Day 9 Mon Jun 14

Day Nine Monday June 14th

On the bus at 7:30. Today is the hottest and longest of the trip. We drove for a couple of hours and got some sleep/rest/catch-up on notes time. Stopped at a rest stop and then back on. Pastor Wayne teaching: 

Laodecia was known for the hot and cold waters in the area. When John writes in Revelation that they are lukewarm, it is with this in mind.

Antikus the third, one of Alexendar the Great's generals was given the area around (will have to get later), and he moved several hundred Jewish families into the Lyodician region. Some (or a lot) of them came to faith in Jesus. Later they brought in Synchronisim, blending in three parts of other religions that don't make sense in Christianity:
1. Jewish legalism of Hebrews
2. Sophistry - arguing not for truth but to win the argument
3. Oriental mysticism

Colossians chapter three refutes this synchronicity by pointing back to Jesus:
v 9-10: Christ is all sufficient and at peace
v 11-17: Jesus (and those in Him) are exalted over legalism- we are better than that
v 18-19: Jesus is exalted over mysticism
v 20-21: Jesus is exalted over sophistry / aecestism (stoics)
20 minutes study time, read Col 2 and find applications for own life. examples:
Mysticism - horoscopes, control
Legalism - fasting, reading, studying, when it becomes 'have-to' to please God. 
Aecetisism - business, CYA, do only what you have to do. Growing old gracefully. Easy to worship things (angels, crosses, icons)

Synchronized religions are like fancy cars with no tires. The rubber doesn't meet the road. 

Don't do things and sprinkle a little Jesus on top.

We visited and then had lunch. Then we went a short distance away to Hieropolis

Afternoon session, after visiting Hieropolis -- Greek and Roman ruins, terrterine, pools. 
Col 1:3-8 Epaphras.
Col 2:8 you have to start with God's grace (unmerited favor of God) Rom 3:23-25
Greek karis = graciousness. Only by putting faith in Jesus, can you receive karis. 

We stayed overnight at the Hotel Aurora. Internet access was only in the lobby.

We join the cruise tomorrow. On the cruise, the internet is very slow and expensive. 0.25 Euro per minute, or 15 Euros per hour. No wireless is available. Most people will be staying off it, so you may not get updates as frequently.

*Dale*