Priene, Apollos, Miletus

We have conquered many ancient ruins on this journey throughout Asia Minor, and as we trace the footsteps of one our finest role models, encouragement abounds. Our day today started at Priene, a quaint ancient town from around 400BC tucked away in the hills. This place consisted of all the ancient ruin staples: theater, agora, synagogue, temple (to Athena, which naturally drops jaws), roadways, and more. Alexander the Great, in his conquests to Hellenize the region, took up residency in this town for a short while. As we walk through the church, synagogue, and temple - we are reminded of the audience Paul was reaching and the difficulties he must have faced – the clash of Jewish tradition and God-fearing Gentile believers, mixed with the culture of the times tempting new believers to compromise. We received a thought-provoking and gut-checking devotional. As we sat at the base of a temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus – we read the inscription that was discovered there. These words used to praise Caesar, were extremely similar wording to that of our beloved Jesus Christ – son of God who brings good news, who is here to save. But we know the kingdom of Caesar and the Kingdom of Jesus are very different, and we were encouraged to reflect: which kingdom are we pursuing?

From Priene, after eating a lovely lunch in a charming Turkish eatery, we explored the Temple of Apollos. What a marvelous sight. This temple, which was built with seventy-two massive columns, sprawled for what seemed like miles and structure very much in tact. You can’t not appreciate the hard work that went to building such a momentous structure, and ponder how it could have even been possible to construct without modern technology.

The highlight of the day was found at Miletus, where our fearless teacher Marc shared both from God’s Word and his heart. As we sat perched in a beautiful ancient theater, we read from Acts 20 and talked through Paul’s journey to Miletus. He was working his way towards Jerusalem, convinced that he would be taken to prison shortly, so he gathered his elders from Ephesus to meet in Miletus for a farewell legacy talk. Paul encouraged these leaders, whom he loved and discipled, what it meant to be a shepherd to God’s flock: to remain authentic and integrous, to spiritually care for yourself before your flock, and to truly love before leading.

This conversation challenged and encouraged us both in our ministries and lives – how are we leading our flocks and what legacy are we leaving behind? It’s easy to live our lives in the everyday routine, get tripped up by the trivial, and lose sight of the big picture. Sitting in that theater in Miletus, hearing Paul’s words of encouragement, as if his voice echoed off of those very walls, was a sobering moment to reflect. What legacy are we leaving behind by the lives we live? Are we pursuing the kingdom of self or Kingdom of Christ? Are there areas of compromise in our own lives, similar to the church of Thyatira struggled with – following Jezebel or Jesus? We continue on to Istanbul tomorrow to wrap up the trip, but the reflections from Miletus will carry on with us.