Posted 664 days ago

The Journeys of Jesus: A Monthly Pilgrimage

by Judy Naegeli, MSA team


Although it has been said that Jesus of Nazareth never went more than 30 miles from his own home, the journeys he took within that 30-mile radius were significant to his ministry and our understanding of his mission in the world. Each journey taught us something new about the heart of God and who Jesus was.

This series of monthly journeys, or pilgrimages, which is part of the AC09, is designed to help you experience inklings of the kingdom that Jesus brought to the world and invited us to participate in. It is set up as a bible study that you can do with your family or small group.

January: Places of Healing

Wherever Jesus went, he healed the sick, lame, deaf and blind. He touched untouchable lepers and raised people from the dead. At the same time, he offered spiritual wholeness by forgiving sins. In this pilgrimage, you will come in contact with people in need of physical healing, and you will get to offer spiritual healing as well.

Read

• Matthew 9:35
• Luke 5:12-14
• Mark 5:21-43

• Choose a Gospel and count how many times it uses the world “heal.”

Go
Choose one of the following activities.

• Volunteer at a hospital for a day.
• Visit a sick member of your church or home-bound elderly person

• Shadow a hospital chaplain, if possible, and pray for patients with him/her

When you meet people, ask them to tell part of their story. Try to make them laugh. Listen more than you talk. Try to imagine how you would feel in their situation.

Pray
If you are comfortable (and allowed), pray out loud for the people you encounter. Always ask permission from the person and, if granted, ask for specific requests.

Debrief
Gather with your group at the end of your activity to discuss what you learned and pray together for specific people you met and their specific ailments. Ask Him to help you become a healing presence in the world.

February: Into the Unknown

Jesus sent his disciples in pairs (and went himself) to preach the good news of the kingdom of God in Judea. They were sent to proclaim that “the Kingdom of God is here!” The towns they visited were most likely unknown to them, but even then, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, they knew that his teachings went beyond just their ragamuffin group of twelve. The Good News was for the whole world. In this pilgrimage, you will seek and witness the places where God is working in small mustard seed ways.

Read

• Matthew 10
• Mark 6:6b-13
• Luke 9:1-6

• Luke 10:1-24

Go
Wander around a neighborhood in your city or a town in your area that you have never visited before. Talk to people in shops or on the sidewalk about their neighborhood or town. Find out why they live there, what they like about it and what they would change. As you wander, collect items you find in the street that show the character of the place, or take pictures. Ask yourself, “Where is God?”

Pray
As you walk, ask God to show you glimpses of his kingdom in this neighborhood.

Debrief
Have lunch or coffee with your group in the neighborhood you have chosen. Discuss what you learned and share artifacts. Pray together for the changes that residents want to see.

March: The Wasteland of Temptation

After he was baptized, Jesus went into the desert to be tempted by the devil for forty days. We are not asking you to visit your nearest desert this month. Instead, spend time with people who refine their faith with fasting, prayer and work.

Read

• Matthew 4:1-11
• Luke 4:1-13

• “I Am a Wasteland”, by Lindsay Lackey

Go
Find a monastery in your area and spend at least a day and a night there. (There are monasteries everywhere; they just don’t promote themselves.) With a little research, you can find one relatively close to you. Call ahead to ask about their visiting policies. Many monasteries have guesthouses and will let you stay for free in exchange for a little manual labor or assistance. Observe their routine, spiritual practices and disciplines. Get to know one of the residents and ask them why they decided to take vows.

Pray
Before you arrive, ask God to show you His strength and faithfulness, which helps you through times of trial and temptation.

Attend one or all of the Daily Offices while you are there. If there are other prayer times in addition, ask if you can participate. Some monasteries have rules about silent prayers or periods of isolation, so be sure you ask what is expected of you at the beginning.

Debrief
On your way home or over a meal afterward, pray together for the discipline to resist temptation and the humility to confess and repent. Discuss areas for which you may need some accountability.

April: Space for Worship

Jesus was a devout Jew, which means he traveled to Jerusalem regularly for the required religious festivals and observances. Holy Week is usually in April, so for this pilgrimage, we will ask you to find and attend Holy Week services at a central, historical church in your area.

Read

• Luke 2:41
• John 2:13
• John 5:1-15
• Matthew 21:1-11

• Luke 19:28-44

Go
Do a little research and find the oldest church in your area. If you can, get a tour of the building and ask for stories of God’s work in the congregation, past and present. Attend a service during Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter) and observe the different, unique traditions of the place and people.

Pray
Thank God for the ministry of the church and ask for continued renewal. Ask the pastor or priest if there is anything you can be praying for specifically.

Debrief
Discuss with your group what you liked and disliked about the service you attended. Did you learn anything new about the last days of Jesus? Try introducing new traditions in your church based on what you saw and liked. Pray together for the church you attended and your home church.

May: The Garden of Mourning

One of the most heartbreaking stories of Jesus is of his fervent prayers to be spared in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. Even though he was the Son of God, and even though he knew he needed to be crucified to bring salvation and shalom to the world, he allowed himself a few hours to mourn and plead with God. He allowed himself to cry. Most Western cultures have no space for grief. When someone dies, for example, our main goal is to help the loved ones “get over it.” But perhaps, we need to give mourning room to flower.

Read

• Matthew 26:36-46
• Luke 22:39-46

• (optional) “From Kleenex Theology to Messy Spirituality”, by Chuck DeGroat (The Other Journal, Fall 2007)

Go
Jesus went to a garden by himself. While most of these pilgrimage are meant to be experienced together, go alone for this one. Find a garden or grove or open space where you have some assurance of being alone; you might even try a cemetery. Spend a few hours reflecting on the times in your life when you were truly sad, depressed or suffering. How did you handle it at the time? Is there any more healing that needs to happen? Is there anything going on in your life now that you need to cry over? Allow yourself to feel. Don’t hold anything back.

Pray
Cry out to God for comfort and healing. And then, thank God for being there.

Debrief
Bring your group together, and if you are comfortable, share some of your experience with them. Pray for each other, but don’t try to solve each other’s problems or cheer them up. Pray instead for God’s comfort and the right time to move on.

June: Back Home

Most of the Gospels tell the story of Jesus going back to Nazareth, his hometown, and being rejected in the synagogue. The people there remembered who he was as a child, knew his family and made assumptions about what Jesus would become. So when he came back changed, they were confused. Sometimes, we are not aware of how we are changing. But if we remember who we were, we can more easily recognize the work God has done in our lives.

Read

• Luke 4:14-30
• Matthew 13:54-58

• Mark 6:1-6

Go
Take a vacation and spend a few days or a week in the town in which you grew up. Stay with your parents, if they are still there, or perhaps an old friend. Visit your old schools, playgrounds and church, if applicable. Take note of the differences in your town from when you lived there. If you can, call up old friends or family friends who knew you when you were young and talk about old times.

Pray
Bring all your memories of joy, regret and nostalgia to God. Thank Him for the experiences in your hometown that made you who you are. Ask God to continue to grow you into His child.

Debrief
At some point, get together with you group to discuss your time in your hometown. Talk about the differences. Talk about the memories and the people you saw. Pray together for further growth and constant remembrance of where you’ve been.

July through December coming soon!

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