A few years ago, I was on pilgrimage in Israel/Palestine when our group stopped at Caesarea Philippi—a place where, even now, the veil between heaven and earth feels thin. This is where the ancients spoke of the “Gates of Hell,” and where Jesus asked his disciples who they believed him to be. It was here that Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah—heaven come to earth in human flesh. 

Those stories are powerful. But older still is what lies beneath them: the spring. 

At Caesarea Philippi, meltwater that once fell as snow on Mount Hermon seeps through the rock and bursts forth from the earth. From these springs the Jordan River is born, eventually flowing into the Sea of Galilee. Long before temples or testimonies, there was water—gushing, persistent, life-giving. 

In the ancient world, places like this were sacred. When water broke through dry ground, it meant life for the community that gathered around it. Is it any wonder, then, that Scripture speaks of Jesus both as the Rock and as the living Water that flows from it? 

Join us this week as we take a fresh look at Jesus—the Rock and the Water—and rediscover how he alone satisfies our deepest thirst. I invite you to read this week’s scripture texts and to join us for worship, in person or online. 

Grace and peace, 

Pastor Jeremy