This day continues on from the last post about the volcanic ash church. We are exploring northern Israel, in Galilee, where Jesus did his missionary tours.
After first few stops in previous posts, we visited Capernaum. Jesus made Capernaum his home during some of his ministry.
“Leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum”
(Matt 4:13).
Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen living in the village. We visited a synagogue from that time period. It was very crowded…but rightly so as it as such significance. Jesus would have taught several times in this synagogue. Check out Mark 1:21-27, Luke 7:3, and John 6:35-39.
Really close to this synagogue, is the supposed house of Peter…perhaps where he would have grown up. It’s not definitive, but many people flock here to see where he would have lived…if not here, he would have lived close by. The large structure in the picture below is built around the ruins of his home.
A few miles from Capernaum is Tabgha, is a region on the northern shore of Galilee not far from Capernaum. Tabgha means “seven springs.”
Today, several of these springs have been discovered in this area and they produce warmer water than that of the Sea of Galilee. This warmer water helped the production of algae, which in turn attracted the fish. Fishermen thus have frequented this area for thousands of years. It is believed to be here that the miracle of the fish was to have taken place as recorded in Luke 5.
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11 ESV
The church below is found at Tabgha and called the Church of Peter’s Restoration. What I believe to be one of the finest displays of God’s amazing Grace is found in Peter and his denial of Christ. I’ll never forget hearing John MacArthur preach on this passage and I had tears in my eyes once I realized the significance of John 21:15-19.
Jesus has risen from the dead and had appeared to the disciples and was eating breakfast with them. Jesus then proceed to ask Peter the same question 3 times. Here it is:
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
(John 21:15-19 ESV)
Why would Jesus keep asking Peter the same question? It grieved Peter that Jesus had to keep asking him. Why is this? We must turn to Matthew 26.
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
(Matthew 26:69-75 ESV)
Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus having risen from the dead offers restoration to Peter in an amazing display of grace by asking for his devotion three times. 3 denials followed by 3 declarations of love. Peter has the privilege of saying “I love You” three times. One time for each of the intervals of denial, Jesus let him redeem himself. Here is the church commemorating this truth in John 21.
It was a beautiful little church on the shore!
Here is Jason, Adam, and Gabby…not sure what they are doing?!
Next we enjoyed some fish from the Sea of Galilee. Only the brave ordered this whole fish.
Here are some of the brave men…
We then drove a short distance to a museum that houses the “Jesus boat.” It is a boat that would have existed around when Jesus lived. There is no proof that this boat actually ever carried Jesus on it…just that it has survived 2,000 years. It was actually quite fascinating to learn about its discovery. Check out the website to find out more. http://www.jesusboatmuseum.com/
After dinner, we took a sunset boat ride on the choppy Sea of Galilee. (after we went swimming in it of course!) It was brilliant! One of my highlights of the trip.
Stay tuned for the last 2 days of our trip!!!