Chapter 40: Luke Meets the Coolest Guy of Them All
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain, but some are fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen by me also, as of one born out of due time.” 1Corinthians 15:9
Daylight on a blue day, and Luke woke up shining. First thing he did was take a big breath of air and savor being alive: “Ooh, dass good stuff!” He lay still on his side for a moment and scanned the sky, marveling at its depth, its purity, its beauty: going on endlessly, into eternity, full of grace. “I think I’ll tag along,” Luke affirmed with a semi-sly smile. Then he reflected on Bert’s words again. First Day of Life. If ever he had cause to feel that way, it was now, after coming through the flood into a new land, a new life. But he had felt that way once already--so which was it, then or now? He reconciled it by deciding thankfully, “Maybe I will feel this alive every day... if good things like this keep happening!” The hitchhiker’s words nudged his thoughts, and he added, ‘And if I remember Jesus Christ every morning. Jesus, in whom we who were dead are now made alive!’
It was then that Luke rolled over to sit up and meet the new day. When he turned about, he saw that there was someone else with him on the flat rock, sitting peacefully behind him all that time, as though merely waiting for him to wake up. Luke’s first thought was shock and chagrin--had his Hun’s instincts and Scout’s skills failed him? He pondered quickly and thought, ‘Maybe the new Luke, the better Luke, doesn’t have the same Hun instincts. Maybe these too were washed away with my old life, in the river’. Like Electric Man losing his charge: Luke felt sad at first, but quickly decided he was better off.
As he looked at the man more closely, Luke allowed that he might also have been unaware of him because of the man’s great gentleness. He was a kind and pleasant figure, though there was a presence about him which also suggested power and might. (Wrath, even.) He was wearin’ white robes, long hair, and sandals141. Hiding behind a beard was an unremarkable face...
Unremarkable except for the eyes! Luke gasped. (You thought Mikki and Janet took his breath away!) He knew right away that this was Jesus! Though he had never seen him, and only vaguely remembered seeing ‘artist’s conception’-type portraits long ago; still, who else could it be? Who else would have that holy glow? Who else would have those eyes? A moment earlier Luke had thought he was looking into eternity through the big blue sky: how much more so to look into the eyes of his Lord! If eyes are the window to the soul, these were the window to the Divine soul. All wonders, all miracles, all beauty, all truth! All power, all judgment, all mercy, all love! There was nothing for it but for Luke to drop his gaze, and to kneel. (How had anyone in that day and age not known that this was the Christ? Luke puzzled. Then he remembered, that sometimes we see things the way we want to see them. Or don’t see what we aren’t prepared to see.)
His own heart was racing, telling him that this was the Lord! But his mind raced too, wondering how could that be? ‘Perhaps I’m still asleep on the rock and dreaming... Or maybe I did drown after all, and this is heaven?’ But a strong hand on his shoulder convinced him this was real! Jesus allowed him to rise, and then they both sat down together on the rock, and watched the perfect morning.
There was a silence and a great peace just sitting there, but it couldn’t last. Luke was just too full of questions! So much to ask of the Lord, so much to learn from Him! Then again, he was unworthy to even be here in His presence, let alone to question Him and demand of Him. So Luke bottled it up as long as he could, but at last he blurted one out. He thought it was still in his head, until he heard his voice ring too loudly in the quiet air: “Are you really...?” Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of the world! Luke couldn’t even finish the question, how could he dare to doubt? The insolence. He blushed when he realized he had spoken.
But Jesus reassured him with a beneficent nod. Of course! thought Luke. He could almost hear the relevant words springing to memory, like a voice: ‘Before Abraham was, I am.’ But what Jesus said, slowly and calmly, was, “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”142
Luke was definitely not offended, more like awed! “Praise God for His wondrous works!” he breathed reverently. Then Luke was suddenly wounded and grieved, recalling all that his Lord had gone through. This prompted a second question, tenderly, “Did you really...?” Go through all that sorrow, suffer for my sake, bear the sin of the world.
This time Jesus closed his eyes, and merely turned His hands over a little, as though He would catch the morning sun in his palms. Enough of a movement so that one who really wanted to look might see. Luke gasped. There were nail marks on His palms. A moment of horror came over Luke, but it was quickly soothed away by Christ’s soft and patient words: “The Son of Man goeth as it is written of him... Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?”143
Glory. Now there was a word for Luke’s notes! Pity was replaced by the flush of joy, as Luke considered why this all had to have happened. He murmured ‘Thank you Jesus!” as another verse he had read flowed back to him: ‘So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.’
Salvation. Now there was another good word! ...And another question. “Am I really...?” Saved from death, freed from sin, included in God’s own book of life! It still seemed too impossible, too inconceivable, too simple, too perfect. And it was with a simple, gentle touch that Jesus took away these last fears also. He merely laid his hand tenderly on Luke’s arm, and all fear, all doubt dissipated--replaced not only by peace, but by a strange feeling of power. Luke remembered immediately how ‘the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him and healed them all.’
Healed. That was how he felt! He exulted in that relief for a moment, and then felt a strange wonder: how had he ever doubted?144 The Scripture was clear, had not Jesus once said, ‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I shall in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven , not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day’?
On this occasion, however, Jesus said only this: “Be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”145
‘Faith, huh? Sure am glad I met that bus driver and got those two extra handfuls!’ thought Luke. Then he corrected himself. Glad? “Rejoice in the Lord, O my soul!” Luke rejoiced for a minute, all stirred up, revved up, gospelled up, and bouncing around! Until Jesus’ last remark finally registered. Go in peace? Seemed like a hint that the interview was over. Luke’s spirits fell a little. He remembered being told so long ago, that the Savior of the World must be a busy job. But still, he hadn’t wanted their brief meeting to ever end! Like reading a good book: you almost hate to come to the end...146
But sure enough, there was Jesus standing, and giving him the benediction: the last instructions for his new journey. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you...”147
There was a slight pause, so Luke in his eagerness didn’t realize he was interrupting. He had to wedge in a last nervous question. Last chance to either clarify his mission...or to object to it. But all Luke wanted to know was, “Can I really...?” Become a true follower, walk as You hav
e walked, share your message with my Huns.
Jesus pardoned the interruption with a slight smile, wise and strong. And when Luke saw that kind smile flash, it was like dawn breaking in his heart! He felt renewed, empowered, blessed by the token, as he resolved, ‘If Christ can still smile after all he went through, surely I can carry my own light burdens!’ Because of course, there was the sure promise to sustain him, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’
And here was Christ himself, promising to do just that! as Jesus completed His sentence and answered Luke’s question all at once: “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Luke’s heart was leaping once more, and this time, at long last, he finally understood what it had been saying all along. It was shouting Amen!
After bowing politely, Luke got back into his rowboat to cross the wide river. Jesus stood on the bank for a moment, and waved. But Luke looked over his shoulder once to check his course, and when he looked back in front of him, Jesus had gone. Well, gone from sight anyway, grinned Luke.
After he reached land and put on his football shoes, Luke began to run. Pounding out messages with his fast footsteps this time: Praise, Glory, Praise, Glory, Praise, Glory, Praise!
Then he slowed down, losing steam, as a final realization struck him. “Hey. ‘Teach all nations’ is a little vague...” Luke wondered if he had been correct in his earlier estimation that to Hun-Country was his calling--or if he was due instead to begin another long, strange journey around the world!
It was then that a strong wind hit him full in the back, as if to speed him on his way again. And with the wind, clear as the day, what seemed to be a soft voice--the wind herself, perhaps... or the Holy Ghost!... or a certain much-loved, much-missed female ancestor. He suspected that they each might send him the same message from the Lord...
“Do what you’re supposed to do.”
Luke laughed. Finally, after long months and sad years, he knew what that was, and he had the faith and power to achieve it.
Sticking a thumb into the wind to be sure, he chuckled again. “Yup. A miracle gale--blowing me back home to Hun-Country! With a brief layover at Prince Edward Island...”