Read Online The Redeemer by Linda Rios Brook - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda Rios Brook
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content with your pay, and stop blackmailing the townsfolk.”
One of the people called out, “John, are you the promised Messiah?”
John stopped what he was doing and walked nearer to the shore to answer.
“No, I’m not. I’m just a voice in the wilderness telling you to make straight the way of the coming Lord. I baptize you with water, but there is one coming after me whose sandals I’m not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
At that very moment, John turned around and was more than a little caught off guard to see Jesus standing in the water next to him.
“What are You doing here?”
“I’ve come to be baptized by you.”
“But why? If anything, it is I who should be baptized by You.”
John, do you know Jesus is the Messiah?
“Let everything be done in keeping with the Scriptures.” Jesus bowed His head for John to dunk Him just like he did everybody else.
Whether or not John knew at that moment Jesus was the Messiah I’m not sure, but I knew. Perhaps it was the incredulity of it all that overcame me at that moment. John put his hand on Jesus’ back to lower Him into the water.
“Wait,” I cried out and began to run toward them as fast as I could, but suddenly everything was moving in slow motion.
Without giving a thought to the possible consequences, I took a flying leap (literally) toward Jesus, splashed down into the water next to Him, and grabbed hold of His sleeve. With my other hand I held my nose, and when He went down into the water, I went down with Him.
Moments later, it was over. When we were upright in the river again, the sun was shining down on Jesus as if He was standing in a spotlight. Everyone saw it. Then came a voice from above that I recognized as God; He spoke and all the people heard Him.
“This my Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Always before when I’d heard God speak I would find some place to hide. This time was different; I felt safe standing next to Jesus.
I’m not sure how to explain what changed in me after that, but something did. I found myself growing more and more attached to Jesus. Oh, I know I’d complained that He could have prioritized and used His time more efficiently. But when I came up out of the baptismal waters with Him, I loved Him just as I’d loved Adonai in the third heaven. It didn’t matter that He never acknowledged me. I promised myself I would follow Him wherever He went. There was only one thing I had to do first.
“I must go back, face Satan, and quit my job.”
I flew back to the second heaven right then and planned to hand in my two weeks’ notice. I would hang a vacancy sign on my perch and leave everything except the legal brief I’d been working on for centuries. I wouldn’t leave that behind. It was just a matter of time until I got my day in court, and when it came, I would be ready. In the meantime, I had a plan for escaping Satan so I could help Jesus with His earthly mission. Gifted as He was, Jesus was barely thirty years old, and there’s just so much one can learn about life by such a young age. I, on the other hand, am—actually, I’m not sure how old I am, but there’s not much I haven’t seen as far as life on the earth goes.
I was halfway home before my baptismal glow faded and reality set in. There was no way Satan would ever let me leave. I was a slave, property, to him. He’d destroy me before I could get out the door. I could try to run away, but he’d find me no matter where I tried to hide. By the time I reached my perch, I was as depressed as I’d ever been in my life. I hoped no one would notice I’d returned. I wanted to be by myself to figure out what I was going to do about Jesus.
“Jesus,” I called out to Him over the black abyss between the second heaven and the earth. “I know You’ve come to free the Jews from Satan’s grasp. Satan seems to know how You plan to do it, but I don’t. After You free them, I suppose You plan to stop by
One of the people called out, “John, are you the promised Messiah?”
John stopped what he was doing and walked nearer to the shore to answer.
“No, I’m not. I’m just a voice in the wilderness telling you to make straight the way of the coming Lord. I baptize you with water, but there is one coming after me whose sandals I’m not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
At that very moment, John turned around and was more than a little caught off guard to see Jesus standing in the water next to him.
“What are You doing here?”
“I’ve come to be baptized by you.”
“But why? If anything, it is I who should be baptized by You.”
John, do you know Jesus is the Messiah?
“Let everything be done in keeping with the Scriptures.” Jesus bowed His head for John to dunk Him just like he did everybody else.
Whether or not John knew at that moment Jesus was the Messiah I’m not sure, but I knew. Perhaps it was the incredulity of it all that overcame me at that moment. John put his hand on Jesus’ back to lower Him into the water.
“Wait,” I cried out and began to run toward them as fast as I could, but suddenly everything was moving in slow motion.
Without giving a thought to the possible consequences, I took a flying leap (literally) toward Jesus, splashed down into the water next to Him, and grabbed hold of His sleeve. With my other hand I held my nose, and when He went down into the water, I went down with Him.
Moments later, it was over. When we were upright in the river again, the sun was shining down on Jesus as if He was standing in a spotlight. Everyone saw it. Then came a voice from above that I recognized as God; He spoke and all the people heard Him.
“This my Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Always before when I’d heard God speak I would find some place to hide. This time was different; I felt safe standing next to Jesus.
I’m not sure how to explain what changed in me after that, but something did. I found myself growing more and more attached to Jesus. Oh, I know I’d complained that He could have prioritized and used His time more efficiently. But when I came up out of the baptismal waters with Him, I loved Him just as I’d loved Adonai in the third heaven. It didn’t matter that He never acknowledged me. I promised myself I would follow Him wherever He went. There was only one thing I had to do first.
“I must go back, face Satan, and quit my job.”
I flew back to the second heaven right then and planned to hand in my two weeks’ notice. I would hang a vacancy sign on my perch and leave everything except the legal brief I’d been working on for centuries. I wouldn’t leave that behind. It was just a matter of time until I got my day in court, and when it came, I would be ready. In the meantime, I had a plan for escaping Satan so I could help Jesus with His earthly mission. Gifted as He was, Jesus was barely thirty years old, and there’s just so much one can learn about life by such a young age. I, on the other hand, am—actually, I’m not sure how old I am, but there’s not much I haven’t seen as far as life on the earth goes.
I was halfway home before my baptismal glow faded and reality set in. There was no way Satan would ever let me leave. I was a slave, property, to him. He’d destroy me before I could get out the door. I could try to run away, but he’d find me no matter where I tried to hide. By the time I reached my perch, I was as depressed as I’d ever been in my life. I hoped no one would notice I’d returned. I wanted to be by myself to figure out what I was going to do about Jesus.
“Jesus,” I called out to Him over the black abyss between the second heaven and the earth. “I know You’ve come to free the Jews from Satan’s grasp. Satan seems to know how You plan to do it, but I don’t. After You free them, I suppose You plan to stop by
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