Max's Weekly Musings
Vol. 10, No. 10, for the week of April 1-7, 2007
Easter / Jerusalem
First I want to wish you all a most Blessed Easter. Today is known as Good Friday. Just think about that term for a moment. If you have seen the film "The Passion of the Christ" you might begin to wonder why we call this day Good Friday. It was hardly that for Jesus. Just think of the immense suffering and pain He endured on that day. This fact came home to me more powerfully while I was in Israel. In fact, the whole Holy Week became more real. I will share that a little later in this Musing. But, back to Jesus' suffering. Our group visited two places in Jerusalem associated with the sufferings of Jesus. The first place is called Peter in Gallicantu, or better known as the House of Caiaphas. It is the place where Jesus stood trial before the Jewish authorities that evening. It was in the courtyard of that home where Peter denied Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. In the lower level of the ruins of this home is a pit or dungeon. It was here, in this small space, that Jesus was kept until He would be taken to the Roman governor Pilate. While in that dungeon pit, I was privileged to read to our group from Psalm 88 which describes the author being in despair while in a pit, yet knowing that God would bring him out. Jesus also knew that God would bring Him out of the pit...but not to freedom, but to death. It was a sobering reminder to me of the suffering Jesus endured before the cross.
The second place where Jesus' suffering became more real to me was on what is known as the Lithrostrotos, or, as it is called in the Bible, the Pavement. It was here that Jesus was turned over to the Roman soldiers to do their worst. In the quietness one could almost hear the sound of the lashes being applied to the back of Jesus. Yet He never cried out. In silence He bore the stripes that were due us. When the Roman soldiers had done their worst, Jesus was then turned over to Pilate who then proclaimed "Here is the Man!" Exiting the Pavement, we, too, traversed part of the traditional pathway called the Via Dolorosa.
Finally, our group approached the Garden Tomb. What a place of quiet beauty! There we were reminded of the Father's approval for what had happened in a location not far away. For the empty tomb was God's exclamation point of the work done on the cross. It was with joy that we sang, "Because He lives, we can face tomorrow; Because He lives, all fear is gone; Because we know He holds the future, life is worth the living because Jesus lives!"
Friends, I want to thank you for remembering us in prayer while we were in Israel, and for remembering Marlys who kept the home fires burning brightly while I was gone. Israel is so beautiful in the Spring of the year that it almost defies description. The hillsides of Galilee were ablaze with a golden blanket of wild mustard and a carpet of purple clover and other wild flowers. I have come to believe that Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount in the spring of the year as He refers to the flowers of the field. We truly followed in the footsteps of Jesus for four days while in the Galilee. A new place for me was Sepphoris, a city built on the outskirts of Nazareth during the days of Jesus. Undoubtedly Jesus and His father, Joseph, worked in this town. One could almost sense His presence as one walked the streets.
From Galilee we crossed the border into Jordan and made our way down through the ancient countries of Ammon, Moab, and Edom to the ruins of Petra. What an incredible place! It was so much bigger than I had believed. And the colors were outstanding. Petra is a city of tombs...that is all that has survived the ravages of time and history. But, those tombs are impressive.
Then it was off to Jerusalem, after a brief stop at Qumran, Masada, and En Gedi along the Dead Sea. Jerusalem is one of my favorite places on this earth. I am so thankful that it is an eternal city so that I can enjoy it forever. There is a special feeling one gets as he or she walks the streets of the old city. At times one can hear the stomping feet of the Roman soldiers as they indiscriminately wield their swords against the people in 70 AD. At other times, one can hear the hushed footsteps of Jesus as He healed the man at the Pool of Bethesda. And one wonders, if only the rocks could cry out, what an audience they would attract.
But, let me complete the specialness of the Holy Week that we experienced. One begins a tour of Jerusalem atop the Mount of Olives. There we usually relate how this is the place where Jesus will return. And, we certainly did read from Zechariah 14. But, God had laid upon my heart to share how Jesus, on that day we call Palm Sunday, as He reached the crest of the Mount of Olives from the east, wept over the city, knowing that the judgment of God would soon fall upon it. As we walked down what is known as the Palm Sunday Road, we could hear the shouts of the crowd crying out "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Yet, if we were attentive we could hear the quiet sobs of Jesus over this great city...the only city in the world that bears the name of God. Finally we stopped at Gethsemane. There I had the privilege of sharing how the events in this garden certainly proved to be the defining moment in the life of Jesus.
Friends, in coming weeks, I will share with you some of the special times we celebrated while in Israel. Please keep that nation in your prayers.
Again, I want to wish you an Easter filled with a renewed hope that the tomb is empty. The sacrifice of Christ was more than sufficient for us. Praise God. Yes, He is risen...He is risen, indeed!
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Look backward - see Christ dying for you. Look upward - see Christ pleading for you. Look inward - see Christ living in you. Look forward - see Christ coming for you.
