I recently went on my second pilgrimage to the Promised Land. My first pilgrimage was about 10 years ago.

I urge everyone to make this pilgrimage at least once in their life.

The words that come to my mind are “Come and see.”

These words appear again and again in the Scriptures.

For example, Philip was one of the earliest followers of Jesus. He went to a man named Nathanael “and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’” (John 1:45).

In reply, Nathanael did not say anything about the good news that Jesus is the one of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote.

Instead, Nathanael looked for something bad to say about Jesus: “‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ he asked.” (John 1:46).

“‘Come and see,’ said Philip.” (John 1:46).

Nathanael came and saw Jesus. After talking with him, “Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.’” (John 1:49).

It’s easy to be like Nathanael when he first heard about Jesus. Instead of looking for reasons to follow Jesus, we’re eager to find reasons not to follow Jesus.

For example, Nathanael found fault with Jesus because he came from Nazareth.  (John 1:46). We don’t know all the reasons why Nathanael doubted that anything good could come from Nazareth.

Nowadays, many people refuse to follow Jesus because they doubt that anything good can come from churches.

Indeed, they look for reasons to find fault with churches.

The faults they find in churches vary.

Some find fault with what churches teach about lifestyles, politics or money.

Some find fault with what churches teach about doctrines or the Bible.

Some find fault with how churches fail to hold clergy accountable for sexual misconduct.

But even if we find fault with “Nazareth”—even if we find fault with churches—we still need to come and see Jesus.

When we do, we’ll want to follow Jesus, as Philip did.

We’ll want to declare, as Philip did, that Jesus is the Messiah—the one about whom Moses wrote in the Law, and the one about whom the Prophets wrote.

We’ll want to go on a figurative or literal pilgrimage to the Promised Land to come and see places where Jesus showed that something good had indeed come from Nazareth.

For example, Jesus showed the Samaritan Woman at the well that good could come from him even though he was a Jew.

Like so many people who reflexively reject Jesus by complaining about what churches do (or don’t do), the Samaritan Woman started debating with Jesus over a dispute between Samaritans and Jews that had lasted for centuries.

She said, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is Jerusalem.” (John 4:20).

Jesus refused to let her evade the key question.

The key question wasn’t whether she should worship on Mount Gerizim (where the Temple for Samaritans was located) or worship on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (where the Temple for Jews was located).

Doctrines matter. And so, Jesus briefly affirmed that salvation was from the Jews, not from the Samaritans. But he avoided getting distracted by this ancient dispute about where the Temple should be located.

Instead, Jesus explained to her: “[A] time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.” (John 4:21).

Instead, “a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23).

By coming and seeing Jesus, the Samaritan Woman came to believe that Jesus is the Messiah (called Christ) (John 4:26).

And by coming and seeing Jesus, other Samaritans from her town came to believe that Jesus “really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42).

Compared to coming to see that Jesus is the Savior of the world, all other disagreements are trivial pursuits.

Who cares which place you worship, as long as you in truth are worshipping in the Spirit who creates love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? (Galatians 5:22-23).

Who cares which place you worship, as long as you are worshipping the One LORD God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind? (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:37).

During our pilgrimage, we visited Mount Gerizim (the site of the Ancient Samaritan Temple). It sits atop a high place with a beautiful view of surrounding mountains. On the day we were there in January, an icy wind froze us.

I didn’t complete the tour of the ancient Samaritan Temple on Mount Gerizim.

Instead, I joined those whose spirit was willing, but whose flesh was frozen. We waited in the souvenir shop, guzzling hot coffee!

Similarly, I hope there are things that you find beautiful about the church—or other faith community—where you are active.

But regardless of whether you find beauty or an icy wind, the key question is whether you are worshiping the Father in the Spirit and in Truth.

Do you worship where the Spirit is a mighty wind, a flaming tongue of fire that warms your heart and lights the world? (Acts 2:1-4).

Or do you worship where the spirit is an icy wind that freezes your love and the love of others?

As Jesus himself warned, the time is coming when “[b]ecause of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12).

So, make sure you keep your love warm by worshipping in a “warm place” where you’re drinking “hot coffee”!

Make sure you keep your love warm by worshipping in the Spirit and in truth.

Make sure you keep your love warm, by coming and seeing Jesus.

Make sure you keep your love warm, by talking with Jesus.

Make sure you come and see and talk and stay with Jesus until you come to know that Jesus is the Messiah—the Anointed One who embodies the Spirit of the One LORD God!

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

What faults have you found with churches and other faith communities?

How do you (and others) worship in the Spirit and in truth?

Has your love ever gone cold? How do you warm your love up?

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For other blogs arising from my pilgrimage to the Promised Land, please read my blogs “The Immense, Towering Rock Overcomes the ‘Gates of Hell’”, “Moving the Temple Mount”, “Come and See the Promised Land: Desolations”, “Come and See the Promised Land: A Place of Abundance”, and “Come and See the Promised Land: Where Jesus Stayed”.

For related thoughts arising from places where we worship the LORD, please read my blogs “Places of Worship—Rainbows”, “Places of Worship—Stone Pillows”, “Places of Worship—Crossing Streams”, “Places of Worship—Burning Bushes”, “Places of Worship—Seeing and Hearing”, “Places of Worship—Following the Way of Jesus”, “Places of Worship—Spirit and Truth”, “Places of Worship—Wanting To Get Well”, “Places of Worship—Praying and Singing Hymns in ‘Prisons’”, and “Places of Worship—Earthquakes”.

To learn more about building the Temple, please read my blogs “Building the Temple—Moses”, “Building the Temple—David”, “Building the Temple—Isaiah”, “Building the Temple—Herod the Great”, “Building the Temple—Jesus”, “Building the Temple—Paul”, “Building the Temple—Peter”, and “Building the Temple—The Word”.