May I Never Be Ashamed of The Gospel

Hi and welcome to Van Life Devotions. As part of Season Three, we are traveling through Greece and Turkey visiting many areas that are mentioned in the New Testament. There are two places where early churches commenced that Leisl and I are not going to as part of this trip but have been in previous trips - they are Rome and Corinth. Today I want to share about a church we visited in Rome.

In 2016 we visited several European cities with Leisl’s family which included Rome. We had just visited the majestic Colosseum and we were walking around a nearby street to find somewhere to get out from the rain and seven minutes away we were inside the beautiful Basilica di San Clemente. You walk in and there surrounding you is another beautiful Cathedral.

You would know that ancient civilizations often built on top of the older civilization as was the case in Rome. When we walked into Basilica di San Clemente we were walking into a church that was built 900 years ago in the 12th century! Amazing!

But then we came across some descending stairs. Downstairs is another far earlier church; an important one, which dates to at least the 4th century AD. I couldn’t believe it. Where I was standing is where followers met when Christianity was made lawful under Emperor Constantine in that century. It was one of the earliest remaining church buildings. It’s mostly an empty space because they obviously took furnishings and the like to the upstairs church but on the walls were frescoes.

There’s more! Descending again, beneath this church-under-a-church, is an even steeper staircase, leading to another layer of time - the first century AD, to the streets of pagan ancient Rome, and the earliest years of two small religious cults. Down an alleyway was a wall of a large building, the dormitory of gladiators, and a private house with a courtyard, probably owned by a wealthy convert to one of these new religions. On one side of the alley was a cellar-like space with stone seating surrounding an altar. On the other side was another small room where Christians could worship in secret, hidden from those passing by. Remember, it was first century Rome, and Christianity was banned with harsh penalty for those found worshiping Christ. Here I was standing in a room where my brothers and sisters met in secret nearly 2000 years ago. I found it very moving to think my brothers and sisters in Christ worshipped in this very room all those years ago, also knowing that just a 7-minute walk down the road at the Colosseum Christians were killed for their faith. In fact, it is estimated that 3000 were fed to the lions, burned at the stake, or hacked to death in the Colosseum. 

On the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit of God came upon the church and thousands were converted, Acts 2:10 says that there were “visitors from Rome”. Some of them were converted and took the good news back to Rome telling their Jewish friends and family that the Messiah – Jesus the Christ has come. Some believed and the church in Rome commenced.

According to the Book of Acts the Apostle Paul went to Rome twice but on both occasions, he was under house arrest. Even though he was a prisoner, Luke wrote about him: “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” (Acts 28:30-31 NIV). Even though he was a prisoner for preaching Jesus, he continued to preach boldly. The reason why is found in his letter to the church at Rome, chapter 1 verses 16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16 NIV). O, how I pray that I too be like my early Christian brothers and sisters who boldly believed the gospel of Jesus Christ, knowing that it is the power of God bringing salvation to anyone who believes in faith.

Let’s Pray

Lord God, as I think of many faithful Christians over 2000 years who were not ashamed of the gospel, it challenges me to never hide Your light. Thank you that the gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to all who in faith believe in Your Son. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

David Moyes