"What a fast week," Little Billy
thought. "It already was Thursday, just a few days away from Easter."
Little Billy's thoughts were not on candy or Easter Eggs, he could not wait to hear the
next story from his father.
All week long, his Close-My-Eyes stories had been what Jesus had done during the Holy
Week, the week that came before his death and resurrection.
Little Billy felt like the stories made him know Jesus better both as a person and as his
savior.
"I wonder what tonight's story will be about," Little Billy thought.
He did not have to wait long for an answer, for no sooner had Little Billy begun to ponder
the question, in came big Bill his daddy. The smile on big Bill's face said he was
in a story telling mood.
"What did Jesus do on Thursday," Little Billy said priming the pump.
That was all his Dad needed to start the story flowing.
"Well Billy, on Thursday they gathered together for a Passover meal but this turned
out to be the last time they would have such a supper together. It was called the
last supper by many people," Big Bill explained.
"What was Passover and why were they having a Passover meal?" Little Billy
asked.
"The Jewish people still do celebrate Passover," big Bill explained.
"Passover is the recognition of when God brought the Jewish people out of
captivity. One thing he did to convince Egypt to free His people was to pass through
town, killing the first born child of every family. God told the Jewish
families this was going to happen, and instructed them to smear the blood of a perfect
lamb on their door frames so that the angel of death may pass right over their homes. They
celebrate Passover each year eating a meal, called a seder, that is symbolic of the food
they had at that time."
"Oh, I was told something about that," Little Billy said. "My
friend Milton is Jewish. At Passover he does not eat regular bread, Milt brings
something that looks like a cracker, that He calls matzo."
"That is because God had his people leave Egypt so fast, they did not have time to
make leavened bread. Leavened bread is bread like we eat every day. Yeast,
which is called leaven, makes the bread rise or get fluffy." big Bill explained.
"God told them on that special night, when death passed over their first born
children, to eat unleavened bread and that was much like the matzo you saw Milton
eating."
"Jesus was Jewish?" little Billy asked.
"Yes," his father answered. "But he died not just for the Jews but for all
of us. He was the savior for the whole world regardless of their race."
"Before he would allow that last supper to be served, Jesus went and washed the feet
of his disciples. Of course Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet."
"Why didn't Peter want his feet washed," Billy asked. "Were they crusty
like Mommy sometimes says mine are," he giggled.
"No Billy," his father replied, "I don't know if Peter had
crusty feet, but the reason he did not want Jesus washing his feet was he respected and
looked up to Jesus and thought if Jesus washed his feet it would look like Jesus was
serving him."
"Jesus told Peter if he did not let him wash his feet, or if anyone did not let Him,
they could not follow Him," Billy's dad continued.
" I bet Peter let him wash his feet then," said Billy.
Now it was big Bill's turn to laugh, "Peter told Jesus to go ahead and wash his feet,
his head, any place He wanted to wash, when he heard Jesus answer."
"Jesus wanted his disciples to know that they all should serve and not sit around
waiting to be served," Billy's dad continued. "When they had supper,
he reminded them that the bread they were eating represented his body, which He knew now
for sure, would be broken on the cross. And when He served them wine, He reminded
them he would not ever drink this with them again but when they drank it again, they
should think of Him and the blood He was going to shed for them."
"That sounds like what Rev. Thomas says during communion," Billy piped up.
"That is why we have communion," Big Bill added. "Jesus told the
disciples that as often as they drink the wine and eat the bread that they should do in
His memory. Every time we have communion it is so we remember Jesus."
"That was a great Close-My-Eyes story Daddy," Billy said curling up for
his journey into dreams.
"You have not heard the most important part yet Billy," his father said,
"You have just a little more, an important little more to your Thursday Close-My-Eyes
story about Jesus."
"What is that Daddy," Little Billy said, fighting off sleep.
"Jesus told his disciples, that they should love one another as He had loved
them," big Bill explained. "He told them if they showed everybody love,
people would know that they were His disciples."
"I thought maybe Jesus was going to give them a badge or a uniform," Billy
said smiling. "That is how I know a policeman, or a fireman or even a preacher."
"No Billy," his father said, "Jesus gave them a better uniform than any of
them. He gave them love. He showed them how to love even the people that did
not love them. And Jesus wanted to be sure that His disciples loved one
another."
"Even today," big Bill continue, "Jesus want's us to love one another and
when people see us loving, they will know that we are Jesus' disciples."
Little Billy sat thinking on the bed. His father could tell something was on his
son's active mind.
"At first I though I wanted to be a fireman when I grew up," Little Billy
proclaimed, stretching out on the bed. "But now, I think I want to grow up and
be one of Jesus' disciples."
"What gave you this change of heart," big Bill asked his smiling son.
"Because I already have the uniform to be a disciple, I already love everybody,
especially you and mommy" Little Billy explained, first smiling and then letting a
yawn softly exit.
"I know all about your love," Big Bill said proudly, looking down at Little
Billy's beaming face. "That is why you do not have to wait to grow up to be Jesus'
disciple, you are doing a great job as one already."
Big Bill bent down to give little Billy his goodnight kiss. And as he did, the deep
rhythmic breathing of Little Billy let him know this little disciple, had peacefully
slipped away to dream land.
