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Speaker 1: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

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Speaker 1: Matthew 5.8 Heavenly Father, we want to see you. We

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Speaker 1: want to see your glory revealed in the beauty of creation,

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Speaker 1: the wonder of your works, and the joy of relationships.

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Speaker 1: Open our eyes to who you are, what you're doing,

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Speaker 1: and where you want to take us. Show us the

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Speaker 1: splendor of your glory and the wonder of your character.

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Speaker 1: Purify our hearts so we can see you with clear vision,

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Speaker 1: untainted by the world, sin, and apathy. Whatever is clouding

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Speaker 1: our vision, remove it. Whatever is hindering our ability to

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Speaker 1: see you clearly, cleanse us from it. Create in us

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Speaker 1: a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit

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Speaker 1: within us. Strip away the impurities that cloud our vision

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Speaker 1: and hinder our relationship with you. Help us to focus

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Speaker 1: on the things that are true, noble, righteous, and pure,

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Speaker 1: so that our hearts may be a mirror of your own.

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Speaker 1: We are grateful, Lord, for the grace that makes this

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Speaker 1: transformation possible, and we pray that our lives will be

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Speaker 1: a testament to the beauty of a pure heart. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to

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Speaker 1: The Jesus Podcast, gospel stories retold with cinematic flair and

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Speaker 1: honest reflection. remain here for a gripping story about the

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Speaker 1: stoning of Stephen. If this podcast has blessed you, consider

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Speaker 1: sharing it with a friend. Doing so ensures that we

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Speaker 1: can continue to make these stories. The mountain hummed with

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Speaker 1: power as Jesus spoke to the crowd. People were awed

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Speaker 1: at the upside-down nature of his words. He was reframing

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Speaker 1: what it meant to be blessed. It was backward, counter-cultural,

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Speaker 1: but profoundly moving.

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Speaker 2: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the

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Speaker 2: kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they

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Speaker 2: shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will

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Speaker 2: inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst

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Speaker 2: for righteousness, for they What does it mean to.

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Speaker 3: Be pure of heart?

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Speaker 4: Are those with pure hearts somehow blessed with spotless records?

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Speaker 5: Without sin or scar to hinder their sight? Or does

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Speaker 5: purity come from somewhere else, perhaps someone else? This is

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Speaker 5: the Jesus Podcast, gospel stories told with cinematic flair and

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Speaker 5: honest reflection. I'm Ethan, one of your hosts from Pray.com.

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Speaker 5: If you've been a faithful follower of this podcast, we'd

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Speaker 5: love it if you took a moment to leave a

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Speaker 5: review and share it with a friend. These small things

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Speaker 5: matter in the podcasting world. Thanks for supporting us and

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Speaker 5: being a part of this community. We've been spending this

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Speaker 5: new season connecting Jesus' Sermon on the Mount with other

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Speaker 5: stories from the Bible. Our focus is on Matthew 5,

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Speaker 5: verse 8, when Jesus declares, Blessed are the pure in heart,

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Speaker 5: for they shall see God. We will explore the meaning

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Speaker 5: of this profound promise and share how it is beautifully

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Speaker 5: illustrated in the story of Stephen, the first Christian martyr,

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Speaker 5: as recounted in Acts chapter 7, verses 54 through 60.

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Speaker 1: The synagogue of the freedman rested on a grassy hill,

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Speaker 1: slightly elevated above the east side of Jerusalem. Its pillars

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Speaker 1: were carved from imported cypress wood, and the inside was

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Speaker 1: immaculately adorned with tapestries and precious stones. The wealthier and

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Speaker 1: more influential Jews attended the synagogue, many of them merchants

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Speaker 1: and city officials. It was a perfect stage for Saul

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Speaker 1: of Tarsus. Here he would begin his campaign against the

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Speaker 1: followers of Jesus. He knew just how to sway them.

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Speaker 1: The crowd arrived eager to hear Saul speak. They gawked

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Speaker 1: at him like a prince. Saul soaked in the affection.

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Speaker 1: Saul ceremoniously opened up the scroll of Micah and read.

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Speaker 3: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans,

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Speaker 3: out of you will come for me one who will

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Speaker 3: be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from ancient times.

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Speaker 1: Saul drew a deep breath and reasoned with the crowd.

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Speaker 3: There has been a stir In the city of Jerusalem,

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Speaker 3: what began as blasphemous whispers have turned into loud and

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Speaker 3: annoying trumpets. There's a group of men and women who

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Speaker 3: call themselves People of the Way. These people claim to

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Speaker 3: follow the Messiah as foretold by Moses and the prophets.

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Speaker 3: This so-called Messiah was a carpenter from Nazareth. Nazareth! The

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Speaker 3: prophets are clear. The Messiah will come from the lineage

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Speaker 3: and city of David. He will come in power, glory,

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Speaker 3: and majesty. He will come as a conquering king, no

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Speaker 3: doubt to overthrow the grip of Rome and restore us

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Speaker 3: to Zion. But these people insist on worshipping a false

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Speaker 3: prophet who worked with stone in the middle of nowhere, Nazareth.

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Speaker 3: Such men and women deserve a title fitting for how

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Speaker 3: absurd their Messiah seems. Maybe instead of calling them people

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Speaker 3: of the way, we should call them Nazarenes.

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Speaker 1: Saul smiled as the crowd mocked at the disciples' expense.

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Speaker 1: He wore the arrogance of title and prowess proudly. Saul

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Speaker 1: continued to teach and rile up the crowd against the

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Speaker 1: followers of Jesus. This would be his strategy. travel from

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Speaker 1: synagogue to synagogue, battling with rhetoric and charisma. He was

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Speaker 1: at an advantage since no one matched him in knowledge, righteousness,

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Speaker 1: or ability. Saul concluded his teaching and dismissed the people.

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Speaker 1: They left the synagogue and went into the courtyards. Many

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Speaker 1: of them remained there to discuss what had just been taught.

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Speaker 1: Saul expected most of the people to be gone by now,

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Speaker 1: for a meal under the shade. But instead, a large

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Speaker 1: crowd gathered at the corner of the courtyard. Someone stood

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Speaker 1: among them, shouting and speaking with a passionate voice. Saul

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Speaker 1: walked closer and saw that the man was none other

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Speaker 1: than Stephen. a follower of the way. Saul's rage was

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Speaker 1: ignited when he heard Stephen proclaim the news about Jesus

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Speaker 1: of Nazareth. Stephen spoke about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

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Speaker 1: He refuted Saul's assertion by saying Jesus was in fact

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Speaker 1: born in Jerusalem, as the prophet Micah foretold. Many Pharisees

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Speaker 1: argued with him, but Stephen's wit was too quick. Saul

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Speaker 1: burst through the crowd before it got out of hand

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Speaker 1: and shouted.

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Speaker 3: Step down, Stephen. Your blasphemy is not welcomed here.

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Speaker 4: Brothers, I beg you to see with clear eyes. This

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Speaker 4: Jesus whom we speak of is the Messiah you've all

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Speaker 4: been waiting for.

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Speaker 1: Saul gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He pointed

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Speaker 1: at Stephen with righteous fury.

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Speaker 3: Your false Messiah hung on a cross in front of everyone.

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Speaker 3: Moses himself said that anyone who hangs on a tree

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Speaker 3: is considered cursed by God.

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Speaker 1: Saul stepped forward even more confident in his knowledge of Scripture.

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Speaker 3: If someone suffers in such a way and is considered

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Speaker 3: cursed by God, how could he possibly be the Messiah?

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Speaker 1: The crowd nodded their heads at Saul's response.

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Speaker 4: Saul, surely you know it was Moses, the prophets, and

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Speaker 4: David who foretold the Messiah would suffer and be cursed.

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Speaker 4: Your hatred for the Romans fuels your image of a

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Speaker 4: conquering political king. The scriptures clearly tell us that the

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Speaker 4: Messiah would come to suffer and be considered cursed.

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Speaker 3: On our behalf.

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Speaker 4: Does not Isaiah say he was pierced for our transgressions?

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Speaker 4: He was cursed for our iniquities. Upon him was the

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Speaker 4: punishment that brought us peace. and by his wounds we

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Speaker 4: are healed. Was it not the Stephen stepped closer to Saul.

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Speaker 4: It was not a threat.

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Speaker 1: But an invitation, an invitation to see clearly and think soberly.

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Speaker 1: Saul did not take the invitation, but the crowd did.

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Speaker 1: Stephen's words stirred them up. They respected Saul and his intellect,

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Speaker 1: but loved Stephen for the purity of his heart. There

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Speaker 1: was an undeniable gap between them. which made Saul seethe

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Speaker 1: with anger. Jesus is alive, Stephen declared to the crowd.

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Speaker 4: He is alive, and I'm inviting you to come and

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Speaker 4: join me in the building of his kingdom, a kingdom

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Speaker 4: built on love and justice.

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Speaker 1: The group walked past Saul and drew closer to Stephen.

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Speaker 1: Saul stepped back and turned to the other Pharisees. They

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Speaker 1: had to act quickly. before Stephen converted everyone there. So

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Speaker 1: he came up with a plan. He and the other

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Speaker 1: Pharisees began to whisper lies and false events into the

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Speaker 1: people's ears.

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Speaker 3: Did he just say the words of Moses no longer matter?

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Speaker 3: I heard him claim that the temple should be destroyed.

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Speaker 1: It didn't take long for the lies to have their effect.

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Speaker 1: Saul watched as the crowd began to stir against Stephen.

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Speaker 1: They yelled and cursed him. shouted for him to be arrested.

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Speaker 1: Saul smiled, satisfied with himself. As the crowd raved against Stephen,

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Speaker 1: they led him into the hall of polished stones and

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Speaker 1: shoved him before Ananias and the council. Saul removed himself

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Speaker 1: from the crowd and took his place among the council.

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Speaker 3: He is speaking against the temple and the law. He

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Speaker 3: said Jesus of Nazareth would return to destroy this place

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Speaker 3: and our customs.

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Speaker 1: They lied. But Stephen said nothing in his defense. He

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Speaker 1: didn't resist or quarrel. He instead remained still as the

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Speaker 1: people berated him. He was unusually calm for someone who

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Speaker 1: was on trial. Saul noticed that he had the same

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Speaker 1: confidence as Peter and John when standing before the council.

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Speaker 1: The threat of prosecution did not affect these Nazarenes. Ananias,

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Speaker 1: adorned with his breastplate of gold and jewels, gazed down

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Speaker 1: at Stephen. The high priest was indignant and ready to

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Speaker 1: rain down curses. He drew a deep breath to rage

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Speaker 1: against Stephen, but something caused him to pause. The high

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Speaker 1: priest was frozen in terror as he looked upon the Nazarene.

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Speaker 1: For a moment, The veil between the spiritual and physical

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Speaker 1: realms was pulled back, and he saw the face of

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Speaker 1: an angel over Stephen. It was unlike anything Ananias had

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Speaker 1: ever seen. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head.

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Speaker 1: The angel vanished, but the palpable presence of something supernatural remained.

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Speaker 1: Ananias rose from his seat and pointed down at him.

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Speaker 4: Are these things true? Are you claiming Jesus of Nazareth

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Speaker 4: was the Messiah?

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Speaker 1: The room was held in suspense as Stephen gathered his thoughts.

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Speaker 1: He peered up where Saul was seated and then back

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Speaker 1: at the high priest. He drew a deep breath.

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Speaker 4: Brothers, fathers, men of Israel, hear me.

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Speaker 1: Stephen began with his arms stretched out wide. His voice

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Speaker 1: was controlled. He did not quiver or crack under the

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Speaker 1: angry mob's intense glares or the council's indignant presence. He

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Speaker 1: was resolute, face set on something unseen.

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Speaker 4: Allow me for a moment to remind us of where

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Speaker 4: we came from. Long ago, the God of heaven and

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Speaker 4: earth appeared to Abraham, When he was settled in Mesopotamia,

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Speaker 4: Yahweh called out to him with an invitation. Go out

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Speaker 4: from the land of your kin and step into the

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Speaker 4: land that I have promised you. Abraham stepped out in

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Speaker 4: faith and God led him to the land, the very

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Speaker 4: land on which you stand on today. Yet this land

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Speaker 4: was not the true inheritance God promised. No, there was

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Speaker 4: something greater. God promised him descendants that would outnumber the

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Speaker 4: stars in the sky. First came Isaac, then Jacob, and

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Speaker 4: from Jacob, the twelve patriarchs.

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Speaker 3: We do not need a history lesson from you, Stephen.

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Speaker 4: These twelve patriarchs, much like the men we follow today,

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Speaker 4: were imperfect and flawed. Consumed by jealousy, they sold their

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Speaker 4: youngest brother Joseph into slavery. But God was with Joseph.

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Speaker 4: He rescued him from prison. He gave him favor before Pharaoh.

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Speaker 4: He was made ruler over Egypt at a time when

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Speaker 4: the world needed him most. It was a time when

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Speaker 4: our forefathers were starving and would die without food. But

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Speaker 4: Joseph made a way for them. Joseph, a favored son,

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Speaker 4: betrayed by his brothers and sold for 30 pieces of silver,

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Speaker 4: delivered them in their time of need. Does that sound

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Speaker 4: familiar to any of you, council?

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Speaker 1: Stephen looked at the council to see if they could

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Speaker 1: make the connection between Jesus and Joseph. Judas had sold

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Speaker 1: Jesus out to the Sanhedrin for thirty pieces of silver.

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Speaker 1: But the council was too prideful to see the connection.

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Speaker 1: So Stephen continued.

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Speaker 4: The people multiplied in Egypt and there arose another Pharaoh

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Speaker 4: who enslaved our forefathers. He dealt cruelly with our race

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Speaker 4: and killed our infants. It was out of this chaos

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Speaker 4: that the great Moses was born. He was adopted by

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Speaker 4: Pharaoh's daughter and lived as a prince among slaves. He

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Speaker 4: was a king in some ways and a slave in others,

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Speaker 4: but God destined him to be an advocate, a bridge

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Speaker 4: between poverty and royalty. He killed an Egyptian in defense

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Speaker 4: of an Israelite brother, but they still did not accept

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Speaker 4: him as one of their own. Out of fear, he left.

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Speaker 4: And after wandering in the wilderness as a shepherd, God

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Speaker 4: appeared to him. Engulfed in fire was the voice of

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Speaker 4: God calling out to him, I am the God of

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Speaker 4: your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I have seen the

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Speaker 4: affliction of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries.

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Speaker 4: I have come to deliver them. And so I am

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Speaker 4: sending you, Moses.

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Speaker 1: As Stephen spoke, The crowd momentarily forgot about their hatred

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Speaker 1: for him. He was so eloquent and knowledgeable that he

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Speaker 1: gripped their attention.

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Speaker 4: They rejected Moses before. They scoffed at him. They said,

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Speaker 4: who made you ruler and judge over us? They rejected

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Speaker 4: Moses before. They scoffed at him. They said, who made

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Speaker 4: you ruler over us? This man God sent as a

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Speaker 4: ruler and a judge was rejected. But that did not

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Speaker 4: stop him. He led them out of slavery. He performed

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Speaker 4: wonders and signs before them. Plagues descended from heaven. The

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Speaker 4: Red Sea parted. He received the oracles of God and

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Speaker 4: imparted them onto the people. The same law you hold

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Speaker 4: so dearly was given by Moses, an outcast. And even

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Speaker 4: after all this, The people still rejected Moses and they

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Speaker 4: still rejected God. After all God had done from them,

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Speaker 4: they thrust him aside like rubbish and asked for another

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Speaker 4: God to worship. They made one from gold and jewels.

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Speaker 4: They always reject God and his leaders. They always turned

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Speaker 4: from him. All throughout our history, our forefathers ignored God

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Speaker 4: for their self-righteousness and sin. As it is written in

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Speaker 4: the prophet Amos, Did you bring me sacrifices during the

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Speaker 4: forty years in the wilderness, O Israel? No. You took

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Speaker 4: up the idols and the images you made to worship,

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Speaker 4: and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon. Our

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Speaker 4: forefathers did not just have miracles from Moses. They also

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Speaker 4: had the tabernacle. They had the manifest presence of God himself. Then,

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Speaker 4: to make God even more present among us, Solomon built

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Speaker 4: the temple.

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Speaker 1: Stephen paused and looked up to the council. His eyes

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Speaker 1: watered with passionate tears.

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Speaker 4: Here's the key for all of us men of Israel.

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Speaker 4: The Most High God is not confined to buildings made

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Speaker 4: by men. Look around you. These halls do not constrain

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Speaker 4: our God. The prophet Isaiah said, Heaven is my throne

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Speaker 4: and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house

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Speaker 4: will you build for me? Where is the place I

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Speaker 4: find rest? Have I not made everything that is?

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Speaker 1: The council shifted in their seats, growing angrier by the second.

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Speaker 1: Stephen's prose enraptured the crowd. He spoke with an angel's

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Speaker 1: eloquence and a prophet's passion. Stephen's grip tightened. Something shifted

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Speaker 1: in Stephen. like a changing wind before a storm. His

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Speaker 1: eyes darted up at the council, and he raised his

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Speaker 1: voice like a trumpet, shouting, You.

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Speaker 4: You stiff-necked people. You are circumcised into flesh, but your

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Speaker 4: heart is far from God. Your ears are closed to

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Speaker 4: the truth and your eyes are blinded. How long will

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Speaker 4: you resist the Holy Spirit? Will you continue in the

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Speaker 4: sins of your forefathers and reject God for the idolatry

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Speaker 4: of religion? Your ancestors killed every prophet that proclaimed the

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Speaker 4: coming Messiah. And you have followed in their footsteps by

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Speaker 4: murdering the Messiah himself.

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Speaker 1: Stephen opened his hands to them and pleaded.

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Speaker 4: You have the gift of the law placed in your hands,

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Speaker 4: but have not truly searched its meaning. God is offering

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Speaker 4: you a chance.

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Speaker 3: To see and believe.

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Speaker 4: Believe I beg you to see for your own souls

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Speaker 4: and the souls of these people. Silence!

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Speaker 1: Ananias shouted. He was fuming and foaming at the mouth

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Speaker 1: in anger. The rest of the Sanhedrin and Saul stood

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Speaker 1: to their feet and cursed him. Whatever remained of the

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Speaker 1: high priest's patience had been wiped away.

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Speaker 4: Get him out of my sight. Take him out and

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Speaker 4: kill him for what he said.

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Speaker 1: The crowd wrapped Stephen up in a violent rage and

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Speaker 1: carried him out. There was no declaration of guilt, no

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Speaker 1: trial before Roman authorities, no sentencing of death. There was

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Speaker 1: only rage. A rage fueled by guilt, shame, and prideful dogma.

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Speaker 1: Stephen was dragged through the city by his feet. The

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Speaker 1: back of his neck and head ground against the rocky

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Speaker 1: path as they took him outside the gates to the

300
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Speaker 1: Rock of Execution. The jagged stone loomed over the crowd

301
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Speaker 1: like a giant. The bottom was stained red from executions

302
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Speaker 1: of the past. Saul remained behind the crowd, quietly watching

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Speaker 1: the scene unfold like he was attending a play he

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Speaker 1: had written. The men threw off their coats and placed

305
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Speaker 1: them at Saul's feet. He held the coats and beheld

306
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Speaker 1: the chaos. The elders picked up jagged stones and held

307
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Speaker 1: them over their heads one by one. They surrounded Stephen

308
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Speaker 1: and spat out curses. The stage was set for Stephen

309
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Speaker 1: to meet his end. But to Stephen, it wasn't the end.

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Speaker 1: He stood beneath the stone with his head postured toward heaven.

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Speaker 1: All was still for a moment. Stephen drew a deep

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Speaker 1: breath and locked his gaze upward. His eyes widened as

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Speaker 1: if he was seeing someone looking down at him from above.

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Speaker 1: A grin curled on the sides of Stephen's face. His

315
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Speaker 1: jaw began to shake. and tears of joy fell gently

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Speaker 1: down his cheeks. As the crowd raged and cocked their

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Speaker 1: arms back to cast their stones, Stephen spoke.

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Speaker 4: I see him.

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Speaker 1: Childlike glee tumbled out of Stephen's voice. Although he was

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Speaker 1: about to meet his end, Stephen's heart melted with unhinged joy. I.

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Speaker 1: Stephen opened his arms.

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Speaker 4: I see the heavens open and the Son of Man

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Speaker 4: standing at the right hand of God.

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Speaker 1: The purity of Stephen's heart opened his eyes to see

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Speaker 1: that he wasn't alone. Jesus was standing, leaning forward and

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Speaker 1: attentive to him. The first man lifted his stone and

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Speaker 1: hurled it at Stephen's ribs. He fell to his knees

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Speaker 1: and gasped, coughing up blood. No one laughed. No one mocked.

329
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Speaker 1: They were filled with too much hate to enjoy the moment.

330
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Speaker 1: Another stone was chucked at Stephen, hitting him in the jaw.

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Speaker 1: He screamed in pain, but kept his gaze fixed on

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Speaker 1: the sky. Through the clamoring, a prayer spilled out of

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Speaker 1: Stephen's limp jaw. Lord Jesus, he said with blood spilling

334
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Speaker 1: out of his mouth. Receive my spirit. The crowd was

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Speaker 1: determined to end it quickly. A shower of jagged stones

336
00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:49,179
Speaker 1: descended upon Stephen, hitting his head, legs, and body. Stephen

337
00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:55,980
Speaker 1: couldn't move. His face was nearly unrecognizable. His limbs were

338
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Speaker 1: falling off his body. And blood stained the earth beneath him.

339
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Speaker 1: But even amid the onslaught, Wallowing in a puddle of

340
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Speaker 1: his death, Stephen managed to cry out a final prayer.

341
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Speaker 1: From the bottom of his belly, Stephen billowed to the heavens, yelling.

342
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Speaker 4: Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

343
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Speaker 1: Please forgive them. And as he said these things, a

344
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Speaker 1: final stone crushed his head and ended. The crowd huffed

345
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Speaker 1: in euphoric rage, like animals hovering over their slain prey.

346
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Speaker 1: They spat down at him and turned away from the

347
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Speaker 1: body with self-righteous pleasure. One by one, they took their

348
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Speaker 1: coats back from Saul and left. Saul was the last

349
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Speaker 1: to leave. He stood still. over Stephen's lifeless and bloody

350
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Speaker 1: corpse and sneered. He turned his back to him and

351
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Speaker 1: marched back to the city. For that entire month, Saul

352
00:27:21,070 --> 00:27:27,670
Speaker 1: refused to look up. He was afraid of what Stephen

353
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Speaker 1: saw before dying.

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Speaker 5: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

355
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Speaker 5: Jesus speaks here of an inner purity, a heart that

356
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Speaker 5: is undivided and wholly devoted to God. To be pure

357
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Speaker 5: in heart means having sincere intentions, free from deceit and hypocrisy.

358
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Speaker 5: It's about having a single-minded focus on God, desiring to

359
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Speaker 5: live in a way that pleases Him. Jesus promises that

360
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Speaker 5: Those who are pure in heart will see God, not

361
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Speaker 5: just in the afterlife, but also in their daily experiences,

362
00:28:13,330 --> 00:28:18,430
Speaker 5: recognizing His presence and work in their lives. As citizens

363
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Speaker 5: of heaven, we are called to cultivate a pure heart,

364
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Speaker 5: one that reflects the character of Jesus and allows us

365
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Speaker 5: to perceive God more clearly. Now, let's turn to the

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Speaker 5: story of Stephen. found in Acts 7, verses 54-60. Stephen,

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Speaker 5: one of the first deacons, was known for his strong faith, wisdom,

368
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Speaker 5: and fullness of the Holy Spirit. His powerful preaching and

369
00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:50,209
Speaker 5: unwavering commitment to the gospel led to his arrest and

370
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Speaker 5: trial before the Sanhedrin. Despite the hostility he faced, Stephen

371
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Speaker 5: remained steadfast and pure in heart. In Acts 7, 54-60,

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Speaker 5: we read, When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this,

373
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Speaker 5: they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen,

374
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Speaker 5: full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and

375
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Speaker 5: saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the

376
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Speaker 5: right hand of God. Look, he said, I see heaven

377
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Speaker 5: open and the Son of Man standing at the right

378
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Speaker 5: hand of God. At this they covered their ears, and,

379
00:29:27,140 --> 00:29:29,740
Speaker 5: yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed

380
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Speaker 5: at him. dragged him out of the city, and began

381
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Speaker 5: to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at

382
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Speaker 5: the feet of a young man named Saul. While they

383
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Speaker 5: were stoning him, Jesus prayed, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

384
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Speaker 5: Then he fell on his knees and cried out, Lord,

385
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Speaker 5: do not hold this sin against them. When he had

386
00:29:51,780 --> 00:29:56,820
Speaker 5: said this, he fell asleep. Stephen's vision of heaven opened,

387
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Speaker 5: and his ability to see Jesus standing at the right

388
00:29:59,740 --> 00:30:02,790
Speaker 5: hand of God is a powerful testament to the promise

389
00:30:02,830 --> 00:30:07,810
Speaker 5: of Matthew 5.8. His purity of heart enabled him to

390
00:30:07,870 --> 00:30:11,790
Speaker 5: see God even in his final moments. When we look

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Speaker 5: at the world with a pure heart, every circumstance changes.

392
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Speaker 5: People are no longer villains with you as the victim.

393
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Speaker 5: Stephen's response to his persecutors revealed a pure heart that

394
00:30:25,220 --> 00:30:30,420
Speaker 5: clearly sees God moving in every moment. He prayed for

395
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Speaker 5: their forgiveness, reflecting the depth of his pure heart and

396
00:30:33,870 --> 00:30:39,090
Speaker 5: his alignment with God's will. Remember Jesus praying something similar

397
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Speaker 5: while he hung on the cross? Since Stephen saw the

398
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Speaker 5: world with a pure heart, he was able to capture

399
00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:51,720
Speaker 5: moments to reflect Christ, even in a harsh and hostile environment.

400
00:30:53,460 --> 00:30:56,680
Speaker 5: How can we, like Stephen, live out the values of

401
00:30:56,740 --> 00:31:03,060
Speaker 5: being pure in heart as taught in Matthew 5, verse 8. First,

402
00:31:03,580 --> 00:31:07,980
Speaker 5: we are called to seek God's presence. Like Stephen, we

403
00:31:08,020 --> 00:31:12,360
Speaker 5: should seek to live in God's presence continually. This involves

404
00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:17,110
Speaker 5: daily prayer, worship, and studying Scripture to keep our hearts

405
00:31:17,450 --> 00:31:22,190
Speaker 5: focused on Him. Yet, this goes beyond the religious practices

406
00:31:22,250 --> 00:31:26,590
Speaker 5: we've been taught since Sunday school. Seeking God's presence is

407
00:31:26,610 --> 00:31:31,640
Speaker 5: akin to seeking His kingdom. Looking for areas in our

408
00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:35,300
Speaker 5: lives where Jesus is moving and wanting us to move.

409
00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:42,450
Speaker 5: Moments where we can show compassion, kindness, and justice. To

410
00:31:42,530 --> 00:31:47,690
Speaker 5: seek God's presence is to bring God's presence. Wherever we are,

411
00:31:48,010 --> 00:31:53,700
Speaker 5: whatever the time, no matter the circumstances. Second, we must

412
00:31:53,820 --> 00:31:59,350
Speaker 5: cultivate sincerity. Being pure in heart means having sincere and

413
00:31:59,460 --> 00:32:04,750
Speaker 5: genuine intentions. We should strive to be honest and transparent

414
00:32:04,830 --> 00:32:09,750
Speaker 5: in every relationship, avoiding deceit or hypocrisy. We can get

415
00:32:09,790 --> 00:32:13,740
Speaker 5: this one twisted. Sometimes we can do the right thing,

416
00:32:14,260 --> 00:32:18,260
Speaker 5: but for the wrong reasons. Paul said that in 1

417
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Speaker 5: Corinthians 13 1-3. He said, If I speak in the

418
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Speaker 5: tongues of men or of angels but do not have love,

419
00:32:27,750 --> 00:32:30,670
Speaker 5: I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

420
00:32:32,260 --> 00:32:34,540
Speaker 5: If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom

421
00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:37,380
Speaker 5: all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a

422
00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,100
Speaker 5: faith that can move mountains but do not have love,

423
00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:44,110
Speaker 5: I am nothing. If I give all I possess to

424
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Speaker 5: the poor and give over my body to hardship that

425
00:32:47,150 --> 00:32:50,910
Speaker 5: I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

426
00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:55,340
Speaker 5: It is not enough to do the right thing. We

427
00:32:55,420 --> 00:32:59,460
Speaker 5: must have the right intentions. That only comes when we've

428
00:32:59,580 --> 00:33:04,830
Speaker 5: cultivated our hearts like a garden, pruning dead branches and

429
00:33:05,130 --> 00:33:09,610
Speaker 5: pulling out weeds. That only comes when we've cultivated our

430
00:33:09,670 --> 00:33:13,530
Speaker 5: hearts like a garden, cutting off dead branches and digging

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Speaker 5: out weeds. We only become sincere people when we've done

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Speaker 5: the hard work of working on our hearts. Third, we

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Speaker 5: must maintain a focus on God. A pure heart is

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Speaker 5: undivided and focused on God. We should prioritize our relationship

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Speaker 5: with Him above all else, ensuring that our actions and

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Speaker 5: decisions reflect our commitment to Him. Focusing on God is

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Speaker 5: less about reading your Bible 24-7 and more about looking

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Speaker 5: for areas where you can see His beauty, His blessings.

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Speaker 5: It's often said that the opposite of worship is complaining.

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Speaker 5: Those who focus on God find themselves unshackled by complaining

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Speaker 5: because they see opportunities for beauty wherever they go. Lastly,

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Speaker 5: and perhaps the most difficult, we must forgive others. Stephen's

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Speaker 5: prayer for his persecutors demonstrates the purity of his heart.

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Speaker 5: We too should forgive those who wrong us. reflecting God's

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Speaker 5: grace and mercy. Easier said than done, right? We all

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Speaker 5: carry wounds with us. We all bear the scars of

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Speaker 5: those who've wounded us, abused us, or abandoned us. For Stephen,

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Speaker 5: they were literal scars. How was he able to forgive?

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Speaker 5: The answer is simple, but no less profound or difficult

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Speaker 5: to practice. Stephen was able to see the bigger picture.

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Speaker 5: You see, When you are the main character of this story,

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Speaker 5: every slight against you is a main event. Every insult, argument,

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Speaker 5: or passive-aggressive stare is an affront to the protagonist. But

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Speaker 5: what if you aren't the main character of this story?

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Speaker 5: What if you are one part in a much grander narrative?

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Speaker 5: What if this was Christ's story? What if this was Jesus' story?

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Speaker 5: And you were one of many followers bent on blessing

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Speaker 5: the world with His love and His character. The slights

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Speaker 5: of others would seem less important. In fact, their persecution

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Speaker 5: reveals their deep need for a Savior. And since you're

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Speaker 5: all about the mission, forgiveness and restoration are on the

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Speaker 5: front of your mind instead of bitterness and revenge. As

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Speaker 5: we reflect on Jesus' words, Blessed are the pure in heart,

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Speaker 5: for they shall see God. and the story of Stephen's

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Speaker 5: vision and forgiveness, let us strive to cultivate purity in

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Speaker 5: our own hearts. May we seek God's presence, live with sincerity,

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Speaker 5: maintain our focus on Him, forgive others, and reflect Christ's character.

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Speaker 5: Let us pray for the grace to be true citizens

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Speaker 5: of heaven, living out the purity that allows us to

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Speaker 5: see God in every aspect of our lives.

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Speaker 4: Amen.

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Speaker 5: Thanks again for listening to the Jesus Podcast. You know

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Speaker 5: what to do. Like, subscribe, and share it with your friends.

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Speaker 5: We'll see you next time as we dive into a

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Speaker 5: love story between a young warrior and a captive beauty.