Making New Friends

In the morning Jesus asks, ‘Are you ready for your surprise?’ 

‘Yes’, chorus the children. 

‘I’ve been waiting all night’, complains Kevin. 

‘Today we are going to a far distant planet, and you will meet a man you may know.’ Kevin is enthusiastic. 

‘Oh who?’ Jesus smiles, ‘You will have to wait and see my boy.’ 

In a moment our feet leave the ground and we wing our way through space.   It is exciting to pass suns, stars and planets.

After a short time, Jesus draws close to the girls.  

‘Are you enjoying the beauty of the heavens?’ 

‘Oh yes’, they respond. Jesus then says, 

‘We are nearing our destination. See it over there.’ 

Gradually our feet drift downward until they touch the soft grass of the planet. A large group of beautiful people are waiting for us. 

Jesus greets them lovingly. ‘Blessings my dear ones.’ 

Everyone is so happy. 

Summer is very curious.     She wants to ask a question, but is a bit scared. Finally she says to the people, ‘Do you mind if I ask you something?’ 

‘Please do’, they say. 

'Yes, ask your question.’ 

She hesitates.    Everyone waits, wondering what she wants to know. 

‘You can ask anything?’ offers another. 

Gaining courage, Summer asks, ‘Why are you all so beautiful?’ 

Everyone smiles.   They look at each other.  A number people begin to answer, but stop, allowing friends to proceed. 

‘The reason is because we have never sinned’, says one. 

‘Never?’ asks Jeannette. 

‘No. We have never sinned’, says another. 

‘Really, truly?’ suggests Kevin. 

The people laugh, and someone replies, ‘Yes, really truly.’ 

Everyone laughs, including Kevin.  

Jesus smiles at the people. 

Summer has another question.   ‘Can you tell me if you have a tree of knowledge of good and evil?’ 

The leader of the world steps forward and replies, ‘Yes my child, we have a forbidden tree, but no one on this planet has ever eaten its fruit.’

Jeannette turns to Jesus and asks, ‘If we had never eaten of our tree, would we be as beautiful as these people?’ 

‘Yes child, you would be’, He responds. ‘Oh, that tree again’, retorts Kevin. 

‘No Kevin.  The tree is not the problem’, cautions Jesus. 

‘I know’, offers Jeannette.  ‘We make the choice.’ 

The leader of the people quietly tells Jesus, ‘Your guest is in the garden of roses.’ 

Thanking him, we walk through magnificent gardens. 

The flowers are just as lovely as the inhabitants of the planet. 

The   beautiful   people   smile and wave as we admire their flowers. 

Among the roses stands a man. 

Jesus greets him lovingly, and says, ‘I have some new friends for you to meet today – Oma, Summer, Jeannette and Kevin.  They are from your home, the earth.’ 

He smiles and greets us.                                          

Then Jesus announces, ‘Children, I would like you to meet Moses.’ 

‘Ooooh’, everyone exclaims. 

After greetings, Kevin looks at Moses and says, ‘You look different.’

In surprise he responds, ‘Different?  Different from what?’ 

‘Different from the film’, states Kevin. 

We all laugh.  

Jesus looks at the young boy, ‘You must be thinking of the ‘Ten Commandments’ movie.   Is that right?’ 

‘Yes’, he says. 

‘Well young man, this is the real Moses.’ 

Kevin bubbles with excitement. 

‘Children’, suggests Jesus.  ‘Let us go over to that big tree and sit down on the grass.  You might have questions to ask Moses.’ 

‘I have one’, volunteers Kevin. 

We all sit down and Moses asks, ‘Young man, what is your question?’ 

‘What was it like walking through the Red Sea?   Could you see the fish swimming around?’ 

Moses smiles.   ‘Kevin, you need to remember that we were escaping from the Egyptian army.’  

‘I know’, states Kevin.  ‘Pharaoh wanted to take you back to Egypt, didn’t he?’ 

‘Yes’, continues Moses. ‘It was not a casual walk through the Red Sea where we could enjoy the scenery.    However, many children did call out that they could see the fish.’ 

‘I’d love to see it happen’, says Summer. 

‘Yes, it was dramatic.   God’s power is so wonderful.    He parted the water and even dried the sand so we could walk easily.  It wasn’t soft sand castle sand, but hardened like when the waves recede from the shore, even harder.’ 

‘Did everyone get there safely?’ asks Jeannette. 

‘Oh yes.   Do you remember why pharaoh’s army did not pursue us straight away?’ 

‘I know’, says Kevin.  ‘God put fire in front of them.’ 

‘Yes, that’s right. That fire was God’s Spirit’, clarifies Moses. 

‘Oh’, exclaims Summer.  ‘Was it the bright light?’ 

‘Yes dear.    During the daytime, it looked like a cloud that covered us from the hot sun.   At night it changed to fire, giving us light and warmth.’ 

‘I didn’t know that’, responds Jeannette. ‘God is good to do look after you.   He is very kind, isn’t He?’ 

Moses nods his head in agreement. 

Summer is curious about the light, ‘Can the bright light go anywhere?’ 

Moses looks at Jesus, signalling for Him to take over. 

Jesus explains.    

‘Children, the light surrounding My Father is omnipresent. That’s a big word, but it means He can be everywhere in the universe by the light because it is His Spirit.   The Son also has that Spirit and He was hidden in the cloud.’ 

‘Oh, so you were leading the people?’ asks Kevin. 

Jeannette adds, ‘Why were you in the cloud, Jesus?’ 

He smiles.  

‘If I came to the children of Israel with all My glory they would die.  Before sin in the Garden of Eden there was no need of a covering  as  Adam  and  Eve  had  the  same  Spirit  in their  minds  and hearts. Remember you saw it as a garment of light?’ 

‘Yes’, volunteers Jeannette, ‘but they lost it.’ 

‘That’s right’, continues Jesus. ‘The Spirit could not stay with disobedience.  When Adam and Eve repented and asked forgiveness through the blood of the sacrifice, they received the Spirit again.’ 

‘Did it shine as clothing?’ 

‘Good  question’,  responds  Jesus.  ‘No,  they  only  received  a  small amount of the Spirit.’ 

Summer wonders, ‘Why could they only have a little bit?’ 

‘Sin is a big problem’, He replies.   

‘One day sin and death will be destroyed, then  all those who  love  and  obey God and  His  Son will receive the fullness of the Spirit, and it will shine out as clothing.’ 

Moses adds. ‘Children, the light of God is not just clothing, it is God’s Spirit, and the Spirit speaks to us.’ 

‘Oooooh’, exclaims Kevin. 

Summer admits. ‘I did not know God could talk by His Spirit.’ Turning to Oma she says, ‘Remember I asked how God talks to us? ’ 

‘Yes Summer, I remember.   We don’t hear a voice with our ears, but with the mind.   It is very gentle.’ 

Jesus smiles.  ‘Yes, Oma is right.  God’s voice is very soft.’ 

‘Does He whisper?’ asks Kevin

‘It is different to a whisper. Have you ever done something you know you shouldn’t do, and inside you knew it was wrong.’ 

‘Yes’, admits Jeannette.  ‘Is that God speaking?’ 

‘That’s right’, says Jesus.  ‘On earth you call it the conscience.  But be careful because conscience needs to be educated in the things of God. Some people have a corrupt conscience.   Others don’t even seem to have a conscience at all.     However, deep down these people know what is right because God speaks to them until they refuse to listen.’ 

‘Children’, says Moses, ‘God speaks through the Bible too.’ 

‘Oh, how?’ asks Summer. 

‘By His still small voice of the Spirit’, says Moses. 

 Jesus  explains.    ‘As  you  read  the  words,  God’s  Spirit  reveals  the meaning.  Sometimes the words are hard and you have to ask God to teach you. He will do that if you really want to know.’ 

Summer asks another question.   ‘Did the Spirit of God tell Adam he should not eat the fruit?’ 

‘You are right my girl’, says Jesus. 

Kevin leans forward. ‘Why didn’t he listen?  He got us into a big mess.’ Summer continues.  ‘I guess it was the same as it is for us.  We can say yes and we can say no, can’t we?’ 

Moses adds, ‘I did not make up the part of the Bible   I wrote.    The Spirit explained things to me and I wrote them down.    So when you read the words of the Bible you have to ask God what He wants you to learn, and by His Spirit, He will explain them.’ 

‘Did  Adam  and  Eve  have  a Bible?’ asks Kevin. 

‘No son, the Bible was not written until many years later.’ 

Kevin jumps to his feet.  

‘If Adam and Eve hadn’t eaten the fruit, we would still be in the Garden of Eden.’ 

Moses puts his hand on Kevin’s head and ruffles his hair. 

Jesus continues.  

‘Remember, it is always your own choice. If you choose to obey, heaven is your home.  If you choose not to obey----’ 

‘I know’, interrupts Kevin, ‘you get kicked out.’ 

Summer says thoughtfully, ‘We will die, won’t we?’ 

Jesus stands up and takes Kevin’s hand.  ‘You are right Summer.  It is a death that lasts forever.’ 

Turning to Moses, the Son thanks him for spending time with them. He then tells the children,  ‘We must leave Moses now and return to the New Jerusalem.’ 

‘Oh, I don’t want to go’, complains Kevin. 

‘Kevin’, says Jesus, ‘we must go now, but I would like you to do something for me.   Would you ask your Dad to read to you the travels of the children of Israel from the book of Numbers?   I will give you the chapters. Will you do that?’ 

‘Yes, I will’, he says.   ‘Can we meet David next?    The one who killed Goliath.’ 

‘I am sorry Kevin, no, David is dead.   But you will meet a man who didn’t die.’ 

'Ooooh!'