Musing in the Footsteps of Jesus: The Dreams of a Storyteller

By Charles David McCally

Musing in the Footsteps of Jesus beckons you to interact with the real and imaginary characters involved in events of Jesuss early ministry.

Witness the life-changing effect on a tent maker and his two young sons as Jesus receives baptism in the Jordan River accompanied by the voice of God introducing him as his beloved son. Be with Jesus in a cave for forty days, preparing for the attack by Satan and his airborne, warring angels. Marvel at how a bear and an owl contribute to Jesuss survival.

Enjoy the sense of humor of the fishermen who joke of the Messiah as their big catch. Later, as Jesuss full-time disciples, they cheerfully confess they are the ones enmeshed in a net. The wedding in Cana turns comical when a renowned chef finds the wine unworthy of his recipes. Jesuss new wine proves to be the best wine ever to touch the gourmets palate.

A Pharisee ruler comes to Jesus at night. As the schooled priest asks Jesus of the secrets of heaven, the mans conflicting thoughts reveal his character and spirituality. The woman at Jacobs well appears to be a repentant sinner yearning for a Messiah. The vision Jesus sees of her past explains why he tells her, before all others, that he is the Christ.

When a rich man asks Jesus how to get to heaven, Christ answers that he must part with his riches and serve him. The man leaves with a sad countenance. Hear the mystical voice from a whirlwind, see the rich mans fanciful flight on a horse to the moon, and you will understand why he chose to obey Jesus and serve him.

This storyteller prays these dreams will increase your hunger for deeper understanding of the Holy Scriptures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449742652

Charles David McCally

Charles David McCally writes out of his experience as an award-winning television producer, winning such awards as Religion in Media’s Angel Award, an award from the International Film and Television Festival of New York, and others. McCally’s Story Telling Man Ministry address in Owasso, Oklahoma, is P.O. Box 1121, Zip 74055.

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Musing In The 

 Footsteps Of Jesus

The Dreams Of A Storyteller

Charles David McCally

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Copyright © 2012 by Charles David McCally

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.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-4266-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-4265-2 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-4267-6 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012904349

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WestBow Press rev. date: 04/05/2012

Contents

A Tentmaker’s Holiday

Psychological Warfare

Going Fishing

Blood Is Thicker Than Wine

In The Black Of Night

Mara’s Last Pilgrimage

The Rose Of Sharon

About the Author

For Regina Walker McCally

Preface

Jesus of Nazareth was the greatest storyteller of all time. In ministering to humankind, at a moment’s notice his infinite imagination created parables that spoke directly to the listeners’ needs. These short, simple stories illustrated his teachings and advocated a standard of morality.

He used these tales to convey the nature of God, and the kingdom of heaven.

When I founded The Story Telling Man Ministry to produce Christian dramatizations on stage and in the media, I never dreamed so many well-known ministries would welcome our efforts and offer us projects. One popular ministry that produced a weekly national television broadcast asked me to play the role of Jesus of Nazareth in its Easter Drama Special that was set to film in Israel. I accepted the offer but not without some serious misgivings. For instance, no books on acting technique, in their chapters on how to develop a character, addressed portraying the mind, body, and soul of the Son of God in human flesh. Fortunately, I had produced, adapted a script from the Scriptures, and directed a stage production on the life of Christ. The adaptation and the directing of the play required heavy research on the title role. Nevertheless, in preparation for this television special I went back to studying the four gospels and scholarly commentaries on Jesus and his ministry. The more I learned of the Nazarene’s countless character facets and the varying interpretation of his words and deeds by biblical scholars, and observed his different likenesses in portraits by great painters, the more confused I became as to how to play him. I was about to ask for a release from my contract, but curiously enough I imagined hearing a soft voice in my head that kept whispering, Come on over the pond to my neck of the woods and I promise you will find me. My spirit will still be here at my ole stompin’ grounds.

Though I fully believed the voice to be a product of my imagination, still I remembered Matthew 7: 7 where Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

The shooting schedule for the film in Israel followed where Jesus’s feet had trod, the incomparably beautiful and awe-inspiring locations as well as to the plain, unattractive, and hideous places he had visited and made famous. I stood still and silent at each of these hallowed locales, staring intently at the few remaining relics of that ancient world. I lingered at each place, sensing its ambiance, and imagining how the mood must have changed on his arrival. The gospel’s accounts show that Jesus’s presence always brought about intense, dramatic effects on those people who were present. I sought to understand the deeper spiritual importance of what went on in these places, between the Son of God and those fortunate mortals blessed by their personal experience with him on earth. I confess I did look for the presence of Jesus in Israel, and I trust the readers of Musing in the Footsteps of Jesus will discern to what extent Jesus played host to our cast and crew. I say this because this filmmaking experience in his land with God’s chosen people initiated the idea and inspired the writing of this collection of stories.

One of the most important acting techniques is belief. The actor must believe with all his heart that he is the character he is playing, must see the other actors also as their characters, and must accept the set as the actual locale called for in the script. This kind of total-belief takes strong concentration, especially in filmmaking where actors often have less rehearsal time than for a stage production.

On the first day of shooting, I found myself, barely awake while standing on a shoreline in darkness. I looked down at my cold, wet feet and found them in sandals, and covered with sand. We had departed our lodging in Tiberius by bus at 4:00 a.m. and in costume and makeup had driven to this beach on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. The wind blowing across the water chilled me, and for warmth, I moved instinctively toward the small fire where I was to be standing when the camera started to roll. We were there early to film the sun as it rose, but it had not warmed us yet, and the cold wind was raising chill bumps on my legs and arms. My teeth refused to stop chattering and I remember thinking, Well, I sure won’t have a problem with scenic-belief.

I looked at my beige, ankle-length, robe tied off at the waist with a leather strap. It isn’t warm enough, but it looks right, I thought, I’m dressed as Jesus would have been. The director called for us to take our places for the scene where Jesus manifests himself once again to his disciples after his resurrection. I said a quick prayer, asking that I might have the mind of Jesus, meaning to have the thoughts he would have had between his spoken words.

With the sound of the director’s word, Action, the first ray of the sun appeared above the black silhouette of the Golan Heights, turning a dark, purple sky into a warm, rich shade of maroon. The early sun heralded a day of antiquity, as its rays revealed a first-century fishing boat rising and falling ever so slowly on the gentle waves of the dark, blue waters. It was a small boat with seven of Jesus’s disciples aboard. Three fishermen in the bow of the boat heaved a large net overboard, off its left side, while two others at the stern pulled in a smaller seine from the same side.

As Jesus, I stood before a small fire, looking out across the water, at the disciples fishing as he had done so many times before. The reality of the landscape, the poignancy of watching these humble, common men at work, and knowing that they were the few chosen to carry on Jesus’s name and his message of salvation, inspired me to have faith in Christ’s presence.

Suddenly, an unwritten subtext of plausible thoughts Jesus might have had between the written words of the script began to flow to me. The thoughts, actions, and dialogue of the scene went as follows.

My Father-God has provided a lovely, serene, and quiet morning for me to re-unite with my dear, committed fishers of men.

Jesus sniffs the smell of the fish he is cooking on a spit in front of him.

The pungent smell of the flavor of these fish is telling me they have cooked long enough.

Jesus crouches down by the spit and tests a fish’s tenderness with a knife.

They are just the way my men like them, cooked all the way through, but soft, juicy, and not too dry. I know better than to let them burn. These hot, tired, hardworking men are famished when they come in from fishing all night. I guess I better wave at them and signal them in. They don’t care much for cold fish either.

Jesus stands up and, waves to them. Two of the men reluctantly, and only half-heartedly, wave back.

I can tell by their unenthusiastic response that they are depressed and are going to be grumpy when they come in. Their half-hearted waving touches my heart because I know they don’t yet realize that it is me, whom they like to call – Master. I know what it takes to get their attention. All I have to do is mention food.

Have you anything to eat? Jesus yells to the men.

I know their answer to that before they reply. They have caught little or nothing all night.

No! The men yelled back, in an impolite way, showing their weariness and frustration.

Bless their hearts. I will give them a secret of the deep, and when their nets fill up; they will know it is my doing.

Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find fish, casually suggests Jesus.

Jesus watches as they look at him as if he is some kind of a teasing joker. Then out of desperation, they follow his instructions. As soon as the net hits the water, it begins filling up and overflowing, to the men’s amazement, with all varieties of fish. The seven fishermen all strive to haul this unbelievable number of fish back into the boat but their combined weight is resistant to the men’s efforts. Suddenly, they see the net begin tearing. In fear that they will lose this colossal catch, or even worse, that its weight may overturn the boat, they release the tension on the connecting ropes. Then it comes to his disciples that this abnormal amount of fish can only be the workings of their hero, the Lord, Jesus. They all turn with smiles of wonder and look at their Savior on the shore. He is innocently smiling back at his children.

Now they know it is I. They know I have once again come back to be with my chosen ones, those without guile, the men I love.

Simon Peter becomes so excited to see Jesus again that he jumps high into the air and falls into the water. He lands in an enormous belly buster that splashes all the men and frightens the snared fish into a state of frenzy. Peter begins swimming, as fast as he is able, that he may be the first to reach Jesus.

Look at Peter flailing in the water. His brother, Andrew always said I had given him a perfect name because he swims like a rock. Nevertheless, he has proven to be the Rock on which my future church will be built. That reminds me, after he eats, I must ask Peter seriously if he loves me enough to feed my lambs and tend my sheep –after I am gone.

Cut, the director calls out and the camera stops. Well done everyone. Now let’s set up for the fishing boat landing sequence.

I gave the credit of my belief in the scene to being at the actual place, the period costumes, and the realistic props. Nevertheless, my instinct told me it was the cast and crew feeling the presence of Jesus’s spirit with us that made it real. Jesus’s thoughts in the scene reinforced to me, that Jesus of Nazareth was a human being, a man of flesh and blood, who experienced the same situations we all do in life and set an example for us of how to handle them.

Musing in the Footsteps of Jesus is a collection of fictitious stories based on biblical accounts of the ministry of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. The New Testament is the infallible Word of God and these dreams focus on Jesus, his family, his disciples, his followers, his political enemies, and those to whom he directly ministered.

It has been said, to understand a person you must first walk in their shoes. Musing in the Footsteps of Jesus is inviting readers to walk with Jesus into those places he visited and see them as he may have. While there, feel the uniqueness of its atmosphere, and imagine the ever-changing moods of those erstwhile crowds, while under Jesus’s influence.

Stand tall in his tracks, while observing Jesus relating to well-known characters of the gospels. Meet with fictitious characters, who like the actual people of his own day, have similar personalities, backgrounds, and the same critical need of salvation. In their stories, the sinful and lost encounter Jesus for the first time and the Light of the World illuminates the darkness in their souls and makes them whole. It is my hope that the reader finds in the reactions of these people to the prophetic words and miraculous deeds of Jesus, fresh, thought-provoking insights into the man from Galilee.

Writing fictional stories based on the biblical facts of our Lord and Savior’s ministry is a challenging, humbling, and a daring undertaking. I have tried to be true to the story line of the Holy Scriptures while emphasizing the scenic atmosphere and introducing characters. One aim of these tales is to show our Christian heroes, not always as paragons of virtue, but as ordinary people. They are seen bravely facing life with a sense of humor and shown as susceptible to depression and sin.

I challenge readers, young and old, to muse on these stories with an open mind and with questioning eyes that are speculating for new ideas of their own. Allow these characters, both sinners and saints, to move you to sorrow or to joyful happiness as Jesus meets them at their point of need and sets them free. I pray that the true-friend relationship that God so wants to have with each of us is evident in these face-to-face encounters with the Son of God. I hope these musings will stimulate your creative thinking and refresh your mind to Christ’s wonderful blessings and to his ultimate gift of eternal life.

I give special thanks to Melissa Thibodeau for her invaluable editing talents. For their encouragement and support in this project, I thank Brett and Kai Davis, my daughter and son-in-law, my son David McCally, and my grandchildren Austin McCally, Joshua, and Luke Davis. Finally, I give thanks to my beautiful, gracious helper and advisor, my wife Jo Nell, who makes my walk in life one beyond all my dreams. I sincerely thank you.

-Charles David McCally

A Tentmaker’s 

 Holiday

Joash, a tentmaker from the coastal plain near Antipatris, arrived mid-morning with his two sons, Joad and Moath, affectionately called Little Mo. The long trip to the Judean wilderness by oxcart had wearied the passengers and feeling the intense heat of the early sun, the young boys were eagerly anticipating a swim in the cool Jordan River. They broke out in shouts of joy at the sight of the dark, green stream, and the colorful vegetation it nourished, large poplars, sycamores, palm trees, broom shrubs, and fragrant myrtles.

Silence, demanded the father. There will be time for swimming, but our primary purpose for this holiday excursion is spiritual growth through the teaching of this profound prophet. His eyes scanned the groups of people on the riverbank, pilgrims that had come from Jerusalem and round about Judea, to hear the prophet speak and to be baptized. Then his eyes came to rest on one particular man. There, said Joash, pointing boldly at the prophet, There is the man we have come to hear.

The prophet was sitting on a large boulder near the water’s edge, his striking physique resembling a chiseled statue, burly, and with large muscles. His black, mane-like hair, his long, tangled beard, and his dark sun-baked skin, were wet with the Jordan’s flow and glistening in the rays of the sun. He had lowered the top of his primitive, knee-length robe of camel’s hair and had it tied with a leather strap at the waist. This simple attire made him appear a misfit among the crowd who were dressed in the conventional attire of robes, cloaks, and headdresses.

As the centerpiece of this busy tableau, the boys knew immediately he was the prophet of whom their father spoke and were disappointed by his disheveled image. Finally, Joad, the eldest son, ventured, He doesn’t look like the priests in Jerusalem.

He is John the Baptist, a man whom many consider to be the only true prophet of our time, replied the father.

Why does he cover himself with a skin that we wouldn’t even use on our tents? It makes him look like an animal, Joad quipped.

Yea, an animal that has had a bad day in the forest, joked the younger boy.

Watch your tongue, Little Mo, scolded Joash. Like many of our ancient prophets before him, John retreated to the wilderness to study God’s Scriptures and to reflect on the unfaithfulness of our people. John is an ascetic who for religious reasons prefers a very simple life. Besides, living in caves does not avail one to the fashions of Jerusalem.

Nor does it to fine food, added Joad. What’s that he’s eating?

Looking closely at the prophet, Joash guessed, "It looks like he’s dipping locust into a hive of wild honey.’’

Yuck! Little Mo chided. If he’s eating grasshoppers, he’s been in the wilderness way too long.

They are locust beans, not grasshoppers, corrected the father. He is taking pods from the limbs of a locust tree and dipping the locust beans into the honey.

Maybe, considered Little Mo, But I’ve never seen beans hop around like those.

It doesn’t matter. In some circles, grasshoppers are considered a delicacy, reasoned Joash.

Right now, anything would seem like a delicacy, whined Joad. When do we eat?

Just then, the Baptist stood tall, gestured with his big arms to the noisy crowd, and the people slowly became silent with expectation. He entered the green water and those who had come for baptism began to form a line from the reeds at the water’s edge, all the way up to the top of the hill.

What are they doing, father, asked Joad.

The prophet will now preach. No doubt, it will be a compelling appeal for confession and repentance. Then, John will administer immersion, which signifies being cleansed from sin.

What does ‘administer immersion’ mean, asked Little Mo.

He’s going to dunk them, dummy, chided the older brother.

Well, I knew that, retorted Little Mo.

Enough. Both of you keep your mouths closed, and your eyes and ears open. Learn and worship, said the father as he led the boys down the hillside for a closer look at the prophet who was now waist-deep in coolness and facing the crowd.

The baptizer spoke loudly, with a resounding voice, full of energy and authority, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven will soon be here. Lay down a way for the Lord and make his path smooth and straight. The Lord will fill in the valleys and level every mountain and hill. The crooked will be straightened, and the rough ways will be smoothed out, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Joash noticed the growing intensity of the crowd, as they began to stir and murmur among themselves about the Messiah. Some asked if John had meant that the Messiah was coming soon. Many believed this to be his meaning and began praying aloud. Some shouted their thanks to God, while others wept silently. People began confessing their sins unashamedly to others, but many refused to confess and instead called out loudly to Abraham.

Hearing their calls, John’s voice pierced the air with anger, "You are a generation of poisonous snakes. Who told you that you would not have to face the coming judgment of God?

"Let your lives prove you have repented and are in obedience to God. Moreover, do not say to each other, ‘We are safe because we are descendents of Abraham.’ That is meaningless to God, for he is able to create children of Abraham from these stones on the ground.

Even now, the axe of judgment is cutting down the roots of the trees. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

A wealthy man, in silk robes and adorned with jewels, yelled out, What shall we do then?

The prophet’s eyes locked on him, as if seeing through to the man’s soul. He that has two coats let him give one to him that has none. And he that has meat to eat let him do likewise.

Another well-dressed man spoke emotionally, Master, I am a tax-collector that works for the Romans. I collect from my own people. How can I win favor with them and with my God?

Take no more than that which the law requires, John answered.

A soldier stated, The people hate us, too. While still another added, Yes. What can we do?

John replied, Show no violence or harm anyone. Accuse no one falsely, and be content with your wages.

The crowd was impressed with the wisdom, candidness, and the authority of his answers. A few began to voice that John might be the Messiah but hearing their sayings, the Baptist’s emotion peaked and he yelled over them, Yes, I baptize you with water, but one mightier than I am, is coming. I am not worthy enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire, for his winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will purge his floor. He will gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

A few listeners stood expressionless, contemplating the seriousness of an unquenchable fire. However, most of the congregation received his words of the coming Messiah with joy and began to praise the heavens with singing and dancing. In their excitement, those waiting for baptism at the front of the line started wading out to John. Behind them, several exuberant swimmers dove into the water and some non-swimmers jumped in flailing frantically to be the first to reach the prophet.

Pandemonium set in and Joad fearfully pressed close to his father’s side. Lil’ Mo wrapped his arms around his father’s legs saying, Pick me up father, up, up. Joash lifted him up quickly and held him tightly in his arms.

Suddenly, a blare of horns from the top of the hill calmed the frenzied activity below. There stood a group of Pharisee priests from Jerusalem. Four Roman soldiers, fitted in full armor and with short swords, had escorted them on horseback.

The priests came down the hillside, and a chief priest stepped up on the large boulder at the water’s edge, that all might see and hear him. The Baptist had reorganized the baptismal line and was ready to continue the service when the chief priest in a challenging tone addressed the prophet, Who are you?

I am John the Baptist, the prophet replied. Then John quickly answered what he knew would be the priests next question. I am not the Christ.

The priest, taken aback that John had seemingly read his mind, responded sarcastically, Who are you then – Elijah? He looked at the other priests and they all laughed loudly.

John thought of his parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth. He recalled the story he heard from them so many times as a young boy, of what an angel of the Lord had said of him even before his birth. The angel had said to his father, Elizabeth shall give you a son, and you shall name him John. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he shall bring many to their God. He shall minister in the spirit and power of Elijah and prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.

Are you Elijah, the impatient chief priest, yelled once more.

No, John emphatically replied.

Tell us who you are, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? Who do you claim to be, demanded the priest.

I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as said Isaiah, the prophet.

The priest appeared frustrated and then spoke in a contemptuous way, Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, Elijah, nor Isaiah, the prophet?

John answered, I baptize with water, but in the midst of you stands one mightier than I, whom you do not know, one whose sandal straps I am not worthy to untie.

The people, remembering his words earlier in reference to the Christ, began murmuring and looking around in hopes that the Messiah might even now be with them in the crowd. The priests however, recognized a chance to mock the prophet’s words and to demean him in front of his followers. One of them yelled to the crowd, If the Prophet Isaiah’s Lord is here among us, why hasn’t anyone told Herod, Pilate, or Caiaphas, that they may bring the historian and put him in the book. The priests laughed heartily and then one yelled to the crowd, "If the Lord is in our midst he should make himself known that we can – make way for him." They all laughed and then another answered, Baptist, I’m not him, but you can tie my sandals. During the laughter, another priest fell down and pretended to tie his friend’s sandals. At this, a few men waiting for baptism took exception to the priests’ ridiculing of the prophets words and a scuffle ensued.

The Roman soldiers spurred their steeds and their spirited horses charged down the hill to the frightened screams of women and children. The crowd fell back under falling sand and clods of grass thrown up by the hooves of the heavy horses. The equestrians brought their mounts swiftly to the scene of the brawl but one of the horses was unable to stop and splashed uncontrollably into the water. The chief priest, visibly shaken by this public disturbance and even more so by the drawn swords of the Romans, quickly called them off. That will do Captain, no harm has been done us, he yelled. Then, jumping down off the rock, he began a strong lecture to the priests concerning the possible consequences of their childish brawl. If word of this ruckus reaches the Sanhedrin we will be facing a court of law. If the captain of these soldiers records this incidence in his log, we may all get to know the Roman Governor on a first name basis. How would you like that?

As there was no reply, he added, I thought not! With an angry gesture, he signaled the Captain who led the soldiers in quickly opening a path through the crowd, allowing the priests to scale the hill