We aren't sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners.
From "Reading Romans with Luther," page 25
Monday, April 30, 2018
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Things I did and did not like in Israel
In no particular order...
I did like floating in the Dead Sea. It's the lowest place on earth and the water is 33 percent salt. I was told that even I could float in the water and it was true!
I did not swallow any of the Dead Sea water. We were all warned that if we managed to suck some of that water into our bellies, our bellies would not like it one bit!
I did like sailing on a wooden boat on the Sea of Galilee. We all looked over the water and imagined Jesus calming the sea with just a couple of words or inviting Peter to come out and walk on the water.
I did not really care for the St. Peter's fish we ate at a restaurant later that day. The fish comes out whole, complete with its beedy little eye staring at you. The white meat was very tender though.
I did like - really like - our guide, Yorum Black. He was a former military officer who transitioned into leading groups throughout the Holy Land. He enlightened us with his knowledge of the various sites we visited and he did so with humor and charm.
I did not like the pushy tourists we encountered during our trip. The idea of being patient and waiting your turn just does not register with so many people. There were times when it felt like we were in a scrum at a rugby match, with all the pushing and shoving we encountered.
Finally, I will like being back with my church family this weekend. I'm preaching at all four services and am planing on sharing a little bit about our trip and some of the things we learned. I promise I won't bore you by sharing, say, 400 pictures of the trip (that event will take place another day!).
So, join us this Saturday at 5 pm or Sunday at 8, 9:30 or 11 am as we worship our risen Savior.
Shalom!
I did like floating in the Dead Sea. It's the lowest place on earth and the water is 33 percent salt. I was told that even I could float in the water and it was true!
I did not swallow any of the Dead Sea water. We were all warned that if we managed to suck some of that water into our bellies, our bellies would not like it one bit!
I did like sailing on a wooden boat on the Sea of Galilee. We all looked over the water and imagined Jesus calming the sea with just a couple of words or inviting Peter to come out and walk on the water.
I did not really care for the St. Peter's fish we ate at a restaurant later that day. The fish comes out whole, complete with its beedy little eye staring at you. The white meat was very tender though.
I did like - really like - our guide, Yorum Black. He was a former military officer who transitioned into leading groups throughout the Holy Land. He enlightened us with his knowledge of the various sites we visited and he did so with humor and charm.
I did not like the pushy tourists we encountered during our trip. The idea of being patient and waiting your turn just does not register with so many people. There were times when it felt like we were in a scrum at a rugby match, with all the pushing and shoving we encountered.
Finally, I will like being back with my church family this weekend. I'm preaching at all four services and am planing on sharing a little bit about our trip and some of the things we learned. I promise I won't bore you by sharing, say, 400 pictures of the trip (that event will take place another day!).
So, join us this Saturday at 5 pm or Sunday at 8, 9:30 or 11 am as we worship our risen Savior.
Shalom!
Friday, April 27, 2018
A working vacation? Oh, much more than that!
I was telling a friend about our recent Holy Land trip and they commented,"Sounds like you had a working vacation." I guess that is somewhat true. But then I thought - who gets to speak about Jesus' miracles and share His teachings and do so in the places where He won the victory for us over sin, death, Satan and the grave?
Well, me, for one.
Could I have been any more blessed?
Nope!
Praise the Lord for such a wonderful opportunity!
Well, me, for one.
Could I have been any more blessed?
Nope!
Praise the Lord for such a wonderful opportunity!
Thursday, April 26, 2018
What shall the sermon be about this weekend?
Israel, perhaps? I'm afraid that worshippers here at Life in Christ will be hearing me start my sermons this way for the months ahead: "On my recent trip to Israel..."
The truth is that I got back to the office yesterday and so I'm playing "catch up." There isn't time to select a text, meditate and pray upon it, research it and then write a manuscript. So, I'm thinking that I will utilize some of the devotional materials I developed for the trip and offer them as the sermon.
The joy for me is that when I write about Jonah finding a boat in Joffa, I will remember standing at the dock, looking out into the Mediterranean Sea. When I talk about that night Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, I'll have in my mind those olive trees that I saw and took pictures of. When I tell the story of Jesus reinstating Peter to ministry (see John 21), I'll just think of that beautiful morning we stood on the shore of the Sea of Galilee at the village of Tabgha.
My biggest disappointment in the trip was the lack of reflective time we had at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City of Jerusalem. The crowds were so enormous that there was no way to spend quality time in these places. It was rush in, take a picture or two, and move on.
I expressed my feelings to my dear, sweet wife and her observation helped me put things in perspective. Sherri said, "Who is this Jesus, that 2000 years after His death and resurrection, can draw crowds like these?" And she was right. Those who believe that the stories of Jesus are just fairy tales are so wrong. Those who say that Jesus was a good teacher but nothing more are sadly mistaken.
Yes, Jesus still draws a crowd. And I was so glad to be a part of it for 10 days, 10 unforgettable days.
The truth is that I got back to the office yesterday and so I'm playing "catch up." There isn't time to select a text, meditate and pray upon it, research it and then write a manuscript. So, I'm thinking that I will utilize some of the devotional materials I developed for the trip and offer them as the sermon.
The joy for me is that when I write about Jonah finding a boat in Joffa, I will remember standing at the dock, looking out into the Mediterranean Sea. When I talk about that night Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, I'll have in my mind those olive trees that I saw and took pictures of. When I tell the story of Jesus reinstating Peter to ministry (see John 21), I'll just think of that beautiful morning we stood on the shore of the Sea of Galilee at the village of Tabgha.
My biggest disappointment in the trip was the lack of reflective time we had at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City of Jerusalem. The crowds were so enormous that there was no way to spend quality time in these places. It was rush in, take a picture or two, and move on.
I expressed my feelings to my dear, sweet wife and her observation helped me put things in perspective. Sherri said, "Who is this Jesus, that 2000 years after His death and resurrection, can draw crowds like these?" And she was right. Those who believe that the stories of Jesus are just fairy tales are so wrong. Those who say that Jesus was a good teacher but nothing more are sadly mistaken.
Yes, Jesus still draws a crowd. And I was so glad to be a part of it for 10 days, 10 unforgettable days.
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
There is no place like home...
but if you have to be away from home, the Holy Land is a wonderful place to visit.
Our group left our hotel at 3:30 am in Jerusalem. After a very thorough screening process at Ben Gurion airport, we boarded our plane and left at 6:30 am to fly to Munich. Again, the screening process was quite extensive and after a three hour layover, we began the 9:55 long (and I mean long) trip to Denver.
The crew on the plane kept us well fed and watered but that part of the trip was tough - coming and going. It is very difficult to sleep on a plane. The seats are not comfortable, leg room has disappeared on most planes, and woe be to you should you have someone who wants to recline their seat. You feel trapped! The only good thing was that we had unlimited movies available and I think most of our group took advantage of the benefit. I watched the Churchill movie,"Darkest Hour" and found it riveting.
We bemoaned the five hour layover in Denver but it turned out to be a blessing. By the time we got through security, customs, picked up our bags, rechecked our bags and went through security again, it took just over two hours. I just kept reminding myself that if all of this was necessary to catch someone intent on doing harm on an airplane, it was worth it.
Our plane touched down in Phoenix at 8 am last night. Some of us did not sleep on the plane; we estimated that we'd been awake nearly 25 hours. By the time we got home, both Sherri and I were exhausted and she was ill; some of our travelers shared a bug during the trip but it seems that Sherri got the worst of it and she hasn't felt any better today. Praying for a good night's sleep and a better day tomorrow for her.
Obviously, we have many stories and pictures to share. I hope to do so in the days ahead. Needless to say, it was the trip of a lifetime; I'm sure I'll never travel to another place that was as important as the Holy Land. I walked where Jesus walked. I touched parts of buildings where Jesus had been present. I stuck my feet in the same water that Jesus calmed and invited Peter to come to Him.
I pray that I never forget any of it.
Our group left our hotel at 3:30 am in Jerusalem. After a very thorough screening process at Ben Gurion airport, we boarded our plane and left at 6:30 am to fly to Munich. Again, the screening process was quite extensive and after a three hour layover, we began the 9:55 long (and I mean long) trip to Denver.
The crew on the plane kept us well fed and watered but that part of the trip was tough - coming and going. It is very difficult to sleep on a plane. The seats are not comfortable, leg room has disappeared on most planes, and woe be to you should you have someone who wants to recline their seat. You feel trapped! The only good thing was that we had unlimited movies available and I think most of our group took advantage of the benefit. I watched the Churchill movie,"Darkest Hour" and found it riveting.
We bemoaned the five hour layover in Denver but it turned out to be a blessing. By the time we got through security, customs, picked up our bags, rechecked our bags and went through security again, it took just over two hours. I just kept reminding myself that if all of this was necessary to catch someone intent on doing harm on an airplane, it was worth it.
Our plane touched down in Phoenix at 8 am last night. Some of us did not sleep on the plane; we estimated that we'd been awake nearly 25 hours. By the time we got home, both Sherri and I were exhausted and she was ill; some of our travelers shared a bug during the trip but it seems that Sherri got the worst of it and she hasn't felt any better today. Praying for a good night's sleep and a better day tomorrow for her.
Obviously, we have many stories and pictures to share. I hope to do so in the days ahead. Needless to say, it was the trip of a lifetime; I'm sure I'll never travel to another place that was as important as the Holy Land. I walked where Jesus walked. I touched parts of buildings where Jesus had been present. I stuck my feet in the same water that Jesus calmed and invited Peter to come to Him.
I pray that I never forget any of it.
Friday, April 13, 2018
Turning out the light for now
Well, this will be my last post for the next couple of weeks. Today, we're taking care of last minute details, packing our bags and checking them twice, and feeling the anticipation growing as we look forward to visiting the Holy Land.
When I return I hope to share some fantastic insights and relate as to how God used the trip to bless me and all of our travelers. Keep us in your prayers. And God be with you all!
When I return I hope to share some fantastic insights and relate as to how God used the trip to bless me and all of our travelers. Keep us in your prayers. And God be with you all!
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Go slow!
I've been thinking a lot about our upcoming trip. And I resolved to try and do something during these upcoming 10 days. Go slow.
We're going to see much of the Holy Land during our time there. Our tour company will keep us busy all day, every day. And that's a good thing.
But I don't want to rush. I want to go slow when we get to Nazareth. I want to savor the view from the Mount of the Beatitudes. I want to take in Capernaum, touch the stones that heard the voice of Jesus teach with authority. I want to cherish every moment on the Sea of Galilee as I feel the spray of the water touch my face. I want to stand quietly and reflect on the tug of war that took place between the Father and the Son in the Garden of Gethsemane. I want to take as much time as possible in giving thanks to my Savior while standing at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the most important place on earth!
Realistically, I'll have to travel at the same pace as our group and guide. But I'm guessing that this is a once in a lifetime trip. And I want to make every moment count as I spend 10 days in Jesus' earthly backyard.
Lord, help me to go slow. Amen.
We're going to see much of the Holy Land during our time there. Our tour company will keep us busy all day, every day. And that's a good thing.
But I don't want to rush. I want to go slow when we get to Nazareth. I want to savor the view from the Mount of the Beatitudes. I want to take in Capernaum, touch the stones that heard the voice of Jesus teach with authority. I want to cherish every moment on the Sea of Galilee as I feel the spray of the water touch my face. I want to stand quietly and reflect on the tug of war that took place between the Father and the Son in the Garden of Gethsemane. I want to take as much time as possible in giving thanks to my Savior while standing at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the most important place on earth!
Realistically, I'll have to travel at the same pace as our group and guide. But I'm guessing that this is a once in a lifetime trip. And I want to make every moment count as I spend 10 days in Jesus' earthly backyard.
Lord, help me to go slow. Amen.
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