We Knew Him: Personal Encounters with Jesus of Nazareth

By George H. Dawe

We Knew Him is a collection of monologues describing personal encounters with Jesus of Nazareth. The series began as talks for special occasions. Drawing on various resources, the author created this material for scripts and dramatic sermons. Here, readers will relive experiences of men and women engaging Jesus in one-on-one dialoguesome to love Him and others to hate Him, but all to be inspired and challenged by Him. In We Knew Him, the author invites New Testament individuals to tell their stories. Actually, the author becomes the characters, slipping on their sandals to relate accounts of how they knew Jesus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9781449758974

George H. Dawe

George Henry Dawe is a retired Pentecostal pastor. He graduated from Eastern Pentecostal Bible College in Peterborough, Ontario, in 1962 and later lectured there for six years. He earned three Master degrees and is listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges 1978–1979. He and his wife of fifty-three years, Laura, reside in Norris Arm North, Newfoundland. They have four married children and fourteen grandchildren. In 2012 he wrote We Knew Him: Personal Encounters with Jesus of Nazareth and in 2013 co-authored a second book, A Cluster of Fruit: A Bible Study on the Fruit of the Spirit, with his daughter, Barbara Freake. George enjoys reading, researching, preaching, and laughing.

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Copyright © 2012 by George H. Dawe

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-4912-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-t1-4497-5897-4 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012907595

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/03/2012

Contents

1   Mary

2   Caiaphas

3   Pilate

4   Herod

5   Nicodemus

6   John the Beloved

7   Peter

8   John Mark

9   John the Baptist

10   Judas Iscariot

11   Barabbas

12   Simon of Cyrene

13   The Nail-and-Hammer Man

14   Thomas

15   The Penitent Thief

16   Lazarus

17   Cleopas and Mary

18   Paul

Appendix

Works Cited

Acknowledgements

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This book is

affectionately dedicated

in memory of

my father, Clarence Dawe (1917-88),

and my mother, Mary Jane Dawe (1918-2002),

who instilled in me

a love for God and man,

a respect for God’s Word,

and an appreciation for family and friends.

Foreword

Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart’ (Psalm 40:7-8).

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me’ (Hebrews 10:5).

It is clear that Jesus identified Himself as the exclusive character of Scripture–it is written about me in the scroll.

George H. Dawe has taken a number of biblical characters, in the first person singular, and allowed them to bear witness to the unique person of Jesus. You will read the clarity of their witness as they affirm the words and works of the Son of Righteousness.

Mary humbly and proudly attests that she is the mother. You will live with her, from the exultation of His birth to her sorrow at the Cross. You will weigh heavily her closing statement of loss and gain at the Cross, I had lost a Son, but gained a Savior! George puts to rest the false allusion of her Immaculate Conception and bodily resurrection.

Caiaphas, who condemned Jesus to die, confesses that, through greed, blindness and prejudice, he had become an apostate High Priest. He contrasts the glory that God meant for His priesthood as torn garments, rags for the ash heap.

Pilate could not find any fault worthy of death in Jesus. He confesses that he yielded to mob pressure and political prestige, ignored the jurisprudence of Roman Law, and sentenced Him to crucifixion. The author leaves all who ignore Jesus with Pilate’s haunting question, What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ? (Matthew 27:22).

The author continues his chronology of confessors of Jesus, the Son of God, with the host of the Passover Supper. John Mark, the owner of the house, gives the delicate detail that went into the preparations for the last meal Jesus enjoyed with His disciples before His arrest, trial and crucifixion. It was an honor for Jesus to direct that the meal was to be served at his house. To be privy to Jesus and His disciples’ conversation engraved love, loyalty and gratitude on his heart, leading to his personal martyrdom.

Barabbas testifies to his guilt as bandit and robber and his amazement that he was released from crucifixion in favor of the innocent Jesus. Jesus becomes his substitute, dying in his place. He said that if he had known fully what was happening, he would have used a line from Shakespeare regarding Brutus:

His life was gentle, and the elements

So mix’d in him,

That Nature might stand up

And say to all the world, This was a man!

An unnamed soldier identifies himself as the man with the hammer. He tells of his callous heart and the pleasure he and his fellow soldiers received in carrying out Roman law for guilty criminals.

But, this crucifixion was different because of the Man on the center cross.

He was mocked and scorned, receiving treatment beyond humiliation. Inexplicable events were happening, and one of the centurions cried out, Surely he was the Son of God (Matthew 27:54).

There is a testimony of hope from the penitent thief. Jesus assured him he would be with Him in Paradise that very day. His troubled conscience became free, knowing that he, a common robber, was going to be with Him. The thief thought he had known Him for ever, for he called Him Jesus.

Lazarus, who had been dead four days, spoke freely and convincingly of his personal death and resurrection. His experience was for God’s glory. And, he was assured of a second resurrection.

Perhaps the most convincing witnesses were Cleopas and Mary. They testified that an unknown stranger had joined them while journeying home. He had expounded to them what Moses and the Prophets had written concerning the mysterious happenings in Jerusalem. But, while breaking bread together, He revealed His identity to them. It was Jesus. They hurried back to Jerusalem and told the disciples and others that He was alive.

George shares with his readers the likelihood of the emotions, relevance and heartbeat of those who witnessed Jesus–God appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit (1 Timothy 3:16).

Roy D. King

Grand Falls–Windsor, NL

Introduction

Let me introduce you to people who made eternal decisions regarding Jesus of Nazareth. In their past, they had personal encounters with Jesus, resulting in some of them believing on Him and serving Him to their death.

This is a series of eighteen monologues constructed from personal accounts described in the four Gospels, where popular individuals return to tell their stories. Actually, I slip into their sandals and give details involving such people as Mary, Herod, Nicodemus, Peter, Judas, Barabbas, Lazarus and Paul.

I invite you to journey with me from eternity to the land of Israel. Let your imagination bring the past into the present, as I describe incidents in Jesus’ life, which ends on His cross and climaxes at His empty tomb.

You will also read excerpts from other authors, who combine their knowledge to bring glory to God. This book is intended as a testimony to all who can say, We Knew Him.

—George H. Dawe

1

Mary

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother

(John 19:25)

I knew Jesus because I was His mother, Mary.

That alone would put my name in any Mothers’ Hall of Fame. But, what’s unique is that I became a mother without knowing a man!

As a woman of hope, I belonged to that group which waited for the consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25). I looked for the One desired of all nations (Haggai 2:7). However, little did I know that I would be that One’s mother.

When God sent the angel Gabriel to announce my pregnancy, he said I was highly favored (Luke 1:28). That is, God bestowed His grace on me. So, I was a receiver, not a dispenser, of divine grace.

At that time, I was a virgin; a young, unmarried girl. In fact, I was so bewildered I asked Gabriel, How will this be…since I am a virgin? (Luke 1:34). I believed Gabriel, but I did not understand how it could be accomplished.

Explaining it years later, John MacArthur writes, Mary understood that the angel was speaking of an immediate conception, and she and Joseph were still in the midst of the long betrothal or engagement period…, before the actual marriage and consummation. So, Joseph and I did not have sexual relations until after Jesus was born (Matthew 1:25).

The angel’s answer put me somewhat at ease. He explained, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). I then accepted the angel’s message because, intuitively, I believed that, in the words of one of your scholars, Friedrich August Tholuck, God never exalts any one who does not humble himself.

Gabriel encouraged me further by saying that my cousin Elizabeth is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God. And, I confirmed my acceptance by declaring, I am the Lord’s servant…. May it be to me as you have said (Luke 1:36-38). Then, Gabriel disappeared.

I could hardly wait to visit Elizabeth. She was so excited to see me that her baby boy leaped in her womb and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. She suddenly exclaimed, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:42-43). When I heard that, I felt my fetus jump for joy. And, Elizabeth responded, Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished! (Luke 1:45).

At that point, I burst into my Magnificat, singing, My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… (Luke 1:46-47). I was pleased God had chosen me.

Early Church leaders would say that my hymn was the first Christian hymn. And, Augustine, one of the Church Fathers, remarks that such a hymn was praise to God with a song. One of your Bible scholars, Ray Summers, explains that Mary’s song was her emotional response to God’s mighty work in her life and in the life of the people of Israel…. The total of Mary’s ‘inner being’ expressed itself in praise.

I stayed with Elizabeth for about three months, before returning home to Nazareth. I would never forget my visit with her. In fact, my song kept reverberating in my soul. For, in it, I recognized God as my Savior and I personally expressed my need of Him. I knew I was not free from original sin, nor was I immaculate. I too needed God’s grace.

Around that time, Elizabeth’s son, John, was born. When everyone asked, What then is this child going to be?, his father, Zechariah, prophesied, you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins (Luke 1:66, 76-77).

In the words of Fulton J. Sheen, when I was due to give God a human nature, I was more than ready. Because I had been impregnated by the Holy Spirit, I was not ashamed to ratify my pledge to marry Joseph. Meanwhile, we traveled to Bethlehem to have our citizenship registered. And, as Luke records, While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:6-7).

For the next few days, life was quite hectic, yet exciting. Angels announced good news of great joy (Luke 2:10), shepherds were terrified by the glory of the Lord (Luke 2:9), and Wise Men brought gifts from the East. Joseph and I were in the middle of it all.

Everyone seemed happy…everyone, that is, except King Herod. In fact, he ordered the slaughter of all male infants under two. For Joseph and me to escape this travesty, an angel directed him to take us to Egypt until Herod’s death. After he died, the angel advised us to return to Israel, where we