Sunday’s weather forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies, with a chance of an afternoon shower. The morning temperature should be about 56°, with 5 MPH winds out of the south-southeast. The visibility on the water should be 9 miles. It may not be the most pleasant day on the water, but let’s hope the fish are biting!
As you may suspect, the above weather report isn’t for the north shore of Long Island this weekend. Our temperature will be much colder, around 25°. We, too, will have cloudy skies, but with snow possible later that night. Our winds will be about the same speed, also out of the south, with our visibility being slightly more, around a mile farther. We hope you won’t be fishing at that time, choosing instead to be with us.
The first weather report above is for the fishing port town named Kefar Hanum, Israel. You may be more familiar with its former name when it was an ancient big-time city — Capernaum. That’s the place Jesus made his second home, the place where he collected the first followers for his ministry. The native fishermen Peter, James, Andrew, and John, and the area tax collector Matthew became his apostles.
Based on today’s standards, the past Capernaum would not be viewed as a thriving urban setting. Although it was an administrative center, custom station, Roman military post, and prominent fishing port, the population of that time pales compared to today’s cities. During Jesus’ day, Capernaum’s population was around 1,500. For comparative purposes, the tiny, half-mile Village of Munsey Park encircling our church property is home to about 2,700 residents. Still, Capernaum must have been like a big city to Jesus, coming from Nazareth, home to about 400 people.
Culture, settings, and times may differ, but one thing in this world remains unchanged: we are faced with evil spirits. Join us this Sunday, January 31st, 10:30 AM, for our half-hour drive-in worship service as we revisit Jesus’ visit to Capernaum and his demonstration of authority over evil. Whether Kefar Hanum, Capernaum, Munsey Park, or Manhasset, Jesus gives us a forecast of goodness.