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The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young

Ed Young - Stephen - Unshakable Courage

December 30, 2024 | S

Ed Young - Stephen - Unshakable Courage
The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young is the international on-air and online teaching ministry of Dr. Ed Young. The Winning Walk proclaims the proven truth of God’s Word to give men and women the world over a winning way to live life.
#Faith #HolySpirit #Pastors #RelationshipwithGod #God'sWill #LoveofGod #Bible #Christianity #Religion #Strength #inActive #Courage #EdYoung #Grief #TheWinningWalkwithDr.EdYoung #Acts6

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The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young | Ed Young - Stephen - Unshakable Courage | December 30, 2024
  • ...
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  • (bright upbeat music)
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  • - god created time.
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  • Let that soak a while, okay.
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  • That answered so many things.
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  • God created time.
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  • And from the first nanosecond of creation
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  • In the beginning, god,
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  • From that first moment when he spoke time into existence
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  • All the way through history, there's a little slice of time
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  • That encompasses 30 years, 30 years.
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  • Ad 33, ad 64, 30 years.
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  • That little slice of history is the most important slice
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  • In all of history.
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  • The birth, the formation of the church, the body of christ.
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  • We hear the story in the book of acts.
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  • It all began with jesus birth, life, death,
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  • Resurrection, ascension, 12 men, handful of women,
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  • Jesus before he was ascended
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  • Gave us the great commission, acts 1.
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  • He said, "when the power comes, you wait,
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  • "the power will come, the holy spirit will come."
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  • And you will be what?
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  • Witnesses, jerusalem, judea, samaria, (shushing),
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  • All over the world.
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  • The call, the commission, the mandate, the assignment
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  • Of the church, the church, the body of christ.
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  • We know that when the holy spirit came to those 120,
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  • Who were waiting for the holy spirit to come
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  • In the upper room, that peter went out subsequently
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  • And he delivered that message on the day of pentecost
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  • When literally, the church came into being
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  • And 3000 responded to the truth
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  • Of the resurrection of jesus.
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  • Few weeks later, 5,000 came, the was born and thriving,
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  • But you have an interesting thing.
  • 00:03:48.918 --> 00:03:52.522
  • The church was still enmeshed in judaism.
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  • Those who received jesus as lord in savior,
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  • They were still in the synagogues, all around
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  • Jerusalem, all around the holy land.
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  • And they were captured there for 10 years.
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  • The church didn't go anywhere, it didn't move out.
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  • Primarily, it was made up 99% of the body of jews
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  • Who came to believe that this jesus of nazareth
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  • Was indeed the fulfillment of prophecy
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  • And was the promised messiah, god in flesh in this world.
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  • Still a little sect in the synagogues,
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  • Primarily in jerusalem.
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  • And then in the church, they appointed deacons.
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  • And one of them was named stephen.
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  • And we're gonna look at steve a little bit today.
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  • Chapter number six of acts, verse number five.
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  • The statement found approval with a whole congregation
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  • And they chose stephen,
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  • A man full of faith and the holy spirit.
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  • Look down in verse eight.
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  • "it says, and stephen full of grace and power."
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  • Stephen, a man of faith,
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  • Led him to be full of the holy spirit,
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  • Led him to have grace operating in his life,
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  • Led him to have power.
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  • Acts of the apostles, the book,
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  • In some translation is called acts of the holy spirit
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  • Because the book of acts is the biography of the holy spirit
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  • Forming the body of christ, the church,
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  • There in its earliest of beginnings.
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  • In my life, when i was about 11 years old,
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  • I came to understand,
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  • I knew the facts that jesus could come in your life
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  • And i became a christian and it was like the holy spirit
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  • Was like the drumbeat in my life.
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  • The holy spirit was just like a drum beat in my life.
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  • (table tapping)
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  • Steady like the beat of your heart, a drum beat.
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  • When i was 18, university of alabama,
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  • An atheist challenged me
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  • At whether or not there was god or not
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  • And then i sought that out and found the reality of god
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  • And the holy spirits beat in my heart
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  • Got stronger in my life. (table tapping)
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  • And all the way through the process
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  • Sometimes as i have moved away from god,
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  • His plan, his purpose, the beat is there
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  • But it's going for faint, always present but faint.
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  • But in times of extremity,
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  • When i went before him broken and open,
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  • The beat got louder and louder.
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  • So in my life that holy spirit, like the beat of a drum
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  • Has been loud and assuring and comforting.
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  • And it's been weak, still there,
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  • When i move away from god's plan to my plan.
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  • The book of acts is about the holy spirit.
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  • It's like the drum beat, the cadence,
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  • Because it introduces us to the drummer who is jesus.
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  • The holy spirit is the beat.
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  • The drummer, that is jesus.
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  • And this is what happened in that early church.
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  • Stephen, full of faith, full of the holy spirit,
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  • 'cause the holy spirit had come.
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  • Stephen, now full of grace, giftedness.
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  • Stephen now full of power.
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  • Power, what is that power for?
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  • Paul says, "you can have a form of godliness."
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  • The ritual, the words, the song, the vocabulary,
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  • A little smattering of the...
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  • "have a form of godliness
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  • "but you can deny the power that comes with it."
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  • The power thereof.
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  • That what was true in judaism at this moment in history.
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  • And so stephen stood up and he became a witness.
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  • And the first place he witnessed it to your surprise
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  • Is in the synagogue.
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  • Look at acts 6.
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  • It says, "but some of the men,
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  • "what was called all the synagogue of the freedmen
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  • "including in the synagogues, cyrenians, alexandrians,
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  • "some from celicia and asia,
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  • "rose up and argued with stephen."
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  • Verse 10, "but they were unable to cope with the wisdom
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  • "and the spirit which he was speaking.
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  • "then they secretly induced men to say,
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  • "we have heard him speak blasphemous words against moses
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  • "and against god himself."
  • 00:09:36.532 --> 00:09:39.435
  • Now what's going on here?
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  • Understand this, it'll help you understand
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  • If you're reading through the bible when you get to acts.
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  • Many of the jews have received christ
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  • But they were still worshiping in the cradle of judaism
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  • In all the synagogues.
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  • A little remit here, they were jesus followers,
  • 00:09:59.789 --> 00:10:02.858
  • They believe it, they understood it,
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  • But the mass and the synagogue did not believe it.
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  • And in this particular synagogue,
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  • You see all the areas that were represented.
  • 00:10:11.467 --> 00:10:14.303
  • And we know these were hellenistic jews.
  • 00:10:14.303 --> 00:10:17.039
  • Understand that big word
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  • But it means they were jews
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  • Who had been scattered to diaspora,
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  • Times of persecution taken into captivity.
  • 00:10:25.448 --> 00:10:27.516
  • And now many of them had come back home to jerusalem
  • 00:10:27.516 --> 00:10:31.320
  • And they could speak greek, they could not speak aramaic,
  • 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:35.091
  • Knew a little bit of hebrew
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  • And they formed their own synagogues.
  • 00:10:37.460 --> 00:10:39.729
  • And so here, dr. luke writing acts,
  • 00:10:39.729 --> 00:10:42.498
  • Names the areas in which they'd come around the world at,
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  • Alexandria, cyprus, et cetera.
  • 00:10:46.035 --> 00:10:48.738
  • And they were hellenistic jews who'd come back home.
  • 00:10:48.738 --> 00:10:51.707
  • Among them was stephen.
  • 00:10:51.707 --> 00:10:58.080
  • And stephen here, he'd receive christ,
  • 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:01.317
  • Stands up before all the synagogue there,
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  • He begins to speak and to tell them that,
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  • "this jesus is the promise messiah, he'll change your life,
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  • "he's changed my life."
  • 00:11:11.927 --> 00:11:14.830
  • They begin to debate with him and they lost every debate.
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  • Is it any wonder? (chuckles)
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  • Here's a man full of faith,
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  • Full of the holy spirit, the third person of the trinity.
  • 00:11:23.405 --> 00:11:26.909
  • He has all the gifts, the cares of working in his life.
  • 00:11:26.909 --> 00:11:31.147
  • And he has power, could anybody debate a guy like that?
  • 00:11:31.147 --> 00:11:35.317
  • That kinda wisdom, that kind of insight,
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  • That kind brilliance that he had
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  • Because of what he received from christ.
  • 00:11:39.555 --> 00:11:41.590
  • And then look what happens,
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  • When you can't match an argument with someone and they win,
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  • Only thing you can do, there is fight, right?
  • 00:11:47.029 --> 00:11:51.267
  • If you out debating being what you're saying is true,
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  • All i can do is get mad, walk off and fight
  • 00:11:55.504 --> 00:11:58.107
  • Instead of being civil
  • 00:11:58.107 --> 00:12:00.176
  • And let's see where the truth really is located.
  • 00:12:00.176 --> 00:12:02.878
  • And look what happened, verse 12.
  • 00:12:02.878 --> 00:12:05.314
  • And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes,
  • 00:12:05.314 --> 00:12:09.418
  • And they came up to him and dragged stephen away
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  • And brought him before the council.
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  • Ladies and gentlemen, that's the sanhedrin,
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  • That's the supreme court of all of israel, i'm telling you.
  • 00:12:18.661 --> 00:12:21.397
  • And they put forward false witnesses who said,
  • 00:12:21.397 --> 00:12:24.300
  • "this man, stephen, incessantly speaks
  • 00:12:24.300 --> 00:12:26.569
  • "against this holy place."
  • 00:12:26.569 --> 00:12:28.971
  • Stephen, you're talking against the temple of god.
  • 00:12:28.971 --> 00:12:32.575
  • What a charge!
  • 00:12:32.575 --> 00:12:34.577
  • And the law, my goodness, the principles we live on.
  • 00:12:34.577 --> 00:12:38.781
  • For we have heard him say that,
  • 00:12:38.781 --> 00:12:41.517
  • "this nazarene, jesus will destroy this place of temple.
  • 00:12:41.517 --> 00:12:44.253
  • "and alter the customs which moses handed down to us."
  • 00:12:44.253 --> 00:12:48.023
  • What charges they issued against him?
  • 00:12:48.023 --> 00:12:53.062
  • And then it says, i love this verse.
  • 00:12:53.062 --> 00:12:56.298
  • Verse 15, "and fixing their gaze on him,
  • 00:12:56.298 --> 00:12:59.735
  • "all who were sitting in the council the supreme court
  • 00:12:59.735 --> 00:13:03.372
  • "saw his face, like the face of an angel."
  • 00:13:03.372 --> 00:13:06.876
  • Can you imagine it?
  • 00:13:06.876 --> 00:13:09.211
  • Shekhinah, stephen's face, they charged him
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  • And his face was like the face of an angel.
  • 00:13:15.985 --> 00:13:20.122
  • And you can see the supreme court,
  • 00:13:20.122 --> 00:13:22.358
  • They couldn't take their eyes off of him.
  • 00:13:22.358 --> 00:13:24.860
  • Here, they accuse him of attacking the law of moses.
  • 00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:28.163
  • When was the last time israel heard of a face shining
  • 00:13:28.163 --> 00:13:32.701
  • With shekhinah glory, you wanna make a wild guess?
  • 00:13:32.701 --> 00:13:36.138
  • Moses coming down for sinai.
  • 00:13:36.138 --> 00:13:39.708
  • And here we have this heretic, they believe,
  • 00:13:39.708 --> 00:13:42.978
  • Standing off his face shining like an angel's face.
  • 00:13:42.978 --> 00:13:46.382
  • And they accused him of two things, blasphemy.
  • 00:13:46.382 --> 00:13:53.689
  • Then that word sound nasty when you say it, blasphemy.
  • 00:13:53.689 --> 00:13:58.093
  • It's like the word, iniquity.
  • 00:13:58.093 --> 00:14:01.997
  • Like the word, hippopotamus
  • 00:14:01.997 --> 00:14:04.433
  • Sounds like a hippopotamus,
  • 00:14:04.433 --> 00:14:06.468
  • Doesn't it? (congregation laughing)
  • 00:14:06.468 --> 00:14:08.804
  • And so they accused him blasphemy.
  • 00:14:08.804 --> 00:14:11.407
  • Taking things that were holy and relevant and reverend
  • 00:14:11.407 --> 00:14:15.477
  • And teaching them as if they were not of god.
  • 00:14:15.477 --> 00:14:19.848
  • And then we have stephen defend himself
  • 00:14:19.848 --> 00:14:22.985
  • Because the supreme court asked him.
  • 00:14:22.985 --> 00:14:27.222
  • The high priest, verse one chapter seven,
  • 00:14:27.222 --> 00:14:30.626
  • "are these things true?"
  • 00:14:30.626 --> 00:14:33.829
  • Other words here are two charges against you, stephen,
  • 00:14:33.829 --> 00:14:37.900
  • Are they true?
  • 00:14:37.900 --> 00:14:40.002
  • In one sense, the charges against stephen were true
  • 00:14:40.002 --> 00:14:47.810
  • Because with the coming of jesus all the pillows of judaism,
  • 00:14:47.810 --> 00:14:55.417
  • As one scholar said, "all the sacred cows of judaism
  • 00:14:55.417 --> 00:15:00.089
  • "were being eliminated."
  • 00:15:00.089 --> 00:15:04.059
  • And there are three of them.
  • 00:15:04.059 --> 00:15:05.461
  • He puts forward two charges, a charge against the law,
  • 00:15:05.461 --> 00:15:12.601
  • A charge against the temple,
  • 00:15:12.601 --> 00:15:14.336
  • But there's a third one there that phillip addresses,
  • 00:15:14.336 --> 00:15:17.673
  • And that's a charge of the land.
  • 00:15:17.673 --> 00:15:20.743
  • The land, in other words,
  • 00:15:20.743 --> 00:15:22.277
  • The jews thought we live in the holy land,
  • 00:15:22.277 --> 00:15:24.780
  • Therefore, this is a gift from god.
  • 00:15:24.780 --> 00:15:27.016
  • And we must be right with god
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  • Because we live in his property that he is given to us.
  • 00:15:28.751 --> 00:15:32.721
  • And certainly we must be right with god
  • 00:15:32.721 --> 00:15:34.990
  • Because the law came through moses on sinai
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  • And we believe the law
  • 00:15:37.426 --> 00:15:39.762
  • In all the mission i interpret law.
  • 00:15:39.762 --> 00:15:42.398
  • Therefore, we must be right with god.
  • 00:15:42.398 --> 00:15:45.367
  • And we worship in the temple
  • 00:15:45.367 --> 00:15:47.936
  • And everybody knows that god lives the temple.
  • 00:15:47.936 --> 00:15:51.240
  • And here we have stephen standing up saying, "time out."
  • 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:56.678
  • And here we have in that scripture the longest sermon
  • 00:15:56.678 --> 00:16:00.949
  • In the book of acts delivered by stephen.
  • 00:16:00.949 --> 00:16:05.454
  • I'm gonna go over every word of it.
  • 00:16:05.454 --> 00:16:07.389
  • No, no, no. (congregation laughing)
  • 00:16:07.389 --> 00:16:11.794
  • But i want you to see how he address these charges.
  • 00:16:11.794 --> 00:16:16.865
  • And he adds one in the land.
  • 00:16:16.865 --> 00:16:18.400
  • Look at chapter seven, verse one.
  • 00:16:18.400 --> 00:16:21.203
  • The high priest said, "are these charges true?"
  • 00:16:21.203 --> 00:16:24.540
  • And he said, "hear me, brethren and fathers."
  • 00:16:24.540 --> 00:16:27.576
  • Respect toward the sanhedrin.
  • 00:16:27.576 --> 00:16:29.812
  • "the god of glory appeared to our father, abraham,
  • 00:16:29.812 --> 00:16:32.714
  • "when he was in mesopotamia before he lived in haran."
  • 00:16:32.714 --> 00:16:36.819
  • Where is mesopotamia?
  • 00:16:36.819 --> 00:16:39.154
  • Is it in the holy land?
  • 00:16:39.154 --> 00:16:40.923
  • No, tigris-euphrates right in between,
  • 00:16:40.923 --> 00:16:43.759
  • Haran is in holy land, no.
  • 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:46.161
  • And he goes on and traces to joseph.
  • 00:16:46.161 --> 00:16:49.765
  • God spoke to joseph.
  • 00:16:49.765 --> 00:16:51.166
  • Where was he? he was in egypt.
  • 00:16:51.166 --> 00:16:53.902
  • And he spoke about moses and dealt with...
  • 00:16:53.902 --> 00:16:56.638
  • Where was moses? he was in egypt.
  • 00:16:56.638 --> 00:16:59.441
  • Moses went on mount sinai before holy land,
  • 00:16:59.441 --> 00:17:02.411
  • The commandments were given.
  • 00:17:02.411 --> 00:17:04.413
  • Moses by the burning bush.
  • 00:17:04.413 --> 00:17:06.215
  • Man, this is holy ground.
  • 00:17:06.215 --> 00:17:08.484
  • Was that in the holy land? no.
  • 00:17:08.484 --> 00:17:11.286
  • So he goes on and explains this saying,
  • 00:17:11.286 --> 00:17:13.355
  • "look you are not right with god.
  • 00:17:13.355 --> 00:17:16.024
  • "just can you live on this property,
  • 00:17:16.024 --> 00:17:17.860
  • "this geographical location."
  • 00:17:17.860 --> 00:17:19.795
  • And that was explosive to the jewish mind.
  • 00:17:19.795 --> 00:17:23.165
  • And then he goes on, he deals with another charge
  • 00:17:23.165 --> 00:17:26.368
  • That was brought against him.
  • 00:17:26.368 --> 00:17:28.804
  • He talks about the law.
  • 00:17:28.804 --> 00:17:30.973
  • Look at verse 37, same chapter.
  • 00:17:30.973 --> 00:17:34.576
  • This is the moses who said the sons of israel will rise up
  • 00:17:34.576 --> 00:17:39.214
  • From you, a prophet like me from your brethren.
  • 00:17:39.214 --> 00:17:42.384
  • What is he saying?
  • 00:17:42.384 --> 00:17:43.952
  • He's saying, "moses is said the law was not the answer,
  • 00:17:43.952 --> 00:17:47.623
  • "there will come one from among us,
  • 00:17:47.623 --> 00:17:49.858
  • "the messiah, the saint jesus,
  • 00:17:49.858 --> 00:17:51.860
  • "who will rise up and he will liberate us from the law."
  • 00:17:51.860 --> 00:17:54.963
  • And he went on to say,
  • 00:17:54.963 --> 00:17:57.799
  • "how's this law working for all of you jews?
  • 00:17:57.799 --> 00:18:00.269
  • "and if you're keeping the law,
  • 00:18:00.269 --> 00:18:02.504
  • "you got it down path, no, no, no, no, no."
  • 00:18:02.504 --> 00:18:08.210
  • And he say, "even moses predicted there'd be coming
  • 00:18:08.210 --> 00:18:11.413
  • "of one from among us who would set the records straight,
  • 00:18:11.413 --> 00:18:15.984
  • "would handle all the sin and make us write with god."
  • 00:18:15.984 --> 00:18:20.355
  • That's how he answer that.
  • 00:18:20.355 --> 00:18:22.124
  • And then look about the temple.
  • 00:18:22.124 --> 00:18:24.593
  • He says, same chapter, verse 48.
  • 00:18:24.593 --> 00:18:28.263
  • "how the most high does not dwell in houses
  • 00:18:28.263 --> 00:18:29.998
  • "made by human hands as a prophet says,
  • 00:18:29.998 --> 00:18:33.001
  • "'heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool of my feet.
  • 00:18:33.001 --> 00:18:37.506
  • "'what kinda house would you build for me?'
  • 00:18:37.506 --> 00:18:41.143
  • "says the lord.
  • 00:18:41.143 --> 00:18:42.744
  • "oh, what place is there for my repose?"
  • 00:18:42.744 --> 00:18:44.947
  • He's saying, "god doesn't live exclusively in the temple."
  • 00:18:44.947 --> 00:18:50.352
  • So he answers their charges
  • 00:18:50.352 --> 00:18:52.087
  • And then he offers a counter charge.
  • 00:18:52.087 --> 00:18:54.923
  • Listen to what he says,
  • 00:18:54.923 --> 00:18:56.558
  • "by the way you preach like a prophet,
  • 00:18:56.558 --> 00:18:58.527
  • "you're gonna die like a prophet.
  • 00:18:58.527 --> 00:19:00.796
  • "you tell the truth and you're criticized."
  • 00:19:00.796 --> 00:19:03.565
  • Well, hello, and look what he says to the supreme court.
  • 00:19:03.565 --> 00:19:08.904
  • He said, "you men are stiff-necked, prideful,
  • 00:19:08.904 --> 00:19:12.441
  • "uncircumcised in the heart, you out a hard heart.
  • 00:19:12.441 --> 00:19:17.346
  • "your ears are always resisting the holy spirit.
  • 00:19:17.346 --> 00:19:20.382
  • "and you are doing just as your fathers did,
  • 00:19:20.382 --> 00:19:23.252
  • "which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?"
  • 00:19:23.252 --> 00:19:27.990
  • My, my, my!
  • 00:19:27.990 --> 00:19:30.259
  • He's saying, "you have refused the holy spirit."
  • 00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:33.428
  • Now listen, three things
  • 00:19:33.428 --> 00:19:35.430
  • As far as the holy spirit is concerned, three things,
  • 00:19:35.430 --> 00:19:39.868
  • We can come along and we can grieve the holy spirit.
  • 00:19:39.868 --> 00:19:46.074
  • Only a christian can do that.
  • 00:19:46.074 --> 00:19:48.343
  • You and i who are in christ,
  • 00:19:48.343 --> 00:19:50.112
  • We can only grieve the holy spirit.
  • 00:19:50.112 --> 00:19:52.814
  • When love is offered and that love is returned,
  • 00:19:52.814 --> 00:19:55.617
  • There is grief.
  • 00:19:55.617 --> 00:19:58.620
  • The holy spirit offers love to us to lead our lives
  • 00:19:58.620 --> 00:20:01.256
  • And when we go and do not follow that love,
  • 00:20:01.256 --> 00:20:04.860
  • The holy spirit weeks grieves over that.
  • 00:20:04.860 --> 00:20:07.629
  • So we can grieve the holy spirit.
  • 00:20:07.629 --> 00:20:10.766
  • But only non-christians can refuse the holy spirit.
  • 00:20:10.766 --> 00:20:15.871
  • They refused the holy spirit.
  • 00:20:15.871 --> 00:20:17.806
  • This is what happened here.
  • 00:20:17.806 --> 00:20:20.042
  • There was a refusal to follow the truth that the holy spirit
  • 00:20:20.042 --> 00:20:23.912
  • Had laid down before the jews, and they refused it.
  • 00:20:23.912 --> 00:20:28.417
  • And then look what happened.
  • 00:20:28.417 --> 00:20:31.019
  • And now when they heard this, the response, verse 51,
  • 00:20:31.019 --> 00:20:34.723
  • The sanhedrin, they were quick, they were cut to the quick
  • 00:20:34.723 --> 00:20:37.759
  • And began gnashing their teeth at him
  • 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:40.329
  • And being full of the holy spirit,
  • 00:20:40.329 --> 00:20:43.065
  • He gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of jesus
  • 00:20:43.065 --> 00:20:46.234
  • Standing at the right hand of god.
  • 00:20:46.234 --> 00:20:49.371
  • And he said, "behold, i see the heavens open
  • 00:20:49.371 --> 00:20:52.074
  • "and the son of man standing at the right hand of god."
  • 00:20:52.074 --> 00:20:55.644
  • We can grieve the holy spirit, we can quench the holy spirit
  • 00:20:55.644 --> 00:20:59.481
  • And we can fall into foolish doctrine.
  • 00:20:59.481 --> 00:21:02.084
  • But there, now they have refused the holy spirit,
  • 00:21:02.084 --> 00:21:05.187
  • And then what happened?
  • 00:21:05.187 --> 00:21:07.656
  • Here is stephen, he says, "heavens have opened."
  • 00:21:07.656 --> 00:21:10.659
  • And he said, "i see the father and i see jesus,
  • 00:21:10.659 --> 00:21:15.130
  • "standing at the right hand of god."
  • 00:21:15.130 --> 00:21:18.166
  • Wait a minute, have you ever read that before in the bible?
  • 00:21:18.166 --> 00:21:22.704
  • "jesus is seated at the right hand of god."
  • 00:21:22.704 --> 00:21:25.040
  • That's what hebrew tells us.
  • 00:21:25.040 --> 00:21:26.808
  • All through the bible jesus is positioned
  • 00:21:26.808 --> 00:21:29.144
  • And seated at the right hand of god.
  • 00:21:29.144 --> 00:21:31.546
  • And that indicates that his work is done, he's seated.
  • 00:21:31.546 --> 00:21:34.549
  • But here we see he's standing.
  • 00:21:34.549 --> 00:21:37.018
  • What is that about?
  • 00:21:37.018 --> 00:21:38.553
  • Only time the bible, we see jesus standing in heaven
  • 00:21:38.553 --> 00:21:41.423
  • At the right hand of god,
  • 00:21:41.423 --> 00:21:42.958
  • Is because he's standing to receive stephen,
  • 00:21:42.958 --> 00:21:45.260
  • Who was the first martyr,
  • 00:21:45.260 --> 00:21:47.796
  • Seeing stephen who changed the whole thrust of the church
  • 00:21:47.796 --> 00:21:52.134
  • And jesus stands to receive him by the father.
  • 00:21:52.134 --> 00:21:54.836
  • Ladies and gentlemen, i believe that all are in christ
  • 00:21:54.836 --> 00:21:57.839
  • When we leave this earth will have the same kind of vision
  • 00:21:57.839 --> 00:22:01.610
  • And the heavens will open,
  • 00:22:01.610 --> 00:22:03.311
  • And we'll see the father and we'll see jesus
  • 00:22:03.311 --> 00:22:05.213
  • Standing to receive his sons and his daughters.
  • 00:22:05.213 --> 00:22:09.484
  • (congregation clapping)
  • 00:22:09.484 --> 00:22:13.555
  • What a moment!
  • 00:22:13.555 --> 00:22:17.759
  • Stephen testified in the synagogue.
  • 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:20.896
  • Stephen testified in the supreme court
  • 00:22:20.896 --> 00:22:24.733
  • And now we see stephen witnessing,
  • 00:22:24.733 --> 00:22:28.236
  • Testifying at his own stoning.
  • 00:22:28.236 --> 00:22:33.809
  • Look at it, verse 57.
  • 00:22:33.809 --> 00:22:36.445
  • And they cried out with a loud voice to sanhedrin.
  • 00:22:36.445 --> 00:22:39.247
  • They covered their ears and they rushed at him
  • 00:22:39.247 --> 00:22:41.817
  • With one impulse.
  • 00:22:41.817 --> 00:22:43.718
  • And when they driven him outta the city
  • 00:22:43.718 --> 00:22:46.621
  • They began stoning him.
  • 00:22:46.621 --> 00:22:48.290
  • And the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet
  • 00:22:48.290 --> 00:22:50.892
  • Of a young man named saul.
  • 00:22:50.892 --> 00:22:57.265
  • And they went on stoning stephen
  • 00:22:57.265 --> 00:23:01.503
  • As he called on the lord and said,
  • 00:23:01.503 --> 00:23:03.839
  • "lord jesus, receive my spirit."
  • 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:06.274
  • Sounded like jesus into the hands i was give my spirit.
  • 00:23:06.274 --> 00:23:09.344
  • Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice,
  • 00:23:09.344 --> 00:23:11.413
  • "lord do not hold this sin against them."
  • 00:23:11.413 --> 00:23:13.815
  • And having that he graduated to be with heaven.
  • 00:23:13.815 --> 00:23:18.687
  • Notice something, in the greek, the word martyr
  • 00:23:18.687 --> 00:23:24.125
  • And the word witness of the same word.
  • 00:23:24.125 --> 00:23:27.996
  • And because of the death, the stoning of stephen,
  • 00:23:27.996 --> 00:23:31.566
  • Look what happened, read the rest of the story
  • 00:23:31.566 --> 00:23:34.269
  • In the heartbeat of the holy spirit, in the
  • 00:23:34.269 --> 00:23:35.770
  • Book of acts.
  • 00:23:35.770 --> 00:23:37.105
  • All of a sudden, the church exploded out of judaism.
  • 00:23:37.105 --> 00:23:41.042
  • It had been captured there for 10 years in the synagogues
  • 00:23:41.042 --> 00:23:44.246
  • As a little sect of judaism.
  • 00:23:44.246 --> 00:23:46.948
  • And now all of a sudden, the christians were scattered,
  • 00:23:46.948 --> 00:23:49.684
  • Some went to antioch and a revival explode to antioch,
  • 00:23:49.684 --> 00:23:52.187
  • Not a jewish city.
  • 00:23:52.187 --> 00:23:54.422
  • All of a sudden cornelius, who was a centurion,
  • 00:23:54.422 --> 00:23:57.325
  • Went to peter and said, "i wanna know about this jesus,"
  • 00:23:57.325 --> 00:23:59.895
  • And his whole family, a non jew.
  • 00:23:59.895 --> 00:24:02.797
  • That all of a sudden, an ethiopian eunuch came,
  • 00:24:02.797 --> 00:24:05.300
  • And he said, "i wanna know about this jesus."
  • 00:24:05.300 --> 00:24:07.536
  • And he was baptized.
  • 00:24:07.536 --> 00:24:09.471
  • Then all of a sudden there is this saul.
  • 00:24:09.471 --> 00:24:11.740
  • He's jerking christians outta their home to persecute them,
  • 00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:14.843
  • And he's going on the road to damascus, and bang,
  • 00:24:14.843 --> 00:24:18.046
  • All of a sudden, he sees a resurrected christ,
  • 00:24:18.046 --> 00:24:21.616
  • And he is converted.
  • 00:24:21.616 --> 00:24:24.019
  • And look what happens now, saul becomes paul.
  • 00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:29.124
  • He goes to antioch.
  • 00:24:29.124 --> 00:24:30.926
  • And then the story of what god has done for man
  • 00:24:30.926 --> 00:24:32.961
  • In jesus christ, just leaves jerusalem, leaves judea,
  • 00:24:32.961 --> 00:24:37.732
  • Leaves galilee, it goes to samaria,
  • 00:24:37.732 --> 00:24:40.201
  • To philip who was running.
  • 00:24:40.201 --> 00:24:42.938
  • And it goes to saul who became paul,
  • 00:24:42.938 --> 00:24:45.540
  • To europe and all over the world.
  • 00:24:45.540 --> 00:24:48.410
  • It was the death of stephen as a witness in these arenas
  • 00:24:48.410 --> 00:24:52.447
  • That the gospel of jesus christ goes all over the world.
  • 00:24:52.447 --> 00:24:56.885
  • And that is the background of all of us here today
  • 00:24:56.885 --> 00:25:01.189
  • In the 21st century who have received jesus
  • 00:25:01.189 --> 00:25:04.125
  • As lord and savior, the death of stephen.
  • 00:25:04.125 --> 00:25:07.662
  • (gentle music)
  • 00:25:07.662 --> 00:25:09.998
  • Ed young: we have all felt alone.
  • 00:25:09.998 --> 00:25:12.567
  • Even jesus experienced loneliness during his time
  • 00:25:12.567 --> 00:25:15.003
  • On earth.
  • 00:25:15.003 --> 00:25:16.404
  • But god did not create us to live in
  • 00:25:16.404 --> 00:25:18.940
  • A constant state of loneliness.
  • 00:25:18.940 --> 00:25:21.343
  • We need community and fellowship
  • 00:25:21.343 --> 00:25:23.712
  • With others for our emotional and physical well-being.
  • 00:25:23.712 --> 00:25:27.315
  • Listen, if you are experiencing loneliness today,
  • 00:25:27.315 --> 00:25:30.986
  • We have created a booklet
  • 00:25:30.986 --> 00:25:33.154
  • That will help you overcome the lonely seasons in your life.
  • 00:25:33.154 --> 00:25:36.825
  • Within these pages, you'll find some practical steps to overcome
  • 00:25:36.825 --> 00:25:40.362
  • Loneliness and to live in fellowship with others.
  • 00:25:40.362 --> 00:25:43.632
  • Announcer: to get your copy of doctor ed young's booklet,
  • 00:25:43.632 --> 00:25:46.901
  • "loneliness," call the number on your screen or go online at
  • 00:25:46.901 --> 00:25:50.939
  • Winningwalk.org.
  • 00:25:50.939 --> 00:25:53.074
  • It's our gift to you for your financial support of
  • 00:25:53.074 --> 00:25:55.577
  • This ministry.
  • 00:25:55.577 --> 00:25:57.846
  • Call today and experience freedom from the
  • 00:25:57.846 --> 00:26:01.116
  • Prison of loneliness.
  • 00:26:01.116 --> 00:26:04.185
  • - as christians, we need to always remember
  • 00:26:05.987 --> 00:26:09.024
  • That this world is not our home,
  • 00:26:09.024 --> 00:26:11.960
  • We're just pilgrims, passing through this life
  • 00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:15.030
  • And eagerly awaiting our homecoming with the lord.
  • 00:26:15.030 --> 00:26:18.633
  • Before he died, stephen looked up to heaven
  • 00:26:18.633 --> 00:26:22.303
  • And saw the glory of god
  • 00:26:22.303 --> 00:26:24.639
  • And jesus standing at the right hand of the father.
  • 00:26:24.639 --> 00:26:27.175
  • Man, that's a fabulous picture to me.
  • 00:26:27.175 --> 00:26:30.378
  • Jesus, i believe was getting stephen
  • 00:26:30.378 --> 00:26:33.381
  • A standing ovation. (claps)
  • 00:26:33.381 --> 00:26:36.818
  • As christians, death is not the end
  • 00:26:36.818 --> 00:26:39.854
  • But a glorious graduation with our savior in heaven.
  • 00:26:39.854 --> 00:26:43.525
  • Stephen serves as a reminder to all of us
  • 00:26:43.525 --> 00:26:46.027
  • To let our lives be used to make a difference for christ
  • 00:26:46.027 --> 00:26:50.432
  • Until we reach the finish line.
  • 00:26:50.432 --> 00:26:52.901
  • God has marked out for you and marked out for me.
  • 00:26:52.901 --> 00:26:56.337
  • Do you want to have this kind have witnessed for christ?
  • 00:26:56.337 --> 00:26:59.507
  • Let us help you, call the number on your screen.
  • 00:26:59.507 --> 00:27:02.077
  • We would like to pray with you
  • 00:27:02.077 --> 00:27:04.179
  • And to share how jesus can change your life today.
  • 00:27:04.179 --> 00:27:09.684
  • And thank you for watching and make plans to join us again
  • 00:27:09.684 --> 00:27:12.420
  • Next time, right here
  • 00:27:12.420 --> 00:27:14.689
  • On "the winning walk" with jesus christ.
  • 00:27:14.689 --> 00:27:18.093
  • (gentle music)
  • 00:27:18.093 --> 00:27:19.728
  • Announcer: visit winningwalk.org for more of the proven truth
  • 00:27:19.728 --> 00:27:22.030
  • And personal support you need, that's winningwalk.org.
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