Andy at Israel - Back in the USA

You probably can't tell but that is NYC in the distance.  Yes, I am back in the USA safe and sound and on my way home.  Our guide in Israel (Mick) 

said Jerusalem traffic is bad but nothing beats I-95 over the George Washington Bridge at rush hour!  It's nice to be home.  I can read the billboards and street signs again, but I will miss the relatively warm temperatures of Israel.  What is all this white stuff on the ground??!!  It doesn't look like Manna - I guess I'm not in Israel anymore.  

Thank you for following the blog as I have tried to share this experience with all of you.  In the days and weeks to come I might post more pictures and reflections so check back in the future. 

Your prayers have been a blessing to me, your love and support an even greater one!  My faith has been enriched and my understanding of God, his chosen people and his Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, forever strengthened.  

I have ended these posts with the word Shalom which means more than peace, it means the fullness of God's peace and the abundance of life that God has for us in this world and that is what I have experienced his week as I have walked in the footsteps of Jesus.  

May the knowledge that God walks in our footsteps every day and in every way bring us all Shalom!  

Shalom!

Andy at Israel - Joy!

Today was a day filled with joy and sorrow.  It began early with a walk around the old city during some free time.  How fun to walk the entire city north to south and east to west.  

We then went to the Mt. of Olives for some spectacular views and pictures of the old city.  What Joy!  

Our next stop was the holocaust museum.  It was a difficult tour.  I had to keep telling myself that all of this happened just 70+ years ago.  How in the world could all those atrocities have happened?  But then I had to ask myself how many atrocities are happening today that we don't hear about or do nothing about?  Man's ability to dehumanize, torture and kill others is what brings sorrow.  

The day and in many ways our tour and my time In. the holy land ended where it should, at the Garden Tomb, another possible location for the resurrection of Jesus. 

After dinner we head to the airport for the long journey home. This has been an anamazing  experience in countless ways. I've learned so much about the stories of the Bible, the political landscape of this land, the life and teaching of Jesus and along the way had fun riding a camel, floating on the Dead Sea and eating outstanding food.   

Most of all I feel blessed. Blessed to have a church family that cared so much for me that they sent me here, blessed to have the opportunity to share a little of what I have experienced here in the years to come and blessed to see things that solidify and deepen my faith.  We are all blessed because God chose to create is and draw us to himself and when we turn away in our sin, we are blessed that God sent His Son Jesus to live and die and RISE AGAIN to bring us life abundant and life eternal. What Joy!

Shalom!  

Andy at Israel - The Final Day

Our last full day in Jerusalem was spent walking in the footsteps of Jesus' last day.  We began our day near where Jesus would have been condemned to die and then began our journey down (or up) the Via Dolorosa.  

At the location where we commemorate Jesus taking up his cross there is a chapel that has as part of its floor the original roman road that Jesus would have walked.  There are still the grooves made by chariots and carvings in the stone that could have been the soldiers playing a game while beating Jesus.  

It is overwhelming to think that we are touching such a powerful piece of history.  Was this made the day Jesus died as soldiers mocked him and beat him?  While there is no way to know for sure, it is certainly a possibility.  The location is just right according to where the Bible says Jesus was taken and beaten and then travelled on.  

The road itself rises through the city as we make our way to what would have been Golgotha.  The streets are narrow and some are empty while others are a busy market - probably the same in Jesus day, althought since it was Passover and the city was crowded, there probably where not many empty streets.  

The road ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which sits upon what was Golgotha.  The church is massive and as you enter you climb steep stairs to the altar that sits on the top of the mountain.  You are able to kneel under the altar and place your hand down a hole and touch the acutal rock of the mountian.  It is here that we believe Jesus was crucified.  Again, there is not much time to linger as the lines are long, but as I placed my hand on the rock the only words that came to me were, "Thank You Jesus!"  

(FYI, that is not me under the altar but the cousin of a friend of mine from High School.  He and his family are from a church in Pittsburg and were on our bus.  It is a small world!)  

Within this huge church is a chapel divided into two rooms.  (The chapel is behind me).

 

The first room is an anteroom called the chapel of the angel.  (Here are candels burning in the chapel.)

And then you enter into what could be the tomb of Jesus.  No pictures are allowed in this site, but as I ran my hands over what could have been where Jesus laid I ried to imagine both his body lying there on Friday and then the empty linens there 3 days later.  No words came this time.  Just awe, wonder, amazement.  

After lunch and walking up and down the city streets again (and thinking how easy it would be to get lost...) we journeyed to the Western Wall.  Both times I have been there now it has been raining and cold so we didn't stay long, but to have another chance to pray as I laid my hands on the wall of the Temple, a wall that would have been the back wall of the Holy of Holies was simply incredible.  

There was more to this day that I will share later, but you can see that our final day was incredibly full.  Sometimes I wished we had more time to listen, look, think, share and reflect and my guess is that on Jesus' final day he wished he had more time too.

Shalom!

Andy at Israel - Prayers

To my family at Faith Church,

Every day as I see the red yarn and the prayer shawl I am reminded of your prayers for me.  Yesterday as I sat in the cave of the shepherds I lit a candle and prayed for all of you.  Your candle is the second one from the right.  

May God bless you this day as you gather for worship and continue to seek the reality of God's presence and power in your life.  

Shalom!

Andy at Israel - Bethlehem

And there were in that same country shepherds who were living in the feild keeping watch over their flocks by night.  (Luke 2:8)

A painting in the church at Shepherd's field.

Today we visited that shepherds' field.  It's not too far from Bethlehem but it would have been a hike up and down the hillsides.  In fact everything in the region of Bethlehem and Jerusalem requires you to go up and down the hillsides and when I say hillsides I mean steep rugged terrain.  

Here I am standing in the lower part of the shepherds' field looking out toward Jerusalem.  The cities are very close together.  That's one of the things you can't really understand until you visit here, some things are very close together while other things seem very far apart.  

We also visisted the Church of the Nativity where I was able to put my hand on the rock that marks the floor of the cave where Jesus is said to be born, but the grotto is small and the lines are LONG so they usher you in and out quickly.  I was thankful that we had more time in the fields where, like the shepherds, we got to reflect on the reality of Jesus birth in Bethlehem.  

From the beginning of Jesus life we jumped to the end with a visit to tthe House of Caiaphas where Jesus was tried and perhaps jailed before being sent back to Pilate.  We sat in the chuch which would be where Jesus was questioned by the religious leders and then we went to the dungeon and sat in a small carved out cell and heard these words:

O Lord, God of salvation, when at night I cry out in your presence, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry.  For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near to death.  I am counted among those who go down to the Pit.  Psalm 88:1-4  (Read the rest of the psalm and think about it being a prayer of Jesus from a dungeon on the night that he was arrested - it's powerful.)

This is looking up from the bottom of the pit.  

While much of the ancient history comes alive as we walk these roads and visit these sights, the reality of present day Israel is felt as well.  It's interesting hearing the Muslim call to prayer while watching Orthodox Jews walk the streets at the close of the Sabbath.  There is deep poverty we see all around and the reality of a people divided by a wall.  I'm reminded again of the words of Jesus, who wept over Jerusalem saying, "If you had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! " (Luke 19:42)

May this coming Sabbath be a day when we might stop and consider all those things that bring us peace.  May this coming Sabbath be a day when we will stop and recognize that Christ is still with us to bring us peace.

Shalom!

Andy at Israel - Meggido

One of the most interesting places we visited today was Meggido.  The small mound stands at the crossroads of the ancient roads that connected the lands of the North and the South (Babylon and Egypt).  Becuse of it's strategic location many wars have been fought here and the Bible says it will be the location of the final war - the Battle ofArmageddon.  

What blew me away was seeing gates that dated back to King David 

and walking through a water system underground that was constructed by King Ahab.  

Hard to imagine looking out over the valley thinking that King David looked out at this same view!  

Over my left shoulder is Nazareth where we visisted a well where Mary and Jesus would have gone to get water and then walked through the city streets to the church of the Annunciation.  it was a taste of the ancient and the modern as we made our way through the streets and markets of Nazareth and our guide even stopped and treated us to some "Old City Pizza".  It was still morning but it was delicious.  

The other ancient site we visisted today was the city of Caesarea along the Mediterranean  Sea.  Again it was amazing to see structures that are being completely rebuilt with ancient stones found during excavation.  The history was fascinating and the views of the Med. Sea absolutely gorgeous.  (The picture below is a panoramic view of the Sea - I hope it looks ok once posted. )  

Our day ended in Jerusalem where we will stay for the rest of the trip.  I'm sorry I won't have any more sunrise pictures, my room here overlooks a courtyard with the Olive Tree for which the Hotel is named.  Right now there is a LARGE Jewish banquet going on and the men can really sing!!  (At times it sounds more like a PSU basketball game)   Sundown marked the beginning of the Sabbath so we saw many people dressed for the synagogue and there is one elevator in the hotel dedicated to Jews who observe the Sabbath - you don't have to push any buttoms - it simply runs all the time and stops on every floor.  

This is a fascinating trip with so much ancient history, personal faith reflections and the experience of a very different culture.  It all adds shape and depth and texture to what it means for me to have a relationship with God.

Shalom!

Andy at Israel - Bokor Tov

Bokor Tov!  Good Morning!  Another beautiful morning on the Sea of Galilee.  We leave here today and make our way to Jerusalem.  We will stop in Bethlehem, Nazareth and Cana so it will be a full day.  

Shalom!

Andy at Israel - Around the Sea of Galilee

What a beautiful day and what a beautiful region.  The sun rose over the Golan Heights which is on the east side of the Sea of Gallilee and I had to ask myself, how many times did Jesus watch that same sunrise?  

I thought about Jesus going up into the hills before dark to pray and sitting there talking to his Father as the sun brought a new day and may a new vision for  The Son.  (See Mark 1:35-39)

Our first stop was just a short distance away where we boarded boats and headed out onto the Sea of Galilee.  The waters were calm, the sun warm and we listened to the stories of Jesus travelling and sailing on these very waters.  While there weren't any storms and none of us tried walking on water, I thought about that night when Jesus rescued his disciples.  Being on the Sea has added some depth to my thoughts of that story (and many others). 

After we landed we headed to the Mt. of Beatitudes and looked out over the fields where Jesus taught and refelcted on the words of Jesus sermon on the mount.  From there it was to Tahgba where Jesus fed the 5,000 with 5 loave and 2 fish and then on to Capernaum which was amazing.  To think that Jesus could have touched some of these very stones and to see the size and scope of the village brought many stories to life.  

After lunch we travelled through the Golan Heights along the eastern shore of the Sea and made our way to the Jordan River.  The waters were calm and still and I was able to walk out alone along a stretch of a path to a bend in the river and just think about how Jesus must have wandered that same route maybe going out to listen to John the Baptist preach.  As I looked up at the beauty of the hillsides and heard the birds in the air I thought how ordinary it was and yet how "holy".  The thought came to me, God in the flesh walked these woods and even entered into this very river.  

I'm now back at the hotel and find myself mesmerized by the view.  The rugged terrain of the Golan Heights, the stillness of the waters, the haze in the sky, the sound of "life" going on all around... just as it was 2,000 years ago.  And just like 2,000 years ago, God is in the midst of it all and I wonder if we really take notice.

Shalom!  

Andy at Israel - Andy IN Israel!

Good evening from Tiberias, Israel!  The trip from Bellefonte began about 2:00 Tuesday afternoon and after a 4 hour ride from Lewisubrg to JFK Airport in New York and a 10.5 hour flight from NY to Tel Aviv and a 2 hour bus ride to Tiberias, I finally arrived here about 8:00 Wednesday evening (1:00 Wed Afternoon in PA).   ALL the travel was smooth as could be and I was able to sleep quite a bit on the plane.  

The plane carried many Orthodox Jews and it was fascinating to watch them get ready for and then enter into their times of prayers.  It reminded me that this is truly a "holy" land full of religous rites and pracitces for Jews, Christians and Muslims.  While our society seems to want to take the practice of religion out of the public culture - here it is very much part of the culture.  

As you can see, the prayer shawl and red thread made the trip as well.  They remind me of your prayers and our connection in Chirst despite the distance.  I continue to be blessed by walking in faith with all of you.

Since we arrived after dark, I really haven't seen much yet, but I am excited for tomorrow morning because my room will have a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee! Just beyond that row of lights and trees is the Sea!  

Since we have to be up early I am hoping to see the sunrise over the water and will look forward to sharing those pictures tomorrow.  

Tomorrow we will not only sail on the Sea but visit the site of Jesus' baptism.  Both of these events mark new beginnings: a new beginning for the disciples as they left their boats and followed Jesus and a new beginning for Jesus as he entred into public ministry and began to preach and teach about the Kingdom of God.  May tomorrow be a new beginning for all of as we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and the words of Jesus to lead us.   

Shalom from Israel!

Andy at Israel - Now just waiting...

Finally read the holy land study guide so I feel more ready than ever to start the trip.  

One thing that struck me as I read is how small an area this is - 75 miles from Tiberius to Jerusalem.  In some locations major events took place just a few miles apart. It will be interesting to see things from that perspective.  

It's also interesting that in such a small area there is so much diversity of land: snow capped mountains (Mt. Hermon at 9,230 ft above sea level) to the lowest spot on earth above water (the Dead Sea at 1,300 ft. below sea level).  There is an arid wilderness, lush river fed valleys, rolling hills and vast lakes.  The land itself tells a story and I look forward to seeing and hearing that story in the days to come.  

All packed and ready to go, now just waiting....  

Shalom!

Andy at Israel - Prayers for the Trip

What a send off!!  Thank you all so much for your presence in worship today and for your continued prayers.   I hope you know that as you see your "red threads" these next 2 weeks and will be thinking and praying for me, I will see mine and be thinking and praying for you.  I want to thank Tina, David, Dan and Darla for organizing the prayer time and giving us all a physical reminder of God's powerful presence with us and the bond that unites us in Christ no matter where we 

I also want to thank you all for your words of love and support as I begin my journey.  It is humbling for me to know that this journey is bringing you as much joy as it is bringing me.  I hope I will be able to add to that joy by sharing the experience when I return.  

As I reflect on your joy for my journey it dawned on me that this is how we should feel toward one another in our journey of faith.  Each one of us should be filled with joy when we see others come to know the love of God and begin a journey of faith that will forever change them.  Every time someone takes another step that helps them discovery God's will and experience God's grace we should celebrate together and give thanks to God.  Maybe this is what Jesus was talking about when he said that there is joy in heaven when one lost sheep is found.  Angels shouldn't be the only ones rejoicing as others walk and grow in faith - we should be rejoicing with them and with one another.  My hope is that we would be able to keep this kind of joy alive for years to come as we watch one another experience the fullness of God's love and grace and as we journey together with Christ.  

You will be glad to know that I am writing this blog post with all the technology I will have on the trip, so I should be able to share the experience, keep you up to date and share some pictures each day.  Please know that with each post my thoughts and prayers will be with you and I will be thanking God for each of you and how your faith and love have made this all possible.  

Shalom!  

Andy at Israel - Jerusalem

5 days and counting…  

It was 5 months ago that the church surprised me with this trip to Israel and now it is just 5 days away.   There are a lot of emotions I am feeling about this whole experience.  I am excited to be able to see the land where so much history took place and to be able to literally walk in the footsteps of Jesus.   I’m a little nervous about the actual travel and the logistics of things like security, customs, money exchanges and yes, wondering where I will find the closest bathroom.  But most of all as I get ready to leave I am incredibly humble and thankful.   As I talk to many of you, I sense that you are as excited as I am and that outpouring of love and support is simply overwhelming.  For someone who never seems to be at a loss for words… I find myself unable to express the deep love and appreciation I have for all of you who are “with me” on this trip.  I can’t say this enough… THANK YOU.

I’ve been reading the books my sister told me to read about Galilee and Jerusalem and I have been thinking a lot about a single moment in Jesus life.  It is the day Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph riding on a donkey (what we celebrate as Palm Sunday).  I can’t wait to stand in that same place and look over the city of Jerusalem and just reflect on what that city is all about.

As Jesus saw the splendor of the beloved city and heard the crowd cheering him enthusiastically, he became aware of the approaching agony (of the cross), and suddenly tears welled up in his eyes.  “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.”  (from Luke 19:41-42)

What would bring the people of Jerusalem peace was Jesus – and they didn’t see it.  Even though they celebrated Him that day - they didn’t really see Him and the blessing of God’s love and grace He had to offer.  It makes me wonder how many times we see things that could bring us peace and yet we fail to really see it.  Maybe it’s our family or friends; maybe it’s the opportunities God has given us in life or the beauty of the world around us.  Maybe like the crowds in Jerusalem that day, it is still Jesus.   How much of God’s amazing love and grace and peace offered to us in Jesus do we just not see?  How much do we simply take for granted?

As I sail on the sea of Galilee, walk to the top of the Mt. of Beatitudes and stand on a hill overlooking the city of Jerusalem, I hope I don’t miss seeing the things that will bring peace.  I hope that I don't spend so much time looking at all the splendor and the beauty of this "holy" land that I miss seeing Jesus.

Andy at Israel - Tiberias

While in Israel we are scheduled to visit 33 sites in 7 days and as I look at the list I find myself drawn to the first 2 days when we will be in Tiberias.  

Tiberias

These days we will be sailing on the Sea of Galilee...

Sea of Galilee

and walking up to the place where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.   

Location of Jesus Sermon on the Mount

This is all in northern Galilee miles away from the city of Jerusalem.   While there is so much rich history in Jerusalem, it is this part of northern Galilee that I am most excited about and I have been wondering why.  

As I shared this observation with my sister she said, “That makes perfect sense to me.   You are not a city person.”  And she’s right, I’m not, but I think it goes deeper than that.  Most of the times and places where I felt the presence of God  most personally and powerfully have been in remote areas.  I grew up along the shoreline of Connecticut so water and beaches have always been special places for me.  

My summer working in Yellowstone National Park and the times I have spent in the mountains of Tennessee have been times and places where God has spoken to me and refreshed my spirit.  

Maybe I am most excited about Tiberius and Capernaum because I am hoping (and longing) for God to speak to me along the shores and in the mountains once more.

along the shores of Galilee

Where has God spoken to you?  What locations and settings seem to be the places where you sense God's presence, grace and power?  

I am also reminded that Jesus chose Capernaum as his home.  Of all the places Jesus could have lived on this planet – he chose Capernaum and while there were probably many strategic reasons for this (like being a religious community open to new ideas and a center of business activity that could help spread the message of a new preacher),  I also think Jesus just liked it.  I think Jesus liked seeing the water and the mountains.  I think he liked hearing the waves lapping along the shore and the birds in the air.  I think he liked being able to climb the mountains and hear the wind and feel close to His father.  

Jesus chose this area for many reasons and I’m excited to visit and see for myself what made this place, this home, His home, so special.  

Andy at Israel - Where we will stay vs. Where Jesus stayed.

While in Israel, we will be staying at two different hotels.  

Royal Plaza Hotel in Tiberias

Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem

Both of them look amazing and quite luxurious and I will be very happy to stay there, but I can't help think how vastly different they are from the kinds of places Jesus stayed while He was in these places.  It's not recorded that Jesus ever had his own home or ever stayed at an Inn (not even on the night he was born!).  Instead Jesus stayed at the homes of friends, spent nights in the wilderness and even slept in the back of a boat on the Sea of Galilee (not to mention a stable and manger).  

While we often talk about walking in the footsteps of Jesus, do we really want to walk and live among the poor like Jesus did?  Do I?  Would I still be taking this trip if I was going to be sleeping in stables and in the back of fishing boats?  

Jesus gave up the throne room of heaven to come to earth.  He gave up more splendor and glory than these two hotels combined to take on our flesh and walk among those who are poor and in need.  I hope I don't forget that as I enjoy the beauty and elegance of these places.  

~Andy

Andy at Israel - The Journey Begins

click here for an overview of the tour and the organization I will be going with

While I began this blog (Andy at Faith) as a way of sharing my sermons with others, today I am going to be adding to this and begin writing about my upcoming trip to the Holy Land (Andy at Israel).

In August, I came home from a week of vacation to a congregation that had been very busy while I was away.  After preaching a summer sermon series called "The Way - Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus," and exploring what we can learn from the different locations Jesus traveled to during his ministry, a wonderful woman came up with the idea of sending me to the Holy Land to see these locations for myself.  The idea spread and the next Sunday while I was away they announced the idea to the church and took donations.  They had enough money by the end of the day to send me to Israel, so after some plotting with my sister, the plans were set and when I arrived home and finished preaching the following Sunday they completely surprised me with an 8 day tour of Israel.  In one month I will be walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

I have often shared that one of the regrets of my life was not taking this trip when my grandmother invited me to go with her more than 25 years ago.  I was young and foolish and missed out on a trip of a lifetime... but Faith Church is helping me redeem that moment and make the trip myself.  I will not only be thinking of my grandmother during this trip, but the people of Faith Church and so I wanted to try and find a way to share the experience with them.  That is why I am am turning here to share about my journey.  It is my hope that each day I will be able to share a picture and some thoughts about where we walked that day.  Let's hope I can work through all the technology to make that happen!

Today the trip seems more real than ever because I received my itinerary, name badge and luggage tag.  So at long last... here is the list of dates and places I will be visiting.

January 28 - Travel Day leaving from JFK in New York at 11:50 PM

January 29 - Arrive in Tel-Aviv and check into the Royal Plaza Hotel in Tiberias

January 30 - Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, Mt of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Peter's house and ancient synagogue and the Baptismal site.

January 31 - Cana, Nazareth, Meggido, Caesarea and check in at the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem.

February 1 - Qumran, Jericho, and the Mt of Olives

February 2 - Bethlehem, Shepherd's field, Garden of Gethsemane, Mt Zion, Upper room and night tour of Jerusalem.

February 3 - Masada and the Dead Sea

February 4 - Western Wall, Teaching Steps, Pool of Bethseda, Via Dolorasa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and an evening at the Israel Museum and Dead Sea Scroll tour.

February 5 - Ein Kerem and the Garden Tomb and back to the Tel-Aviv Airport for a flight home.  

February 6 - Arrive in New York at 6:00 AM.

I haven't read the study guide or the Bargil Pixner books my sister bought when she took this trip and told me I should read before I go but I will and as I do I will share in more detail about the places I will be visiting and what I hope to see or experience.

There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to Faith Church for making this all possible.  I hope that by taking you with me (so to say) you will be able to share in the blessing you have given to me.  

What a way to begin the New Year!

Shalom!