Burt's Bytes (Dec 4, 2011)

“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby
wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:12

As I referenced in my sermon on December 4, “Cairns” are rock formations that mark trails. They are one of the oldest forms of communication in our human history. A person would use a particular stack of stones to give a warning or simply mark the trail for other travelers.

Cairns are like signs for travelers. Our Biblical history is filled with God’s providing “signs” to His people. One only needs to remember the journey of Israel out of Egypt to discover God’s sign—from frogs and flies to pillars of cloud and fire. Throughout the pages of the Prophetic books God’s signs continually reflect God’s reaching toward humanity and God’s ultimate “sign” is celebrated in our Advent journey as we prepare for the birth of Messiah.

There is a new trail across northern Israel that offers travelers the chance to walk through New Testament sites in the footsteps of Jesus. The newly opened Gospel Trail winds for 39 miles, heading south from Nazareth, across gentle green hills, and down to Capernaum, the fishing town where Jesus is said to have established his home base.  The Gospel trail then heads south out of Nazareth, beginning at Mount Precipice, where a mob nearly threw Jesus off a cliff after a sermon he made in a local synagogue. The summit provides sweeping views across the Galilee, from ancient Nazareth and down through the Jezreel Valley, today considered Israel’s agricultural heartland. From there, the path goes to Mount Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration, when Jesus spoke to Moses and Elijah.

From Mount Tabor, the trail winds north, passing, in springtime, through a carpet of anemones and cyclamens. A side path, also marked, heads to Kfar Kana, where Jesus is said to have turned water into wine. Nearby is the town of Migdal, named for the ancient town of Magdala, said to be home to Mary Magdalene. The trail then leads one along the Sea of Galilee to Tabgha, the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes where Jesus fed a multitude with only a handful of food. Finally, travelers pass by the Mount of Beatitudes before heading to Capernaum.

In many ways, Advent is a combination of the passive nature of waiting expectantly and the active process of watching for signs in the journey to Christmas. The layers and implications of this imagery are numerous for us—How are we watching? Who is on the journey with us? What signs are we giving to others? Are we listening to what another person needs or notices in the journey?

Ultimately, the transcending truth of Advent is to remind us that how we journey is as important as the particular destinations in our journey. I am seeing stars and listening to shepherds on the journey, what about you? Will I see you in Bethlehem kneeling beside the manger that cradles One who is both Sign and Savior?

On the Journey with you,
Pastor Burt