Across the Sea

We  had a treat, a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee 

 a beautiful day for it, no storm

In the Hebrew mind the sea is the abyss

In 2007 we had live music and dancing on the boat

not this time

we westerners like water, we take some pictures

 Titanic move

 Family picture, to make sure we wouldn't lose anyone 

we were divided in families

often we would hear: family check

and we look around if our family was present

In shallow water we saw a fishing demonstration

 This net is called a casting net

Perfect cast

 He actually caught 2 little fish

Tilapia

Landed on the other side

Walking between mine fields we followed our Rabbi

picked up a rock and threw it in the field

just because he did it

 As usual Moria and Marc following close

We looked out on some ruins

 from the city of Susita

sat down for our faith lesson

Jesus went to the "other side"

 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.  When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”  For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

And there he healed a man called Legion

Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

the demons chose the pigs because that would be a safe place

pigs are unclean for a Jew

It didn't turn out to be a very safe place for the demons

 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission.  When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

This place has steep banks towards the Sea

The man who was healed wanted to come along with Jesus

but He didn't let him, he sent them into the missionfield

to his neighbours, with simple directions

 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,  “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

I believe that's what we need to do to

tell our neighbour our own story of being forgiven

of being set free.

and all because of Jesus

The man must have been successful because 

when Jesus returns to the other side he is met by a crowd

 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.  The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

So much is possible with Jesus

I got to say my memory verses about the feeding miracle

back to the bus