The Most Encouraging Moments of My Trip to Israel
I got to visit dozens of the Bible’s most wondrous locations: riding donkeys on the outskirts of Jerusalem, visiting the cities of Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Capernaum, wading through the waters of the Tunnel of Hezekiah, trekking the Wadi Qelt (the traditional site of Jesus’ wilderness temptation), and so much more. However, there was one thing I witnessed that blessed me the most. It wasn’t a location or an artifact. It was a particular kind of person. Due to our crew’s unique access, we were often permitted to arrive at most of our shooting sites before they opened to the general public. Some time after our arrivals, I’d always eventually hear the same sound: tour buses pulling in. You know the sound I’m talking about. First, you hear the massive engines. Second, you hear the brakes release. Finally, you hear the opening of the doors. Off those buses poured people from all over the world.
I encountered visitors from various countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, Australia, and North America. Their eyes were bright, their strides inspired, and their attitudes reverent. A handyman from Nazareth had taken up residence in their hearts. Through their animation and exuberance, I could see in a new way that Jesus Christ is really God. He’s really alive from the dead and saving souls around the globe. The overwhelming archaeological evidence I witnessed in Israel, which potently corroborated the claims of Scripture, gave me all the more certainty of the things I’ve been taught from the Bible. But nothing bore greater witness to the truth of the resurrection than those transformed lives spilling from those buses. They simply couldn’t wait to stand on the same ground as the One who had forgiven their sin and given them eternal life with God. The places I saw in Israel filled me with confidence that what’s written in the Scriptures about the past is undoubtedly trustworthy. The people I saw filling those places filled me with hope for the future in which the King of kings forever rules over His all-nations kingdom.
The Biggest Takeaways from My Trip to Israel
Whether I ever get a chance to go back to Israel, I will always have the opportunity to do in my town what I sought to do there: preach Christ to kids. Whether you ever get to visit Israel, you have an opportunity to do in your town what was inaugurated over there: preach Christ to kids. What was purchased on that ancient soil is available to you by the Holy Spirit wherever you are today. The same Spirit who descended upon Christ at the Jordan River and upon His followers in Jerusalem is available to you in your town. Now, it’s simply a matter of whether you and I will take this glorious Good News about events that transpired halfway around the world and proclaim it to those in our corner of the world. We don’t have to go to Israel to take what Christ did there to the people within our local reach.
Finally, I hope all our efforts in advancing the Gospel are aimed at all generations—and especially children. And I pray that in all our endeavors to bring Christ to little ones, no matter what looks (of confusion or ire) we might get, we boldly proclaim those three wonderful words that paved the way for our crew: “It’s for kids!”
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