Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre

Focus on the Family: Last time on Focus on the Family Radio Theatre's presentation of The Luke Reports: The Hearts of Men.

Benjamin: Let me look into your eyes.

Luke: What?

Benjamin: Look into my eyes. Is this a trick? No, sit still. All right. My friend, your sins are forgiven.

Luke: My sins? Had he looked into my eyes and seen my heart? Did he know the blackness there?

Jesus: Go to the mount.

Luke: Why don't we go together?

Jesus: You'll have to go without me.

Guest (Male): Benjamin? Benjamin? Luke, are you all right?

Luke: Benjamin was here.

Guest (Male): He was, but how? The door is locked.

Jesus: But who do you say that I am?

Guest (Male): You are the Messiah sent from God.

Luke: And look at these marks on his fingers and palms.

Caleb: There! Caleb, what are you doing here? Who are all these people? They're followers of Jesus who, like me, are tired of hiding. I want them to see what has happened to Benjamin. I want them to see what fear and ignorance has done. And who is this other one, this Luke who defiles the body of the dead Benjamin?

Luke: I was examining his body, but I would never—

Caleb: Deny that you were at his house today, going over his body as if it were some decrepit carcass.

Luke: I was examining his body, but I would never—

Caleb: You owe the body of the Jew left to the hands of a pagan. And will he be buried before another night passes?

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Naomi: Yes, I will tell you what I know about Jesus, but what I know I know from my father.

Luke: You didn't meet him personally?

Naomi: I did, but you'll understand in a moment why there are details I had to be told. You see, my father was a man named Jairus, a leader of this community and of the synagogue. I was his only daughter, and when I was 12 years old, I became terribly sick. No physician could help since they had no idea what was wrong. Nonetheless, I was, in fact, dying.

My father became desperate. He was willing to try anything to save me. He had heard about Jesus, the miraculous healings, and ventured to seek his help. He found Jesus and fell at his feet.

Benjamin: Master, please, I beg you, come to my house, to my daughter.

Jesus: I will come with you.

Naomi: They walked through the streets together. Then suddenly Jesus stopped.

Jesus: Who touched me?

Guest (Male): Master, the crowds are all around you touching you. What do you mean?

Jesus: Someone touched me. I could feel the power going out of me. Who was it?

Guest (Female): It was I, Master. But I tell you truthfully, I have been suffering for 12 years from hemorrhages throughout my body. I have given up all I have on physicians, but no one can cure me. So, seeing the opportunity, I touched the fringe of your cloth, and I knew that my hemorrhage had stopped. I am healed!

Jesus: Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.

Benjamin: Jairus! Master! No, no, it can't be. No!

Guest (Male): I'm sorry, Rabbi. His daughter is dead. We will not trouble you further. Come, Jairus.

Jesus: No, wait. Don't be afraid. Have faith, and your daughter will be well again.

Benjamin: What?

Jesus: Take me to your house.

Naomi: Jesus arrived at the house, and my family had already gathered to mourn. Jesus entered with Peter, John, and James, and my mother and father, of course. My family couldn't imagine what Jesus was doing there. He certainly wasn't needed now. But he said...

Jesus: Don't weep. The girl is not dead. She's only sleeping.

Guest (Male): Sleeping? What kind of physician are you? Oh, yes, you're a clever one.

Jesus: Show me the child.

Benjamin: In here.

Naomi: There I was in my room, cold, dead. But he took hold of my hand. There are nights when I dream I can feel the warmth of it tingling through my fingers and into my hand and up my arm.

Jesus: Get up, my child.

Naomi: I stood up.

Benjamin: It's my daughter! My darling daughter!

Naomi: Father, I'm hungry.

Benjamin: Well, of course you are. Of course! Jesus, do you hear my daughter? She wants something to eat!

Naomi: It seems like such a long time ago. But there isn't an hour that goes by when I don't think of it. And as you may know, Jesus went on to perform a similar miracle in Nain with a widow and her son who had died.

Luke: Forgive me for asking this way, but how did you wind up here? You mean with a Gentile husband and ostracized by many in the town?

Naomi: Yes. Because of what Jesus did for me, for my father, he became a follower. So he was stripped of his authority and power in the synagogue. As time went on, he embraced more fully the teachings of Jesus, Apollos, and your friend, Paul. He rejected the notion that we must follow the letter of the law to the exclusion of its spirit. Those who follow the law despise and have even declared me dead.

Luke: Are you happy with your decision?

Naomi: I have a loving husband and a living, thriving faith. I'm very happy. Are you happy, Justin?

Luke: Beyond belief. But right now, I'm wondering what Ishmael and his crowd are scheming. It's very quiet in the town tonight.

Naomi: Well, perhaps they've all gone home like you said. Which means I can return to Benjamin. I will finish my examination and then prepare his body for burial. Malachi, are you still awake?

Malachi: Being old doesn't always make one tired. How could I fall asleep with such captivating company and such a remarkable story?

Luke: Will you go with me to Benjamin?

Malachi: I'm afraid I can't. It's time for me to go. But I have something for my hosts.

Naomi: Oh? What is it?

Malachi: A parchment that belonged to Benjamin. On it is written a few things Jesus said and did. I would like you to have it. Keep it safe.

Luke: I had hoped it was money.

Naomi: Don't be a bore, Justin.

Malachi: I have something for you, Luke.

Luke: Oh, after all you've done for me, no, I couldn't take anything else from you.

Malachi: But you must if you hope to find the mountain. This parchment is a map I've drawn. It's crude, but it will get you there if you are able to go.

Luke: If? I will certainly go.

Malachi: I say "if." You're still in danger, Luke. I hope you haven't forgotten.

Luke: What danger, Malachi?

Malachi: I'm no prophet, but go to Benjamin's and the danger will follow you there.

Luke: I must go.

Malachi: And so you shall.

Luke: Dyna? Dyna, what are you doing here?

Dina: I had come to prepare his body for burial. But I can't do it.

Luke: I'm so sorry. May I help you to prepare him?

Dina: Yes, please. There's no one else.

Luke: May I look at something first?

Dina: What?

Luke: His hands. I noticed something about them earlier and I wanted to examine them more closely.

Dina: What about his hands?

Luke: You see these marks on the palms and the fingers? Do you see?

Dina: Yes. What do they mean?

Luke: They look like the sort of raw abrasions you would get from holding a rope too tightly and then having it slip through your fingers. A rope burn. And we have more of the same here on his face and the undersides of his arms. And here, under his fingernails, do you see these strands?

Dina: Rope?

Luke: Yes. Benjamin would have no reason to be pulling at rope, would he?

Dina: No. Of course not.

Luke: He wasn't pulling rope. He was pulling at rope tangled up in it. Whoever did this had tied him up completely, or—no, not tied up, caught up, as if he were struggling against a net. As if someone had dropped a net over him and dragged him. Yes, he would have struggled against it with his hands and arms, and it would have rubbed against his face.

Dina: The fishermen. They've got plenty of nets.

Luke: Exactly. Now, Dina, is Ishmael a fisherman?

Dina: No, he's a tradesman. He deals in leather.

Luke: Are his cohorts fishermen?

Dina: Well, no. And traditionally the tradesmen look down on the fishermen.

Luke: That is very interesting.

Guest (Male): What is this? Who are you? What do you want?

Guest (Male): We want you!

Dina: No! Leave him alone! He was helping me with—we're preparing Benjamin for burial!

Guest (Male): It's too late for that. Why do you cover your faces? Are you too cowardly to show yourselves? Come with us. You may walk, or we will drag you!

Luke: Drag me? Then where is your net? That's how you took Benjamin, isn't it? You arranged to meet him at daybreak as a friend, and then you hit him, covered him in a fishing net, and dragged him to the place of execution. That's how it went, am I right?

Guest (Male): You talk too much. Come with us now!

Dina: No! Don't take him, please! We've had too much bloodshed!

Guest (Male): Stand aside, woman!

Dina: I will not!

Guest (Male): I said, stand aside!

Luke: So you hide your face and manhandle women. A true coward! Take him to the spot!

Caleb: There! What now? Will you stone me? And for what crime?

Stephen: Your blatant disregard for our laws and traditions and the blasphemy of your poisonous teaching!

Caleb: Which teaching?

Stephen: That Jesus is the Messiah!

Caleb: No! That you lead people away from the laws of God!

Stephen: Oh, now I see. I've had it all wrong. I thought Ishmael wanted to kill Benjamin for his faith in Jesus, but it isn't that at all. You killed him for his disobedience to the law!

Caleb: Offenders are to be taken out of the city and stoned!

Stephen: Not the law! It's what you say, Stephen. Go on, take off your face covering. I know who you are, all of you. You are Judaizers. You claim to follow Jesus, but despise those who have obeyed him and have given up their obedience to the law. The Apostle Paul and I have met you again and again. Be a man, Stephen. Take off your mask and let me see your face. There. Does this make you any happier before you die?

Naomi: Stop, son! Caleb! Naomi!

Stephen: Go away, both of you. This is none of your business.

Caleb: It is our business. If you're going to stone him, then you must stone us as well. We are equal offenders against the law by our faith and following.

Naomi: And so am I.

Stephen: Dina, I told you—

Caleb: It doesn't matter what you told her. She is here, and others of our faith are coming. Will you stone us all, son? Why are you doing this to me? Why do you bring shame to our family by behaving in this way?

Stephen: Me bring shame? I've brought protection to you. I have watched over your lives when some wanted you driven away for your blasphemy. I stayed in your house, worked in your boat, suffered the burning anger of your lawlessness in order to keep you safe. No, Father, you brought shame to our house when you stopped following the law.

Caleb: Then do what you must do, my son. We won't hide any longer. We will not be afraid. If you kill Luke, then you must kill us. Well? Go on! Cast the first stone! Don't you see, Stephen? The law leads to death, but the spirit of grace leads to life. Which do you choose? Is that it? Take Mother and go home.

Stephen: And what about you?

Caleb: I will do the honorable thing.

Stephen: You'll surrender yourself to the Roman commander?

Caleb: Leave it to me. Goodbye, Mother. Goodbye, Father.

Naomi: Stephen, please come home. We'll sit down. We'll talk.

Stephen: There's nothing left to talk about. Caleb, stop him! We can't let him go!

Caleb: We must let him go.

Focus on the Family: For the life of Benjamin, let us praise our God. Amen. May his great name grow exalted and sanctified in the world that he created as he willed. May he give reign to his kingship in our lifetimes and in our days and in the tribes of Israel, swiftly and soon. Amen. May his great name be blessed forever and ever. Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, mighty, upraised, and lauded be the name of the Holy One. Blessed is he beyond any blessing and song, praise and consolation that are uttered in the world. Amen. May there be abundant peace from heaven and life upon us and upon all Israel. He who makes peace in his heights, may he make peace upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.

Caleb: Tell me, Luke, where will you go from here?

Luke: First, I must go to the mountain.

Caleb: Which mountain?

Luke: Malachi has given me this map, but he has given me no names. I suppose I'll know it when I find it.

Caleb: Why are you going to a mountain?

Luke: Benjamin was determined that I should go. At least he was in my dream. What have you heard about Stephen?

Caleb: He handed himself over to Justin and the Roman commander this morning. He will not speak to us. He will not acknowledge us now. I know what he has done. He is reckoned as dead because we no longer follow the law.

Naomi: We will pray for mercy over justice.

Caleb: May God hear that prayer. Ishmael has run away, you know.

Luke: Has he? Why?

Caleb: Because he was also part of the group that killed Benjamin. It was the only thing on which he and Stephen could ever agree, that the law must be obeyed. But unlike Stephen, he didn't have the honor to own up to his actions.

Luke: So it would seem. Caleb, Naomi, I know it's very hard for you both.

Caleb: Didn't Jesus himself say it would be like this? The time his mother and his brothers came to him, but they couldn't reach him because of the crowd. Someone said to him, "Master, your mother and your brothers are standing outside waiting to see you." But he said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." Families, towns, whole nations will be torn apart by him. Still, I am sorry. I feel responsible, as if my arrival somehow set these events in motion.

My friend, your mission will put you in the center of many storms. The powers of this world will swirl and rage around you like great winds. They'll stop you if they can. Benjamin said as much when I arrived. God is in your mission. He will see it accomplished. Leave the rest of us to his care.

Luke: I will. God be with you both.

Caleb: And with you.

Naomi: Goodbye, Luke. I hope you reach your mountain.

Luke: But what do you expect to find there? A revelation.

Luke: Let me get—this may have been a huge mistake!

Malachi: Luke! Are you tired so soon?

Luke: Malachi! My word, you gave me a start! What are you doing here?

Malachi: Waiting for you.

Luke: I hate to think you came all this way on my account.

Malachi: I came on my account as well. I love this mountain. Benjamin and I used to come here often, mostly to pray, to think. We called this our holy mountain.

Luke: What makes it holy? Did something happen here of significance?

Malachi: Oh, yes. Come with me, and I'll take you to the spot. Yes, this is the place.

Luke: The place for what?

Malachi: I want you to sit down. Close your eyes and imagine what I'm about to tell you.

Luke: All right. But don't blame me if I fall asleep.

Malachi: You won't fall asleep. I'm listening. Not long after the miracle in Bethsaida, when Jesus fed the five thousand, he decided to come up into this mountain to pray. Normally he went alone, but this time he took Peter and John and James, which is how I know what happened here. So they prayed.

Jesus: I will extol thee, my God, O King, and I will bless thy name forever and ever. Every day I will bless thee.

Malachi: The disciples grew very sleepy. But then, while Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became a dazzling, almost blinding white. Suddenly there appeared before them two more men who stood and spoke with Jesus, Moses and Elijah. They appeared in glory and was speaking of the work Jesus had to accomplish in Jerusalem. Then, just as the two men were about to depart, Peter said to Jesus...

Guest (Male): Master, it is good that we were here to see this. Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

Malachi: But poor Peter had no idea what he was saying. And before another word was said, a dark cloud appeared over them, and it engulfed them. And they heard a voice: "This is my Son, my chosen. Listen to him."

Luke: Was that real or a dream?

Malachi: For them or for you?

Luke: It was as if I was there, as if I was seeing it for myself! What was that?

Malachi: A gift. Remember it in the days ahead. From this moment on, your journey will not be the same, just as the journey of the disciples changed after they witnessed it. The road from this mountain leads to Jerusalem.

Luke: Back to Jerusalem?

Malachi: You must follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

Luke: And then what? Where will they take me?

Malachi: Where they take all who follow him. To death and resurrection.

Luke: In conclusion, my dear Theophilus, I can only say that this mission, this objective report which you wanted me to write, becomes more and more difficult. How objective can one be when one encounters miracles, visions, sufferings, and even death on the scale that I find here? Jesus changed everything and everyone he encountered, one way or the other. To reject him leads to its own consequences, and to follow him leads to the way he himself proclaimed:

"If any of you want to be my followers, then you must deny yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me. For those of you who want to save your life will lose it, and those of you who lose your life for my sake will save it. What does it profit you to gain the whole world if you destroy your soul along the way?"

And so I make my way back towards Jerusalem and whatever waits for me along the way.

Focus on the Family: The Luke Reports: The Hearts of Men was written and directed by Paul McCusker. Sound design was by Steve Gandy. Music was composed by John Campbell. Our cast included Richard O'Callaghan as Luke, Adam Godley as Jesus of Nazareth, Wendy Craig as Naomi, Bernard Hepton as Benjamin, John Woodvine as Caleb, Paul Webster as Malachi, and Harry Peacock as Stephen. Also starring were Stephen Aintree, Jane Avis, Beth Ellis, Tom Espiner, Paul Ewing, Katie Glassborough, Daryl Knock, Robert Meadwell, Joan Moon, Peter Morton, Joanna Myers, Nancy Nevinson, Peter O'Shaughnessy, Jessica Seaton, Philip Sherlock, Daniel Singer, Mervyn Stutter, Philip Sully, Peter Tilbury, Simon Treves, and Dermot Walsh. And I'm Dave Arnold, your producer and host for Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. Thanks for listening.