Necessary prayer for those working in the local church

Psalm 27:4–6 (NLT)

4 The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.

5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come;he will hide me in his sanctuary.He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me.At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,singing and praising the Lord with music.

-Amen

Holy Land Pilgrimage: February 8th – 18th, 2010

Well, the trip is finally over. I could write and talk for days on all that we experienced. For now, the best way I know to summarize what this trip did to me is to say, “Before I came here, I read the Bible in black and white. Now I see it in color.”

This is a quick chronological listing of the places we visited each day of our trip.

Day 1: February 9^th 2010 (Tuesday)

Tel Aviv

Joppa/Joffa (Jonah 1)

· Simon the Tanner’s House (Acts 10)

Day 2: February 10^th, 2010 (Wednesday)

Caesarea Maritima

· Paul’s last days before being sent to Rome (Acts 25)

Aqueduct

Mt. Carmel

· Jezreal Valley

· Valley of Armageddon (Rev 16.16)

· Elijah and the Prophets of Ball (1 Kings 18)

Megiddo

Mt. Tabor

· Site of the Transfiguration (Matt 17, 2 Pet 1)

Checked in at kipputz (hotel in a commune community) on the Sea of Galilee

Day 3: February 11^th, 2010 (Thursday)

Boat ride on Sea of Galilee

· From Genessaret (Matt 14.34) to Capernaum

Site of demon-possessed man/pigs (Luke 8.26, ff)

Capernaum (Matt 4.12)

· Peter’s mother-in-law’s house

· Synagogue of Jesus’ day

Mount of Beatitudes (Matt 5-7)

· Site of sermon on the mount

Chorazin (Matt 11)

Tiberius

Baptism in the Jordan River (Luke 3.21, ff)

Site where Christ reinstated Peter (John 21)

Site of the Multiplication (Jesus feeds 5000; Matthew 14)

Day 4: February 12^th, 2010 (Friday)

Tree Planting

Cana

· Site of the First Miracle (John 2)

Nazareth

· Church of the Annunciation (Luke 1)

· Church of the Synagogue (Luke 4.16, ff)

Bet She’an (“House of Light;” “The Decapolis” in Matt 4.25)

Drove through West Bank toward Jerusalem

Arrived at Jerusalem

· Mt. of Olives

Day 5: February 13^th, 2010 (Saturday)

Mt. of Olives

· Church of the Ascension (Acts 1)

· Pater Nostre (where Jesus taught the disciples the Lord’s Prayer; Luke 11)

Dominis Flavit (where Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem)

Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26)

Walked through the Kidron Valley

· Tomb of Absalom (2 Sam 13)

· Tomb of Zecheriah

City of David

Site where Solomon is anointed

· Spring of Gihon

Pool of Silom

On top of Mt. Zion

· High Priest’s palace

· Dungeon where Jesus kept

· Place of Jesus’ late night “trial”

· Where Peter denies Christ (Mk 14)

Bethlehem (In the West Bank)

· Church of the Nativity

· Shepherd’s Field (where the angel announced to the shepherds; Luke 2)

· Shopping in Bethlehem

Day 6: February 14^th, 2010 (Sunday)

Church at St. George’s Episcopal Church

Church of the Holy Sepulcher (where Jesus was crucified and resurrected; John 20)

Shopping in the Old City of Jerusalem

Day 7: February 15^th, 2010 (Monday)

Wailing/Western/Retaining Wall

· Entered through the “Dung Gate”

Mount Moriah

· Temple Mount

· Site where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac (Gen 22)

· Dome of the Rock

Stephen’s Gate/Lion’s Gate (Acts 7)

Pool of Bethesda (John 5)

Via Delarosa

· The Stations of the Cross (the path Jesus took on Good Friday; John 19)

· Ended at Church of Holy Sepulcher (site of crucifixion and resurrection; John 19-20)

Mt. Zion

· Church of St. Anne (mother of Mary)

· The Upper Room (Matt 26, Acts 2)

· Tomb of King David

Israeli Museum

· Scale replica of Jerusalem during the 2^nd Temple Period

· Dead Sea Scrolls

Day 8: February 16^th, 2010 (Tuesday)

Masada

Qumran

Swimming in the Dead Sea

Day 9: February 17^th, 2010 (Wednesday)

Birthplace of John the Baptist

Israeli National Holocaust Museum

Garden Tomb

· We closed the touring portion of our trip with communion at the Garden Tomb

I’m better now

I told you I’d get over my grumpiness. 

We went back to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher today, and I decided to give my Christian Brother (the Greek Orthodox priest) a hug.  It really freaked him out, but he did smile really big afterward.  It made me feel better.

Jesus was right: be nice.

Today, we walked the Via Delarosa (the Way of the Cross).  It was powerful.  Extremely Powerful.  We also went to the Upper Room, where the Last Supper was and where the Spirit came on Pentecost to start the church.  Again, more powerful than I could have anticipated.

Tomorrow, we go to the Dead Sea and Qumran (where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls).  We saw the scrolls today in a museum.

Put up some new pics.  See you all soon!

the grateful pilgrim,
-bill

Religion in Jerusalem Stinks

I’m annoyed, but I’ll get over it.

Herein lies my childish commentary on Religion in the City of Jerusalem: it stinks.

Really, religion anywhere stinks. But, its smell is especially bad in what has potential to be the holiest of all places on earth.

Don’t get me wrong: I am thoroughly enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime experience in the Holy Land. But, I was enjoying it much more when we were in Galilee. There, it was peaceful, green, quiet…a place where one feels he can connect with God. Experiencing both places (Galilee first and now “the city”—Jerusalem) I have an even deeper respect for Jesus’ determination to finish what he started by leaving that paradise and going to this pit (Luke 9.51).

First, the Jews

They are probably the smallest of the problems—at least they are for me. Today, though, one of the Jewish vendors did call me a “liar” and told me to “hit the road, Jack!” because I told him I had a meeting to get to in the Christian Quarter at 11 o’clock. I was being honest, so he must have sensed my complete lack of interest in the junk he was peddling.

I guess we won’t be eating pork chop sandwiches together now. Oh well. Jesus still loves him. I think he’s a jerk, but Jesus loves him.

I am bothered by the Zionist movement—even more so after visiting here. I see myself writing (or ranting, take your pick) on that topic later. (With apologies to my Baptist/dispensational friends, of course.)

For the Jews, I feel more sorrow than anything. They eagerly wait on the Messiah, yet they wait for nothing. Our tour guide (a semi-devout Jew from my perspective) explained to us that Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah because “he was only a man.” I wanted to talk to him about Hebrews 2.17-18 or Paul’s explanation of “ekenosen” (ἐκένωσεν, Phil 2.7), but I doubt that it would do much good.

(1 Cor 1.23, NLT)
“So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.”

The Muslims

The most offensive and repulsing group of people I’ve met. I’m not saying that because we have differing beliefs. People disagree with me every day. I don’t mind: you can be wrong if you want.

I don’t like these people though; they’re mean. I can love them because Jesus tells me to, but I don’t have to like them.

Everything they do is spiteful. The world calls Christianity close-minded while the Muslim world spray paints our buildings, defaces our crosses, and openly and officially (by religious mandate) degrades all “infidels” with personal attacks irrespective of individual morality or basic humanity. I can respect a Jew, Buddhist, or even a Muslim if he’s a respectful man: provides for his family, calls his momma on the phone, and cheers for the Colts. But, we simply don’t see open-minded love coming out of this community.

For example, the Jews have a cemetery on the Mount of Olives to eagerly await the coming Messiah. The Muslims planted their own cemetery mirrored across the Kidron Valley, just outside the eastern gate to Jerusalem. Not because they need the space, but because they think by “defiling” this ground, it will prevent the Messiah from coming back into the city. For that same reason, Muslim rulers in the 7^th Century sealed the Golden Gate shut.

Whatever. Jesus and Chuck Norris can just step over your sealed gate.

Perhaps most offensive is the massive tumor on the city—the Dome of the Rock. Built over the site of the Jewish Temple, it stands as a flagrant middle finger in the face of Jews and Christians. At the risk of sounding immature, I want to say: “We got there first! Go somewhere else.” (Yes, I know the Jews are probably telling us the same thing, but I admitted up front I was immature.)

Oh well. The Bible says the Messiah will come back and split the city in two. Let’s hope it happens over the dome of the rock.

Zechariah 14:4–9 (NLT)
⁴ On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south.⁵ You will flee through this valley... Then the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones with him.⁶ On that day the sources of light will no longer shine,⁷ yet there will be continuous day! Only the Lord knows how this could happen…⁹ And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.

Amen.

The Christians

In all respects, they are the most malignant group in the city. At least in relation to me, which is really all that matters here.

Specifically, I’m talking about the Eastern Orthodox thugs who dominate the Christian Holy sites. They assume ownership of places like the birthplace of Jesus, the site of the crucifixion, and the tomb. This bothers me for several reasons:

1. They’re gaudy.

• How in the world have we moved from the simplicity of a Jewish carpenter dying on a cross to incense, robes, icons, and hanging chandelier lamps?
• It’s disgusting, and I mean that in Christian love of course.

2 Corinthians 11:3 (NASB95)
³ But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

2. They’re mean.

• They yell, shove, and pound on the nearest donation box if you step out of line or break one of their rules when attempting to venerate a site holy to all of Christendom.

John 17:21 (NLT)
²¹ I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—
as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.
And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

3. They’re wrong.

• They own the place, and they have the power. Just ask them. They’ll tell you.
  • Well, what about the rest of the Jesus-believing, Bible-reading, bacon-eating world Christ died for?
• How does a hairy guy in black robes outrank me or any of my sisters/brothers in Christ when it comes to worshiping at the Foot of the Cross?
  • He doesn’t.

Philippians 2:2 (NLT)
² Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly
with each other, loving one another,
and working together with one mind and purpose.

1 Timothy 2:8 (NLT)
⁸ In every place of worship, I want men to pray
with holy hands lifted up to God,
free from anger and controversy.

My problem here is a Christian reproduction of the very same religious thinking Jesus came to nuke. It was wrong 2000 years ago, and it’s still wrong today.

Case in Point:

• A Muslim holds the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher because the bickering Christian factions would lock each other out if one gained dominating control.
• Muslim police patrol the very same church to maintain good order and obedience to the schedule amongst Christian brothers.

I think a Christian Alexander the Great would have something to say to those calling themselves Christians yet attempting to rule religiously:

“Change your behavior or change your name.”

OK, I’m done.

In the past, I’ve been critical of the Crusades and the Crusaders’ general lack of Jesus-like decision-making skills. But, being here, walking through the city, seeing the immense disrespect and blasphemy thrown at the Living God makes me reconsider.

I wonder how I’d get caught up in the “holy wars” if I lived during the 11^th or 12^th century. I’d probably end up being a Crusader if Jesus hadn’t already told me it was a bad idea. Something about turning the other cheek…blessed are the peacemakers….

My conclusion? I love Jesus, but I don’t like this city. I can do without it.

By the Grace of God go I,
-bill

Still Here

I'm still here, loving this experience. I'm half-way through a ranting blog about religion in the "Old City" (original Jerusalem), but I'm in danger of missing supper if I don't hurry. So, maybe tomorrow.

I did upload a lot of new pictures though.

By the Grace of God go I,
-bill

Israel, so far

As many of you know, I’m in Israel right now on a 10-day pilgrimage. I can’t begin to describe my excitement, nor will I ever be able to fully relay all that I’ve learned and experienced over here.

What this trip does for your faith—what it’s done for my faith--is indescribable.

We went to Joppa (Jonah 1; Acts 10) in Tel Aviv as soon as we landed. There we saw, “according to the tradition” (AttT; I’ll explain this at church as need arrives), the house of Simon the Tanner.

We spent the last two nights at Gennesaret (Matthew 14.34; cf. Dt 3). Yesterday started with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. That was an event I couldn’t have anticipated in my wildest dreams. Feeling the water splash up on my face as our group sang, “How Great Thou Art” brought tears to my eyes. It made Peter’s incident with Jesus outside the boat so much more vivid (Matt 14.22, ff)

We landed at Capernaum (Matt 4.13: Jesus’ home town) and spent the next two days touring the area of Galilee. Quick list of all that I can remember:

• 1st Century Capernaum synagogue; aka: Jesus’ church
• Golan Heights
• Tiberius
• Caesarea Maritima (Acts 10.1)
  
• Mt. Carmel (Elijah & the prophets of Baal)
• Valley of Armageddon (Rev 16.16)
  
• Megiddo
• Chorazin (Mt 11.somewhere...)
  
• Nazareth (John 1.46) :=)
  
• Cana (John 2; site of the first miracle)
• Mt. Tabor (Mark 9; site of the Transfiguration; AttT)
• Church of the Annunciation (1 of the first 4 Christian churches ever built)
• Site of the Multiplication (feeding the 5 thousand; AttT)
• Church/site of the Beatitudes/Sermon on the Mount (AttT)
• Drove through the West Bank on our way south to Jerusalem

Those are in no particular order, and I probably forgot half of what we’ve done so far. We go nonstop all day, so there is way too much to recall off the top of my head. I'm trying to type this as quickly as I can b/c I'm running out of prepaid internet time...

Not much more time to write right now, so I’ll update as I’m available. We go into the “Old City” (original Jerusalem) tomorrow.

-a happy pilgrim

Question on Sermon from 2.7.2010 (Forgiveness)

http://www.billmesaeh.com/sermons.html

-Question-

Pastor Bill,

In your sermon today you made it a point to say that the forgiveness being referenced in scripture was between believers. Does that mean if someone hurt you and wasn't a believer than you don't have to forgive them? [..........................] I don't understand this whole forgiveness thing; I have struggled with the concept for a very long time. Thought that after I became a Christian I had to forgive which I've yet to do and it's often made me feel like a "bad Christian." You were very correct this morning in stating that holding onto that pain and maintaining grudges makes for a very bitter person. I don't like to consider myself bitter but I'm getting there. The way in which you explained forgiveness this morning, is that the way that it is depicted throughout the Bible? I'm not looking for an excuse to not forgive, I'm just seeking to understand. The example in the Bible In Matthew 18 is only about money. Forgiving someone of a monetary debt pales in comparison to forgiving a murderer or a child abuser. I know that sin doesn't exist on levels or rather one sin is not worse than another in God's eyes but in my humanness I can not fathom how there couldn't be a difference. I'm not sure if I struggle with forgiving God or people. Forgiveness is one of those topics that usually takes hearing a sermon about to give any sincere thought. If you provide a little more clarification on exactly what God wants, I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

[..........................]

-Response-

.............,

Good points and questions on forgiveness.

In Short—are you a bad Christian because you struggle with forgiveness? No. You’re normal. If it weren’t difficult, Jesus wouldn’t have addressed it. But, you are limited in your happiness as long as you carry that burden (which you already admitted).

Sorry that I don’t have time to give you a thorough response before I take off for Israel, but I wanted to touch on it briefly. You question some of the very same things I do. [..........................]. Loving them [the enemy] in the sense that many of us think of love was unimaginable—especially if it meant granting unconditional forgiveness. Biblically, however, I don’t believe that’s what is required.

First: [directly from your question on the sermon] The reference/context of money in Matthew 18 does not in any way mean that this applies only to situations involving money. It was just a medium for Jesus to use to communicate his truth: forgiveness between brothers should be unconditional. Which leads to your next question:

Second: No, this story doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have to forgive nonbelievers. But, it most definitely does not mean that you have to. Remember—the context was only between believers.

This single story isn’t deep enough to fully answer your struggles.

Third: Restoring fellowship in this story (Matthew 18) was predicated on sincere repentance (18.15) of the offender. If they didn’t repent, church discipline (rather than blind forgiveness) was required (18.16-17). The intent of all this: never ban someone from fellowship if they still want to be a member of the church. Insofar as it is up to you, grant the forgiveness necessary to maintain fellowship.

Check out Romans 12.17-21 (esp. 18—notice how many conditionals are in that sentence alone!).

Fourth: Levels of crime/forgiveness—Yes, someone stealing $20 is easier to forgive than the murder or child molester. No doubt.

I think more relevant here is Jesus’ orders that we love our enemies/pray for our persecutors (Matthew 5.44). It is at this point that we [..........................] struggle the most. In the interest of time (which I am out of), it’s probably best to direct you to CS Lewis’ comments on that issue. He will always be able to say it better than me. Reading him write on this issue thoroughly helped me wrestle with exactly how I am supposed to love my neighbor.

--If you only have time for one paragraph, be sure to read the last one from below.--

Hit me up when I get back if you want to chat about this more. Again, I apologize that I can’t respond better right now. Thank you so much for throwing that question out there though. I think many people (if we’re honest) struggle with this issue.

I’m going to sanitize this for anonymity and throw it up on the blog to see what kind of discussion we get.

[From CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity]

Book 3

Christian Behaviour

7. Forgiveness

I said in a previous chapter that chastity was the most unpopular of the Christian virtues. But I am not sure I was right. I believe there is one even more unpopular. It is laid down in the Christian rule, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' Because in Christian morals 'thy neighbor' includes 'thy enemy', and so we come up against this terrible duty of forgiving our enemies.

Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive, as we had during the war. And then, to mention the subject at all is to be greeted with howls of anger. It is not that people think this too high and difficult a virtue: it is that they think it hateful and contemptible. 'That sort of talk makes them sick,' they say. And half of you already want to ask me, 'I wonder how you'd feel about forgiving the Gestapo if you were a Pole or a Jew?'

So do I. I wonder very much. Just as when Christianity tells me that I must not deny my religion even to save myself from death by torture, I wonder very much what I should do when it came to the point. I am not trying to tell you in this book what I could do — I can do precious little — I am telling you Christianity is. I did not invent it. And there, right in the middle of it, I find 'Forgive us our sins as we forgive those that sin against us.' There is no slightest suggestion that we are offered forgiveness on any other terms. It is made perfectly clear that if we do not forgive we shall not be forgiven. There are no two ways about it. What are we to do?

It is going to be hard enough, anyway, but I think there are two things we can do to make it easier. When you start mathematics you do not begin with the calculus; you begin with simple addition. In the same way, if we really want (but all depends on really wanting) to learn how to forgive, perhaps we had better start with something easier than the Gestapo. One might start with forgiving one's husband or wife, or parents or children, or the nearest N.C.O, for something they have done or said in the last week. That will probably keep us busy for the moment. And secondly, we might try to understand exactly what loving your neighbor as yourself means. I have to love him as I love myself. Well, how exactly do I love myself?

Now that I come to think of it, I have not exactly got a feeling of fondness or affection for myself, and I do not even always enjoy my own society. So apparently 'Love your neighbor' does not mean 'feel fond of him' or 'find him attractive'. I ought to have seen that before, because, of course, you cannot feel fond of a person by trying. Do I think well of myself, think myself a nice chap? Well, I am afraid I sometimes do (and those are, no doubt, my worst moments) but that is not why I love myself. In fact it is the other way round: my self-love makes me think myself nice, but thinking myself nice is not why I love myself. So loving my enemies does not apparently mean thinking them nice either. That is an enormous relief. For a good many people imagine that forgiving your enemies means making out that they are really not such bad fellows after all, when it is quite plain that they are. Go a step further. In my most clear-sighted moments not only do I not think myself a nice man, but I know that I am a very nasty one. I can look at some of the things I have done with horror and loathing. So apparently I am allowed to loathe and hate some of the things my enemies do. Now that I come to think of it, I remember Christian teachers telling me long ago that I must hate bad man's actions, but not hate the bad man: or, as they would say, hate the sin but not the sinner. ...