The Via Dolorosa - Israel 2023 Part 3

-


In the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem, on the Via Dolorosa, stands a Roman Catholic church bearing the above tiled work of art.  

The work is called the 'Mother of Hope' in English and depicts Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  While aesthetically pleasing, I get the distinct feeling that Mary's friends and neighbors in Nazareth would have a hard time recognizing her. 


I think in the Christian world, it can be much the same with Jesus.  As a Christian, do I represent Jesus in a way that His friends and neighbors would have recognized Him?  


I found myself thinking about that during my time in Israel.  


Paul speaks of provoking his Jewish brothers to jealousy for their salvation in Romans 11.


But how can that happen, if our Jewish brothers do not recognize the way we represent Jesus...Yeshua?


What changes are we willing to make to better represent Jesus...Yeshua to His own kinsmen?


What changes am I willing to make in order to more authentically share Him back with the people who first shared Him with me?


How about you?


I always love it when you...

Other Articles You May Enjoy:
The Brick Building - Israel 2023 Part 1
The Well in the Wilderness - Israel 2023 Part 2
The Place of His Choosing Part 1
The Place of His Choosing Part 2
Isaiah 35: A Study Session
Hezekiah's Tunnel: Feat or Fear?
Joel: Past, Present, and Future?
Are Those Your Eyes?  Are They Mine?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Counterfeit

-
Image
As I write today, a solar eclipse is literally less than 48-hours away.  There is a bit of eclipse hysteria in the air.  People are scrambling to get their approved glasses, and many travel plans are being made in order to get the best possible view.  Some groups see the impending eclipse as a cool learning experience, while others preach that it is a sign of soon-coming doom.  Seems like a good day to broach an end-times subject that many of us don't like to think about: the mark.   Of course when I mention "the mark," I am guessing your mind goes straight to the mark of the beast.  I have spent much time pondering the mark of the beast.  I find in conversing with fellow believers that many are uncomfortable thinking about, discussing, and studying it.  I think a lot of us are more comfortable pretending that Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation do not exist.  Why is this? I believe the answer is, fear.   It is human nature to fear what we do not understand, and let
Read more

Are You Willing?

-
Image
Anyone out there like me...thinking that "the good shepherd" statement made by Yeshua (Jesus) was a simple analogy made up "on the spot" to convey His caring nature?   Oh boy! In my quest to understand the Old Testament (OT), I am finding that so many things in the New Testament (NT) are just re-teachings of original OT teachings.  This good shepherd  statement is a prime example, and it explains why the Judean leaders wanted to stone Yeshua for blasphemy! (John 10:33)  Without the context of the OT, one could not possibly understand the complete gravity of what Yeshua was claiming when referring to Himself as the Good Shepherd.   So, let's take a look... Ezekiel 34 (whole chapter) Jeremiah 23:1-4 John 10 (whole chapter) There is quite a bit of scripture reading today, but if you've been able to take the time to read the above passages, it has probably "clicked" with you as to why the Judeans were divided (John 10:19) and why the Ju
Read more

Haggadot

-
Image
Are you looking for a Christ-Centered Haggadah?  Here are a few of my favorites! 1) This is what I affectionately call "the long version" Haggadah .  I created it in 2021, and to date, that was probably my favorite Passover.  (But let's keep trying, right!?) 2) Because there is a long version, you knew there had to be a "short version" Haggadah , right?  After a few l-o-n-g years 😉, my teenager helped me understand that sometimes a shorter version is just what is needed.   3) If I had all the time in the world, I would use this beautiful (and 40 page!) Haggadah from Torah Resource .  I love the Hebrew recitation, the traditions, and the New Testament connections.  As a matter of fact, I am thinking of pulling a few pages from this Haggadah and meshing it with "the short version" in 2024.  Does that mean we may have a medium version to share next year? 😎😂 4) I am also a big fan of the Haggadah published by Chosen People Ministries (CPM).  An added b
Read more