Throughout the month of June the Do Not Depart contributors led readers on a virtual tour of the Holy Land. At each stop we highlighted the places where Jesus walked, talked, and loved. If you missed a post, each heading in this recap provides links to each post in the series.
Bethlehem: The Entrance of the Savior
Kicking off the series, Ali Shaw, took us to Bethlehem. Translated as “House of Bread,” it is no coincidence that God chose this humble town as the place where Jesus, “the Bread of Life,” would enter the world. Ali writes, “Just as God provided manna for the Israelites who wandered in the desert for 40 years, He provides spiritual sustenance for Believers today.Jesus Christ is the true, everlasting Manna from Heaven. He is the eternal provision for our souls… of whom if we “eat” we will never hunger again.”
Jericho: Walking by Faith
Next we traveled to Jericho with Jaime Hilton. She writes, “Sitting in a deep valley between Jerusalem and the Jordan River (just across from where Jesus was baptized), Jericho serves as a gateway to the Promised Land, a place where faith is abundant, and promises are fulfilled.” Jaime highlights the faith of Zaccheus, Bartimaeus, and Rahab; all citizens of Jericho. Certainly no example is more important than Jesus, who by faith, walked through Jericho before giving His life for the salvation of the world.
Cana of Galilee: Steps to Transformation
Journeying on, our next stop was Cana of Galilee led by new contributor (make sure you welcome her!), Sabrina Gogerty. She asserts that Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana shows Jesus’ care in big and small moments alike. Sabrina writes, “Be it water turned into wine, a heart of stone turned to a heart of flesh, the resurrection of Lazarus, or the resurrection of our Savior Himself, Jesus is in the business of making all things new.”
Bethany: The Way of Sacrifice
From Cana we ventured to Bethany with Cheli Sigler. Important to Jesus, Bethany was home to treasured friends. One of these friends, Mary, anoints Jesus with oil. With attention to Mary’s sacrificial gift, Cheli challenges herself and us with the following: “Do I only serve Jesus in socially approved ways? Am I willing to risk my reputation for Christ? What am I holding onto that I need to completely give to Jesus? How do I really feel about dying to self and following Jesus? Am I following Jesus in the way of sacrifice?”
The Jordan River
Moving on from Bethany, our tour continued at the Jordan River with Jennifer Hong. Pointing out the significance of this river throughout Bible history, she writes, “God had demonstrated His faithfulness to the Jews at this very site, establishing the Jordan River as a boundary and a transition into new life.” With this in mind, Jennifer focuses on new life reflected in baptism. She reflects, “In our baptism, we are called to repentance as the Jews were on the banks of the Jordan. In baptism, we become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We begin to live within God’s timing, by His provision, victorious only through obedience and by His hand.”
Jerusalem: Jesus Celebrated Hanukkah?
Next we ventured to Jerusalem led by new contributor (be sure to welcome her!), Kristee Ravan. With Jerusalem as a backdrop, we learn about Hanukkah and Jesus’ connection to this Jewish holiday. Without room here for all of the details, be sure to read the post. Kristee explains that Jesus declared His divine identity during Hanukkah, “At the Feast of Dedication, celebrated to commemorate the defeat of the one who claimed to be “the manifest god,” Jesus openly declared that He is the true Manifest God. He is that eternal light of the world, burning brightly.”
Where Jesus Walked: The Sea of Galilee
Lastly, we visited the Sea of Galilee guided by guest contributor, Aleigh Porter. Galileans, Jesus and many of His disciples crisscrossed the lake while preaching and minstering to surrounding communities. Aleigh recounts the story of the storm-tossed disciples who witnessed Jesus’ mastery of wind and waves. Ultimately, Aleigh concludes, “Our job is to trust him – he is prepared, charting the course, and navigating our boat through the rough waters of life.”
Thank You for Joining Us!
As our virtual tour of #WhereJesusWalked ends, we thank you for joining us. Our goal was to illumine places Jesus visited while on the earth. Gospel history is not built on pixie dust and fairytales, but on events rooted in reality— real places, real people, and real time.
…but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31
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