deep. Creation was ushered in by God's spirit,

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Speaker 2: and the breath of life was given to men and women.

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Speaker 2: This story provides us with a new type of creation,

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Speaker 2: new hearts formed and empowered by God's Spirit. I hope

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Speaker 2: this episode empowers you today. My prayer for you is

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Speaker 2: that the dark and fearful parts of your heart would

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Speaker 2: be filled with God's spirit. I pray for anyone who

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Speaker 2: finds themselves stuck in their homes, afraid to step out.

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Speaker 2: I pray that the Holy Spirit gives you boldness, comfort

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Speaker 2: and clarity, and the same breath that breathed life into

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Speaker 2: humanity moves in you. Here is Episode twenty one Breath

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Speaker 2: of Life.

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Speaker 3: Prelude to Chapter twenty one. All was dark and the

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Speaker 3: chaotic waters thrashed around the untamed earth. God's spirit hovered

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Speaker 3: over the face of the waters, waiting detain them. Voice

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Speaker 3: calling out from the darkness resounded and shook the infant planet.

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Speaker 3: Let there be light, the voice proclaimed, and as the

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Speaker 3: Voice of God traveled through space and time, light broke

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Speaker 3: forth from the nothingness. The Sun's light pierced the dark

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Speaker 3: and paved the way for life to be created. God

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Speaker 3: then wove together the earth and all its glory. The

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Speaker 3: power of his words spoke. The mountains irrupted forth from

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Speaker 3: the waters. Plants sprang up from the fertile ground. The

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Speaker 3: creatures of the sea, birds of the air, and beasts

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Speaker 3: of the land inhabited the new planet and dwelled in bliss.

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Speaker 3: Their cries, CAUs and growls were like a symphony of

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Speaker 3: God's creative power. The earth had been made by the

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Speaker 3: very word of God. He saw the beauty of his

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Speaker 3: creation and smiled. It is good, God declared, Yet there

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Speaker 3: was one thing missing. On the final day, the morning

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Speaker 3: mist was gliding through the tall trees. The sun shone

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Speaker 3: brightly through the vegetation, and God's spirit descended Like a dove.

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Speaker 3: God looked at a small plot of dirt and saw

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Speaker 3: potential for beauty. Gently, like a potter with clay, God

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Speaker 3: picked up the dust and began to mold it to

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Speaker 3: his image. Delicately and with great care, God formed a

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Speaker 3: creature unlike any other, a creature that would be his

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Speaker 3: ambassador on earth, a creature that would walk with him,

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Speaker 3: know him, and reflect his goodness. From the dust of

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Speaker 3: the earth, God shaped man in his own image. The

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Speaker 3: newly formed human lay there, lifeless on the ground, an

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Speaker 3: empty vessel, ready to be filled with the power and

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Speaker 3: life of God. Leaning down, the Creator breathed into the

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Speaker 3: man's nostrils. His very presence, life, and heart was breathed

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Speaker 3: into the man like a mighty wind. God's spirit was

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Speaker 3: given to him, and his heart began to beat to

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Speaker 3: the same rhythm as God's. His spirit was given to

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Speaker 3: men and women so they may walk in His likeness

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Speaker 3: among the earth. Every breath they took was a symbol

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Speaker 3: of God's grace. Without the breath of life, man is

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Speaker 3: nothing but an empty vessel. Chapter twenty one, Breath of Life.

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Speaker 3: The morning light had not yet broke forth above the horizon,

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Speaker 3: and darkness still loomed in the home where the Disciples hid.

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Speaker 3: Ever since Jesus hung on the cross, bloodied and bruised,

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Speaker 3: they had hid like children. Their protector, provider, and king

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Speaker 3: was dead, so they remained in their own den of despair,

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Speaker 3: Unable to console themselves. They hid in fear of what

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Speaker 3: the Jews would do to them. They had crucified Jesus,

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Speaker 3: and Jesus had warned them that anything they did to him,

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Speaker 3: they would do to them as well. There they waited

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Speaker 3: until the volatility of the priests subsided. There have been

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Speaker 3: rumors of Jesus's return, yet they had yet to truly

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Speaker 3: experience it for themselves. Matthew was the first to arise.

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Speaker 3: He sat over a dimly lit lamp, writing down his

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Speaker 3: recollections of Jesus. They were fussy and blurred by grief.

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Speaker 3: He tried to write, but the words seemed uninspired. He

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Speaker 3: knew the importance of recording the words and works of Jesus,

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Speaker 3: yet for whatever reason, he could not bring himself to

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Speaker 3: remember what he needed. He clinched his fists in frustration,

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Speaker 3: throwing the piece of parchment aside. The other disciples arose

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Speaker 3: from their beds and walked beside the fireplace. They had

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Speaker 3: been back in Galilee, in a home by the sea.

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Speaker 3: The morning breeze slowly made its way through the windows.

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Speaker 3: Philip tended to the fireplace, boiling water and preparation for

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Speaker 3: their breakfast. They had not spoken much in the past

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Speaker 3: three days. There was a collective sadness that bound their lips.

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Speaker 3: Every time they began to speak, they found themselves lamenting

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Speaker 3: the loss of their dear friend and Lord. Philip stared

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Speaker 3: blankly at the fire and turned to Bartholomew.

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Speaker 4: Where are Peter and Andrew?

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Speaker 3: He asked, fishing? Bartholomew answered, Peter is still unconsolable.

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Speaker 5: He seems to be spending every moment on his boat.

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Speaker 3: And what of Thomas, Philip asked, poking the hot coals

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Speaker 3: below the kettle, tending to his family, I suppose, Bartholemew said,

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Speaker 3: scratching his head. The coolness of the morning was replaced

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Speaker 3: by a growing warmth from the Galilean sun. Thaddeus joined

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Speaker 3: Philip in Bartholomew near the fire. They sat there and

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Speaker 3: silence for a while, occasionally sharing in a memory of

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Speaker 3: their time with Jesus. The disciples felt as though they

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Speaker 3: had failed. For three years, they had followed Jesus with

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Speaker 3: the expectation of him rising to power. They had seen

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Speaker 3: so many miracles performed by him that they truly believed

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Speaker 3: he was the Messiah. However, as the thunder boomed on

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Speaker 3: that fateful night, all their hopes and dreams of glory

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Speaker 3: had been shattered. Their confidence and joy was buried with

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Speaker 3: Jesus in that tomb.

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Speaker 2: Who do you think took him.

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Speaker 4: Jude asked, was it the Pharisees.

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Speaker 3: John shook his head in dismay. Do you think it

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Speaker 3: is possible? He asked.

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Speaker 4: The women said they were told by angels. Do you

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Speaker 4: think he truly could be risen from the dead. As

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Speaker 4: John asked this, there were footsteps approaching the home. All

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Speaker 4: of the disciples stood to their feet. Simon was the

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Speaker 4: first to step forward, with this sould lord held tightly

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Speaker 4: in his hand. The rest of the men stayed back

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Speaker 4: As Simon peeped through the crack in the window. There

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Speaker 4: was a heavy pounding on the door. Simon approached the

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Speaker 4: door with his sword at the ready. He opened the

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Speaker 4: door slowly, and bursting through was Peter, fumbling about with

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Speaker 4: nets and fish in his arms. The rest of the

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Speaker 4: group sighed in relief. The smell of fish filled the

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Speaker 4: room as Peter set them on the table.

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Speaker 6: I labored all night for less than a dozen fish.

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Speaker 6: Peter growled. He sat down and rubbed his temples. Peter

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Speaker 6: had been tormented for days now. Grief and shame had

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Speaker 6: kept him up. He was a sad sight to behold.

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Speaker 6: John took the fish, skinned and gutted them, and threw

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Speaker 6: them into the boiling water. Simon locked the doors again,

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Speaker 6: standing in attention near the entrance. The kettle simmered, and

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Speaker 6: the disciples sat in silence for a long while. Peter's

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Speaker 6: forehead was placed firmly on the table. Then, breaking the silence,

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Speaker 6: they all heard a familiar voice.

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Speaker 5: Peace be with you.

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Speaker 3: The voice said. The disciples looked up in awe, and

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Speaker 3: the corner of the room stood Jesus. The men leapt

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Speaker 3: in fear. They thought they had seen a ghost. Matthew

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Speaker 3: ran to the corner of the room. Simon drew his sword,

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Speaker 3: and John fell to his knees. However, Peter stood completely still.

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Speaker 3: He looked at Jesus with complete dismay. His bottom lip quivered,

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Speaker 3: and he dipped his head in shame. Jesus's lips hearted

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Speaker 3: into a familiar smile. He stretched out his arms and said.

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Speaker 5: Why are you so troubled? And why do I send

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Speaker 5: so much doubt in your hearts? Come see where they

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Speaker 5: pierced my hands and my feet.

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Speaker 3: Know that it is I. John approached Jesus slowly. He

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Speaker 3: had watched him die. He watched Jesus be scourged on

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Speaker 3: the wooden post. He saw Jesus cry out to God

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Speaker 3: on the cross. His heart beat faster as he approached

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Speaker 3: his master. Jesus greeted him and stretched out his arms.

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Speaker 3: John looked down to see scars where the hands met

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Speaker 3: his wrists. He touched them. He felt the soft tissue

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Speaker 3: where the scars had formed. He looked at Jesus's feet,

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Speaker 3: where they had driven nails through. He looked up into

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Speaker 3: Jesus's eyes. They were the same eyes of compassion and

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Speaker 3: power he had remembered. Tears began to stream down John's face.

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Speaker 3: Jesus smiled, and John embraced him tightly. He sobbed in

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Speaker 3: his arms. Jesus laughed and gestured for the other disciples

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Speaker 3: to come. They ran to him. The entire room was

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Speaker 3: filled with unquenchable joy. They laughed, cried, and shouted with

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Speaker 3: triumph in their voices. Their king was alive. He had risen,

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Speaker 3: just as he said he would. He embraced his disciples

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Speaker 3: like dear children. Yet Peter was still sitting at his place.

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Speaker 3: He was frozen, unable to bring himself forward, unable to

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Speaker 3: face the man he had denied.

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Speaker 5: Do you have anything to eat.

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Speaker 3: Jesus asked. Philip went to the kettle and brought out

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Speaker 3: a few fish. Together, they ate and listened to Jesus.

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Speaker 3: It seemed like a lifetime ago that they were camping

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Speaker 3: in the wilderness of Galilee, exchanging stories, laughter and dreams.

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Speaker 3: Jesus was just as they remembered, only now he had

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Speaker 3: a radiance about him that was indescribable. He was a

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Speaker 3: new man, and the entropy of life did not seem

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Speaker 3: to have any effect on him.

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Speaker 5: Remember the words I spoke to you while I was with.

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Speaker 3: You, Jesus said, as he finished his fish.

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Speaker 5: Everything that was written about me in the Law of Moses,

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Speaker 5: the prophets, and the Psalms has been fulfilled.

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Speaker 3: Then Jesus arose from the table and brought them in close.

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Speaker 3: Peter was silent, remaining in the back. Jesus looked at them.

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Speaker 3: They stood before him like empty vessels, ready to be

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Speaker 3: filled with the power and life of God.

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Speaker 5: Peace be with you. Now receive the Holy Spirit.

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Speaker 3: As Jesus said this, he leaned in close to them

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Speaker 3: and breathe the same breath of life it was given

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Speaker 3: to mankind, and the very beginning was poured out like

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Speaker 3: a mighty wind. The Creator gave his very presence, life

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Speaker 3: and heart to them. God's spirit was given to the disciples,

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Speaker 3: and their hearts began to beat to the same rhythm

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Speaker 3: as his.

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Speaker 5: Behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.

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Speaker 5: You will be my ambassadors on the earth, filled with power,

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Speaker 5: and you will do mighty things in all the nations.

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Speaker 3: God's spirit poured out on to them and filled their

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Speaker 3: lungs with new life. In that moment, everything had changed.

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Speaker 3: John felt like his heart had been re formed as

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Speaker 3: God's presence was poured into his very soul. He remembered

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Speaker 3: the words Jesus spoke to Nicodemus three years ago.

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Speaker 5: Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again,

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Speaker 5: he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

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Speaker 3: John now understood what Jesus meant. His heart was beating

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Speaker 3: to a new rhythm. His eyes were opened to see

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Speaker 3: a new potential for the world around him. John could

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Speaker 3: now see what Jesus saw. The Kingdom of God was

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Speaker 3: at hand and moving all around them. John knew that

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Speaker 3: he had just been born again. As the Holy Spirit

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Speaker 3: was given to them, their minds were open to understand

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Speaker 3: the scriptures. Matthew could now remember every word Jesus had

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Speaker 3: spoken to him. They could now see how Jesus was

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Speaker 3: interwoven into every fabric of God's story. They could see

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Speaker 3: that he was the one who wrestled with Jacob. He

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Speaker 3: was the voice of the burning bush to Moses. He

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Speaker 3: was the captain of the lord's armies who visited Joshua.

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Speaker 3: He was the one who stood in the fire with Shadrat,

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Speaker 3: Meshach and Abeddigo. He was the hero working for the

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Speaker 3: redemption of man since the very beginning. Jesus lifted his

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Speaker 3: eyes to them. He looked at them as a general

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Speaker 3: wood to an army.

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Speaker 5: Christ was always meant to suffer and rise again on

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Speaker 5: the third. Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed

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Speaker 5: in my name to all the nations. It is you

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Speaker 5: I send.

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Speaker 3: And with those words Jesus vanished. Peter's eyes widened and

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Speaker 3: he ran to the corner of the room where Jesus vanished.

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Speaker 3: He hit the wall and pounded on it with his fist.

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Speaker 3: Tears streamed down his face, and he fell to his

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Speaker 3: knees in regret. He didn't even tell Jesus he was sorry,

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Speaker 3: and now he may never get the chance. The disciples

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Speaker 3: stood there in awe of what had happened, yet still

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Speaker 3: filled with unanswered questions. A few moments later, the door opened.

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Speaker 3: The disciples thought it might be Jesus again, but it

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Speaker 3: was Thomas. He was back from tending to his family.

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Speaker 3: The disciples were still in tears. What happened?

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Speaker 4: Thomas said, He's returned. James shouted, Jesus has risen from

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Speaker 4: the dead.

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Speaker 3: He was here. The disciples all took turns telling Thomas

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Speaker 3: what had happened. They were frantic, excited, and confused all

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Speaker 3: at once. Thomas was a skeptical man. He was analytical,

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Speaker 3: asked questions, and not quick to make judgments. It is

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Speaker 3: part of why Jesus chose him. Jesus loved his mind

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Speaker 3: that was willing to think deeply and consider every option.

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Speaker 3: Thomas shook his head, unable to believe that Jesus had

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Speaker 3: risen from the dead.

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Speaker 7: Unless I see him with my own eyes, I refuse

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Speaker 7: to believe you.

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Speaker 4: But we are telling you the truth, James said.

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Speaker 7: Unless I put my fingers through the holes in his

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Speaker 7: wounded hands, I could not accept that it was Jesus.

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Speaker 7: Perhaps you saw a vision, ghost, or you are overcome

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Speaker 7: with grief.

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Speaker 3: The disciples tried to convince Thomas, but he lifted his

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Speaker 3: hand and interrupted him.

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Speaker 7: Did you hear me?

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Speaker 4: It wasn't Jesus.

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Speaker 3: With that, Thomas stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

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Speaker 3: Thomas's doubt revealed a deep hurt within him. Like Peter,

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Speaker 3: he felt the pangs of shame. When Jesus was taken

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Speaker 3: by the guards and the garden of Guessemone, he ran

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Speaker 3: for his life. He did not fight for Jesus, nor

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Speaker 3: did he watch his death. Thomas did not want to

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Speaker 3: believe Jesus had risen because he felt far too much

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Speaker 3: shame to face him. Eight days had passed and the

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Speaker 3: disciples had yet to fully understand what they had seen.

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Speaker 3: Jesus had been gone for so long that even they

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Speaker 3: were beginning to wonder if they had seen a ghost.

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Speaker 4: It wasn't a ghost.

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Speaker 3: Philip protested again to Thomas.

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Speaker 4: He ate a meal with us, and we held him.

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Speaker 3: Thomas had only grown more bitter as the week rolled on.

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Speaker 3: Yet in his heart of hearts, he knew the true

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Speaker 3: reason for his anger was that he had missed what

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Speaker 3: the others had seen. As Thomas shook his head once

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Speaker 3: again in doubt, he heard a voice call out to him.

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Speaker 5: Peace be with you, Thomas, the.

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Speaker 3: Voice said behind him, Thomas froze. He knew that voice.

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Speaker 3: It was the voice that had called him long ago.

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Speaker 3: He turned around and saw Jesus standing there above him.

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Speaker 3: Lord Thomas asked, is that you? Jesus knelt down and

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Speaker 3: smiled at Thomas.

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Speaker 5: Go ahead, my child, feel my hands. See how they

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Speaker 5: were pierced for you.

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Speaker 3: Jesus held out his arms. Thomas looked down to see

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Speaker 3: the scars. He was paralyzed with fear. Then he looked

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Speaker 3: up to see Jesus's eyes. It was not the scars

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Speaker 3: that convinced him, but Jesus's familiar gaze. Behind his kind

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Speaker 3: eyes held the secrets of eternal life. Thomas looked down

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Speaker 3: and ran his face across the lord's scarred hands. Thomas

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Speaker 3: was shaking as he touched him. His eyes began to water,

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Speaker 3: and his heart welled up with uncontrollable joy. My Lord,

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Speaker 3: Thomas wept, My God, he cried out loudly. Thomas threw

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Speaker 3: his arms around Jesus like a lost child, returning to

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Speaker 3: his father's arms. Jesus held him, allowing his comfort to

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Speaker 3: wash over him.

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Speaker 5: You are blessed, my dear Thomas, for you have seen me.

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Speaker 5: You have seen my scars and heard my voice and believed.

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Speaker 3: Jesus said, Yet.

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Speaker 5: There are those who will not get to see me.

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Speaker 5: They will not touch my scars or see my face,

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Speaker 5: yet they will believe. More blessed are those who do

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Speaker 5: not see me yet still believe.

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Speaker 3: After this, Jesus vanished again. Thomas wiped his eyes and

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Speaker 3: was renewed with purpose. He lifted his gaze to heaven

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Speaker 3: and received God's spirit. There was no turning back. All

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Speaker 3: doubt that it clouded Thomas's mind had vanished like a vapor.

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Speaker 3: Jesus was alive, and Thomas would never be the same again.

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Speaker 2: Let me begin with the question do you feel trapped

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Speaker 2: trapped by fear, indecision, or doubt? Do you feel confined

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Speaker 2: to your own negative emotions and mental reeling with no

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Speaker 2: conceivable way out. If you answer yes to any of

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Speaker 2: these questions, you probably have a sense of how the

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Speaker 2: disciples were feeling after Jesus died. Sometimes scripture gives us

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Speaker 2: small details as big metaphors. The locked door of the

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Speaker 2: house was a small detail that should not be missed.

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Speaker 2: The disciples locked themselves in, afraid of the outside world.

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Speaker 2: They were without power, carriage, inspiration, or wisdom for the

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Speaker 2: next step. Peter had taken up his old trade to

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Speaker 2: distract himself, while the others remained aimless inside their home.

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Speaker 2: The image of the bleak and it is supposed to

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Speaker 2: be held in stark contrast to the disciples we read

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Speaker 2: about in the Book of Acts. The Disciples in the

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Speaker 2: Book of Acts were courageous, unashamed, wise, beyond their education,

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Speaker 2: and powerful. What had to change in order for them

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Speaker 2: to go from fearful to courageous? What shift needed to

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Speaker 2: occur for them to go from weak to strong, ignorant

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Speaker 2: to wise and aimless to passionate? The answer the Holy Spirit,

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Speaker 2: the resurrected Jesus appeared to them in splendor and mystery.

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Speaker 2: His first words were peace be with you. The Disciples

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Speaker 2: were hiding from the Jews and the Romans, so nowhere

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Speaker 2: outside their homes seemed safe. It stands to reason they

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Speaker 2: would be a bit jumpy, so Jesus declared peace right

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Speaker 2: off the bat. However, his greeting meant more than just

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Speaker 2: don't worry. After their desertion of Jesus on the day

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Speaker 2: of his crucifixion, the disciples probably expected him to be angry.

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Speaker 2: They may have expected rebuke, reprimand and a demand for repentance. Instead,

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Speaker 2: Jesus brought a word of peace, beautiful and unifying peace.

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Speaker 2: Charles Spurgeon had a beautiful quote regarding this passage. He said,

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Speaker 2: a master came to his cowardly, faithless disciples and stood

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Speaker 2: in the midst of them, uttering the cheering salutation peace

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Speaker 2: be under you, my soul. Why should he not come

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Speaker 2: to thee, though thou be the most unworthy of all

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Speaker 2: whom he has brought with his blood. I love how

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Speaker 2: Jesus brought with him peace instead of more anxiety and fear.

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Speaker 2: Nor did he rebuke them and add to their shame.

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Speaker 2: The men are naturally in complete dismay. Jesus beckons them

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Speaker 2: to come closer and touch his scars. He wants them

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Speaker 2: to know that it is him and also understand what

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Speaker 2: he has just endured. It is that if Jesus was saying,

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Speaker 2: look at my scars, I have fought against death and won.

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Speaker 2: Now you can go and do the same. When we

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Speaker 2: behold the resurrection and live the life that Jesus has

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Speaker 2: called us to. Sin and track do not become any

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Speaker 2: less painful. They still leave a scar, but they do

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Speaker 2: cease to be paralyzing. They cease to keep us down

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Speaker 2: and locked in our homes. Whatever shame you've carried, these

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Speaker 2: scars may remain, but they don't have to keep you

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Speaker 2: locked in a room anymore. Jesus has triumphed over that

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Speaker 2: which keeps you locked away from the world. Jesus gathered

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Speaker 2: his disciples for a specific purpose, to breathe on them.

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Speaker 2: As odd as this image might sound to you to

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Speaker 2: a reader familiar with Genesis, Ezekuel, and Daniel, it has

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Speaker 2: profound implications. This is where the prelude provides us with

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Speaker 2: context for the episode. When God desired to give life

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Speaker 2: to mankind, he breathed his spirit into them. The word

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Speaker 2: for the spirit of the Old Testament was ruai or ruaik,

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Speaker 2: which is the same word for breath, spirit and wind.

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Speaker 2: The very life force of God rushed into the nostrils

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Speaker 2: of humanity and gave them life. The prophet Ezekul was

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Speaker 2: given a picture of a valley of dry bones that

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Speaker 2: form into a vast, lifeless army. When the wind of

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Speaker 2: God blew through from all angles, life was given to

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Speaker 2: the lifeless beings, and they became an army of righteousness.

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Speaker 2: John used the same language as Genesis and Ezekiel, Jesus

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Speaker 2: breathed into his disciples in the same way he breathed

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Speaker 2: life into Adam and Eve and the Valley of dry bones.

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Speaker 2: The disciples were once dead, but now they are alive.

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Speaker 2: Paul said in Romans six. The spirit of God who

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Speaker 2: raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. And just

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Speaker 2: as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will

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Speaker 2: give life to your mortal bodies by this same spirit

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Speaker 2: living within you. That is how the disciples went from

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Speaker 2: weak to strong, ignorant to wise, and aimless to passionate.

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Speaker 2: The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and

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Speaker 2: gave life to humanity breathed new life into the disciples.

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Speaker 2: This same spirit is offered to anyone who calls upon

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Speaker 2: the name of Jesus. This episode referred back to episode

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Speaker 2: five when Jesus was speaking with Nicodemus. Do you remember

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Speaker 2: Jesus talking about being born again by the spirit. Unless

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Speaker 2: one is born again, he will be unable to truly

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Speaker 2: see the Kingdom of God, Jesus said. Nicodemus was puzzled.

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Speaker 2: He looked around at the disciples. They shrugged. They didn't

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Speaker 2: know what Jesus was saying. Either. I'm not Following, Nicodemus admitted,

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Speaker 2: are you saying that in order to inherit heaven one

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Speaker 2: must re enter his mother's womb and be born a

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Speaker 2: second time. Nicodemus was beginning to fear Jesus actually was

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Speaker 2: a man man. Jesus laughed, Aha, no, no, you see,

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Speaker 2: we are all born in the flesh. Yes, we enter

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Speaker 2: this world with our bodies from our mother's womb. Nicodemus

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Speaker 2: nodded in agreement. Jesus continued saying, but you must be

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Speaker 2: born a second time, not of flesh and through a womb,

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Speaker 2: but of spirit. Nicodemus was still having difficulty understanding. Nicodemus

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Speaker 2: was a teacher himself and very respected among the religious elite.

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Speaker 2: He was not used to being lost in a discussion

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Speaker 2: regarding philosophy. Jesus sensed his confusion and lean forward. Do

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Speaker 2: not be perplexed, Nicodemus. The wind blows and nobody can

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Speaker 2: see it except when the leaves rustle. It is the

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Speaker 2: same with being borne by the spirit. You cannot see

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Speaker 2: the spirit itself. However, when it compels a person it

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Speaker 2: becomes obvious. What Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus happened to

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Speaker 2: the disciples. They were being born again by God's spirit

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Speaker 2: and empowered for the mission ahead. Not everyone was in attendance, though,

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Speaker 2: Thomas was out when Jesus visited them, and he did

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Speaker 2: not take their testimony seriously. His doubt and skepticism were

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Speaker 2: smoke screens for his insecurity and shame. He didn't want

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Speaker 2: to accept that Jesus was risen because he would have

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Speaker 2: to believe in something he had not seen. Jesus visited

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Speaker 2: Thomas and spoke directly to you and me. Through their conversation,

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Speaker 2: Jesus said, you are blessed, my dear Thomas, for you

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Speaker 2: have seen me. You have seen my scars and heard

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Speaker 2: my voice and bleeded. Jesus said, but there are those

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Speaker 2: who will not get to see me. They will not

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Speaker 2: touch my scars or see my face, yet they will believe.

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Speaker 2: More blessed are those who do not see me yet

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Speaker 2: still believe. Neither you nor I have seen Jesus. But

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Speaker 2: still we believe. You and I are considered more blessed

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Speaker 2: than Thomas. There is still one disciple who has unfinished

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Speaker 2: business with Jesus. Although Peter was able to witness the

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Speaker 2: risen King for himself, his journey is far from over.

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Speaker 2: There is unfinished business between Jesus and Peter, a business

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Speaker 2: that will be settled in our next episode. Join us

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Speaker 2: next time for episode twenty two Do You Love Me?

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Speaker 2: Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories, daily prayers

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00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,800
Speaker 2: and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to pray dot com.

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Speaker 2: And to expand your heroes in the Bible journey, download

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00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:48,320
Speaker 2: the Heroes of the Faith devotional at Tonyevans dot org.

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Speaker 2: Forward slash Heroes. Share this podcast with a family member

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Speaker 2: or friend so that they can know Jesus Christ in

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Speaker 2: a personal way. You never know how great of an

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Speaker 2: impact the Bible and this podcast can have have on

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Speaker 2: someone's life. God bless