INTRODUCTION
Your favourite pop star is coming to give a concert at the local venue. You've
admired him for as long as you can remember and you have his posters all over
your room as well as lots of souvenirs. You once had a fantastic video of him
performing, but the tape snapped. That was sad and you don't know how you're going
to get another one. If only you could replace it. If only you knew the star personally.
Since you heard that your hero was coming to town, you haven't been able to stop
thinking about it. On the evening of the concert, you hurry off to the place where
it's being held. Perhaps you'll see him! What if he could get you another tape?
Lots of people you know are there already. They know what you want, but they think
you're a bit stupid for wanting it. You can hear them thinking you're a real no-hoper.
Excitement mounts as the great white limousine glides into view - and stops just
in front of you! And you're shouting and shouting his name, waving your autograph
book and calling him to come over to you so loudly that the people around you
are giving you funny looks. Then, unbelievably, he does come over. You are petrified.
As he signs your book he asks you about yourself and you find the courage to tell
him about the lost video. He smiles and moves on, but not before whispering to
one of his helpers, who asks you for your address.
Imagine your surprise next day, when a duplicate tape arrives...
It was a story rather like this that Ben told the children in Storykeepers. In
this story, a man named Bartimaeus, who was blind, had an unexpectedly close encounter
with Jesus.
KEY VIDEO CLIP
Episode 4b: Ready, Aim, Fire!
PRAYER
Let's think quietly about times when we want to say something and can't. It might
be a time when we are too frightened, or when we think that nobody could be interested
in us. Or maybe we don't even know what we want to say.
Let's pray for the courage to see what we want to say and to be able to say it.
Lord, teach us how to ask for help. Give us the courage to have faith in your
love even when things seem against us and people laugh at us. Help us to be like
Bartimaeus, ready to receive your blessings every day.
MUSIC
'God Knows Me' No.15 in The Complete Come and Praise
BBC, 1990
ISBN 0 563 345810
NOTES
In Storykeepers, this incident is told by Ben (i.e. as found in Mark's gospel)
in the context of an imminent attack from the Romans. The episode explores ideas
about courage and the stories of Jesus blessing the children and the healing of
the man with the paralysed hand are also included as a way of showing Jesus' power
to help people that recognize and trust him.
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