Study tour blog #3: A message for the world
Angus Gibb is travelling around Greece and Turkey in April 2023, on a study tour of ancient Biblical sites.
The ‘Bema of Paul’ in Berea which commemorates his ministry there.
I have reached the southern coast of Turkey and the beautiful port city of Kusadasi and am at a turning point in my journey. The first part of this tour has been following the apostle Paul and his missionary journeys through Asia Minor and Greece. Now we are focusing on the Apostle John and the Book of Revelation.
Unfortunately, due to government regulations, our journey to the island of Patmos was cancelled at the last moment; however we are still visiting six of the seven churches from the opening chapters of Revelation. As I followed the paths of Paul and saw the places where he ministered in Corinth, Athens, Berea, Thessaloniki, Philippi, Troas, Assos and Ephesus I have been struck by the call for each of us to continue on in this work of sharing the gospel with those around us.
I have been struck by the call for each of us to continue on in this work of sharing the gospel with those around us.
As we gathered for a church service in the basement area of a hotel in Turkey, we were each confronted with the reality that we are quite possibly one of the only churches meeting in this city.
And we were in an area where the gospel initially had a deep impact and was a place where the church was established for quite some time. Yet this is not the case anymore.
A mosaic depicting Paul’s second missionary journey.
This is a part of the world that needs to hear the gospel afresh again. It is a place that needs to hear anew the good news that Jesus is Lord and that Jesus saves.
But this is not just a message for here, it is a message for the whole world and each one of us is given that task. Even though our world is very much like the first century world that mocks the name of Jesus and his followers. And even though following Jesus may seem like a hard life to live, especially in the face of an opposition that calls you to honour the gods of our day, we take heart.
For the one who has overcome is with us.
He who is seated on the throne is victorious and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord as he returns again.
The Arch of Galarius in Thessaloniki
The old walls of Thessaloniki
More Reflections.
Often, we build something up so much in our minds, that the experience we want becomes almost unattainable. We romanticise what we think it will be like and we think “If I can just do this one thing or tick this one experience off my bucket list, then I will be able to feel a sense of fulfilment that I wouldn’t necessarily have had otherwise”.