Effective Leaders, Faithful Disciples, Vital Congregations
Effective Leaders, Faithful Disciples, Vital Congregations
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Holy Land Blog Page
Brian's BlogJoin Rev. Brian Ebel, Director of Youth Ministries - St. Paul UMC (Louisville), as he travels throughout the Holy Land with Bishop Davis and the others traveling with the Kentucky Annual Conference Holy Land Tour.
Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
I realized I missed a few details from yesterday in my day 8 post. Oops! A group of us went to the Orthodox Jewish part of Jerusalem yesterday to take in the sights and culture of this part of the city. It was a fascinating time as we saw a people who were very kind to one another and protective of their own people. We were ok being there, but the residents seemed suspicious of us. We went to an open air market with some of the best food I have ever tasted. It was great!
Today, our final day, began at the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. I had previously been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., but this was very special being in Jerusalem. It was horrific what happened to the Jewish people, and there were few details spared in the exhibits within the museum. The building itself is very stark - concrete formed walls that felt large and cold, as if the building loomed over you in an ominous sort of way. Many of us were shaken (as we should be) by what we learned inside. From there we saw the birthplace of John the Baptist in a nearby town called Ein Karem. This was a quaint town just outside the city of Jerusalem and has a Franciscan Monastery there now. We finished the day at the garden tomb, a tomb that some have said might be the place where Jesus was resurrected. The beauty of this place was the representative nature of the tomb where Jesus was raised from the dead. Our Bishop shared from the Scriptures and our tour came to an end with Holy Communion. As I write this blog post now, the majority of our pilgrims are headed to the airport for home, and the remainder will leave in the morning.
So, as I now have a few moments to reflect, I think the following things were moving this week:
1. The way our team loved and cared for one another. Persons were always quick to help, and were constantly encouraging and looking out for each other.
2. How close the events of Scripture are to one another. Consider the majority of Jesus' ministry in the North (i.e. Nazareth, Galilee, Cana, etc.) happened within a few miles of each other. The cities can all be seen by looking to one mountaintop or the next. In Jerusalem the events are even closer in proximity - 100 yards here or 200 yards there. Whereas we drive car to go anywhere, here you can see much by walking and that is the way to do it.
3. That there is such a profound mixture of the sacred and profane: persons selling scarves and their wares on the Via Dolorosa, picture taking at the site of Jesus' death and resurrection (I did but it seemed weird), a man who prayed for me and then asked for money for the prayer (hmm....), not to mention all of the other things that we saw and experienced. It is a strange mixture of sacred sites and every day activity all rolled into one place. Maybe that says much about where we encounter Jesus?
4. How real the Bible is. The events happened in real places at a real time. People today live around these places. People visit these places. And these places make up a chain of events that changed the world. If God can use a corner of the world to change the whole thing - what does that mean for us today?
5. That the churches, buildings, etc., over the holy places are meant to preserve the faith not obstruct it. Some become upset that churches have been built over holy sites. The purpose was to set these places apart and protect them. This is a gift to us.
6. That the way to go to the Holy Land is with family and friends. There is nothing like standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee with your residency/ordination buddies. There is nothing more beautiful than watching a husband and wife stand in amazement together as they look upon Jesus' boyhood synagogue. There is nothing better than sitting around after dinner with friends enjoying a Coke when the day is done to put all the pieces together.
7. I will end at 7, the Biblical number of perfection: olive trees always look to the future and not to the moment. People plant olive trees thinking of their children and grandchildren. This is to say there is a future dimension in mind when planting an olive tree. It is a selfless act as typically the one who plants it won't see all the fruit it will bear. Jesus' death and resurrection was the act and very seed of transformation and faith - the beginning of the future of life now and the hope of life to come. Maybe olive trees can teach us something about who we are called to be. We think so much of what we need for today but what of tomorrow? How can we partner with God in changing the future? Where does God want our children and grandchildren to be in "x" number of years? Is it about us all the time or something more? So, I hope to be an olive tree to help others with this journey I have taken when I return. God gave me the gift of something and it is my hope to share it with you.
Thanks for reading. I hope those of you who are reading will take this journey soon. And to my wife and my little girl - I will see you back in Kentucky tomorrow night and I am excited!
-Brian
Day 8 - December 8, 2009
Luke 18:28
Peter said to him, "But Lord we have left all we had to follow you!"
Today I think I have a better appreciation for this verse that follows Jesus' dialogue with the rich young ruler.
We began the day by traveling about 1.5 hours to Masada. Masada was built by Herod and it became the place of a last stand for some Jews from Jerusalem around 70 AD. Masada is built on a high cliff that overlooks the Dead Sea. The remains are magnificent, as there are even mosaic tiles left from the period in which these buildings were occupied. It challenged me to think that a group of people held out for 2 years against the Roman army on these cliffs. After the battle, the cliffs remained an almost haunted type of place until many years later. We finished our day by going to the Dead Sea where many of our pilgrims floated in the water. The water is 5 times more salty than the ocean and it is nearly impossible for any one to sink. Needless to say, that there aren't many life guards at the Dead Sea. We then saw Mt. Nebo on the other side as we drove back to Jerusalem. I think I understand what Moses must have felt when he wandered in the desolate wilderness for so many years and then saw a sea and some green land in the valley (Jericho) in the distance.
But beyond our travels today I thought about Abraham, Moses, and Jesus' disciples and how they left all they knew to journey to where God was leading them. I can't imagine how for the rest of their lives, the disciples took trips that led them far from their families for a good duration of time. Many of us pilgrims are excited to have seen and experienced all that we have and now there is a longing for home. I wonder if these great people of God longed for home the way that we do now...
Maybe that's part of what sacrifice is all about - the willingness to lose what you long for most. What I have come to know in this 10 day journey and in life is that somewhere in the midst of that sacrifice there is a deeper love for what you have risked and a sweetness to what you have gained. I know personally I have come to appreciate my wife and little girl now more than ever and I too, am excited to see them very soon. So from all the pilgrims to all those who remain a distance away...we are coming home! And we are excited to be with you shortly! So, put your lamps in the windows, fire up the barbeque, and please be patient with us as we try to get our sleep schedules straightened out...
I will make one more post to this blog tomorrow with reflections of the trip and a short synopsis of today's (day 9) journey. But I would like to say how appreciative I am of Cathy Bruce for allowing me the opportunity to share this journey, and for our resident Bishop Lindsey Davis to create this experience. I am also thankful for all of the bus captains, tour guides, persons in Kentucky who have enabled this to happen, not to mention churches, families, and friends who have sent us with support in prayer and financially as well. It has indeed been life changing.
-Brian
Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.
