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My Death. | |
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My life was full of dramatic and symbolic events. I devoted my final years to spreading my Father's message of love and eternal salvation, performing 'miracles' to get my point across when listeners weren't convinced by words alone. After three years of these teachings, I gathered the twelve men who had faithfully supported my crusade together one day. I asked these disciples to bring me a certain young donkey that had never been ridden before. When they found the animal, I mounted it and began riding towards Jerusalem. A huge crowd followed along, singing songs of praise for what I had taught them. When I neared the city, I openly cried. The people there still didn't recognize me as their saviour, and they hissed and booed as I passed by. Satan, who blended in easily with the angry mob, crept inside Judas Iscariot, one of my disciples. Judas then wandered off unnoticed and conspired with the chief priests and captains as a crowd formed around me in the courtyard. The powerful officials welcomed Judas' evil plot, and promised to give him thirty pieces of silver if he provided a time and place to capture me when I was alone. I suddenly knew in my heart that my death was coming soon and got all the disciples together for a final Passover dinner. I picked up some bread as we ate and blessed it, then passed each disciple a piece of it. I said, "Take this and eat...it is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me." I took a cup and again blessed it, then gave it to them to drink. "This is my blood of the new covenant, which I shed for the forgiveness of sins. We will not drink wine together again until you join me in my Father's kingdom." Everyone was speechless and stared at me with worried faces. A disciple named Thomas said, "We don't know where you're going, but you won't be alone. We have never left your side, and intend to stay with you for many years to come." I forced a smile and let the matter drop, savouring the taste of my final meal. When we were all finished eating, I warned the disciples of difficult times to come. "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first," I said. After supper, I walked to a garden called Gethsemane to pray. The disciples followed me to the secluded place and stood behind me in silence. Just as I finished praying, the chief priests and elders of the temple showed up. Judas, who had just eaten with me an hour earlier, was leading the group. He approached and gave me a kiss of betrayal. I looked past Judas and softly spoke to the growing mob, saying only, "I am." I allowed myself to be tied up and taken to the high priest's house. The temple officers made crude jokes and spit in my face. They blindfolded me and punched my face and stomach, asking sarcastically, "So give us your prophesy, 'Holy Saviour'...which of us hit you?" |
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