Holy Land Series - 2 Bethlehem

From here we Jumped on the bus and headed to the town of Bethlehem

Not a little town now but a big city, a divided city. It is amazing to catch our first glimpse of the peace wall ... the check point. When we were driving through one of the most poignant images was that of a bankzy graffiti icon ... that of the dove of peace under threat.

What an Irony!, in the place where the Prince of Peace was born there is so much conflict.

In Bethlehem we headed to manger square, queued in the church of the nativity and vistited the cave where Jesus is supposed to have been born.

A very special place.

Church of the Nativity

Matthew 2: 1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

O God, our gracious heavenly Father, Creator and Sustainer, and yet our Father, we thank you on this wonderful day for that little child who would make us all your children. As we remember his lowly, humble birth, take away our pride. as we remember his pure life, take away our sins, as we remember how he came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, help us to serve more unselfishly, give more generously, and love more devotedly. For his sake. Amen (adapted from Leslie Weatherhead)

My lasting memory of this place will be the group getting together and singing ... Away in a manger ...

Shepherd’s Fields

After lunch (still on the first day!) we headed off to The Shepherds fields where we looked out over the hill country and spotted some modern day shepherds in the fields.

Luke 2

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.

Almighty God,

in the birth of your Son

you have poured on us the new light of your incarnate Word,

and shown us the fullness of your love:

help us to walk in this light and dwell in his love

that we may know the fullness of his joy;

who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and ever. Amen

The incarnation ...

Two Blogs in One today ... Holy Land number 2 and Bible Study Chapter 5

Whilst in the Holy Land, directly after the Garden of Gethsemane we boarded the bus and headed to Bethlehem to visit the church of the Nativity.

Matthew 2: 1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’ Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

O God, our gracious heavenly Father, Creator and Sustainer, and yet our Father, we thank you on this wonderful day for that little child who would make us all your children. As we remember his lowly, humble birth, take away our pride. as we remember his pure life, take away our sins, as we remember how he came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, help us to serve more unselfishly, give more generously, and love more devotedly. For his sake. Amen (adapted from Leslie Weatherhead)

The Incarnation has huge implications for our lives and ministry ... A dark cave, in a far away land. The Son of God was born.

In our Bible Study this evening we are looking at what the Incarnation means to us.

JI Packer on Page 62 looks at 7 things which the prologue to Johns Gospels says about this child born in a manger

IN THE BEGINNING WAS the word

And the word was WITH God

And the word WAS God

THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE

In him was LIFE

and that life was the LIGHT OF MEN

The word BECAME FLESH

These few verses when we analyse them speak so much of what we believe as Christians about Jesus.

He has always been, He is in a relationship with the Father and He is God, he became one of us and he is the Life and Light for us all.

There are loads of ways to understand what Jesus did in becoming Fully Human whilst also reamining fully God. Packer in our Bible Study reminds us that he emptied himself (Kenosis) means laying aside his Glory - He voluntarily restrained his power; and acceptance of hardship, isolation and eventually death on the cross.

So what does this mean for us ?

The incarnation speaks of God's love for each and every one of us. It Speaks of God identifying with his world, it reminds us that he identified with all our failings and faults. It means that God know what it is to be tempted, humiliated .... and the rest.

He knows what it is like to mourn at funerals, to rejoice at weddings

What if God was one of us? ... actually he was!

Holy Land Series #1 - Jerusalem at a glance and Mount of Olives

It is only now that I have had time to sit back and reflect on Holy Land Trip.

This wee mini Series hopefully will recall some of the sights of my recent Pilgrimage with 25 others to the Holy Land, the sights, sounds, readings and prayers as well as meditations upon the readings which we used whilst out in the Land of so much history and faith story.

Our Pilgrimage began in Jerusalem, a fascinating city

A City which is Holy to Christian, Jew and Muslim where many middle eastern cultures meet and live together within the city walls. Where there is tension, where there is creativity. It is hard to capture the heart of this city ... it is unlike anywhere else in the world today.

As we entered the city by coach late at night we read Psalm 122 ... what an awesome experience it was to be in a city where so much of our faith is centred. When we think of Jerusalem we think of the temple, the streets where Jesus walked, the cross, the tomb, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the miracles.

Psalm 122

I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’
Our feet are standingwithin your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem—built as a city
that is bound firmly together.

To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

For there the thrones for judgement were set up,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May they prosper who love you.

Peace be within your walls,and security within your towers.’
For the sake of my relatives and friends
I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.

Prayer:

God of our joy and gladness,

as we prepare to enter the city of Jerusalem

help us to take to our hearts its modern bustle, busy traffic, bright lights and at the same time to remember its divisions and ancient ways, its centres of faith for Jew and Muslim,

and all that it means to us and to all Christian people.

Protect all who live here from everything that makes for violence and hatred and keep all who visit from prejudice and self-centredness.

Bless us, who come to this holy place as pilgrims on a journey of faith.

In your mercy and love, inspire us by your Holy Spirit and speak to us through your Son, as we follow his steps to the cross and place of resurrection.

Give us joy in our hearts, keep us praising!

- and in your mercy hear our prayer –

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

_____________

As Pilgrims on our journey we set out the next day (First Full day) to explore the Mount of Olives ... What a hillside, when the bus leaves you at the top of the hill you have no idea what lies before you ... a complete mix of emotions, stories and teaching. This is the mount of olives, the real mountain.

We began when the bus left us at the top of the hill.

Churches seem to be built on every location ... more about that as we go along but as we begin we begin at the top of the Mount of Olives with the Church of the Ascension ... which has been turned into a mosque, looked after by the muslims but allowed access by the Christians.

As we progressed down the mountain we discovered many churches ... The Church of Pater Noster --- the Lord's Prayer. A wonderful church which around its walls has the Lord's Prayer in so many different languages.

The Benedictine Monastery was our next port of call, an awesome place of tranquility, peace and worship. As we sat in that place our first singing as a group took place ... Father, we adore you, lay our lives before you, how we love you ... Jesus ... Spirit.

From here we progressed into exploring the sights of the vista of the Kidron Valley overlooking Jerusalem.

The graves of those Jews who desire to see Messiah entering Jerusalem

As we progressed down this mountain side we encountered our next church, the church of dominus Flevit Where Jesus is supposed to have wept over .

Reading at Dominus Flevit: Luke 19: 41-44

As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.’

Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ,

Today we share your tears for the cities of the world;

Still we have not loved the things that make for peace.

We weep for the divided cities;

where brother fights with brother,

where anger feeds on hatred,

where prejudice blinds the eyes of compassion,

and even religion divides,

where children are taught to hate,

and old men relish ancient wrongs.

We weep for cities of oppression:

where iron law imprisons freedom,

where thought is curbed and conscience stifled,

where the questioning spirit is called a traitor,

where art and civilising truth grow barren,

and each must think in manner as his neighbour.

We weep for cities of poverty:

where children live, but die too soon,

where eager hands can find no work,

where hunger rules and aid is short,

where mothers clutch uncomprehending young,

and where the little we could do, we fail to do.

We weep for our cities and for ourselves;

we have not learned the things that make for peace.

Lord,

turn tears to love, and love to work.

Turn work to justice,

and all that makes for peace. Amen.

(Donald Hilton)

There is something extremely moving about this place, a place where Jerusalem can be seen in all its complexity and frustration. In its religiousity, and poverty, in its wealth and in its hussle and bustle.

As we progress into the Valley, we encounter the Garden of Gethsemane

Once again we need to in this place strip away the church and the tourist side of this site and look at the 1st Century olive trees, the garden where Jesus himself was arrested, where we saw the failure of the disciples to keep watch. Where he was betrayed by a kiss.

Mark 14: 32-41

They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’ He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’

And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’

Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him

In the power of the Spirit let us pray to the Father

through Christ the Saviour of the world.

Father, in this place you Son was betrayed,

earlier that evening he had washed his disciples’ feet.

We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service.

Lord, hear us

and humble us.

At the Last Supper, he prayed for his disciples to be one.

We pray for the unity of the Church

Lord, hear us

and unite us.

On that same day he prayed here for the cup to pass from him.

His disciples slept, but his mission was fulfilled.

We pray for courage

Lord, hear us

and renew our zeal.

In this place your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cup of death

and looked forward to the new wine of the Kingdom.

We remember those persecuted for their faith and for all who have died in the peace of Christ.

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Being in this Garden, a filled with grief, burden and failure, turmoil and struggle, not a happy or plesent place to be but a place where we do find ourselves sometimes.

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And this is just the morning of the first day in Jerusalem.