A Story of God and All of Us

PART TEN

NEW WORLD

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Mary weeps at the empty tomb and then, still sobbing, takes a deep breath and conquers her fears. It's pitch-black, but her eyes soon adjust. She sees the slab where Jesus' body was laid. The linens that were bound tightly around his body now lie in a pile. Mary smells the sweet perfume that was poured onto Jesus' corpse to minimize the smell of decay.

"Why are you crying?" says a man's voice at the tomb's opening. "Who are you looking for?"

Mary can't see who's talking. Terrified, she finds the courage to call out from the darkness: "If you've taken him, tell me where he is."

"Mary."

It is the calm and knowing voice she knows all too well. Mary's heart soars as she realizes who is talking to her. "Jesus!" Her eyes swim with tears of joy and amazement as she steps out into the sunlight.

"Go and tell our brothers I am here."

Mary stares at Jesus in awe. She can see the marks on his hands where the spikes pierced his flesh. A quick glance at his feet reveals the same. There is an aura about Jesus, something far more heavenly than anything she has experienced in all their many days together. It is as if she is looking at two sides of the same being: God and man. Then he is gone. Mary, overcome with joy, sprints back into Jerusalem to tell the disciples the good news.

The disciples have been terrified since Jesus' execution that the religious authorities and Romans are working in unison to end all traces of Jesus'

ministry--and that means snuffing out his disciples as well. They are 310

hiding, fearful of that knock on the door in the dead of night telling them that they've been discovered.

Peter glances out a window. He is a shell of the man he once was, and no one would confuse him for the gruff fisherman Jesus recruited three years



ago. Roman soldiers march up a nearby alley, breastplates and swords glistening in the early morning sun.

There is no knock at the door. Instead, a clearly delusional Mary Magdalene bursts inside, screaming at the top of her lungs, "I've seen him! I've seen him!"

"Close the door," barks John.

Mary slams it shut. "The tomb is open," she gasps. "He's gone."

"He's dead and buried," says a morose Peter. "That's impossible."

"You have to believe me. I saw him!"

"I think you were at the wrong tomb," mutters Thomas. "It must have been someone else."

"You don't think I know what Jesus looks like? Do you think I'm mad?"

"It's been a stressful time, Mary. For all of us."

This infuriates her. She grips Peter's wrist hard and pulls him to the door.

"Come with me. Now."

Peter looks to John. Then at the other disciples. It wouldn't be safe for all of them to venture out, but perhaps maybe just two of them.

Peter nods. Mary leads John and Peter out into the sunshine.

They stare in shock and disbelief at them empty tomb. Peering sheepishly inside from a few feet back, they can't see footprints or any other sign that tomb robbers have been here, but they know that's the obvious answer.

"Thieves," says Peter.

"That's right: tomb robbers," adds John.

Peter steps closer to the opening. A white circle of light suddenly shines inside. Peter moves toward the light and sees the unmistakable

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Jesus. "My Lord," he says in a hushed voice. Peter reaches forth to touch Jesus. And then Jesus disappears.

A stunned Peter steps back out of the tomb. Mary sees the look on his face.

"Now do you believe me?" she asks.

Peter hands John a strip of linen from the tomb. "But he's gone," John says, mystified.

"No, my brother," Peter assures him, that old confidence suddenly returned.

"He is not gone. He's back!" An exuberant Peter takes off and races down the hill. On the way, he purchases a loaf of bread from a vendor.

"What happened?" asks Matthew as the three of them step back inside the hiding place.

"A cup," Peter answers. "I need a cup."

Peter gives a piece of unleavened bread to John, who puts it slowly into his mouth. "His body," Peter reminds him. A cup is found and thrust into John's hand. Peter fills it with wine. "And his blood," Peter says.

Peter, suddenly transformed into the rock of faith Jesus always knew he could be, looks from disciple to disciple. "Believe in him. He's here. In this room. Right now."

John drinks deeply from the cup as Peter continues talking. "Remember what he told us: 'I am the way, the truth--' "

Jesus finishes the sentence: " '--and the life.' "

Peter spins around. Jesus stands in the doorway. The disciples are awestruck as he walks into the room.

"Peace be with you," Jesus, the risen Messiah, tells them.

"No," says Thomas. "This is not possible. There is no way you are Jesus standing here with us. This is all a fantasy, an apparition brought on by our insane mourning for a man we loved so very much."

Jesus walks toward Thomas and takes his hand. "Thomas," Jesus tells him.

"Stop doubting and believe." He places Thomas's fingers into the gaping holes in his hands, and then to the hole in his side. Looking down, Thomas



can clearly see the awful marks atop Jesus' feet where the spikes passed through flesh and bone, then into the wood of the cross.

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Thomas doesn't know how to respond. He has traveled far and wide with Jesus, and he knows Jesus' voice and appearance as well as he knows his own. But what Jesus is asking of him is impossible. Thomas is a man of facts--a man committed to truth that cannot be disputed by emotion or trickery. He is being asked to believe that he is touching Jesus, as alive as the last time they all broke bread together in the upper room. It seems impossible. But it is real. This is Jesus, not some dream or vision. Thomas touches the wounds and hears his teacher's voice. Overwhelmed, Thomas looks into Jesus' eyes. "My Lord and my God," he stammers, tears filling his eyes. "It is you."

Jesus looks at his disciple with compassion. "You believed because you see me. But blessed are those who have not seen me, and yet have

believed."

Faith floods Thomas's entire being as he slowly accepts what it means to believe that anything is possible through God. This is the faith in Jesus that will transform lives. Not seeing and yet still believing.

Jesus soon passes on some sad news to his disciples: He is not here to stay. His work on earth is complete. He has died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all men. Throughout history, a lamb has been slaughtered for the same purpose. Jesus has been the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. He has conquered death.

He appears to his disciples one last time before ascending into heaven.

Peter has been fishing all night and pulled in more than 150 fish. The other disciples had spent the night on shore. As Peter pulled in his nets, Jesus invited them to share breakfast. When they were finished eating the small meal of bread and fish, he spoke to them of the future. He twice asked Peter,

"Do you love me?"

The response came back as a surprised yes every time. And on both occasions, Jesus instructed him to feed his lambs and take care of his sheep. But when Jesus asked a third time, Peter was hurt. Peter also 313

knew he had denied Jesus three times, so these responses were his moment of redemption. "Lord," Peter sighs, "you know all things. You know that I love you."

"Feed my sheep," Jesus tells him a third time. "Follow me!"

Jesus says good-bye to his disciples after forty days back on earth. For three full years he has trained them, equipping them with the skills to lead others to follow in his footsteps and worship God. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you," he tells them. "My body can be in only one place, but my spirit can be with you all wherever you are. Go into the world and preach the gospel unto all creation."

The disciples listen intently, knowing that this is the last time they will see Jesus. He is not saying that the Holy Spirit will come into them right now, so they know they must wait for this great moment. Jesus stands before them and gives them peace. Everything he said would happen has come to pass, and it is clear that the power of God extends much farther than they even dared to believe. They have nothing to fear--even death. It is a proper and fitting way to say good-bye. Peter is anointed as the new leader of the disciples in Jesus' absence.

"Peace be with you," says Jesus.

The words echo in the disciples' ears. This peace pulses through them, infusing them with energy and calm resolve--this is the peace that will fortify them as they do God's work.

He then ascends into heaven.

The disciples feel the loss, as Jesus' physical presence among them is no more. Peter's eyes fill with tears. He tilts his head upward, as if squinting into the sun. Peter blinks away his tears and feels his breath return. He stands and addresses the disciples. He knows that Jesus will always be with them, and with all people. He has accepted Jesus' command that he follow him, no matter what the physical cost. Now it is time to go out into the world and let the people know about the greatness of God.

"Be strong, my brothers," says Peter, his voice sure and brave. "We have work to do."



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This moment Jesus departs the disciples--now also known as "the apostles"--becomes forever known as the Ascension. Ten days after this happening, thousands of pilgrims once again flood into Jerusalem for the feast known as Pentecost. This is a time of thanksgiving, when the Jewish people remember the bounty of the harvest and the provenance of the laws given to Moses.

For Caiaphas, this means a return to normal after the upheaval of Passover.

From the temple steps, he watches with pleasure as daily life revolves around him: pilgrims chatting in the streets, walking with sheaves of wheat, baskets of bread, and bundles of fruit and olives. These are the fruits of the harvest--fruits that will soon be lavished upon his temple. And, by proxy, upon Caiaphas.

"Anything I should know about?" Caiaphas asks his servant Malchus.

Roman soldiers can be seen on the fringes of the crowd, but there is no sign of the rebellion or rioting that marked Passover.

"The crowds are quiet," Malchus tells him. "The Romans are merely keeping watch."

"As it should be," he says, then pauses. "Any sign of Jesus' followers?"

"None. One can only assume they've fled back to Galilee."

"You assume? Really? Make sure the Temple guards stand ready. If they return, you will have to deal with them. I cannot go to the Romans for help a second time."

But Jesus' disciples are not in Galilee. They are gathering in Jerusalem, easily concealed among the hordes of pilgrims. Jesus has promised them that the Holy Spirit will come to them, but they're not quite sure what that means. So they remain in their hiding place, waiting. Peter now kneels in the middle of the room, eyes closed in prayer. Thomas paces nearby, muttering aloud, oblivious to Peter's quiet moment with God. "What form will this spirit take?" he asks again and again. "What is a Holy Spirit and when will it come?"

An irritated Peter opens his eyes. "Jesus said that all we have to do is 315

ask. I've been asking every day. In fact, I'm asking right now. The Holy Spirit will come when the time is right."

Mary Magdalene joins the argument. "Thomas," she says patiently, "Moses waited forty days to receive the commandments. Our people wandered forty years in the wilderness, waiting. So be patient. Jesus promised it will come--

and the Holy Spirit will come."

John, James, Matthew, and Stephen step into the room. "There are Romans everywhere," says John.

They sit and look to Peter, who clearly sees the anxiety on their faces. "I know it's dangerous for us all to be here at once, but Jesus said that when two or three gather in his name, he would be with us." He sees that his words are having little effect. "Come, let us pray." Peter shuts his eyes. He reaches out and takes hold of the hands of the two disciples sitting on either side of him. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..."

John and the others pick up the words, and all join hands. "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Thomas can't help himself. In the midst of the prayer he doubts their safety, and opens his eyes to peer out into the streets for signs of approaching Romans. Seeing none, he returns to his prayer. "Give us today our daily bread..."

The lamps in the room flicker and smoke as the prayer continues. The room grows suddenly dark. The wind outside rises and the sound fills the room.

Shutters bang open. Scared but unbowed, the disciples continue praying.

Tongues of fire enter the room and settle upon each apostle. The Holy Spirit fills them. Soon each of them is praying in different languages, even though none of them have ever understood those tongues before. In this way, they are being prepared to go out unto all nations and preach the Word of God.

Their prayers and their foreign words now miraculously reach out across the city. People can hear the apostles, even though they cannot see them. In Jesus' final days he had promised to pour out his spirit



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on all the people of the world, and now it is taking place. The prayers of the disciples are heard and understood by all the people gathering for the festival--Israelite and foreign ears alike, drawing these people to the Word of God.

The wind howls across Jerusalem. Even a Roman soldier understands the simple phrase now ringing in the ears of every man, woman, and child in Jerusalem: "Everyone who calls on the Lord will be saved."

Caiaphas stops and looks up, then pulls his shawl around him and enters the Temple.

Even as the disciples continue their unlikely prayer, a commotion can be heard in the streets outside their upper room. Crowds are gathering, though they are not sure what is drawing them to this place.

"We'l be discovered," laments a panicked Thomas.

"No. This is good," says Mary Magdalene. "The people must feel the same spirit that we do. The Holy Spirit is drawing them near."

Peter stands. "We must speak with them, and let them know that this is a sign from God."

Empowered and renewed, the disciples march down the stairs and open the door. They scan the crowd for signs of Romans or Pharisees or Temple guards. "People of Israel," says Peter, with a sense of poise and command that surprises all of the disciples. Peter has been radically changed by God's saving grace.

"God promised King David that one of his descendants would be placed upon his throne. A man whose flesh could not be corrupted. Now God has raised Jesus to life. Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. He is the Christ.

Come join us!"

John chimes in. "Join us!"

The crowd roars their approval, chanting, "Jesus is the Lord." They clamor for Peter's blessing, reaching out to touch him. But the upheaval does not go unnoticed. Within moments, a Roman centurion hovers on the edge of the



people.

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"We're taking our chances here," John whispers to Peter.

"Jesus risked his life every day," responds Peter.

More Romans arrive. Their hands hover over their swords. The crowd presses in more tightly around the apostles, on the verge of turning rabid.

"We cannot spread the Word if we are dead," John reminds Peter.

He's right, and Peter knows it. With a nod, he guides the disciples away down a narrow side street.

It is morning in Jerusalem, and yet another of the city's many beggars begins his day. The man's legs will not support him, so he uses his arms to drag himself to his usual sport. His knuckles are calloused and his skin filthy from years of the same ritual--dragging and then squatting, his body all too often coated in the grit and dust of a busy city going about its day.

A stranger drops a coin into his hand. The beggar nods in thanks, but does not make eye contact.

Peter approaches. The beggar does not know him and holds out his hand, palm up. Peter stops and crouches down. The beggar looks at him with curious eyes, as if some great evil will befall him next. Peter has been trailed at a distance by a small crowd of new believers, and they edge closer, eager to see if Peter will do what they hope he will do. Peter and the beggar lock eyes. "I don't have silver or gold," Peter tells him. "But what I have, I will give to you." Peter raises his own palm to the sky. "In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior, I want you to stand." Peter places his right hand in that of the beggar. He lifts gently, but then lets go. The beggar rises to his feet on his own power.

"It's a miracle," cries a voice in the crowd.

Peter responds by turning to face these new believers. "Why are you surprised? Do you think that he is healed by my power? Or by that of my fellow apostles? No. It is by Jesus' power that this man walks. Jesus is the Messiah!"

The beggar has a dizzy smile on his face, and walks around for the first time in his life.

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"Jesus did this!" chants the crowd. "Jesus did this!"

Not far away, inside the great Temple, the high priest Caiaphas hears the roar.

"What are they saying?" he asks Malchus. As always, his servant hovers just a few feet away. But Malchus doesn't get the chance to answer, for a furious Caiaphas has deciphered the sounds for himself. "Why are they chanting that wretched man's name?" Caiaphas demands. "Why!"

Malchus remains silent as Caiaphas launches into a furious rant. "We'll have the Romans down on us any minute. I told you to deal with these people before this could happen. And now it is done, and I am once again forced to deal with it. Bring the ringleaders to me!"

Within the hour, the Temple guards have bound and beaten Peter and John.

They drag them into Caiaphas's chamber and hurl them to the floor. The healed beggar, now clearly terrified, is led in by the arm.

"Stand up," Caiaphas says crisply, entering the room. He's just received word that more than five thousand people have become followers of Jesus since hearing the beggar was healed. This is an enormous figure. This must be stopped.

John and Peter struggle to their feet. They face Caiaphas, faces defiant.

"Tell me," demands the high priest, "what makes you think it acceptable to preach in the name of that dead criminal?"

"Jesus lives," Peter informs him.

"Impossible."

"This man walked because of the power of Jesus Christ," Peter reminds him.

"Really?" responds Caiaphas, trying to sound bemused. "Is this true?" he



asks the beggar.

Malchus whispers to Caiaphas, "I have seen this man on the street for years.

He has been lame his whole life, and High Priest... It is true."

Caiaphas pauses for an eternity, never moving his focus from Peter and John. Then he finally speaks: "I forbid you to speak of your so-called Messiah from this day forward."

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"Judge for yourself whether it is better in God's sight to obey you rather than God," Peter responds.

"I have a duty to our temple, our nation, and our God!" Caiaphas responds angrily. "I repeat: you are forbidden from speaking about your Messiah!"

"We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard," says John.

"Then you will be beaten," Caiaphas threatens. "Either remain silent or suffer the same fate as your Jesus."

"We must obey God, rather than men," say the disciples, almost in unison.

No matter what code of silence he might try to enforce, Caiaphas senses he is powerless to stop this movement. People are turning their hearts to Jesus in record numbers. Caiaphas can't stop the five thousand, but he will silence the apostles, one by one--though not now. Reluctantly, Caiaphas lets Peter and John go. He will see them again soon.

Pilgrims line up on a street to hear a young disciple named Stephen preach about Jesus. Despite threats by Caiaphas, the followers of Jesus refuse to be silent. "Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins," urges Stephen. "He was crucified, but he rose from the dead."

The crowd hangs on his every word, enamored with all that he has to say.

"Impossible," cries Saul. He is a tough man, an intellectual, and a Pharisee who speaks several languages. His father was also a Pharisee and his mother was a Roman. Stephen would be a fool to debate him publicly. Saul is concerned about this "new" way of looking at the God of Abraham. Unlike Caiaphas, whose primary concern is the power he derives from religious



leadership, Saul's faith in Jewish law and tradition is so passionate that he considers anyone who deviates from it a traitor.

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And even though Saul is Jewish, he is a Roman citizen, which grants him special privileges throughout the empire. Saul is zealous in his belief.

Stephen has Jesus on his side, so he pushes aside his own fears and launches an attack. "Why do you resist Jesus? He is your savior, the way to everlasting life."

"Jesus is dead," Saul shouts back, trying to rally the crowd to his argument.

"And you shall soon go the same way, blasphemer." Saul pushes through the crowd and stands toe to toe with Stephen.

Stephen is unafraid. "No. Jesus is alive. They killed him. But he conquered death. He is our true Messiah!"

"What do you know about prophets? Your Jesus put himself above the law--

and no man is above the law."

"I know the scriptures promise the Messiah and Jesus--" Stephen attempts to respond.

"Really?" Saul interrupts, relishing the moment. "If you know scripture, then you'll know Deuteronomy: 'because he sought to entice you away from the Lord your God, your hand shall be first against him.' " Saul turns to the audience, where three men have discarded their cloaks, picked up stones from the ground, and are hurling them at Stephen. " 'And you shall stone him until he dies,' " Saul continues reciting, as the rest of the crowd turns vigilante and begins to hurl rocks. As he draws closer to his death, Stephen speaks, "Lord, please forgive them for this sin." Saul stands to one side and picks up their cloaks as they continue to stone Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Caiaphas sends for Saul and questions him. He is concerned about the riot that might have ensued if Saul's zealousness had let things get out of control. But he also admires Saul's like-minded enthusiasm for rooting out this new breed that he considers heretics--and Caiaphas tells him so. When Saul asks for money and letters of introduction so that he might continue this



work, Caiaphas is only too happy to comply.

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Soon, thanks to Caiaphas's blessing and ample resources, Saul begins brutally rooting out any trace of Jesus' followers. Doors are kicked open.

Men and women are dragged into the streets by Saul's handpicked army of Temple guards. The message Saul is sending to the streets is quite clear: it is no longer safe for anyone to follow Jesus.

"Where are the others?" Saul shouts to one man who is accused of being a believer. It is midday in the center of Jerusalem. The hapless man has been retreating backward from Saul and his henchmen, but had the bad fortune to stumble over a trough. He sits helplessly on the edge of the trough, unable to rise as Saul steps forward to keep him down.

"Suddenly, no one's talking about Jesus," Saul says. "But I don't think they've just forgotten about him. I think they're in hiding. And I think you know where they are."

Saul shoves the man backward into the trough. He pushes the man under the water with his bare hands, keeping him there until the flailing man is on the verge of death. Only then does Saul pull him out of the water.

"Damascus," the man sputters. "Someone said they're in Damascus."

Saul makes his way north, to the cultured and beautiful city of Damascus.

Despite the dangers of being a believer in Jesus, tiny pockets of his followers have been slowly growing within Jewish communities. A man named Ananias is a leader within this secret movement, and he is breaking bread in a walled garden on the outskirts of the city when he hears a noise behind him.

"Welcome, friend," Ananias tells him. A small group of Christians are about to eat their meal, and are just now praying over their small feast. "Would you like to join us?"

"Trust me. I am not your friend," Saul responds. "Take them!"

Saul's men stream into the garden. Some inside manage to scatter in time, but most are caught and beaten. Ananias is beaten, and then

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dragged toward the door for later interrogation. But one of his captors becomes distracted, and in that moment Ananias breaks free and runs.

Saul's men give chase to Ananias and those who have fled the scene. "Tell all your friends," Saul crows to one man lying helplessly in the dust, "that I will find all the followers of Jesus. Wherever you go, wherever you are, I will find you. For God is on my side. He will lead me to you, as He has led me here today." Saul then mounts his horse for the ride into Damascus. He feels just in his persecutions, for he knows that he is saving these wretched souls from God's judgment. It is a long ride, and Saul spends hours thinking about how he will track Jesus' followers down within Damascus.

Suddenly, Saul's horse veers side to side for no reason. There standing in the road before Saul is Jesus. Saul does not know it is him. A brilliant light shines around Jesus.

"Who are you?" Saul demands, struggling to control his horse. Then Paul's horse rears up and he is thrown to the dirty highway. Saul hits the ground hard.

Jesus crouches down in front of Saul as he lies on the road.

"Why do you persecute me?" Jesus asks.

Saul cannot make out who it is. "Who are you?" he demands. He tries to roll away from Jesus, but finds that Jesus is there. He tries again, but wherever he turns, Jesus is still there.

"Why?" Jesus asks again.

"I demand that you tell me who you are!"

"I am Jesus, whom you persecute."

A blinding light strikes Saul's eyes. "No!" he insists. "No." He holds up his hand to protect his eyes from the withering white light, but the light envelops him before flaring out.

Saul's men have seen their leader fall to the ground, and now race to his aid.

They find him broken and defeated, not at all like the surly Saul that they know so well. Something else they soon learn when he stumbles and



gropes his way to his feet is that the light has blinded Saul.

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News of Saul's persecutions has spread. Even in Damascus, where Jesus'

followers were once considered safe, believers are going into hiding. Among them is Ananias, whose worship group was recently ambushed by Saul's army. The streets of Damascus were once so comforting to him. But now, as he carries his bedroll down an empty street on the outskirts of town, Ananias peers anxiously into the shadows, unsure when or where the next attack will take place.

"Ananias."

He turns toward the voice that calls out to him, making Ananias tremble with fear, but his entire body relaxes as he sees the Messiah standing to one side of the road. The piercings on his hands and feet are all too clear, making it obvious who Ananias is looking at.

"Lord?" he cries, falling to his knees.

"Please, rise," Jesus tells him.

Ananias, trembling with joy, stands. His worries are suddenly gone, and his faith has become a deep well that will never go dry.

Jesus walks toward him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "You must go to the street called Straight. There, ask for a man they call Saul of Tarsus."

"Lord," Ananias says hesitantly, "Saul beats us and arrests us. Our followers are being persecuted by this man." Ananias knows in his heart that Jesus is already aware of these facts, but it seems important to repeat them.

"Go." Jesus smiles at him as he commands him, his voice smooth and reassuring. "I have chosen this unlikely man to proclaim my name to the world. To the Gentiles, to their kings, and to all the sons of Israel."

Ananias is incredulous. Surely Jesus is mistaken. The mere thought of saying Saul's name out loud fil s Ananias with dread. Saul is going to stop his persecutions and spread the Word of God to all nations?



Jesus disappears just as quickly and mysteriously as he arrived, leaving Ananias alone to ponder and to summon his courage.

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Ananias does as he is told. He finds Saul and is startled to learn that he is blind and helpless. Rather than take him back to Jerusalem, Saul's men have left him in Damascus, hoping a few days of rest will restore his sight.

Ananias finds him alone in a rented room, curled up asleep in a corner. The innkeeper opens the door and hastily retreats, leaving Ananias alone with his tormentor.

It is a pitiful sight. Saul hasn't touched the meal provided for him last night, and he has knocked over a bowl as he groped in the darkness. The spilled food litters the ground, and the sleeping Saul has rolled over into it.

Ananias feels a rage bubbling inside of him. His fists clench and unclench.

He looks down upon Saul and is shocked to compare the sad sight before him with the cruel persecutor who confronted him in the garden not so long ago. Ananias remembers the screams as his friends and fellow believers were kicked and beaten. Ananias hasn't told any of those people that Saul is here now. Despite their abundant faith, there's every chance they might seek revenge for their suffering. It's a revenge that Ananias would also like to exact.

Saul wakes up with a start. "Who's there?"

"You are Saul?" asks Ananias, his throat dry and words measured. He picks up a nearby water jug. It is clay and heavy. Smashing it down on Paul's head would be such an easy way to kill this miserable man.

"Who are you?" demands Saul. "Speak!"

"I am one of those you long to destroy."

Saul rises to his knees. "Forgive me. Please forgive me."

Ananias puts down the jug.

Saul reaches out, his hand fumbling to take hold of Ananias's. His body is convulsed by remorse. "Please forgive me! I have wronged you. I have wronged God. My soul is on fire. Help me! Save me!"

Ananias places his hands on Saul's face. Saul winces as if he's been stung, and tries to push Ananias's hands away.

Then he stops.

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For the touch of those hands has restored Saul's sight. He blinks away tears as sunlight bathes the room. A succession of faces flashes before his eyes.

These are the images of those men and women he has persecuted. He feels regret for pain he has inflicted, but that suffering is soon replaced by God's healing forgiveness. He realizes this, and breaks down sobbing.

"Shhh," Ananias tells him. "I am sent by God. For you."

Saul looks up at the voice offering him such comfort. He recognizes the face of the man before him. "I know you," he says.

Ananias nods.

"Don't leave me," Saul begs. He clings desperately to Ananias's cloak.

Once again, Ananias reaches for the jug of water and now pours it over Saul's head. "I baptize you, Paul of Tarsus, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Saul is a new person. Even his name is changed. From this day forward, Saul is gone. The man named Paul, the apostle who will fearlessly go out into the world and share the Good News about Jesus, now takes his place.

The water runs over Paul's head and into his eyes and mouth. He coughs, chokes, and gasps for breath.

Ananias continues: "For he has chosen you to change the world in his name."

Slowly, Paul brings his hands up to his own face. A calm has come over him. "Why me?"

Ananias shrugs.

Paul stands. "Please forgive me for what I have done to you."





"You are already forgiven."

Caiaphas stands in the sacrificial courtyard of the Temple. The other members of the Sanhedrin have just approached the high priest with the most outrageous news. "Saul has done what?"

"He's joined Jesus' followers," his servant Malchus informs him. "He has even changed his name. They now call him Paul."

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Caiaphas stares at Malchus. He says nothing.

Malchus is once again eager to take on the role of henchman. "I'll find him for you," he says, eager to get away from the Temple and be granted autonomous power. "I'll assemble the men."

Caiaphas's eyes flash with hope. He rounds on Malchus, as if to hand over the mission to him, as he has done so many times before. But not this time.

"And then...?" asks Caiaphas. "What happens when you join them? Will I have to send someone after you? And then someone after him?" Caiaphas looks to heaven. He sighs.

"Let them be," Caiaphas speaks softly the words of the Sanhedrin leader, Gamaliel: "If this is man's work it will not succeed. If it is God's we cannot fight it." With all eyes on him, Caiaphas climbs the enormous steps of the Temple. He walks inside and closes the door behind them. Life had once been so simple here, so orderly. It was a world that he controlled. But now everything is changing. Caiaphas shuts out that world and all its new confusions. He will never be the same man again.

But the threat to Jesus' followers does not end with Caiaphas. The Romans and Herod Agrippa are stamping out all challenges to the status quo. The elder brother of the disciple John, James--also a disciple--is arrested and sentenced to death by Herod. His beheading is meant to be a word of caution to all who follow Jesus--and it succeeds.

The apostles meet secretly to regroup. Along with Mary Magdalene, they assemble in the small upper room that has marked their gatherings so many times. But this is not a time of peace or even connection. The disciples are engaged in a heated debate as to their future. A frightened Thomas can't take the conflict, and he is on the verge of leaving just moments after his arrival. John, on the other hand, is in a particularly foul mood, eager to do battle.

"It's getting too dangerous," says Thomas. "If we stay in Jerusalem we will die--all of us. Just like they killed James."

"I'm not afraid of death," John says defiantly.

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"None of us are," says Peter, taking on the role of peacemaker. "But now is not the time. We cannot spread his word if we are dead."

The disciples stop their bickering. Peter has their attention.

He takes a deep breath and begins to explain himself. "Jesus said, 'Preach to all creation.' Our job is now to spread the Word."

"I thought that's what we were already doing," challenges Thomas.

"And we have," Peter reminds him. "But now we must go out into the world, far beyond merely Jerusalem."

"Where wil we go?" asks Mary.

"Where the spirit leads us," says Peter.

"I feel called to travel north--perhaps to Ephesus," says John. His eyes swell with tears as he recalls his brother's sacrifice--and knows that such a death might also await him once he steps out alone into the world.

The disciples arise. They take on another's hands and pray. This will be their last moment as a group. After so many years and so many world-changing experiences, their work now wil be solitary and dangerous, without the comfort or support of this band of brothers.

John, with his gift for insight, offers perspective. "We will meet again," he tells them all. "On earth or in heaven."

One by one, the disciples say their good-byes, shedding many a tear and sharing more than one vivid memory. They have never considered

themselves merely friends, but lifelong companions who have come together and given up everything in the name of Jesus. Their bond runs deep, which



makes the good-byes all the more difficult.

They step out into the street and scatter.

Their travels take them far and wide. The Roman Empire is vast.

Persecution is swift for those who attempt to bring forth change, but the disciples seek to change the religious fabric of this culture, one believer and one soul at a time.

Peter confines his travels to the Jewish communities in and around Israel. It is exhausting work, and he has never felt so alone. But there

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is comfort in remaining so close to Galilee, to home. Despite his calling to lead the disciples, Peter is a very simple man. He does not speak the worldly languages like Latin or Greek. There is simplicity in preaching in the backwater hamlets and burgs throughout the countryside. He takes a room at the end of one particularly draining day. He has little money for food, so his stomach barks at him as he stumbles into the dark space and lies on the bed.

"Peter," says a voice. Peter would recognize that voice anywhere. He turns and sees Jesus. "You have done so much."

Peter's eyes open wide in shock. He sees Jesus standing before him, with those wounds still marking the piercings on his hands and feet.

"I'm proud of you, my fisher of men," Jesus adds.

"My Lord," says Peter, sitting bolt upright on the bed.

Jesus smiles.

"I miss our work in Galilee, Lord. I'd go back with you in a moment if you asked."

"No, Peter. That time has passed. I must ask something far more from you."

Peter knows what Jesus is about to say. The sentiment has been on his heart for some time, but he has been afraid to recognize this hard truth.

"You have to move on," Jesus tells him.

Peter doesn't respond. He's so afraid. So very afraid.

Jesus continues: "You are hungry right now, and yet you are afraid to travel into Caesarea to find food."

"It's a Roman town," Peter protests. "The food and the people will be unclean."

"Are there no souls in Caesarea worth saving?"

"But cleanliness keeps us close to God."

"Peter, you could not be closer. I am with you always. And it is I who make all things clean."

Peter is confused. All along, he has been thinking that only Jews can be led to faith in Jesus. It is a radical notion to believe that anyone, of any faith or nationality, can also receive God's blessing.

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There is a sharp knock at the door. Peter turns in shock. "What do I do, Lord?"

"Answer it, Peter. Go with them. The door is open to everyone."

The fisher of men rises to answer the door. Every step forward is in agony, for he knows what awaits him when he pulls it open. Peter opens the door.

Three Roman soldiers stand there. Peter instinctively backs away, even though there's nowhere to hide from Rome. "You are Peter?" asks the tall one in the center.

Peter turns and looks back for Jesus, but the Messiah is no longer there. "I am he," Peter says with a lump in his throat.

"You must come with us," the soldier tells him gruffly. "Centurion Cornelius awaits you."

Knowing that it is useless to fight, Peter picks up his satchel and staff, and then walks with the Romans to meet the centurion Cornelius. He knows



better than to question God's plan for his life. But right now, Peter just wishes it were a little easier.

Romans have dominated the land is Israel for as long as Peter can remember. They conquered it before he was born, and there is a good chance it will be in their hands long after he dies. They bring with them a constant presence of fear and control. The imposition of Roman will on the Israelite people is stifling and oppressive. Dispensing justice the Roman way is their penalty for disobeying Rome.

Peter ponders all this as he is led into the courtyard of Cornelius' oceanfront villa. This is not a sight the plainspoken Peter is used to, for he is surrounded on all sides by the sort of opulence and wealth a fisherman could never imagine in a million years. Even the slaves are better dressed than Peter, and the soldiers now gathered around him seem even more educated and polished.

"Lord, why am I here?" Peter prays.

In the center of the courtyard, surrounded on all sides by servants, sits a Roman family. Parents and children alike dress in immaculate

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white togas, and the centurion Cornelius is also draped in shining gold necklaces. He is an imposing man, having earned his position through politics and the battlefield. Cornelius rises to approach Peter. As he does so, every soldier and servant in the courtyard bows and then descends to one knee.

Peter remains standing. The kneeling soldiers place their hands upon their swords, prepared to leap forward and kill Peter on a signal from Cornelius.

But the centurion issues no such snap of the fingers. Instead, he steps toward Peter, sizing him up. Cornelius is taller than Peter, and perhaps even broader in the shoulders. It will be easy for him to inflict physical punishment on this rabble-rousing preacher. But Cornelius gets down on his knees and prostates himself at Peter's feet, much to the disciple's embarrassment.

Peter's feet are filthy and dusty from his long day on the road, yet Cornelius kisses them. "An angel of the Lord," the centurion explains himself, "came to me and told me to find you. And to listen to all you have to say. Please, save me." Cornelius looks up at Peter, who returns his gaze.



"Please stand," Peter tells him. "I am a man, just like you."

Cornelius is reluctant. "The angel's words were powerful and forthright."

"I cannot save you," Peter tells him. "But Jesus can. If you believe in him, your sins will be forgiven." Peter takes Cornelius by the hand and pulls him to his feet. Then he steers the Roman to a pool in the center of the courtyard.

Peter is well aware that this is a moment to be seized, for this is a God-given chance to bring the first Roman to Jesus.

He and Cornelius step into the pool. "Jesus' message to all people everywhere is that everyone who repents and believes in Jesus can be forgiven their sins," he tells Cornelius and all within earshot, his words echoing across the courtyard.

The Roman nods, and Peter immerses him in the water, baptizing him. "I, Peter, baptize you, Cornelius, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

The courtyard bursts into applause. A dripping Cornelius, his white 331

robe now drenched, beckons to his family. "Come with me, all of you. Be filled with the Holy Spirit," he tells them joyfully.

One by one, they step into the pool. As they do, the words God spoke to Abraham so long ago continue to become reality: "I will give you descendants as numerous as the stars."

Thus the gospel, as the words of Jesus are known, enters the Roman world.

Peter is tireless in his work, as are all the other disciples. But one man does more than any other to take the Word to the empire. It is the man who once tried hardest to crush Jesus' disciples: Paul. His past as a hunter of Christians is not easily forgotten. Whenever he meets with fellow believers, he hears the same charges over and over: Murderer. Oppressor. Unbeliever.

Many are doubtful of his claims that he has changed, and rightfully so, for their memories of loved ones spirited away in the night or trampled before their own children are all too vivid. But Paul repeats his story again and again, knowing that God's love flows through him, and will change hearts.

"I've changed," he says again and again. "I once was blind, but now I see."

In one small church, a woman steps forth and spits into his face. "Liar!" she screams at him.

Paul does not wipe it off. "Please," he tells her and the others in the small room. "Listen before you judge."

The room goes silent, but the suppressed rage has a sound all its own that rings in everyone's ears and lays heavy upon their hearts. Fists curl and uncurl. Feet tap the ground impatiently as men debate within themselves whether or not to set aside the peace of their beliefs just long enough to kill this awful man standing before them.

Paul continues, afraid and yet also unafraid, knowing that he has no choice but to say what he is about to say. "I did what I did because I was certain that I was right. I was certain that I knew the will of God. As certain as you are now."

He looks around the room, knowing that he's bought a little time.

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"But then Jesus came to me. Not in righteous anger or in judgments, but in love. His love."

Eyes moisten. Heads nod. Yes, they've felt this, too.

"Without love we are nothing," Paul tells them. "Love is patient. Love is kind.

It is not jealous. It does not boast. It is not proud."

There are murmurs of discontent. What does this man know about love?

But Paul continues. "It keeps no record of wrongs. It rejoices with the truth, bears all burdens, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

When everything else disappears, there still remains faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these, by far, is love."

One by one, members of the congregation rise from their seats and walk to Paul. It is difficult for them at first, touching this man whose fists have so often brought forth pain. But they soon reach forth and hug him, accepting him and his teachings.

One man holds back. He is a learned man, clearly disturbed by Paul's



words, and he wants to have an intellectual discussion of what they mean.

Finally, Paul addresses him. "You don't believe in God's love?" he asks.

"I do," says the man, whose name is Luke. "But I am a Greek. A Gentile. I know there are laws and rituals which I must follow to first become a Jew."

Paul's face grows stern. He shakes his head. "No. No. You don't need to become a Jew in order to know God's love. It is available to all."

"But the laws," Luke reminds him.

"If you could be saved just by following laws, Jesus would have died for nothing. But Jesus died to save you from sin. To save all of us from sin."

Once again, Paul addresses the entire congregation. "There is no longer Jew or Greek, male or female, slave or free man. We are all one in Jesus Christ."

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These are world-changing words, and the congregation shouts back a heartfelt "Amen" in agreement.

"Join us," Paul tells Luke. "God will be with you."

Paul is a radical and a revolutionary, preaching this new gospel of Christianity with a fervor that puts his life in danger and sees him thrown into prison time after time. This new faith spreads across the Roman Empire, thanks to Paul's selfless and tireless zeal.

But once again, it is Peter whom God calls upon to do some of his hardest chores. Peter accepts the arduous task of traveling to the hub of the empire to change hearts and minds. Peter, the unlearned and uneducated fisher of men, is on his way to Rome. Like Daniel wandering into the lion's den. To a rational man, Peter's fate will most certainly be death. But as he walks slowly through the empire on his way to Rome, Peter reminds himself of the story of God and all of us. The words and stories give him strength and serve as a reminder of his purpose.

"In the beginning, God embraced Abraham. From him came a family that became twelve tribes, which became a people and a nation. Now, through Jesus Christ, we must embrace the entire world."

Thus fortified, Peter enters Rome. The city is exotic and exciting, with smells and spices from around the world wafting through the winding streets. He feels out of place, and at first believes that his simple dress and foreign appearance mark him as an outsider. But then he realizes that as the hub of the empire, Rome is home to men from around the known world. All manner of dialect and mode of dress can be seen all around him. Peter may be an outsider, he realizes, but he is not alone.

Empowered, Peter approaches a line of manacled slaves. They lean against a colonnade, waiting to be marched off to perform some chore or other. He offers them water from his goatskin. "Please," he tells one of the chained men. "Take some water."

The slave looks at him thankfully and slurps a greedy drink. "I have 334

good news," Peter tells him. "News that will relieve your suffering. It is about a great teacher named Jesus."

Chains clank as the slaves stand and gather around Peter. They come near for the water Peter offers, but he also adds a message of hope. "Jesus said that if anyone is thirsty, they should come to him and drink from the well of salvation."

Such behavior doesn't go unnoticed long. Soon, Roman soldiers are keeping a sharp eye on Peter. The Roman emperor Nero has accused

Jesus' followers of starting a fire that has burned much of Rome. It is a dangerous time. Persecution has broken out once again. Yet the disciple who once knew such fear and lack of faith does not stop preaching. "The Romans crucified Jesus. But he rose from the dead, and in his infinite love, gave his followers the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Believe in him, and the gates will be opened to you."

The slaves fall to their knees, one by one, accepting Jesus.

But in a sudden burst of violence, Peter is sent sprawling as Roman soldiers are now upon him. They rain blows down on his back, his kidneys, and his head. The slave traders join in, not wanting their precious cargo to become polluted with dangerous new ideas and emotions. The end comes soon for Peter. He is jailed, then tried in a Roman court of law and found guilty of





fomenting rebellion. The Romans crucify him. But just as they are about to nail him to the cross, Peter protests. He has already been beaten, stripped of his clothes, and has carried his cross to the hill where he will be hung on the cross. "I am not worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus," Peter tells them, struggling to make himself understood in the Roman tongue. "So please, crucify me upside down."

The Romans are only too happy to oblige.

Wherever the disciples travel, they pay this ultimate price. Peter is crucified in Rome. Matthew is butchered in Ethiopia. Thomas is slaughtered in India.

And John also falls victim to the Romans, but ultimately survives.

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Of the original group of men that set out from Galilee with Jesus, all are executed as evangelists. And of that number, all of the disciples saw Jesus'

face once more as they stood before him in heaven.

Luke, the new follower whom Paul has recruited for Jesus, like Matthew and Mark before him, is fervent about writing down the story of Jesus so that it will be passed on through all generations. He sits alone in an upstairs room in Rome when he hears the thunder of an approaching army. Luke knows what this means, and instantly races into the room where Paul sits in prayer.

"Paul," Luke warns him. "They're coming for you."

Paul has been expecting this moment for years. Despite his many times in prison for his faith, something tells him that this will be his final journey.

"Take them," he nods to Luke. "These words and letters need to survive."

Luke grabs the scrolls and writings from the table.

Paul rises up, as fearful and defiant as the day he once persecuted Christians. Roman footsteps can be heard charging up the stairs. "Go," he orders Luke. "Get out of here. You need to stay alive to continue our work."

Luke hesitates, but then nods and climbs out through the balcony.

Paul is alone. For nearly three decades he has preached the Word of God. It has been a hard life, full of deprivation and suffering. Yet in all the chaos and carnage that has marked the growth of the Christian church, Paul knows that



the Word will survive him. The Word is love. "I have fought the good fight,"

he reminds himself as he sits down to await his fate. "I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." He sighs. His time has come. He hears the soldiers on the stairs, and he turns to face them as they rush into the room Paul will be beheaded in the Mamartine Prison.

The parchment scrolls escaped with Luke and form a large part of the New Testament.

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John is the last disciple standing; the one who owns the gift of intuition is a living miracle. He has refused to accept the Roman emperor as his god, and somehow survived all Roman attempts to kill him. He lives out his days in a small cave on an island off the coast of Asia Minor. It is a sparse home, but it is enough for this elderly disciple. The Romans could have killed him any of a number of ways, but they have exiled John to the remote island of Patmos.

His face is weathered from the wind and sun, and his lips are chapped from sunburn and thirst. The Romans assume that his isolation will mean death--

that they will work him to death, as they have so many others, in the Roman mines on the island. But John knows how to fish. He lives off the sea, knowing that his life's work means descendants as numerous as the stars.

The Romans may have sent him away, but like Christianity itself, they cannot wipe away his memories. Or his gift of intuition.

At his lowest ebb--and there are many in these final, lonely days--John has a revelation of hope. He looks back on the past, on all that has happened in the years since he met Jesus. He hears Jesus' voice as a memory, but the memory becomes more and more clear. His vision shifts from the past to the present, and then to the future--a future infinitely greater than anything which has come before. Jesus stands before him.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," Jesus says, appearing to John in the small cave. A fish rests on the coals, waiting to be turned. "The first and the last, the beginning and the end."

John's face is transformed into joy. "Lord, forgive me. I have been expecting death, but it is you."

Jesus smiles. His hand beckons to John, leading him out of the cave. "There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain," Jesus tells him. "I will make everything new." He offers John a cup of water, which the disciple slowly lifts to parched lips. "To him who is thirsty, I will give water from the river of life. Behold, I am coming soon. For I am the light of the world."

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An ecstatic John understands fully what Jesus is telling him.

"Blessed are those who read the words of the book," Jesus tells him. "And heeds the words that are written in it. May the grace of the Lord be with all God's people."

"Amen," John whispers. He looks into Jesus' eyes, eyes that saw the beginning of time. They saw Adam and Eve, they saw Noah and Abraham and David. They also see the future, billions of Jesus' followers--as numerous as the stars in the sky--repeating the words that John has just whispered.

"Amen."