FanStory.com - Ben Paul Persons, Ch 4by Wayne Fowler

In the last part Ben Paul, Sylvia and Mary found Slim, having been shot in the head. He had bled a lot, but survived. The law decided to downplay the incident in hopes that the likely out-of-state revenge shooter would consider Slim dead, and simply disappear.

Warning: preaching and scripture in this chapter.

Chapter 4

“No anti-war baloney, Reverend Persons. Got to promise. There’s some in there who’ll put a hole in ya. Some lost sons in Vietnam. Hell, halfway back on the right side you might see a young man all scarred in his face – shrapnel from our own artillery. And he’s dying of some kind of cancer, won’t take treatment. He’s not here every week, but he might be. He don’t wanna hear his life ruined fer nothin’.”

Ben Paul and Sylvia were at the church in Santa Fe, the first of Ben Paul’s scheduled engagements.

Ben Paul stood silently, flinching at the pastor’s comfort in speaking of Satan’s lair. “Let’s pray about what God would have me to preach.” They were in the church foyer, the expanded hall between the entry doors and the sanctuary. Ben Paul was surprised that when he’d called the pastor the evening before from the motel room the church had reserved, that the pastor suggested they meet at the church at 11:00. Ben Paul was not current with Southwest custom and protocol, but he expected a more hospitable greeting: supper, or breakfast, or an invitation to meet in person before service time.

The pastor, Reverend Tommy Bass, blanched. “Right here? Uh, we could go into…”

“The sanctuary would do,” Ben Paul suggested.

“The adult class is meeting in there.” Pastor Bass nodded to the set of doors leading into the sanctuary.

Very slightly, but with pressure nonetheless, Ben Paul guided Pastor Bass to a nearby bench, again leaning the shorter man to his knees. Sylvia took a half step backward and watched, more curious than nervous.

“Lord Jesus, here we are in your house. The Community Church of Santa Fe, New Mexico, in your house my Lord and Savior, where we learn from your Word, where we worship at your feet, and where we praise you for your wonderful goodness and faithfulness, for the miracle of eternal life you have made available to us.

“Here now Lord I humbly ask that I only say what you would have me to say – no more, but certainly no less. Hide me, dear Lord behind your Holy Spirit. Let people not see me, but only you. Open their ears of faith and their eyes of understanding. Lord, as you prayed in John chapter twelve, ‘Let me not speak of my own accord, but what the Father who sent me commanded,’ what to say and how to say it.

“And we’ll be sure to give you all the praise and glory forever…”

Ben Paul waited for Pastor Bass to pray, somewhat surprised by his total silence to that point.

“Amen,” Bass said as he rose to his feet, glancing around at those who began collecting, waiting for the adult Bible study to end.

Just as Ben Paul took Sylvia’s hand the sanctuary doors opened. The two joined those who attended only the worship service, entering the largest church he’d ever been in, seating for what he thought might be as many as three hundred.

+++

The choir was exceptional, the congregation’s participation greater than Ben Paul expected considering his reception by Pastor Bass. Ben Paul chastised himself for being judgmental. The worship leader – the assistant pastor – Ben Paul heard Pastor Bass say, had a superb quality to his voice, both singing and leading. After later discovering that he also taught the adult class, Ben Paul was not surprised at the large turnout.

After an introduction by Pastor Bass, Ben Paul took the pulpit. He began by praying very similar to his prayer with the pastor. Then he introduced himself and Sylvia.

“Folks, I’m here for one purpose, and one purpose only – to preach Jesus Christ, the son of God born of a virgin, living a sinless life, sacrificing himself on a cross, and rising from the dead on the third day for the singular purpose of redeeming you, his creation lost in a world of sin and corruption.

“That’s it, folks. That’s what I’m here to say.

“Now, I could run you through the Bible for the next thirty minutes supporting each point. But I won’t.

“Why would he do that, you might ask, the God of the universe subject himself to the cruelty of man. Why not just create a submissive people? People eager and willing to bow at his feet at the snap of his finger?

“Men, is that what you wish from a wife? From your dog? Wives, the same. Would you want a man who didn’t care to talk to you, to smile at you, to laugh with you? You unmarried… who doesn’t desire a friend closer than a brother… or sister? One who shares your joys… and your sorrows. We have such a one – Jesus Christ, whose spirit lives in each one of us. Open your Bibles to the book of John chapter fourteen, verse twenty. ‘At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.’ I am in the father. You are in me, and I am in you.' Turn to Romans, chapter eight beginning with verse ten. ‘But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.’

“Now remember, Paul is writing to the Romans, those who drove the nails, as well as to the Jews living in Rome. And we just read that the spirit of Jesus is in us.

“Now, why the downtrodden faces?”

Ben Paul caught the worship leader’s eye, signaling him to the piano. He and three others quietly made their way and began a soft background of a worshipful tune.

“'Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. And the fruit we’re talking about is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness…'”

Suddenly an older lady in the congregation threw up her hands praising Jesus.

“Folks,” I don’t know your practices, but I feel the strongest sense that some, many of you need to come forward and seek the Lord. Would you do that?”

Pastor Bass was the first to the altar. Ben Paul approached him and leaned into his ear, “Lord, touch my brother.” After the slightest pause, Ben Paul quietly quoted Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Ben Paul moved on to others standing in the area of the bench altars, filling it, with more overflowing into the aisles. He noted that Pastor Bass was praying for people as well. Ben Paul went from one to the other laying his hands on their heads as he prayed, to some offering a whispered prophetic word personally, to others a spoken prayer in a normal tone. To others, Ben Paul felt urged to offer scriptures, some pointedly upbraiding in a plea toward repentance, others uplifting. Ben Paul looked to his right and saw the scarred and misshapen veteran, his face evidence of war’s brutality. “May I?” Ben Paul asked, their eyes locked. Ben Paul waited for the slightest nod from the still-faced man.

“I appeal to you therefore, brother, by the mercies of God, to present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.”

Looking back into the man’s fast-blinking eyes, Ben Paul allowed him a moment.

“Thank you, Pastor.”

Ben Paul shook his hand and immediately spotted Sylvia.

“There you are.” He held out his hand to her. “Shall we get our coats?”

“We’re leaving?”

“Pastor Bass is tending the flock. It’s right for us to slip away.

+++

“Do you remember what you said over me?” Sylvia asked.

They were nearly to their motel with Ben Paul driving.

“I didn’t know I had. You, I mean. But no, I don’t remember any specifics to anyone.”

Sylvia stared at him in amazement. She opened his Bible to where she had her finger marking the page. She began to read – “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ... You quoted the entire thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians. I thought it was, but I had to look it up. I was reading it for the third time when you found me.”

Ben Paul smiled to her.

“My Preacher Man. I think I’m just now beginning to know you. And I love you as if I have never known love before.”