John Lindeck, a chartered accountant, worked throughout his career as a manager in multi-national companies. He has been married for over sixty years and has three children and four grandchildren. His hobbies include studying history, reading and following current events, crosswords and Sudoku, watching sports, swimming, travel (going to see places is very different from being there on business) and visiting historical sites and galleries. Behind all this activity, there has been a steadily growing faith in Jesus Christ as his saviour and lord. There have been many problems at work and at home but God has always been there.
When we read the stories about Jesus in the Bible, we hear about what Jesus did to help the people he met. He befriended them, he taught them, he healed them and he saved them from embarrassment. They are wonderful stories but what about the people themselves? Where were they coming from? What did they do with the rest of their lives? For example, what happened to the woman caught in adultery who, in the biblical account, we leave sitting alone with no money, no home, no family and no friends. Did Jesus really leave her in this position, which would have been a sort of living death?Looking at what Jesus did from the perspective of the people he met gives a different idea of what it was like to meet him. It showed more clearly his love and care for those he met and the way in which he shared the poverty of the people he met. More often than not, it was a life-changing experience.The stories are mostly told in the first-person so that the characters can say what they really felt. The stories have been used in the author’s own church for bible study and as dramatic readings. They have been used in schools and colleges as study material. They have also been used just as good reading material.
The crucifixion of Jesus was not the simple event we imagine. All sorts of factors played a part including politics, religious rivalry and the need to destroy what we cannot understand. There are seeming inconsistencies in the Bible story such as what happened in the long period between when Judas left the Last Supper and when Jesus was arrested. Common sense would suggest that Caiaphas would send his guards out as soon as he knew where Jesus was, but he didn’t. Why not?
Many people were involved ranging from the star players such as Pilate and Judas Iscariot to the bit players such as Simon of Cyrene. In this book each of these is given their chance to explain their role in their own words. They can say what they really thought of what was going on. The author finished writing his book with a far firmer conviction about the divinity of Jesus and how much his sacrifice cost him, than when he started.
These stories have been used and appreciated by the author’s own church and by friends who knew what he was doing. They have been used as devotional readings for Holy Week, in schools, as dramatic readings in services, for Bible studies and to help students with their studies. They are also a good read and an effective way of introducing people to Jesus.
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