Thursday, November 30, 2006

I have found that because of the speed of the dialog in my film, it is difficult to take in all of the information, so here is a reproduction of the script:


Paul's Fictional Letter to a Roman Believer
Dearest Brother,
Grace and peace I give to you in our Lord Jesus Chirst. I wish to share with you some of my experiences overt the past few years that I might show you how the grace of our Lord manifested itself in my life. Though I have been stoned, flogged, cursed, arrested, jeered and humiliated, I still proclaim Christ's holy Gospel daily on the streets. Beloved, I must share these memories with you.
Brother Barnabas and I had just sailed back to Antioch, where we had been commended to the grace of God for the work we had completed. When we arrived we called the church together and related all that God had done with us and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. Then several men from Judea came to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Barnabas and I had words with these men and were chosen to travel to Jerusalem to discuss the question with the apostles and elders. When we arrived, we were greeted warmly by the church, but a group of believers that belonged to a sect of the Pharisees stood up and said of the Gentiles: "It is neccessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses."
Then Barnabas and I told the assembly of the signs and wonders that God had done through us as witness to the Gentiles. We convinced many believers that we should not trouble the Gentiles who are turning to God, but should encourage them only to abstain from their sins.
Brother Barnabas and I later had a dispute over whether or not we should bring brother Mark with us on our next missionary journey. Mark had deserted us in Pamphylia and I felt brother Silas would be a better choice. Barnabas took Mark with him to Cyprus, while Silas and I left for Syria and Cilicia. In Lystra, we met Brother Timothy. We eventually arrived in Phillippi, a Roman colony in Macedonia. One day, we met a slave girl who had a great spirit of divination. I ordered the spirit out of her in the name of our Lord Jesus and the girl was healed.
But when her owners saw that they could no longer make money off of her condition, they had us flogged and thrown into prison. At about midnight, brother Silas and I were praying and singing hymns to God that the other prisoners might hear, when the hand of our Lord touched the earth and the ground began to tremble. The earthquake was so violent that the doors of the prison were flung open. The jailer drew his sword to slay himself, since he supposed the prisoners had escaped, but I called out to him that we were all still there. He kneeled before me and asked what he must to do be saved. I told him to believe in Christ Jesus and he and his household would be saved. He and his family immediately repented and were baptised and Silas and I were set free.
Brother Silas and I passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and I was chased out of Thessalonica in the middle of the night. I traveled to Athens, and was saddened to see that the city was full of idols. I told the Athenians that I saw that they were very religious. I implored them not to worship the unknown, but to worship the one known God, the creator of the universe. I sailed to Corinth, where I met Silas and Timothy again, and then to Ephesus, where a riot broke out. Then to Troas, Macedonia and Greece. I traveled back to Jerusalem, where I visited brother James.
Soon after, I was preaching in the temple, when I was seized by an angry mob. I was hauled before a court and a council, a tribune, a high priest, two governors and a king. Each time I pled my case, explaining how I had persecuted Christians before our Lord had appeared to me in a vision and I dedicated my life to serving Jesus. I now sail for Rome to appeal to the Emperor. I have told my captors that my only prayer is that they become as I am, but without the chains, of course. Yet I am afraid, brother, of what may happen to me. God give me strength, as he did his Son in the garden of Gethsemane, and may I never abandon him as did all others that fateful night, for I know that he shall not abandon me. Have faith dear brother, I feel his hand still in mine. I will see you soon, God willing.
In Christ,
Paul

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