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Speaker 1: Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young

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Speaker 1: ones cry under God they wander for lack of meat,

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Speaker 1: Job thirty eight forty one. Lord, your mercy blankets your creation.

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Speaker 1: You hear the cry of all in need and provide

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Speaker 1: generously for their needs. You provide for the ravens and

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Speaker 1: all the birds of the air. You care for the

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Speaker 1: most vulnerable young of every kind, the ones that need

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Speaker 1: your protection. Most of all, your goodness is on display

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Speaker 1: in all of creation. You attend to every detail, and

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Speaker 1: your precision is exacting. Thank you for your patience as

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Speaker 1: you teach me the truth of who you are in

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Speaker 1: all your amazing glory and majesty. I'm humbled before your greatness.

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Speaker 1: If people could fathom the beauty of your majesty, they

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Speaker 1: would lay prostrate before you. You are so much more

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Speaker 1: than a church service and cannot be contained to a

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Speaker 1: single perspective. You are not confined or limited in any way.

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Speaker 1: You are omnipresent and omniscient. You are the I am

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Speaker 1: that I am. You are beyond time and space. You

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Speaker 1: are the powerful energy that flowed through your son Jesus

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Speaker 1: and raised the dead and healed the sick. Nothing is

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Speaker 1: impossible for you nothing I shall not fear, for you

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Speaker 1: are my heavenly Father and will always be with me

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Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Amen. Stay tuned to immerse yourself in

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Speaker 1: the Greatest Stories Ever Told from pray dot COM's podcast,

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Speaker 1: Heroes in the Bible.

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Speaker 2: Hi, I'm doctor Tony Evans and I'm excited for you

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Speaker 2: to join me on Heroes in the Bible. Jesus. Please

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Speaker 2: follow this podcast on an Apple or Spotify to get the

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Speaker 2: latest episodes so you can continue strengthening your relationship with Jesus.

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 2: and mold the world around us, bringing the divine heart

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

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Speaker 2: This episode introduces us to a person and a posture.

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Speaker 2: A person who is broken, distraught, and alone seeks Jesus

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Speaker 2: for forgiveness. She positions herself low and at the feet

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Speaker 2: of Jesus, offering him everything she has. The purity of

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Speaker 2: her worship is meant to draw out the bitterness and pride,

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Speaker 2: lingering in the back of our souls. Her honest and

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Speaker 2: raw weeping before the Lord is meant to melt our

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Speaker 2: hardened hearts. As sinful as this woman is, I find

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Speaker 2: myself jealous of her, envious of the passion she comes

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Speaker 2: to Jesus with. However, it shouldn't come as a surprise

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Speaker 2: to us that the beauty of this moment is lost

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Speaker 2: on the religious leaders. They seem unaffected and unmoved by

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Speaker 2: this woman. This episode is shorter than many other episodes

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Speaker 2: and focuses on a single and prevailing theme, repentance. Are

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Speaker 2: you broken before God? Are you moved by Him? And

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Speaker 2: humbled by His righteousness? These questions are explored in this episode.

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Speaker 2: We will begin first with a prelude. We will be

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Speaker 2: taken back to the time of Jonah, a prophet famous

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Speaker 2: for his adventures in the belly of a beast in

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Speaker 2: the middle of the sea. However, Jonah's story is not

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Speaker 2: the light hearted Sunday School story many painted to be.

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Speaker 2: Jonah's character arc is a tragedy. For all the Lord

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Speaker 2: has shown him, his heart remains unmovable. He can't find

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Speaker 2: it within himself to rejoice when sinners come to repentance.

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Speaker 2: May we never share the same fate as Jonah, trapped

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Speaker 2: in a cage of our own pride. It is my

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Speaker 2: prayer that this episode stirs your heart like fresh rain

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Speaker 2: to a magnet stream. I pray that whatever may be

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Speaker 2: keeping you from falling at the feet of Jesus would

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Speaker 2: wash away. May it be so. As we listened to

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Speaker 2: episode eight, the Broken Flask.

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Speaker 3: Pray lude to chapter eight, Jonah opened his eyes to

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Speaker 3: the harsh sun above him. His skin was charred from

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Speaker 3: hours in the light. The tire brushed up against his feet.

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Speaker 3: His clothes smelled horrible. They had been ruined from the

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Speaker 3: stomach acid of the giant fish. For three days, Jonah

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Speaker 3: had dwelled in the belly of that beast. He was

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Speaker 3: trapped in an underwater grave, unable to free himself. He

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Speaker 3: cried out to the Lord and repented. Apparently he heard him.

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Speaker 3: Jonah's heart was softened in the belly of the fish

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Speaker 3: in the dark Abyss. He had a moment to reflect

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Speaker 3: on what it truly meant to repent. The reason Jonah

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Speaker 3: was captured in the first place was because he was

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Speaker 3: running from God's will. The Lord had asked Jonah to

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Speaker 3: preach repentance to Nineveh. However, Jonah held deep bitterness and

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Speaker 3: prejudice against the people of Nineveh. In his eyes, they

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Speaker 3: were sinners, unworthy of a second chance. He hated the

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Speaker 3: people of Nineveh. He thought they deserved the wrath of God.

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Speaker 3: Because of this, Jonah fled from the reach of God.

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Speaker 3: He thought that if he ventured away from God's will,

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Speaker 3: he would give up on using him. He was wrong.

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Speaker 3: God sought Jonah out, and after three days of stewing

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Speaker 3: in the belly of a fish, Jonah was standing in

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Speaker 3: the presence of the King of Nineveh. Jonah's heart was

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Speaker 3: still hardened against the people of Nineveh. He warned them

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Speaker 3: of the coming wrath, but he did so with very

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Speaker 3: little passion or enthusiasm. However, the words of God were

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Speaker 3: able to stretch further than the efforts of Jonah. The

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Speaker 3: people of Nineveh took God's warning to heart. They reformed

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Speaker 3: their loss, fasted, and dressed in sackcloth to showcase their

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Speaker 3: broken hearts. Despite Jonah's hardened and self righteous heart, the

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Speaker 3: people turned away from their sinful ways and pursued God.

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Speaker 3: Jonah robbed himself of an opportunity to share in their joy. Instead,

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Speaker 3: He sat in silence, waiting for Nineveh to slip and

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Speaker 3: welcomed punishment. However, the once sinful and corrupt people of

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Speaker 3: Nineveh proved Jonah wrong. They repented, turned to God, and

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Speaker 3: changed their lives. Jonah was so consumed with his self

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Speaker 3: righteousness and judgment that he lost the heart of God. Eventually,

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Speaker 3: God spoke to Jonah and reminded him of how precious

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Speaker 3: the people of Nineveh are to him. However, the hearts

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Speaker 3: of self righteous people always revel in the downfall of others,

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Speaker 3: and they are frustrated when people change for the better.

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Speaker 3: Jonah's story ends with him stewing in bitterness. It ends

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Speaker 3: with the rejection of God's heart. At the end, Jonah

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Speaker 3: was not remembered for his faith, but his refusal to

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Speaker 3: love whom God love. Lucky for Nineveh, God was not

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Speaker 3: like Jonah. God pursued the broken people, even though their

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Speaker 3: reputation was that of horror and compromise. The Lord saw

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Speaker 3: passed the sinful behaviors and saw the potential of the heart.

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Speaker 3: This was the heart of God's chosen messiah as well.

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Speaker 3: He would be the greater Jonah. He too, would rise

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Speaker 3: again on the third day. He would march forward boldly,

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Speaker 3: empowering the sinners to repentance, not shaming them. God does

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Speaker 3: not revel in other people's sins. God does not desire

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Speaker 3: to punish the sinful. Because of God's deep and abiding love,

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Speaker 3: he provided away for even wicked people like Nineveh to repent.

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Speaker 3: All who come to God are welcomed. However, not every

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Speaker 3: person is the same. There will always be some who

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Speaker 3: desire to be morally superior, even if it means keeping

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Speaker 3: others down. Chapter eight, the broken flask. The home was

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Speaker 3: warm and smelled of fresh bread and incense. The walls

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Speaker 3: were arrayed with decadent tapestries, and on the tables were

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Speaker 3: freshly plucked flowers from the nearby garden. Jesus reclined at

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Speaker 3: the table with a cup in his hand, while the

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Speaker 3: religious leaders mingle amongst themselves. These dinners were a common affair.

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Speaker 3: Jesus was invited to parties like these. Often they were

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Speaker 3: filled with ambitious men who desired to be seen by

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Speaker 3: one another. Jesus scanned the room. It was bustling with

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Speaker 3: intense conversation regarding the law of Moses, temple hierarchy, and

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Speaker 3: political oppression. Candles flickered all around the room as men

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Speaker 3: swung their hands to emphasize arguments. Their words were laced

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Speaker 3: with fine vocabulary and poetic prose, yet they lacked any substance.

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Speaker 3: There was no love or thought on the character of God,

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Speaker 3: just empty noise. Every one of them was blissfully unaware

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Speaker 3: of their own hypocrisy. Jesus scanned the room. He was

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Speaker 3: personally invited by the host, Simon the pharisee. However, he

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Speaker 3: was not treated like much of a guest. When Jesus entered,

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Speaker 3: no one greeted him. There was no anointing with oil,

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Speaker 3: as was the custom, nor was there a place for

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Speaker 3: him to wash his feet. All these things they were

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Speaker 3: offered to any other rabbi, were withheld from Jesus. No

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Speaker 3: doubt it was as subtle attempt to put him in

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Speaker 3: his place. Jesus was not bothered by it. He lounged

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Speaker 3: back and was attentive to every one who approached him.

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Speaker 3: Many pharisees did not want to be seen talking with him.

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Speaker 3: They abstained from looking at him for fear of being

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Speaker 3: associated with him. Then there were others who wanted to

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Speaker 3: be seen talking with him. They wanted to intimidate him

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Speaker 3: and show others they were not afraid to go head

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Speaker 3: to head with Jesus in a battle of rhetoric. The

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Speaker 3: dining room was noisy and filled with planging pots and laughter. However,

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Speaker 3: the noise was swiftly interrupted and a sharp silence broke

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Speaker 3: over the entire high home. The silence was thick and lingering.

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Speaker 3: A sound of plates and cups was replaced with the

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Speaker 3: intense stars of everyone in the room. Jesus looked up

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Speaker 3: to see a woman enter from the corner of the room.

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Speaker 3: Her head was down, but her identity was unmistakable. She

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Speaker 3: was a woman of the night, a prostitute who worked

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Speaker 3: in the city. The men in the room were completely silent,

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Speaker 3: allowing their glares to do the talking for them. The

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Speaker 3: woman held her head low. She wore a shawl over

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Speaker 3: her to hide the gowns she worked in. She did

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Speaker 3: not want to make a scene or cause a commotion.

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Speaker 3: She only wanted to see Jesus. Jesus caught a glimpse

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Speaker 3: of her face. She wore the countenance of someone who

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Speaker 3: had been abused her entire life. Judging by the looks

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Speaker 3: other men gave her, she was a notorious sinner in

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Speaker 3: the city. She was equally enticing and revolting to the Pharisees.

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Speaker 3: They looked at her as a compromising sinner worthy of judgment.

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Speaker 3: They reveled in their superiority to her. In a sick way.

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Speaker 3: It almost seemed as though they enjoyed her sin because

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Speaker 3: it made them look all the more holy. However, Jesus

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Speaker 3: saw her as a bruised and forgotten child, someone who

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Speaker 3: had been beaten down by the brutality of man and

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Speaker 3: forced into a life she would have never chosen for herself.

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Speaker 3: There was no doubt she was a sinner. However, this

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Speaker 3: was the state of every person. She was a lost

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Speaker 3: sheep who wandered back into the pasture, calling out for

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Speaker 3: her shepherd. The woman silently fell at Jesus's feet. She

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Speaker 3: would not look at him in the eye. Her shame

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Speaker 3: was like a cancer. She kept her head held low,

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Speaker 3: too contrite to look up to Heaven. Tears dripped down

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Speaker 3: her lips. She wept with a broken soul before Jesus.

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Speaker 3: The candlelight bounced off her tears. Her face was like

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Speaker 3: a cold and dejected diamond. The drops fell into Jesus's feet.

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Speaker 3: The woman removed her head covering and began washing Jesus's

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Speaker 3: feet with her tears and hair. Her pharisees began to stir.

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Speaker 3: She was making them uncomfortable. They judged the woman for

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Speaker 3: entering the home uninvited, but they judged Jesus more for

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Speaker 3: allowing her to be seen with him. The men's eyes

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Speaker 3: widened for a moment as her hand made its way

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Speaker 3: towards the top of her dress. What she did was

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Speaker 3: surprising to all in the room. She pulled out an

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Speaker 3: alabaster flask that hung around her neck. In that flask

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Speaker 3: was precious and expensive ointment. It was a fragrant oil

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Speaker 3: that each woman in the city had. It was her

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Speaker 3: most valuable possession for a woman her age. The ointment

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Speaker 3: was supposed to be used for selling during hard times,

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Speaker 3: or given to a husband as a wedding gift. Her

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Speaker 3: livelihood was in that flask. She took it in her

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Speaker 3: hands and broke it on the ground beside Jesus's feet.

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Speaker 3: The fragrance burst through the air like a fresh spring wind.

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Speaker 3: The smell was intoxicating. The entire room stirred as they

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Speaker 3: watched the woman take the oil and anoint Jesus's head.

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Speaker 3: The woman spent all she had on Jesus her livelihood

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Speaker 3: and security meant nothing compared to an opportunity to serve him.

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Speaker 3: Jesus smiled, accepting her offer gladly. She worshiped him in

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Speaker 3: the best way she knew. How she was humbled before him.

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Speaker 3: Being honest and broken like the flask itself, this woman

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Speaker 3: who had been used for her body her whole life,

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Speaker 3: finally found herbless at the feet of Jesus. He did

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Speaker 3: not come to take from her like every other man

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Speaker 3: she knew, nor did he judge her like the other

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Speaker 3: men in the room. Rather, he offered her love and forgiveness.

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Speaker 3: These things alone were enough to transform any sinner's heart.

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Speaker 3: As these things were happening, Simon was in the corner

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Speaker 3: of the room, outside of earshot. He scoffed and shook

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Speaker 3: his head, mumbling to himself. If Jesus was.

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Speaker 1: A prophet like everyone says he is, he wouldn't be

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Speaker 1: anywhere nearness woman.

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Speaker 3: No one hurt him, or so he thought. Jesus's eyes

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Speaker 3: darted forward towards the back of the room. He saw

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Speaker 3: Simon leaning against the back wall. He stood to his

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Speaker 3: feet and looked directly at the pharisee.

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Speaker 4: Simon, may I say something.

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Speaker 3: Jesus asked, breaking the silence. Although he had asked politely,

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Speaker 3: there was authority in his question. It sent chills down

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Speaker 3: Simon's spine. By all means, Lord, he jested for Jesus

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Speaker 3: to have the room's attention. However, Jesus was not in

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Speaker 3: the mood to teach a sermon. Instead, he wanted to

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Speaker 3: address Simon's heart, and no doubt, the heart of every

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Speaker 3: other pharisee in that room. They knew that Jesus was

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Speaker 3: a gentleman, but they had also heard how he single

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Speaker 3: handedly cleared the temple with a whip. Jesus stepped forward.

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Speaker 3: He scanned the room for a moment, looking at the

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Speaker 3: pharisee's faces. He nodded to Simon and began to tell

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Speaker 3: a parable.

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Speaker 4: There once was the money lender who had two debtors.

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Speaker 4: One of them owed five hundred and the other owed fifteen.

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Speaker 4: Neither of them could pay, so the money lender forgave

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Speaker 4: them both and canceled their debt.

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Speaker 3: Jesus opened up his arms and asked a question.

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Speaker 4: Tell me which one of those debtors will love the

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Speaker 4: money lender more.

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Speaker 3: Simon gave a fake grin, doing his best to feign confidence.

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Speaker 3: He shrugged.

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Speaker 1: The one who was forgiven more must be the one

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Speaker 1: who loved the money lender more, I suppose.

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Speaker 3: Simon answered, you are right, Simon, Jesus said. He went

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Speaker 3: back to the woman and helped her to her feet.

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Speaker 3: Jesus raised his voice for all to hear. He pointed

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Speaker 3: to the woman and spoke to Simon, saying, do you see.

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Speaker 4: This woman, Simon? She has washed my feet and anointed

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Speaker 4: my head with oil. When I entered your home, you

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Speaker 4: gave me no water to wash my feet, You gave

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Speaker 4: me an oil for my head. You did not bother

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Speaker 4: to even greet me at the door. This woman has

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Speaker 4: shown me more honor in a single moment than you

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Speaker 4: have this whole night.

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Speaker 3: The other Pharisees looked at Jesus with trepidation. They had

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Speaker 3: always feared Jesus's influence over people. However, now they were

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Speaker 3: beginning to fear his influence over their own hearts. As

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Speaker 3: will hear me, all of you, Jesus shouted her.

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Speaker 4: Sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she has loved

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Speaker 4: more in this one gesture than any one of you

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Speaker 4: could put together.

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Speaker 3: He turned to the woman, held her head and looked

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Speaker 3: her in the eyes like a loving father.

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Speaker 4: Little one, your sins are forgiven.

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Speaker 3: The woman beamed from ear to ear and departed. Jesus

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Speaker 3: then looked out in the world. They grumbled, not believing

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Speaker 3: he had the authority to forgive sins. The next day,

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Speaker 3: Jesus was meeting with the sick and broken. The Pharisees

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Speaker 3: were close by, keeping close watch from a distance and

280
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Speaker 3: making commentary on every move he made. Their constant questioning

281
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Speaker 3: was like gnats on a humid day. Jesus was mending

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Speaker 3: small ailments and praying over the children when he heard

283
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Speaker 3: a scream come from the back of the crowd. Jesus

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Speaker 3: rose to his feet to see a blind and mute

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Speaker 3: man groaning and grunting on the floor. Dust churned up

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Speaker 3: as he writhed in pain. There was no doubt the

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Speaker 3: man was possessed by a demon. The crowd was stepping

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Speaker 3: back in fear. However, Jesus moved forward. Each stepped towards

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Speaker 3: the demon was deliberate. The disciples watched as the demon

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Speaker 3: itself seemed afraid of Jesus. Jesus could sense the fear

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Speaker 3: and pain this man was enduring. Although a man was

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Speaker 3: blind and mute, the demon was not. The demon saw

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Speaker 3: Jesus and retreated. At the sight of him the mouth

294
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Speaker 3: of God, a command poured out.

295
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Speaker 4: Get out of him.

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Speaker 3: Jesus commanded, and with that the demon was gone. The

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Speaker 3: groaning ceased as the man lay motionless on the floor.

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Speaker 3: Jesus turned him on his back and touched his mouth

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Speaker 3: and eyes. Then, in a moment of complete tenderness, the

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Speaker 3: man opened his eyes like a newborn babe. He saw

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Speaker 3: Jesus silhouetted against the morning light. Could this be the

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Speaker 3: sun of David? Someone asked. The question made its way

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Speaker 3: through the crowd and into the ears of the pharisees.

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Speaker 2: He is the prince of demons.

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Speaker 3: The pharisee shouted.

306
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Speaker 4: How else can he command demons with such confidence?

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Speaker 2: He must be their ruler.

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Speaker 3: Jesus helped the man to his feet and sent him

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Speaker 3: on his way. He then turned to the Pharisees and said, a.

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Speaker 4: Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. If I cast out

311
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Speaker 4: demons by the authority of demons, then what is the point?

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Speaker 4: What you see here is by the spirit of God.

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Speaker 3: The pharisees scoffed and dismissed him, as was expected. However,

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Speaker 3: Jesus would not let the point go unsaid. He continued,

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Speaker 3: saying to the whole.

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Speaker 4: Crowd, whoever is not with me is against me. And

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Speaker 4: whoever does not gather with me scatters every sin, every sin.

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Speaker 4: We'll be forgiven if you ask, but hear me and listen.

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Speaker 4: Whoever blasphemes and rejects the Holy Spirit, he will not

320
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Speaker 4: be forgiven, not in this age or the age to come.

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Speaker 3: The crowd was disturbed. This was the first time they

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Speaker 3: had heard Jesus say that something was beyond repentance. Teacher,

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Speaker 3: one of the pharisees, responded, show us a sign. Then,

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Speaker 3: if you have such power and authority, why don't you

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Speaker 3: prove yourself.

326
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Speaker 2: Call down fire like Elijah, or tame the wild like Elisha.

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Speaker 3: Jesus shook his head.

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Speaker 4: Ah, Yes, another evil and adulterous generation asks God to

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Speaker 4: prove himself as if he is the one who needs

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Speaker 4: your approval. Let me tell you the sign you should

331
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Speaker 4: look for. Just as Jonah rotted in the belly of

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Speaker 4: an underwater beast for three days and three nights, so

333
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Speaker 4: will the Son of Man be deep within the belly

334
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Speaker 4: of the earth for three days and three nights before rising.

335
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Speaker 3: Jesus paced he stroked his beard and posed a question.

336
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Speaker 4: Isn't it interesting how those who had been condemned as

337
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Speaker 4: wicked were the ones to repent at the end of

338
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Speaker 4: that story.

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Speaker 3: The image of Jonah being swallowed up by the fish

340
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Speaker 3: for three days was yet another shadow of the Gospel

341
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Speaker 3: placed in scripture. It was a foreshadowing of things to come,

342
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Speaker 3: and an image of Christ's ultimate defeat over the grave.

343
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Speaker 3: He would descend into the belly of the earth and

344
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Speaker 3: rise on the third day. The crowds, the disciples, and

345
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Speaker 3: the Pharisees did not understand, they soon would. As Jesus

346
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Speaker 3: was speaking to the crowds, his mother, Mary and his

347
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Speaker 3: siblings stood outside. Mary had desired to see Jesus and

348
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Speaker 3: perhaps pull him away from preaching and healing to spend

349
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Speaker 3: time with the family. Her intentions were pure, However, even

350
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Speaker 3: Mary herself was still slightly ignorant to the true plans

351
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Speaker 3: of God. She asked the disciples if she could speak

352
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Speaker 3: with him. However, when Jesus heard that his family was outside,

353
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Speaker 3: he denied them. Who is my mother? Who are my brothers,

354
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Speaker 3: Jesus asked. He stretched out his hands and gestured towards

355
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Speaker 3: the disciples and said.

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Speaker 4: These are my brothers and my mother. For whoever does

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Speaker 4: the will of my Father in heaven is my brother

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Speaker 4: and sister.

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Speaker 3: And when they heard his response, they thought he was

360
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Speaker 3: a madman. James, the brother of Jesus, scoffed at him.

361
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Speaker 3: He did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah. However,

362
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Speaker 3: one day he would be binding himself to the name

363
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Speaker 3: of the resurrected Christ. It was only a matter of time.

364
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Speaker 3: Jesus's own family doubted him the second he didn't bend

365
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Speaker 3: to their will. This would be the ultimate struggle of mankind.

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Speaker 3: They would wrestle to bend God to their will. They

367
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Speaker 3: would ask for him to perform a sign to gain

368
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Speaker 3: their approval. However, Jesus would not dance for anyone, even

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Speaker 3: his own family. He would not stop the good work

370
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Speaker 3: he was doing. This was not out of spite or

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Speaker 3: disrespect for his mother. Rather, it was an example to

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Speaker 3: the rest of his disciples. Jesus had come with a

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Speaker 3: purpose to heal the broken, proclaim the truth of God,

374
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Speaker 3: God's love, and guide people into repentance. His family had

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Speaker 3: purposely stayed back, content to watch from afar the good

376
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Speaker 3: work he was doing. Jesus knew that there would come

377
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Speaker 3: a time when mother would be turned against daughter, father

378
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Speaker 3: against son, and brother against brother because of him. The

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Speaker 3: truest family of a disciple was not through their shared blood,

380
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Speaker 3: but the blood of Christ. The blood that bonds them

381
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Speaker 3: would be shed. Soon. Soon Jesus would march forward with

382
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Speaker 3: his back ripped to shreds by whips. His family would

383
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Speaker 3: look upon him then sorry they ever doubted his power.

384
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Speaker 2: So what was your answer to the question Jesus posed

385
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Speaker 2: in this episode? Jesus stepped forward. He scanned the room

386
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Speaker 2: for a moment, looking at the pharisees faces. He nodded

387
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Speaker 2: to Simon and began to tell a parable. There was

388
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Speaker 2: a money lender who had two debtors. One of them

389
00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,159
Speaker 2: owed five hundred and the other old fifty. Neither of

390
00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,160
Speaker 2: them could pay, so the money lender forgave them both

391
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Speaker 2: and canceled their debt. Jesus opened up his arms and

392
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Speaker 2: asked a question. Tell me which one of those debtors

393
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Speaker 2: would love the money lender more. Those who have been

394
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Speaker 2: trapped in the cycle of pain, misfortune, and dysfunction know

395
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Speaker 2: their need for savior. They have experienced firsthand the destruction

396
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Speaker 2: of their choices. They bear scars from the sins they

397
00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:32,760
Speaker 2: have committed and the sins committed against them, So they

398
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Speaker 2: run to Jesus without pride or inhibition. Only those who

399
00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:40,040
Speaker 2: know they are broken reach out for repair. The woman

400
00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,240
Speaker 2: in this episode seeks out Jesus and humbly falls at

401
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Speaker 2: his feet. She pays him the respect none of the

402
00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,040
Speaker 2: Pharisees did. When he entered the room. She went above

403
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Speaker 2: and beyond, going so far as to break the flask

404
00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:56,520
Speaker 2: of expensive oil over his head. She had sinned greatly

405
00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,800
Speaker 2: and was greatly forgiven. Her love for Jesus was deeper

406
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,120
Speaker 2: because she understood the depths of her sins. She would

407
00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,480
Speaker 2: like the debtor, who was forgiven more and therefore loved more.

408
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Speaker 2: The Pharisees, however, weren't as move as we were during

409
00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,719
Speaker 2: the scene. They judged her for her sins, and they

410
00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:17,200
Speaker 2: judged Jesus for being with her. I feel sorry for them.

411
00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,280
Speaker 2: They were robbed of a moving moment because they were

412
00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,080
Speaker 2: too steeped in their own pride. This is how it

413
00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,120
Speaker 2: was for Jonah in the prelude. After all he had

414
00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,639
Speaker 2: been through, he still had prejudice against the Ninovites. He

415
00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,000
Speaker 2: couldn't appreciate the fact that an entire nation was repenting

416
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Speaker 2: of their sins because he was too trapped in his

417
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Speaker 2: own pride. Self righteousness robs us of joy. Specifically, it

418
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Speaker 2: robs us of the joy that comes from witnessing people

419
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Speaker 2: grow and repent. Jonah hated Nineveh for their wickedness, but

420
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Speaker 2: his hatred kept them from celebrating their repentance. It was

421
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Speaker 2: the same thing for the Pharisees. They hated the woman

422
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Speaker 2: for her sins, therefore robbing themselves of the joy that

423
00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,959
Speaker 2: came from witnessing her repentance. When we hate someone, we

424
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Speaker 2: want them to fail. When we find our own self

425
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Speaker 2: worth in feeling superior to others, we will be unable

426
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Speaker 2: to rejoice when they grow. Self righteous. People don't want

427
00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:14,840
Speaker 2: to see sinners repent. They want them to stay sinners

428
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Speaker 2: so they can stay on top. Jesus has the opposite

429
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Speaker 2: attitude of the Pharisees. He loves everybody and rejoices when

430
00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,520
Speaker 2: they repent of their sins. Our God is not a

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Speaker 2: I Told you so. God. He does not lord our

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Speaker 2: sins over us or shame us. He loves us, draws

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00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,640
Speaker 2: us out of our sin with gentleness, and accepts us gladly.

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Speaker 2: The sooner we realize how broken and sinful we are,

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Speaker 2: the sooner we can see Jesus's true goodness. The Pharisees

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00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:44,240
Speaker 2: were blind, but a prostitute from the slums saw clearer

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00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:47,040
Speaker 2: than any of them. If you've ever struggled to fully

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Speaker 2: love God like you know you should, it could possibly

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00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,600
Speaker 2: be because you haven't yet seen how lost you are

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Speaker 2: without Him. Our comforts, our moral habits can keep us

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Speaker 2: from seeing our need for Jesus. Take inmanentary of your

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00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,280
Speaker 2: life and see just how far you have fallen from

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Speaker 2: the standards of God. Yet even still he loves you.

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00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:09,719
Speaker 2: Does that move you? It should. The story took an

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00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,880
Speaker 2: intense turn when Jesus was approached by the demoniac. This man,

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00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:16,920
Speaker 2: who was blind and mute, was possessed by a demon

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00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:21,080
Speaker 2: and tormented. Jesus, having compassion over the man, cast the

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00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:25,080
Speaker 2: demon out. These moments always remind me that Satan is

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Speaker 2: not an equal match for Jesus. Our God is in

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00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,840
Speaker 2: complete control, challenged by no one. The man's voice and

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00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,480
Speaker 2: sight were restored to him, and he gazed upon the

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Speaker 2: face of Jesus. This was another sweet moment that was

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Speaker 2: ruined by the Pharisees. They interrupted and accused Jesus of

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Speaker 2: commanding demons as a demon himself. Jesus pointed out the

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00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,480
Speaker 2: absurdity of their claims and pressed the issue more. They

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00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:51,600
Speaker 2: wanted some sort of sign to prove he was who

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Speaker 2: he said he was. They were not content to see

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00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:58,120
Speaker 2: acts of kindness, forgiveness and healing. They wanted to see

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00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:01,960
Speaker 2: the sun blocked out or firefall heaven. Jesus wasn't there

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00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:05,000
Speaker 2: to entertain anybody. He told them that the only sign

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00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,960
Speaker 2: they needed was the sign of Jonah. That is why

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00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,920
Speaker 2: the story of Jonah was our prelude. The imagery of

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00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:14,200
Speaker 2: the fish is significant. Jonah, being a prophet, dwelt in

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00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:17,600
Speaker 2: a dark, underwater tomb for three days. Once the three

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00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:20,720
Speaker 2: days were complete, Jonah was spat out of the fish

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00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,680
Speaker 2: and a wicked nation was brought to repentance. This is

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00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:26,360
Speaker 2: an imagery of Jesus, who was in the grave for

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00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:29,560
Speaker 2: three days and rose again to redeem us. This was

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00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:33,760
Speaker 2: the only sign that mattered. All the miracles spectacles people

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00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:37,000
Speaker 2: wanted to see are unimportant compared to the death and

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Speaker 2: resurrection of Christ. The episode ends with an odd interaction

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Speaker 2: between Jesus and his family. They want to see him

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Speaker 2: and draw him away from his ministry. No doubt, they

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00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,160
Speaker 2: are used to having him around and wanted to be

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00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:53,600
Speaker 2: with him. However, Jesus refused. Was it anger or bitterness

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00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:57,360
Speaker 2: that led Jesus to refuse his family, certainly not. Jesus

477
00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,080
Speaker 2: was making a point. Our God is on a misas

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Speaker 2: to gather people of different cultures, background status, and ages

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Speaker 2: into the family of God. He wants to unite people

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00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:11,680
Speaker 2: by the blood of Jesus. Family ties, childhood friendships, and

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Speaker 2: nationalities are all secondary to the bond we share in Jesus.

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Speaker 2: You have more in common with a believer from the

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00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,200
Speaker 2: other side of the country than your own brother who

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00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,520
Speaker 2: doesn't profess a faith in Christ. In our next episode,

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00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,800
Speaker 2: the disciples faith in Jesus will be tested. They will

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00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:31,760
Speaker 2: be forced to brave a ferocious storm, wondering if Jesus

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00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,000
Speaker 2: even cared about them. If you have ever faced doubt,

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00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,600
Speaker 2: self harm, anxiety, or fear in your life, our next

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00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,760
Speaker 2: episode will be for you. Join us for episode nine,

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Speaker 2: The Storm Within. Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories,

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00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:50,000
Speaker 2: daily prayers and wisdom to last the lifetime, go to

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00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:52,880
Speaker 2: pray dot com and to expand your heroes in the

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00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:56,880
Speaker 2: Bible Journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at

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00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:01,240
Speaker 2: Tonyevans dot org. Forward Slash Heroes follow the podcast on

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00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:04,680
Speaker 2: Apple or Spotify to get the newest episodes right as

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00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,480
Speaker 2: they come out, so you can strengthen your relationship with Jesus,

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Speaker 2: God bless