Day 09 - Thessaloniki & Philippi

Exodus from Thessaloniki
Eisodes to Philippi

Devotions on the bus were from Thessalonians 1 and 2 emphasizing Paul's focus on Faith (past), Hope (future) and Love (present).

We were challenged to reflect on the people who poured into our lives, bringing us to where we are today. Many of us can accurately recall events that caused us to reorient our lives back to God (refer back to Acts 2 and our visit to Sardis).

Our journey today brought us to Philippi. We traveled parallel to the ancient Via Ignatia road which brought Paul, Silas and Timothy to Philippi as well. Philippi was named after Phillip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great.

On the Sabbath, Paul would typically visit the Synagogue. However we interpret Acts 16:13 to tell us that there wasn't a synagogue in Philippi. Therefore Paul went down to "living" (flowing) water (Krenides - stream) to pray. It was there that Paul met Lydia, a prominent business woman in her time. She feared God and listened to the teachings of Paul and Silas. The Lord opened her heart and she responded to Paul's message by being baptized, along with her household. She then preceded to invite them to stay in her home (Acts 16:15).

Today we found the chapel of Lydia standing majestically adorned. In the center of the building was a large baptismal fount, where infants continue to be Christened today. Outside the stream continues to flow and we dipped our hands into the cool water. This location is a famous pilgrimage for the Greek Orthodox people. It was humbling for us to take in this amazing site with its deep symbolism and significance. Today we professionalize the gift of hospitality by using restaurants and hotels. If only we could be more like Lydia.

Then our group moved into the ruins of Philippi. All throughout this trip we have seen many theaters, agoras, and colonnades, with Philippi being no exception. However here we focused in on Acts 16:16-40. In this text we see Paul commanding an evil spirit to come out of a slave girl. For this he was beaten and thrown into prison.

In the midst of these extensive ruins, we saw a probable place where Paul would have been imprisoned. Another incredible site to actually be standing was outside those prison bars! When the earthquake came and Paul could have escaped, he chose to stay and speak the Word of God to the jailer and his household. (Phil 1:27 stand firm in the Spirit). If we could only be more like Paul.

Since Paul spent so much time there we are given the impression that Philippi was one of his favorite cities. As our tour bus drove out of town we were given the opportunity to stop and stand next to the road that brought Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke all to the City of Philippi. What a surreal moment ! What indisputable facts!! One comment overhead within our group depicts the feeling perfectly: it will take a couple of weeks after I'm home to actually realize where I've been and what I've seen.

Over the decades whenever Paul returned to Philippi, the people in the city were found to be faithful (Phil. 4). If only we could be more like Philippi.

Mike & Bonnie