The Christian Short Story Collection Volume 3

By Apostle TV Rufai

The third and last volume in The Christian Short Story Collection, its intellectual flavour sets this book apart from Volumes 1 and 2. Another engaging read featuring ten short stories based on and inspired by Bible Scripture; this book, like its predecessors, will appeal to the whole family and are suitable for Childrens Church storytime.

The ten short story titles and their descriptions follow.

THE EVIL VINEDRESSERS - Based on Jesus' parable of the same name, this is the tale of an obnoxious group of people who repay goodness with cruelty. But can they get away with it?

THE DAY THE KING'S CROWN FELL - A much-feared monarch learns a bitter lesson from vanity's downfall.

RICH BEGGAR, POOR BEGGAR - A wonderful tale of how goodness finds everyone in this story.

IT'S COMPLICATED - An unlikely gangster, a young teenager perilously finds his way out of crime.

FROSTIE AND THE LION - The miraculous story of a little autistic boy who finds his true destiny.

THE FOURTH DIMENSION - In a remote corner on Earth, rocky desert sands yield an interesting secret to a group of archaeologists.

THE ABSOLUTE - Evolutionist vs Creationist - who will win in this intense debate between two young science students?

THE COPYCAT - The story of a young Chinese Christian girl who has her faith tested.

THE INVISIBLE ONE - An elephant trainer and a policeman become life-long pals after an unusual encounter.

DON'T TAKE THE MOON AWAY - Following in the footsteps of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, this final story in the book is an interesting, nature-based tale of revelation of God's wisdom and goodness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thandiwe Rufai
• Release date: Dec 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393138600

Book preview

PREFACE

THIS BOOK IS THE THIRD and final volume in the Christian Short Story Collection Trilogy.

Consisting of ten short stories inspired by Bible Scriptures as its predecessors Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Vol. 3 has a more intellectual flavor than its predecessors.

The stories within will be enjoyed by the young and the young-at-heart, and contain content that digs deep.

May you, dear reader, be blessed as you read this book.

TV RUFAI

December 2020

CONTENT

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TITLE PAGE

PREFACE

CONTENT

THE EVIL VINEDRESSERS

THE DAY THE KING’S CROWN FELL

RICH BEGGAR, POOR BEGGAR

IT’S COMPLICATED

FROSTIE AND THE LION

THE FOURTH DIMENSION

THE ABSOLUTE

THE COPYCAT

THE INVISIBLE ONE

DON’T TAKE THE MOON AWAY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

WORD COUNT

THE EVIL VINEDRESSERS

BASED ON the Book of Luke, Chapter 10, Verses 9 – 16

Are you sure you will manage?

The speaker was a wealthy landowner.

Yes Your Excellency, we will manage very well.

The previous year the landowner had considered the idea of leasing out an extensive tract of land. A profitable vineyard covered most of it.

He called his household together and announced his plans. I wish to develop the other land that I have in the western part of the country into cotton and rye plantations. That means we will move there when I have found people capable of leasing the vineyards.

So now everything was settled. The landowner moved his household to a distant part of the country to establish and cultivate his other lands, and tenant farmers took over the vineyard.

The head amongst them surveyed the land. The tenant farmers had secured the land at a real bargain. The vineyard was well established in fertile soil and well protected by a hedge. The grapes were large and grew in plentiful

clusters, and their flavor ensured that there was a steady demand of the produce from these vineyards from both far and wide.

All the wealthy landowner required of the tenant vinedressers was a reasonable rent to be paid yearly. But as time went by they felt less inclined to keep their own side of the bargain.

As time passed, the owner of the vineyard began hearing unfavourable reports about the tenant farmers. So he decided to pay them a visit.

We have a visitor, someone announced to the head of the vinedressers as they went about their work in the vineyard one day.

Who is it?

I don’t know. (For the landowner had arrived to inspect his land, disguised).

Alright, tell him I’m coming, the head of the vinedressers replied.

He found the visitor standing in the yard of the farmstead.

Can I help you? he asked rather impatiently.

Do you know how I can contact the owner of this property? the visitor inquired politely.

The owner? the chief vinedresser said. I am the owner!

I heard tenants were renting the place.

Well, you heard wrong, the chief vinedresser replied. Now if you will excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.

Sorry to bother you, the mystery visitor said. I will be on my way.

The chief vinedresser returned to the vineyard.

Who was that fellow? asked the vinedresser who had alerted him about the visitor.

Nobody, the chief vinedresser replied, and he went back to work. 

The wealthy landowner traveled back to his farm in the west country. His household welcomed him home, and everyone wanted to know how he fared on the trip.

The journey itself, the going and coming, was just fine, he said. But I was quite disturbed to find a great deception going on at the vineyard. However, I will grant the people there some more time to do what is right.

And so the landowner did just that. The time came however, when he decided to act, seeing that the tenant vinedressers had continued with their refusal to pay rent.

He selected two men from among his staff. I am sending you to the vineyard to collect what is overdue, he told them, and they set forth on the long journey.

They arrived at their destination after three days, and were met by the chief vinedresser.

The master sent us, they told him. He instructed us to collect the rent, which is overdue.

The master sent you? repeated the chief vinedresser. Wait here!

Leaving the two men, he went to seek the other vinedressers who were laboring in the vineyard.

There are two men who have just arrived, who have been sent by the landowner, he told them. I left them in the farmstead yard. They came to collect his dues.

What should we do? one asked.

Who does he think he is? asked another. I say give them a good beating and send them back! The others agreed.

So the group marched to the farmstead yard where the two men were patiently waiting and beat them up.

The landowner was shocked when he saw the two men.  When we gave them your message, this is what they did to us, they said.

After about a month had passed, the landowner sent another two men to the vineyard, all the way from the west country.

The master asks why did you beat up the men he sent to you peaceably? they addressed the vinedressers. Now do what is right and keep your side of the bargain!

But rather than do what was right, the evil vinedressers seized them and killed them.

When the two men failed to return, the landowner sent one of his senior staff. "Either something happened to them at the vineyard or they met with some other