When I first became a Christian, it was 3 little words that were my aha. It's a God thing, spoken by a Messianic Rabbi. At the time, I was very comfortable with God. Jesus was still a bit of a mystery. God as man. God walking on earth. God's son dying for my sins. A bit confusing.
Ah but the stories. The teachings about Jesus. The stories of his ministry, the lessons we learn, or hopefully learn, on the weekend. It brings Jesus to life, builds the relationship, gives you reason to follow. But after the stories, after giving your life, after obedience, is there one more step? After today I'd say yes. The step, or question is, what makes Jesus real in your life? Real! Living, breathing real. The breadth of God in us.
We began our day at 6am, listening to Pastor Paul bring a message standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. We sang Amazing Grace caring our voices across the waves of what seems like sacred water, after all it is where Jesus walked. Early morning we headed to Mt. Arbel which stands 700 feet above the Sea of Galilee. Called prayer mountain by locals, the cliffs of Arbel provide a panoramic view stretching from the Golan Heights to the Jordan River valley. Often in the bible we read of Jesus going to a high mountain to pray and for solitude. From Mt. Arbel, he could watch over his disciples, the fisherman as well as know when he storm came. So this is where we sat today in silence, in prayer.
Sitting at the top of Mt. Arbel, we had a teaching time but then just took quiet time with God. Part of our teaching was the hebrew phrase for "Strength, strength together we are strong." Although the intent of this phrase is community with each other, my solitude time took me in another direction. I watch two jet skies, 700 feet below, creating white water trails on Galilee. They would run in perfect unison, then one would fall behind or vier off, one would move ahead and then they would reconnect in perfect unison. For me it was such a visual picture of how we stray from God and then he tugs us back in line, then we stray and he tugs. If we could just stay alongside him, letting him guide us, He'll bring us all the way to shore.
Anyway, from there the day was almost too much to comprehend. 90% of Jesus miracles happened right here off the shore of Galilee. Today, we walked where he walked, possibly stood where he stood, saw what he saw. We went to the ancient city of Magdal at the foot Arbel. Magdal is where Mary of Magdalene is from. Magdalene being a plural form of Magdal. It was discovered just one level down about 5 years ago as a shopping center was being developed. It is now an excavation site that we were able to see. They have found the synagogue, three mikvahs (ritual baths) - all dated to the 1st century. The town was probably destroyed in the major earthquake of 749, which devastated much of the region.
Just a short distance later was Tabgha, an area on the north-western shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is the site of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the final resurrection appearance of Jesus. We sat right on the shoreline, ten feet from the lapping water. This is where Jesus stood and told Peter, Andrew, James, and John where to cast their nets and ultimately to follow him. From this spot, from this very stretch of beach which is so very small compared to our California beaches, it all began. Jesus called his disciples and his ministry began. This was also the final site where he appeared to the disciples the last time. So on this site it also ended.
And, Capernaum. A 20 minute walk from the beach. Capernaum, hometown of Peter and where Jesus lived. More stories, more miracles happened here than anywhere else. One after another, healing royal officials son, healing Peters mother-in-law, healing paralytic, withered hand, the Bleeding women, raising Jairus\' daughter, healing blind man, etc etc. This is also where he healed the possessed man and the demons filled the pigs who jumped off the cliff into Galilee. We stood in the synagogue where Jesus taught, healed and performed miracles. We stood there! Where he stood! The exact synagogue. Very hard to wrap your head around that.
We next went to Korazin (Chorazin) where Jesus traveled, taught and spread his ministry. In the ruins of this 1st century city, we saw community, the closeness that families lived and again how these people relied on each other. Once again reminding us: Strength, strength together we are strong.
Our final destination, although I may have missed one, was Beautitudes. We sat on the hillside overlooking Galilee, reading out loud the Sermon on the Mount, which over 2000 years ago Jesus stood on this hillside, or very close to it and spoke the original words.
So back to the beginning - what is the next step, what makes Jesus real in your life? We have stood where he stood, walked where he walked, sat where he sat and saw what he saw. He couldn't be more real. It's not stories, it's not mystery, it's not great teaching. It's Jesus. It's a God thing. It's real.
We ended our fourth day by swimming in the Sea of Galilee. Somehow everything here feels like a baptism, a recommitment, a giving of it all to Him.
