Gospel News — Mar-May 2012

38

"Nice wine" they said.

"Well, here is the other side of the story. Jesus shared wine with his disciples on the same night as he was betrayed by his close friend Judas." The stranger went on. "Jesus said, `This is my blood that is shed for many'. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."

"Oh I see." Said one of the Romans, Christians don't get eaten by lions just for the fun of it then?"

"No, they would willingly die for Jesus."

"Why?"

"Because he offers them life eternal. He was resurrected and so will they be raised at the last day when he returns to set up God's Kingdom on earth."

The men were amazed and said, "Caesar doesn't look so good now. He's always fighting and putting up taxes. May be the kingdom you mention just might be the one to find."

The old man began to tell them stories from the deep recesses of his mind, how that Jesus was spoken of thousands of year previously by a man called Moses and by Hebrew prophets and everything they said had come to pass. He first came to the attention of the people when he was thirty years old and in just three years had convinced many that he was the Messiah - or in our language, Christ. For three years he performed many wondrous miracles and told many parables

about a coming kingdom. They expected him to overthrow the Romans and reclaim a Jewish Kingdom but this did not happen. They got him on some trumped up charges of blasphemy and sedition and arranged for the Romans to do their dirty work and crucify him.

"We heard that this was the case," the men said. "So what's the big deal here?"

"That might have been the end but this man Jesus rose from the dead." and my father was one who actually saw him and touched his side and his hands where the nails pierced him on the stake"

"Your father actually saw him after he had risen from the dead?"

"He did and that's not all." The old man continued and told how his father was standing at the foot of the Mount of Olives when Jesus ascended into Heaven leaving two angels to explain that the same Jesus they had seen go into Heaven would return the same way as they had seen him go up.

"This belief is what gives Christians the courage to face any trials that the Romans can bring upon them."

They looked at the stranger with great amazement. "Where can we find out more?" The old man told him about a man called Timothy who lived at the end of the road.

"God be with you. "