LOST AND FOUND

About 11 years ago in the small town of Radesh Barnia – south and west – of the Dead Sea – in Israel -  two men were working on an old – a really old cemetery. Over in the corner – at the far end of the property was an old abandoned building. It had caved in a long, long. long time ago.

 

By long time ago – I mean a long time ago.

 

With two build dozers they started digging.

 

One said to the other one night – while having some wine,  “Wouldn’t it be interesting what we might find under the dirt and rocks out there and down there – at the corner of the cemetery.

 

Surprise! They had a find.

 

In the second month of digging, they found a grey square stone. It was like a stone trap door cover  - that lead to down, down below – to something.

 

They got a few ladders and powerful battery lights and carefully climbed down to what was like a cave.

 

In some large earthen ware jars they found about a dozen leather manuscripts.

 

“Woo! Wow!” They rejoiced. Maybe these are going to be like the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Some shepherds found those scrolls over there in some caves near the Dead Sea and they were worth millions and millions of dollars – being over 2000 years old.

 

One of the diggers said, “I have a cousin who is an archaeologist  and an anthropologist as well. Let’s check these writings out with him?”

 

They did!

 

It has been quite a find – but they are not finished yet on what this stuff is.

 

One document is called, “The Gospel of Nathaniel.”

 

It talks about Jesus in his early 20’s. So it’s not as old as the Dead Sea Scrolls because it’s Christian material

 

It’s very interesting. They are still studying it – wondering how true it might be.

 

It tells about how Jesus used to sit and talk with a rich man – who had a large  farm – up in northern Israel. They would talk – in the evening – after work. They would talk about life and how people lived it and dealt with it.

 

He really liked the quality of carpentry work done by Joseph and Jesus – and the chairs they made at Joseph’s shop.

 

The Gospel of Nathaniel document had missing parts and rips.

 

There is one section where the old man talked about his two sons.

 

One went prodigal – leaving home in his late teens – having gotten his inheritance from his dad while he was still living. He wasted everything on alcohol, parties and girls in a far country.

 

He basically disappeared.

 

Their dad went out every morning around 11 AM to a crossroads and looked, north, east, south and west – hoping for his son’s return.

 

 

But no luck. No son.

 

His wife told him, “He’s gone. He’s lost! You’re just wasting your energy hoping for his return.”

 

This brought silence – a lot of silence and belly ache – to their marriage

 

His other brother was even worse than his wife.  He mouthed off about his younger brother all the time.

 

But the younger brother came home.

 

His father threw a party for him – holding and hugging him.

 

He got him new clothes.

His mom was furious. She had to deal with a few  years of gossip  and nasty remarks – after his return.

 

It took her a few years to forgive her youngest son.

 

Her husband was laughed at.

 

In time people who had the same family problem -  with sons and daughters – and brothers and sisters - getting lost in alcohol and  sex – they would come to Prodigals father – asking “What’s the secret for forgiveness.”

 

And they would sit down and talk – like Jesus used to sit down and talk with him in his earlier years.

 

And the Prodigal Father would give the same advice and the same answer every time. “Forgive and watch what it does to you. Don’t forgive and watch what that does to you.”

 

That’s the story so far.   They are still working on the document.

 

Even if they find out it’s all made up fiction – people will always eventually find the truth in the story.