NOTE: Back in December, you may recall i posted a series of short stories for the Advent season. i am acutely aware that with so much of our attention turned toward COVID-19, it could be easy for the hope and assurance of the Easter message to get lost in the noise. So i have decided to take a different track with my weekly blog posts for these next four weeks.
Starting today and for the three weeks that follow, i will be posting four short stories surrounding the ministry, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Though i will endeavor to keep each story factual as to the details conveyed through the Gospels – by their nature these stories will be fictional first person accounts involving both historical and fictional characters, as well as fictional details that have been incorporated into each narrative. My prayer is that, through the telling, we are reminded of the hope and assurance we have in Jesus. To that end, let’s look at the account through the eyes of these four people:
Lazarus’s Story (This week – March 25)
Simon the Cyrene’s Story (April 8)
Simon Peter’s Story (April 15)
All four of these Easter stories will be included in the book The One Who Stood Before Us
Watch for its release FEBRUARY 2021
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Most of you know me as Lazarus; but some of you may know me as Simon. My sisters and I live in Bethany. Our father died a few years ago. As his son, I inherited his property and became the patriarch of our family. Neither of my sisters are married. My oldest sister Martha keeps our lives functioning in perfect order. She has the gift of organization and is the model of a hard worker. Our home is immaculate and the picture of efficiency. Our younger sister Miriam, whom many of you call Mary, has a sweet spirit and a tender heart. She is as compassionate as Martha is industrious. My father once said that if a man could marry both of his daughters that man would have found the perfect wife.
Our father was a successful vintner. He inherited his land from his father about the time Herod the Great became the tetrarch over the region. The economy flourished under Herod’s reign through the expanded trade enabled by the construction of his new port city of Caesarea. Our father capitalized on the new trade opportunities by quadrupling our harvest. He achieved this by planting land that had previously remained idle under his father’s direction, and by employing improved irrigation and pruning techniques.
I will confess that I did not inherit my father’s ambition to further increase the output of our land, but I did learn his lessons in how to best manage what we have. So the land continues to provide handsomely for me and my family. I employ an overseer by the name of Amari to direct the day-to-day operations. My father employed Amari’s father in the same capacity, so Amari and I grew up together. I trust him as if he was my brother – because in many respects he is.
Our vineyards are located in the fertile Jordanian valley. My father built our residence away from the vineyards in the heart of Bethany. As a matter of fact, my father’s success enabled him to become one of the more prominent men in Bethany with one of the largest homes. Our family continued to enjoy that elevated social status even after my father’s death.
That is, until something totally unforeseen occurred. One day I began to notice the appearance of skin lesions on my arms and legs. They weren’t visible to others because they appeared in places ordinarily covered by my clothing. At first, I didn’t think anything about them. I thought they may just be some form of rash. But as the weeks passed, they didn’t go away; in fact, more began to appear. Then I developed a numbness – at first in my hands, but soon it had moved to my feet as well.
Initially I was able to keep it hidden from everyone, including my sisters. But I soon realized that for their protection, I could no longer keep it a secret. One of our leading local priests, Phinehas, is also a good friend of mine. He and I grew up together, and he is a frequent guest at our dinner table. On one of those occasions when he was dining with us, I decided that I needed to confide in him and get his assessment of what was happening to me. I drew him aside and showed him some of the lesions and described the symptoms I was experiencing. Immediately he affirmed my suspicions. I had leprosy!
For the sake of my family and my neighbors I could no longer hide my condition. Our laws are very clear regarding what I needed to do. Without any further hesitation I assembled Martha, Mary and Amari, and from a safe distance, while Phinehas was still there with us, I told them of my condition. As you can imagine, they were devastated by the news. Our charmed life had just been irreparably shattered. After delegating my responsibilities to them, I set out from our home that very evening and made my way out of town.
I traveled north and eventually came to an area outside of one of the villages in Galilee. Leprosy has come to be known as the “living death” among our people. Many believe that lepers are being punished by God for our sins. As a result, our condition quickly leads us to be filled with shame. That shame caused me to want to get as far away from Bethany as I possibly could. Those of us with the disease are considered to be unclean and we are not permitted to come within six feet of another person. As a matter of fact, on a windy day, we aren’t permitted to be any closer than one hundred fifty feet. I wanted to put an even greater distance between me and those in my city who would now look down upon me with pity – mixed with fear.
The disfigurement that occurs within our bodies soon causes our very appearance to become a warning to others to stay away. We are cast out of our homes and our villages to live solitary lives – until we die – or somehow by the amazing grace of God we are miraculously healed. I was not holding out for a miracle.
It is a hopeless existence. Since we are unable to associate with others, we cannot work. Most lepers have no way to provide for their needs. They completely depend upon the gifts of family members or the gifts of those showing compassion. As a result, many die of starvation, more than they do as a result of the disease itself. And leprosy is truly no respecter of persons or position. It afflicts the affluent and the poor equally. So regardless of station, a diagnosis of leprosy immediately causes one to be swallowed into the abyss of desperation.
I was in a better position than most. My family was affluent, so my sisters made sure that I lacked for nothing. Bear in mind, my needs were simple – food, clothing and bedding. But still, my desperation was equally as great.
My sisters traveled to visit with me – from a safe distance – on more occasions than I would have liked – for their sakes. One of the things that lepers long for is the simple act of a physical touch. And as grateful as I was for my sisters’ visits, each one acutely reminded me that I would never again feel their touch. As the months passed, my condition continued to deteriorate. I had come to clearly recognize the signs and I knew that my death was drawing near.
One morning, I was staring blankly off into the distance. My eyesight had deteriorated to the point that I could now only see shapes. I could no longer distinguish features. But that morning, I saw what appeared to be a Man walking in my direction. As best I could tell He was surrounded by a large group of followers. Those walking with Him were asking Him questions, and He was answering them. He obviously was a teacher of some sort. As they grew closer, I heard someone address Him by name – Jesus!
Even here in the middle of nowhere, I had heard of a Man by the name of Jesus. I had heard that He was possibly the promised Messiah, and that He had the power to heal. At that moment, I knew what I had to do. I didn’t think about it. I didn’t hesitate. I just started running toward Jesus! I don’t know where the strength came from to run. For weeks now I had barely been able to move. But suddenly I was running!
Imagine how strange – and frightening – the sight of a leper running toward them must have been to the crowd that was with Jesus. As I think back, I wonder if any of those in the crowd picked up sticks or stones to throw at me to keep me away.
As I approached Him, I stopped and bowed with my face to the ground. I am certain that everyone who was with Him was astonished that I had dared to approach Him. But I didn’t even see them. I knew there was only One in their midst who could possibly heal me. I could barely speak, but somehow I was able to whisper the words, “Lord, if you are willing, You can heal me and make me clean.”(1)
Then He did the unthinkable! He walked right up to me – not keeping the six-foot distance – and He reached out… and touched me! I could no longer remember the last time anyone had touched me. I heard an audible gasp from everyone in the crowd who was with Him. What had Jesus done? He had now made Himself unclean by touching a leper! Why would He do that? He could have simply spoken, but instead He touched me!
Then Jesus said, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “I am willing. Be healed!”(2)
You’re not going to believe this – but instantly I knew that I had been healed. Strength that had been gone for years entered back into my body. My eyesight became clear. My numbness was gone and feeling had returned. My skin was clear. Every blemish was gone! All within the blinking of an eye! When the sun rose that morning I had thought it was the day I was going to die. But instead, it was the day Jesus gave me new life! I was healed!
Everyone around us stood in silence. I fell to my knees. The strength had returned to my voice and I wanted to thank Him. But the words that came out of my mouth did not carry the weight of the gratitude I was trying to express. As I knelt before Him, Jesus looked down upon me and told me not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take the offering that is required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. And allow the priest to publicly declare that you have been cleansed.”(3)
As I rose to my feet I instinctively reached out and embraced Him. The crowd gasped for a second time – but their gasps turned to silence when Jesus smiled and returned my embrace.
As I stood there with His arms wrapped around me, He said, “After you have seen the priest, go and be restored to your sisters. They have prayed to the Father on your behalf. Tell them that the Father has heard and answered their prayers. You and I will be together again soon, and you will see Me accomplish even greater things to the glory of the Father. Go and be declared clean, for what I have made clean can never again become unclean!”
Then He let go of me and stood directly in front of me smiling. It had been a long time since anyone had smiled at me. My sisters had looked at me with sadness. Strangers looked at me with fear. Fellow lepers had looked at me with despair. But Jesus smiled at me! So I basked in His smile, just like I had basked in His embrace.
Soon He turned and continued on His way northward. I turned south and began my journey to Bethany. I had left my home downhearted and in despair. I never had anticipated I would be able to return home. But now, here I was – and I could not wait to get there and see my sisters. My pace was brisk and my heart was full to overflowing.
When I arrived on the outskirts of Bethany, I went to the outer boundary of our family’s vineyards and sent word for Amari to come to me. As he drew near, at first I could see his apprehension. I was still wearing the clothes of a leper. But as he grew closer, I began to see his hesitance melt away. When he was close, I told him to stop and remain six feet away from me. Though I had been healed, I still needed to present the offering required by the law just as Jesus had told me. No one would be allowed to come closer to me until that had been completed.
I proceeded to tell Amari all that Jesus had done. You can imagine his questions! After I had answered him to the best of my ability, I asked him to get me everything that would be needed for the healing ceremony. I instructed him to carry a message to Phinehas the priest, as well as my sisters, to let them all know what had happened. I told him to tell my sisters to stay away from me until the cleansing ceremony was completed.
I followed the requirements of the law by bathing and shaving my entire body. Phinehas then examined me and sprinkled me, using a hyssop branch, with the blood of a bird that had been sacrificed. My sisters sent a new garment for me to wear. I continued to stay away from our home for eight more days as the law required. On the eighth day, I presented two rams and a female yearling to Phineas as an offering of cleansing. As my sisters watched, after the sacrifice had been offered, the priest declared me to be clean.
Immediately, my sisters ran and embraced me. I told them what Jesus had done and all He had said. I told them that God had heard and answered their prayers. It was as if Jesus knew every word they had prayed. I told them that Jesus had said He would visit us soon. We would need to be ready for His visit.
I owe Him my life. It wasn’t a bird, two rams and a yearling that made me clean. I was made clean by Jesus – by His word, by His act… and by His touch. And as He said, whatever and whoever He has made clean can never again become unclean!
My journey with Jesus did not end that day; my journey had only just begun. He has promised that I will see Him accomplish even greater things to the glory of the Father. I don’t know what that is or all that lies ahead in my journey, but I will continue to follow the One who stood before me.
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(1) Luke 5:12 (NLT)
(2) Luke 5:13 (NLT)
(3) Luke 5:14 (NLT)
Copyright © 2020 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.
First published on kenwinter.org 25-Mar-2020