Imagine if you will a courtroom filled to the capacity with people. There are camera crews from all the major television stations, reporters, and people for the defendant and those that are against him. See today, the court has been called to order to judge the doings of Jesus. Some folk say he is a liar, a fake and not able to do all the things the bible says he can. Others say, he is just who he say he is because they are believers.
The prosecuting attorney, Mr. Lucifer, stands proudly before the courtroom, in his tailor-made suit, ready to plead his case. He says he has folks ready to tell the court the defendant isn’t capable of doing what has been written in the bible and for that, he must be labeled a liar and deceiver. The defending attorney, Grace Mercy stands and simply says, “Let his work speak for him.” The courtroom goes wild with applause from those that believe until the judge hollers “Order in the court!” The judge tells the prosecution to call their first witness.
Witness 1: John Atheist – The court bailiff says, “Mr. Atheist, do you promise to tell the truth & nothing but the truth so help you God?” Mr. Atheist laughs and says, “I promise to tell the truth but there is no God so how can he help?” Prosecution, “Well Mr. Atheist, how do you know of the defendant?” Mr. Atheist, “I don’t know him personally but I’ve heard of some of the things he claims to do from other folk in my neighborhood.” Grace Mercy stands and says, “Objection! How can he be a witness when he only has hearsay? I asked that he be removed from the witness stand.” Judge says, “Mr. Atheist, your testimony will be stricken from the record, please step down. Mr. Lucifer, call your next witness.”
Lucifer stands and calls his second witness, Dr. Doubt. The court bailiff says, “Dr. Doubt, do you promise to tell the truth & nothing but the truth so help you God?” He pounds his fist and says, “I promise to tell the truth but there is no God!” Prosecution, “Very well, Dr. Doubt can you tell the court why you think the defendant is a fraud?” Doubt says “I had a patient who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and all the tests and scans showed it and it was progressing fast but my patient told me that this man, her Jesus, would heal her. (Giggling) He says, “I told her I would be the one to heal here once I performed the surgery to remove the tumor. But once I got in, I was not able to remove it completely so I had to tell her that she would only live another 2 months.” Prosecution, “After 2 months what happened?” Doubt says “I assumed she died because I never saw her again, which proves my point that this Jesus is a fake.” Grace Mercy stands and says, “Dr. Doubt, what if I told you that since that time your patient has not died but is very much alive and well, would you believe me?” He shouts, “There is no way!” The courtroom’s door opens and in walks the patient. Doubt shouts again, “There is no way, she should be dead! Let me, uh, let me run some tests and I’m sure this can be explained.” Grace Mercy says “Judge, I have no more questions.” The judge tells Dr. Doubt, he can step down.
The prosecution calls his final witness, Ms. Once Believer. The court bailiff says, “Ms. Once Believer, do you promise to tell the truth & nothing but the truth so help you God?” She says, “I promise to tell the truth but I don’t need no God to help me!” Prosecution says “Very well. Ms. Unbeliever, you use to be for the defendant right? What happened?” She says, “I use to believe in the power of this man and everything was fine. But then one day my husband died, (she starts to cry), he was a healthy man with no known issues and his heart just stopped. I prayed to this so-called healer and asked him to not take my husband but he did. After that, I start having trouble sleeping and couldn’t pay my bills. If this man claimed to be all he said he was, why was I having some much trouble, why didn’t he come see about me like he promised? He is a fake!” The prosecution says with a smile, “Mercy, your witness.” Mercy stands before Ms. Once Believer and hands her a tissue. She asks, “Ms. Once Believer, didn’t you read your bible?” She answered, “I use too.” Mercy hands her a sheet of paper and ask her to read the highlighted portion. Ms. Once Believer reads aloud, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.” (Ecclesiastes 3) Mercy asks, “Wasn’t this written long before your husband died? Wasn’t it just his time? Ms. Once believer says, “I guess so but what about all the trouble that I’ve seen, why am I being punished?” Mercy says, “Again, I will ask you to read the next highlighted portion.” Ms. Once Believer reads “A person who is born of a woman is short-lived and is full of trouble.” (Job 14:1) Mercy Grace asks “If this was promised before you were even born, what makes you exempt from it?” Ms. Once Believer stammers and can’t answer. Mercy says, “No more questions, your honor.” The Judge says, “You may step down.”
The prosecution has no more witnesses to call and says, “Judge, we rest our case.” The judge looks to Mercy Grace and ask her to call her first witness. She calls the man who was once lame in Jerusalem. He takes the stand and the court bailiff says, “Do you promise to tell the truth & nothing but the truth so help you God?” He says, “Yes I do!” Mercy asks him to tell why he believes the defendant to be true in what he does. The man says, “I had been lying on my bed for 38 years and when I tried to get into the pool of Bethesda for healing, I had no help so others would pass me by. But then one day this man came and when he saw me he ask if I wanted to be healed? When I said, yes, he told me to get up and walk and so I did. I’ve been walking for him ever since. (John 5) Let me show you!” He jumped up from the witness stand and begin jumping and dancing around. The judge hollered, “Order in my court!” Mercy said, “No more questions.” The prosecution, rubbing his head had no questions to ask.
Mercy calls her second witness, the woman with an issue of blood. The court bailiff says, “Do you promise to tell the truth & nothing but the truth so help you God?” She shouts, “Yes!” Mercy asks her to tell why she believes the defendant to be true in what he does. She says, “I had a condition in my body that caused me to bleed for 12 years. I spent all that I had going from doctor to doctor and no one could heal me. But then one day, when Jesus came through our town and I had heard about his healing power, I pressed my way through the crowd to him and I touched the hem of the gown he was wearing because I believed in him and his power. He turned and asked who touched him and when I answered he told me my faith had healed me and I was healed.” (Mark 5:25-34) She began to thank him over and over! She said “he is who he says he is and he can heal, if you believe just look at me!” Mercy says, “Your honor, I have no more questions.”
Mercy addressed the judge and said, “Your honor, I have a lot more witnesses to call. I have a man who had an impure spirit but was cleaned (Mark 5:1-14) and Lazarus who was raised from the dead (John 11:1-45). Shall I continue?” Then a woman jumped to her feet and said, “Your honor, I’m not on the witness list but I am a witness. See, this man has been my rock through the storms in my life. When I didn’t have food he fed me, no clothes he clothed me, no friends he was there, when I was in darkness he provided a light for me, when folk tried to harm me he protected me and when I’m too selfish to thank him he continues to bless me. So, you see, he is who he says he is.” Another man jumped up and said, “Please excuse me your honor for I am not on the witness list but I am a witness. See, when I was accused of being guilty of a crime I didn’t commit they threw me in jail and folk turned their backs on me but Jesus didn’t. He promised to be my lawyer and he was just that and all I had to do was believe in him. I did and he allowed me to walk out of that jail with my charges dropped. Because I believed, he believed in me. He is who he says he is.”
The courtroom filled with the sounds of people shouting for and against Jesus. The judge bangs her gavel and shouts for order. Jesus rises from his chair and speaks, “Your honor, I don’t have to boast and brag about the things that I’ve done and will do because my work speaks for me. I am who I say I am and my Father has given me the authority to do all which I can. I don’t have to list off the many acts that have been done, in my name, because they speak for themselves. Your honor, I’ve given people power to speak things as though they are. I don’t have to speak life because if they believe, they can. I don’t have to speak healing because if they believe, then they will be healed. All they need is the faith as small as the size of a mustard seed and it will carry them through. In my word I promised trouble but there is also joy afterwards. I promised death but there is life after death. I promised sickness but there is healing, sleepless nights but after, rest. There are promises of bad days, but the good ones strongly outweigh them. See, I don’t sell dreams but I offer free salvation. I don’t offer green grass all the time but I offer stuff to kill the weeds when they grow. I don’t offer a smooth ride all the time but I offer a way to handle the bumps in the road. Judge, there is no judgment or ruling needed for you to tell me who I am. For those that believe, they will see the kingdom that has been prepared. For those who don’t, I can’t make them but there is a place prepared for them as well. Your honor, I rest my case.”
Lakisha, the Author 