Jack’s Winning Words 12/21/17
“Have you ever been to Bethlehem before?”  (Ruth the sheep)  A friend e-mailed me from Israel.  “Have you ever been here?  It’s beautiful.”  I was scheduled to go once, but a bomb scare cancelled the trip.  Now, I’m content to read descriptions, to imagine, and to sing: “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  I know that town is no longer like it was in Jesus’ day.  Times change.  What’s important is that the message stays the same.  “Love came down at Christmas.”    ;-)  Jack

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  we were there 18 years ago.  and yes,  it has been overdone to say the least.  the Eastern Orthodox Church, for example, has filled the room with those very ornate lamps that hand from the ceiling.  and, of course,  no one knows the exact location tho this may have been close.  the church is very old and filled with history but if you were looking for a very humble manger scene,  you will not find it.  waaay too many tour buses and vendors trying to sell you something:):):)  hold on to whatever mental and spiritual image you have.   its likely more accurate than what we saw.====JACK:  I've always appreciated the carol. O Little Town of Bethlehem, because of the story of how it came to be written.  As a preacher, I'm sure that you've referred to it more than once during a Christmas sermon.====ST PAUL: at SLLC the congregation always picked the last hymn at the end of every service.  Cleo Neynaber always picked the Navy Hymn.  after some months i asked why she wanted to sing this hymn which often brought her to tears.  and her husband too.   it was because their son was a Navy pilot who landed on a Carrier,  somehow the plane flipped over and he was killed instantly.  so you never know how a hymn might have bearing on someone's life.====JACK:  Usually there's a reason behind things unusual.

FROM HY YO SILVER:  Winter 2006  Dec 24 at 10:30pm  I was in Manger Square  Dec 25 at 12:15am  I was in Church of the Nativity====JACK:  Did you feel anything special on those occasions?  I would think not.  How about standing at the Wailing Wall?  Anything special?  I remember seeing a picture of a man facing the Wall....speaking into his cellphone.  Faith does not depend on place so much as it does on things esoteric.====HY:  It was very special to be at one of the holiest places for Christians on Christmas Eve. It was not spiritual or holy or religious but mice to be there and see the enjoyment and emotion on the faces of worshippers and pilgrims. I was simply there to observe a moment in time.  The Western Wall is deeply holy and emotional for me personally. ====JACK:  Did you ever see anyone endangering himself at the wall because of 2 Kings 9:8?

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  I am surrounded by family and love❤️❤️❤️I too missed trips to the holy land because of the danger====JACK:  Christmas Eve in church with family gets me into the Spirit.

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  thank you, jack. i get that love of learning from my dad.  peace to you this season. i am glad we are friends!====JACK:  Needed more than ever...Peace on earth, goodwill to all."

FROM BB IN CHGO:  The book I mentioned, “Learning to Walk In the Dark” has an interesting passage about that special place in Bethlehem which was likely a cave rather than the lean-to wooden structure Westerners typically depict in crèche scenes.  Her take on how this affects the nativity story, spiritually is that Jesus life started in the dark.  Both the seed in the ground and the baby in the womb are embraced by the darkness (Jesus later spent 3 days in the tomb) and so there is something to be said for Christians appreciating the darkness of advent and the difficulties in life without thinking it all has to be light and joyful.  Miracles happen in the dark…====JACK:  Being a preacher, I know that you can make most circumstances fit the message you want to get across.  If I were preaching this Christmas Eve, I might title the sermon: Learning to Walk in the Dark.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Bill and I were there for a few days in 1970; Even stayed in a Kibbutz one night, and heard the shots resounding over the Golan Heights!  My main impression was that the only thing they haven't built a church over is the Sea of Galilee!  We walked the Via Delorosa, viewed the tomb, visited the supposed birthplace in Bethlehem,.. all the "sacred sights". One thing that Impressed me was going DOWN to Jericho..it IS down, down, down to Jericho & the dead sea, where you absolutely could not sink under the water; so salty!  My tour group had me sing "I walked today where Jesus walked" as we came out of the tomb, and looked down on the Mt. Of OLives! Also It is interesting that Christians, Muslims and Jews all mix and live together in Jerusalem...The call to Prayer over the loudspeakers 5 times a day for Muslims is resounding, and impressed both Bill and I!  The wailing wall , too, was a deep experience...I'm sorry you never got to take the trip! Very colorful and interesting.====JACK:  I'm comfortable with my non-visit.  Hearing accounts of visits by you and the others...and reading the biblical accounts...and singing O Little Town is sufficient.  And, as far as walking where Jesus walked, I've done that in hospitals and cemeteries and many other places, too.  At the same time, I'm happy that you and Bill had the "real" Bethlehem experience.====OAKS:  O Little Town of Bethlehem is my favorite carol.  My family and church family know this, so we always sing it at least a couple of times during Advent and Christmas!  Once in Royal David's City and Mary, Mary Did You Know? are also special, but really don't you love most all of the carols?!  Music is such a blessings!!====JACK:  Have you noticed that the tempo of We Three Kings replicates the pace of camels as they walk along?====OAKS:  I hadn't thought about that, but  having ridden a camel (You sway enough to make you seasick!) I can say that is true ! Interesting!====JACK:  Sometimes, when I have people sing that carol, I have them sway as though riding on a camel.

FROM PR AW IN ILL:  Jack, somehow  I was priviledged to study in  Israel 2 weeks and to visit there (once with Judy)  twice. God has  been good to me beyond  my wildest hopes.     Thanks for the reminder. A blessed Christmas to you and a meaningful New Year.====JACK:  Maybe this can be your "carol" this Christmas..."Count your many blessings, name them one by one."

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  “Love oh love divine”, I am also content to heard the stories or watch videos of Bethlehem.  Love is all around us but it would be awesome to stand where Jesus stood. ====JACK:  I think that you and I will have to be content with figuratively standing where Jesus stood...when we help the poor and needy.  Afterall, that's what it's all about.

FROM ME IN NEWPORT BEACH:  Yes.  As I am sure you know border access is guarded and Bethlehem has few Christians.  16 day trip that included Petra/Jordan was very educational but also discouraging.  Found that also to be true of stay in Jerusalem, which was at times very inspiring. ====JACK:  Travelling wasn't altogether easy for Mary and Joseph, either.  "All is calm" is probably a misrepresentation of those times.