Israel – Day 4
Today was all about Jesus, experiencing his world and his ministry. We could not have asked for better weather. It was in the 70s and sunny.
We began this morning visiting the Mount of Beatitudes, the traditional spot where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. Because of clues in the text, and it being a logical place for a crowd to gather, the side of this mountain between Capernaum and Magdala is likely the place where he delivered the sermon The Bridge is in the middle of studying right now. The beauty of the greenery on the side of this mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee was breathtaking, and we enjoyed hearing the beatitudes read and repeating Jesus’ model prayer together.From there, we traveled a little ways down the road to Capernaum. Capernaum might be my favorite place in Israel. It seemed to have been Jesus’. Matthew said that when Jesus began his ministry, he moved from Nazareth to Capernaum. It was here that he met most of his disciples and called them to follow him. He taught in 
the synagogue here often and healed many. This was Jesus’ home town. Here, there is a 4th century synagogue that is remarkably preserved. But underneath, there are excavations of the very synagogue that Jesus taught in, and the podium from which he taught. The place gives me the chills! And just a few steps away, across the street, there is a home that many archeologists believe was the very home of the Apostle Peter! The ruins of Capernaum are an amazing place for contemplation and study.
We then visited the grounds of the traditional place where Jesus’ fed the 5,000. There’s no way to know if this was the actual place, but there is a very early Christian church excavated on this site (and now covered by a modern church) where a large rock is the centerpiece, that many believe was used by Jesus as a make-shift table to set the boy’s lunch on when he blessed and multiplied the loaves and fish. We then went to a nearby restaurant and ate bread and fresh local fish.After lunch, we set sail on the Sea of Galilee and spent special time worshiping and contemplating the time Jesus spent on this lake, teaching and talking with his disciples, and performing miracles like calming the storm and walking on the water. This was the favorite, for many.
We then travelled south to the Jordan River, where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Junior and I had a blast immersing a couple of dozen eager participants in the chilly winter water. One woman had never had her head under water before, and has always been terrified to be immersed. But this was the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized, and she did it. My last baptism of the day was my own son, Junior. He had been baptized as a young boy, but barely remembers it and wanted to renew it here, in the Jordan River.The day ended with a life-long dream of mine. When I was in seminary, I learned of a 1st century fishing boat, just like the boat Peter, Andrew, James and John fished from, and one that Jesus sailed in many times, that was found peeking through the mud and sand on the shore of Galilee just a hundred yards from where I am writing these words. It took archeologists 9 years to salvage the boat from being lost to decay as they soaked it in a special solution and dried it with preservation techniques. 
It was finally put on display in a special museum and historians and archeologists from around the world flocked here to see it. Finally, this afternoon, I walked into the room where it was on display. Immediately, in my minds eye I could see Jesus sleeping in its bow in the middle of a storm, and the disciples frantically bailing water and working to stay afloat. It may not have been this boat, but this boat was, at the least, on the water nearby when that happened.Jesus was real! He lived and did ministry, loved people and taught them, all right here. And much of it within a short walk of where we are staying tonight.But not only was he real, he is real. He is alive and active today, doing work in the hearts of people through his church. A bigger thrill than visiting Jesus’ homeland, is being part of his body, his church, commissioned with his Gospel, to carry on what he came to accomplish!