Greetings from Day 6. A few more thoughts from yesterday. Masada was like no other place we've been in terms of archaeology. Nothing in scripture about the place (wasn't really written about until after 73 AD, but Herod built the most incredible fortress atop this unique mountain right in the middle of the desert). It's almost impossible to comprehend the scope of his building prowess. After the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, a group of zealot freedom fighters fled Jerusalem and took up refuge in the fortress. They stayed here for three years, fighting nearly 20,000 Roman troops & slaves. They finally succumbed when the Romans, in an amazing feat of their own, built an earthen ramp that reached the peak. They hauled a battering ram to the top, breached the wall & entered Masada. More than 960 Jews took their own lives in order to avoid the slavery and torture from their captives. In addition to being a spectacular archaeological site, Masada is a powerful reminder of what the human spirit is capable of. It is also a reminder of the brutal wars the people of Israel have been fighting in the name of freedom for several millenia.
At the end of the day, we spent a wonderful evening in the home of some Palestinian Christians in the occupied territory of Bethlehem. The evening offered up a unique, organic & in-depth look at the nature of the tension between Israel & the Palestinians. Bethlehem is surrounded by a wall, and the Palestinians are allowed out of the region only at the discretion of the Israelis. It is essentially an open-air prison. I realize this is a complex problem,and the intent of our trip was not an immersion in the political turmoil of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But I was grateful for the evening and to opportunity to dine inside the wall with some very special people. I have a richer understanding of the grave nature of this problem & the human rights ramifications in the Middle East. I can tell you that it takes on a whole new meaning when you put a real human face on it rather than just the images from CNN. The world cannot continue to survive with so much hatred and rage. I can only imagine what Christ would think about the situation here. How long must He weep over Jerusalem and its surrounding communities?
DAY 6 - Today we hit the ground running early. Today is one of two major Muslim holidays - the Day of Sacrifice. The streets were teaming with people. It was chaotic and colorful. I loved the energy of Jerusalem this morning. We walked the Via Dolorosa today - the way of the cross. On this journey you walk the 14 traditional stations of Jesus' trial, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Christian pilgrims really long for something tangible to connect them with Christ & this is one of the ways to do it. You start out inside the Antonia Fortress of Jerusalem where Jesus was condemned to death. From here you walk throughout the old city, following the journey Christ made to the cross. There were pilgrims from around the world making this journey, some carrying heavy crosses on their backs to help "feel" the experience. Of the 14 stations, 8 are Biblical, so we stopped at each and read scripture. It really makes the Bible come alive. We finally ended up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - the church St. Helena commissioned over the site of the tomb where Christ was believed to be buried. This party of the pilgrimage is far more about faith than specifics f location. It's hard to say exactly where everything happened, but the traditional locations provide a great opportunity to connect with the tangible experience of Jesus' final walk. People get a bit goofy once inside the Sepulchre - the priests who work there themselves broke out in a fist fight just last week.
Along the way today, we also hit the five porticoes at Bethesda. This was a particularly powerful spiritual experience. To see where Jesus healed the man who had been paralyzed for 3+ decades was pretty overwhelming. We stayed here awhile & prayed for the health ministry of our church and for those in our church family struggling from health problems individually. We also sat and sang some hymns inside St. Anne's, home to some of the best acoustics in the world. Even I can sing in this place. Dave has lugged his guitar all over Israel & he has been GREAT! !! This, to me, was far more spiritual than the mad house of the Sepulchre.
Topped off the day at the home of Caiaphas where Jesus was judged first by the high priest. There is a dungeon below where Jesus likely stayed for a bit, and a path of 1st century stairs where almost all scholars would agree Jesus actually walked.
Tomorrow we will hold a communion service at the Garden Tomb to cap off the trip. I'll stay in touch tomorrow as best I can. Some of us are headed to Egypt & some of us are coming home.
Blessings!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Day Five Video!
A very quick update until tomorrow. We spent the early part if the morning at Lazarus' tomb in Bethany, the home of Mary & Martha. The we spent about 1/2 day at Masada, without a doubt one of the more fascinating and impressive places I have ever been . Remember the epic mini-series in 1981 with Peter O'Toole & Peter Strauss. Dexter will be posting some great video of the ancient mountain fortress and Jewish stronghold against the Romans in 73 AD - remember the movie . I'll tell you all about it in tomorrow's post.
Then we hit En Gedi, the Oasis paradise in the middle of the desert where David hid from Solomon.
After that, a brief stop and swim in the Dead Sea. The water was nasty, but you really do float in the water - it's impossible to sink. You just bob around like a cork in the gooey, salty water that sits at the lowest inhabitable place on earth (1300 below sea level). A one of a kind experience.
Anyway, sorry for the paltry entry - I;ll add more tomorrow. I'm exhausted after spending the night back behind the wall of the West Bank. I had a crazy opportunity to dine in the private home of a Palestinian Christian family. It was a night of warm hospitality mixed with the stark reality of living inside occupied territory. I'm exhausted from the experience. The trip keeps getting better & more meaningful every day.
We're seeing every holy site, but we are also meeting several holy people. Blessings until the morning.
A very quick update until tomorrow. We spent the early part if the morning at Lazarus' tomb in Bethany, the home of Mary & Martha. The we spent about 1/2 day at Masada, without a doubt one of the more fascinating and impressive places I have ever been . Remember the epic mini-series in 1981 with Peter O'Toole & Peter Strauss. Dexter will be posting some great video of the ancient mountain fortress and Jewish stronghold against the Romans in 73 AD - remember the movie . I'll tell you all about it in tomorrow's post.
Then we hit En Gedi, the Oasis paradise in the middle of the desert where David hid from Solomon.
After that, a brief stop and swim in the Dead Sea. The water was nasty, but you really do float in the water - it's impossible to sink. You just bob around like a cork in the gooey, salty water that sits at the lowest inhabitable place on earth (1300 below sea level). A one of a kind experience.
Anyway, sorry for the paltry entry - I;ll add more tomorrow. I'm exhausted after spending the night back behind the wall of the West Bank. I had a crazy opportunity to dine in the private home of a Palestinian Christian family. It was a night of warm hospitality mixed with the stark reality of living inside occupied territory. I'm exhausted from the experience. The trip keeps getting better & more meaningful every day.
We're seeing every holy site, but we are also meeting several holy people. Blessings until the morning.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Day Four Video!
We’re exhausted but it has been another incredible day. We’ve seen the very best and the very worst that Israel has to offer. We started the day off at the Mount of Olives. We walked the Palm Sunday Walk that Christ made on his way to mourning & prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his execution. The experience was profound. You pass through the cemetery (in existence for more than 2 millennia) full of the “stones that cry out.” The Olive Tree garden at the Garden of Gethsemane was incredible. The trees are ancient & beautiful. And they are silent witnesses to the most important act in history. The Church of All Nations sits at the end of the walk, annexed to the Garden. We were able to talk our way (you go, Don Smith) into a private portion outside of the church right in the middle of the Garden itself.
We had a powerful worship service right in the garden. Sharing a message about the scriptures that detail Christ’s experience – while you are in the Garden – was supremely humbling. We sang a bit and spread out through the garden for a bit of prayer & reflection. It was overwhelming for many in the group & a religious experience I will never forget.
Then it was onto Bethlehem. Bethlehem was tough. I grew up thinking that Bethlehem was a quaint, chilly city lined with small but homey stables like the kind you see in manger scenes. Kind of an adorable place. Not quite. For starters, the city- all of it – is surrounded by a wall bigger than the Berlin Wall. Put up by the Israeli government, it keeps the population – 30,000 Muslims (70%) & Palestinian-Christians (30%) – contained inside unless allowed to leave by permit only. The wall is huge, lined with angry graffiti & teaming with machine-gun toting Israeli soldiers. They man the check point leading into and out of the city. Entrance into and out of the city is exclusively at the discretion of Israeli military directives. That was our introduction to the place where tradition says Christ was born.
Can you imagine living in Plano, and not being able to leave Plano unless the police granted you a permit? Can you imagine Plano and Frisco being separated by a giant barrier? The politics and history of this situation are complex, but the outcome is shocking. This is one of the most contentious areas on the planet. We were right in the middle of it – to see where the Prince of Peace was born. It didn’t make much sense.
Once inside, we visited the Shepherd’s Field where Luke 2 says the angels spoke to the shepherds as they cared for their flocks and announced the coming of the Christ child. There was a lovely church at this holy site. We toured caves & grottos that housed the shepherds. We sang Christmas carols together in the church & read the Christmas story together. That was powerful.
The Church of the Nativity was less of an experience. Though it is the oldest church in continuous operation, it was overrun with tourists (just like us) trying to see the grotto where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus. It was crazy. The entrance was tiny and hundreds tried to push and shove their way inside to see the Silver Star that marks the spot of Christ’s birth. It was unruly & hardly spiritual. Some guy got into it with an elderly lady taking “too long” to take a picture. Nothing says “love of Christ” more than a verbal skirmish at the site of the nativity.
This is the only spot that we have experienced diminishing spiritual returns. In more than a dozen other sites, we have had nothing by positive experiences. But here, there were street merchants about every six inches trying to sell everything from postcards to olive wood flutes. Nonetheless, we were standing and singing Christmas carols right in the middle of Bethlehem. I think everyone would agree that it will impact Advent in every year to come.
One other note before I wrap for the night. Before we left Bethlehem, we stopped by the Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center in Bethlehem. The center is run by a saint of a man named Zoughbi Zoughbi. HPUMC supports this ministry as one of its global mission initiatives. It is a remarkable ministry. Zougbhi is a Palestinian Christian that spends his days teaching people in the middle of one of the most hostile and angry environments in the world how to address conflict, resentment, and anger rather than avenge it. That’s not easy to do in Bethlehem. Talk about a Christ-like ministry. I could not have been prouder of the Center and our church for sowing this seed in a region of the world that desperately needs to bear the fruit of Christ’s love. Israel is full of Holy Places. That’s why we came. But it is also full of holy people, & Zougbhi and his staff are some of them. Please add this ministry to your prayers.
Finally, we headed back to the checkpoint. After a couple of guys with M-16’s boarded our bus to look around, we passed muster and headed back from the West Bank to Jerusalem. We passed once again by the Garden where we started the day. The Bible says Jesus wept here over the city. I can’t help but think that He is still weeping. Blessings and peace until tomorrow.
We’re exhausted but it has been another incredible day. We’ve seen the very best and the very worst that Israel has to offer. We started the day off at the Mount of Olives. We walked the Palm Sunday Walk that Christ made on his way to mourning & prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his execution. The experience was profound. You pass through the cemetery (in existence for more than 2 millennia) full of the “stones that cry out.” The Olive Tree garden at the Garden of Gethsemane was incredible. The trees are ancient & beautiful. And they are silent witnesses to the most important act in history. The Church of All Nations sits at the end of the walk, annexed to the Garden. We were able to talk our way (you go, Don Smith) into a private portion outside of the church right in the middle of the Garden itself.
We had a powerful worship service right in the garden. Sharing a message about the scriptures that detail Christ’s experience – while you are in the Garden – was supremely humbling. We sang a bit and spread out through the garden for a bit of prayer & reflection. It was overwhelming for many in the group & a religious experience I will never forget.
Then it was onto Bethlehem. Bethlehem was tough. I grew up thinking that Bethlehem was a quaint, chilly city lined with small but homey stables like the kind you see in manger scenes. Kind of an adorable place. Not quite. For starters, the city- all of it – is surrounded by a wall bigger than the Berlin Wall. Put up by the Israeli government, it keeps the population – 30,000 Muslims (70%) & Palestinian-Christians (30%) – contained inside unless allowed to leave by permit only. The wall is huge, lined with angry graffiti & teaming with machine-gun toting Israeli soldiers. They man the check point leading into and out of the city. Entrance into and out of the city is exclusively at the discretion of Israeli military directives. That was our introduction to the place where tradition says Christ was born.
Can you imagine living in Plano, and not being able to leave Plano unless the police granted you a permit? Can you imagine Plano and Frisco being separated by a giant barrier? The politics and history of this situation are complex, but the outcome is shocking. This is one of the most contentious areas on the planet. We were right in the middle of it – to see where the Prince of Peace was born. It didn’t make much sense.
Once inside, we visited the Shepherd’s Field where Luke 2 says the angels spoke to the shepherds as they cared for their flocks and announced the coming of the Christ child. There was a lovely church at this holy site. We toured caves & grottos that housed the shepherds. We sang Christmas carols together in the church & read the Christmas story together. That was powerful.
The Church of the Nativity was less of an experience. Though it is the oldest church in continuous operation, it was overrun with tourists (just like us) trying to see the grotto where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus. It was crazy. The entrance was tiny and hundreds tried to push and shove their way inside to see the Silver Star that marks the spot of Christ’s birth. It was unruly & hardly spiritual. Some guy got into it with an elderly lady taking “too long” to take a picture. Nothing says “love of Christ” more than a verbal skirmish at the site of the nativity.
This is the only spot that we have experienced diminishing spiritual returns. In more than a dozen other sites, we have had nothing by positive experiences. But here, there were street merchants about every six inches trying to sell everything from postcards to olive wood flutes. Nonetheless, we were standing and singing Christmas carols right in the middle of Bethlehem. I think everyone would agree that it will impact Advent in every year to come.
One other note before I wrap for the night. Before we left Bethlehem, we stopped by the Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center in Bethlehem. The center is run by a saint of a man named Zoughbi Zoughbi. HPUMC supports this ministry as one of its global mission initiatives. It is a remarkable ministry. Zougbhi is a Palestinian Christian that spends his days teaching people in the middle of one of the most hostile and angry environments in the world how to address conflict, resentment, and anger rather than avenge it. That’s not easy to do in Bethlehem. Talk about a Christ-like ministry. I could not have been prouder of the Center and our church for sowing this seed in a region of the world that desperately needs to bear the fruit of Christ’s love. Israel is full of Holy Places. That’s why we came. But it is also full of holy people, & Zougbhi and his staff are some of them. Please add this ministry to your prayers.
Finally, we headed back to the checkpoint. After a couple of guys with M-16’s boarded our bus to look around, we passed muster and headed back from the West Bank to Jerusalem. We passed once again by the Garden where we started the day. The Bible says Jesus wept here over the city. I can’t help but think that He is still weeping. Blessings and peace until tomorrow.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Day Three Video!
This has become quite a trip. I never really understood the concept of pilgrimage until today. It’s nice to think about a trip to Jerusalem, but I had no idea how meaningful it would be to actually take the Jericho Road and make my way there until today. We left Tiberias in the Galilee today & headed “up to Jerusalem.”
We stopped along the way for a dramatic baptism renewal service in the Jordan River. The River Jordan is not exactly “wide,” but it is most certainly “chilly.” In fact, it was FREEZING! My lips are still blue. I know why Wesley sprinkled & I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with theology. I mean, this was cold.
Seriously, it was an amazing experience. I have never shared in an immersion experience, and we had some 50 people reaffirm their baptism by immersion in the river. There were Christians from around the world doing the same. Lots of singing in multiple languages. To be truthful, I wasn’t sure what to expect here. I thought it might be a bit contrived, but it was truly a moving experience. To think about the work of John the Baptist along these shores is really something. It is not hard to imagine the context of their ministry when you are standing in the same river they baptized people in. And I’ll probably thaw out before I get home.
Then it was on to Qumran where a young Bedouin goat-herder accidentally stumbled upon a cave full of more than 900 first-century documents in 1947. These scrolls are still being evaluated, and they represent one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The area was all desert – in fact, this area was about the only area that has looked like I thought it might. It reminds me of Luke Skywalker’s childhood home in the 1977 Star Wars. All sand & rocks, yet there are people living here & doing just fine. It looked like another planet, yet it came alive with history. The scrolls are so important in terms of verifying what we think we know about the earliest form of Christianity.
From there we went to Jericho, the oldest city on earth. This was our first entry into Palestinian controlled territory, complete with a pretty stark and well-armed border station. We certainly never felt unsafe, but it was a quick reminder of the political tension in the region. Both side have been warring over this piece of desert for a very long time, and the tension is alive and well. We had to drop Hill-el, our Israeli tour guide, off at a gas station outside of the town because Israeli law prohibits him from entering this region. I was reminded of how much I take our geographic freedom for granted back home. Jericho is as ancient as ancient gets. They are still excavating some of the oldest ruins in all of history. You can see the hilltop where Jesus was cast into the desert to be tempted & the ruins of the city walls destroyed when Joshua won the battle of Jericho. We ate a great lunch at a local restaurant & I spent way too much money on Dead Sea foot scrubbing lotion (don’t ask!). We also rode camels.
Then, the pilgrimage went into high gear. We left Jericho & headed towards Jerusalem. Along the way drove through miles of unbelievable desert just the other side of Jordan. Nothing but wide open ranges of sand & rocks. It’s hard to imagine a drop of water ever falling here, but I was amazed at how much the locals maximize the land – growing date palms & tending to sheep. The rode parallels the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on planet earth. (We’ll see the Dead Sea first hand in a couple of day.) We passed by the region represented in Jesus’ parable of the wounded Samaritan. Reading Psalm 23 in the middle of this desert takes on a whole new meaning.
Arrival into Jerusalem could not have been more dramatic. We had “Jerusalem” blaring on the PA as we emerged from the tunnel that brings you from the desert into the city. You emerge from the desert into a whole new landscape – lush, hilly & green with olive trees – & suddenly there it is! The city is nothing short of awesome – in the truest sense of the word. It’s fabulous. You can see the walls that Herod built 2,000 years ago. The city shouts with history. The Garden of Gethsemane of your left. The Wailing wall right around the corner. We went atop Mt. Scopus to look down upon the city before we entered. We worshipped while looking down upon the temple mount, the Dome of the Rock, the Garden of Gethsemane, etc. Then we drove immediately into the city to see the Western Wall at dusk. Today is the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath & there were thousands of Orthodox Jews & people from around the world descending upon the wall to begin the Sabbath. I have never seen a pep rally quite like this – particularly for matters of faith. Thousands were chanting & singing, reciting scripture, praying, crying, laughing, you name it. They were descending upon the last true remnant of Herod’s temple –a huge wall that made up the western side of the Second Temple, constructed in 19 BCE. I had no idea what to expect here, but I cannot begin to describe how intense the experience was. To see thousands of people so authentically fired up about their faith. It was truly something. Glory be to God for the day! We’ll post some more video soon.
By the way, you can check out a live web cam of the Wall anytime at: http://www.aish.com/wallcam/
you can mess around with the zoom & imagine us there with thousands of people
This has become quite a trip. I never really understood the concept of pilgrimage until today. It’s nice to think about a trip to Jerusalem, but I had no idea how meaningful it would be to actually take the Jericho Road and make my way there until today. We left Tiberias in the Galilee today & headed “up to Jerusalem.”
We stopped along the way for a dramatic baptism renewal service in the Jordan River. The River Jordan is not exactly “wide,” but it is most certainly “chilly.” In fact, it was FREEZING! My lips are still blue. I know why Wesley sprinkled & I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with theology. I mean, this was cold.
Seriously, it was an amazing experience. I have never shared in an immersion experience, and we had some 50 people reaffirm their baptism by immersion in the river. There were Christians from around the world doing the same. Lots of singing in multiple languages. To be truthful, I wasn’t sure what to expect here. I thought it might be a bit contrived, but it was truly a moving experience. To think about the work of John the Baptist along these shores is really something. It is not hard to imagine the context of their ministry when you are standing in the same river they baptized people in. And I’ll probably thaw out before I get home.
Then it was on to Qumran where a young Bedouin goat-herder accidentally stumbled upon a cave full of more than 900 first-century documents in 1947. These scrolls are still being evaluated, and they represent one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The area was all desert – in fact, this area was about the only area that has looked like I thought it might. It reminds me of Luke Skywalker’s childhood home in the 1977 Star Wars. All sand & rocks, yet there are people living here & doing just fine. It looked like another planet, yet it came alive with history. The scrolls are so important in terms of verifying what we think we know about the earliest form of Christianity.
From there we went to Jericho, the oldest city on earth. This was our first entry into Palestinian controlled territory, complete with a pretty stark and well-armed border station. We certainly never felt unsafe, but it was a quick reminder of the political tension in the region. Both side have been warring over this piece of desert for a very long time, and the tension is alive and well. We had to drop Hill-el, our Israeli tour guide, off at a gas station outside of the town because Israeli law prohibits him from entering this region. I was reminded of how much I take our geographic freedom for granted back home. Jericho is as ancient as ancient gets. They are still excavating some of the oldest ruins in all of history. You can see the hilltop where Jesus was cast into the desert to be tempted & the ruins of the city walls destroyed when Joshua won the battle of Jericho. We ate a great lunch at a local restaurant & I spent way too much money on Dead Sea foot scrubbing lotion (don’t ask!). We also rode camels.
Then, the pilgrimage went into high gear. We left Jericho & headed towards Jerusalem. Along the way drove through miles of unbelievable desert just the other side of Jordan. Nothing but wide open ranges of sand & rocks. It’s hard to imagine a drop of water ever falling here, but I was amazed at how much the locals maximize the land – growing date palms & tending to sheep. The rode parallels the Dead Sea, the lowest elevation on planet earth. (We’ll see the Dead Sea first hand in a couple of day.) We passed by the region represented in Jesus’ parable of the wounded Samaritan. Reading Psalm 23 in the middle of this desert takes on a whole new meaning.
Arrival into Jerusalem could not have been more dramatic. We had “Jerusalem” blaring on the PA as we emerged from the tunnel that brings you from the desert into the city. You emerge from the desert into a whole new landscape – lush, hilly & green with olive trees – & suddenly there it is! The city is nothing short of awesome – in the truest sense of the word. It’s fabulous. You can see the walls that Herod built 2,000 years ago. The city shouts with history. The Garden of Gethsemane of your left. The Wailing wall right around the corner. We went atop Mt. Scopus to look down upon the city before we entered. We worshipped while looking down upon the temple mount, the Dome of the Rock, the Garden of Gethsemane, etc. Then we drove immediately into the city to see the Western Wall at dusk. Today is the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath & there were thousands of Orthodox Jews & people from around the world descending upon the wall to begin the Sabbath. I have never seen a pep rally quite like this – particularly for matters of faith. Thousands were chanting & singing, reciting scripture, praying, crying, laughing, you name it. They were descending upon the last true remnant of Herod’s temple –a huge wall that made up the western side of the Second Temple, constructed in 19 BCE. I had no idea what to expect here, but I cannot begin to describe how intense the experience was. To see thousands of people so authentically fired up about their faith. It was truly something. Glory be to God for the day! We’ll post some more video soon.
By the way, you can check out a live web cam of the Wall anytime at: http://www.aish.com/wallcam/
you can mess around with the zoom & imagine us there with thousands of people
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Day Two Blog!
Didn’t think we could top Day #1, but we did. We started the day at Cana of Galilee, where Jesus attended a wedding & performed his first miracle by turning water into wine to keep the wedding feast going. We had over 30 couples renew their vows in a beautiful church right in the heart of the town. Talk about sentimental. It was great. Hats off to Jack & Deanna Brown for celebrating 48 years together – the most of any couple renewing their vows. And to Bill and Carol Rogers. What a moment to watch them renew after 41 years right alongside their best man, Larry Lemmons. Many a tear of joy was shared. The best bread on the planet earth is fire cooked right on top of some hot coals on the streets of Cana.
Then it was off to Meggido, where some 20 different civilizations have been built on top of each other over the years. The ruins of this strategic town were incredible, particularly the underground water systems. The Bible says this place, otherwise known as Armageddon, will be the site of the epic battle at the End of Days. Fear not, nothing happened today to end the world. Just had a mediocre lunch at the site and some cool Indiana-Jones type archaeology.
Caesarea by the Sea may have been the highlight. Some 20 years before Christ, Herod tried to bring Rome to the Middle East. His structures along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea are almost indescribable. I’ll try. We worshipped inside an amphitheater that has been around for over 2,000 years – original marble, stonework and all. Dave cranked out a great version of “Mighty to Save” right from center stage. Ask him about it sometime. We walked through a hippodrome that rivals any sports pavilion I have ever seen. It used to lay hidden underneath a parking lot next to the amphitheatre until only 20 years ago. I have never seen anything like it, and there is a good chance Paul was brought before the authorities right inside this very arena. It was overwhelming. Herod built a huge harbor on the shores – the same harbor Paul sailed from on many of his evangelism journeys. There were steam baths, palaces & a huge 9 mile aqueduct that still exists – it pumped water all the way to Caesarea so Herod could have water on the second floor of his beachside palace. Wait 'til you see some photos of this place. The ruins are totally accessible – you literally walk around mosaic tile floors that are 2,000 years old. There is also a stone that has an authentic inscription of Pontius Pilate’s name on it. This place could not have been cooler. The Mediterranean Sea was breathtaking – far different from my CNN preconceptions of it. I could vacation here.
Finally, we ended up atop Mt. Carmel where Elijah is said in 1 Kings 18:16 to have battled 450 prophets of Baal for proof that God is in fact God. If you don’t know the story, check it out & you’ll know where we were. This place is the highest point we’ve been to. It was windy & cold, but quite spiritual.
As we were driving home, we stopped along side a country road and saw an authentic 1st century tomb – tucked up in a cave with an entrance and a stone that you could roll in front of the opening. This was not the tomb Jesus was buried in (we’re a ways from Jerusalem), but it is certainly an authentic version of one similar to it.
This trip has surpassed any expectation I had. The ruins are so raw and accessible & the land speaks every bit as much as the scriptures themselves. Our hosts have been so gracious & informative. Our safety has never been suspect & we are looking forward to tomorrow when we “turn our faces towards Jerusalem” & head to the City of David by way of Jericho & Qumran. Until then, blessings!
Didn’t think we could top Day #1, but we did. We started the day at Cana of Galilee, where Jesus attended a wedding & performed his first miracle by turning water into wine to keep the wedding feast going. We had over 30 couples renew their vows in a beautiful church right in the heart of the town. Talk about sentimental. It was great. Hats off to Jack & Deanna Brown for celebrating 48 years together – the most of any couple renewing their vows. And to Bill and Carol Rogers. What a moment to watch them renew after 41 years right alongside their best man, Larry Lemmons. Many a tear of joy was shared. The best bread on the planet earth is fire cooked right on top of some hot coals on the streets of Cana.
Then it was off to Meggido, where some 20 different civilizations have been built on top of each other over the years. The ruins of this strategic town were incredible, particularly the underground water systems. The Bible says this place, otherwise known as Armageddon, will be the site of the epic battle at the End of Days. Fear not, nothing happened today to end the world. Just had a mediocre lunch at the site and some cool Indiana-Jones type archaeology.
Caesarea by the Sea may have been the highlight. Some 20 years before Christ, Herod tried to bring Rome to the Middle East. His structures along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea are almost indescribable. I’ll try. We worshipped inside an amphitheater that has been around for over 2,000 years – original marble, stonework and all. Dave cranked out a great version of “Mighty to Save” right from center stage. Ask him about it sometime. We walked through a hippodrome that rivals any sports pavilion I have ever seen. It used to lay hidden underneath a parking lot next to the amphitheatre until only 20 years ago. I have never seen anything like it, and there is a good chance Paul was brought before the authorities right inside this very arena. It was overwhelming. Herod built a huge harbor on the shores – the same harbor Paul sailed from on many of his evangelism journeys. There were steam baths, palaces & a huge 9 mile aqueduct that still exists – it pumped water all the way to Caesarea so Herod could have water on the second floor of his beachside palace. Wait 'til you see some photos of this place. The ruins are totally accessible – you literally walk around mosaic tile floors that are 2,000 years old. There is also a stone that has an authentic inscription of Pontius Pilate’s name on it. This place could not have been cooler. The Mediterranean Sea was breathtaking – far different from my CNN preconceptions of it. I could vacation here.
Finally, we ended up atop Mt. Carmel where Elijah is said in 1 Kings 18:16 to have battled 450 prophets of Baal for proof that God is in fact God. If you don’t know the story, check it out & you’ll know where we were. This place is the highest point we’ve been to. It was windy & cold, but quite spiritual.
As we were driving home, we stopped along side a country road and saw an authentic 1st century tomb – tucked up in a cave with an entrance and a stone that you could roll in front of the opening. This was not the tomb Jesus was buried in (we’re a ways from Jerusalem), but it is certainly an authentic version of one similar to it.
This trip has surpassed any expectation I had. The ruins are so raw and accessible & the land speaks every bit as much as the scriptures themselves. Our hosts have been so gracious & informative. Our safety has never been suspect & we are looking forward to tomorrow when we “turn our faces towards Jerusalem” & head to the City of David by way of Jericho & Qumran. Until then, blessings!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Day One Video!!!
What a day! We started the morning out on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. We sailed from the shores of Capernaum. By all accounts from our tour guides, it was one of the clearest days in recent memory. The weather was extraordinary. We had a worship service at sea. It was truly overwhelming to be out on the water in the region where Jesus himself spent so much time. From our boat, we could see Capernaum & the hillside from where it is commonly believed Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. It was pretty amazing to imagine the masses gathered to hear Christ's instruction. The Sea of Galilee was beautiful, though it is frighteningly low - down by more than 30 feet. The locals have asked for our prayers for rain. Still quite beautiful.
After a vibrant worship service on the boat - Dave hauled his guitar half-way across the world & knocked out a terrific Emmylou Harris song about the Sea of Galilee (who knew?) - we headed directly into the town of Capernaum. The city has been meticulously excavated and preserved. It's really hard to get your arms around how old everything is. Walking through the ruins places scripture in an entirely new context. I have a much more profound understanding of the landscape. We read scriptures that correspond to the area all along the tour. To hear descriptions of "the other side" & then to look out across the lake "to the other side" is really something. To hear scriptural references to the home of Peter's mother-in-law while you are standing in the middle of the ruins is incredible.
We went on to Gerasene (home of the demoniac that Jesus healed), Korazin (an even better preserved village) & the Mount of the Beatitudes. We had seen the latter from the lake, but we eventually went up onto the hillside. From there you can see back to Tiberius & out across the Galilee. We had a quick devotional at the Mount & talked about the Sermon on the Mount. From there we went to the Church of the multiplication - believed to be the area where Jesus multiplied the loaves & fish. The church was spectacular. From there we went to the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter along the banks of the lake where we spent some time on the shores looking out on the water.
We closed out the day at a museum that houses the "Jesus boat." The Jesus boat is a recent archaeological find. When the lake retreated several years ago two gentleman walking the shores discovered the remains of a boat that is literally 2000 years old. The process of its restoration in worth the visit alone. Check out www.jesusboat.com for some info on the boat.
It's a bit of a challenge to put together the pieces of the trip. It is still surreal to some degree to be in such close geographic proximity to where our call to discipleship began 2000 years ago. We have absorbed so much in just one day.
Tomorrow we hit Mt. Carmel & the Jordan River for a service of baptismal renewal. The we go to Cana. It will be tough to top today, but we seem to be going from strength to strength. Our guides are gracious. The land really is a gospel unto its own & I am grateful to have such knowledgeable hosts. Peace to everyone back home. I think we'll put some video up here in a bit if I can figure out how to do it.
What a day! We started the morning out on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. We sailed from the shores of Capernaum. By all accounts from our tour guides, it was one of the clearest days in recent memory. The weather was extraordinary. We had a worship service at sea. It was truly overwhelming to be out on the water in the region where Jesus himself spent so much time. From our boat, we could see Capernaum & the hillside from where it is commonly believed Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. It was pretty amazing to imagine the masses gathered to hear Christ's instruction. The Sea of Galilee was beautiful, though it is frighteningly low - down by more than 30 feet. The locals have asked for our prayers for rain. Still quite beautiful.
After a vibrant worship service on the boat - Dave hauled his guitar half-way across the world & knocked out a terrific Emmylou Harris song about the Sea of Galilee (who knew?) - we headed directly into the town of Capernaum. The city has been meticulously excavated and preserved. It's really hard to get your arms around how old everything is. Walking through the ruins places scripture in an entirely new context. I have a much more profound understanding of the landscape. We read scriptures that correspond to the area all along the tour. To hear descriptions of "the other side" & then to look out across the lake "to the other side" is really something. To hear scriptural references to the home of Peter's mother-in-law while you are standing in the middle of the ruins is incredible.
We went on to Gerasene (home of the demoniac that Jesus healed), Korazin (an even better preserved village) & the Mount of the Beatitudes. We had seen the latter from the lake, but we eventually went up onto the hillside. From there you can see back to Tiberius & out across the Galilee. We had a quick devotional at the Mount & talked about the Sermon on the Mount. From there we went to the Church of the multiplication - believed to be the area where Jesus multiplied the loaves & fish. The church was spectacular. From there we went to the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter along the banks of the lake where we spent some time on the shores looking out on the water.
We closed out the day at a museum that houses the "Jesus boat." The Jesus boat is a recent archaeological find. When the lake retreated several years ago two gentleman walking the shores discovered the remains of a boat that is literally 2000 years old. The process of its restoration in worth the visit alone. Check out www.jesusboat.com for some info on the boat.
It's a bit of a challenge to put together the pieces of the trip. It is still surreal to some degree to be in such close geographic proximity to where our call to discipleship began 2000 years ago. We have absorbed so much in just one day.
Tomorrow we hit Mt. Carmel & the Jordan River for a service of baptismal renewal. The we go to Cana. It will be tough to top today, but we seem to be going from strength to strength. Our guides are gracious. The land really is a gospel unto its own & I am grateful to have such knowledgeable hosts. Peace to everyone back home. I think we'll put some video up here in a bit if I can figure out how to do it.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Greetings from the Holy Land. It has been a long day, but 90 of us from the church arrived at last in Tel Aviv. After an 13 hour flight & a 2 hour bus ride, we are finally in Tiberias, Israel. What a place. We passed by Nazareth & Mt. Tabor along the way. Nothing good ever comes from Nazareth except, oh yeah - Jesus! It was pretty dark, but we'll see more tomorrow. Everyone is pretty tired from the journey. Hard to believe you can be half-way around the world in just under a day. To be at the epicenter of Christian history and archaeology is overwhelming. The sense of spirituality is profound.
Our hotel is right on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. Are you kidding me? The very location of so much of Jesus' ministry. Tomorrow we will be at sea for awhile on a boat. We'll also be stopping in Cana for a look at the place of Jesus' first miracle. I have had many couples ask me if they could renew their wedding vows at the site. Pretty amazing.
We'll also be going to Capernaum & the Mount of the Beatitudes. I'm not sure I'll try to out preach Christ at the Mount, but I look forward to standing in awe of the place of the greatest sermon ever.
Thanks for checking in. This whole blog thing is new to Cornerstone. I'm looking forward to sharing as much of this trip with you as I can. I'll be making entries all along the way.
Keep us in your prayers. Blessings to all of you back in Dallas.
Paul
Our hotel is right on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. Are you kidding me? The very location of so much of Jesus' ministry. Tomorrow we will be at sea for awhile on a boat. We'll also be stopping in Cana for a look at the place of Jesus' first miracle. I have had many couples ask me if they could renew their wedding vows at the site. Pretty amazing.
We'll also be going to Capernaum & the Mount of the Beatitudes. I'm not sure I'll try to out preach Christ at the Mount, but I look forward to standing in awe of the place of the greatest sermon ever.
Thanks for checking in. This whole blog thing is new to Cornerstone. I'm looking forward to sharing as much of this trip with you as I can. I'll be making entries all along the way.
Keep us in your prayers. Blessings to all of you back in Dallas.
Paul
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