I enjoyed a very refreshing two weeks holiday during August in Italy just outside of Rome. One day trip which was particularly sobering was to Pompeii - a bit of a trek to get to from where we were, however it was well worth the effort!
Of course, as a site it is very spectacular and I would recommend it to anyone - it is not a “UNESCO world heritage” site for nothing! Whilst you can only see approximately 30% of all that has been excavated over the years, what remains open for the public to walk around still overwhelms the visitor. Walking through the streets, visiting the amphitheatre, temple and houses it was easy to imagine the way of life.
As I was walking around it, marvelling at the architecture, art and layout of the place there were a few thoughts that came to me ... Which, whilst true for all, seem somehow crystallised in the lives and story of residents of Pompeii, which might help to focus our thoughts aright.
Firstly, the transience of life. Nothing in this life will last forever, even the things that seem so solid and secure. Pompeii is a moment in time, frozen, but also representing a whole empire and civilisation that no longer exists. Fast forward 2000 years and we have to ask to what degree are we attached to temporal things that seem so permanent ... The boundary of our country? The name and very existence of our political establishments? Acts 17:26-28 clearly indicates that the Lord is Sovereign over all things, including the establishing of rulers and the extent and times of nations. All that is around us is temporal, which should move us towards focussing, and working, on that which is eternal. Galatians 6:8 encourages us to sow into the eternal life and in 2 Corinthians 4:18 we see the summary of an argument by Paul to recognise the tension between the here and now in which we live and the future eternal situation in which we will finally be - encouraging us to focus our eyes on the future, to enable us to live fully in the present, this is the correct perspective. All this is passing away! 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Secondly, it was very interesting to see that, despite the volcano that was rumbling not 6 km away over a period of time there was a sense that “we will be okay!” Life was going on even as the volcano erupted. Humans have a wonderful capacity to ignore what is going on around them and think that nothing will happen to them, or that we are indestructible. This was highlighted in such places as the shops in the village where the shopkeepers we still running there businesses selling their wares etc. and the haunting fossilised remains of people caught up in the disaster as they were going about their daily lives. We are not indestructible, we don’t know how long we will live and, however long we have, we have one life to make right decisions that will affect our eternity. There is an urgency to consider what is important in life and not put it off to tomorrow - Paul was right when he urged the Church in Corinth to consider eternal things today “Now is the time of God’s favour, and now is the day of salvation!”
Thirdly, the existence of the Temple at the centre of the town, and the pictures of serpents all around in both frescos and mosaics demonstrate that the people had put their hope and confidence in some manifestation of “deities”! No doubt this brought some succour to them in the face of the rumblings. Humans seem to need something “bigger than them” in times of need.
Fourthly, the site is a continuous “work in progress”. At the extremes of the site you can see areas where volcanic ash still remains on top of further buildings that we awaiting excavation, and throughout the site the numerous building that have been excavated are in need of constant maintenance and renovation. As this process goes on treasures are revealed, rubble is removed and more can be known about the site, the people who lived there, and Roman culture in general. In many senses a metaphor for our journey and growth of each believer as God, the excavator, refines us and reveals Christ in us and to us - in all His glory!
Finally, Pompeii and the many other Roman excavations we visited reminded me that “there is nothing new under the sun!” This is the culture into which the Church was birthed, a culture hostile to the gospel and yet a culture into which our forefathers lived, demonstrated and shared their faith in Christ. One in which, no matter the obstacles or hindrances, Christ built His Church. He continues to do this today through the lives and witness of His people ... Some things have not changed, the world in which we live still remains hostile to the gospel and to those who seek to share it! However, the hope also remains of eternal life in Christ that equips us to live with an eternal perspective in a transient, temporal context!
Press on!
Of course, as a site it is very spectacular and I would recommend it to anyone - it is not a “UNESCO world heritage” site for nothing! Whilst you can only see approximately 30% of all that has been excavated over the years, what remains open for the public to walk around still overwhelms the visitor. Walking through the streets, visiting the amphitheatre, temple and houses it was easy to imagine the way of life.
As I was walking around it, marvelling at the architecture, art and layout of the place there were a few thoughts that came to me ... Which, whilst true for all, seem somehow crystallised in the lives and story of residents of Pompeii, which might help to focus our thoughts aright.
Firstly, the transience of life. Nothing in this life will last forever, even the things that seem so solid and secure. Pompeii is a moment in time, frozen, but also representing a whole empire and civilisation that no longer exists. Fast forward 2000 years and we have to ask to what degree are we attached to temporal things that seem so permanent ... The boundary of our country? The name and very existence of our political establishments? Acts 17:26-28 clearly indicates that the Lord is Sovereign over all things, including the establishing of rulers and the extent and times of nations. All that is around us is temporal, which should move us towards focussing, and working, on that which is eternal. Galatians 6:8 encourages us to sow into the eternal life and in 2 Corinthians 4:18 we see the summary of an argument by Paul to recognise the tension between the here and now in which we live and the future eternal situation in which we will finally be - encouraging us to focus our eyes on the future, to enable us to live fully in the present, this is the correct perspective. All this is passing away! 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Secondly, it was very interesting to see that, despite the volcano that was rumbling not 6 km away over a period of time there was a sense that “we will be okay!” Life was going on even as the volcano erupted. Humans have a wonderful capacity to ignore what is going on around them and think that nothing will happen to them, or that we are indestructible. This was highlighted in such places as the shops in the village where the shopkeepers we still running there businesses selling their wares etc. and the haunting fossilised remains of people caught up in the disaster as they were going about their daily lives. We are not indestructible, we don’t know how long we will live and, however long we have, we have one life to make right decisions that will affect our eternity. There is an urgency to consider what is important in life and not put it off to tomorrow - Paul was right when he urged the Church in Corinth to consider eternal things today “Now is the time of God’s favour, and now is the day of salvation!”
Thirdly, the existence of the Temple at the centre of the town, and the pictures of serpents all around in both frescos and mosaics demonstrate that the people had put their hope and confidence in some manifestation of “deities”! No doubt this brought some succour to them in the face of the rumblings. Humans seem to need something “bigger than them” in times of need.
Fourthly, the site is a continuous “work in progress”. At the extremes of the site you can see areas where volcanic ash still remains on top of further buildings that we awaiting excavation, and throughout the site the numerous building that have been excavated are in need of constant maintenance and renovation. As this process goes on treasures are revealed, rubble is removed and more can be known about the site, the people who lived there, and Roman culture in general. In many senses a metaphor for our journey and growth of each believer as God, the excavator, refines us and reveals Christ in us and to us - in all His glory!
Finally, Pompeii and the many other Roman excavations we visited reminded me that “there is nothing new under the sun!” This is the culture into which the Church was birthed, a culture hostile to the gospel and yet a culture into which our forefathers lived, demonstrated and shared their faith in Christ. One in which, no matter the obstacles or hindrances, Christ built His Church. He continues to do this today through the lives and witness of His people ... Some things have not changed, the world in which we live still remains hostile to the gospel and to those who seek to share it! However, the hope also remains of eternal life in Christ that equips us to live with an eternal perspective in a transient, temporal context!
Press on!
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