Friends and Heroes

Macky and Portia finally arrive in Rome, but under very different conditions: Portia is welcomed as the niece of Rome’s famous General Tiberius, while Macky has arrived in chains... and that’s just the beginning of his problems. He has been sold to a school for gladiators! Macky tells the story of Amos speaking out, and recalls the preaching of John the Baptist, to remind us of brave men who spoke out against corruption.

When Macky refuses to kill another trainee during practice, the gladiator school manager decides to send him to the arena the next day. Because he won’t kill, he will almost certainly be killed. Portia goes to Senator Antonius, who has spoken out on behalf of the Friends of Jesus in the Senate. But Antonius seems unwilling to help. We hear the story of King David and Three Soldiers, and Antonius tells Portia about Jesus speaking in Nazareth.

Macky is now a slave in Senator Antonius’s home. After telling the story of Jesus calming the storm to the Senator’s two children, to help them get to sleep during a dramatic storm, Macky discovers something extraordinary about their father. We hear of the trust between David and Jonathan, while Macky succeeds in foiling a trap laid by Brutacus and the mysterious Masked Rebel considers acquiring a daring young partner.

Toadie has a new job: he’s managing a gladiator, and finds he must resort to his usual cheating habits. Macky tells the story of David and Mephibosheth to explain the importance of helping others, and Antonius retells the Parable of the Sower, and the story of the House built on Rock to underline the need for solid foundations in life.

Marcus has an evil plan in the works, and he’s enlisted Toadie to help him. Meanwhile, Antonius tells Macky about Abraham and three strangers, and recalls the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus the tax collector, and how Zacchaeus soon changed his dishonest ways. Determined to find out what’s going on, Portia sets out to do some detective work at a mysterious warehouse where she runs into Macky, who then gets into serious trouble.

Macky escapes from the warehouse with Portia, but he is badly injured. Trying to keep Macky conscious on the way home, Portia gets him to focus on the story of Joseph and Pharaoh’s Dreams. Later Portia finds she must take the lead in foiling Marcus’s plot, while Macky remains on his sickbed and Sophia tells a frightened Felix how Jesus brought Jairus’s daughter back to life.

Convinced he knows who the Masked Rebel is, Marcus orders Toadie to spy on Antonius. Felix hears the story of Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus and learns the importance of having faith. Meanwhile, Absolom encourages Macky by retelling the story of Samuel anointing Saul. Toadie sneaks into Antonius’s house believing no-one is home, but has a surprise coming when he discovers someone is in after all!

Macky and the Masked Rebel rescue some slaves from certain death in the Circus Maximus, and as the scared slaves hide from their pursuers, Absolom reassures them with the story of Elijah and the Poor Widow. An angry Marcus orders Aemelia to be jailed, planning to use Babatunji as bait. Later, Babatunji hears the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and helps Antonius in a daring prisoner swap, understanding now that God cares for each of us.

Macky urges Antonius to speak out against Marcus in the Senate, but Antonius is reluctant to openly confront Marcus, reminding Macky of the importance of doing right when he tells the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem. Macky responds with the story of Jesus and the Moneylenders in the Temple. Later Antonius is wrongly arrested after accusations by Marcus. To give Macky and Portia encouragement, Felix and Sophia tell the story of Jesus healing a Paralysed Man.

Hoping to gain approval and payment, Toadie informs Antonius that Marcus is planning to rob Rome’s treasury. Antonius tells The Parable of the Tenants in the Vineyard to remind Macky that things can be seen differently. When Toadie appears asking to be rewarded, Macky tells him the story of Jesus and the Widow’s Offering to explain how the poor woman quietly donated all she had. Later Macky and the Masked Rebel confront Marcus and his men inside the treasury and Antonius tells Macky the story of Jesus and the Roman Tax.

News arrives that Felix is in trouble and later Antonius is arrested. Through the stories of Jesus washing the Disciples’ feet, Jesus and the Lepers and the Last Supper and Jesus’ Arrest, we learn the importance of humility.

Portia seeks the Emperor’s help to get Antonius released, but the Emperor decides not to intervene. Our friends recall how Jesus appeared before Pilate, and the events which took place as Jesus carried his cross, and at The Crucifixion.

Macky finally decides he must leave Rome. Now Portia must decide what she wants her future to be! We hear the stories of Jesus being seen on the road to Emmaus, the Rich Young Man and the Ten Commandments, reminding us to make good choices in life.