We started out taking a boat on the sea of Galilee, which was pretty awesome. I mean being on any lake is sweet, but the backdrop and horizon of Galilee is awesome. Not to mention that’s it’s THE SEA OF GALILEE!! So that got me pretty psyched.
Then we really just talked about Jesus the whole day and went to a couple significant sites. We went to the place where it is “remembered” that Jesus cast the demons into the swine and they ran off the cliff. Then we went to the place it is “remembered” where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. The latter spot is especially significant for me. I’ve studying the Sermon on the Mount while I’ve been here in Israel and it’s been some really valuable time. I’ve been supplementing my study with reading Studies in the Sermon on the Mount by The Doctor Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I recommend it to anyone and everyone. I won’t forget that spot for a while. (A little word about “remembering” a spot where something happened- there’s no way to tell where a lot of things happened, but the Orthodox churches just build a church at a “good spot.” Regardless, it’s nice for me, not as historical veracity, but as reflecting on what happened or what Jesus did. It’s just nice to put a picture to some event. The Orthodox churches I’m pretty sure believe that it is the exact spot. Oh, and by Orthodox I mean Eastern Orthodox- not orthodoxy in the sense of right doctrine.)
The final stop was Capernaum. Finally! A real spot where Jesus was for sure! I loved being here. There was a first century synagogue foundation (on top was a 2nd century synagogue) where Jesus would have taught. And then 50 feet away was Peter’s house. So when Luke writes, “And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house” I can picture that short walk over. I could imagine the authority of Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue and the reaction of the people. I could walk the rocky shoreline and imagine a dock, and imagine Jesus scanning it and calling out the raggedy, dumb fishermen out from casting their nets to be “fisher’s of men.” I could have stayed there for hours. I could picture Jesus waking up in the morning and looking out over the sea, walking from spot to spot teaching- it was all surreal. I would have loved to stay and just read about Jesus’ work and miracles and teaching, but when you have 4 days in the Galilee, you can only do so much. But that was the Galilee trip. Next week is a four day trip to Jordan. I'll probably have a midweek blog before then about Easter or something else.
Be blessed,
Sos
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