Sunday, April 12

Yesterday was a super-busy day for me, but in all of the best possible ways. After the routine church stuff, I was invited to Easter dinner with the Vantrees', so I followed the lot of them over to their home. While their, Brittany, Aaron, Devin, Kevin and I all hung out with one another. Dinner was awesome, too, a la Andrea and Pat. I also had a great opportunity to meet some folks, which was cool, too.

I had to take Brittany away from the party for band practice at the church which was rushed due to time constraints, but went really well. We played "No One Like You" by David Crowder, "Marvelous Light" by Charlie Hall, and "Everlasting God" by Chris Tomlin. I wanted to play all up-beat songs last night to bring some life to the party. Before we began singing, I shared with the group what I have heard Crowder say at two of his concerts:

"Now that was pretty, but we arent going for pretty. We are going for loud."

Crowder would stop playing in the middle of a song and say this, and then after they began playing again, the crowd got uproariously loud, and the same happened at youth last night. I saw the kids really getting into worship and being excited about the words they were singing, which was a great thing to behold, truly.

After youth, I took Julian and Brittany home, and during the ride, we did karaoke! Brittany and I actually did some karaoke earlier in the day on our way to the church from the Vantrees', too. Add in Julian, and we had ourselves a trio! It was awesome.

When I got home, I had the chance to relax again. Sundays are always stressful, but in all of the good ways.

Hasta.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Okay, so I am a low life that takes advantage of unique viewing opportunities, and, as it turns out, an incomplete version of the new movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine was leaked onto the internet sometime late last week or early this week. I was unaware of it, but an internet scouring friend of mine was able to find it and download it. The version I watched last night was incomplete in the sense that a bunch of the effects were incomplete - which was kind of cool. It was like seeing the step before production; having an insight into the movie-making process.

Anywho:

I am pretty sure this will come with an R-rating; I could be wrong, but, in my opinion, the violence might be past the PG-13 guidelines.

On the whole, the movie was great, but I say this with-holding my own, informed opinion which I will go into here:

There is a character in the Marvel Universe by the name of Deadpool who is far-and-away my favorite Marvel character. Ive read everything he has ever been in. That being said, I know my Deadpool, and what the movie offered made me extremely mad on so many levels.

SPOILER ALERT! (IF YOU READ THE FOLLOWING ITALICIZED TEXT, THERE IS A SPOILER. SKIP DOWN TO THE REGULAR TEXT IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THIS)

I thought they nailed Deadpool in the beginning. He was awesome! I was even okay with him not wearing his trademarked mask. But then they kill him off, which is crazy. Deadpool doesnt die. His healing factor is even more advanced than Wolverine's and he is a tactical genius on top of his near-unrivalled physical combat skills.

THEN they bring him back, but, in standard Hollywood fashion, they COMPLETELY mess with his storyline by giving him adamantium plating, patching his mouth so he cant talk, he can shoot optic-beams like Cyclops, and inserting his trademarked katanas into his arms so they unsheath much like Wolverine's claws. They also gave him teleportation, which is not too far off of the comic path, so I leave that power of his alone. He is the "MERC WITH A MOUTH" for gosh sakes. How are you going to mute the man, let alone the other atrocious additions?! And, of course, they kill him again in the end which means they probably wont have a Deadpool movie which makes me doubley-upset.

Im extremely upset. Truly, I am.

Okay, apart from all of that insider information, you will think the movie is just fine. Its action packed and it has its fair share of emotional moments surrounding Wolverine and his lady-love.

As usual, Hugh Jackman does a good job with his role. There are a few moments when he slips a bit, but who knows? Maybe we will get lucky and they will edit those moments out. Plus, Leiv Schreiber makes a much better Sabretooth than that poor excuse for an actor they cast in the first X-Men movies. Although I am not 100% sure that I like Danny Huston as a better William Striker than Brian Cox; in fact, I am going to go ahead and vote for Mr. Cox on this one.

You also get to meet the Blob and Gambit just to name a couple of the more exciting mutant cameos. I thought they did a terrible job of explaining who was who and who could do what throughout most of the movie. If you dont read comics fairly often or, in the very least, read the wikipedia articles, then you will be completely lost when it comes to relating to and knowing who most of the mutants in the movie are. That is sad, too, because a large part of my enjoyment of the film came from recognizing the mutants they never named!

The movie does a great job of giving you a glimpse and a greater understanding of who Wolverine was, who he is, and how he came to be. They most certainly deliver on all of that.

All things being said, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a great action film that will please most anyone who sits down to it. Its slated to be a summer blockbuster, and rightfully so. In fact, I will probably pay to see the finished product when it hits theaters in early May. Its easily the best of the X-Men franchise movies, and there is more to come - including an origins story for Magneto, the magnetic baddy from the first three films.

Here's looking forward to that!

SOTH Kids this Easter

We have so much going on in the upcoming weeks at SOTH for kids:

• Easter Egg Hunt  - Sunday, April 5th (Palm Sunday), immediately following the 11:00am service, RAIN or SHINE!  All ages are invited...the younger kids will be hunting for hidden eggs, while 3rd-5th grade will be on a "scavenger hunt", for eggs, of course!
• EGGS NEEDED!  If your child plans to participate in the Egg Hunt on April 5th, please donate a dozen candy filled plastic eggs per child (no chocolate, please).
• During the Children's Moment of both services on Palm Sunday, April 5th, the kids will hear an explanation of "Palm Sunday" and the significance of the palms.  The children will receive real palm fronds.
• The kids of SOTH will be singing a song with the praise band on Easter Sunday, April 12th during the 11:00am service.   In order to prepare for this event, the children need to practice with the band, between services (10:40-10:55am) on Sunday, April 5th.  If your child plans on performing with the band on Easter Sunday, please have them attend these brief rehearsals.  
• For more information, contact Kim Rahn kim@sothumc.net

Sports

Today I had an awesome opportunity that I look forward to doing with greater frequency in the months to come; especially with a move to Douglasville pending in May.

I attended a youth sporting event.

It seems like such a trivial thing, right? I sit in the stands while the youth are out on the field playing whatever their sport of choice is.

But there is so much more to spectating a youth sporting event for me.

1) More often than not, where the youth is, the parents are. This gives me a great opportunity to sit down with parents and talk it up. I love those opportunities. It also shows the parents and the youth that I am interested in their lives outside of the church walls; that their lives are now part of mine. Its not just a job when you step outside of the "office space."

2) It provides me with more memories of the youth as well as conversation starters. I sent a personal text message to the students I saw play tonight (excepting one...I didnt have his number programmed into my phone; a problem I will remedy tonight) in which I cited a specific moment pertaining to them, individually. That meant the world to them all.

3) I get to meet some of the friends Ive never had the chance to meet during a youth event. This is especially true of high school sporting events - which is exactly what I attended tonight. Friends of the youth who are playing come to watch them just as I do.

4) Either before or after the games, in some cases, at least, the students are hanging out in the stands. This gives me the chance to just hang out with them. For me, that time is extremely valuable.

Anywho, tonight I watched Morgan Berry, Emily Lindall, Jessica Rudisill, and Ashton Phillips play soccer at Alexander High School. The girls let me know that they had a game tonight about a week or more ago. Ashton actually found me in the bleachers, and, when he told me he was playing in a game tonight, too, I made sure that I was there. This meant that I watched the girls play, ran to church for two meetings, then ran back to Alexander - just in time for the beginning of Ashton's game.

There wasnt a place in the world I would rather have been tonight than watching the youth play and spending some time with their parents.

PS: Ive announced this before, but if you let me know of games ahead of time, I will try my darndest to be there, my schedule permitting!

The Past Two Sundays

One of the ways I utilized the outdated mikeinaminute blog was to post about what I had taught, or at least attempted to teach, the previous night at youth. As you might have noticed, I have not yet done so here, so I am playing catch-up.

Sunday, March 22

I continued my tattoo series with the second of my three tattoos; a picture of which you can find below). It is located right over my heart.

That particular night, I decided to more or less allow the Scripture to speak for itself. I interjected very little of my own thought into the lesson. Instead, I read the following Scriptures:

Romans 5:5 - "...And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Matthew 15:18 - "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."

Matthew 22:37 - "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind.'"

See a pattern here? The heart is very prevalent in the Bible. In fact, according to biblegateway.com, the word "heart" appears in the Bible (NIV) 743 times. Where are your treasures? Do you honor God with your heart as well as you do with your lips? Tough questions, right? After I stopped reading, I played a song called "Welcome Home" by an artist named Shaun Groves:

Take, me, make me
All You want me to be
That's all I'm asking, all I'm asking

Welcome to this heart of mine
I've buried under prideful vines
Grown to hide the mess I've made
Inside of me
Come decorate, Lord
Open up the creaking door
And walk upon the dusty floor
Scrape away the guilty stains
Until no sin or shame remain
Spread Your love upon the walls
And occupy the empty halls
Until the man I am has faded
No more doors are barricaded

Chorus:
Come inside this heart of mine
It's not my own
Make it home
Come and take this heart and make it
All Your own
Welcome home

Take a seat, pull up a chair
Forgive me for the disrepair
And the souvenirs from floor to ceiling
Gathered on my search for meaning
Every closet's filled with clutter
Messes yet to be discovered
I'm overwhelmed, I understand
I can't make this place all that You can

repeat chorus

I took the space that You placed in me
Redecorated in shades of greed
And I made sure every door stayed locked
Every window blocked, and still You knocked

repeat chorus

Take me, make me
All You want me to be
That's all I'm asking, all I'm asking

Amen, right?

Sunday, March 29

Last night, I talked about my most recent tattoo, the only one you can see even when Im wearing a shirt; well, a short-sleeved one, at least. Its picture can be found below, as well. It is a Latin phrase: Sub Specie Aeternitatis. Its pronounced "sub speck-eee-ay ah-eee-turn-eee-tah-tis." If you dont believe me, check this link out. I read from Romans 5:16:

"Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification."

I talked about how hard it is for us to wrap our minds around certain concepts like eternity and grace and how Jesus' death on the cross forgave all of the sins we had committed and ever will commit...let alone that of the rest of the world, right?! Thankfully, though, our salvation does not depend on our understanding. It hinges on one thing and one thing only - belief. You all know John 3:16 and what it says. I talked about how God does not judge on some scale - weighing our good deeds against our bad to determine whether or not we pass some test. There is no answer there. The answer lies within our hearts; where true belief resides. And eternity lies with it.

Jubilee for a Weekend: Yard Sale Theology

Well, this weekend marks the annual "Women of SOTH" Yard Sale at the church.

We're busy right now piling in our "junk." Or maybe I should say "stuff." A famous comedian once said that your own "stuff" is "stuff," but other people's "stuff" is "junk."

Ok, he didn't say "junk." He was a little coarser than can be permitted here on the ol' blog.

But we do tend to see it that way sometimes. Our "stuff" has value, we think.

But the truth of American culture is that we're way, way too tied to stuff. And, our stuff doesn't isn't nearly as valuable as we like to think.

We own houses full of depreciating assets (and even the houses themselves have depreciated of late).

This is why I think yard sale may just be one of the most theologically correct things any church could do.

Here's what I mean:

1 - All the proceeds from this weekend's sale, I mean 100%, will go directly to help the Women of SOTH help other women in need in our community.

2 - All of us need to get rid of a lot of stuff. It has a way of piling up, all the time. Cleaning out that garage, and those closets, and those drawers...it's all a good spiritual exercise in letting go and getting free.

3 - A Yard Sale is recycling at its most basic...something that gets used again by somebody else doesn't wind up in a landfill. That's great stewardship.

4 - Community. You don't know somebody until you've sorted "stuff" with them for several hours. Come work, and get to know those folks you worship with in a whole new way.

5 - It's in line with a really cool Bible idea. Times are hard, and this sale will help somebody. Somebody out there will be able to get some items that they can really use, that they couldn't have otherwise afforded. It's a sharing of abundance.

Look what's in Leviticus 25:

In this fiftieth year, your year of jubilee, you shall not sow, nor shall you reap the aftergrowth or pick the grapes from the untrimmed vines. Since this is the jubilee, which shall be sacred for you, you may not eat of its produce, except as taken directly from the field.”

Every 50 years, ancient Israel did an amazing thing.

Land reverted back to its original owners. A big "reset" button was pushed on society...and the edges of the fields and vines were allowed to produced, and they were not harvested. They were left in place to be freely gleaned by those who were in need.

There's a lot we could learn. Come get a lesson in what matters most this weekend....The Women of SOTH yard sale --- Friday night from 4-8 pm and Saturday (rain or shine) 8 am - 4 pm.

Numbers 32

I am reading my way through the Good Old Old Testament again, and if you have ever tried this yourself, you know that there are stretches that are difficult to read. I am being completely honest with you when I say that there are times when I get frustrated reading the OT because I feel like Im reading an extremely wordy history textbook rather than literature that is supposed to aid in my walk with Christ or provide me some glimpse into the character of God. When I pick up my Bible for my devotional time each night, I am hoping to close my eyes feeling recharged rather than even more drained, and sometimes the text can do just that.

Anyways, tonight I had a funny thought after reading a passage from Numbers 32 that I thought I would share with you, the ever-faithful readers of SOTHBLOG:

"Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon- the land the LORD subdued before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. If we have found favor in your eyes," they said, "let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan." Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here? Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the LORD has given them? This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. After they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the LORD had given them. The LORD's anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath: 'Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob- not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.' The LORD's anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the desert forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone. " Numbers 32:3-13

Okay, so this is how my mind responded to this passage:

You know those cheesy countdown clocks you see at stores sometimes or even on ESPN or FOX as time draws nearer to a big game? With each passing second, you draw nearer and nearer to the fulfillment of the promise held by the clock!

What if the Israelites had a clock like that back then? Like, somehow they knew when the day would arrive that they would claim the land God had promised them?

Imagining that they did, think about this passage:

Countdown clock is almost to zero and a bunch of the leaders come whining to Moses: "Come on, Mo. According to the clock, we are basically here. Lets stay on THIS side of the Jordan. What do you say? It will save us the trouble of the classic Oregon Trail dilemma: Should we try and ford the river, or should we float our wagon across? This way, we save time AND we dont lose any spare wheels or the 700lbs of squirrel meat we shot yesterday! Win/win, Moses."

Of course, God hears this, and the next thing you know, the countdown clock has unexpectedly gone up again! By at least a generation, no less! How angry would you have been at the dudes who didnt want to get their feet wet?

Im not saying that God moved the Promise Land to spite the impatient Israelites or anything like that. This is just a "what if?" deal. Life is fun when you ask that question all the time and ponder its infinite answers. This time it just happened to manifest itself in Biblical times.

Relationship Series

Okay, I think I finally have the series on relationships in a working order:

Week 1: Title: "You First"
Scripture: Matthew 7:3
Basic Idea: We should be sure that we are in a good place ourselves before attempting to be okay with another.

Week 2: Title: "Standards"
Scripture: Mixed/TBD
Basic Idea: Figure out what your standards are, what they should be, and then make no compromises with them.

Week 3: Title: "What Now?
Scripture: Mixed/TBD
Basic Idea: This will be a study of what to watch for during the relationship.

Week 4: Title: "In the End"
Scripture: Mark 12:30-31
Basic Idea: We have standards to uphold even when we bring a relationship to a close.

This series will begin on April 5th.

Three Quick Movie Reviews

Okay, so part of my postings here will be reviews of media forms; books and movies, most notably. I do this for a couple of reasons:

1) It serves as a sort of cultural education making you, the reader, more aware of the goings-on of our present day culture.

2) My offerings will serve either to warn you of the bad stuff or turn you on to the good stuff.

With that in mind, I saw three movies this past week:

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

If you have not seen either of the first two Underworld movies, the basic premise is that vampires and lycans, or, as they are more commonly known, werewolves, are at war with one another. This movie served as a prequel - effectively answering the big question: Why are the vampires and the werewolves hating on one another?

Personally, I found this installment to be the best of the three, but take this with a pinch of salt, for it is most certainly not a movie for children or those who cannot stand the sight of violence. The story is well-told, but the cinematics make it difficult to recommend.

Twilight

I finally broke down and saw this one. I had promised myself I wouldnt get sucked into the next teeny-bopper craze, but my friend Jason and I caved because it was the only movie showing during the time frame in which we were looking to watch one. If you arent aware, the movie is based off of a series of books by author Stephenie Meyer named Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

The movie wasnt bad and comes with a PG-13 rating for mild violence and what is called "sensuality" by IMDB. Basically what that means is that there is a lot of tension between the two characters in the film that are romantically interested in one another. Too much for this guy.

The movie completely messed with the traditional vampire characteristics, and that bothered me. For instance: Vampire lore dictates that they cant be seen in mirrors and that is clearly not the case in the film. And according to mythos, they cant encounter sunlight without essentially turning to ash. In the movie, when they are exposed to direct sunlight, they dont burn...they dont even sizzle a little. Instead, they sparkle. Yeah, SPARKLE. As if they had been rubbed down in body glitter. Lame.

Some of the special effects were cheesy, too. Like blurring when the vampires jump or fall. Yeah, somehow vampires defy physics in such a way that gravity, itself, somehow exercises its forces on them more intensely - causing them to fall so fast they blur. Also lame.

The story wasnt bad - as I said: a little too creepily seductive. Best part of the film is watching the vampire family interact. Funny if you think about it. The part of Edward Cullin was played well by an unknown by the name of Robert Pattinson who made Edward extremely creepy and just enough unlikeable to give his character some dramatic depth.

Recommended? If you read the books, sure. Otherwise, pass.

I Love You, Man

I must preface this review with a very necessary warning: This movie is not for kids. Its rated R for a host of good reasons.

That aside, for what it is - an adult-oriented comedy - this movie is fantastic. It mixes outright humor with more subtle humor and keeps you laughing throughout. Basic premise is that a guy is going to get married and realizes that he doesnt have any male friends to fill out his side of the wedding party, so he starts going on "man-dates" to try and meet his potential Best Man. He inadvertently meets a guy by the name of Sydney, they hit it off, and onward goeth the plot.

Most of the humor in the movie is harmless, but when it does get into the PG-13/R range with the humor, it goes all in. Language is also an issue in it, with curse-words being uttered, it would be safe to guess, in every scene.

The movie did a great job of getting you to fall in love with the characters and making you pull for them 100%. When the times are good, you are happy. When they get a little rocky, you hope to see a quick return to the good times. You dont see that dynamic too often in comedies.

I dont hesitate to say that I believe this movie was made for my age range (the 18-25 range). Everyone will laugh during the film, but that doesnt mean it is a recommendation for all.

________________________________________________________________

I usually will talk about some sort of teachable moment from the movies I watch, as well, but opted out to keep things shorter this go around. I dont usually see three movies at a time! Oh, and if you are curious about a movie (whether it be for your sake or you are wondering whether or not to let your children go see it in the theaters), shoot me a line and I will scope things out for you and let you know.

Hasta.

This Is New...

I have officially arrived at SOTH now that I have access to authorship on the official SOTH blog. Thats right, folks: Mikeinaminute and SOTHBLOG have merged into one mega-blog that is guaranteed to blow your minds by way of the penmanship of not one, but two of your beloved staff!

I will be bringing a medley of miscellaneous misinformation to this URL. Actually, that is a lie. I only said "misinformation" to cap off the alliteration there. Most, if not all, of what I post here will be information about the world as I see it. There will be movie reviews, book reviews, rants, raves, randomness, and I guess I have to post some stuff about God here, too, huh? Okay, if you insist.

Consider this your warning. Tomorrow, Pandora's Box shall be opened, and as was so eloquently explicated by a guy named Saul from a movie that shall go un-named:

"Pandora doesnt go back into the box. He only comes out."

Spring

Yesterday I had to drive into downtown Douglasville and back. It was an absolutely beautiful day.

I risked UV damage to the crown of my head and opened the sunroof, all the way. I dropped the windows. You could just smell spring in the air.

As I topped a hill, I approached a stand of amazing flowering cherry trees that flanked the road on its right. They looked like pale pink clouds, hovering close to the earth. It was an incredible site, almost transcendent, just for a fleeting moment.

At any other time of the year, I'd have blown by these trees without a second thought. Maybe even just a couple of days ago. In the summer, they're green and nondescript. In winter, they're just bare branches, fading into a massive sea of the same.

But yesterday...wow. A gaudy, garish, showy, unashamed, unabashed display of bloom-osity exploded on the roadside.

When did it happen?

Was there a moment when the tree switch flipped from "off" to "bloom?"

The real truth is that trees don't bloom in a single moment. They bloom bit by bit, day by day, until the undeniable truth of their presence can no longer be denied, even by the most heedless of us humans.

And that reminds me of something that Jesus once had to say:

Mark 4:26-29 (The Message)
Then Jesus said, "God's kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows—he has no idea how it happens. The earth does it all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the ripened grain. When the grain is fully formed, he reaps—harvest time!

Imagine: Jesus is saying that the kingdom can be compared to a harvest that comes while we're not paying attention! Perhaps he's saying that it is a gift. It's not the work of our human hands. The Kingdom belongs to God, who chooses to share it with us, and its presence is a mystery that we cannot solve.

Pastors, churches, and faithful Jesus-followers spend a lot of time, sweat and energy worrying about "the kingdom." That's not bad, is it?

Shouldn't we work to "make disciples?" Shouldn't we give our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness to the effort of kingdom-building?

Of course.

But we should also remember that God's grace, like the flowers of springtime, is a gift from Him that we don't make for ourselves.

We are the beneficiaries of God's abundant love and goodness. It all depends on God, and surely not on us.

What a relief. And what a beautiful day this is.

Grace, Peace, and See you Sunday ---
Adam

Does God Love a Good Fool...Yes!

I've been having a great conversation the last couple of days with facebook friends about my upcoming sermon for this Sunday, and wanted to share via the blog, too.

Here are the scriptures...

John 2:13-22 (New International Version)

13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.

15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

17His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

18Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?"

19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."

20The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"

21But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

And...

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (New International Version)

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

19For it is written:

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.


First thoughts...lots of news blurbs this week about the way that our society is growing more and more secular. At the same time, we're probably more highly educated on the whole than ever before.

What do we count as wisdom? What kinds of miracles do we want to see before we believe? What is Jesus' response to that? What does he show for proof, and how is God's foolishness better than human wisdom? And, how does he use the "foolish" to impart his wisdom? And, of course, the video above is a reminder of everybody's favorite literary "fool" (who is full of wisdom)...Forrest Gump.

Talk amongst yourselves...and let me know what you think!

My cousin Shana mentioned this great song by Nicole Nordeman, called "Fool For You,"


There are times when faith and common sense do not align,
when hardcore evidence of you is hard to find,
and I am silenced in the face of argumentative debate,
it's a long hill it's a lonely climb. Maybe it's true.

CHORUS:
Cause they want proof,
They want proof of all these mysteries I claim,
Cause only fools would want to chant a dead man's name.
I would be a fool for you all because you asked me to.
A simpleton who's seeming naive,
I do believe You came and made Yourself a fool for me.

I admit that in my darkest hours I've asked what if,
What if we created some kind of man made faith like this,
Out of good intention or emotional invention,
and after life is through there will be no You.

Cause they want proof of all these miracles I claim,
Cause only fools believe that men can walk on waves.
Maybe it's true.

Unaware of popularity,
and unconcerned with dignity,
You made me free.
That's proof enough for me.

I would be a fool for You,
Only if You asked me to,
A simpleton who's only thinking of,
The cause of love.

I will speak Jesus' name,
and if that makes me crazy,
they can call me crazed,
I'm happy to be seemingly naive,
I do believe You came and
made Yourself a fool for me.

Peace --- And see you this Sunday, Adam

A Trip to the West Bank

Israel is a land of tension.   The history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is long and complex, and it is much more than I can begin to take on here.   If you're interested in trying to gain some understanding, there are good articles and timelines to be found here.  

Many of you have heard of the "west bank" and Gaza when Israel is in the news.  The "West Bank" actually refers to a geographic region that begins with the west bank of the Jordan River.  Several ancient Biblical sites lie within this region, including all of Samaria, a large part of ancient Judea, and important locations like Jericho, Bethany, Bethlehem and Nazareth.  

We passed through checkpoints going in and out of these areas, but were very privileged to get to travel within the West Bank region (we did NOT go into Gaza, which is the heart of the current conflict within the region).  

The sites and people that we encountered in this area were truly wonderful.  I think that one of the misconceptions that I had about the Holy Land was that the area is populated primarily by Christians and Jews.  This is not the case.  There is a massive Islamic Arab presence in Jerusalem and throughout Israel, and especially in the west bank regions.  

We received only the best hospitality and had a great experience.   That said, the feelings of tension and frustration were evident in many places.  We took the picture above just a couple of blocks away from the restaurant in Jericho where we ate lunch.  It was strange to have experienced the hospitality of the people, to then drive right past the local PLO office.  

I had just shared marjoram tea with some men in a little coffee shop, and the man running the store bundled up a big bunch of marjoram and gave it to me, saying, "a gift my friend, grown in Palestine."  For all I know, he's the chair of the local PLO.  It is a complicated world.  

Also in Jericho, Holly got to ride a camel.  She's a natural.  Speaking of camels, a man running a fruitstand on the street (where I bought some of the greatest dates in the world) said to me, "Is this your wife?  I give you 6,000 camels for her."    

I told him that he had mistaken me for a rich man, and that I couldn't afford to feed 6,000 camels.  He belly laughed.  

Again at Jericho, the "mount of temptation," local legend says that this is the mountain upon which Satan tested Jesus at the beginning of his ministry.  

Another sign, this time in Bethany, near Jerusalem.  A massive wall separates the West Bank from Israel, and people cannot cross back and forth.  Spouses and families have been cut off from one another.  

I want to be clear that this is NOT a Palestinian man throwing a rock in anger.  He's actually demonstrating a sling shot of the type used for many centuries in this part of the world.  They call it the "David" sling, referring to the famous battle with Goliath.  

He threw this rock an astonishing distance, over some buildings.  I have no idea where it may have landed.  The other amazing part of this story?  He's standing right in front of the tomb of Lazarus.  Yes, that Lazarus.  The one that Jesus brought back from the dead.  

I bought 3 slingshots...now I just need some wide open spaces to teach my boys how to throw with them.  

Armageddon

We're back in the USA!  It is very good to be home.  A short little 13 hour plane ride and we're back in Douglasville, GA.    My anti-jet lag strategy is to stay awake today, even though we'd just gotten nicely adjusted to Jerusalem time.  Right now it's about 6:45 there -- just finishing up dinner, but here it's not quite lunch time.  Our plane landed this morning at 6 am Atlanta time.  

So...everything is a little confused, but wow -- what a trip.  

OK -- time to catch up some pics that my connection wouldn't quite let me do while I was there...

These pics are of "Tel Megiddo," one of the oldest known civilizations in the world. Archaeologists know that there have been cities on this site, beginning about 8,000 years ago.  

Megiddo sits at a "crossroads of crossroads" in the ancient world, and it's the place that we know as "Armageddon" from Revelation 16: 

 ¹⁶Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

 ¹⁷The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 

¹⁸Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 

¹⁹The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 

²¹From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

The Hebrew, "Har Megiddo," (Mountain of Megiddo) becomes "Armageddon" as the name winds its way through New Testament Greek and into English.  

One of the many tensions of this Biblical land is the intense beauty of this place held against the story of final destruction connected to it in Revelation.  I always had images of Armageddon being fiery and ugly.  This place is green and beautiful.  It is peaceful.  It's a wonderful place to pray for peace.  

Bethlehem

Hello again everybody! We are still exhausted, but still having a wonderful time! Yesterday we went to Bethlehem, which means going through an Israeli checkpoint into Palestinian-controlled West Bank territory. The main attraction in Bethlehem, of course, is the Church of the Nativity, long venerated as the site of Jesus' birth. Above is a picture of Holly touching the "star of Bethlehem," the marker of the site, in a grotto (cave) below the sanctuary of the church.



The Church is controlled by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Armenian Christians. This is the Orthodox sanctuary, situated directly above the birth site. Let's just say their decorating taste isn't exactly Methodist. The chandeliers were given by Russian Czar Nicholas before the 1917 Russian revolution. This is the oldest continually operating church, founded in about the year 300 with worship taking place here ever since. Some of the original floors and structures still exist.




Above, an exterior corner of the Church of the Nativity


Rev. Jamie Jenkins talks to the group at the Shepherds' Field cave, just outside of Bethlehem. This cave is traditionally considered the site of the angelic appearance announcing Jesus' birth. We sang "Angels We Have Heard on High" here.

Just now...in this place...

Our tour guide Jimmy, speaking in the stone synagogue where Jesus grew up, and eventually proclaimed himself the messiah and was rejected.  

^{From Luke 4 (The Message)}

^16-21He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written, 

   God's Spirit is on me; 
      he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to 
       the poor, 
   Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and 
      recovery of sight to the blind, 
   To set the burdened and battered free, 
      to announce, "This is God's year to act!"
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, "You've just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place."

 ²²All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a youngster?"

One of the most amazing things from today's sites...and this just scratches the surface of the many places we've been today...

We got to sit in the exact synagogue where this scripture reading took place.  

This was truly incredible.  

Archaeologists are 100% certain that the tiny village of Nazareth (about 150 people in Jesus' day, now 150,000) only had one synagogue.  There's no way that it would have had more than one.  

The synagogue site is well-known in Nazareth, and has been well-preserved and carefully restored.  It sits at the end of a long street market, tucked discreetly (I never would have known it was there) under an over-hang.  A tiny sign says, "synagogue," and worship still takes place there today.  

The stones are the same as in Jesus' time.  It's the same floors, walls, ceiling.  All hand-hewn rough limestone.  It is the place where Jesus returned during his ministry in Galilee and read the scroll of Isaiah 61.  It is the place where he declared himself the messiah.  It is the room we sat in today, and that is incredible.  We sang a hymn there, read this scipture and could feel the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Down to the River...

We went to what is known at the "Yardenit" baptismal site.  I know it sounds impossible, but this was the only slight disappointment of the trip so far.  The site is amazingly commercial.  Several gift shops have been built, there's a full-service restaurant, any and everything is for sale and the coffee/snack shop serves Heineken in case you need a brew while you watch your loved one get baptized.  

All that said, it is still the very same river in which John baptized Jesus, and in which Naaman the leper of the Old Testament was made clean.   Probably neither of those things happened at this part of the Jordan, but it's the place that we had access to the river from the southern end of the Sea of Galilee.  Hey, I got a great picture for my office.  

A Quiet Place

Scripture makes many references to Jesus getting away from the crowds during his Galilean ministry.  While there are several caves around the lake...this one does truly stand out.  

Local legend says that this is the cave to which the Gospels refer.  

I can't say for sure that Jesus ever prayed in this cave.  But we scaled the rocky, steep trail and sat there ourselves.  The feeling is amazing, and the surroundings are surely of the sort that Jesus experienced in his times of quiet prayer.  The cave faces the Galilee, with an incredible view.  

Do You Love Me...

Inside the Church, the Rock where Christ stood is exposed before the altar.  "Mensa Christi" means, "meal of Christ," referring to the fish breakfast that Jesus and the disciples cooked on the beach at this place, recorded in John 21.  

-----------------------

One of my most favorite scripture passages has been John 21 for many, many years.  The resurrected Jesus is on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.  He calls to the disciples..."children, do you have any fish?"  They put nets in on the other side on his order, and then Peter recognizes him.  

Three times, Jesus asks him, "do you love me..." and Peter is redeemed.  What a place of redemption.  

The "Primacy of Peter" is a small Roman Catholic church built on the site where it is believed the resurrected Christ stood and called to the disciples.  Its foundation is a large rock that looks out to the water.  

Some call this the "Christian Wailing Wall," as every nook and cranny in that rock was stuffed with scribbled prayers.  It is a place of redemption, and it is very, very powerful.  

Blessed are the...

Mount of the Beatitudes, site of Sermon on the Mount

 

One of the highlights for me personally, was that I got to read the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, at the location where it's believed that Jesus first preached them.    We are taking turns doing Biblical readings at each site, and this one happened to be mine.  

It makes so much more sense now...

The setting is lush and green, and the hillside truly does form a kind of natural amphitheatre.  The Sea of Galilee (which sits basically in a hole, 600+ feet below sea level, surrounded by mountains) is the backdrop.  

Jesus had moved from Nazareth and set up "headquarters" in Capernaum, a town of about 1500 on the Sea of Galilee where Peter and other disciples lived.  I now understand when the Bible says that "news of him spread quickly throughout the countryside..."   Imagine how news spreads through our small towns today, and in that time and place, all they really had to talk about was each other.  

Our wonderful guide Jimmy introduced the Mount of the Beatitudes by saying, "Jesus didn't come to the rich or the powerful.  He came to his people.  He went down to that water, and he was among the fisherman.  He was a builder himself.  He went to the poor and those who didn't have a chance.  He cared about them.  He went to the Gentile side of this lake and ministered in the Decapolis, and no one would do that!" 

Jimmy went on to say, "Do we talk about Jesus being in Tiberias, the town we're staying in?  No!  Do you know why?  Because it was a resort town for the rich 2,000 years ago, just like it is today.  That's not where Jesus was going to spend his time."  

That being the case...from the point of Jimmy, a 60+ year old, 3rd generation Palestinian Christian living in Israel...makes this reading come alive.  

From Matthew 4 and 5 (The Message)  

When Jesus got word that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee. He moved from his hometown, Nazareth, to the lakeside village Capernaum, nestled at the base of the Zebulun and Naphtali hills...

From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God's kingdom was his theme—that beginning right now they were under God's government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the "Ten Towns" across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.

^1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

 ³"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

 ⁴"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

 ⁵"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

 ⁶"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

 ⁷"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.

 ⁸"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

 ⁹"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

 ¹⁰"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

 ^11-12"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Tiberias: Road from Cana to Capernaum

This is a view of the first place that we stopped, walked and and experienced in Israel.  

It is an old Roman road, used at the time of Jesus, that stretches from Cana to Capernaum, through the Galilee.  Jesus would have walked this very path, many times.  

Several things are striking:  1 -- The sheer rock cliffs that line this part of the route are incredible and pictures do not do them justice.  2 -  Ancient Galileans were TOUGH.  Walking being their primary transportation method.  Wow.  These are some incredible hills and distances. 3- This valley is called the "valley of doves" because it was used to raise doves for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem.  They would nest in the high rocky outcroppings.   

An incredible and beautiful place --- a good symbol of the Galilean landscape, deeply beautiful and also difficult and unforgiving.  

Backstory on today --- Friday -- Galilee and Jerusalem

Alright everybody!  Day 2 of touring is over --- I know we've been gone longer than that, having left on Tuesday night, but we arrived after dark on Wednesday, Israel time.  I have now toured yesterday and today.  

Really, there aren't words to describe everything we've seen, touched and experienced.  With time, we'll be more able to take it in.  But, on the other hand, our first impressions will never be more fresh than they are right now.  

All that said --- here's my thought --- I'm going to try to somehow keep things relatively brief, and maybe post a few of the very best pics, with descriptions, from each day.   What an incredible place.  Even as I write this, I'm still coming off of the experience of walking with a few of our group through the old city of Jerusalem, right after dinner.  We did travel as a group (about 12 of us), and we walked part of the Via Dolorosa (the path that Christ walked while carrying the cross), and ended at the Wailing Wall, the western wall of the Temple that was destroyed in 70 A.D.  

Tonight is Sabbath, and so things were virtually deserted and we had easy access.  I could go on and on about that experience of prayer.  These were the foundation stones of the temple in Jesus' time, and we were able to touch them, to see the thousands of prayers that have been written and jammed into the cracks and crevices, and pray.  Even though I was by myself in that spot (Holly was on the other side of a divided area --- women and men aren't allowed to approach the wall together) it was an incredible experience of "communal" prayer.  When you pray at the wall, you definitely do not pray alone.  You do it with millions and millions of others who have poured out their hearts to God in that place.  

OK --- pics.  

Sea of Galilee

Hello from Israel!!  What beautiful words to write...

When we landed in Tel Aviv and boarded our tour bus, we met "Jimmy," who is serving as our tour guide.  He's a 40 year veteran of Holy Land tours, and he is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the life, times and places of Jesus.  

His first words to us were beautiful..."welcome home."  He said, "this is your home because it is the home of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  It is your home."  

And, above is the view from the terrace of our hotel room.  Not kidding.  It really is.  

We are staying in Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee in the norther part of Israel.  We open the glass door to our terrace and can sit and look at the Sea of Galilee.  This pic was taken early this morning just after sunrise.  

We have had an incredible day.  We've been to the Cana-to-Capernaum Roman road that Jesus would have walked in his time.  We've been on a boat in the Sea of Galilee.  We've been to the traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount and I got to read the Beatitudes for the group.  We've seen an ancient fishing boat from Jesus' time, discovered 20 years ago in Galilee.  We've eaten "St. Peter's fish" at a local restaurant.  We sat in the cave that is traditionally considered the place where Jesus would go by himself to pray and rest from the crowds that followed him.  We have been to the site of John 21, where the resurrected Jesus forgave Peter 3 times and told him to, "feed my sheep."  We've put out hands in the Jordan River and remembered our baptism.  

Wow.  What a day.  

I'm going to try to post some more pics, though it's very slow going and not sure how the internet connection will hold from one moment to the next.  It should get better once we get to Jerusalem tomorrow.  

We are very happy.  We are exhausted.  Thanks so much for your prayers, we feel them.  Talk to you soon!  Adam and Holly 

Leaving Home

Hello SOTHbloggers --- and thanks again for your keeping tabs of Holly and me, and following along on our holy land excursion.  

This is departure day --- and anytime you get ready to leave home and take a big trip, it can make you a little reflective on the great blessings that we enjoy and take for granted everyday.  

Listening to some music early this morning I heard Neil Young's, "I am a Child," and of course it put me in mind of my 3 boys.    Without a doubt, leaving them to go on the trip is the hardest part for us.  

But, they are in wonderful hands with loving grandparents who will care for them and the support of a couple hundred of our closest SOTH friends and family.  

So...a little devotional moment through pop music this morning:  for all of you who are parents...or who have a role in the life of a child --- some good stuff from Neil Young, back in the Buffalo Springfield days.  

Wish I could play the song for you, but you know...copyrights, etc.  Go look it up and listen if you have time...Neil is an acquired taste, perhaps, but I love his stuff.  

Next post, from Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee!  

"I am a Child," Neil Young

I am a child, I'll last a while.
You can't conceive
of the pleasure in my smile.

You hold my hand,
rough up my hair,
It's lots of fun
to have you there.

God gave to you,
now, you give to me,
I'd like to know
what you learned.

The sky is blue
and so is the sea.
What is the color,
when black is burned?
What is the color?

You are a man, you understand.
You pick me up
and you lay me down again.

You make the rules,
you say what's fair,
It's lots of fun
to have you there.

God gave to you,
now, you give to me,
I'd like to know
what you learned.

The sky is blue
and so is the sea.
What is the color,
when black is burned?
What is the color?

I am a child, I'll last a while.
You can't conceive
of the pleasure in my smile.

Holy Land 2009

Welcome back to the SOTHBLOG everybody!

Holly and I are so excited and deep into preparations for our Holy Land trip next week. Thanks to each of you who had the vision and who decided to give to make this trip possible for us. Shepherd of the Hills, you are an incredible church, and we want to learn all that we can while we're there and share this trip with you in every way possible.

To that end, I'm posting our itinerary, and my goal is to post each day, sharing pics and experiences of all the Biblical sites that we'll be visiting.

Thanks again to all of you for being the church that you are. "Wheels up" from Atlanta on Tuesday night, direct to Tel Aviv!

Grace & Peace --- Adam and Holly

1. Day 1 - Depart the USA

   Your spiritual pilgrimage begins as you depart the USA on an overnight flight.

2. Day 2 - Arrive in the Holy Land

   You will be welcomed to the Holy Land by our airport representative and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy dinner before you rest.

3. Day 3 - The Galilee

   View map

   With Bible in hand, cross the waters of the Sea of Galilee aboard a Kinnereth Sailing Company boat. Along the way, participate in a special on board worship service. Travel to Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ ministry in the Galilee. Visit the synagogue which stands on the site where Jesus taught. Recall his teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matt.4: 13, 23). At Kibbutz Nof Ginnosar, you’ll learn about the “Ancient Boat”, a rare example of the kind of boat in which Jesus would have sailed. Travel to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached to the people (Matt. 5-7). At Tabgha, the traditional location for the calling of the disciples and the feeding of the 5000, you’ll visit the Church of the Fish and the Loaves (Luke 9:10-17). You’ll also visit the Chapel of the Primacy where three times Peter professed his devotion to the risen Christ (John 21). At the River Jordan you can remember your baptism in the Yardenit Baptismal Site. With Bible in hand, cross the waters of the Sea of Galilee aboard a Kinnereth Sailing Company boat. Along the way, participate in a special on board worship service. Travel to Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ ministry in the Galilee. Visit the synagogue which stands on the site where Jesus taught. Recall his teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matt.4: 13, 23). At Kibbutz Nof Ginnosar, you’ll learn about the “Ancient Boat”, a rare example of the kind of boat in which Jesus would have sailed. Travel to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached to the people (Matt. 5-7). At Tabgha, the traditional location for the calling of the disciples and the feeding of the 5000, you’ll visit the Church of the Fish and the Loaves (Luke 9:10-17). You’ll also visit the Chapel of the Primacy where three times Peter professed his devotion to the risen Christ (John 21). At the River Jordan you can remember your baptism in the Yardenit Baptismal Site.

4. Day 4 - Beit Shean, Nazareth, Megiddo and Caesarea

   Visit the ruins of Beit Shean which was continuously inhabited for 5000 years and was one of the Roman cities Jesus passed on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem. Visit Nazareth, Jesus’ boyhood home (Matthew 2: 23). Travel the ancient caravan route to Tel Megiddo where 20 different cities lie superimposed upon each other. Visit the Roman Aqueduct and Theatre at Caesarea, a center of the early Christians. Here, Cornelius became the first Gentile convert to the new religion (Acts 10) and Paul was imprisoned before being taken to Rome for Trial.

5. Day 5 - Jericho, Qumran, and Bethlehem

   View map

   Travel to Jericho and visit the ruins of the ancient city, which was conquered by Joshua (Josh. 6: 1, 2, 20). From Jericho, you can see the traditional site of the Temptation of Jesus (Matt. 4: 1-11). Even today, the road from Jericho to Jerusalem twists for miles as it climbs from below sea level into the Judean mountains. Jesus traveled the nearby Roman road, the setting of His parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-36). Travel to Qumran, site of the Dead Sea Scroll discovery, to discuss the mysterious community of Essenes who once lived on the shores of the Dead Sea. In Bethlehem, you’ll visit the cave revered as the place where Jesus was born (Matt. 1: 18 - 25; Luke 2: 1- 7). The church, which was constructed on the site, is the world’s oldest functioning church. Nearby you’ll view Shepherds’ Field where the Good News was first heard.Travel to Jericho and visit the ruins of the ancient city, which was conquered by Joshua (Josh. 6: 1, 2, 20). From Jericho, you can see the traditional site of the Temptation of Jesus (Matt. 4: 1-11). Even today, the road from Jericho to Jerusalem twists for miles as it climbs from below sea level into the Judean mountains. Jesus traveled the nearby Roman road, the setting of His parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 30-36). Travel to Qumran, site of the Dead Sea Scroll discovery, to discuss the mysterious community of Essenes who once lived on the shores of the Dead Sea. In Bethlehem, you’ll visit the cave revered as the place where Jesus was born (Matt. 1: 18 - 25; Luke 2: 1- 7). The church, which was constructed on the site, is the world’s oldest functioning church. Nearby you’ll view Shepherds’ Field where the Good News was first heard.

6. Day 6 - Jerusalem

   View map

   Visit the Haas Promenade and enjoy a panoramic view from the south of Jerusalem, the Old City walls and the hill called Mount Moriah where Abraham was commanded by God to offer Isaac as a burnt offering (Gen. 22: 2, 4). View the Kidron Valley and the Valley of Gehenna. Stand atop the Mount of Olives as Jesus did and enjoy a remarkable view of the “Golden City” of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock. Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1: 9 - 12). Visit the Chapel of the Ascension. Pray in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus prayed (Matt. 26: 36 - 44). Continue to Mount Zion to visit the House of the High Priest Caiaphas where Jesus was imprisoned for a night (Matt. 26: 57 - 65). Stand in the Upper Room, revered as the place of the Last Supper (Mark 14: 12 - 26). View the site of King David’s Tomb.

7. Day 7 - Jerusalem and the Old City

   View map

   Visit the Southern Wall Excavations of the ancient Temple including the Teaching Steps and the Western Wall. Walk the Cardo, the ancient main street of the Old City once lined with shops, now partially restored. View the Pool of Bethesda (John 5: 1-31) where Jesus performed the Sabbath miracle, and sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne. Visit Herod’s Antonia Fortress where Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate (Luke 23: 1-11). Walk the Via Dolorosa, “the Way of the Cross,” and stand in reverence at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.where Jesus performed the Sabbath miracle, and sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne. Visit Herod’s Antonia Fortress where Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate (Luke 23: 1-11). Walk the Via Dolorosa, “the Way of the Cross,” and stand in reverence at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

8. Day 8 - Leisure Day with Optional Masada and Dead Sea Tour

   View map

   Explore on-your-own or visit Masada (additional charge), Herod’s mountaintop fortress which became the last stronghold of the Jewish Rebellion against the Romans. Ride the cable car to the top to explore. Peer down upon the remains of the Roman camps and siege ramp below. Time permitting, you’ll stop briefly at the Shores of the Dead Sea for a quick dip in the salt and mineral laden waters.siege ramp below. Time permitting, you’ll stop briefly at the Shores of the Dead Sea for a quick dip in the salt and mineral laden waters.

9. Day 9 - Jerusalem

   View map

   Travel to Ein Karem, known as the birthplace of John the Baptist and the place where the Virgin Mary visited Elisabeth (Luke 1: 26-40). Time permitting, you will visit Yad Vashem. Visit and worship at the Garden Tomb, possible site of the garden of Joseph of Arimathea and experience the reality of the Resurrection. Your afternoon is free for exploring.

10. Day 10 - Extension or Return

    Depart on an exciting extension or return to USA. (We'll be heading back to Atlanta!)