Hi Everyone,
We have completed the activities of the day. We began this morning with breakfast at the hotel. We are staying at the Notre Dame Center on the north side of the Old Wall. Some of us are able to look into the Old City from our rooms. We had breakfast at the hotel with plenty of selection and plenty to eat.
Following breakfast we walked over to the Jerusalem University College (JUC) for a morning of classroom. We began with orientation and then moved into a time of study and introduction to the land. We had a noon meal at JUC with a main dish of pasta. Along with that there was green beans and a lettuce salad and oranges.
Following lunch we began a walk through the Old City of Jerusalem that has a wall around it. We began at a place thought to be the upper room just south of the old city. That place has been used for worship by Jews, Muslims and Christians. Next we went into the old city and climb a stairway on to the roof of a building. From that vantage point our leader, Emily, pointed out various points of interest. From there we walked along the wall heading southeast. We entered the Jerusalem Archeological Park and watched a brief movie about the Temple Mount. We were then able to walk around the southwest corner of the area outside the Temple Mount. The foundation wall from Herod’s time is still in place. It was covered up with the rock/block that was thrown down from the upper portion of the wall.
Next we moved over to the south side of the wall of the Temple Mount. It is likely that Jesus taught on these steps. We reflected on Jesus driving out the merchants and over-turning the money changer’s tables, noting that likely happened on the Temple Mount in the Court of the Gentiles. Jesus was upset because they turned that area into a den of robbers instead of a house of prayer. It is also likely that Peter proclaimed the message on Pentecost from these steps. It would have been a crowded place and there were ritual baths in the area that could have been used for baptism. We noted the connection between the OT and NT – Moses was up on the mountain 40 days, 10 days later he returned to have God make new tablets to replace the ones he destroyed when seeing the golden calf Aaron made for the people. 3000 people died at the hands of the Levites. 40 days after Jesus arose he ascended into heaven. 10 days later the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost. 3000 were added to the number of believers that day.
Following that we “cut through” the Western Wall area (The Weeping Wall) and so had to go through a checkpoint (walk through a metal detector and have our backpacks searched) to make our way north of the city wall to where the Pool of Bethesda is located. We read the story from John and reflected that part of what may have been going on was that as a cripple the man was not able to enter the temple courts. After he was healed that is where he found Jesus. We noted that Jesus’ ministry was about bringing people back into relationship to God, especially those whom other people tried to exclude.
Following that we went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which is through to house the place where Jesus was crucified, anointed and then buried. One of the surprising things is how close these three areas are. We also learned that there are 6 different Christian denominations that share the building. Only they don’t share very well. There is a lot of fighting between them which is a sad witness to the Muslims and Jews.
We then walked back through the small shops in the crowded street. There we exchanged some dollars for shekels. But we did not take time to shop. It was close to 6 pm and Emily brought us back to the hotel for supper.
Supper was a buffet again where we had plenty of good choices. There was lettuce salad, olives, pasta salad, beef, breaded chicken, hash brown potatoes, rice, deserts to name some of the choices.
After supper the group did a little reflecting on the day and then Eric and I walked back to JUC to get our computers and use the internet.
I am having a little problem with my e-mail account so if you were hoping to get something directly from me it may not happen.
Blessing to all of you,
Pastor Dave
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