Presby-Musings

No journey to the Holy Land can be complete without a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the culmination of the Via Dolorosa pilgrimage path through the heart of the Old City.  In its current form, the Holy Sepulcher was reconstructed in the 9th century and refurbished during the Crusader era.  In 1757, during the Ottoman era, after violent clashes between Orthodox and Franciscan priests within the church, a system of governance was established that still exists today.  The Status Quo agreement stated that the Holy Sepulchre would be maintained by the following Christian groups: Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic, Syriac, and Ethiopian Orthodox churches.  Each group has it's own chapels, spaces and responsibilities.  Visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is an experience unlike any other. It is a sacred destination where countless pilgrims seek to touch the story of Jesus’ sacrifice, death, and r...

One of the great opportunities my group experienced when traveling with me to Israel was a fantastic boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee.   I've been on similar cruises when traveling to the Holy Land. Still, it never gets old to be out on the water of the Sea of Galilee, which is actually a below-sea-level, freshwater lake fed by the Jordan, which is actually not a river.   I know. Names happen sometimes, regardless of history, facts, and the like.   While we were having a pleasant cruise on the boat, I read the story of Jesus walking on water from Matthew's Gospel, and encouraged the group to spend a few moments in silence, looking around them and thinking about the story.   For my own part, I got to thinking more deeply about that story, and what it means to me, so I thought I'd share some of those thoughts.  During life’s storms, we easily find ourselves shaken, overwhelmed, and uncertain. But in Matthew 14:22-33, we are reminded of a profo...

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Hippos on the Golan Heights above the Sea of Galilee.  It was the first time I'd visited the site, and I couldn't have been more pleased.  Hippos was a Hellenistic city positioned high on a hill and was part of the Decapolis, ten Roman/Hellenistic cities that occupied the Golan Heights in the ancient world.  It was the site of a miracle of Jesus, and could very well have been the "city on a hill" that he referred to when teaching his disciples about being lights in the world.   In Mark 5:1-18, we encounter a dramatic story filled with spiritual and cultural meaning, especially in light of the Roman occupation of 1st-century Judea.  As Jesus and His disciples cross the Sea of Galilee, they arrive in the region of the Gerasenes, a territory marked more by Hellenistic influence and Roman dominance than by Jewish tradition.  This “other side” of the lake was a place of t...

On my recent visit to the Holy Land, I had the chance once again to visit the traditional site for Jesus' Sermon On The Mount, and the Church of the Beatitudes.   The Church of the Beatitudes was built on the site of an ancient Byzantine church. It was completed in 1938 by renowned Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi, who built numerous churches on Catholic holy sites throughout Israel.   The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary maintain the site, which is one of the most beautiful on the Sea of Galilee.   During our visit, we gathered together, looking down to the edge of the Sea of Galilee, and listened to our guide Erez read from Matthew's beginning of the Sermon in Hebrew. We imagined a throng of people below us, looking up as Jesus taught.   The text we used was in Matthew 5:1-12, where Jesus begins His famous Sermon on the Mount with blessings known as the Beatitudes.  These words turn worldly expectations upside down: “Ble...

One of the great joys I have when I travel with a group on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is teaching and offering onsite devotionals in the very places where Jesus ministered.  The Mount of Precipice, just outside of Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, is one of the sites where I particularly enjoy gathering my group together for a brief teaching on our expectations of Jesus versus what Jesus proclaimed as his purpose.   In Luke 4:16-30, Jesus begins His ministry in His hometown of Nazareth, reading from Isaiah and proclaiming His mission: “to proclaim good news to the poor... freedom for the oppressed... and recovery of sight for the blind.”  His words resonate deeply, but the response He receives is far from welcoming. When Jesus suggests His message is for everyone, especially those outside their familiar circle, His audience becomes infuriated. They are offended, unable to accept that God's mercy extends beyond their own community, beyond their comfort zone, beyond thei...

It’s Still Easter!  He is risen! The Season of Easter offers us a chance to experience the implications of the Resurrection and to trust Jesus as we follow him.  In fact, that is the title of our sermon series for the season of Easter: Trust Me.  This series answers the important question, "Jesus is risen, now what?" Today, we will read a challenging passage of Scripture that contains words from Jesus that can inspire us to trust him fully.  He proclaims that those who belong to Him will hear his voice.  What sounds imply belonging to us?   It could be a familiar song, the sounds of a familiar amusement park, or an old hymn at church. Voices and sounds that speak to our sense of belonging are deeply felt.   I have been thinking a lot about my mom this weekend.  She passed away eight years ago, but sometimes it feels like yesterday.  The weirdest thing happened to me the other day when I was thinking about her.  I forgot what he...

Located in northern Israel, near the Lebanese border, Caesarea Philippi's ancient grounds contain an impressive archaeological site and a vibrant, widely-used, spring-fed recreation area.   The site's modern name is Banyas, and the waters flowing from the spring inside an ancient cave have been flowing for thousands of years, eventually ending up in the Jordan.   Banyas has been a sacred site since prehistoric times. In Jesus' day, it was the site of several pagan temples to gods like Pan and Zeus and a temple to Caesar Augustus.   In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus travels to Caesarea Philippi and asks His disciples two profound questions: "Who do people say that I am?" and, more intimately, "But who do you say that I am?"  These questions invite us to pause and reflect on our own understanding of Jesus Christ. They challenge us to examine our faith, our assumptions, and the depth of our relationship with Him. When Jesus first asks about the popular perceptio...

During our recent trip to the Holy Land, we had an incredible stay on the Sea of Galilee in the ancient village of Magdala.   The first-century village, including the synagogue, was unearthed during a recent construction project and has quickly become one of the most important archeological sites in the Holy Land.  It is almost certain that Jesus preached in the synagogue of Magdala, as it was one of the most populated villages of its day. But that's just part of the story.  In Mark 5:25-34, we have the story of a miracle that Jesus performed there that teaches us about trust and healing.   "A woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, thinking, ‘If I just buy His clothes, I will be healed.’ Immediately, her bleedin...

Tel Megiddo, a world heritage site, was among the many significant historic biblical sites I recently visited during my tour of the Holy Land.   This site contains archaeological evidence of prehistoric settlements, ancient Canaanite gates from King Solomon's era, and Bronze Age evidence of Israelite fortifications from the time of Elijah.  In Hebrew, Megiddo is called Har-Megiddo, which becomes Armageddon in the Greek translations of Scripture.   The plains of Jezreel, adjacent to Megiddo, have been the site of many ancient battles from antiquity throughout World War I.  In fact, in the first century, people reading from the book of Revelation would have recognized it as a place where battles are fought. They would have understood John the Revelator's reference to it as he wrote about the final battle between good and evil.   When I visited Megiddo on this trip, I had an epiphany about why Armageddon has become such a focal point for people who t...

As my latest group of pilgrims to the Holy Land discovered, no journey there is complete without a visit to Mt. Carmel, its spectacular views of the coast of Israel, and then beyond to the hill country surrounding the Galilee region.   It's also the biblical site of an epic showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, the Mesopotamian storm god. The ancient people of the kingdom of Israel had endured a terrific drought, which brought famine into the land, and many had turned to worshipping Baal to end it.   As I stood on Mt. Carmel, I reflected on this story and its implications for my own life as I faced uncertainty.   At times in our lives, we may feel overwhelmed by circumstances that seem to suggest God has left us or forgotten us. In those moments, the temptation to turn away or to doubt His presence can be strong.  Yet, the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18:25-39 reminds us of an essential truth: even when God seems distant, God ...

As part of my recent trip to Israel, I revisited Caesarea Maritima, and the ruins of the ancient port city created by Herod the Great.   Not only was it a spectacular city in its day, complete with a hippodrome, theater, and sprawling neighborhoods, but it also became the main headquarters of the provincial Roman governor and the Roman legion he commanded.   As we visited the site, I began reflecting on the story of Cornelius, the commander of that legion from Acts chapter 10, and how the Good News of Jesus spread to him and his family after Peter received a remarkable vision.   God's inclusive grace is one of the most profound aspects of God's love. It extends beyond boundaries, prejudices, and divisions to embrace all people.  In Acts chapter 10, we see a powerful demonstration of this divine truth through the story of Peter and Cornelius, a Roman centurion. This narrative challenges us to examine our own hearts and perceptions and invites us to deep...

It’s Still Easter!   He is risen! We are in the Season of Easter within the historic Church calendar.  The Season of Easter offers us a chance to experience the implications of the Resurrection and to trust Jesus as we follow him.   The sermon series we will be working on throughout this season is entitled "Trust Me."  We'll be focusing on passages within the Gospel that help us to trust Jesus more fully, and to learn what it means to believe in the power of the Resurrection for all of us.   Today, we will read the story of the First Breakfast after the Resurrection and learn what it means to embrace second chances.  The power of memory - sights, sounds, and smells. Memory is a powerful part of what it means to be human. Neuroscience can explain how it works, but it's often a mystery when certain senses can set it off.   Marcel Proust - An Early 20th-century philosopher who wrote a four-volume work entitled Remembrance of Things Past after ta...