Tourist in Jerusalem – got into a conversation with a pastor.

Pastor with a Christian group visiting Jerusalem.

TOURIST Hi there! How’s the coffee in this place?

PASTOR Not bad actually, for a touristy place like this. Where are you from?

TOURIST I’m from Malaysia. What about you?

PASTOR I’m also from Malaysia- leh! Ipoh! You?

TOURIST KL. (pause)

Don’t mind me asking- are you here with that church group.

PASTOR Yes, I’m ______, pastor of the church group. We’re here on a historical tour of this
fascinating city. I’m sure you’d know how significant this city is for the history of
Christianity

TOURIST Oh, I’m: ___________.

Yes, of course. Christianity - Jesus!
Christmas was just a few months ago. Jesus was born here?

PASTOR No, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He and his parents spent a large part of their lives
in Nazareth (up north)

TOURIST Oh! I see. This Jesus….hmmm. According to Christian belief Jesus was both God
and man? And he was here 2000 years ago?

PASTOR Yes, you’re quite right. You a Christian?

TOURIST No, I had friends in college who are. Used to go to their Christmas and Easter
celebrations in their houses. What they used to tell me about Jesus didn’t interest me.
But lots of food, you know. Haha.

Now that I’m spent a few days here, this city, and the history that goes with it –
everything seems more real. I was just thinking yesterday- when Jesus was growing
up in the house, what would be his parents be thinking day in and day out?

PASTOR Why, that’s a very interesting thought.

SONG: MARY DID YOU KNOW?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you
Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God
Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know?
Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know?
The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb
Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb?
That sleeping child you're holding is the great I am

TOURIST Haha…that’s almost like a Marvel comic kind of story. Parents with a child who has
super powers

PASTOR Yes, I guess you can put it that way. But, more significantly why he came, and
walked down this road – see that sign there? It says “Via Dolorosa”

TOURIST Yes, I saw that. Was about to ask you too what it meant.

PASTOR “Via Dolorosa” is Latin for “Sorrowful Way”.

TOURIST Why is this road called that?

SONG: VIA DOLOROSA

Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day

The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street
But the crowd pressed onto see…..A man condemned to die on Calvary.
He was bleeding from a beating - there were stripes upon His back
And He wore a crown upon his head
And He bore with every step
The scorn of those of those of those who cried out for his death.
Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering
Like a lamb came the Messiah Christ the King
But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me
Down the Via Dolorosa all the way to Calvary.

TOURIST Oh, I see. It’s kinda strange to see a Latin sign in Jerusalem. But this thing about
Jesus walking down the way to be executed on the cross- that’s kinda gruesome! I
guess they do things differently those days.

Tell me something else. I can understand why Christians would celebrate Christmas
– birth of Jesus. But this ‘via dolorosa’ thing – that’s Easter right? Easter is a bit
more vague. What exactly is the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death?

PASTOR You are asking a pastor this question! Wow, that makes my day.

Why don’t you take a seat? Rest your weary legs. Let me buy you a cup of this fine
coffee, while we chat about these things.

TOURIST Free coffee? Why not?

 PASTOR Well, to put things into context I’ll need to start from the beginning…that is God and
His creation.

You see, at the very beginning God created the world and humankind. They lived
under the good care and rule of God. All was well then but one day man and woman
decided to rebel against God’s rule. They wanted to live life without God in their
lives……This rebellion against God is what the Bible called sin.

John 1 In the beginning the Word (Jesus) already existed. The Word was with God,
and the Word was God. 2  He existed in the beginning with God.
3 
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
4 
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to
everyone. 5  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
10 
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.  11  He
came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  12  But to all who believed him
and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

You see, Jesus was God who became man, so that he could live the life of obedience
that we didn’t and could not live. When He died on the cross – it to pay for our sin.

Philippians 2
Christ Jesus: 6  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be
used to his own advantage; 7  rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness 8  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by
becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

GETHSEMANE SONG

To see the King of heaven fall. In anguish to His knees,

The Light and Hope of all the world. Now overwhelmed with grief.
What nameless horrors must He see, To cry out in the garden:
Oh, take this cup away from me.
Yet not my will but Yours, Yet not my will but Yours.

To know each friend will fall away, And heavens voice be still,
For hell to have its vengeful day Upon Golgothas hill.
No words describe the Saviors plight - To be by God forsaken
Till wrath and love are satisfied
And every sin is paid. And every sin is paid

What took Him to this wretched place, What kept Him on this road?
His love for Adams curséd race, For every broken soul.
No sin too slight to overlook, No crime too great to carry,
All mingled in this poisoned cup. And yet He drank it all,
The Savior drank it all, The Savior drank it all

TOURIST Hmm! I never knew this about Jesus. That’s interesting!

I guess my Christian friends in college had told me the same thing but each time they
 start talking Jesus my mind just automatically shut down.

Like I said just now, after a few days in this city- suddenly the history of Jesus being
here and all seem more ‘real’. And it’s interesting coming from you.

PASTOR Well, just because I’m a pastor doesn’t mean you should believe everything I tell you
without checking. I’ll give you a Bible – if you don’t mind. Read it at your leisure.

TOURIST Free Bible? Sure, anything that is free is good!

PASTOR “Anything that is free is good” Hmmm….I might hold you to that statement later on.

TOURIST Yup anything that’s free IS GOOD! Haha.

Tell me then, let’s say you were a Christian during the time of Jesus. What would you
and your fellow Christians do after learning of your leader’s execution on the cross?

PASTOR Mostly scared, uncertain or start to doubt – all these came to mind.

Scene switches back to the past. A group of disciples of Jesus were gathered in a small room.

DSPL-A Did you hear? Jesus died. Joseph and Nicodemus took him and buried him in a tomb.
That tomb is now guarded day and night by a soldier.

DSPL-B I was there when they put him to the cross. I so wanted to go comfort his mother and
the other disciples but I …… I couldn’t bear being there a minute longer. I ran home.

DSPL-C I thought he was going to be the Messiah; God’s anointed King coming to free us from
the Romans. What good is he dead? What are we going to do now?

DSPL-D Hey guys, didn’t Jesus tell us several times that he was going to die but he will rise
again on the third day.

Mark 9 31  “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They
will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”
(Also Luke 18:31-33)

DSPL-E Yes, I know he will rise again just as he said he would.

SONG: AN EASTER JUBILEE

I believe that morning’s coming. I believe, yes, I believe.

I believe the Son is rising. I believe, yes, I believe.
And though death has had its day, It won’t have the final say.
Christ will rise up from the grave. I believe, yes, I believe.

Sing a “Hallelujah! Sing a great “Amen” I believe, yes, I do.

Hallelujah! I believe

I believe that some will tumble. Tumble, tumble, I believe

I believe the guard will tremble. Tremble, tremble, I believe
Just beyond the rugged tree, and the hill of Calvary
Christ will win the victory. I believe, yes, I believe.

I believe the earth is quaking. I believe, yes, I believe.

All the gates of hell are shaking. I believe, yes, I believe.
See the Saviour holds the key. He will set the captives free
It’s an Easter jubilee. I believe, yes, I believe.

DSPL-A Seriously? You think Jesus will rise from the dead?

DSPL-B Actually Dspl-D is right. Jesus said that many times. That was like his mission to go to
the cross

DSPL-E Well, our Master did raise Lazarus from the dead. I wasn’t there but I think some of
you were. Dspl-C?

DSPL-C Yes, I remember now. Wow, how can I forget that?

DSPL-D Well, let’s trust God to be faithful to his promise. Tomorrow is day 3!

Disciples all headed off to different directions- lights off