Chapter 2

The Bible is a very unusual book. In a lot of ways but in particular in the way it is written. In most books the author will take pages and pages if not chapters to introduce a character. With his most eloquent and descriptive words he can come up with the author will paint a picture of a character so the reader can almost visualize what they look like and how they will react to a certain situation.

But the Bible doesn’t do that. Many of its characters just seem to show up with little or no introduction. I know, it is different with some. We get the background to the birth of Moses and then we read a lot about his life and then it continues on until his death. With Jesus we have the announcement of His birth and then obviously the Bible covers in detail His three year earthly ministry along with His arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection.

But most of the time a character found in the Bible just seems to show up on the scene. And then in most cases is either seldom or never heard from again. We have been reading about these people for hundreds of years but in most cases we only get to read Chapter 1 in their lives and nothing from Chapter 2.

Two people come to mind when I think of characters like this. The rich young ruler and the Samaritan woman at the well. Both just show up for their scene, interact with the main character and then are never heard from again.

In the Gospel of Mark (Mark 10:17-27) we read the story of the rich young ruler. As Jesus is walking along and teaching this young man out of nowhere runs up to Jesus and immediately asks him a question. No background or character development at all on this guy. In fact you have to read the other gospels that tell the same story just to find out the guy is rich, young, and a ruler. Mark doesn’t take the time to tell us these things about the man.

The ruler asks Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Over the next several verses Jesus gives the guy His answer. At first the young man is excited because he feels he has done everything that is required of him to find this eternal life he is looking for. But Jesus knowing his heart lists one more requirement. “Sell everything you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come follow me.”

The rich young ruler is deeply saddened by this. To follow Jesus is going to cost him more than he is willing to pay. Sadly he turns from Jesus and walks away. Speaking to the people that are left Jesus then makes a point about how hard it is for a rich man to inter the Kingdom of Heaven. But we never hear from this man again. There is no Chapter 2 for this character.
Another “Chapter 1 only” character is the Samaritan woman Jesus meets at the well. This story is found in the Gospel of John (John 4: 4-45). Jesus is traveling to Galilee and on his way he stops at a well in Samaria. He is hot, dry, and thirsty but I am sure he stopped there for a greater reason than to just quince his thirst.

Jesus setting alone by the well is soon joined by a Samaritan woman who has come to the well to draw some water. They start up a conversation which is strange since Jesus is a man and a Jew and in most cases a Jewish man would never lower himself to talk to a Samaritan woman. But they do talk. They talk about a lot of things. She mostly talks about earthly issues while Jesus spends more time on heavenly issues. But still they talk.

And during that conversation the woman starts to realize that this is no ordinary Jewish man. Jesus asks her to go get her husband at which she replies that she has no husband. Jesus responds with, “You are right you have no husband but you have had five husbands and the man you are living with is not your husband.” She wonders, how can a perfect stranger know all these things about her?

The conversation continues and she finally realizes that this stranger is actually the Messiah she knew would be coming someday. For her, that day was today. With her knew knowledge of Jesus and with great excitement she leaves her bucket at the well and heads home to tell everyone what she has discovered.

Jesus ends up following her into town and he spends two days there teaching the people about who He is. Because of the testimony of the woman and the teachings of Jesus himself, many put their faith in him. And then Jesus heads off to Galilee. Chapter 1 is over for the Samaritan woman. We never hear from her again. No Chapter 2 for her.

Maybe I am just curious. But I would just love to know what happened to these two people. How did their story end? What was in the next chapter of their lives?

After walking away did the rich ruler suddenly turn back and say, “No wait, I want to follow you. I want to give away the one thing that keeps me from following my Savior.” Or was it months or even years later that he realized mistake. And to his amazement he found the Savior that loves him was still there waiting for him to follow.

Or sadly by saying no to Jesus this one time make it easier to continue saying no in the future. Did he ever say yes and follow Jesus? We don’t know. We only have Chapter 1.

What about the woman? After her mountain top experience with her Savior did it all come crashing down when her new found spiritual life came face to face with her old natural life? While Jesus was walking out of town did He brush shoulders with the man she was living with as he was walking into town? If so, now what does she do? Does she pick her Savior or does she pick the man? Again we don’t know. We only have Chapter 1.

On this side of heaven there is no way to know what the rich young ruler and the woman at the well did with the rest of their lives. We can only guess.

But what about us? What would our Chapter 2 look like?

Now someone reading this that is in there 20’s might think, “Chapter 2? What about Chapter 6, 8, or all the other chapters of my life I will live? I will have many more chapters than just two.” And the person in their 80’s might say, “Sonny, my life is already on Chapter 30.”

But I don’t think so. I may be wrong but I see Chapter 1 as the story of our life that has been lived up to now. No matter your age. And Chapter 2 is the life you choose to live today. Like the movie Ground Hog Day the second chapter of your life starts over each day. Because each day you have to choose what you are going to do. Follow God or not to follow God.

Chapter 1 of our lives is over. We can’t change it. We can’t rewrite it. We can remember it and learn from it but it is what it is.

I think that is why the Bible doesn’t spend a lot of time dealing with the background of most of its characters. It’s because God is more interested in what we are going to do than what we have done. What we have done in the past whether good or bad is still in the past and it is over. But for today there is still hope. Hope that we will make the right choice and choose to follow Him.

And God believes we can do it. He knows we can make the right choice. As Rob Bell once said, “It is important to believe in God but it is also important to know that God believes in us.” God believed in the Jewish nation. He believed in the disciples. He believed in the church He started. And He believes in you today.

The rich young ruler and the woman at the well both crossed paths with their Savior. And both had a choice. To follow or to walk away.

We have that same choice today.