
Friends and Heroes (2007)
← Back to main
Stan Berkowitz — Writer
Episodes 26
One Of Us
Macky arrives in Jerusalem disguised as a member of Portia's entourage, and soon comes across both some old adversaries and several new friends. Awed by the sight of the besieged city, he tells Portia the story of Jesus in the Temple as a boy, and a mysterious Roman soldier tells Macky how King David captured Jerusalem, reminding him that great obstacles may be overcome.
Read MoreOver Walls
Macky is now a dependable courier between Jerusalem and the outside world. But he's soon given a job that might be too much, even for him: taking an elderly man out of the city for medical care.
Read MoreThe Ram
The Romans are bringing in an enormous battering ram to use against the walled city of Jerusalem. Macky have to find a way to help out.
Waiting to fight it, the zealots liken the Romans to Ahab and Jezebel, who wanted Naboth’s land, had him killed, then took the land for themselves.
Read MoreRescue Strangers
Because of his success against the battering ram, Macky is now a little full of himself. Isaac tells him how strongly Paul and Barnabas objected to being treated as gods in Lystra, but the story doesn’t seem to make much of an impression on Macky.
Read MorePrince for a Day
This time, Macky sets out to rescue the real Daniel, but his new plan is no less dangerous than his earlier plan. He’s going disguise himself as a young Roman noble and brazenly go right into the Roman camp.
Read MoreUnwilling Guests
Stung by his humiliation at Macky’s hands, Toadie convinces General Tiberius to allow him to take hostages from the nearby villages. These hostages will be executed if Macky doesn’t turn himself in. One of the hostages is Macky’s friend Isaac.
Read MoreAid and Comfort
Toadie gets very ill (sick, too) and only Macky can get the medicine that will save Toadie’s life. But will he? He decides to do it when Lucius tells him how Elisha helped Naaman, even though Naaman was an enemy soldier.
Read MoreThe Big Lift
As the people in Jerusalem starve, Macky comes across several sacks of grain that Toadie has stolen for himself and hidden in the Roman camp. With the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in mind, Macky decides to take the grain into the besieged city. But how?
Read MoreHome
The Romans are tearing down homes outside Jerusalem and using them for building material. Isaac’s daughter, Rachel, worries what will happen to her when their house is torn down, so, to calm her, Isaac tells her of the kindness Jethro the Midianite showed to Moses, a stranger.
Read MoreDesperate Measures
To gain leverage in negotiations, the zealots decide to kidnap General Tiberius. Macky isn’t sure if this is the right thing to do, and recalls the story of Solomon and the baby, envying Solomon’s great wisdom.
Read MoreToadie on Trial
After Macky fails in an attempt to escape from the Roman camp, Toadie accuses Portia of being a rebel sympathizer.
Read MoreHope
As Tiberius launches the final assault on Jerusalem, a still-incarcerated Macky begs Portia to help his zealot friend, Sarah. Portia stages a daring rescue from the city, then learns from Sarah that she was never Portia’s rival; Macky has always been Portia’s.
Read MoreGladiator School
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.
Read MoreSchool's Out
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.
Read MoreSenators Only
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.
Read MoreSenators First
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.
Read MoreRome Alone
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!
Read MoreGive and Take
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.
Read MoreSpies and Lies
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.
Read MoreConflict
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.
Read MoreFriends, Romans and Mystery Men
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.
Read MoreSowing the Seeds
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.
Read MoreTrials and Tribulations
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.
Read MoreThe Road Ahead
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.
Read More