76-BrotherJames-A

And We Thought We Knew You:
Soul Journey With the Real Jesus

James, Jesus' Brother
BLOOD LINE

Sunday, about May 15, AD 30
Capernaum, Galilee

�� "Jesus, when are you going to quit embarrassing the family?" James shouts as he heads into his workshop and slams the door behind him. [1]

�� He has refused to go to the memorial services.� No way is he going into a hysterical crowd like that.� No way is he going to honor a brother who was a lunatic.� If they'd just locked him up, he might be alive today.

�� All his life James has suffered because of Jesus.� But with him dead and gone, maybe people will forget him.� Maybe now, James can finally have a normal family. [2]

�� How well he remembers Jesus breaking away from the family carpentry business.� James resented him deserting the family like he did to become a revolutionary. �Claimed he was going to become both the king of the country and high priest of their religion.� Talk about power hungry.

�� Not only that, but James and the others were even required to pitch in and help support his deadbeat brother.

Yes, how well he remembers....

AD 17-26
Nazareth, Galilee

�� ....Joseph the carpenter has advanced from building small projects to rebuilding damaged houses.� Carpentry is good work.� An honest occupation. [3]

�� Jesus is the first to graduate from synagogue school and go full time into the building trade with his father.� Gradually sons James, Joseph Jr, Simon and Jude are taken into the family business too.

�� James resents Jesus being made second in charge of the company.� After all, he is not really their father's son.� Joseph adopted him.� He's actually their mother's illegitimate son.� She concocted some story about Jesus' father being God, but James is not buying into it.� It's like some god story.� How could his father be so gullible? [4]

�� So, even though James is Joseph's real first-born son, he has had to play left-hand man to Jesus all his life.� How he resents him.� Sometimes he even hates him.�

�� In the mean time, there are some weddings.� The sisters� Salome, Deborah, and Martha are the first.� They marry almost as soon as they are out of synagogue school.� They settle down there in Nazareth with their new husbands. [5]

AD 27
Cana, Galilee

�� The family has been invited to a wedding over in Cana.� Wouldn't miss it for the world.� Joseph is busy and cannot attend.� Mary and their sons do. [6] Jesus has been in Jerusalem, but will join them at the wedding on his way home.

�� "Go ahead, Son.� There's no better time to go public than among friends," James overhears his mother tell Jesus at the wedding reception.�

�� "Oh, no. �Not that," Simon tells his brother.� "She's telling him to announce he's God's son?� We've had enough hassling at home.� Why here too?"

�� "It's not time yet," Jesus argues to his mother.

�� "Good thinking, Jesus!" James interrupts out of their hearing.� "As far as I'm concerned, it will never be the time."

�� A servant has been pouring skimpy portions of wine to the guests at the table.� Mary has figured out they have run short. [7]

�� "Do whatever my son tells you to," she says to the servant.�

�� Jesus gets up and goes with the waiter.� Minutes later he returns to his table with a smile.

�� "Okay, big brother, what did you pull?"� How James hates his big bro....well, hates Jesus. He disowned him as a brother long ago.

�� "Attention, everyone!"� It is the groom.� "There is plenty of wine.� Eat, drink and be merry!"

�� "From water, I hear," someone whispers.

�� "From water?" someone else asks.

�� "Water!?"

�� The word is repeated with wonder and delight and confusion everywhere in the room.�

�� The family looks at Jesus and then at their mother.� Both are smiling.� People are pointing in their direction.

�� "Jesus, did you actually turn the water into wine?" a guest asks approaching their table.� "The waiters are swearing you did.� That power only comes from one source.� Were you sent by God?"

�� James pounds his fist on the table, gets up, and walks outside.� Simon follows him.�

�� "No way!" he shouts at his brother.� "He's always made sure he did things better than other people.� But he can't do the impossible." [8]

�� "Looks like we're stuck with a brother who's not only illegitimate, but now he's gone crazy in the head," Simon says pacing in front of James.� "Just slight of hand is all it is.� He has just put on a magic show for the benefit of the bored guests."

�� "How can they take him so seriously?� Mother too?&"

�� "I hate to say it, but sometimes I think there's something wrong with Mother.� Maybe Jesus just inherited it."

Nazareth, Galilee

�� The family goes back home.� Then a month later, Jesus goes alone to Jerusalem, for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread celebration.� He walks all the way with his apostles, as he calls them.� The family is embarrassed and disturbed by what they hear of the events of the trip.

�� "He did what in the Temple?" asks Simon.

�� "He got a whip and ran the foreign currency exchangers out," James related, "and threw their money all over the floor." [9]

�� "Does anyone know he's related to us?&"

�� "I hate to say this, brother, but the news hit the streets.� Everyone knows."

�� "He's gotta get a grip on things.� What is he trying to prove?"

�� "We've got to get out of here.� Father, let's move.� People all over town are making fun of us."

�� "I've been thinking of it," Joseph announces.� "Capernaum is a thriving fishing and town.� I think I could really make our business grow up there.� And it would put your mother just a town away from her sister, Salome over in Bethsaida.� That would make her happy."

�� "Move to the Sea of Galilee?"

�� "Why not?"

�� The house is sold.� The business is sold.� The family packs up.� The wagons back into the courtyard and shop.� Mary and Joseph have one last gathering with the whole family.� Their daughters will stay behind, of course, seeing that they have married local men.� Mary and the men in her family will move on.� Celebration and tears.� Hugs and kisses good-bye.

�� "Come back as often as you can, Mother and Father."

�� "We will.� We promise."

Spring AD 27
Capernaum, Galilee

�� They settle in and restart the business.� It does well.� At James's suggestion, Joseph has expanded and is now building a few new houses in partnership with a local mason. [10]

�� But in other ways, things are not going well.� Joseph's health has not been the best lately.� More and more he stays in the background and let's his sons run the show.�

�� They are all involved except Jesus, of course.� He, for all practical purposes, has dropped out of the family business.� He is always on the road with his campaign of being the next king of Palestine and high priest of their religion.� Blind ambition is all it is.� And power hunger.

�� Still, their parents make his brothers donate money to support him.� They do not like it.� But they have to.� He is an embarrassment to the family, but he is also blood relation.� So they do.� To please Mother and Father.

�� One day they're all in synagogue together, and one of the members begins to act weird.� Interrupts the services.� Jesus is preaching that day.� So he walks back and demands a demon come out of the man.� He and this guy must have colluded together for this one.� Jesus always did have a big imagination.� Now it's demons.� What's next? [11]

�� Now other reports of healings come in.� Peter's mother-in-law.� People with leprosy.� People with withered limbs that grow back normal.� People with sores that have ulcerated.� And asthma.� People who haven't walked in years.� All now running around claiming Jesus is from God. [12]

�� "What do they know?" James and his brothers often demand angrily.�

�� Jesus grew up with them, played ball with them, shared spring water with them, went to the market with them ~ everything.� They do not know Jesus, not the real Jesus.� He's just a regular guy, like anyone else.� Only he has this hold over people, this hypnotic hold.�

�� The healings?� Can't explain it.� All Jesus' brothers and sisters know is that he is not what he's cracked up to be.� They ought to know if anyone does.� Funny though.� Mother and Father won't interfere.� Won't try to talk sense into his head.� He's embarrassing the whole family.�

Autumn AD 28

�� "Father, there's a fact-finding team just arrived here from the Temple in Jerusalem.� They're trying to stop Jesus.� They're trying to get dirt on him," explains Jude. [13]�

�� James continues.� "This latest thing, Father ~ the demon thing ~ will just give them the ammunition they need.� He's going to get himself sent to the caves somewhere among the other insane people.� You know how powerful those chief priests and theologians are."

�� Joseph, sitting in a chair next to his bed, takes his sons' warnings seriously.� They are right, of course.� At least about part of it.� Joseph know Jesus did cast out demons if he so claimed, despite the disbelief of his brothers.�

�� Joseph also knows that Jesus is in danger.� He has never forgotten that he vowed when he was born to always take care of him.

�� "Mary," Joseph shouts into the other room, "get my clothes out.� I'm going to help Jesus!"

�� Mary hurries into the bedroom.� "You're not going anywhere.� You're too sick."

�� "I've got to help him.� He's pushing too hard.� He's in danger."

�� "The boys and I will go get him out of there.� We will be fine."

�� Joseph sits back down in his chair knowing Mary is right.�

�� In the other room, James takes advantage of not having his father around.� "This demon thing Jesus is getting into, Mother.� He's going insane.� No one communicates with demons.� He claims to talk to them, to cast them out.� He's getting to be as crazy as a loon." [14]

�� "He's right, Mother," Joseph Jr. adds.� "He needs to back off for awhile.� You're the only one who can control him.� You've got to talk him into coming home with us, then going to visit Aunt Salome or something for awhile."

�� "He's lost control, Mother.� We can't let him get sent away or arrested.� What would people say?"

�� By now Mary has her robe on.� "Let's go!" she announces.

�� Mary follows out the gate with her four sons and they head over to the house where Jesus is now living with his twelve aides.� When they arrive, donkeys are tied up all across the front wall.� Why does he keep letting so many people in?

�� They go to the gate and knock.� A stranger answers.� In the background they hear someone shout, "You're mad, Jesus!� You're demon possessed yourself.� You've got a pact with the devil!" [15]

�� "We're Jesus' family," James says to the doorman.� "We need to talk to him."

�� "Wait here.� I'll send word up to him."

�� They wait out on the street.� They are frustrated because they cannot even get into the house of their own flesh and blood because of all these strangers.� How do the neighbors stand it, they wonder. [16]

�� The gate is left ajar, so they can hear what is going on to some degree.� "Hey, Jesus, your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to talk to you."

�� But does Jesus say, "Excuse me, I need to see my family a minute"?� No, he does not.� Instead, he sweeps his hands over the crowd and says, "Here are my mother and brothers.� Whoever follows God my father are my mother and brothers." [17]

�� Can't he ever stop?� Can't he just answer a simple question with a simple reply?� Can't he just respond to a simple request with a simple compliance?� He's not normal.

Early Spring AD 29

�� You ought to see Mother and Father sit and worry at night about where their precious Jesus is and what he is doing.� He is gone all the time.�

�� And does he care what happens to our mother and father?� No way.� He's got to be gallivanting all over the country pretending to heal people, and pretending he's got this special communication with Jehovah God.� Who does he think he is anyway?� He ought to come home and settle down like a sensible man so Mother and Father will quit worrying so much.

�� The amazing thing is that more and more people are following him.� Hundreds.� Thousands.� How does he do it?� How can people be so gullible?

�� The blind masses followed him out into the hills on the other side of the lake to hear him make a speech.� He talked all day, which he can do at the drop of a hat.� There must have been ten or twenty thousand of them!�

�� The word is going around that he fed them all with a couple dried fish and a few rolls.� Just yesterday actually. [18]

�� We just don't understand that.� He does not have those kinds of powers.� He couldn't even play leap frog without tripping over his own feet.� Has he gotten in with a magician or something?� He can't feed that many people off of one lunch.� What's going on, big brother?� We don't understand you any more.

�� It's the sabbath.� The synagogue is crowded.� The congregation hopes Jesus will preach, then do more miracles.� They're talking about getting him to feed them all again.� His family goes to synagogue too, as they always do.� They hope he won't embarrass them again.

�� "Teacher," one of them asks, "what must we do to have the kind of good works God wants of us?"

�� The congregation listens impatiently to the answer, hoping to get on with the show ~ the miracles.

�� "Well," someone else demands, "give us a sign now as proof we should believe you."

�� But Jesus does not cooperate.� His brothers in the audience wonder what he's up to now.

�� "I am your food.� I have come down from heaven to be food of life to you."

�� Now wait one minute, Jesus.� To say you have God's powers, well, that some people can believe.� But to say you actually descended from heaven, you're way out of line.

�� Jesus repeats himself again.� He does not back down.� He is from heaven.

�� "But, Jesus, we know your mother and father, Mary and Joseph," someone shouts.� "So how can you say you came from heaven?" [19]

�� Now they're dragging the family into it.

�� Still Jesus does not back down.� He is getting worse instead.� He is telling people that some day they must eat his flesh so they can live forever.� He's teaching cannibalism! [20]

�� His brothers wish they hadn't gone to hear this.� They duck their heads and make their way out of the synagogue.� Most people recognize them.

�� "See, right there.� His brothers.� He didn't come from heaven."

�� Mary goes into tears, but they don't understand her tears.� Her sons think they are tears of shame.� But they are really tears of pride.� She knows who her oldest son really is.

�� Joseph was unable to go to synagogue with them.� He is growing worse. [21]

�� For the first time since he was twelve years old, Jesus does not go to Jerusalem for the Passover ceremonies.� How can he leave his beloved step-father at a time like this ~ the man who has stood by him since before his birth? [22]

�� They spend more time together.�

�� "Did I ever tell you about the first time the angel appeared to me and said your mother was going to bear the son of God?" [23]

�� Yes, Father, a hundred times.� And I could hear it a hundred times more.

�� "You know, your real father from heaven and I had several good talks before I realized the extent I was to go to keep you protected.� We even got you all the way out of the country to save your life when King Herod went after all the boy babies where you were born.� Those were hard days, Son.� But you survived.� You survived." [24]

�� Joseph is tired now.� He drifts off to sleep.� Jesus walks into the kitchen and sits down with a cup of juice he's been drinking.

�� "Man, Jesus!" James shouts, walking in behind him.�

�� Jesus, vaguely remembering those early days before the others were born, is in his own world.�

�� James picks up Jesus' cup and throws it on the floor.� "You claim to be so good and so perfect!� You claim you've got all those powers.� Well, how about healing my father!� Yes, MY father!� Not yours!"

�� James walks over to a kneading table, hits his fist on it, and turns over� "Is that why?� Because he's not really your father"

�� Jesus just stares and lets his brother talk.

�� "You know, I've always hated you.� But now I hate you more than ever.� I wish you were dead, Jesus.� I wish it were you dying instead of my father.� Why couldn't it have been you?"

�� The next day when Joseph awakes, James goes into his father's room.

�� "Father, you can't die.� Please, don't die.� How am I going to run the company without your advice?� And what am I going to do with Mother, the way Jesus is acting and embarrassing us all?� Please, Father, don't die."

�� "Son, it's going to be okay.� You'll see.� And your mother's going to be fine.� She's a strong woman."

�� "But if Jesus is so great, why doesn't he heal you?� He claims to heal everyone else.� Why not you?� How I hate him."

�� "Shhhh, James.� Don't think like that.� Jesus performs his miracles for just one purpose.� To prove to unbelievers he is the son of God.� Healing me would serve no purpose.� I already believe he is from God." [25]

�� "Father, you're too good for him.� You're the best father a guy could have ever asked for."

�� Joseph is finally taken to a bedroom on the main floor.� His daughters come in from Nazareth so they can be with him as much as possible.� Local family members alter their schedules so they can be at his bedside.�

�� Joseph begins talking about heaven.� "Jesus said it's great there.� I can't wait.� And I can't wait to see Jesus' real father.� He's my father too, you know."

�� Joseph's children do not try to argue any more.�

�� There is a funeral.�

�� Jesus' brothers are angry.� If he is so good, if he has such powers to heal, why didn't he heal their own father, their own flesh and blood?� Look at all the risks Joseph took to save Jesus' life when he was a kid.� Couldn't Jesus do the same for him?

�� Jesus stands on one side of Mary, and James on the other.� They walk into the courtyard together where Joseph is laid out and the family and friends have gathered.�

�� Jesus sits through the funeral with a faint smile, knowing Joseph is finally at rest in heaven, and able to talk things over first hand with God.�

�� Mary sits through the funeral feeling the amputation of having someone who was part of her for thirty years.� Thirty good years.� She loved him so.� She loves him still.

�� James sits through the funeral feeling only anger.� Why couldn't Jesus have saved their father?�

�� On their way to the cemetery, it dawns on James.� Maybe Jesus is just waiting so he can raise him from the dead.� Yeah, Jesus.� You claimed you raised a young man from the dead right during the funeral.� Is that what you're waiting for? [26]

�� James and his brothers beg Jesus.� "Please, if you have really been telling the truth, raise our father from the dead.� Then we'll believe you.� Please, bring our father back to life."

�� But Jesus does not do that either.�

�� James and his brothers become more bitter than ever.� Mary tries to get them to understand her eldest son.� But they don't.� He brags he heals others, and raises others from the dead.� But, when it comes down to the rubber meeting the road, he can't do it.�

�� Jesus, why were you ever born into our family?� We hate you, Jesus.� Just go away and leave us all alone.

September AD 29

�� Another annual ceremony to be held at the Temple ~ The Feast of Booths.� The family all makes arrangements to go.� Jesus does not. [27]

�� "Hey, Jesus," says Joseph Jr. the day before leaving for Jerusalem.� "You're so bound and determined to be head of the national religion.� What are you sticking around here for?� Jerusalem is at the other end of the country."

�� "Yeah," James adds.� "Why are you hiding?� Can't really carry off all those miracles like you claim?� Afraid the people down south will be able to see right through you?� Afraid they'll see you for the charlatan you really are?" [28]

�� Maybe, just maybe they can talk him into getting himself arrested and maybe sent to the loony bin for the rest of his life.� Or maybe even get himself killed.� How they hate him.

�� "This isn't the right time, yet," Jesus responds.� "It's fine for you to go to Jerusalem because no one hates you.� The whole world hates me, because I tell them to their face what they're doing that is wrong." [29]

�� "You got that right," James says.� "If you'd quit telling people off, they just might like you.� You're not such a bad guy sometimes, you know."

�� "You go on to the celebration.� I'm not going for now.� The right time for me isn't here yet."

�� "All right.� Do as you please.� But you'll never take over as high priest or king or anything hiding out here." [30]

�� Mary does not go to the celebration this time either.� She is not up to it so soon after the funeral.�

�� Besides, she and Jesus can have some quality time alone in between his speaking engagements.� She does not know it, but he will be leaving home soon for the very last time.� He will never be back.

�� James, Joseph Jr., Jude and Simon head off for Jerusalem with their families with the company wagon.� When they arrive, the whole town seems to be talking about their brother.

Jerusalem, Judea

�� "He's a good man."

�� "No, he's a bad man. Dangerous."

�� "He's a brilliant politician."

�� "He's a lunatic."

�� "Everything he says is true, though."

�� "No, everything he says is one big lie." [31]

�� His brothers are glad he did not go.� At least not with them.� He is such a family embarrassment.� They are ashamed of him.�

�� Definitely he needs locked up.� For his own good, you understand.� He's dangerous, not only to the people, but to himself.

�� But one day late in the celebration, big brother does show up.� At the Temple.� He performs a few miracles.� He argues a few dozen times with the Temple officials, and tells them once again they're going to hell, and they tell him he is the one going to hell. [32]

�� Jesus' brothers head back home.� They do not know it, but Jesus will never be home again.� Instead, he hides out up in Syria.� He goes back to Jerusalem one time in December, but not for long.� There's an all-out attempt on his life.� Next time they won't miss. [33]

Monday, about April 11, AD 30
Jerusalem, Judea

�� The family is back in town for Passover.� A message arrives at their room at the hostel.� It is dawn.� James awakes, answers the door, and accepts it.

�� "From Salome to James.� I am afraid of what may happen.� The Sanhedrin is making charges against him to Procurator Pilate for treason.� They're trying to get your brother executed." [34]

�� "No!� How can he do this to us?" James shouts at his aunt angrily as he rerolls the small scroll.

�� He awakes his three brothers and mother.� Minutes later they are out on the street of Jerusalem.� They try to find him, but cannot.

�� They go with their mother back to the hostel.� Each day after that they divide up and search through Jerusalem trying to find their brother.� For the sake of their mother.

Wednesday, about April 13, AD 28

�� Another message.� This time late at night.� It is Salome again.

�� "They have arrested him.� They are having a trial tonight over in the high priest's palace.� I am so sorry, Mary.� I'm coming right over." [35]

Thursday, about April 14, AD 30

�� The next morning before dawn, Mary and her sons go to the high priest's palace.� According to the guards, there are no meetings going on there.��

�� With hearts aching and breaking into shreds, they head to the hill of executions.� Mary climbs the hill.� Her other sons do not go with her.� They are humiliated that their own brother would actually be crucified like a vile criminal.� They will never, ever live it down.

�� They stay away.� He wouldn't listen.� He was so head strong. �He just wouldn't listen.� Now he is dead.� Hopelessly dead. [36]

�� They had wanted rid of him.� But not this way.� What are they going to do with their mother?

�� James, now the oldest son, takes charge.� There is nothing left to do but head for home and try to live a normal life.

Wednesday about April 20, AD 30
Capernaum, Galilee

�� Once more a message.� They had thought there could be no more bad news.� James takes it and pays the messenger.

�� "Greetings from Peter:� He has risen!� Your brother came back to life!"

�� James throws the scroll at the gate.� "No,"; he objects aloud.� "No way.� Absolutely not.� It can't be done."

�� James is angry.� Angry with the terrible joke.� He cannot believe Peter would do this to the family.� Not after all they have been through.

�� His mother and Jude are gone into town.� He is glad they are not around to be exposed to such a prank message.

Sunday, about May 15, AD 30

�� There is a memorial service held in honor of big brother Jesus.� Everyone in the family went to it.� Even the sisters came over from Nazareth to be there for it.

�� James refuses to go.� His bitterness is eating him alive.

�� "Please, James.� For Mother's sake.� Please go," Martha begs.�

�� Instead, James goes to his workshop and cuts and saw and hammers.� Much like his own father had done thirty-four years earlier when he learned his fiance, Mary, became pregnant while they were engaged.

�� No!� He has not come back to life.� No!� He is not God the Light, or God the Son, or God the anything.�

�� Still cutting and sawing and pounding on those awful nails.� Gotta get this work done.� Gotta keep working.� Gotta keep from thinking too much.

�� Jesus was just James's older brother.� That's all.� They arm wrestled together, went threw overripe figs at each other, remodeled houses together.

�� They fought over who got the last piece of desert, who was going to win the next Olympic races, and what kind of wood to build their latest customer's front gate out of.�

�� Has the whole world going crazy?�

�� Five hours later he hears his mother and brothers outside.� They are shouting and singing.� Loud enough to wake the dead.

�� They come running into the workshop.

�� "He's alive!� Your brother is alive!"

�� Laughing.� Crying.� Shaking.� Not knowing how to convince him of the impossible.�

�� "He's alive!� He's alive!"

�� James takes hold of his mother by her shoulders and holds her still long enough to look her straight in the eye.�

�� "My brother is dead!� Do you hear me?� He's dead.� Accept it, Mother.� He is dead.� He is never coming back.� He is gone for good."

�� "No, he is not!� We saw him today.� There were about 500 of us at the memorial service.� He appeared to us.� He talked to every one of us!"

�� "Get hold of yourself, Mother."

�� "Son, believe me!� Your brother is alive!"

�� Frustration and fury take over.� Arguing.� Family arguing.� Trying to face reality.� Reality that isn't real.� Reality that cannot be real.� Oh, God.� Why are you putting the family through all this?

Sunday about May 22, AD 30

�� "James," Joseph Jr. announces.� "We're going to that meeting I told you about.� They're going to read all the prophecies Jesus fulfilled in his life.� You know, the ones written thousands of years before he was born.� If you went, it would help you."

�� "Nothing is going to help me but you getting out of my face."

�� Mary says a silent prayer.� She kisses her son on the forehead.� "I'm praying for you, James."

�� "Don't bother!" he replies, regretting as soon as he said it that he had taken it out on his mother.� He kisses her on the cheek.� "Have a good time, Mother," he says repentently.

�� The family leaves.� James is now alone.�

�� But not alone.�

�� Hello, there, James.� I've been wanting to see you.

�� James jumps and turns like a threatened snake.�

�� Recklessly.�

�� Angrily.�

�� Against his will.

�� He cannot believe what he is seeing.� He will not believe.� He throws his hands up to the top of his head, turns away from the illusion, and looks toward the ceiling in exasperation.

�� "No!� No!� I am not seeing him!� Go away!� Go away from me!� I saw the soldiers take you away.� Mother saw your dead body.� Now I'm the one going insane."

�� A hand touches him.� "Take it easy, James.� It's me."

�� Without even looking, James recoils in panic.

�� "Get away from me!"

�� Please, James.� I understand....

�� "You don't understand anything!� Do you have any idea what you have put this family through?"

�� Suddenly James hits his fist onto a work table, then sits on a bench, for he realizes he is actually answering his illusion.

�� Let's talk.

�� "I'm not talking to you any more!� You're dead."

�� But I'm not.� I'm Life.� Try to understand.

�� "No!" he shouts, standing back up and heading for the courtyard.� There is no answer.� He turns around to see if the illusion is still there.� It is.

�� "You're not God!� You're my brother!" [37]

�� "Sit down, James.� Please."

�� James, not knowing how to fight a ghost, gives in to the apparition and sits down.� Still it will not go away.�

�� He sits and stares.� Silence.� And more staring.�

�� James fights back the very thought that this thing he is looking at is actually his brother.� But deep down he knows it is.

�� Jesus explains everything.� All the prophecies about his birth, his life, and his death written centuries before he was born.� The proof is in black and white.� It takes all afternoon.�

�� James alternately sits and stands and paces.� He alternately looks at the scripture passages Jesus refers to, and at the ceiling where all is a blank.� He alternately wanders over to the window, then outside, then into his workshop, then back in the house.

�� Jesus waits.� It is important to him that his brother believes

�� "But why did you have to pick our family?"

�� Jesus continues to explain.� The plan.� The eternal plan.� He had to do it as a human.� He had to live as a human and be tempted in every way, so his perfect life would have validity.� He had to die, so he could prove not even death could stop him. [38]

�� James trembles.� Gradually it builds.� Tears gradually invade his eyes.� How he desperately wants to control himself.

�� "But...."�

�� It is so hard to say.

�� "But...."

�� He cannot say it.�

�� Tears engulf his eyes.� The obvious engulfs his heart.� He shakes even more.� He fights for understanding.�

�� Jesus continues to wait.� He was always patient like that while they were growing up.

�� For the hundredth time, James puts his face in his hands.�

�� He becomes somber.�

�� All is quiet.� No one is talking.� Still the two stare at each other in silence.

�� Slowly James looks at Jesus' face.� This time with new eyes.�

�� Very slowly....

�� he slides to the floor....�

�� and whispers....�

�� "My God.� I never knew.� All along, you were my God." [39]

��� LIFE APPLICATION

1.�� Were you made to go to church when a child, then when you became an adult decided you wanted no part of it?� Was it because you needed to question your parents' beliefs?� Have you done it?�

2.�� Some say that, despite the proofs, Jesus coming back to life and offering us eternal life in a better world is too hard to believe.� But what if it is true?� Would your life be any worse for following Jesus, even if it were not true?

3.�� You may think that it would have been easier to believe in Jesus had you actually seen his miracles and his crucifixion, then his presence afterwards.� But only a limited number of people in that country saw it.� We have it better, for we have the written scriptures with the proofs in black and white that we can study.� There are more extant manuscripts of Bible writings than any other ancient writings in the world including the existence of the Caesars.

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