Pilgrims imitate Christ

Today was an incredible day, with Ephesus in our sights to complete our tour of all 7 churches of the Revelation.  Our theme today comes from Philippians 2:1-11.  We are called to give everything we have – empty ourselves – to the point of utter exhaustion for others.  With that perspective in mind, we set out for Ephesus.

Ephesus was once a thriving port town, reaching up to 250,000 in population in its Roman heyday, making it (at the time) the 2^nd largest city in the world, second only to Alexandria.  Ephesus as it exists today represents the largest Roman ruins in the world, dating back to 2^nd century AD.  Ephesus has a very long and volatile history dating all the way back to 1500 BC.

For our focus, Ephesus is the beloved church of Paul and is also one of the 7 churches that John writes to in Revelation.  Paul spent 3 years in Ephesus – longer than in any other city – and after leaving them, he could not ever return, for he loved them too much and knew that if he came back he would never leave again.  Paul reminds the people of Ephesus to steer clear of the immoral Roman lifestyle and balance themselves when he writes to them in Ephesians 5:1-5.

Paul’s journey in and around Ephesus is also documented in Acts19:11-32, where we learn of the Ephesians being introduced to Christianity through the burning of scrolls belonging to the town sorcerers (pagans).  It would not be an exaggeration to say that the theology of the church formed in its earliest days started right here in Ephesus. 

As we look to the messages sent to all 7 churches, there is a theme – you hold an important role in carrying forward the message of Christianity – don’t forget that and most importantly, don’t let go of what makes you distinctive in that.  An apt message, even 2000 years later.

Our last complete day in Turkey was indeed a full and fun one, ending with a gorgeous sunset (and subsequent moonrise) over a very tempestuous Aegean Sea.  Click HERE to check out the stunning photos from these events, along with the rest of the great shots of the day. 

We hope that the sea isn’t going to stay TOO rough, as tomorrow we board a ship bound for Greece, where we will cruise to Patmos, Santorini and then we land in Athens 2 days later.  Internet connection may not be easy to find while we are on the ship, so while it will no doubt be hard to not hear from the favored pilgrim group, know that we are all safe and sound, having an amazing time and we will be back to report all that we have seen as soon as we have the technology available.

The blessings and adventures continue!