Even with the cloud partly covering the skies, our rooms on the top floor faced the lake and we were treated to amazing views of the Galilee waters, the sunrise slipping through clouds over the Golan Heights to the east, and sunbeams glimmering off the water. Most of all we loved the morning choirs of happily chirping and singing birds! They seemed to be God’s morning wake up call singing the praises of the Lord of all Creation and Salvation! We all decided that the breakfast here was even better than at the Jerusalem hotel – why? Fresh made omelets, fried eggs, and pancakes.
At 8:00 AM we bounded onto the bus and went around the north shore of the lake to the ancient, excavated Capernaum. This was the home of Peter (of which the foundations still are visible), the headquarters of Jesus’ Galilee based ministry (probably at Peter’s home), and the site of many healings and teachings by Jesus. Here Jesus called the fishermen to come and fish for people. One of the most impressive sites here is the Synagogue of Capernaum. The black rock (basalt) foundation is of the Jewish Synagogue of Jesus’ day and built right above it in white stone was a later synagogue that Aladin said was to have served Jewish Christians – which would make it a church.
At Capernaum we proceeded to board a wooden motored boat that was made to look fishing style-like. The Sea of Galilee is actually a fresh water lake 700 feet below sea level, fed by the Jordan River coming from the Mt. Herman water shed to the north. The lake is about 12 miles long and 5 miles wide. Winds come up quickly from the NW through The Valley of the Doves. This being Sunday, we enjoyed a worship service led by Pastor Jim. We also sang and soaked up the awesome reality that we were on the waters of the Sea of Galilee! Reading about Jesus’ walking on the water in the storm out to the scared disciples, and Peter getting out of the boat, we also realized that when we keep our eyes on Jesus we don’t sink, either. We saw from the lake the shore line area where the Sermon on the Mount was spoken, where the feeding the 5,000 occurred, where the risen Lord Jesus ate fish with the disbelieving disciples, and where the risen Jesus re-commissioned Peter in an action of sacred grace – “feed my sheep”, said Jesus to Peter and to us.
We docked an hour later near ancient fishing village of Magdella (meaning ‘tower of fish’) at The Ancient Boat museum. This a Christian run ministry (Messianic Jewish kibbutz) that discovered and has preserved a fishing boat from the first century (Jesus’ time, so this is sometimes called ‘the Jesus boat’). There is a great multi-visual presentation as well as the actual preserved boat for us to see. The gift shop here was a real hit with many of us. What a glorious start to our Sunday of worship and re-creation in the Galilee!
We returned to northern shore of Galilee to view the Mount of Beatitudes Church, another striking Barluzzi design. This is an active Catholic ministry and Mass was to be conducted soon, so we were able to walk the beautifully landscaped grounds on this hillside sloping down to the lake. We also had time for prayer and meditation. The slope of the hill was a natural kind of amphitheatre, and with Jesus down at the water, his voice bounces up in a way that hundreds can hear each word, as recorded in The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Just a short five minutes to the east by bus is the small black basalt structure right on the shore called The Primacy of St. Peter Chapel. Catholic priests from all over the world were celebrating Mass at outdoor areas as well as in the main sanctuary. The power of this site is the post-resurrection moment when Jesus appears on the shore and calls for the disciples to through the nets on the other side of the boat. At his word they pull in 153 fish, and realize their master is indeed risen as he said he would! They have fish breakfast and then Jesus three times asks Peter, ‘Do you love me? – feed my sheep’. A German artist sculptured a statue that dramatically captures this great gift of grace.
Leaving the ancient Jewish territory, we drive past Capernaum and over to east side of lake, into the Gentile Decapolis (ten cities) area of NT times. We stopped at the ancient site of Kursi, This is where Jesus had both courage to enter this ‘defiled’ area and compassion for all humans possessed by sin and disease. Jesus showed his power over Satan by exorcizing from the Geresene the demons and they entered the herd of pigs that ran into the sea and were killed. While the healed man was so thankful to Jesus, the townspeople were furious at their financial loss – so what has changed over all the centuries!? We bussed five more miles further to a kibbutz for lunch. There most of us ordered St. Peter’s fish and it was great – eyeballs, scales and all. It is so called because Jesus directed Peter to pull in a fish that had swallowed a coin with which Peter could pay the required Temple tax – showing how God provides Matthew 17). Returning through the Kursi area we stopped to see the remains of the Byzantine Christian monastery and church (400’s) and the cave area where the demoniac lived prior to Jesus’ exorcism.
We concluded this wonderful Sunday by driving around the south end of the lake to where the Jordan River continues its trek south towards the Dead Sea. Here we conducted a renewal of Holy Baptism, splashing the water onto our heads and hearing the good words that we are cleansed, forgiven, and accepted forever as Children of God for Jesus’ sake! This area of cement ramps down to the river side was filled with Christians from all over the world! We heard and saw Nigerians, Italians, Germans, Polish, Canadians, Americans, and more! This was a real sense of disciples of all nations that Jesus commissioned his followers to pursue.
In His Service,
Randy
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