Day # 3 Sea of Galilee

By Bruce Cotharn

We spent the night at a kibbutz on the west side of the Sea of Galilee, just north of Tiberias.  A kibbutz is like a self reliant neighborhood working community. 

 

We headed south past Tiberias and went out on a boat to go across the Sea of Galilee about 8:30 am. We stopped out in the middle of the sea and the boat Captain attempted to catch fish on both sides of the boat with a net just as they did in Jesus day.  Alan led us in singing of several hymns, the Captain played contemporary Christian music, we took a team picture from the front of the boat for Renee Pierce and Cathy Smart.  But the coolest part for me, when we first headed out with a dewy fog and emerging bright sun, in the comfortable cool morning air, the Captain raised the American flag " Ladies and gentleman please rise and remove your caps for the singing of our National Anthem! "  My completely unable to carry a tune voice, made a joyful noise included with champagne popper noises from LSU football in honor of my good friend Dennis Meyers, to a Baylor University Sic 'EM Bears afterwards with Bro. French !  

 

Water and I have not always been the best of friends, so to take my mind off being on a completely wooden boat named ' David ' in the middle of the sea...the most interesting lesson of the day from the boat came from my friend, mentor and Sunday School teacher...the Sr. member of Smart Engineering LLC was looking back to the west towards the city of Tiberias where a valley comes around the hillside to the north..." The Valley of the Dove ".  This canyon is where Jesus would walk and travel as he headed to his home in Capernaum to the north.  The city of Tiberias sits 669' feet BELOW sea level was built on top of grave yards and the Jews were unsure if they were walking on top of anyone...so they went around the city and through the beautiful canyon.

At 8:45 am Bro. French read to us from Matthew 14: 22-33 where Jesus walked on water on the Sea of Galilee where the disciples saw him and he told them to not be afraid (27) to take courage and Peter was the ONLY one to get out of the boat and " come " (28) as Jesus instructed him. When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and noticed the winds he began to sink.  Immediately Jesus (31) reached his hand out to catch Peter and asked why did he have little faith and why did he doubt? (33) The other disciples identified Jesus as the son of God! 

The lesson of the story according to Bro. French is a directly related to our childlike faith and trust in Jesus.  When the storms of life come, and the winds of change upon us, we are to never take our eyes off of Jesus.  Simply trust in The Lord through it all.  We are saved by the grace of God through our faith in Jesus Christ (33)  Truly, you are the son of God! ' 

Another lesson Bro. French pointed out in the story was that all of the disciples were in the boat, and only one of them got out, Peter.  Bro. French said " The rest of them were cowards!  When Jesus calls, you have to get OUT of the boat! " 

 

We went a lot of other places today but do not have time to write about all of them.  Here are a few more pictures.

 

Some of us ate "Peter's Fish"

 

 

We also went to Mount Beatitudes

 

The Church of the Multiplication, where Jesus performed the miracle of  the loaves and fishes to feed the multitudes.

 

 

That is all for tonight, it is 11 pm and I am going to bed.  Going to the Jordan River for Baptism and then toward the desert areas  Maybe even ride a camel or two.