Sid and Basher

When we ask Jesus to be our Friend, He never leaves us and is totally committed to us. We too need to help our friends and care for them.

A serial story of the adventures of two friends who knew Jesus as their true Friend.

Sid's Gran had won a competition. The prize was a week's cruise on a luxury liner. As the summer holidays were coming up, she asked Sid if he would like to come along. Sid was excited and asked if he could bring a friend along as well. Gran said, "Yes," so Sid rushed out to invite his good friend, Basher, who's a fun guy and a crazy dude.

The cruise was full of very rich and snooty people. Poor Sid and Basher had quite a struggle trying to fit in. One night during the evening meal (a very posh affair), the lights suddenly went out. When they came on again, everyone started screaming, "I've been robbed!!" Even Sid's Gran's necklace was stolen. The captain had everyone questioned, but nobody could shed any light on the robbery.

Sid and Basher eventually got to their cabin and excitedly talked about what had happened. "Perhaps we could solve the mystery," suggested a sleepy Sid. "This trip looks like it's going to be fun," replied Basher, "We will be the on-board detectivies!" They both snuggled down and happily dreamt about chasing robbers around the ship.

Next day, Sid and Basher decided it was time to have a good look round the ship, so they started to explore. They split up, arranging to report back by the swimming pool in half an hour's time. Sid was exploring a corridor when he noticed that one of the cabin doors was slightly ajar. He saw a dim light coming from the cabin and heard muffled voices. He tiptoed up to the door just in time to overhear, "Where are we going to stash all this stuff, then?"

A gruff voice replied, "We'll sort it out later, we must have at least half a million's worth of stuff!" Sid leaned closer to the door, straining to hear. The other robber answered, "So where are we going to hide it?" Unfortunately, he leant too far and the door suddenly opened and Sid fell into the room - landing ungracefully at a pair of enormous feet! Sid felt himself being grabbed and jerked to his feet.

"So, what have we here, then? A prying little Harry, eh?" Sid was about to answer that his name was Sid, not Harry, but they ignored him. "How much do you think he heard?" asked one crook. The other said, "What are we going to do with him?" They looked at the frightened Sid and came to a decision.

Setting Sid down on his feet and holding onto him tightly, the man who seemed to be the boss said, "Look kid, you've got a choice. Keep your mouth shut and maybe we'll let you go - but if you blab to your family you're in for it! We'll tie you up and throw you overboard if people start looking for you. Do you hear what I'm saying? Do you know what I mean?"

Sid had to make a choice about his tricky situation. What choices could he make? Neither choice looked very good. We all make choices every day - some big and some small. Jesus gives us the choice of whether to follow Him or not. That's a very important choice, and a decision that only each one of you can make.

Sid knew what the the robbers meant to do to him, so he made his decision and whispered a prayer, "Jesus, please help me!" The he stamped down as hard as he could on the man's foot and ran towards the door. But just as he thought he'd got away ...

Well, you'll have to wait until next time to find out what happened!

Sid had made his decision and whispered a prayer, "Jesus, please help me!" He stamped down as hard as he could on the man's foot and ran towards the door. But just as he thought that he had got away, Sid felt himself being jerked backwards by the seat of his jeans. He wriggled and squirmed in a vain attempt to free himself. "No one's going to come to your rescue," said a gruff voice as Sid struggled with all his might.

"You see, we're right down by the ship's engines, and so no one's going to hear you shouting for help above this racket. And this cabin's a spare one and no one ever comes down here. So you may as well give up struggling and behave yourself, you horrible little urchin." "No way!" thought Sid and shouted at the top of his voice, "Help! Help! Jesus!"

"Help, Help!" mimicked the robber in a sarcastic voice, "Who's going to come and save you? Your Granny? I don't think so! Now, keep still, you're starting to get on my nerves! And if you don't keep quiet, we'll drop you over the side tonight!" But Basher had heard him call and was coming to the rescue!

Sid's efforts to free himself had nearly succeeded, so he gave one more enormous wriggle. He felt the man's grasp loosen and he lurched forward like a rugby fly-half and dived between the man's legs! Hands came out in all directions as the robbers tried to catch him a second time. Sid could hear himself shouting, "Help! Help! Help me Jesus!" as he scooted around the room. He was starting to think that he couldn't play cat and mouse much longer in such a small space.

Just then the door burst open sending the robber who was blocking it flying across the room. Sid glanced up and there was Basher, coming to the rescue! Basher quickly took in the situation and leapt on top of the nearest robber, bringing him neatly to the ground. Basher sat on him and shouted, "Run, Sid! Get going! I heard you call and I knew you needed me! Run! Run!"

Sid wasted no time and charged through the open door and down the corridor as fast as his legs could carry him. Without looking back, he turned into another corridor, up some stairs and then into another corridor. "Well done, Basher!" he croaked over his shoulder as he gasped for air. "You're so brave! Fancy you hearing me calling for help ... Basher! Basher? ... Basher!!"

Sid suddenly realised that he was alone. He stopped running and turned around. "Basher! Where are you? This is no time for playing hide and seek! Stop playing around, Basher!" But, except for the rumble of the ship's engine, the corridor was silent. Sid called and called, but there was no reply from his friend and rescuer. "Oh, Jesus," he prayed, "Please help Basher!"

He started back down the corridor, trying to find his way back to the robbers' cabin. But in the maze of stairs, ladders and corridors he totally lost his bearings. He was getting to the point of giving up all hope of ever finding his friend, or anyone else for that matter, when he spotted a sign on one of the doors, it said "Captain". Sid took a deep breath and knocked timidly on the door. At once the door flew open!

"Any news?" asked the captain, "Oh! Who are you, boy? Look, go and play your silly little games somewhere else, I'm very busy!" Sid gasped, "But we're trying to find the robbers!" The captain just patted Sid on the top of his head and replied kindly, "Yes, yes ... now go and play, Sonny! Can't you see I'm very busy?"

"But, I know where they are!" spluttered Sid. The captain looked stern, "That's not funny, young man, this is a serious business. Now, be off and don't bother me with your games!" With that he slammed the door in Sid's face. Poor Sid. His voice drifted helplessly in the air, "But they're by the engines!"

Sid felt a sob rising in his throat. It was no good. The captain would never believe a little guy like him! He wandered off, not knowing where he was going, but knowing that he had to find Basher. At last, turning into yet another corridor, he suddenly realized that this was the right one! There at the end was the door to the robbers' cabin.

And it was open! Sid caught his breath and flattened himself against the wall of the corridor and moved cautiously towards the open door. He was a mere two paces away when ... splash! Sid froze. "Oh, no Jesus!" he gasped, "They've thrown Basher overboard! " Taking his courage in both hands, he peered round the door ...

Jesus always hears our prayers and answers just at the right time. Do you think that Jesus had been listening to Sid and Basher's prayers? Well, you'll have to wait until next time to find out what happened!

Sid caught his breath and flattened himself against the wall of the corridor and moved cautiously towards the open cabin door. He was a mere two paces away when ... splash! Sid froze. "Oh, no Jesus!" he gasped, "They've thrown Basher overboard! " Taking his courage in both hands, he peered round the door.

The cabin was empty, but the port hole was open! Sid dashed across and looked out. Below him he could see the deep blue sea with waves chopping its surface. And there floating in the water was a bag! "Oh no, Basher's going to drown!" he shouted in panic. But when he looked more closely, it was ... just a bag of rubbish! "That's not Basher!" exclaimed Sid, "Whew, thanks Jesus! They didn't throw him overboard!"

He drew his head back into the cabin and looked around. It was a mess! Chairs and tables lay on their sides and there was a broken lamp on the floor. Suddenly Sid spotted a slip of white paper lying on one of the chairs. Sid's fingers shook as he plucked it off the chair and read the writing scrawled across the sheet: "BACK OFF BOY IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FRIEND AGAIN!! Here was the evidence Sid needed!

He grasped the note firmly in his hand and rushed out of the room. This time, he found his way back to the captain's cabin quite easily. He knocked loudly and confidently on the closed door. Once again the door was thrown open and once again he found himself standing in front of the ship's angry captain!

"I've got proof! I've got proof that they took Basher! Look!" And Sid jammed the note under the captain's nose. This time the captain smiled at the boy. "Yes, Son, I know", he said gently. "What! You mean you've changed your mind and you believe me now? You're going to help?" spluttered Sid as he tripped over his questions in his excitement. He couldn't believe that the captain was going to take him seriously.

"Yes, I do believe you. You see, I've had a note from the robbers too. It says that they've got your friend, Basher, and that they'll dump him overboard if I don't get a helicopter for them. There's nothing I can do to make them change their minds. The helicopter is on its way."

Sid could not believe his ears! "What! You're going to let them get away with it? And what about Basher? How do you know they won't harm him anyway?" But, Sid's questions were drowned by the whirring of a loud engine, coming closer and closer. Sid paused for a split second and then ran as fast as he could towards the staircase which led up to the ship's deck. A helicopter was hovering over the ship, its rope ladder trailing down from its open door.

The captain panted up behind Sid, and coming round the side of the deck were the robbers! The one who had caught Sid in the cabin was carrying a large, heavy-looking sack over his shoulder. Sid started to run towards the robbers. "You can't let them get away! " he yelled to the captain, "They've got Basher!"

The robbers started to run towards the helicopter's rope ladder as it swung above the deck. Sid was not fast enough and a robber had climbed up the ladder and disappeared into the helicopter before he could reach him. "Stop! Stop! Come back with Basher!" shouted Sid at the top of his voice. The last robber who was carrying the sack was running towards the rope ladder, struggling with the weight of the sack as he grasped hold of the ladder's bottom rung.

Sid leapt after the robber and grabbed hold of the sack. "It's all right, Basher, I won't let them take you!" he gasped. The robber was forced to let go of the sack and scrambled to make his escape. As the sack dropped with a terrible thud onto the deck, Sid gingerly opened it up and ...

The captain had changed his mind when he heard from the robbers and it made all the difference. When Sid came with evidence, the captain listened to him. We change too, when we ask Jesus to be our friend - not all at once, but gradually. Jesus helps us to make the right choices and live a better life. Well, you'll have to wait until next time to find out what happened to Basher!

As the last robber disappeared up the rope ladder, Sid's attention was drawn to something much more important. For a split second he forgot the robbers as he looked into the sack. No Basher, but it was full of glittering, sparkling, dazzling, shimmering jewels! Sid leapt to his feet and looked up to where the last of the robbers was just climbing into the helicopter. "Where's Basher?" he shouted, "What have you done with my friend?"

"He's hidden away and you will never find him! Work it out for your self, otherwise, he'll soon be dead as a doornail!" sneered the robber. Sid did not wait to answer back. Finding Basher was the most important thing on his mind! Oh, please help me Jesus!" he prayed again and ran back down the stairs and along the corridor.

"Basher! Basher! Where are you?" he yelled at the top of his voice. He pushed open cabin doors to the left and right as he ran. People started to come out of their cabins to see what all the shouting was about. He pushed through them and ran blindly on, calling and calling for his friend.

Suddenly Sid found himself in front of a door marked: "Stores, Keep Out!" Sid pushed hard on the door and it flew open. "Basher?" he yelled. There was a muffled noise from inside a large trunk standing at the back of the room. "Basher?" he called again. Once again Sid heard a muffled response, this time followed by a soft thudding sound which seemed to come from inside the trunk.

Sid ran forward and turned the key which was in the lock on the front of the trunk. He pushed up the heavy lid and peered inside. And there was Basher! Safe and sound but firmly gagged and bound. "Oh, thank You Jesus!" he murmured as he untied his friend and threw his arms around him in relief at seeing him again.

"Yuck! Get off me! We've got to find the captain," yelled Basher, "Have I got news for him!" "Basher," said Sid weakly, "The captain knows. I've managed to rescue the jewels, but the robbers have got clean away!" Basher grinned, "Oh, no they haven't! I managed to give them the slip just long enough to make a quick phone call to the police!

They are in that helicopter and would have arrested those robbers as soon as they climbed aboard!" "Oh, Basher, you're a hero!" cried Sid. Just at that moment the captain appeared in the doorway, closely followed by Sid's Gran. The captain was delighted. Basher was safe, the robbers had been arrested and the jewellery had been returned to their rightful owners.

"Thanks to you two everything has turned out all right," the captain beamed at them, "I don't know how to thank you ... but for starters I am going to give the two of you, as well as your grandmother, a free cruise for a whole week! And you and your Gran are invited to be my guests of honour every day at the captain's table." And he made sure that Sid and Basher had the best holiday ever!

So it worked out all right in the end - but only because Sid and Basher's friendship meant that they were committed to each other. They stuck by each other and helped each other out. Sid's prayers and trust in Jesus kept them safe and helped them during their dangerous adventure.

When we ask Jesus to be our Friend, He never leaves us and is totally committed to us. When we call out to Him, He hears us and will help us. We then need to do what the Bible teaches us and please Jesus. As we come to know Him, God will gradually change our lives and make us more and more like Jesus.

Like Sid and Basher, we also need to be committed to our friends and care and help them when they are in need. Can your friends really trust you?

God bless.

Sid and Basher

Application

Text

Episode 1 - The Prize

The Detectives:

Trapped!

Sid's Choices:

Episode 2 - No Escape!

Playing Cat and Mouse!

Basher to the Rescue!

Basher Disappears:

I'm very Busy!

Thrown Overboard!

Episode 3 - Basher's going to Drown!

The Evidence:

The Captain Agrees:

The Helicopter:

They're getting Away!

Episode 4 - Where's Basher?

Is Basher Dead?

Safe and Sound!

They're Caught!

True Friendship: