In the mid 250’s Rome faced a formidable opponent on their eastern frontier near the out post city of Dora Europa, modern day Syria. The Sassanian Persians, led by Shapur 1st, were attacking the city with their effective tactic of tunneling through or under the walls of fortified cities in order to enter the city without their opponents knowing what happened. The Romans, however, caught on quickly and barricaded the walls of the city, effectively burying whatever structures which existed in the walls of the city. Shops, apartments, forges, stables were all covered in debris to keep the Persians from penetrating the city under walls. Scroll forward to the 1930’s when archeologist discovered these preserved chambers of Dora Europa in a dig. One of the most preserved rooms turned out to be the oldest Christian church, or structure we have found to date. We have their baptismal, fresco’s, and insights into their worship practices written on the walls. This structure was used for only two decades, a mere twenty years. Then, the Persians came to conquer the city and carry off the inhabitants to Persia (Iran & Iraq), including the Christian congregation members of this little church.

What would happen to their community, their faith, their wellbeing in a foreign land? Surely, the Christian community would fail!? Quite the opposite, they found a well established church in their new land, with more than 20 Bishops and 18 dioceses. How? Centuries earlier, when the Holy Spirit enabled the apostles and disciples to proclaim the resurrection of Christ in many different languages, we notice this description in Acts 2:9, “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia…” God had already orchestrated His Kingdom to be spread through these Persian witnesses, and the missionary work of the apostle Thaddeus sent to Persia, to establish the community who would receive His people into their exile. In reality, the Church would thrive in the Persian empire so much that by the 400’s they would send 5 Bishops to defend orthodoxy in the early church councils. Christians in the Roman Empire experienced more persecution than under the reign of Shapur 1 of the Persian empire. Christians are still in Iran today and we should be praying for their faithfulness under dire circumstances. But again this shows us that God is faithful to the spread of His Church.

How would we react today if our lives were upended? How would we react if our building was burned down over night? Would we see our lives as caught up in God’s story, or would we blame Him for not giving us the life we thought we should have or deserve, or even the building we thought was ours!? When you come into worship this Sunday, be thankful and grateful to the Lord for this beautiful building and town we get to worship in, even for the life you’ve been given. Then, turn it back to Him and remember all we have and all we are, belong to Him to do what He wills. He will remain faithful to us for He has said so, (…”I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt 28:20) even when we lack His imagination as to how it all turns out.