ng? That scribe is
telling everyone that we are trying to wipe out the whole Jewish
religion!"

"That is what we are talking about," said Simon. Andrew sat down as
Simon turned to John. "Of course, it is true that the Master really does
put his own teaching above the command of Moses."

"I know he does," answered John passionately, "and he is right! What
should we do without him? We have already given up everything to follow
him!" He jumped to his feet and began to pace back and forth.

"Many people are leaving us," said James, greatly worried. "We shall
soon have nobody."

"Can he really be right and all the Rabbis and Pharisees and scribes
wrong?" exclaimed Andrew. "If he were the Messiah, I should feel
different, but...." He stopped. The other men were staring at him. The
Messiah!

At that moment Jesus entered the room. He saw James's anxiety. John
stopped walking. Andrew was flushed with excitement. His last remark had
stamped an expression of amazement and doubt on the faces of all the
men.

"My followers," said Jesus, grasping their thoughts immediately, "do not
be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me." He sat in the
midst of them. "God has sent me into the world with the light of his
gospel. I have not come to condemn the world, but to save people from
darkness. If they do not believe my word, that is because they love
darkness better than the light." John went back to his place and slumped
down. "Those who are truly seeking God know that our gospel is true and
come to us," continued Jesus. "But those who turn away from us do it for
just one reason: their lives are evil. It is true that they obey many
laws and seem very religious, but their hearts are proud. They do not
really depend on God. They do not live close to him. They cannot endure
the truth which shows them that they are in darkness."

After a long silence, Andrew rose and walked out into the cool night. He
looked up at the clear stars and wondered how long it would be before
they would look down on a happy nation, ruled by God's Messiah. The
turmoil in his heart had quieted while Jesus spoke. The new moon, thin
as a curved sword, gleamed high above. A faint wind rattled the palms on
the street in front of the house. Simon came out.

"What if everyone leaves us, Simon?" asked Andrew abruptly.

Simon's answer was firm. "He is the only one who has a message of
eternal life. If we leave him, to whom can we go?"

Jesus had seen how