Justus Scrolls

David Morris Paul

Description

Rejected by Godor called to an uncommon path?The eleven apostles cast lots to determine whom the Holy Spirit would pick to replace Judas Iscariot; he must be someone who had been with Jesus the whole time. That left either Joseph bar Sabbas, called Justus, or Matthias. The stones were cast, and the lot fell to Matthias. Even so, Justus wouldnt be denied his dream. He had mingled among the disciples for more than three years. He had been close to Jesus, held private conversations with him, and had laughed with him. Hed slept around the same campfires, visited the same homes, and eaten at the same tables. Now, Justus would chart a new path. He would reveal everything he knew about his Lord from the viewpoint of a privileged witness. Justus began to write. What was it like to be near Jesus in everyday situations or to see him in action in his greatest moments? Did Jesus have a childhood best friend? How did he relate to his fish-breathed disciples? What did he feel when the crowd cried out for his death? Justus logged all of this in a series of scrolls and began a journey to house the treasure at the great library in Alexandria, Egypt. Perhaps, someday they would be seen.

Informations

• Publié par: Inspiring Voices
• Date de parution: 14 mars 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781462405268
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Justus Scrolls
 
Recollections of an Almost Apostle
 
 
 
 
PAUL DAVID MORRIS
 
and Bonnie Gaffney Morris
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
Copyright © 2013 Paul David Morris.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
 
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
 
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0525-1 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0526-8 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013902499
 
Inspiring Voices rev. date: 3/7/2013
Contents
Acknowledgements
Speaking Personally
Truncated
October, A.D. 60
Prologue
Gone Forever
October, A.D. 60
June, 1993 A.D.
The First Scroll
Let There Be Light
Censer Priest
Mary’s Place
Disgrace
Forerunner
Prophet Of The Highest
The Dream
Rome: The Senate Chambers
Labor Begins
Shepherd’s Campfire
The Birth Of Jesus
Anna
King Astrologers
Herod The Great
Death Of A King
Return From Egypt
Boyhood Adventures
His Father’s Business?
Farewell
The Second Scroll
Water From Water
The Baptist’s Shame
Repent
Baptism
The Tempter
The Lamb Of God
First Miracle
Rage
Nicodemus
Israel’s Teacher
Two Camp Fires
The Well Is Deep
If You Knew
Come, Before My Child Dies
A Prophet Without Honor
Abishag
Demon In The Synagogue
The Prayer Pond
The Professionals
A Young Leper
The Third Scroll
Let Dry Ground Appear
Which Is Harder?
So That You May Know
Matthew
Here Is My Servant
Decisions
The Twelve
Amphitheater In The Mountains
Flavius Marque
City Of Nain
She Has Loved Much
Mary’s Place Revisited
Horseplay
A Grieving Son
Mantle
Weeds
The Other Side
Storm
Gergasa
Legion
The Fourth Scroll
To Serve As Signs
The House Of Matthew
If I May Touch
Prisca And Damaris
The Prophet
He Is Of God
His Work Is Done
The Roman
The Soldier
Family Conflict
He Who Receives You Receives Me
Dancer
The Dance
John Mark
World’s Biggest Dinner
Walk On Water
The Impossible Contradiction
The Howling Woman
Peripatetic Teacher
Walking Trees
The Fifth Scroll
Every Living Thing
Tabernacles
Jesus At The Temple
Nor Do I Condemn You
Bethany
A Man Born Blind
The Good Shepherd
The Beach At The Great Sea
The Imponderable
You Are The Christ
Mount Hermon
Moses And Elijah
Taxes
Faith Of A Child
Gratitude
Peraea
The Audacious Frog
Juliana
The Curse Of Eden
On The Road
Salt
A Merciful Father
Old Friends
Matthew’s Inquiry
The Sixth Scroll
Mankind
Last Words
He Knew
Lazarus Come Forth!
A Step Toward The Light
Barnabas
High Places
The Servant
Have Mercy
Behold, Your King
This Is Not Like Him
Fueling The Flame
A Day For The Gentiles
Jerusalem Destroyed
Criteria For Reward
Passover
Thirty Pieces Of Silver
Supreme Command
Show Us The Father
You Did Not Choose Me
Abishag Finds A New Master
Two Swords Are Enough
The Seventh Scroll
It Is Finished!
Wednesday, 14 Nisan Gethsemane
Betrayal
Deliverance
An Old Man’s Voice
King Meets Procurator
Condemned
Crucify!
Place Of The Skull
Crucified King
Wrath Exhausted
It Is Finished!
Thursday, 15 Nisan Sunset
Sunday Morning
Seen Of Cephas
Emmaus Road
I Am Real Enough!
You Know That I Love You
Dancing Shadows
Epilog
Exordium
Bibliography
THE JUSTUS Scrolls
 
Recollections of an Almost Apostle
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For All My Children.
 
Acknowledgements
I f you are an athlete, and on scoring a victory, you just may get down on one knee and bow your head. If you swim for the gold and win, you lift your eyes and point to the ceiling; and if you are interviewed by a sportsperson, you may start by saying, “First, giving thanks to God…”
Well, in this attempt at literary arts, I make no claim at winning anything, but in this book, I have run the race and completed it. For this pleasure alone, I lift my heart in praise, worship and gratitude to God. Like the seventeen-year Cicada, this work has finally reached its molting. Seventeen years buried in the earth in its cocoon, it is finally ready and because God has been its Provocateur, Overseer and Cultivator, he does indeed warrant first thanks. It has been a privilege and honor to be a part of it.
Second, and almost as close to the top as God, is my wife Bonnie. Like me, she has agonized over every word. She has edited, argued and construed. She has added a bit here and a bit there. No one can use literary scissors like her, much to my pain; and then when I see her finished work, to my immense joy. Incredibly, more important than her investment of hundreds of hours with this book, was her encouragement and her belief in me. She actually thinks I can write, silly girl. It is beyond my reach to say how much I truly appreciate all of this, or how very much it has contributed to the finished work.
We walked a precarious path, she, advising me on what a reader might enjoy, and what not; I, remonstrating on the presumption of how her efforts could possibly improve on what I had already written. She won most of these elephantine struggles, as she well should have. I shall take to eternity the vision of her broad smile and dancing eyes, when I, at length announced, “The deed is done!” No man on earth could possibly have such a nourishing life partner. For this, my debt of gratitude to God knows no bounds.
To David, my son and professional advisor, I owe an enormous debt. Awash in thanksgiving for the support and attentions of such a son, I am honored that David has been, and will remain my stalwart. He has helped form this book, sometimes even when he didn’t know it.
Dr. Louis Tharp, psychologist and professor of Philosophy and Religion, has thundered at me incessantly to get this project done, not because he thought me a procrastinator, which, of course, I am, but because he believes in its message. I have known him for almost forty years. We have laughed together, sailed together, argued together, gone to the dinner theater together, eaten in Mexican restaurants together, and along with his beautiful wife, Anna, for a time, lived in the same house (his) together. Without Lou’s thudding and prodding, this book might still be lying in fragments on my computer. He helped in its formation, and especially helped make its completion possible.
Linda Lashley, English professor and dearest friend, proved invaluable in providing important, professional editorial support. She examined each comma, each quotation mark, caught spelling errors and made extremely helpful suggestions regarding the use of specific words. In other words, she did the job of a top-notch, professional editor. In going through her work on the manuscript, I was awed and humbled by her gracious gift of time, talent and training. So much was Linda’s contribution that with her oversight the work has immensely benefitted. Thank you, Linda for your help.
Thanks also to Nancy Stockton who was extremely helpful in this regard.
Our daughter, Pamela Tinsley, was kind enough to allow me to use her warm, heartfelt thoughts of her newborn son, and in this story, they found their way into Mary’s thoughts of her newborn Son. There are so many others to thank: Rod Pejsar and his marvelous twin daughters, Robin and Karen, who provided graphic arts support. For Ray Bailey, whose enthusiasm, moral and technical support, I am deeply grateful. To all my family and friends who have tolerated my emails requesting feedback on this passage or that, thank you.
For each person mentioned here, and for all who impacted this work without knowing they were doing so, I offer my thanksgiving to God. I earnestly hope you find the result something of which you can be proud.
—Paul Morris
 
 
 
 
How can we present Jesus Christ to the world in a way that is simultaneously authentic and relevant? A double discipline seems to be needed, negative and positive. The negative is to rid our minds of all preconceptions and prejudices, and resolutely to renounce any attempt to force Jesus into