Our Journey to Jerusalem

In all the Gospels, we See Jesus’ ultimate goal as his journey to Jerusalem. He knows that is where the culmination of his mission on earth is going to happen. He does not want anything to get in the way of this mission and he also makes it the highest priority in His life. Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem, as depicted in the Gospels, involved a final, deliberate trek from Galilee, through Samaria and Prea, ultimately culminating in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. A journey that foreshadowed His crucifixion and resurrection.

Luke 9:51 states that Jesus “Set his face to go to Jerusalem,: indicating a purposeful and determined course toward the city. The journey continued to Bethany and Bethphage, villages near the Mount of Olives, where Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey; known as His Triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Jesus’ entire life was aimed at accomplishing this journey, and He would not let anything deter him from it. So for him it was the most important journey of his life. He then invites us into our own Journey to Jerusalem. How are we going to allow our journey bring us closer to God and one another? It is only through our growing in our awareness of God’s presence and our walking with Him that we are going to recognize Him and where He wants us to go. How He is using the events of our daily lives to show us his presence and ability to lead us.

Jesus wants nothing more than a genuine relationship with each of his children and with His body—the church. He wants us to know how much He loves us and all that he has done and is doing for us on a daily basis.

Our ultimate goal in life is to live in a relationship with Jesus Christ that mirrors his relationship with his Father. One in which we draw our strength and wisdom from God and we trust Him with our very lives and existence. If we could do this, we would know how lucky we are to have a God who loves us.

​In Christ’s love,
Rev. Stephen W. Barch