Free Monologue

His Will?
© 2000, Stephen R. Poole

Cast: James, the brother of Jesus—good introduction for the Book of James

Pastor, Brother, Bishop, even Rabbi. I have heard it all. Few people knew what to call me at the start. Some felt that I was not the right person, they questioned my authority. And, to tell the truth, I wasn’t even sure that I should be there myself. I would like to say that my faith held strong everyday of my life, but ministry has a way of wearing you down at times. I know that my mother was not prepared the day I announced to the family what I would be doing. After all, her first born was only in the ministry for 3 years before He was brutally beaten and later killed for doing God’s will.

Just how do you know what God’s will is, anyway? I have had many people ask me that very question. It is a difficult thing at times. My brother never questioned the will of God. I know that he had His own desires, but He always did what God wanted even to the very end. He said that God had given Him the authority to do the will of God. I sometimes questioned that authority.

I remember the day that my mother and I along with four of my brothers went to bring our eldest brother back home. People had already attempted to hurt Him. We all knew why. We had heard Him telling people about God’s plans and knew that the religious leaders would not like it. He had embarrassed the leaders on more than one occasion. God planned to take control away from the religious leaders and allow each person to communicate directly to Him. The religious leaders saw their authority slipping away and were desperate to retain it. The word on the street was that they planned to kill Him if they could.

We were afraid for my brother. We knew that we had to get him home, back to Nazareth where he would be safe. He refused to go home. Instead, He taught me something that day that I will never forget. I learned what it meant to sacrifice everything that I love in order to follow God’s will. I went to bring my brother home, but instead my brother introduced me to His home. My brother is now my Lord and Savior as well.

Now, here I am . . .James the pastor of Jerusalem’s first fellowship of believers. We have started to call ourselves a church. Now we are daily facing problems. We have even had some bickering and complaining among fellow believers. I have heard that this is common among many fellowships, so just yesterday I wrote a letter of instruction to the twelve tribes of Israel. Many children of Israel have traveled far from home and have forgotten what God has commanded and promised. I urge each of you to return home so that you may experience God’s salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ . . .my big brother.

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