Chapter 128
12:20 PM CST Day four of 1260 Kansas City, Missouri - City Center, Jack South’s Suite
I tried to continue to get Thomas to calm down. While we were waiting for room service, I picked up the staff and brought it over to him, close enough for him to see it. I turned it over slowly and showed him the ball at the end of the staff and the markings, tracing them with my fingers. He asked me to turn it one way, then the next. He finally said I could put it down.
I went and placed it back on the bed then sat down with the binder of papers I had received from God. He was looking at me strangely and said, “You are going to look strange with a polo shirt, khakis, and that staff Jack.”
I thought about that for a minute, and said, “Well, I could wear the bath robe they give you here, would that work?” At least I was getting some humor back, I thought.
Thomas laughed and said, “No, that will not do Jack. Maybe I could come up with something for you.”
“Thomas, I am not going out there in robes like the movie pictures of old prophets. It is just not me.”
“How about a choir robe? Alternatively, you wear a vestment, like some churches do, including mine. I will have one on.”
“Maybe that would work.” Then I thought, hey why not play the part? He was right. I would look strange with the polo shirt, khakis, and staff. I said, “We can discuss that later Thomas. Right now, I need you to pay attention. You went to theology school right?”
“Yes, I did; and got good grades too.”
“Okay. Now when you go to theology school you learn about things like what different meanings a scripture can have, right?”
“Yes, that is true. We learned and discussed a great deal about scripture that were either vague or misunderstood.”
“Okay, here is the question I want you to answer. Tell me the story of Adam, Eve, the serpent, and Cain and Abel. Not the one I read in the Bible, but the other ones. I need to hear what others think, other than just me and this paper here.”
“Well, God created man, then woman and they were in the garden; and they could do as they wanted and wanted for nothing. However, they could not eat of the tree of life. Eve did anyhow, because of the serpent.”
“Stop, Thomas. That is not the story I want from you. I want the real one.”
He hesitated, seeming stressed, then said, “Jack, we were told that the other story was conjecture. Granted, we were always able to make it work and it made sense, but we were told to tell the story I just related to you. People would not believe the other one and the children would not be getting a sterilized story.”
“Tell it to me Thomas. What did they teach you?”
After he was through, I looked up at him and said, “This is the same story I am holding in this folder. You just told me almost the exact same one.”
“Are you going to tell that story tonight Jack?”
“No, God has another agenda for tonight; but eventually, yes, I will. For in these pages is God’s command to me, to set the record straight. I need you to write out for me the scriptures that make this story real, instead of the sterilized form it has taken on for thousands of years. I don’t need it for today, but I need it very soon.”
“So what is your sermon tonight?”
I hesitated and wondered. Then I said, “I am not sure Thomas, I am not yet sure. I am still trying to decipher God’s instructions. But believe me, it will be effective and I will get the message across.”
“I will take your word for it Jack. In the meantime, I’ll try and round up something you will feel comfortable wearing and that will work with the staff.” As he stood up he said, “Jack, you are a man of God. I have no doubt. However if you’re going to use any of the things we talked about in your sermons, either now or in the future, you are really going to upset a lot of people.”
“I think a lot of them already are, Thomas.”