Gather around you my brothers and sisters in God that enjoy a good story. For I am come to share something that you can all learn on this occasion of a Christmas times of old.
I once had a disciple named Judas Iscariot. He was a only son of a very wealthy father and doting mother. Both parents spoiled their son tremendously and let him do and gave him whatever the boy desired. Consequently, when the lad had grown strong enough, he drove the parents from the house and enjoyed himself with harlots as far as his nature could take it.
It was not long before the lad had squandered his parents property. Both had to turn to begging and soon after died of grief and sorrow.
When the lad was thus himself impoverished, he repented somewhat and asked himself; 'Well, why did I turn out thus and not otherwise? I did not give birth to myself, much less beget myself; neither could I do my own upbringing, and yet everybody tells me to my face that I am a wretched scoundrel and a villain who on account of his lewd and evil tricks cheated his parents out of their hard-earned property and in the end was even responsible for their premature death.
How can I be blamed for this ? I admit I may have acted very badly, but is it my fault that my parents did not give me a better upbringing? What am I to do now? Poor, without money, without a house, without work, without bread ! The easiest and quickest way out would be to steal and to rob. However, it would be anything but pleasant to be caught as a clumsy thief and then severely chastised. The prospects where robbing is concerned are even worse. But now I know what I shall do. I shall learn some skill, even if be the ancient, silly pottery trade which made my father wealthy.
No sooner said than done! He became apprenticed to a good-humoured potter in Capernaum and within a short time learned with diligence the skill of the latter. The old potter had a daughter who soon after became the art students wife.
But, contrary to the carefree life our Judas used to lead before, he now, as a master of pottery, became hard-hearted and stingy. His wife often experienced his hardness of heart. He produced good merchandise and began to frequent all the markets whilst letting his people at home starve and overwork. Whenever he brought plenty of money from the market, he did give a little bit to the most industrious workers. However, when home, brought only little, life was very hard in his poor household.
In order to have extra income besides his pottery, he leased a fishing business and a few years later became involved in natural magic, since in Jerusalem he had several times watched Egyptian or Persian magicians earn much money with their magic. But although he spent a great deal of money on it, he did not achieve anything. He also studied magic with some foreign Essenes who pretended to be able, if necessary, to create a whole world with everything it encompasses and carries.
He soon found out that he was at the wrong end of the stick and turned his back on his fine teachers. In that year he heard of all the things I was doing, and how all this by far surpassed everything hitherto on this earth called 'working wonders'. And this was the real reason why he became My follower, leaving everything behind, so that he might learn from Me how to work wonders and earn much gold and silver this way. He was not very interested in My teaching. When he listens to My speech, he really only wants to hear Me explain in what way and by what means I have worked one or the other miracle. Well, he never succeeds in picking up any thing useful to him and is therefore, always bad-tempered.
Actually, he will in this world profit nothing from Me. An act of betrayal, followed by the darkest despair, will drive him to suicide, and his sad end will be a rope and a willow tree. For he is one who tries to tempt God, and this and must be a great sacrilege. But he who dares to commit a sacrilege against God must of necessity commit it also against himself. First against God, then against himself.
Now, inspite of all this scheming and hopes, he finds himself totally stripped and without means and does not know where to turn. He never had faith in God or any firm trust in God's power, kindness, and help. Because the deception has ruined him completely, he no longer communicates with the world. As he is too foolish, his mind cannot find a way out, despite all his searching and efforts.
From the facts that such a man, for a long time to come, keeps on trying to destroy himself because he is full of hatred for life, without which he would not have committed suicide, you can see clearly that he thereby not seldom does incalculable harm to his soul.
And that my brothers is the story of the Grinch that tried to steal Christmas for his own profit. Let us now turn the page in time to my very presence among you and wait to see what shall happen next? This has been Jesus Christ and my peace I leave with you always and in all ways.
