Skip to main content

There is hope - short story


I am tired; I am fed up John. 
The whole day I was running around. Starting from Gethsamene. Previous night also I couldn't sleep. But if at all I had known what is our plight twenty four hours down the line, I would have been awake to sit and pray. If at all I knew my master was perspiring blood there in agony, I would have rushed to help. Let my sleepiness and laziness be doomed, Peter wailed. 
John said, We all have failed him, Peter. None of us were with him when it was expected of us. 
James pitched in, Ah! At least you were there at the foot of the cross, John. At least the Rabbi could see you being entrusted with his mother. I do not know how on earth she is surviving. The trauma that she had to go through in her life, no body can even dream of it. 
Simon says, (after all he was a Zealot) If at all that traitor, Judas was alive, I would have beaten him to death. How could he do this to him, to us? What wrong did Jesus do to him? Even the money purse was with him. How could he? 
Peter continues to sob as he says, I am not different Simon. I denied knowing him, not once, not twice, but thrice. 
Philip rises up to the occasion, We all ran away from him. Not just you Peter. Not Judas alone. We all have deserted him. When our master was striving for life, writhing in pain and being drained of blood. We are all pathetic, like Judas we all have sinned. 
Simon mellows down, Yes it's true. I have failed him. 
Thomas intrudes. Now what do we do? What is our future. Now that the story of the master is over, they will be after us now. 
Peter mumbles in grief, I will go fishing. 
Philip continues, See Thomas, We all are preoccupied with us, our future, our life. Peter was the one who said, he will go to Jerusalem to die. I echoed it. Thomas you also once said. But we all ran away. 

Knock, knock. 
All twenty eyes were startled. Heads turned to the door. Sweat dripping down their forehead. Who is it? Nathanael musters up strength. 
Soft voice replies, it's me Andrew. 
The door is opened and Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, walks in with another man. Andrew always brings new new people. But was this the time for another session? The teacher is also dead and gone. And this face is familiar, but they couldn't recognize him in the low light. It's already midnight and they have kept the flames low. But he was shabby, he clothes were all torn, hair and beard unkempt. 

Andrew looks at the perplexed faces and explains. Confused? Afraid? 
I was too as I was walking down the road to Emmaus, hoping that no one would recognize me. In that wilderness area I heard someone wailing loudly. Peter wipes his tears and listens intently as a child. 
I was skeptical about the situation. But then I heard my master's voice sayin, go. I tried to argue with all sorts of reasoning. But the voice was clear. I have come to the weak and heavy laden. Go. 
Slowly and fearfully I walked towards the direction of the wailings. All I could see in the dim light was a man so restless. Looking above and crying so loud. Beating his breasts, tearing his clothes, ripping down his hair, rolling up and down in the ground. Putting dirt on himself, crying aloud, For me, for me. 
I rushed to him. He saw me, hugged my legs and continued, For me, for me. 
This man died for me, instead of me. I was to be crucified. But he died in my place. 
I asked. Who? Who are you. 
Oh! I am a nobody. Worthless. He died for me. Instead of me he died on the cross. He continued to sob. I realised he was slowly setlling. I continued to pat his back. I continue to say. It is fine. 
He settled himself and gained much strength. Tears still rolled down his cheeks as he said something which shocked me from head to toe. All my hair stood up on its toes. 
I am Barabbas. 

All ten stood up with anger and rage and fear. 
Barabbas. The one criminal. The one whose place my master died. All because of him. How could Andrew bring him to the group. All were ready to bash him to death. At once they all forgot they deserting him was far more worse than Barabbas' sin. 

Matthias had been following Andrew and Barabbas from the road to Emmaus and he came in too into the upper room. Matthias was listening to all Andrew had to say. He was not supposed to speak. Young as he is. Not in the special group of twelve. But now he felt the urge to speak. The voice of the master was so strong inside him. 

Dear brothers. Am I allowed to speak. If I don't speak, I fear something untoward would happen. We fail to realize we are equally sinful. And none of our sins are washed clean. Our master said about his death before hand. And we failed to believe. Now when Barabbas says it was for him and instead of him that Jeshua died, I realize the truth, it was for me and you and each one of us the master died. And he has become the ultimate sacrifice, for he knew no sin. The Blameless, blemishless lamb. 

He died for me. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Divorce

It was not what God had originally intended Matt:19:8 Divorce was not originally intended by God. It was given because of the hard hearts of men. When God created human beings, He created them as male and female. He created them as one, as they join together in marriage. The two are united as one. And therefore no one should split apart what God has joined together.  Man and wife. Woman and husband - you have been in God's plan, before even you were created, before even time began He had you both together in His mind. There will be quarrels, differences of opinions, conflict of ideas. But that is not an excuse for you to go separate ways. God has created you as one, sees as one. May be it is near to impossible to live together. But trusting in the God who brought you together; stay on. Not just for the children's sake.  Love your neighbour as yourself. Who is your nearest neighbour than your spouse?  Love your enemies. He/she is definitely not your enemy. She is part of y...

Defiles you

Matt:15:11 But what comes out of his mouth that is what makes him unclean.  The words that comes out of your mouth, particularly shows whether you are clean or unclean. These words are powered by what you feed and in turn what is in your heart. From the overflowing of your heart comes what you say or what you do.  Did we glorify God or defame God yesterday with our words? Claiming to be children of God, we have told words of faithlessness and unfaithfulness and anger and dissension and frustration.  Words of faith come from and ever trusting heart and faith is the only thing that pleases God.  If He has promised He will not leave you; that He will make everything for your good and that He will carry it on to completion; then He will do it for sure. Only if we believe it will we say words of faith and assurance. Otherwise our words will continue to be that of doubt and complaints and dissatisfaction.  Image credit:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/...

Ignore

Matt:15:13-14 Jesus replied, Every plant not planted by my Heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them.  This is probably the key to joy. If you are a person who is affected by an irritating person in work place, or someone who is always there to bug you - ignore. Jesus doesn't tell you to hate them. Love them; but ignore them. Pray for them; but imbibe what is only productive criticism.  Ignore so much that you are not affected by what they do. Why? Because you realise that if it is not planted by God in your life, then it will be uprooted. And if it is planted by God, intended by God to be there in your life, then it will stay. And all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Rom:8:28 God is Sovereign. He is good. He has plans to prosper you, not to harm you. The teachers of the law were always after Jesus and His disciples to find fault with Him, to the extent that that they wanted to annihilate Him. Jesu...

Wonders

Jesus did many wonders.  1. By demanding faith from the receiver's side.  2. Even without them asking.  3.He infact denied doing wonders and signs to prove His authority.  He is Lord of all. He does all wonders and signs on His sovereignty. It is His choice. We can only ask for His intervention in our lives. We cannot demand for Him to work the way we want to run it. Who are we to demand? We should infact plead for Him to work the way He seems best. We don't know. But He knows. He being our Father, yet the Eternal Almighty God, He would do what is best for us only. We need to trust this.  Image credit: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/what-miracles-did-jesus-perform.html%3famp=1

Revelation

Matt:16:13-20 Peter declared the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. That was a revelation from God, according to Jesus, not something he learnt from others or from his own effort.  Any truth about God has to come from God Himself. Man cannot decipher it out of His will. God has to reveal Himself to us. Man cannot reach out to God. God has to reach out to him. But for God to reveal Himself, we have to humble ourselves seeking God, praying that He would reveal Himself to us. Because without His revelation, there is no point in seeking.  But why do we need to know Him?  John:17:3. And this is eternal life - to know You the Only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.  Image credit:  https://zanibonilighting.com/blog/post/what-is-a-beam-shaper

Parable of the unforgiving debtor

Matt:18:21-35 In conjunction with the Lord's Prayer - forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us - this parable is a tough pill to swallow. But if you received grace without conditions, you give freely without conditions - this is logically correct.  If you are not able to forgive freely as you have been put up with, then either you have not understood the depth from which you have been pulled out of or  you sillify the forgiveness that you have received.  Freely you have received, freely you give.  Why is it so difficult to forgive as you are forgiven? Probably because of the self love and pride in our hearts that entangles us, preventing us to let go.  Father forgive me for the unforgiveness I have shown to others, forgetting the forgiveness that I have received from you.  Image courtesy:  https://www.stwilfridskirkby.org/2020/09/13/sermon-the-parable-of-the-unforgiving-servant-matthew-chapter-18-v-21-35/

Reasoning and logicality

Jesus' response to Peter was so dramatic. He attributed it to a revelation from the Father in heaven, when he proclaimed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  Whereas He attributed it to Satan, when he called Him aside and advised Him not to say of such things as death and all. Jesus further responded saying, "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view not from God's" Matt:16:23 Man's logic and reasoning and wisdom and knowledge and thought process are all fallen, just like man is. Man is so helpless that He can think of fallen ways alone. Only when he thinks in God's perspective will he be able to rise above that and be wise, and see things in a better view. The view in which it is supposed to be looked at. For that we need faith. Not 'seeing is believing'. But hoping for things which are  not seen. Seeing things in the spiritual realm, which becomes tangible only by grace.  Seeking Him and His grace, will help you out o...