Mark's Blog

On Monday night, we met for dinner with the minister and his wife for a church in Nazareth. The town where Jesus grew up is now mostly Arabic and Muslim, with just a remnant of Christians—but then those who saw him grow up among them rejected Jesus then as well, didn’t they!

What a pleasure it was to talk with this man and his wife about their faith and their work. We heard stories from him about his being forced to sleep in unlocked cars as a young man because his family disowned him—literally drove him out of his house and put him on the streets for being baptized in the name of Jesus. Now these two Christians have served faithfully for over twenty years in Nazareth and in their congregation, they have between 40-60 neighbors who break bread together each Sunday until He comes again.

Our real purpose in coming to Israel and to Jordan was to visit with them about Let’s Start Talking and whether we might be helpful to them in their work in Nazareth. They were quite excited about the possibility and are now informing the other church leaders about the possibility of partnership with us.

I did not realize that Galilee was a region of mountains and valleys—but mostly mountains. Our hotel was on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. I woke yesterday, looked out the window and saw the Golan Heights directly across the sea. You will remember that these mountains are the militarized buffer zone between Syria and Israel. The morning was so still that it was hard to imagine the fighting and the loss of life on these mountains.

We left for Jordan early in the morning, but stopped for a short boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. On the boat with us was a youth group from a Baptist church in Dallas! In fact, even at breakfast in our hotel that morning, I had noticed that the tables were mostly reserved for religious groups from all parts of the world! Christian tourists! Christian pilgrims!

This collection of world Christians was even more obvious at sites like the mountain where Jesus delivered the Beatitudes. Most of that mountain is now fields of banana trees, but the higher area has been claimed by the Catholic church and turned into a beautiful garden surrounding a church. In every corner, we heard singing, praying, and the words of the beatitudes being read—in many languages. The obvious devotion of so many Christians was very encouraging!

We met the same crowds with the same spirit just a few hundred yards away at both the beach where Jesus had breakfast with his disciples after the resurrection and where he redeemed Peter by asking him three times if he loved him!

Of course, nobody really knows the exact site of any of these events. These traditional sites, however, have been traditional sites mostly since the 4th century, but some are described even in earlier writings. I’m not too concerned about authenticity because these are certainly the same mountains that Jesus walked beside and, this is definitely the same sea that he walked upon.

As moved as I have been by the sense of history, I must confess not being as emotionally overwhelmed by the “holiness” of the land as many other of my fellow pilgrims. I’m pretty sure it is because I have seen where Jesus has been in many countries. I have seen Jesus work in Thailand. I have heard His words in Russia. I have worshipped in His presence in Ecuador. We have talked with people in Rwanda who have been healed by Jesus.

Jesus came in the flesh and pitched his tent in Israel for a few short years. I believe that with all my heart! But He is not dead and buried here. He is alive, and He has never stopped showing compassion, never stopped administering grace and truth throughout the world.

This country was chosen as the manger for Jesus. Cows ate from the manger before Jesus was born; cows ate from it the day after Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus left. The manger was not immediately plated with gold and preserved as a holy relic! Neither should Israel be gold plated.

Jesus, not the manger, is the Holy One!