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.
