God’s Power Stories | Finding God’s Lead, How ... - 102 | In the Margins: Ephesus, Part 2, Where John Walked

What does it feel like to take communion in the ruins of a first-century synagogue—standing where Paul once stood, under the same open sky?In Part 2 of this powerful two-part Ephesus series, Anna and John move from the city's ancient streets into its most sacred spaces. They witness two careless teenagers treating ancient grave boxes as a photo opportunity—then walk into the ruins believed to be Ephesus's early synagogue, where their tour group gathered for communion in a place drenched in apostolic history.Explore the extraordinary tradition surrounding the Basilica Church of St. John, built over what's believed to be the Apostle John's tomb—including the remarkable legend that John dug his own cross-shaped grave, lay down in it, and was found gone when a great light faded, leaving behind a manna-like substance believed to have healing properties. Discover why the entire basilica's floor plan may have been designed in the shape of a cross to honor this tradition, and stand at the octagonal baptistry where believers underwent total immersion baptism two thousand years ago.Then dive into the heart of the episode: the letter Jesus wrote to the church at Ephesus—the very first of the seven letters in Revelation. Despite their sound doctrine, tireless endurance, and rejection of false teachers, Jesus tells this high-achieving church: "You have lost the love you had at first." Drawing on the Greek word protos (meaning not just "first" but "foremost"), Anna and John unpack how a church—or a person—can do everything right while the love that's supposed to generate it all quietly slips away, just as Ephesus's harbor slowly silted in through neglect rather than conquest.This is a convicting, tender conversation about routine versus love, maintenance versus decay, and the promise waiting for those who return: access to the tree of life itself.#InTheMargins #Ephesus #BasilicaOfStJohn #ApostleJohn #ChurchOfEphesus #FirstLove #SevenChurchesOfRevelation #BiblicalArchaeology #ChristianPodcast #RevelationTour #JonathanCahn #BookOfRevelation #Communion #SpiritualRenewal #ChristianTravel #BibleHistory #TurkeyTravel #FaithJourney #BibleStudyPodcast #TreeOfLifeIf this podcast has been a gift to you, help us reach someone who needs it. Find the giving link along with links to my books and community at beacons.ai/annamoorebradfield