Greece/Turkey with Crossroads Bible Church

June 24 - July 4, 2017

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Write Your Epitaph

David Brooks, a columnist for the New York Times, says that there are two types of virtues: “resumé virtues” and “eulogy virtues.” He says:

The résumé virtues are the skills you bring to the marketplace. The eulogy virtues are the ones that are talked about at your funeral—whether you were kind, brave, honest or faithful. Were you capable of deep love? We all know that the eulogy virtues are more important than the resumé ones. But our culture and our educational systems spend more time teaching the skills and strategies you need for career success than the qualities you need to radiate that sort of inner light. Many of us are clearer on how to build an external career than on how to build inner character.

We started our communal journey today in a city called Hierapolis. This is an ancient city, with rich history and strong Christian archeological finds. As we entered and ascended from the back of the city into its heart, we were confronted with massive tombs on our left and on our right. The past few days, walking down certain Greco-Roman streets meant walking in the memory of Western heroes and gods. At this site, walking up the road means walking with one thing in mind: death. The tombs were elaborate, big and beautiful. This is the Necropolis—the city of the dead.

The most mulled over words that describe someone’s life are found on these protective stones. They’re the words of the epitaph. One epitaph that was uncovered here is of a Christfollower and it begins with these words:

The citizens of an eminent city, I made this (tomb)
In my lifetime, that I might have here a resting place for my body.
Abercius by name, I am a disciple of the chaste shepherd,
Who feeds His flocks of sheep on mountains and plains,
Who hath great eyes that look on all sides.

Steve VanPoolen, who was doing the teaching this morning, hit it home with a great rhetorical question. “What are we going to be known for? How are we to live with the end in mind?” These are the eulogy virtues that we need to think about, all of us—right now. Do we have the capability for deep love?

The ancient graves give evidence of something we have learned over and over again on this trip: the ancients did not know what to do with death. Christianity enters this world with the best news that a first century person can hear. The message is that Christ died once for sinners so that we may live again as we did in the garden of Eden. It is there that we walked in the cool of the day with God, face to face. Christ answers the questions that this world is asking when they think about bodily death.

The epitaph above describes a “disciple.” One who walks after Jesus. Here’s someone in the 2nd century (167 AD) who has himself followed Jesus and made disciples like him. The challenge we received today was to live such good lives amongst our unbelieving friends, family, coworkers and world that, as Peter says, even though they accuse us of wrongdoing, they will see our eulogy virtues—love, joy, patience, justice, humility—and glorify Jesus on the day when he comes back.What would you say if you had to write your epitaph today?

We made a quick stop at the mound where the ruins of an old Colossian city lie uncovered. We then the day in the heat of the day (110ºF) at Laodicea, one of the seven churches in the Province of Asia that are addressed in the book of Revelation (Ch. 3). Note that Philemon was a founding member of a church in Colossae. This little book packs a punch with its radical call to see all people as free and unified in Christ. Paul beautifully exhorts us to speak the truth in love and he exemplifies this by showing that church stands at the crossroads of truth and love. This is what rocks the first century world and will be what changes our world today.

Laodicea

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Rev 3:14-16)

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I could (and would) write out our experience in more detail if time and space permitted, but it doesn’t. Therefore, dear reader, on behalf of the rest of the community in Turkey, it will be our utmost pleasure to describe in vivid detail the experiences we’ve collaborated and the knowledge we’ve assumed when we arrive back to the States.

Lastly, the only thing I want to do right now is to press this point to all who will listen; consider the words of Jesus! He has given us a book. Keep looking at it. Stare in wonder at the King of kings and the Lord of Lords the only one who is able to cultivate in us eulogy virtues, not to build up our legacy, but to make a lasting and imperishable impact for the Kingdom of heaven.

-Erik

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