What’s In That Water?
4 January 2023
Freezing cold! Over the holidays, several conversations interestingly turned to the health benefits of cold-water therapy. I was startled to learn that several friends and family members have started enduring cold water for the final 30 seconds of their showers. Likewise, NPR told the story of a ladies’ group who jumps in the ocean off Bar Harbor Maine this winter to get their heart rates—and apparently immune systems—up. So when I was at a friend’s home for a holiday dinner, before hopping in their hot-tub, I accepted the challenge to first take a (super) quick swim in their 40-something degree pool. That frigid water made me feel near death and more alive simultaneously.
Same goes for our baptismal water. Even though the water we use at Christ Our Shepherd for baptisms is a more like 85 degrees instead of 45, it conveys both death and life. This Sunday, as we celebrate the “Baptism of our Lord,” we celebrate our own baptisms too. As Paul encourages us in Romans 6.4-5, “we were buried with Jesus by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.”
Walking in “newness of life” each day sounds pretty cool.
So, today, I offer three ways you can remember your baptism and walk in the joy of daily newness.
First, track down your baptismal date (or at least month and year) if you don’t know it already. Celebrate your baptismal anniversaries, just like your birthdays. It’s a big, meaningful, centering day! (Today, January 4 is my son Luke’s birthday, but just as important is his February 11 baptismal celebration).
Secondly, take Martin Luther’s advice to claim your baptismal promises each morning as you wash up. With your finger wet with your shower, bath, or sink water, make the sign of the cross on your forehead and whisper or shout to yourself, “I am baptized—I am a loved, special, purposeful and chosen child of God.”
Thirdly, I’ve got a super unique invitation. Join me in remembering your baptism at the Jordan River this June as part of the COS Holy Land Faith Journey. Included in our itinerary is a morning at the very location where tradition holds that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Whether you choose to just dip your toes or take a quick swim, we’ll enjoy a powerful affirmation of baptism service.
So let me feature the fantastic itinerary one more time below. Please call me (770-880-2069) to talk.
Celebrating our baptismal journeys with you,
Pastor Fritz
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HOLY LAND TRIP DAILY ITINERARY
Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, June 4 – 13, 2023
Day 1, June 4: Departure from the USA
Depart from Atlanta, GA for your overnight flight to the Holy Land. Meals will be served on board.
Day 2, June 5: Arrival, Tel Aviv
We arrive at Ben Gurion airport and depart northward to our hotel for one night in the coastal area near Tel Aviv to start off the journey of visiting the Holy Land. The remainder of the day is free to walk along the Mediterranean, relax and dine in our hotel in Tel Aviv.
Day 3, June 6: Mt. Carmel, Caesarea – Nazareth – Cana – Tiberias
After breakfast, we will travel by private motorcoach along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea (included), where the Gentiles first heard the Good News from Peter and were baptized. We’ll see the Roman Amphitheatre and aqueduct. Visit Mount Carmel, Muhraqa the Place of Fire, and consider the contest between the Prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18), discussing the reasons why the Prophet chose that place for the contest, and the lessons we learn from the story. Afterward, we will go to Nazareth where we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, we will also visit the Church of St. Joseph. We end our day with a visit to Cana of Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle, Drive to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.
Day 4, June 7: Caesarea Philippi – Golan Heights – Mt. Arbel – Valley of Doves – Sea of Galilee.
We will start our day with a visit to Caesarea Philippi at the sources of the river Jordan where Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, then we would return to the Sea of Galilee via the Golan Heights with a stop overlooking the Road to Damascus. On to Mount Arbel lookout overlooking the ancient road from Nazareth to Galilee with a possible hike on a part of Jesus Trail. We will then carry on to the Valley of the Doves and travel along the ancient road that leads from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee along the Via Maris. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.
Day 5, June 8: Sea of Galilee – Magdala – Capernaum – Mount of Beatitudes
We will start the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, followed by a visit to the Ancient Boar Museum that houses a 2000-year-old fishing boat found buried in mud on the shores of Galilee The boat provides a good example of how fishing boats looked like during the time of Jesus. Then we will visit Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene, and see the 1st-century synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue discovered on the shores of Galilee with a stone-carved replica of the Temple and Menorah.
We will then take a short drive to Capernaum, the biblical village and hometown of Jesus. Capernaum is closely associated with Jesus and His ministry as described in the Synoptic Gospels. There we will see the house of the mother-in-law of Peter and an ancient synagogue that dates back to the time of Jesus and where much of His teaching took place.
At noon, we will drive to Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000. We will then visit the site known as “Peter’s Primacy” where Jesus appeared to His disciples for the third time after His Resurrection. Later we will continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, the scene of Jesus’ great Sermon on the Mount. We will enjoy the view of the enchanting gardens and reflect on Jesus’ sermon. We will also have time for prayer and reflection, Dinner, and overnight in Tiberias.
Day 6, June 9: Jordan Valley – Jacobs Well – Shepherds Field – Bethlehem
After breakfast, we will drive through the Jordan valley, on to Nablus, visit ancient Shechem saddled between Mt Ebal and Mt Gerizim, and visit the ruins of the city dating back to the time of Jacob and Joshua where we see the high place of the city and the city gates. Nearby we visit Jacobs well where Jesus encountered the Samaritan women. Drive to Bethlehem to visit Shepherd’s Fields where the angels appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of Our Lord. These fields are also the setting of the Book of Ruth. After lunch (on your own), we will travel to the Church of the Nativity and view the place where Our Lord was born. check-in at our hotel, dinner, and overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 7, June 10: Augusta Victoria Hospital, LWF – Mt. of Olives – Mt. Zion
We will start our day with Augusta Victoria to witness the work of the Lutheran World Federation in health and education. Later we will enjoy the panoramic view from the top of Mount of Olives then we continue to the Church of the Ascension and the Church of the Pater Noster, and down to Dominus Flevit and St. Magdalene Church. Pray at the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of All Nations. In the afternoon, we visit. St. Peter in Galicantu where Jesus was denied by St. Peter. Then we will visit the Upper Room, the place of the Last Supper, and King David’s Tomb. Back to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 8, June 11: Wadi Qelt ’ST George Monastery” – Baptismal site – Jericho – Qumran – Dead Sea
This morning we depart Bethlehem, traveling along the Judean wilderness where Jesus fasted for 40 days, l along the ancient road passing the good Samaritan inn. Reaching Wadi Qelt we enjoy a view of St George’s Monastery nestled in the wilderness. Carry on along the ancient road reaching Jericho passing along Herod’s Winter Palace where the infamous King died in the year 4 BC and probably was the background setting for the parable of the prodigal son.
Prior to visiting Jericho, we head to visit Bet Arabah where John baptized Jesus. The site is also known as the “Place of Crossing”. The Israelites. From Bethabara we will drive to the city of Jericho. We will see Tel Jericho, the old town of Joshua, and see the excavations of the ancient city, view the Mount of Temptation will also be insight. We will then drive to Qumran and visit the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were accidentally found and the buildings that formed the public canter of the Essenes. Then we will proceed to the Dead Sea where we can enjoy a dip in the relaxing and healing waters of the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 9, June 12: Temple Mt – Pool of Bethesda – Via Dolorosa – Holy Sepulcher – Jerusalem
This morning after breakfast , We will walk the Via Dolorosa, the traditional path that Jesus walked from the Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher visiting Golgotha and the Empty Tomb. We will visit the Jewish Quarter and go to the Western Wall, a section of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, and Judaism’s holiest site. visit the temple Mount, where the Jewish temple stood until its destruction in 70 A.D, and see the Dome of the Rock, a possible location of the Holy of Holies. On to visit St Anne’s church and a visit to nearby Pools of Bethesda where the healing at the pool took place. dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
Day 10, June 13: Departure Tel Aviv to the US. Or take the post-tour extension to Jordan.
*Optional Post Tour extension to Jordan:
Day 10 June 13: Jordan – Mt. Nebo – Petra
After breakfast, we will depart to cross the border to Jordan. We visit Mt. Nebo, the place where prophet Mousa (Moses) gazed over the Promised Land before he died. We will visit an old monastery, overlook the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, and parts of the Holy Land. Then we continue to drive towards Petra for a traditional Bedouin Dinner & overnight.
Day 11 June 14: Full day Petra – Amman
After breakfast, we will visit the Site of Petra, a 2000-year-old Nabatean city highlighted in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. We will walk through the narrow passageway up to the Treasury, a massive royal tomb carved out of the solid rock. If time permits we will visit the Traditional Tomb of Aaron (Moses’ brother). Afternoon we have a transfer to Amman for dinner and overnight.
Day 12 June 15: Amman – Jarash
After breakfast at the hotel, we will visit Jarash, north of the capital Amman. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, it’s known for the ruins of the walled Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa (one of the cities of Decapolis). These include the 2nd-century Hadrian’s Arch, the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis, and the huge Forum’s oval colonnade. We then proceed to Amman to meet with and pray with, the local ministry leaders. We will check into our hotel, have dinner, and overnight in Amman.
Day 13 June 16: Arrive USA
This morning will have breakfast then transfer to the airport for your flight back to the USA.
