by D A Walmsley
A large hand thuds on Matthew’s shoulder. “The boss wants to talk to you now,” says Peter.
Before Matthew has even caught up, Jesus calls out. “What did I tell you Matt, right at the beginning?”
It all seems so long ago, things have changed so much. He thinks back to those early days, when every day was a struggle, when all the followers apart from Alphie hated him and wanted him to quit. It helped that he was used to being hated and could cope. As long as Jesus was there he had a reason to stay and stick it out.
Jesus has begun heading up the Mount of Olives when Matthew gets to the front of the group and to a laughing Jesus.
“Didn’t I tell you it would all be worth it!” Jesus aims a playful punch at Matthews shoulder, thankfully it’s not as hard as Peter’s. “I’m happy with you Matthew. You stuck in there, when others would have fallen away.”
As they walk, it’s as if he is all alone with Jesus. He only hears Jesus’ words, they filter though his whole being. Jesus reminds him of the things he has done, how the scriptures have been fulfilled. It feels so final, like a football manager is giving the team last minute instructions before they go out onto the pitch – alone.
Once at the top of the Mount, overlooking the city, Jesus stops.
“Gather round.”
Matthew takes a deep breath, looking at the others. No-one speaks, not even James. Matthew starts to tremble.
“Remember what I taught you. Stay in Jerusalem until the time you receive my spirit.” He holds out his arms, blessing them. “Peace, comfort, joy and power be on you all.”
This is it, Matthew knows… Jesus is leaving them. It feels so final. Yet he feels no sadness. It’s a good feeling, he’s happy.
Suddenly he sees a low cloud swirling around his feet. It flows inbetween everybody until it settles at Jesus’ feet, raising him up. They all watch in disbelief as the cloud takes Jesus higher and higher. “I will be with you always, to the ends of the earth.”
The cloud, that’s right, the cloud is carrying Jesus away, up towards the heavens. Still no-one speaks. They are all transfixed, even when Jesus is out of sight, nobody stops looking, staring.
The silence is broken only when two men, dressed in pure white ask. “Why are you staring up into heaven?”
“Er dude, did you just see what happened?” James answers.
“This Jesus who has been taken into heaven will come back in just the same way as you have watched him go.”
Before James can reply the men leave. John puts his arm across his brothers chest to stop him following them. For once James lets it go, instead laughing. It should be a sad time, Jesus has just left them. Then why are they all happy. Everybody laughs, and starts hugging each other. They all feel the same, that this isn’t a bad thing but something good.
They all start to head back down the mount.
“Wonder if anyone else saw what just happened?” says Thaddy.
He doesn’t have to wait long to find out. Even before they arrive back there are people hanging around outside the B&B expecting to see Jesus.
“He’s not here,” Peter tells a reporter.
“Can you tell us when he will return?”
The group start to laugh.
“Your guess is as good as ours,” says Philip.
“Well at least can you confirm he is alive.”
Peter points to the whole group of people.
“We all can.”
* * *
Every day they all meet in the upper room. From every part of the city they travel there in the morning and don’t leave until the night. One hundred and twenty people, mostly from Galilee, gather and wait for the next stage. They don’t know when that will be or even when it will occur. Some of the group are quite keen to pray for an answer. Peter encourages everybody and that includes the team, to pray to God and even the boss, for the knowledge, the wisdom and the answer as to what is going to happen next.
One of the things they start to agree on, is the need for someone to take Jude’s place in the team. Peter gets out his clipboard and writes down the criteria that the person must possess.
Knew the boss personally.
Must have been a follower from the beginning.
Travelled with them throughout the time Jesus was with them.
Someone who was a witness to the resurrection.
Matthew, sitting next to James, notices he’s added one more, while Peter isn’t looking.
Get the first round in.
Peter reads out the list “…and get the first round in. Hey I didn’t write this!”
He looks at James.
“What, why look at me?”
“Who else could it be?”
From the criteria Matthew reckons it’s between two people, Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. Peter prays, asking for the right man to be chosen before handing out papers and pens and asks everyone to vote, not for their own preference, but God’s.
When the results are in and counted Matthias wins.
“So, it must be my round then,” says Matthias.
He is immediately welcomed into the team.
* * *
The next morning Matthew is woken by loud voices. Looking out of his window he sees some reporters and a group of curiosity seekers congregating around the outside of the B&B and the upper room. Some have been there every morning since they’d arrived. Not as many today, thank goodness. He watches as some priests are being interviewed by a TV crew - right under his window.
Matthew now fully awake, gets showered and dressed and heads to the upper room.
“Why is there a TV crew outside?” he asks Mrs Marith at reception.
“The priests have been on the news demanding Jesus show himself.”
He doesn’t make it to the steps of the upper room before he is confronted with shouts from a group of youngsters.
“Bunch of losers.” says one.
“Religious freaks.”
“Come and worship me,” shouts another.
Over the years Matthew has gotten accustomed to name calling. It was a downside of his old profession. He would show his gun and they would run. It has always gone on, even when he joined the team he could hear their whispers and feel their stares. He pats his side, where is gun used to be and smiles at the young lads. They run away. Mmm… still need to work on my smile.
He climbs the stairs happy in the knowledge that the team mates who he didn’t get along with, he now considers his good friends. Once inside he finds Peter.
“Why are the priests and press outside, why today.”
“It’s Pentecost, fifty days after Passover - the harvest festival. They think it would be a good day for us to give up on our delusions and go home, or they want proof,” says Peter.
“What more proof do they want, five hundred people saw Jesus in one day alone,” says Nathaniel.
“The priests are trying to use the press to discredit Jesus and us,” says Philip.
Matthew grabs a black coffee and rubs his head. He looks at the bread rolls and buttered scones laid out for them but decides to pass on them this morning, he is eating way too much lately. Once everyone has arrived Peter tells them as it is Pentecost they should all start the day in prayer.
They all sit in silence and pray, only after a few minutes Matthew can’t concentrate, he is sure he can hear things, noises, probably from outside.
“What’s that noise?” asks John.
Apparently he’s not the only one to hear things.
“I hear it too, what is it?” asks Nathaniel.
The noise sounds like a violent rushing wind. As it gets closer and louder Matthew suddenly feels overwhelmed by the sound. It’s as if a hurricane is right outside, well, not for long; it bursts through the walls and windows without breaking them. It seems violent in its sound, yet it is as gentle as breath. It has form, like fire, but there is no heat. It spreads out over the whole room and all at once tongue-shaped flames fork out from it and rest upon every person
in the room.
It is a good feeling. He has this great sense of peace, like when Jesus did miracles. He looks around expecting to see him. Everyone else is happy too, they smile and laugh. Matthew wants to know if those outside heard the noise and experienced what he feels. He heads for the door and is followed by the others who in their excitement push him out of the way. All one hundred and twenty of them go bursting through the door and rush down the stairs. As they do, they all start to speak, only it’s in many different languages. The noise they make is as loud as the hurricane itself. Matthew notices there are many more people outside than earlier. Hundreds more. With more and more coming all the time.
“What’s happening,” ask the TV crew. “What was that noise? What is going on?”
The noise was so loud people come out of their houses. Some are frightened – all are confused.
“How great is our God,” says Matthew, he wants to laugh, to sing and he never sings. He speaks again, only it’s in a foreign language! What? How? He speaks again “Who is like you O Lord… doing wonderful works.”
The whole group are now down the stairs, all praising God. “Glory to God for all the wonderful things he has done.” They are being surrounded by the crowd, Jews here for the festival from all over the world.
“Aren’t those people Galileans? Then how can I understand them in my own language?” says one after another.
Matthew hears so many countries mentioned he is astonished: Iran, Turkey and Egypt; Libya and Italy; Crete and Greece.
The priests mock them. “They’ve been drinking, typical of them, they are all drunk.”
Peter goes over to his truck parked next to the doorway, now surrounded by reporters. He jumps in the back to gain a higher platform and addresses the crowd.
“These people are not drunk, it’s only nine in the morning, not nine at night.”
Everyone laughs.
“When do we ever get drunk?” asks James.
The camera crew scramble to get shots of Peter.
“Let me quote to you the prophet Joel; And it shall be in the last days, God says. I shall pour out my spirit on all mankind. Your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. You were here, you saw the miracles, wonders and signs. Then you crucified Jesus on a cross. By the hands of Godless men he was put to death, but God raised him up, putting an end to the agony of death since it was impossible for him to be held in its power.”
As he speaks, the crowd gets bigger and bigger. Everyone wants to hear what Peter has to say.
Matthew is once again pushed out of the way, this time by some other camera crew rushing to film Peter as he continues speaking. Matthew rubs his shoulder, don’t you know who I was? He smiles to himself.
“Many saw him alive after death, including some of you right here. For as David said of the Christ…I saw the Lord always in my presence; for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; moreover my flesh will live in hope; you will not abandon my soul to hell, nor allow your holy one to undergo decay. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. It was David who looked ahead to the resurrection of the Christ when he wrote He was neither abandoned to hell nor his flesh decayed. This Jesus, God raised up again, we are all here as witnesses…”
Peter turns, looking for the camera, staring straight at it, knowing this is going out live to the whole country, he finishes…
“Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
I hoped you liked getting to know the twelve.
If you want to read more, there are deleted scenes,
authors notes and interviews with some of the characters on my website.
dawalmsley.com