1
(This is part 1 in a series of posts on “Jesus of New York.” The full series is starting Part 0, Part 1, and finished with Part 21)
Jesus (V.O.): Let me tell you something. Maybe you can understand me.
I become very famous all over the world. I am well known and yet not really…
People ask me who I am … even though I reveal myself before their eyes...
I remember when I was creating the time. At the time, I was in fellowship with God as the time begins … The universe is made one by one through me. Everything comes to exist because of me.
God and I are one. I came into the world that I made. I came into the people I had made because I loved them. …
In me there is life. The life is the light of humanity… From the very me, a light comes out. It becomes brighter and brighter. I am the light.
Right before I was about to enter the world, my Father sent a man before me. His name was John the Baptist. John came to be a witness to my light, so that people might believe in me… I was entering the world to enlighten every human being. And to those who let me enter their hearts, I give them the authority to be the children of God: the children who are born right from God…
John talked about me this way at his favorite river.
JOHN: …This is who I meant when I said, “The one coming behind me has gotten ahead of me, because he existed, way before I was.” I told you again and again. I am not the Christ. I am not an Elijah. No, I am not the Prophet. But I am what Isaiah the prophet said, a voice crying in the wild, saying “Straighten out the way of the Lord.”
For this very reason, I am initiating water baptism…
Although you do not recognize the man, the one who is to come after me is right here among you. Yes, he comes after me, but boy, I am not even fit to shine his shoes.
Narrator: When John sees Jesus coming to him, John says.
JOHN: Y’all look! Here’s the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! That’s the one I was talking about when I said, ‘There is a man yet to come who is greater than I because he existed even before I was born. Even I was not sure of him, but the reason I came baptizing was that I might show him to the nation, as the one who reveals who God is.
I saw the Spirit, come down like a dove from the sky, and stay on him. As I said, I was not sure about him, but he who sent me to dip you in water told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit coming down and staying will be the one who baptizes you in Holy Spirit.’ Well, I saw it! And I’m telling you that this is the Son of God."
Jesus (V.O.): The following day John was standing with two of his students, and when he saw me walking around.
JOHN: Viola! Here comes God’s Lamb!
Jesus (V.O.): Hearing this, the two students started following me. When I noticed them following, I turned around.
Jesus: What’s up? (with a smile)
ANDY and JOHN: Doc, where are you staying?
Jesus: Come and see!
JESUS (V.O.): So they saw where I was staying.
They stay with me until about four o’clock. Andy, the brother of Simon Rock, was one of the two who followed me. The first thing he did was to tell his own brother, "We have found the Leader.”
When he introduced him to me, I immediately said, "You are Simon Johnson. Why don’t we call you Rock? (Light smile)
A day later, I ran across Phil, who was from the hometown of the Johnson brothers, and said to him, "Join me."
Then, Phil looked up Nat and told him.
PHIL: We have found the One the Bible talks about! His name is Jesus and he’s from New York!
NAT: New York? Could anybody worth his salt come from there?
PHIL: Come and have a look, man.
Narrator: (Nat is approaching Jesus.)
Jesus: Look! There is a true spiritual man! I see a pure spirituality in him.
NAT: Where did you hear about me?
Jesus: I saw you, before Phil talked with you under the Christmas tree.
NAT: Reverend, you are the Son of God; you are the nation’s Leader, the King of the Universe!
Jesus: Wow. Are you convinced merely because I told you that I saw you under the Christmas tree? You’ll see a whole lot more. In fact, I want to tell y’all that you’ll see the heaven opened and the good angels climbing up and down, up and down, on the human being!
