Following the illegal trials of Jesus, He was beaten and made to carry His own cross to Golgotha, place of the skull. Though the Arab bus station below has caused much damage to the hill, one can still see the site many consider to be Golgatha.

Golgotha is situated very near the road to Damascus. It was a busy highway, and contrary to popular belief, crosses would have been put on full public display, not at the top of the hill. People spit on Him and mocked Him.

Ultimately, He hung on Calvary’s tree to provide atonement for your sin and mine.

Then, they laid Him in a borrowed tomb. We can’t say with 100% surity this was the place. However, the Bible provides clues (tomb near Golgotha, in a garden and belonging to a rich man). We find those criteria here.

We checked…the tomb is empty!l

One of the special things about the garden is hearing people from nations around the world proclaiming Jesus as Lord in their own language. It is a tiny piece of heaven.

Also extra special is the privilege to share together in communion at this incredible place. In doing so, we proclaim together that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried to take away our guilt and shame, and was raised to newness of life on the third day. What an awesome place to declare Jesus is Lord!

So, it begs the question: Have you put your faith in the one who died for your sins and took them to the grave? Have you recei ed the gift of new life by calling on His name and trusting in Him?

If not, it is simple, and today is your day. Perhaps you followed us throughout our Israel tour, or you just landed on this page. Regardless, Jesus is calling you.

Putting your trust in Him is as easy as ABC:

• Admit you are a sinner. The Bible says we all sin and fall short of the glory of God.
• Believe in your heart that He died to take away your sin.
• Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.

If you are sincere, here is a prayer you can pray. These are not magical words, but simply a pattern for you to follow:

Dear Jesus, I am a sinner. I have said wrong things, thought wrong things, and done wrong things. But I trust in You to save me from my sin. I believe with all my heart that Your payment on the cross for me is enough, and I thank You for Your salvation, freely given. I accept it now as a free gift, and I commit myself to You. Please change me from the inside out. In Jesus name, Amen

If you prayed that prayer, welcome to the family of God! However, Jesus didn’t call secret followers! Please tell a Christian friend about your decision to follow Jesus, or email us at Looking4theBlessedHope@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you and we will get you pointed in the right direction to grow in your new life.

Blessings to all, and stay tuned…we’re not done with our tour quite yet!