Christmas Stroll – Bethlehem Style!

Although our team began the day finishing some Jerusalem sites, it was an afternoon trip to Bethlehem that stole the show. You can see some photos from our stops at the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and Caiaphas’ house (where Jesus was tried by the Jewish High Priest). But our time in Bethlehem was exceedingly special.

After walking 6 or more miles around Jerusalem, we drove to Bethlehem where we enjoyed a special lunch (check out the murals in the restaurant.)  It seems like Bethlehem has a Christmas theme year-round and we just happen to be here in December!

After a late lunch we drove to the shepherd’s fields where we had a good glimpse of the location where the angels would have appeared to those men “watching over their flocks by night.”

We read the Luke 2 account of Jesus’ birth and as we began to sing some Christmas carols I looked down at my watch and it was just past 4:30pm.  How fitting that Cheryl and I would literally be sitting in Bethlehem looking over the valley where Jesus was born at the very same hour of our day the Christmas stroll will start on your Saturday in Bozeman. We were filled with awe as we sang “O Come All Ye Faithful” and especially the stanza, “O come ye to Bethlehem, come and behold Him, born the King of angels!”

We then viewed a stable in the rock that would have been much like the one Jesus was born in. Jesus truly humbled Himself to come to this earth and save us from our sins! We prayed for the Christmas stroll in Bozeman and for all our churches – that this Christmas season many hearts might prepare Him room!

Friday, December 03, 2010

Today was a full day here in Jerusalem – amazing! Here are the highlights!

Western Wall (Wailing Wall)

We began our day at the Western Wall watching the Jews gather for prayer along the portion of wall they consider to be most sacred. This is a small portion of what remains from the wall surrounding the Temple Mount of Herod the Great’s temple. Of course, the entire temple itself is no longer here, having been destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. But it was interesting to watch the Jews crowd for prayer against this remnant of wall – trying their best get close to their God. This is what they believe is the closest place to the Holy of Holies that they can get without defilement. They would never dare go up on the Temple mount itself – home of the Islamic Dome of the Rock. How Jesus must long for them to know that He has rent the veil of the Temple and that they can now simply draw near to God through Him.

Jews praying at the Western Wall

A little cove in the Western Wall where copies of the Torah
are kept.  I slipped in there and read one!

Prayers tucked into holes in the wall

The Praetorium and the Via Dolorosa

In the Praetorium where Pilot gave the orders for Jesus to be crucified, we stopped and read the crucifixion account and sang Amazing Grace. We looked at the stones on the very floor where Jesus was beaten and condemned to death. Amazing Grace – indeed! We then walked down the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Suffering) – the path Jesus was led along on the way to the hill called Calvary.

Pastor Jerel Hagerman (our tour leader)
reading the crucifixion account in the Praetorium.

The Via Dolorosa –
Jesus loves the little children!

Don’t bring your knife to the Temple!

Just one little lesson I learned today. I found out that there are random security checks around the temple area – and the Israeli guards found out I was carrying a pocket knife. It was confiscated and I was detained for about ten minutes. Literally arrested along the Via Dolorasa! Joining in Christ’s sufferings. ☺ I was released and my knife eventually returned. Whew!

The Temple Steps

Cheryl and I sat on the Temple steps where Jesus walked and taught many times. These steps are one of the places historians can mark with absolute certainty that Jesus indeed walked. Neil Armstrong, after coming to faith in Christ, once said that standing on these steps became more significant to him than standing on the moon! We also shared a brief time in God’s word here.

The City of David

One of the more recent archeological finds in Jerusalem has been David’s palace. The city was much smaller in David’s day – and it was amazing standing in a place where David must have prayed and worshipped many times. David is true bible hero to us all – a man after God’s own heart. Cheryl thought it was interesting how close the” Kings” house was to all the others. I couldn’t help but think of Bathsheba as I looked out over what would have been King David’s view.

The view from David’s palace overlooking
the houses (and rooftops) of Jerusalem.

We are well.

We are doing well and enjoying our time very much. Pray for my dear wife to be able to sleep at night. Tomorrow – we will be in Bethlehem – the day of the Live Nativity back in Bozeman – how fitting.  We will pray for that as well.  We miss and love you all!

We've Arrived

Well, we have officially made it to Israel – praise the Lord! After another long flight and an hour long bus ride we walked into the city of Jerusalem at about 6pm tonight. We sang some worship songs and read Psalm 122 as we overlooked the city from a hill on the northern side.

Today was a short day (or maybe today never happened and yesterday was just really long and it is still here). Either way, only about nine hours ago we woke up on the plane (after a not-so-sound sleep) to the rabbis “paying their vows” in the presence of all the people.

Of course there were many Jews on the flight with us from NY to Tel Aviv and it was quite a sight to see many of them strapping on their phylacteries, ceremonially pulling their prayer shawls over their heads and reading and kissing their hand held copies of the law. Nonetheless, it inspired me to wake my sleepy head up and “perform my vows” – which entailed 4 cups of coffee and ten chapters of scripture.

I couldn’t help but notice a significant theme in Psalm 116, though, as I began to read. There the psalmist says “I pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people.” Yet his vow was but a natural response to God’s goodness in his life. The psalmist begins the chapter by declaring his thanks for God’s gracious deliverance and salvation in his life. As I thought about the rituals I observed these men going through, and knowing they reject Jesus as their Messiah, I felt emptiness for them.  For it is not by our vows that we receive God’s favor but it is in response to His favor that we pay our vows.


I, for one, wanted my morning devotion today to be more than just some coffee and a couple of chapters - I desired true communion with the Lord who has loved me so much! Indeed – I was blessed and Cheryl and I look forward to many more times with the Lord as we walk where He walked this week.

Jerusalem: God's Bride

Here we are, flying to New York - with free wifi. We have met up with the team this morning, most of them Calvary pastors and their wives headed to Israel for the first time!

So, at 36,000 feet I thought I would give a little update. Mostly, I just have some scriptures to share because we haven't seen anything yet!

In reading Isaiah 62, I am struck by God's great love for Jerusalem. Although so often the Jews have turned their back on the Lord, He will heal their land and restore them fully. He rejoices over them as a bridegroom rejoices over His bride! One day all the nations will see how much God loves the people of Israel - they will turn fully to Him and He will bless them with His righteousness. The promise is the same for us - for God is not the God of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles!

I have enjoyed this time with my wife greatly. She is my bride and we rejoice together to have this time in the land God has blessed as we rejoice in His goodness!

More to come! Stay tuned!

Ted

Isaiah 62:1, 5, 11 & 12

Assurance of Zion's Salvation

1 For Zion's sake I will not hold My peace,

And for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,

Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,

And her salvation as a lamp that burns.

5 And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

So shall your God rejoice over you.

11 Indeed the LORD has proclaimed

To the end of the world:

"Say to the daughter of Zion,

'Surely your salvation is coming;

Behold, His reward is with Him,

And His work before Him.'"

12 And they shall call the The Holy People,

The Redeemed of the LORD;

And you shall be called Sought Out,

A City Not Forsaken.

All Packed and Ready to Go

We are all packed and ready to go. We spent the evening with the kids having and special dinner and a movie and will be heading out tomorrow at noon. We will sure miss our little ones - but they will be taken care of by the very capable and loving hands of their Uncle  Glenn and Aunt Tammie (not to mention their cousins!)

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 125:1,2

We Will Be Leaving Tuesday

Cheryl and I will be leaving for Israel on this coming Tuesday!  Please remember to pray for us while we're gone.  Pray that the Lord enriches our time with one another and with Him through His Word and experiencing the Holy Land for the first time.  Thank you all!  Please enjoy our pictures and entries as we hope to keep you involved in that way!