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The Sad and Tragic Death of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ _ Bible Stories · truthunedited

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Speaker 1: It was meant to be a story of loyalty and
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Speaker 1: love twelve men chosen by God incarnate to change the world.
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Speaker 1: But plans don't always unfold as we imagine, and sometimes
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Speaker 1: the greatest betrayals come from those we trust the most.
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Speaker 1: This is the tragic end of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus,
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Speaker 1: a narrative of faith, courage, and sacrifice that begins with
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Speaker 1: the most famous betrayal in history, as recorded in Matthew
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Speaker 1: twenty six fourteen sixteen. It all began when Judas Iscariot,
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Speaker 1: one of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus, approached the
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Speaker 1: chief priests with a dark proposal, What will you give
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Speaker 1: me if I deliver him over to you? The religious leaders,
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Speaker 1: seizing the opportunity they had long awaited, weighed out thirty
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Speaker 1: pieces of silver, the price of a common slave at
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Speaker 1: the time, and sealed the deal that would change history forever.
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Speaker 1: In John thirteen, twenty one thirty, during the Last Supper,
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Speaker 1: the atmosphere was heavy. Jesus revealed that he would be betrayed, saying, truly,
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Speaker 1: I say to you, one of you will betray me.
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Speaker 1: The disciples, confused and anxious, looked around at one another,
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Speaker 1: trying to fathom who could commit such an act. It
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Speaker 1: was then that Jesus discreetly handed a piece of bread
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Speaker 1: to Judas, saying, what you are going to do, do quickly.
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Speaker 1: At that moment, As recorded in John thirteen twenty seven,
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Speaker 1: Satan entered Judas. He immediately left into the darkness of
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Speaker 1: the night, carrying the weight of the decision he had made.
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Speaker 1: Matthew twenty six forty seven fifty narrates how Judas led
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Speaker 1: a crowd armed with swords and clubs to the garden
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Speaker 1: of Gethsemone, where Jesus often prayed. The kiss, which should
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Speaker 1: have been a symbol of friendship and respect, became the
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Speaker 1: signal of betrayal. The one eye kiss is the man
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Speaker 1: seize him. Jesus, in his infinite wisdom, merely asked, friend,
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Speaker 1: why have you come. At that moment, the crowd urged
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Speaker 1: toward Jesus, and Judas's plan came to fruition, but the
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Speaker 1: burden of guilt soon became unbearable. In Matthew twenty seven
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Speaker 1: three to five, we see how remorse consumed Judas when
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Speaker 1: he realized the consequences of his actions. Witnessing Jesus condemned
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Speaker 1: to death, he was overwhelmed with regret. In desperation, he
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Speaker 1: ran to the chief, priests and elders, trying to return
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Speaker 1: the thirty pieces of silver. I have sinned by betraying
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Speaker 1: innocent blood, he declared, his voice choked with remorse. But they,
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Speaker 1: indifferent to his suffering, coldly replied, what is that to us?
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Speaker 1: See to it yourself. In Acts one eighteen nineteen, Luke
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Speaker 1: reveals the tragic conclusion of this story. Judas, utterly devastated
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Speaker 1: by the guilt that consumed him, threw the silver coins
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Speaker 1: into the temple and went away in a field that
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Speaker 1: would later be known as Aceldama, the field of blood.
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Speaker 1: He took his own life by hanging himself. The passage
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Speaker 1: tells us that his body fell, burst open, and all
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Speaker 1: his intestines spilled out. The place became known to all
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Speaker 1: the inhabitants of Jerusalem, a silent testament to the tragedy
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Speaker 1: of the traitor, as written in Psalms sixty nine twenty
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Speaker 1: five and one O nine eight prophecies that Peter would
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Speaker 1: later cite in Acts one twenty it was foretold, let
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Speaker 1: his dwelling place be desolate, and let there be no
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Speaker 1: one to live in it and let another take his office.
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Speaker 1: Thus ended the life of the first apostle to die,
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Speaker 1: while Jesus's earthly ministry continued. In a conclusion as tragic
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Speaker 1: as the betrayal he committed. The second apostle to meet
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Speaker 1: his end was James the Greater. As recorded in Acts
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Speaker 1: twelve one two, the persecution of the early Church intensified
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Speaker 1: when King Herod laid hands on some from the church
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Speaker 1: to harm them, and he killed James, the brother of John,
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Speaker 1: with the sword. This mark but the beginning of a
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Speaker 1: new era of persecution for the followers of Jesus, establishing
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Speaker 1: James as the first to be martyred for his faith. James,
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Speaker 1: the son of Zebadee and brother of John, was known
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Speaker 1: for his fiery temperament. In Mark three seventeen, Jesus nicknamed him,
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Speaker 1: along with his brother Boa Nerges, which means sons of thunder.
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Speaker 1: This passionate nature became evident in moments such as when
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Speaker 1: in Luke nine fifty four he and John asked Jesus
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Speaker 1: if they should call down fire from heaven upon a
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Speaker 1: Samaritan village that had rejected them. Jesus's response was one
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Speaker 1: of rebuke, demonstrating that zeal without wisdom did not please
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Speaker 1: the Master. In Matthew twenty twenty twenty three, we see
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Speaker 1: a pivotal moment in James's life. His mother approached Jesus
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Speaker 1: with an ambitious request that her sons sit one at
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Speaker 1: Jesus's right hand and the other at his left in
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Speaker 1: his kingdom. Jesus replied with a prophetic question, are you
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Speaker 1: able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?
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Speaker 1: James confidently answered, we are able. Jesus then prophesied, you
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Speaker 1: will indeed drink from my cup, foreshadowing the martyrdom that
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Speaker 1: awaited James. This passage reveals both James's initial ambition and
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Speaker 1: his willingness to face suffering for Christ. The Book of
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Speaker 1: Acts shows that James faithfully served the church in Jerusalem
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Speaker 1: in the years following Jesus's ascension. In Acts one thirteen
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Speaker 1: to fourteen, he is mentioned among those who were continually
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Speaker 1: devoting themselves to prayer and supplication in the Upper Room.
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Speaker 1: His presence was significant on the day of Pentecost, when
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Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, as reported in
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Speaker 1: Acts too. During these years, James became a prominent figure
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Speaker 1: in the Early Church, making him a valuable target for
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Speaker 1: Herod's persecution. In Acts twelve and one to two, Luke
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Speaker 1: tells us that around forty four a D king, Herod
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Speaker 1: Agrippa the I, the grandson of Herod the Great, initiated
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Speaker 1: a violent persecution against the Church. Seeking to please the
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Speaker 1: Jewish leaders and strengthen his political position, he chose James
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Speaker 1: as his first target among the apostles. The execution was
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Speaker 1: swift and brutal beheading by the sword, a death considered
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Speaker 1: more honorable by Roman standards reserved for higher state as citizens.
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Speaker 1: The Biblical text is brief in describing his death, but
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Speaker 1: this does not diminish the impact it had on the
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Speaker 1: Early Church. Tradition from the Early Church preserved by Clement
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Speaker 1: of Alexandria tells us that James's courage in the face
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Speaker 1: of death was so impressive that even his accuser converted.
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Speaker 1: Witnessing the apostle's unwavering faith, the man confessed himself a
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Speaker 1: Christian and was executed alongside him. Just as Jesus had predicted,
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Speaker 1: James truly drank from the cup of martyrdom, following in
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Speaker 1: his master's footsteps to the very end. James's death marks
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Speaker 1: a turning point in the history of the early Church.
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Speaker 1: As reported in Acts twelve three, his execution pleased the Jews,
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Speaker 1: prompting Herod to also imprison Peter, who narrowly escaped death
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Speaker 1: through divine intervention. The martyrdom of the first apostle paved
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Speaker 1: the way for a wave of persecutions that would spread
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Speaker 1: throughout the Roman Empire, but it also served as a
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Speaker 1: testament to the unshakable strength of Christian faith in the
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Speaker 1: face of death. In Matthew twenty four nine, Jesus had
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Speaker 1: warned his followers, then they will deliver you up to
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Speaker 1: tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by
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Speaker 1: all nations for my name's sake. James was the first
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Speaker 1: of the apostles to fulfill this prophecy with his blood,
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Speaker 1: establishing a standard of faithfulness unto death that would be
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Speaker 1: followed by many others. The third apostle to face martyrdom
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Speaker 1: was Peter, the natural leader of the group of twelve.
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Speaker 1: In John twenty one eighteen nineteen, Jesus had prophesied about
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Speaker 1: his death. When you were younger, you girded yourself and
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Speaker 1: walked where you wished. But when you are old you
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Speaker 1: will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you
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Speaker 1: and carry you where you do not wish. He said this,
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Speaker 1: signifying by what death he would glorify God. Peter's leadership
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Speaker 1: after jesus ascension is evident throughout the book of Acts.
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Speaker 1: In Acts two fourteen to forty one, we see his
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Speaker 1: powerful sermon on the day of Pentecost, when three thousand
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Speaker 1: people were converted. In Acts three one to ten, he
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Speaker 1: heals a lame man at the temple, demonstrating that the
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Speaker 1: power that operated in Jesus was now working through the apostles.
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Speaker 1: As recorded in Acts five point fifteen, even his shadow
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Speaker 1: was believed to be capable of healing the sick in
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Speaker 1: Acts twelve three to nineteen. Pete had already experienced persecution
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Speaker 1: when he was imprisoned by Herod shortly after James's death.
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Speaker 1: At that time, an angel miraculously freed him from prison. However,
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Speaker 1: the prophecy of Jesus regarding his end was yet to
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Speaker 1: be fulfilled. During the reign of Emperor Nero around sixty
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Speaker 1: four to sixty seven, a d intense persecution fell upon
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Speaker 1: Christians in Rome, as noted in First Peter five one
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Speaker 1: to three Peter was in Rome, serving as a presbyter
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Speaker 1: and witness of the sufferings of Christ. His letters One
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Speaker 1: and Second Peter reveal a mature leader who had grown
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Speaker 1: significantly since the days he denied Jesus three times. In
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Speaker 1: Second Peter one fourteen, he himself writes, knowing that shortly
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Speaker 1: I must put off this my tent, just as our
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Speaker 1: Lord Jesus Christ showed me. The tradition of the early Church,
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Speaker 1: recorded by Eusebius and other ancient historians, tells us that
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Speaker 1: Peter was imprisoned during near Ro's persecution. When Christians encouraged
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Speaker 1: him to flee from Rome. He encountered Jesus on the
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Speaker 1: Appian way. Quo vadis dominee, where are you going, Lord
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Speaker 1: Peter asked. Jesus replied that he was going to Rome
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Speaker 1: to be crucified again. Peter understood the message and returned
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Speaker 1: to face his martyrdom. Upon being condemned to crucifixion, Peter
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Speaker 1: made one last request. Not considering himself worthy to die
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Speaker 1: in the same manner as his master, he asked to
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Speaker 1: be crucified upside down. This final act of humility and
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Speaker 1: devotion demonstrates how the impetuous fisherman from Galilee had transformed
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Speaker 1: into a true servant of Christ. Peter's death in Rome,
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Speaker 1: the center of the Empire, had a profound impact on
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Speaker 1: the early Church. As reported by Clement of Rome in
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Speaker 1: his letter to the Corinthians written around ninety six a d.
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Speaker 1: Peter suffered not one or two, but numerous labors, and
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Speaker 1: having thus borne witness, he departed to the place of
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Speaker 1: glory that was due to him. His execution further strengthened
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Speaker 1: the faith of the Roman Christians, who viewed his martyrdom
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Speaker 1: as an example of faithfulness until the end. Peter's death
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Speaker 1: marked the end of an apostolic era in Rome, but
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Speaker 1: also the beginning of a lasting legacy. In tewod Peter
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Speaker 1: one fifteen, he had written, moreover, I will be careful
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Speaker 1: to ensure that you always have a reminder of these
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Speaker 1: things after my decease. His martyrdom, along with his letters
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Speaker 1: and his example of leadership, continued to inspire Christians for generations.
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Speaker 1: The fourth apostle to face martyrdom was Andrew, the brother
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Speaker 1: of Peter. In John one forty forty two, we are
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Speaker 1: introduced to him as the first disciple to follow Jesus.
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Speaker 1: While still being a follower of John the Baptist. One
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Speaker 1: of the two who heard John speak and followed him
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Speaker 1: was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother, Simon,
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Speaker 1: and said to him, we have found the Messiah, which
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Speaker 1: has translated the Christ. Andrew had a special gift for
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Speaker 1: introducing people to Jesus. In John six eight to nine,
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Speaker 1: he was the one who found the boy with five
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Speaker 1: loaves and two fish, which Jesus multiplied to feed the multitude.
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Speaker 1: One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,
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Speaker 1: there is a lad here who has five barley loaves
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Speaker 1: and two small fish. In John twelve twenty twenty two,
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Speaker 1: when some Greeks wanted to see Jesus, they first approached Andrew.
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Speaker 1: Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up
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Speaker 1: to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip,
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Speaker 1: who was from Bethsada of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir,
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Speaker 1: we wish to see Jesus. Philip came and told Andrew,
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Speaker 1: and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. After the
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Speaker 1: ascension of Jesus and Pentecost, Andrew dedicated himself to evangelizing
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Speaker 1: in distant regions. In Acts one thirteen, he is mentioned
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Speaker 1: among the apostles who continued with one accord in prayer
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Speaker 1: and supplication. The tradition of the Early Church tells us
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Speaker 1: that he brought the Gospel to regions of present day
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Speaker 1: Greece and areas around the Black Sea, establishing churches and
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Speaker 1: strengthening believers. His ministry led him to Patras in Akia,
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Speaker 1: a region of ancient Greece. There his preaching began to
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Speaker 1: attract crowds and many converted, including the wife of the
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Speaker 1: Roman governor Egeus. This provoked the ire of local authorities,
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Speaker 1: who viewed Christianity as a threat to the established order
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Speaker 1: and the worship of Roman gods. Governor Eegius, furious at
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Speaker 1: Andrew's influence over the people, especially over his wife, ordered
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Speaker 1: his imprisonment. During his trial, Andrew stood firm in his faith,
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Speaker 1: refusing to offer sacrifices to the Roman gods. His response
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Speaker 1: to the governor, preserved by tradition, was clear, I offer
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Speaker 1: every day to the Almighty God, the only true God,
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Speaker 1: not the flesh of bulls or the blood of goats,
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Speaker 1: but the immaculate Lamb of God. The sentence was crucifixion,
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Speaker 1: but with an added cruelty. Andrew would be tied, not nailed,
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Speaker 1: to a cross shaped like an ex so that his
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Speaker 1: death would be slower and more painful. This cross would
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Speaker 1: later be known as the Cross of Saint Andrew. For
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Speaker 1: two days, while hanging on the cross, Andrew continued to
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Speaker 1: preach to the crowds that gathered to see him, encouraging
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Speaker 1: Christians to remain steadfast in their faith. Tradition tells us
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Speaker 1: that upon seeing his cross, Andrew greeted it with the
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Speaker 1: following words, hail o cross, which has been consecrated by
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Speaker 1: the body of Christ and adorned with his members like
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Speaker 1: precious pearls. Before the Lord was lifted upon you. You
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Speaker 1: inspired earthly terror, but now invested with heavenly love. You
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Speaker 1: are received as a gift. The believers know how much
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Speaker 1: joy you possess and how many gifts you have prepared.
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Speaker 1: Confident and joyful, I come to you to receive me,
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Speaker 1: exultant as a disciple of him who was hung upon you.
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Speaker 1: Even after his death, the impact of Andrew's ministry continued.
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Speaker 1: His relics were later transferred to Constantinople and then to
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Speaker 1: the Cathedral of Amalfi in Italy. He became the patron
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Speaker 1: saint of Scotland, Russia, and Greece, demonstrating how his legacy
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Speaker 1: of faith transcended borders and generations, faithfully fulfilling his mission
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Speaker 1: of bringing people to Christ until his last breath. The
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Speaker 1: fifth apostle to find his destiny was Philip. In John
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Speaker 1: one forty three forty four we see his direct calling
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Speaker 1: by Jesus. The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.
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Speaker 1: He found Philip and said to him follow me. Now.
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Speaker 1: Philip was from Bethsada, the city of Andrew and Peter.
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Speaker 1: This encounter would mark the beginning of a faith journey
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Speaker 1: that would lead him to his martyrdom in Hierapolis. Philip
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Speaker 1: stood out for his practical and analytical nature. In John
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Speaker 1: six five seven, when Jesus tested his faith in front
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Speaker 1: of the hungry crowd, he responded with a precise calculation,
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Speaker 1: two hundred dinari I would not buy enough bread for
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Speaker 1: each of them to get a little. This same quality
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Speaker 1: was evident in John fourteen eight when he asked Jesus, Lord,
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Speaker 1: show us the Father, and it is enough for us.
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Speaker 1: His quest for concrete evidence led Jesus to give him
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Speaker 1: one of the deepest revelations. Whoever has seen me has
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Speaker 1: seen the Father. In Acts eight five to six eight
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Speaker 1: we find another Philip, the evangelist, often confused with the
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Speaker 1: apostle preaching in Samaria. However, the apostle Philip, according to
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Speaker 1: records from the early Church, traveled to the region of
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Speaker 1: Phrygia in present day Turkey. In Hiraplis, a city known
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Speaker 1: for its hot springs and strong worship of pagan deities,
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Speaker 1: Philip established a vibrant Christian community. His preaching in Hierapolis
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Speaker 1: was marked by notable signs and conversions. According to the
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Speaker 1: tradition preserved by Polycrates of Ephesus, Philip ministered alongside his
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Speaker 1: two daughters, who were prophetesses, as mentioned in Acts twenty
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Speaker 1: one nine. Although this passage refers to the daughters of Philip,
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Speaker 1: the evangelist tradition also associates these characteristics with the daughters
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Speaker 1: of the Apostle. The success of his ministry in Hierapolis
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Speaker 1: eventually attracted hostility from the worshippers of the Serpent, a
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Speaker 1: symbol associated with the god Asclepius, who was highly venerated
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Speaker 1: in the area. The pagan priests, seeing their power and
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Speaker 1: influence wane with the conversions to Christianity, incited a revolt
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Speaker 1: against Philip. The persecution culminated in his arrest by order
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Speaker 1: of local magistrates. Like other apostles before him, Philip was
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Speaker 1: subjected to torture in an attempt to renounce his faith
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Speaker 1: in Christ. However, he remained steadfast in his testimony, refusing
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Speaker 1: to offer sacrifices to the pagan gods. The final sentence
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Speaker 1: was a cruel combination of execution methods. Philip was first crucified,
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Speaker 1: but to increase his suffering, he was also stoned while
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Speaker 1: on the cross. Even in the face of a violent death,
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Speaker 1: he followed the example of his master and, according to tradition,
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Speaker 1: prayed for his persecutors. Local tradition claims that the sight
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Speaker 1: of his crucifixion, known as the martyrium, became an important
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Speaker 1: sense of pilgrimage in the early centuries of the church.
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Speaker 1: Archaeological excavations in Hierapolis revealed an octagonal church built in
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Speaker 1: the fifth century a d supposedly over the site of
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Speaker 1: his martyrdom, demonstrating the profound impact his testimony left in
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Speaker 1: the region. Philip's martyrdom in Hierapolis served as a powerful
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Speaker 1: testament for the church in Asia Minor. His death inspired
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Speaker 1: many to remain steadfast in their faith even in the
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Speaker 1: face of persecution. The city of Hierapolis now Pamuclay in Turkey,
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Speaker 1: still holds ruins that bear witness to the strength of
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Speaker 1: early Christian faith and the sacrifice of those like Philip
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Speaker 1: who gave their lives for the truth of the Gospel.
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Speaker 1: The sixth apostle to face martyrdom was Bartholomew, also known
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Speaker 1: as Nathaniel. In John one forty five to forty seven
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Speaker 1: we find his first encounter with Jesus when Philip called him, saying,
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Speaker 1: we have found him of whom Moses in the Law
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Speaker 1: and the Prophets wrote Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
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Speaker 1: Nathaniel's initial response was skeptical, can anything good come out
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Speaker 1: of Nazareth? However, upon meeting Jesus personally, his life changed forever.
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Speaker 1: Jesus immediately recognized Bartholomew's character, declaring in John one forty seven,
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Speaker 1: behold an Israelite, indeed in whom is no deceit. This
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Speaker 1: statement revealed the integrity and sincerity that would characterize his
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Speaker 1: later ministry. Impressed by Jesus's supernatural knowledge of his life,
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Speaker 1: Bartholomew made one of the most beautiful confessions of faith
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Speaker 1: recorded in the Gospel, Rabbi, you are the Son of God.
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Speaker 1: You are the King of Israel. In Acts one thirteen,
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Speaker 1: Bartholomew is mentioned among the apostles who persevered in prayer
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Speaker 1: after Jesus's ascension. Tradition in the Early Church tells us
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Speaker 1: that he took the Gospel to distant regions, including India,
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Speaker 1: where he reportedly left a copy of the Gospel of
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Speaker 1: Matthew in Hebrew. Eusebius, the Church historian, records that Panteno,
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Speaker 1: a second century theologian, found this gospel during his travels
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Speaker 1: in India. His ministry eventually led him to the region
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Speaker 1: of Armenia, where his preaching and miracles began to shake
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Speaker 1: the local religious structures. In particular, his influence threatened the
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Speaker 1: power of the priests of the Temple of Astarte, a
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Speaker 1: pagan deity widely worshiped in the area. According to tradition,
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Speaker 1: Bartholomew not only preached the Gospel, but also exposed the
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Speaker 1: deceptions of idols, leading many to conversion. The success of
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Speaker 1: his mission in Armenia caught the attention of King Polymius,
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Speaker 1: whose brother governed a neighboring region. When the king's daughter
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Speaker 1: was delivered from demonic possession through Bartholomew's ministry, the king
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Speaker 1: himself converted to Christianity. However, this conversion enraged the pagan
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Speaker 1: priests and the king's brother, Astiages, who viewed Christianity as
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Speaker 1: a threat to his power. Astyages ordered Bartholomew's arrest, and,
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Speaker 1: in an attempt to force him to renounce his faith,
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Speaker 1: subjected him to one of the most brutal forms of
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Speaker 1: martyrdom recorded in the history of the early Church. First,
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Speaker 1: he was flayed alive, a particularly brutal method of torture
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Speaker 1: where the skin is removed while the victim is still conscious.
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Speaker 1: Even during this indescribable torment, Bartholomew continued to preach the
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Speaker 1: Gospel to his torturers. Tradition preserved by various Church historians
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Speaker 1: tells us that after being flayed, Bartholomew was also beheaded.
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Speaker 1: His body was collected by local Christians and buried with reverence. Subsequently,
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Speaker 1: his relics were moved to different locations, including the island
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Speaker 1: of Lipari, in Italy and eventually to Rome, where a
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Speaker 1: church now stands in his memory. The martyrdom of Bartholomew
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Speaker 1: powerfully exemplifies how someone who initially doubted that anything good
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Speaker 1: could come from Nazareth transformed into an unwavering testimony of
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Speaker 1: the truth of the Gospel. His brutal death not only
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Speaker 1: strengthened the faith of Christians in Armenia, but also served
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Speaker 1: as an inspiration for future generations of believers, showing that
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Speaker 1: true faith remained steadfast even in the face of the
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Speaker 1: worst suffering. The Church in Armenia, which regards Bartholomew as
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Speaker 1: one of its founders, became the first nation in the
23:39
Speaker 1: world to officially adopt Christianity in the early fourth century. Thus,
23:46
Speaker 1: the martyr's blood truly became the seed of the Gospel,
23:50
Speaker 1: fulfilling Jesus's prophecy. In John twelve twenty four, Unless a
23:54
Speaker 1: grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it
23:58
Speaker 1: remains alone, but if it eyes, it produces much grain.
24:03
Speaker 1: The seventh apostle to face martyrdom was Thomas, initially known
24:07
Speaker 1: for his doubt, but who became one of the most
24:09
Speaker 1: courageous missionaries of the early Church. In John twenty twenty
24:14
Speaker 1: four twenty nine, we find the famous episode that earned
24:18
Speaker 1: him the nickname Doubting Thomas, when he declared, unless I
24:23
Speaker 1: see in his hands the mark of the nails, and
24:25
Speaker 1: place my finger in the mark of the nails, and
24:27
Speaker 1: place my hand in his side, I will never believe. However,
24:32
Speaker 1: the same Thomas who doubted was also the one who
24:35
Speaker 1: made one of the most profound confessions of faith recorded
24:39
Speaker 1: in the New Testament. Upon seeing the resurrected Jesus, he
24:44
Speaker 1: exclaimed in John twenty twenty eight, my Lord and my God.
24:49
Speaker 1: Jesus then responded with words that would resonate through the ages.
24:53
Speaker 1: Because you have seen me, Thomas, you have believed. Blessed
24:57
Speaker 1: are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
25:01
Speaker 1: Even before this episode, Thomas had already shown his willingness
25:05
Speaker 1: to die for Jesus. In John eleven sixteen, when Jesus
25:10
Speaker 1: decided to return to Judea, where there were threats against
25:13
Speaker 1: his life, it was Thomas who said to the other disciples,
25:17
Speaker 1: let us also go, that we may die with him.
25:21
Speaker 1: This courage, initially mixed with pessimism, would transform into an
25:25
Speaker 1: unwavering faith that took him to the ends of the
25:29
Speaker 1: known world. In Acts one thirteen, Thomas is mentioned among
25:34
Speaker 1: the apostles waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit
25:38
Speaker 1: after Pentecost. According to the tradition preserved by the early
25:42
Speaker 1: Church and ancient documents like the Acts of Thomas, he
25:46
Speaker 1: departed for distant regions, bringing the Gospel to India. His
25:51
Speaker 1: journey took him through Parthia and eventually to Krangnare on
25:55
Speaker 1: the Malabar coast in fifty two a d in India,
25:58
Speaker 1: Thomas established seven churches in Kerala and converted high status
26:03
Speaker 1: Brahmin families along with many others. His ministry was marked
26:07
Speaker 1: by miracles and confrontations with the local caste system. Indian
26:12
Speaker 1: tradition holds that he reached Madras now Chennai, where he
26:16
Speaker 1: converted the local king and many of his subjects. However,
26:20
Speaker 1: his success in converting people from all castes, including royals,
26:24
Speaker 1: incited the wrath of the Brahmin priests in Mylapore, near Madras,
26:29
Speaker 1: Thomas faced fierce opposition as he began converting followers of
26:33
Speaker 1: the goddess Kali. The priests saw him as a threat
26:37
Speaker 1: not only to their religion but to the entire social
26:40
Speaker 1: structure based on the caste system. The climax came when
26:44
Speaker 1: he converted the wife of a prominent local king. Enraged,
26:49
Speaker 1: the king ordered that Thomas be taken to a nearby
26:51
Speaker 1: hill now known as Saint Thomas Mount. There, according to
26:55
Speaker 1: records preserved by the Syrian Malabar Church tradition, he was
26:59
Speaker 1: attacked by sex several soldiers armed with spears. Before his death,
27:04
Speaker 1: it is said that Thomas managed to offer a final prayer,
27:08
Speaker 1: embracing a cross like the one he had carved into
27:11
Speaker 1: the rock. His last words were of forgiveness for his murderers,
27:15
Speaker 1: following the example of his master. His body was collected
27:19
Speaker 1: by his disciples and buried at the site now occupied
27:23
Speaker 1: by the Basilica of Saint Thomas in Millapaw Chennai. Thomas's
27:27
Speaker 1: legacy in India is extraordinary. The Christian communities he established,
27:33
Speaker 1: known as Saint Thomas Christians still thrive to day, maintaining
27:37
Speaker 1: traditions that date back to the first century. His tomb
27:41
Speaker 1: in Millapare has become an important pilgrimage center, visited by
27:45
Speaker 1: both Christians and non Christians alike. The eighth apostle to
27:50
Speaker 1: give his life for the faith was Matthew, the former
27:53
Speaker 1: tax collector who became the author of the First Gospel.
27:57
Speaker 1: In Matthew nine nine we find calling. As Jesus went
28:02
Speaker 1: on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting
28:06
Speaker 1: at the tax collector's booth. Follow me, he told him,
28:10
Speaker 1: and Matthew got up and followed him. This moment marked
28:13
Speaker 1: the dramatic transformation of a man despised by society into
28:18
Speaker 1: one of the principal chroniclers of jesus life. Before his calling,
28:23
Speaker 1: Matthew was known as Levi, the son of Alphaeus, as
28:26
Speaker 1: recorded in Mark two fourteen. As a tax collector for
28:30
Speaker 1: the Roman Empire, he was considered a traitor by his
28:33
Speaker 1: own people. However, his immediate response to jesus call demonstrated
28:39
Speaker 1: an extraordinary willingness to abandon his comfortable and secure life
28:43
Speaker 1: for an uncertain journey of faith. In Matthew nine ten
28:47
Speaker 1: thirteen we see how he celebrated his new life in
28:51
Speaker 1: Christ by hosting a great banquet in his home, where
28:55
Speaker 1: Jesus dined with many tax collectors and sinners. When the
28:59
Speaker 1: pharaoh Dises criticized this behavior, Jesus responded, it is not
29:04
Speaker 1: the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick, For
29:08
Speaker 1: I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.
29:12
Speaker 1: This personal experience of transformation and grace would be fundamental
29:16
Speaker 1: to how Matthew later portrayed Jesus in his Gospel. After
29:20
Speaker 1: Jesus's ascension and Pentecost, Matthew initially stayed in Jerusalem. In
29:26
Speaker 1: Acts one thirteen, he is mentioned among the apostles who
29:29
Speaker 1: all joined together constantly in prayer. During this time, he
29:33
Speaker 1: compiled the sayings and deeds of Jesus in Aramaic, creating
29:38
Speaker 1: one of the earliest written sources about the life of
29:40
Speaker 1: the Messiah, which would later be expanded into the Gospel
29:44
Speaker 1: we know today. Tradition from the early Church, preserved by
29:48
Speaker 1: Eusebius and other ancient historians, tells us that Matthew preached
29:53
Speaker 1: for fifteen years in Jerusalem and among the Jewish communities
29:57
Speaker 1: of Judea. His Gospel, originally written in Aramaic and later
30:03
Speaker 1: translated into Greek, was primarily directed at the Jews, presenting
30:07
Speaker 1: Jesus as the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies of the
30:11
Speaker 1: Old Testament. After his initial ministry among the Jews, Matthew
30:17
Speaker 1: felt called to spread the Gospel to distant lands. His
30:20
Speaker 1: missionary journeys took him through Persia, Syria, and Macedonia, eventually
30:26
Speaker 1: reaching Ethiopia. There he encountered an ancient civilization with strong
30:31
Speaker 1: ties to Judaism, dating back to the visit of the
30:34
Speaker 1: Queen of Sheba to Solomon. In Ethiopia, Matthew faced not
30:40
Speaker 1: only the challenge of preaching in a different culture, but
30:43
Speaker 1: also strong opposition from local priests. His ministry was marked
30:48
Speaker 1: by remarkable miracles and conversions, including members of the Ethiopian
30:53
Speaker 1: royal family. However, it was precisely his success in converting
30:58
Speaker 1: influential people that ultimately sealed his fate. King Herticus of
31:04
Speaker 1: Ethiopia initially welcomed Matthew with respect, impressed by his teachings
31:09
Speaker 1: and the miracles he performed. However, when Matthew condemned the
31:14
Speaker 1: king's marriage to Iphigenia, the young niece of the previous king,
31:18
Speaker 1: who had consecrated herself to Christ as a virgin, the
31:21
Speaker 1: situation changed dramatically. Furious at Matthew's interference in his marriage plans,
31:28
Speaker 1: Hertacus ordered his execution. According to the tradition preserved by
31:33
Speaker 1: Clement of Alexandria, Matthew was killed by the sword while
31:37
Speaker 1: in prayer becoming a martyr for the sanctity of Christian
31:40
Speaker 1: marriage and chastity. The ninth apostle to face martyrdom was
31:44
Speaker 1: James the Less also known as James the Just. In
31:48
Speaker 1: Matthew thirteen fifty five, he is mentioned among the brothers
31:52
Speaker 1: of Jesus. Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's
31:56
Speaker 1: name Mary? And aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas.
32:01
Speaker 1: This familial proximity to Jesus, whether as a cousin or
32:06
Speaker 1: a half brother, gave James a unique perspective on the
32:09
Speaker 1: ministry of the Messiah. In verse Corinthians fifteen seven, Paul
32:14
Speaker 1: notes that the risen Christ appeared to James, then to
32:19
Speaker 1: all the apostles. This personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus
32:24
Speaker 1: transformed James from an initial skeptic into a pillar of
32:28
Speaker 1: the early Church. In Galatians two nine, Paul recognizes him
32:33
Speaker 1: as one of the pillars of the church, alongside Peter
32:36
Speaker 1: and John. James, Cephus, and John. Those esteemed as pillars
32:42
Speaker 1: gave Me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when
32:45
Speaker 1: they recognized the grace given to me. James became the
32:49
Speaker 1: leader of the Church in Jerusalem, as evidenced in Acts
32:52
Speaker 1: fifteen thirteen to twenty one, where he presides over the
32:55
Speaker 1: Jerusalem Council and delivers the final judgment on the matter
32:59
Speaker 1: of converted Gentiles. His wisdom and ability to mediate conflicts
33:05
Speaker 1: were crucial in maintaining unity between Jews and Gentiles in
33:09
Speaker 1: the early Church. The Epistle of James reveals his character
33:13
Speaker 1: and emphasis on practical faith. In James one twenty two,
33:17
Speaker 1: he writes, do not merely listen to the word and
33:20
Speaker 1: so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. His austere lifestyle
33:25
Speaker 1: and dedication to prayer earned him great respect not only
33:29
Speaker 1: among Christians, but also among many non Christian Jews. The
33:33
Speaker 1: Jewish historian Josephus provides valuable details about his martyrdom, which
33:39
Speaker 1: occurred in sixty two a d During a power vacuum
33:43
Speaker 1: between two Roman governors. The high priest Anonius saw an
33:47
Speaker 1: opportunity to attack the Christian leadership. James was taken to
33:51
Speaker 1: the pinnacle of the Temple, where religious leaders demanded that
33:55
Speaker 1: he publicly deny the divinity of Jesus. Instead of renouncing
34:01
Speaker 1: his faith, James boldly proclaimed, why do you ask me
34:05
Speaker 1: about Jesus, the Son of Man? He is seated in
34:09
Speaker 1: heaven at the right hand of the Almighty, and will
34:12
Speaker 1: come on the clouds of heaven. According to Hegesippus, a
34:17
Speaker 1: second century historian quoted by Eusebius, this declaration enraged the
34:22
Speaker 1: religious leaders, who pushed him from the top of the temple.
34:26
Speaker 1: The fall did not kill him immediately, and he managed
34:29
Speaker 1: to kneel and pray, Father, forgive them, for they do
34:33
Speaker 1: not know what they are doing. This prayer, echoing jesus
34:38
Speaker 1: words on the Cross, demonstrates the profound transformation that had
34:42
Speaker 1: occurred in his life. As he prayed, his persecutors began
34:46
Speaker 1: to stone him. A priest from the Recabite order tried
34:50
Speaker 1: to intervene, shouting stop, what are you doing? The just
34:54
Speaker 1: man is praying for you. But one of the attackers,
34:57
Speaker 1: a stonecutter, struck James his head with a tool he
35:01
Speaker 1: used for beating clothes, resulting in his death. James executions
35:06
Speaker 1: sparked outrage even among many non Christian Jews, who respected
35:11
Speaker 1: his piety and integrity. Josephus suggests that the destruction of
35:16
Speaker 1: Jerusalem in seventy a d. Was seen by many as
35:20
Speaker 1: divine judgment for the unjust death of James the Just.
35:25
Speaker 1: His martyrdom marked a turning point for the Church in Jerusalem.
35:30
Speaker 1: As the last Apostolic leader with influence among both Jews
35:34
Speaker 1: and Christians, his death symbolized the growing separation between the
35:38
Speaker 1: two communities. Following his prophetic warning, the Jerusalem Church would
35:43
Speaker 1: soon flee to Pella before the Roman siege, preserving the
35:47
Speaker 1: legacy of faith and wisdom that James had established. The
35:51
Speaker 1: tenth Apostle to meet his end was Simon, known as
35:54
Speaker 1: the Zealot. In Luke six point fifteen and Acts one thirteen,
35:59
Speaker 1: he is identified leaders Simon called the Zealot, a title
36:03
Speaker 1: that hints at his past as a member of the Zealots,
36:07
Speaker 1: a radical group of Jews who actively resisted Roman occupation.
36:12
Speaker 1: This aspect of his background makes his transformation through the
36:16
Speaker 1: Gospel even more remarkable. The term Zealot in his name
36:20
Speaker 1: was not merely an indicator of personality, but a specific
36:24
Speaker 1: political and religious identification. The Zealots were known for their
36:30
Speaker 1: fervent zeal for the Jewish law and for national independence,
36:35
Speaker 1: often resorting to violence against the Romans and their collaborators
36:39
Speaker 1: in Matthew ten four. He is listed among the twelve
36:43
Speaker 1: chosen by Jesus, demonstrating how the Kingdom of God transcends
36:48
Speaker 1: political and ideological divisions. Simon's transformation is particularly significant when
36:54
Speaker 1: we consider that among the twelve was also Matthew, a
36:58
Speaker 1: tax collector, who were for the Romans, the very type
37:02
Speaker 1: of person the Zealots despised most. In Acts one to
37:07
Speaker 1: thirteen to fourteen, we see Simon alongside the other apostles
37:12
Speaker 1: devoting themselves with one accord to prayer, showing how the
37:16
Speaker 1: Gospel had overcome old animosities. After Pentecost, Simon channeled the
37:21
Speaker 1: same passion he once dedicated to his nationalist cause into
37:25
Speaker 1: the proclamation of the Gospel. Tradition from the early Church,
37:30
Speaker 1: preserved by various ancient historians tells Us he traveled extensively,
37:35
Speaker 1: preaching first in Egypt and then in Persia, always accompanied
37:39
Speaker 1: by Judas Thadeus. During their missionary journeys, Simon faced various challenges.
37:45
Speaker 1: In Persia, he and Judas Thadius encountered magicians and priests
37:50
Speaker 1: of Zoroastrianism, the dominant religion of the region. The two
37:55
Speaker 1: apostles confronted pagan practices and performed miracles that led many
38:00
Speaker 1: to faith in Christ, including some nobles of the Persian court. However,
38:05
Speaker 1: their success in converting influential individuals, especially among the Persian Maigi,
38:11
Speaker 1: provoked strong opposition the Zoroastrian priests. Seeing their power and influence,
38:17
Speaker 1: Wane incited a revolt against the apostles in Swania, a
38:22
Speaker 1: city in Persia. Simon and Judas were arrested and taken
38:26
Speaker 1: to the Temple of the Sun, where they were pressured
38:29
Speaker 1: to offer sacrifices to the Persian gods. Their refusal to
38:33
Speaker 1: participate in idolatry led to a death sentence. According to
38:38
Speaker 1: tradition preserved by fortune artists of Poitier, Simon was killed
38:42
Speaker 1: in a particularly brutal manner, sorn in half. This method
38:46
Speaker 1: of execution, also mentioned in Hebrews eleven thirty seven when
38:50
Speaker 1: discussing the martyrs of Faith, was an especially cruel form
38:54
Speaker 1: of martyrdom. Even in the face of such a horrific death,
38:58
Speaker 1: it is said that Simon maintained and his unwavering faith.
39:02
Speaker 1: Tradition holds that he continued to preach until his last breath,
39:07
Speaker 1: declaring that he was happy to offer his life for
39:09
Speaker 1: the same Lord who had died for him. His zeal,
39:12
Speaker 1: once directed towards a nationalist cause, found its highest purpose
39:17
Speaker 1: in the supreme sacrifice for Christ. The joint martyrdom of
39:22
Speaker 1: Simon and Judas Thadius in Persia had a profound impact
39:26
Speaker 1: on the early Church in that region. The seeds they
39:29
Speaker 1: planted flourished in the following centuries, with Christianity spreading throughout Persia,
39:35
Speaker 1: ultimately becoming a significant force within the Sasanian Empire. The
39:39
Speaker 1: eleventh apostle to face martyrdom was Judas Thadius, also known
39:44
Speaker 1: as Libius. In Luke six sixteen, he is identified as Judas,
39:49
Speaker 1: brother of James, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. This
39:54
Speaker 1: distinction is so important that in John fourteen twenty two,
39:57
Speaker 1: the evangelist makes it a point to specify Judas not
40:01
Speaker 1: a scariot. Said to him in his only recorded question
40:05
Speaker 1: in the Gospels, Judas Thaddeus reveals his deep concern for
40:10
Speaker 1: the manifestation of God's kingdom. Lord, how is it that
40:14
Speaker 1: you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world.
40:19
Speaker 1: This question led Jesus to one of the most beautiful
40:22
Speaker 1: explanations about love and obedience if anyone loves me, he
40:27
Speaker 1: will keep my word, and my father will love him,
40:30
Speaker 1: and we will come to him and make our home
40:32
Speaker 1: with him. As the author of the Epistle of Jude
40:36
Speaker 1: he left us an important written testimony of his concern
40:40
Speaker 1: for the purity of faith. In Jude one three, he
40:45
Speaker 1: urges believers to contend for the faith that was once
40:49
Speaker 1: for all delivered to the saints. His letter reveals a
40:53
Speaker 1: man deeply committed to the truth of the Gospel and
40:56
Speaker 1: concerned about the infiltration of false teachers in the church.
41:00
Speaker 1: After Pentecost, as recorded in Acts one thirteen, Judas Thadius
41:05
Speaker 1: initially remained with the other apostles in Jerusalem. Early church
41:10
Speaker 1: tradition tells us that he began his missionary ministry in Judea, Samaria, Idumeea,
41:17
Speaker 1: and Syria, before joining Simon the Zealot on their travels
41:21
Speaker 1: to Egypt and Persia. During his ministry in Mesopotamia, Judas
41:26
Speaker 1: Thadius became known for his boldness in confronting idolatry. The
41:30
Speaker 1: tradition preserved by Eusebius recounts that he, along with Simon,
41:35
Speaker 1: faced the Persian magicians who kept the people under demonic
41:39
Speaker 1: influence through enchantments and occult practices. In Suaniir, Persia, Judas
41:46
Speaker 1: Thadius and Simon encountered strong opposition from Zoroastrian priests. The
41:51
Speaker 1: two apostles had managed to convert several members of the
41:54
Speaker 1: Persian nobility, including generals from the king's army, which enraged
41:59
Speaker 1: the local religeous leaders. Tradition tells us that the pagan priests,
42:04
Speaker 1: seeing their power diminish with the conversions to Christianity, incited
42:09
Speaker 1: a rebellion against the apostles. Judas Thadius and Simon were
42:13
Speaker 1: arrested and taken to the Temple of the Sun, where
42:17
Speaker 1: they were pressured to participate in pagan rituals. Upon refusing
42:21
Speaker 1: to worship the idols, Judas Thadius was sentenced to death,
42:26
Speaker 1: while Simon was soared in half. Judas Thadius was executed
42:30
Speaker 1: with axes and clubs, a violent death that demonstrated the
42:34
Speaker 1: fury of his persecutors against the message of the Gospel.
42:39
Speaker 1: Even in his final moments, following the example set in
42:42
Speaker 1: his epistle, Judas Thadius continued to contend for the faith.
42:47
Speaker 1: Tradition recounts that he died praying for his executioners and
42:51
Speaker 1: proclaiming the truth about Jesus Christ, remaining faithful to the
42:55
Speaker 1: call to keep yourselves in the love of God, as
42:59
Speaker 1: he had written in Jude one twenty one. The joint
43:03
Speaker 1: martyrdom of Judas, Thadius and Simon laid an important foundation
43:07
Speaker 1: for the Church in Persia. Their blood, like that of
43:10
Speaker 1: many other martyrs, became the seed for the growth of
43:14
Speaker 1: the church in that region. The later Persian Church would
43:17
Speaker 1: remember them as its apostolic founders, keeping alive the memory
43:22
Speaker 1: of their courage and faithfulness. The twelfth and final Apostle,
43:25
Speaker 1: John was the only one who did not suffer martyrdom.
43:29
Speaker 1: In John twenty one twenty twenty three, he is identified
43:33
Speaker 1: as the disciple whom Jesus loved, a description that reveals
43:37
Speaker 1: the special intimacy he enjoyed with the Master. Jesus entrusted
43:42
Speaker 1: him with the care of his own mother, as recorded
43:44
Speaker 1: in John nineteen twenty six twenty seven. Woman, here is
43:49
Speaker 1: your son, Here is your mother. In Acts three one ten,
43:53
Speaker 1: we see John alongside Peter performing miracles in the temple.
43:57
Speaker 1: They were arrested together as narrated in Acts four one three,
44:01
Speaker 1: and demonstrated extraordinary courage before the Sanhedrin. In Acts eight
44:06
Speaker 1: fourteen to seventeen, John and Peter were sent to Samaria
44:10
Speaker 1: to confirm the missionary work taking place there, showcasing their
44:15
Speaker 1: vital leadership in the early Church. According to Galatians two nine,
44:20
Speaker 1: John was considered one of the pillars of the Church,
44:23
Speaker 1: alongside Peter and James. His initial ministry was centered in Jerusalem,
44:29
Speaker 1: but after the destruction of the Temple in seventy a d.
44:33
Speaker 1: He settled in Ephesus in Asia Minor, where he oversaw
44:36
Speaker 1: several churches in the region. During the persecution under Emperor
44:40
Speaker 1: Domitian around ninety five a d. John was imprisoned and,
44:45
Speaker 1: according to Tertullian, was taken to Rome where he was
44:48
Speaker 1: plunged into boiling oil. Miraculously, he survived this attempt on
44:54
Speaker 1: his life, leading the emperor to exile him to the
44:57
Speaker 1: island of Patmos. In rev Reelation one nine, John describes
45:02
Speaker 1: his situation. I John, your brother and companion in the
45:07
Speaker 1: suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus,
45:11
Speaker 1: was on the island of Patmos because of the Word
45:13
Speaker 1: of God and the testimony of Jesus. It was during
45:17
Speaker 1: this exile that he received and wrote the visions found
45:21
Speaker 1: in the Book of Revelation. In his three epistles, likely
45:25
Speaker 1: written from Ephesus, John emphasizes God's love and the love
45:29
Speaker 1: among believers. In First John four seven to eight, he writes,
45:34
Speaker 1: dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes
45:38
Speaker 1: from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God
45:42
Speaker 1: and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God,
45:46
Speaker 1: because God is Love. After Domitian's death, John was released
45:51
Speaker 1: from exile and returned to Ephesus. Irenaeus and other church
45:55
Speaker 1: fathers tell us that he continued his ministry into very
45:58
Speaker 1: old age. Jerome reports that when John became too weak
46:03
Speaker 1: to preach long sermons, he was carried to church meetings
46:06
Speaker 1: where he would repeatedly say, little children, love one another. Polycarp,
46:13
Speaker 1: a disciple of John, preserved many stories about his ministry
46:16
Speaker 1: in Ephesus. One of these recounts how John once encountered
46:20
Speaker 1: a young man who had become the leader of a
46:23
Speaker 1: band of robbers. Risking his own life, John went after
46:27
Speaker 1: him into the mountains and brought him back to Christ,
46:30
Speaker 1: demonstrating the persistent love he preached. John passed away peacefully
46:35
Speaker 1: in Ephesus around one hundred a d. At about ninety
46:39
Speaker 1: four years of age. He was the last living link
46:42
Speaker 1: to Jesus, having seen the Lord face to face and
46:46
Speaker 1: witnessed the early development of the church. His gospel written
46:50
Speaker 1: last compliments the others with profound reflections on the divinity
46:54
Speaker 1: of Christ. John's final testimony through his writings and his
46:58
Speaker 1: long life, us with a unique perspective. While his fellow
47:03
Speaker 1: apostles glorified Christ through martyrdom, John glorified him through decades
47:09
Speaker 1: of faithful service, teaching, and love. In his gospel, epistles
47:14
Speaker 1: and revelation. He left us a treasure of spiritual truths
47:18
Speaker 1: that continue to nourish the church today. The story of
47:21
Speaker 1: these twelve men teaches us much about courage, faith, and dedication.
47:26
Speaker 1: Each of them faced their destiny in a unique way,
47:30
Speaker 1: but they all shared something in common, the unshakable certainty
47:34
Speaker 1: that Jesus is the Son of God and that it
47:37
Speaker 1: is worth giving one's life for him. Today, as we
47:41
Speaker 1: live in an age of comfort and convenience, we need
47:43
Speaker 1: to ask ourselves what price are we willing to pay
47:47
Speaker 1: for our faith? What does it mean to be a
47:49
Speaker 1: true follower of Christ in today's world. The apostles show
47:53
Speaker 1: us that true Christianity goes far beyond attending church on
47:56
Speaker 1: Sundays or posting verses on social media. It is about
48:01
Speaker 1: total commitment, a transformed life, willing to pay any price
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Speaker 1: for the Kingdom of God. And you are you ready
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Speaker 1: to live a faith like that? A faith that transforms,
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Speaker 1: that impacts, and that does not fear the consequences of
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Speaker 1: following Christ. If this story touched your heart and you
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Speaker 1: want to learn more about the heroes of faith, be
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Speaker 1: sure to subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications.
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Speaker 1: Share this video with your friends and family. Who knows
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Speaker 1: this message might inspire some one to live a deeper
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Speaker 1: and more genuine faith. Click like, leave a comment telling
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Speaker 1: us which apostle impacted you the most, and will see
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Speaker 1: you in the next video.