Day 3 Recap/Thoughts (Hazor, Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Baptism In The Jordan River)

HAZOR: Archeological excavation of a Canaanite city that the Bible talks about, and was probably built around 5000 B.C. Conquered by Joshua. Rebuilt by Solomon 960 B.C. (I Kings 9:15).

DAN: Capital of the northern kingdom. northernmost city in Israel. Also an archeological excavation

CAESAREA PHILIPPI: Gentile city where Peter's confession of Christ took place (Matthew 16:13-20).

JORDAN RIVER, JUST NORTH OF WHERE IT ENTERS THE SEA OF GALILEE: Several members of our group had never been baptized as believers, and were baptized in the Jordan River today.




HIGHLIGHT: I overheard a conversation in Spanish that really struck me. (Yeah, I can hablo a little Espanol when necessary...) There was a group from Spain that was finishing a worship service by the Jordan River right before we walked down for the baptism. Everyone in our group who was baptized was an adult, and based on the conversation, it was clear that this group practiced infant baptism. What I caught of their service was that the scripture was read about John The Baptiser baptizing many, and then of course Jesus. The group from Spain finished their service shortly before John began our baptisms, and several stuck around and watched. I'm pretty sure I heard one say to another that La Palabra de Dios (the Word Of God) that they'd just read said that everyone who was baptized was an adult. They were definitely agitated, and it seemed that the agitation came from a disconnect between what they had just heard from the scriptures, and the practice of their church.

(DISCLAIMER: I am NOT terribly hung up on when you baptize. Personally, I believe it's for adult believers, but if you believe differently, we can have fellowship just fine. ;) But whether or not baptism should be done as an infant or an adult is *NOT* the point of this.)

My point is best expressed here in Acts 17:11:

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Did you catch it? *EVERY* day. The Bereans weren't content merely to be told the truth by Paul, but they tested what Paul said against the Scriptures. They looked for themselves. They studied. They dug into it. And, I believe, they applied it to their lives.

I want to be more like the Bereans...

Heading to bed now for our last night based out of the hotel in Tiberias. We head down toward Jerusalem tomorrow, stopping along the way in Nazareth and Jericho, among other places. Woot!!! Sorry no pictures today. I left the camera in our room, up on the 6th floor, and the only internet access is here in the lobby. Too lazy/tired to go up and get it. I'll try to get one or two up in the morning before we head down toward Jerusalem.)

RANDOM NEAT STUFF: A lady on the trip teared up as she shared with Jen how beautiful it was that our unborn baby is getting to be carried around the Holy Land.

--Ben