And, my favorite, The Basilica of Jesus the Adolescent, which I did not visit but only read about, sits on a hill overlooking the city.  An entire church built for Jesus the Teenager, a part of his life about which we know nothing.

  There are a number of mosques in Nazareth because about a third of the 185,000 area population is Muslim. There are dozens of other sites some so small they only have room for a postcard stand.

  This Sunday morning, however, there is only one church we are truly here to see:  It’s the Church of the Nazarene.

Rev. Merlin and Alice Hunter were missionaries many years here in      Nazareth and were instrumental in the construction of this church.  It’s a    beautiful building designed by the same   architect who designed the     mammoth Church of the Annunciation which looms up just a few blocks away.

  We arrive for the morning service and are welcomed with smiling faces and open arms.  They are especially glad to see Pastor Hunter once again.

  The work of the Church of the Nazarene in Israel has seen its greatest progress among Palestinians.  The Jewish/Israeli population is very difficult to evangelize and resistant to the    gospel.  First Church of the Nazarene in Jerusalem, which we  visited, is currently closed and without a pastor although plans are underway to reopen.

After spirited singing, prayer, a special song, and performance of some children I was introduced to give the morning message.  I avoided using the story of Jesus preaching in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4); not wanting to take any chances.

  I shared some thoughts centered on the event of Jesus    encounter with blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10.  I was describing the scene just when Bartimaeus is summoned by Jesus, verse 46, and is rushing blindly toward him through the chaos of the stalls and market stands established outside the walls of Jericho.

  Suddenly there is a tremendous crash in the street outside the church.  Everyone, me included, are momentarily stunned into silence; followed by general laughter and relief. Sound-effects!  It was perfect.

 

 

See you Sunday,

 

  I wake up and see the drawn curtains of the hotel room showing a halo of faint light. We’re in Nazareth!  We arrived after dark from the Sea of Galilee yesterday…

  As with all places of religious    importance in the middle-east Nazareth is awash in conflicting competing holy, traditional,   authentic, and  opportunistic sites clamoring for the visitors attention.

  There is no general agreement on    anything.  Even its name is indicated variously as; Nazara, Nazaret, Nazareth, Nazarat, Nazarath, al-NaSira or al-Naseriyye. The Nazareth area shows  habitation since 7000 BC (the “Pre-pottery Neolithic B era”, for those studying for the test); additional ceramic discoveries dated 2200-1500 BC; silos and grinding mills 1500-565 BC, (don’t you just love     Wikipedia?).  This ancient history causes our own beloved Sutter’s Fort to look like an overnight mushroom.

  Nazareth was the home of Joseph and Mary, and where Jesus grew up.  Some scholars try to make the case that Jesus birth actually occurred in Nazareth rather than Bethlehem.  Of course this is not true      because just a couple of days ago I stood in the cave/stable where he was born near Shepherds Field on the grounds of the    Bethlehem YMCA, probably about 2:00 a.m. December 25th, I’m thinking.

  Some scholars also dispute that this is the Nazareth mentioned in the Bible and maintain that this Galilean Nazareth is the wrong one and it actually refers to a        Nazareth located in Judea to the south. Not having any idea just where the “Judean    Nazareth” actually is doesn’t slow them down one bit.

Scholars aside, history has laid its claim(s) to this Nazareth. There are over 23 monasteries and churches.  The information points out that “many of the older churches are located in the Old City” which is, I  assume, what you would expect.  An    overview:

  The Church of the Annunciation, (Roman Catholic) is the largest Christian church building in the middle-east; it marks the site where the Archangel Gabriel     announced the future birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. (Luke 1:26-31)

  Scripture records that she was       surprised. The entire church covers a small cave about the size of Oprah’s closet which is the venerated traditional spot of Mary’s encounter with Gabriel.

  Adjacent to the courtyard of this church is the Church of St. Joseph’s      Carpentry on the traditional location of Joseph’s workshop. (It was a very small town if it was even there at all)

  The Eastern Orthodox insisted upon a separate site of the Annunciation and so built St. Gabriel’s Church.

  The Synagogue Church, owned by the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (the      Melkite Greek Catholics split from the Greek Orthodox Church around 450; it’s a long story) The Synagogue Church is    located on the traditional site of the      synagogue where Jesus began his ministry (Luke 4).  At the conclusion of his message they tried to throw him off a cliff; a       cautionary tale for all preachers.

  There’s also the Mensa Christian Church, run by the Franciscans, on the   traditional location where Jesus had dinner with the Apostles after his resurrection.