Day 10 - Jerusalem : Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, St. Anne's Church, Pool of Bethesda, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Ramparts, Davidson Center, Cardo, Southern Steps

Remembering

 As the sun rose in the east over Jerusalem this morning, our bus headed in the same direction. We all sat in eager expectancy, knowing today held much for us to learn as we physically walked through the passion week. Our eagerness and anticipation proved itself warranted - progressing through the city of Jerusalem just as Jesus progressed during the week of His death and resurrection truly changed our perspective.

Following the timeline, we stopped first at the Mount of Olives, soaking in rich teaching right at 7:30am. Our view of the East Gate set the scene for our lesson over the Triumphal Entry. From the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two of His disciples to find and bring a donkey and her colt. We found ourselves yet again sitting directly within the text. With the Triumphal Entry, we learned about the simultaneous humility and authority displayed by Jesus as He entered the city on the donkey and the people proclaimed Him as the Messiah (Matthew 21:1-11).

Jumping forward in the Passion Week and traveling just a little closer to the city, we made our way to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus came after the Last Supper on the night of His arrest (Matthew 26:36-46).  Sitting among the olive trees, right where Jesus prayed to His Father, the gravity of His sacrifice took root. Jesus prayed that the cup might pass from Him, yet He obeyed sacrificially and joyfully because of His great love for us (Romans 5:8, Hebrews 12:1-2). He drank the cup of God’s wrath that we might drink the cup of His righteousness. This truth remained in our minds as we remembered His sacrifice with communion before heading to the next several sites.

Walking along the Via Dolorosa, the path which represents the processional journey of Jesus as He carried the cross, we came to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which stands upon the site of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Here we listened to teaching on the trials, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. Knowledge of Roman and Jewish culture gave new depth and insight into the text and changed the way we viewed the crucifixion.

Lastly, we arrived at the Southern Steps of the former temple, the appropriate place to tend our tour. Here, after Jesus’ commission and ascension, Peter preached his first sermon after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2-3). On these steps, God proclaims through Peter that His people no longer need the law or a temple to follow Him (Acts 17:24-25). He now writes His Law on their hearts and desires to dwell within us (Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 36:27). After hearing the sermon, 3,000 people put their faith in Christ, forming the first Church - right where we stood. Truly, no other conclusion fits other than this: seeing the beginning of the body of Christ remaining on earth through His Church and knowing that we live as a result of it.

As the sun began to set behind us, our director, Jared, asked us, “What will you remember? What will you tell people when they ask you about Israel?” While words will never adequately convey all we experienced, learned, and saw, we now bring back with us new eyes for the Scriptures and hearts set to a posture of remembrance. Whatever we carry with us most - our time in the wilderness, our experience of living water, or our time walking through the Passion Week of Christ - we all possess a deeper and richer understanding of the Holy Scriptures. Years from now, as we remember our journey to Israel, these experiences and stories will come to mind, reminding us that His word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), worthy of all our devotion and obedience.