Palm Sunday--Its a BIG Deal in Jerusalem

Hundreds of years before Christ, the prophet Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey colt (Zech 9:9), and Jesus gloriously fulfilled this prophecy a week before his resurrection and a day before Passover. Only days before His betrayal and murder, our Savior climbed over the Mt. of Olives on the back of an unbroken donkey, and the people welcomed Him in, waving palm branches in celebration and then laying them (as well as their cloaks) beneath the donkey’s feet.

2,000 years later (almost), Christians from around the world come to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to remember this remarkable event—and the celebration provides it with about as much justice as humans are capable.

In what most resembles of a synthesis of Vacation Bible School and a Cinco De Mayo celebration (without alcohol, of course J), we danced through the streets from the backside of the Mt. of Olives, over the top, down the west side, and into the city—the Church of St. Anne (Mother Mary’s Mother) to be exact. What an incredible experience it was! It was nonstop worship from beginning to end! Men had guitars, mandolins, and a variety of small hand drums, and together we sang songs in English and Spanish (but we overheard several other languages, such as Italian, German, and Hebrew, of course), praising the King of Kings and remembering His triumphal entry into this Holy City. After arriving at the church, we continued the dance session for another 45 minutes before we had to call it quits. Altogether, I danced and sang with my brethren from around the world for about 3.5 hours. Praise Jesus for this incredible experience! It was wonderful to finally see some Christian representation in Israel (they easily get swept under the Muslims and Jews), and more incredible to see how valuable it can be to hold to a calendar that calls the believer to remember the remarkable and normative events that hold the faith. Western Protestants have much we can learn from the Eastern Orthodox-ers—this is just one of many: the height of value the place upon remembering the events of the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This Easter season, let us meditate on the events of Jesus’ life through which He faithfully and joyfully endured in order to reconcile us with the Father and bring us eternal life.

Swimming Where Jesus Walked

So remember what I said last time about the stagnant bowels? Yea... scratch that. The trip began on Saturday morning when we boarded the bus at 7:00am. Thinking I had fully recovered from the race (due to the fact that my legs and arms were no longer sore), I expected no problems. However, I began experiencing quite frequent and increasingly painful stomach cramps. At first it came in short bursts, feeling like little pushes and pokes in my gut. I continued to eat and even digest without any irregularity. But by the end of the second day (which was Sunday), I would get bursts of cramps that I would reckon to Shaq reaching into my torso and squeezing my stomach with all his might, challenging me to hold my food--and as much I want to vomit to escape the pain, I am unable. Immediately after welcoming my dinner that night, I parted with it (by its natural hatch) and somehow made it back to our own little room just in time to bid farewell to my dessert (once again, southward). So this continued all night--I would wake up in a pool of sweat, visit the bathroom, and return to bed freezing. I had no choice but to take the next day, Monday, off from the field and rest in the room. Thankfully, I was able to spend the day with Jesus, sleep, and watch the sunset--which provided a good enough day not to leave regrets of missing a day in the field. Oh and by the way, our window looked right onto the Sea of Galilee--I could not have asked for a better location. But so that you all know, I'm feeling much more 'solid' today, if ya know what I mean...

Those days in the field, though, were quite incredible. The cities of Caesarea and Beth-Shean were two of the most impressive that we've encountered on this trip. Caesarea was built by Herod the Great, and because their was no established Jewish settlement there, he had the freedom to build it completely Hellenistic--and it was beautiful. The most impressive part was the fact that he was the first man to build an artificial harbor upon the sea. His engineers developed a type of concrete/cement that was able to support a whole line of buildings to surround the harbor (which is now completely submerged, we only have historians' descriptions). It also included a few hippodromes--where chariot races were held! The city of Beth-Shean is mentioned several times in the OT, but not once in the NT, although Jesus would have most likely traveled through here many times on His way to Jerusalem. During the 1st century C.E., the city was almost fully Hellenized, and therefore, the Gospel writers may have wanted to avoid mentioning it. Regardless, it was an incredible-looking city, complete with Roman theater, bathhouses, and arenas.

On the final night, I took 2 pills of Immodium (which are still making cement in my stomach) in order to prepare myself for the next day's field study, and it worked! Waking up in the morning I felt pretty good (so I ran out and jumped in the Sea for a morning swim) and never once had to #2. With this comfort factor in mind, we headed out to a nearby dock and boarded a boat out to the middle of the lake. Notice the word "lake"--only the Jews refer to it as a Sea--its much smaller than even the individual Great Lakes of North America. Sitting there, able to see land in all directions, I just imagined Jesus walking out to us. How incredible it would have been to see your mentor and teacher walking out to you on the water!

'Could this be the Messiah that our Father Moses wrote about!?!?' His disciples were surely thinking... "Will He restore the Kingdom to Israel?" ...

"You are the Christ, Son of the living God" confirmed Peter (Mt 16:16). They knew that He was the One whom the Lord had promised their fathers so long ago. Let us follow after these disciples and bow our knees to Jesus, for he "did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing... by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Phil 2). This God-man really lived, really died, and really rose again, all in order to reconcile the Lord with His creation. It is in this hope we were saved (Rom 8:24).

The Best and Worst of Israel

So after much time on the phone, an appointment scheduled, and a lot of waiting, I made it to the Ministry of Affairs on Wednesday morning to get a student visa. I was shocked (although I should not have been) by the disorganization of the entire building and the mass of people trying to navigate through it. We knew our room number, so we didn't have to wait in the information line, thus we swam throughout the maze of hallways seeing long line after longer line, worrying about our own line-standing fate. However, when we finally found room 206 (which was written in pen on the wall), there was only a short line, and even though we were early, we were in and out relatively quickly. This time I was really shocked--and it was merited! With all the disorganization and chaos, somehow my fellow student and I were processed and finished incredibly quickly. But I will say that I will never complain about Agencies/Departments/any official organization in the United States again, for even the most chaotic line at the DMV will not compare with this.

Later on that same day, or shall I say that night, all the JUC Half-Marathon Runners trecked out to the Mamilla Hotel for the complimentary Pasta Dinner. Upon arriving, I knew that this would be one of the BEST experiences I was going to have in Israel. Live music, servers bringing drinks and appetizers, and quite a modern-looking lobby--we were being treated to the high life! After we entered the dining hall, our first impressions were reinforced with classy tables, too much silverware, and the smell of incredible food. We heard a few speakers tell us something in Hebrew, then the mayor gave a speech. Soon after, we hit up the buffet that was filled with some of the best pasta I have ever seen of tasted! Not to mention the fresh bread and extravagant dessert table, I grabbed a Coke with my food and began to enjoy the meal. The whole experience was incredible: each time we were impressed it seemed like something more impressive always followed, such as when we met the Mayor of Jerusalem! All in all, it was quite a classy night.

The next day, with our stomachs still filled with pasta, we departed at 7:30am to the bus stop toward the Half. With only one transfer, we made it to the stadium with plenty of time. The Marathon was pretty standard: we had electronic trackers tied in our laces, numbers on our chests, and our watches ready to go. However, there were no 'starting corals,' so we just kind of mobbed the starting line, and when the race began, we were in for a few surprises. First, there were no mile-markers, so we had to kind of guess on how far we'd run, and second, there were no porta-potties (thus, last night's pasta was bubbling in my stomach with absolutely nowhere to go...). But thankfully, I was able to assume an 8-minute-mile pace, which we achieved, and maintain stagnant bowels, and cross the finish line in 1:43:32, a new Personal Record! The race showed us the best and worst of Israel all at once, with the incredible dinner and the interesting race route (full of hills, I might add).

Anxiety and the Sovereignty of God

The lilies of the field, oh how beautiful they are! Jesus tells us to look at how they are clothed and protected by the Father—how King Solomon, in all his splendor, was not clothed even as they are—and then to consider how God will take care of us.

No matter where we find ourselves, it seems almost impossible to run away from things that have us anxious. As soon as we’ve finished worrying about one thing, whether it has been resolved or our heart has moved on, another will stroll along finding its way into our minds, tugging at this or that. Or maybe it appears to roll in more like a thunderous storm, especially if its that ever familiar anxiety about the work we’ve yet to do (which of course will never end) or the deadlines we must still meet. Many of us aren’t even that anxious about ourselves, or at least not as much as we are for others, be it a spouse or a child or whoever, we may worry with every update they give, or fail to give. It often doesn’t matter the outcome or the circumstances, as much as the fact that we feel as if we won’t be able to handle what is ahead of us, or that if we can handle it, it will not result in the way we desire. But what can this worry produce? Or how can it help? Jesus asked, “Which one of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” Or in other words: what could you possibly gain from worrying, what benefit might it have?

“Do not be anxious about your life…” Matthew 6:25

Jesus brought this command to his Sermon on the Mount almost 2,000 years ago, knowing it would still ring true today. It is not a mere suggestion that He brings to the moral conversation; He did not merely say, “you do not need to worry, God will take care of you.” No, he commanded us, “do not be anxious!” If our faith is in the Lord, we will be taken care of. He is our Provider, for He even provides for the grass. What does Jesus then call those who worry? “O You of little faith” (6:30). Avoiding anxiety is not just something Jesus suggests, it is a command, and when we disobey it, we are insulting God, telling Him we do not trust Him, that we have no faith! It is as if we say “Lord, I do not trust that You are in control.” For if we did trust Him, we would rest in the knowledge that he takes care of all things!

“For those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28

This command was not limited to Jesus’ sayings for Paul repeats the same here in Romans (see also Philippians 4:4-7). To worry about our life is to sin, for we are proclaiming to God that we do not trust Him. How can such anxiety be healed? By replacing it with faith. Let us put our faith in Him who loved us and died for us: our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is calling us now not to live in anxiety; not to be worried, but to have our hearts and minds guarded with the faith in Him who works all things together for good. Now this “good” does not mean we will get all we believe is good for us, but rather what is good in the sight of God, and if our faith is strong in Him, we will be able to perceive this good ourselves. You must not worry about your life, for you cannot help yourself anymore than you can change the will of God. The Lord is in control of all things, and it is such a joy living with our faith fully rooted in Him!