I walked by the Church of the Primacy of Peter yesterday—beside the Sea of Galilee—one of my favorite places in all Israel. Why so special? Because here Jesus said something to Peter we all need to hear when we’ve blown it. Watch the video.
Tell me what you think: What encourages you most when you blow it? To leave a comment, just click here.
What is the most important part of your relationship with God? Jesus asked Peter that question in four words beside the Sea of Galilee: “Do you love Me?”
(Photo: Tabgha harbor. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Seems like an easy question, doesn’t it? That’s what Peter thought.
After breakfast, as the day began to brighten, Jesus called Peter by the same name as when they had first met. “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15).
Easy question, right? Jesus could have taken Peter anywhere to ask this. But He took Him to Tabgha for a reason.
He takes you there for the same reason.
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The Christian life is not hard. It’s impossible. We can no more live the impossible Christian life on our own than we can get to heaven on our own. Jesus’ words by the Sea of Galilee prove it true.
(Photo: The Plain of Bethsaida, where Jesus fed the 5000. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
In fact, your own experience proves it true, doesn’t it?
Every method and strategy you rely on seems to fail. But God never designed the impossible Christian life to frustrate you. He has intended life to work a certain way—and when we choose a different path, frustration kicks in.
In three rapid-fire events by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus teaches His disciples (and us) how to live the impossible Christian life.
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What God teaches us in one area of life we can easily miss in another area. So God has to repeat Himself. But sometimes the connection isn’t so easy for us to make.
(Photo: Waves crash ashore on the Sea of Galilee. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Jesus performed more miracles in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee than any other place in His ministry. Standing on its shores, one can easily see across the shallow lake. The hills to the east and west tower above the water. As cool air from these heights rushes down the slopes into the lake’s warmer basin, winds can whip up the surface of the water to deadly proportions.
A small craft, such as the one Matthew reported the disciples clung to during a stormy night, could find itself foundering in an instant.
In one day, Christ taught His disciples a simple truth we should never forget.
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God often puts us in impossible situations. We find it frustrating, sure—but it’s never meant to be. In fact, those circumstances are meant to do just the opposite. They’re meant to encourage us.
(Photo courtesy of Unsplash)
With the Sea of Galilee in view on the Plain of Bethsaida, Jesus pointed to thousands of people and said to His twelve disciples: “You give them something to eat!” (Mark 6:37).
You can hear the frustration in the disciples’ reply: “Should we spend half a year’s wages to feed them?” Forget for a moment you’ve heard this story before.
Think instead of your current problem.
Whatever it is you’re facing today, you face one of many impossible situations. Now go back to Jesus’ crazy command to His disciples. His solution for them is also His solution for you.
Let me show you why.
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No matter where I stand to view the picture, the subject seems to be smiling. The hills surrounding the Sea of Galilee frame the lake like a portrait. In spring, the hillsides burst with wildflowers, fresh grass, and spectacular color. The tranquil slopes tower above fruit crops and fertile fields that stretch across the lush Plain of Gennesaret.
(Photo: Mount of Beatitudes and Sea of Galilee, courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Numerous places around the lake offer splendid panoramas.
But the picturesque view from the Mount of Beatitudes offers visitors more than simply a beautiful view.
It offers a place to consider truth taught there by One who knew it.
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Google Maps Street View serves us well with directions, helping us to see what the turns in our journey actually look like. But the Web site also allows a virtual peek at some key biblical sites.
There’s nothing like traveling to Israel to see the land of the Bible firsthand. Experiencing the Bible with all your senses is an unforgettable way to learn it. You’ll never be the same.
But until your first (or next) trip, you might enjoy a virtual walk through a few biblical sites via Google Street View.
I have chosen 6 biblical sites that allow you to do a little exploring.
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On my recent trip to Israel, I used an app called 360 Panorama to take 360-degree images of biblical sites. I took more than 50 images, and generally, I think the app did well.
(Photo: The Middle Bronze Gate at Tel Dan)
The app allows geotagging of images, and it notes both the location and direction of the image you take. But it isn’t perfect. Some of the geotagging is quirky, for example, it located Qumran in Jordan. Also getting a good “stitch” takes some practice.
In this post you can look around 11 key sites all over Israel. Next week, I’ll share some 360-degree images from Jerusalem.
Just click on the images and drag right or left to look around!
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To a Christian, the Sea of Galilee is synonymous with the ministry of Jesus. The hub of the Galilee region, the sea’s importance came from its fishing and its location along the great International Highway.
Jesus located His base of ministry in Capernaum. From that town He walked many miles with twelve disciples—most of whom hailed from the towns around the sea.
When Christian pilgrims come to Israel today, they almost all visit the Sea of Galilee. And for good reason. As in the days of Jesus, the large lake still has storms, beautiful sunrises, and sites that we will forever associate with the Lord’s ministry.
I’d like to show you five must-see Christian sites by the Sea of Galilee—and how each one may (or may not) connect to Jesus.
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The sheer rock cliffs of Mount Arbel stand like a sentinel over the western side of the Sea of Galilee. Mount Arbel has watched over numerous battles, travelers, and even disciples.
(Photo: Mount Arbel and its tremendous panorama, courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
Mount Arbel is one of those places never mentioned in the Bible. Its presence was so obvious, it was assumed.
Certainly, anyone traveling around the Sea of Galilee or along the International Highway would have used Mount Arbel as a landmark, identifiable from most any spot on the lake.
Jesus would have passed it thousands of times.
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