Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
-Matthew 3:13-17
I lay down to sleep at 11:30 PM. The dreams come again, powerful and jarring. After what seems like hours I awaken and check the clock. It is 12:08 AM. The dreams continue through the night. However, this is the first night in many that I get enough sleep.
Artists have written more songs about the Jordan than any other river in the world. This morning I will enter these waters for my first time and receive a believer's baptism. As I get ready for another day in Israel I receive several personal messages. Pastor Flick writes me a note. My Church family sends me messages of encouragement on social media. Jen, also, sends me this message:
I pray that tomorrow as you get baptized, God's Spirit would pour out on you WAY more than you've ever experienced before! May you know his Love, Truth and Being more fully than you yet understood. May you be overwhelmed by God, by your belonging and forever citizenship in Christ. May you know your true position in this world and in God's eyes. May you feel the newness that you are everyday. May you know where your merit comes from. May you feel empowered to serve God and share his gospel. May God excite you so much, you can hardly stand still. You can hardly stand silent. May you be renewed in his truth and light. May you rise from baptism radically and forever changed. May all anxiety and apprehension drip fully away from you in light of your foundation in Christ. Much peace, Mike! You've already attained these things. May you live up to them. (Phil 3:16). Although these things are already yours, God gives us special times and festivals to celebrate them. You've already been baptized into God's spirit. Tomorrow you get to be baptized with water as well. This is special. I pray BIG things for you, because I can. God has given us these things, these special promises. You're his, and I'm definitely grateful.
Is there any doubt why I love this girl, the girl that God Himself told me about? I miss her. I find myself talking about her to other people more and more often as the trip goes on. As I move through buffet lines, I try to imagine what food she would choose. She is not an idol in my life, rather, she is someone who encourages me in Christ and is always pointing me toward Him.
The Jordan River is the first stop of the day. One of the first things that I do is fill a bottle full of water from the Jordan to add to my bottle from the Sea of Galilee. I only need 1 more bottle. The 33 of us getting baptized (plus 4 more that were late additions) change into white robes and sit on the bank of the river. Once we are assembled, Pastor Mike from Banner of Christ addresses us, as does Pastor Flick from Everyday Life. Both do a great job helping us understand the magnitude of what's about to happen. After the pastors are done speaking, we are invited to tell why we are getting baptized today. Folks stand up at random, give their name, their church, and why they are here. The Spirit gives me the courage to stand.
"My name is Mike Endres. I attend HomeFront Church. I remember talking with Josh about this day in January 2013. It was then I made the decision to travel to Israel and be baptized here." At this moment I pause. No one to this point has broken down while professing. After several moments I continue, my voice ringing with pain, "Just after that decision I learned that my wife, the mother of my three young children, was having an affair." I pause again. "God allowed my tower to come down," I continue. "Between the decision to be baptized and now, I have gone through a divorce." I'm crying now, "But God didn't leave me nor forsake me. He rebuilt my tower with His will." Emphatically I end, "This is why I came!"
As I sit down, I realize something has changed among the group. Everyone claps to express encouragement. I'm utterly moved by the entire situation and build up to this moment in time. Now others stand up, confessing with tears the burden they bare. It's as if it's okay to cry now. It's okay to be weak, to be broken. More than ever the importance of baptism is sinking in.
HomeFront Church lines up in the Jordan River first. Pastor Josh and Pastor Flick will be performing the baptisms for our Church. I'm somewhere in the middle / end of the line. My roommate on the trip, Mark, is ahead of me in line. After each baptism, all of our group erupts in applause and cheering. As I stand waist deep in the river I feel little fish "kissing" my feet, we'll say. I wonder if Jesus had fish kissing His feet.
It's now my turn. I wade toward Josh and Flick. I hear Josh whisper to Flick that he wants to say a few words to me. As I stand between the two, taking in the moment, Josh begins to speak privately to me. I say nothing and just listen to the words of my Pastor. I'm reminded that, when I first found out my wife was cheating on me, Josh was the very first person I came to. Since then I have been living in between two lives. The "in between" is not a fun place to be. It's a place of depression and anxiety and grief.
Josh tells me that he can't imagine how important this moment is for me. As he talks I can tell that he's trying to hold himself together, too. He reminds me that many have been inspired by my story. He tells me that this is an honor for him to be baptizing me. He tries to explain how I hold him accountable as a Pastor, and that he's amazed at the rate I pursue my faith. He tells me that he cannot express how proud he is. All the while I listen and I'm so thankful that God got a hold of me and set this path in front of me, and gave me the ability to walk it. All praise goes to the Spirit that gives me strength. It is my hope to one day be able to encourage people the way my Church family encourages me. For some (like Josh) it is a spiritual gift.
Flick begins addressing the crowd. The moment is coming. My story is shifting. This is the symbolic beginning of the new me. This is the FULL acceptance of my new life in Christ and His path for my life. My path for myself is being left behind and erased. It's been quite a journey to this moment.
Password: 33
I exit the water, overwhelmed that the moment has come and passed. But the story goes on. I'm more excited than ever for those that have yet to be baptized. So, I find a high perch, and watch them one after the other. This is not a situation where we wanted to move quickly, to be done with this so we can go on to the next site. No, we cheer, along with the angels in Heaven, for every last person. I well with joy for each and every one of them. After we finish several of us take a brief swim to the other side of the Jordan and back. Everyone is joyful and full of the Spirit.
Cheryl Reiffer tells me, "You may not know this but you're an inspiration to a lot of people." I'm thankful for her encouragement. I don't necessarily feel like an inspiration to others. But, if my story is inspiring, I'm thankful to God that He gave it to me. I'm even more thankful for the new, unwritten story ahead of me. The truth is that my Church inspires me. I found them at just the right time.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Beit She'an is located in the heart of the Roman Empire. In 686 AD all of the outer walls collapsed in an earthquake. Today, it is among the largest restored Roman cities, second only to a city in Ephesus. Wandering the streets of this city helps me to get a feel for the sights of Jesus' time.
Below is the pagan temple at the top of the Tel. The image on the left is the real deal while the image on the right is a miniature model. This area has been destroyed and rebuilt 22 times, thus the temple sits on a hill. This is the location that Saul's body was brought and where valiant men went to retrieve it.
The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.
When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.
- 1 Samuel 31:8-13
What loyalty King David showed his King, even a King that tried to kill him. It's an admirable loyalty, a virtue. A lot of people could not understand why I gave my then wife a second chance. It wasn't so much being loyal to her (though it was) it was more about being loyal to the vows and the God who bound them. Going forward into my new life I pray to the Father, through Jesus, that the Spirit will keep me a loyal man. I never never never want to bring the hurt that I felt to another person. Spirit compel me to be always loyal to Jen, and more importantly to your calling!
It's time for our group to continue south, and into the West Bank. We will be passing through the land where the Israelites complained to Moses after being rescued from the Egyptians. We are moving south, toward Jerusalem, that great city of the Bible that has played such a pivotal role in God's story.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in Qumran in 1947. Those who found them went to Bethlehem and sold the pottery jar full of scrolls for $147. Until this discovery the oldest known copy of the Old Testament was from around 1000 AD. The Dead Sea Scrolls, which include the prophesies about Jesus in the Book of Isaiah, predate Jesus.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. -Isaiah 53:5
Cave #4 is the most famous cave (pictured below). More than 15,000 fragments were found in this cave. From all 11 Qumran caves, every Old Testament book is represented except Esther. No New Testament books or fragments have been found.
It amazes me when I think about how God's story comes into formation, told through the Scriptures over the course of thousands of years by many different authors.
On a much smaller scale I marvel at how God is telling my personal story. When I rededicated my life to Christ, my wife saw a light in me. She ultimately rejected it. But, God used that rejection and kept me on course. Lord, where you go I will follow! I have followed His leading out of Egypt and through my metaphorical desert. But a new beginning is upon me, a "promise land" if you will.
I began my day in the water so I guess it's only fitting that I end it there, too. I make sure to fill up my 3rd and final bottle with water from the Dead Sea. We stay one night in the Royal Hotel before continuing our trek toward Jerusalem, that ancient city we read about in our Bibles. I feel like I'm returning home to a place I've never been.
There's something I carry with me to Jerusalem, something I've told only a few people about. It's something that will not leave Jerusalem with me. It's a sacrifice to my God and it's also a burden. I look forward to laying this gift at His feet.
I exit the water, overwhelmed that the moment has come and passed. But the story goes on. I'm more excited than ever for those that have yet to be baptized. So, I find a high perch, and watch them one after the other. This is not a situation where we wanted to move quickly, to be done with this so we can go on to the next site. No, we cheer, along with the angels in Heaven, for every last person. I well with joy for each and every one of them. After we finish several of us take a brief swim to the other side of the Jordan and back. Everyone is joyful and full of the Spirit.
Cheryl Reiffer tells me, "You may not know this but you're an inspiration to a lot of people." I'm thankful for her encouragement. I don't necessarily feel like an inspiration to others. But, if my story is inspiring, I'm thankful to God that He gave it to me. I'm even more thankful for the new, unwritten story ahead of me. The truth is that my Church inspires me. I found them at just the right time.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
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| What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. -Romans 6:1-4 |
Beit She'an
Beit She'an is located in the heart of the Roman Empire. In 686 AD all of the outer walls collapsed in an earthquake. Today, it is among the largest restored Roman cities, second only to a city in Ephesus. Wandering the streets of this city helps me to get a feel for the sights of Jesus' time.
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| I sit overlooking the amphitheater of Beit She'an. This is where Romans would go to watch performances, listen to philosophical debates and political speeches. |
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| The last time that Pastor Josh was at this location a powerful rain storm pounded down. When it had stopped raining, this Roman street was drained thanks to the Roman sewer system. However, when they went to leave this site they had trouble because the modern streets were flooded. |
Below is the pagan temple at the top of the Tel. The image on the left is the real deal while the image on the right is a miniature model. This area has been destroyed and rebuilt 22 times, thus the temple sits on a hill. This is the location that Saul's body was brought and where valiant men went to retrieve it.
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The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.
When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.
- 1 Samuel 31:8-13
What loyalty King David showed his King, even a King that tried to kill him. It's an admirable loyalty, a virtue. A lot of people could not understand why I gave my then wife a second chance. It wasn't so much being loyal to her (though it was) it was more about being loyal to the vows and the God who bound them. Going forward into my new life I pray to the Father, through Jesus, that the Spirit will keep me a loyal man. I never never never want to bring the hurt that I felt to another person. Spirit compel me to be always loyal to Jen, and more importantly to your calling!
It's time for our group to continue south, and into the West Bank. We will be passing through the land where the Israelites complained to Moses after being rescued from the Egyptians. We are moving south, toward Jerusalem, that great city of the Bible that has played such a pivotal role in God's story.
Qumran
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in Qumran in 1947. Those who found them went to Bethlehem and sold the pottery jar full of scrolls for $147. Until this discovery the oldest known copy of the Old Testament was from around 1000 AD. The Dead Sea Scrolls, which include the prophesies about Jesus in the Book of Isaiah, predate Jesus.
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| It's a hot day in Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Some theories suggest that John the Baptist was a part of this Jewish Sect. |
Cave #4 is the most famous cave (pictured below). More than 15,000 fragments were found in this cave. From all 11 Qumran caves, every Old Testament book is represented except Esther. No New Testament books or fragments have been found.
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| It took 15 years to develop a liquid to dunk the scrolls in that would not only protect the ink but also allow the scrolls to be opened. |
It amazes me when I think about how God's story comes into formation, told through the Scriptures over the course of thousands of years by many different authors.
On a much smaller scale I marvel at how God is telling my personal story. When I rededicated my life to Christ, my wife saw a light in me. She ultimately rejected it. But, God used that rejection and kept me on course. Lord, where you go I will follow! I have followed His leading out of Egypt and through my metaphorical desert. But a new beginning is upon me, a "promise land" if you will.
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| Floating in the Dead Sea outside the Royal Hotel. |
There's something I carry with me to Jerusalem, something I've told only a few people about. It's something that will not leave Jerusalem with me. It's a sacrifice to my God and it's also a burden. I look forward to laying this gift at His feet.
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