I had maintained my base in the city of Antioch. On this missionary journey, as always, my fellow travelers and I went to the local synagogues to preach Jesus as the Messiah to the Hebrews.

Accompanying me on my second missionary journey was my brother in the Lord, Asa.

Asa was a friend of Silas, who also accompanied me.

Silas was of good report, though Asa had a besetting fault which had the possibility of becoming a thorn in my side.

He carried a small pouch with him but would not reveal its contents.

While I traversed all of Syria and Cilicia, Asa occasionally greeted the townspeople.

As I brought Christ’s message to all who would listen, Asa entered one of the larger synagogues a bit ahead of me.

“Brothers, I show you a mystery!” he said, opening the sack and pulling out a small bone.

“Behold the shoulder bone of Azriel of Antioch! Bring your sins and troubles to this bone and it will heal your lives!”

This greatly caused an uprising among the solemn gathering. A great throng encircled Asa, screaming, “Death to the heretic!” and they fain would have torn him apart with their bare hands had I not entered at that point.

As Asa lay in a pool of his own blood, I addressed the crowd and preached Jesus, how I was an Hebrew of The Hebrews who had a first- hand experience with Jesus, how Jesus had forgiven me and changed my life, and how Jesus was the True Messiah all had sought.

When the crowd had calmed and silence once more ruled, I knelt over Asa’s broken body.

“Take this and destroy it,” he said, handing me the bone. “It is merely a remnant of a roast boar dinner upon which I once supped.”

“Why did you do it?” I asked.

“Because this was a tough crowd. I knew if I could stir up their rage against silly superstition, once they got the fury out of their system, they would be better equipped to hear your common sense message!.”

Many came to knowledge and trust in Christ that day.