Going Beneath (and above) the City of David

View from our lunch table today.

Today - Wednesday - we had a open day with several options.  Most of our group chose to take a tour of the City of David - ruins from the oldest part of Jerusalem (at least 3000 years).  As part of this tour, we had another option - to walk down one of the old tunnels that brought water into the walled city.  Most of our group walked down a dry tunnel that dates back to before David when the city was a Canaanite city.  This was lit which made it easier, but it was still a tight squeeze.  Others of us had the chance to walk down Hezekiah's secret water tunnel which he built when he thought the Assyrians would attach Jerusalem after defeating the Northern Kingdom.  This was a blast.  Here are a few pictures and one video to put you there.

After the tunnel, we ended up at Siloam's Pool which is the pool which will be in my sermon on Sunday.  Of course, here's what happens when you throw a preacher on the spot.  At each spot, the three pastors have taken turns at saying some kind of devotional to put the location into a biblical framework - to speak grace and Gospel into the history and culture we are learning.  Paul and Bill both looked at me to see if I wanted to say a word.  I agree.  I had not prepared for this.  There are two pool stories in the Gospels at two different pools.  I didn't realize this.  And I had completely not paid any attention to which pool was in my Gospel passage for Sunday morning - when I was working on it last week - I didn't really care about the difference.  I was afraid it wasn't at this pool.  So, I told another story about a healing at a pool.  It was a really good connection with the Kingdom of God from John 5.  Of course, tonight when I had clear moment to look the stories up - I realize the story I used today at the Pool of Siloam really happened across town at the Pool of Bethesda.  The difference in these pools never really concerned me before - I won't forget them again.  

This afternoon a few of us stayed in the Old City of Jerusalem and had a great time getting lost in all the different sections.  The city is divided into 4 sections:  Jewish, Armenian Christian, Christian, and Muslim.  The sounds of all  of these religions really struck me today - church bells, calls to prayer, chants.  A couple of Sundays ago, Danny Almond spoke about wearing your faith on your sleeve.  Here - everyone wears that faith on the sleeve.

We ate lunch at a grand location - on a roof top overlooking the city.  Not sure how we got there or if we could ever get there again.  The food was good and the sights were stunning.  Here is a picture.  The picture at the top is a panorama of our view.  

Finally - a few other highlights.  

• A 75 year old Palestinian man named David befriended me today beside the Damascus Gate.  We had a great conversation and then I asked him to guide me to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  As he did, he said hello to everyone along the way.  Then, he stopped at his favorite coffee shop and order coffee and tea for me.  We then went and sat on the steps in front of the church.  In time, a waiter came to the plaza with tea and coffee.  We just sat and talked and drank.  Then, my time was over and we said our goodbyes.  
• Seeing the street where Jesus through out the money changers.  
• Seeing a history of Jerusalem at night on the walls of the David Tower.
• Riding through a Orthodox Jewish neighborhood. 

All of this and more made for a tiring, embarrassing, good, and fruitful day.  Thankful for all God has done and the oppotunity to be here.  One more thing.  Sylvia Hotard's mother is our trip with her.  I wanted to include this picture of her and her friend Elizabeth.  Please make sure Sylvia sees this picture.  Her mom is a great trooper and explorer.  We love her!