GREETINGS FROM TURKEY...DAY 3
It's much too late right now...and we leave much too early in the morning...so this will be short and sweet! As I mentioned in the last post, we had a 4 am wakeup call, for a 4:30 departure. Worst part was not the early hour. It was missing out on that incredible breakfast from the day before...I promise you, the boxed breakfast didn't even come close. Bummer. Regardless, with box in hand, we loaded up and headed to the airport again...this time with Izmir, modern-day Smyrna, as our destination. The first stop on our 7 Churches Tour, here in Turkey, was Sardis. We decided it would be good to read through the passages in Revelation for each church before our visit so I thought I'd share those with you here, so you wouldn't have to look it up yourselves. Chris was helpful in pointing out the following outline John uses for each letter to the 7 churches.
Addresses the audience.
Recognition of Christ.
Commendation.
Condemnation.
Promise.
Challenge to Hear the words.
Hopefully, this will be helpful to you as well as you look for each thing!
Revelation 3:1-6 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Like most of the cities/churches we're visiting, we're looking at archaeological digs/restorations, but it's challenging to hear the words given to the apostle John to deliver to these churches. We also visited the temple of Artemis, the goddess of wild animals and the hunt, domestic animals, and fertility. It was massive in scale, to be sure, but my favorite part may have been the small church erected in the far corner, once the pagan temple had been destroyed.
Addresses the audience.
Recognition of Christ.
Commendation.
Condemnation.
Promise.
Challenge to Hear the words.
Hopefully, this will be helpful to you as well as you look for each thing!
Revelation 3:1-6 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Like most of the cities/churches we're visiting, we're looking at archaeological digs/restorations, but it's challenging to hear the words given to the apostle John to deliver to these churches. We also visited the temple of Artemis, the goddess of wild animals and the hunt, domestic animals, and fertility. It was massive in scale, to be sure, but my favorite part may have been the small church erected in the far corner, once the pagan temple had been destroyed.
We enjoyed a super yummy lunch at Divan Lokantasi and then moved on to our next stop, the city of Philadelphia @ St. Jean Church. The Scripture is posted below...one of only 2 churches to receive no CONDEMNATION from Christ. The city of brotherly love definitely sets a beautiful example for believers today.
Revelation 3:7-13 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie-behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Finally, we drove the long trip to our hotel for the evening, Colossae Thermal Spa Hotel in Pamukkale. Ummm...it's hard to put this place into words. It was like an episode of the Twilight Zone...anyone old enough to remember this show? Ah, the old people are probably all in bed by now. Well, look it up...then imagine them doing an episode in a hotel with buffets of olives and Turkish baths for entertainment. :0 Yea...that's it...that's all I'm gonna say about that...because this post would no longer be brief, and plus you can't fully appreciate the whole experience without hearing directly from Isaac, Bryce, and Ally! *Here's your official SHOUT OUT, Ally!!!!* Just ask them...please just make sure we're all there so we can enjoy it, all over again! :) And on that note,
Goodnight, world!
