GIVING & SERVING
"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord!'" — Psalm 122:1
Which Direction Are You Traveling?
If you read the New Testament carefully, you will notice that people repeatedly "went up to Jerusalem." Strangely, many of those travelers were actually coming from the north. Others approached from the south, east, or west. The Bible is usually describing elevation rather than compass direction. Jerusalem sits high in the hill country of Judea, so every pilgrim eventually climbed upward.
The observation points to something deeper. In the biblical world, people often thought first in terms of sacred places rather than compass points. The journey was defined by its destination. In much the same way, the Christian life is measured not merely by where we are going geographically or professionally, but whether we are moving ever closer to God through obedience, generosity, and service.
What Does Scripture Teach?
The fifteen Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120–134) were likely sung by pilgrims as they climbed toward Jerusalem for Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, and other special occasions. Their worship began long before they reached the Temple.
Jesus transformed this image. The upward path became the way of humble service. He washed His disciples' feet, carried the cross, and gave His life. In God's Kingdom, the road upward is the road of self-giving love.
What Can We Learn from Church History?
For centuries before Christ, faithful Jews traveled to Jerusalem for the great pilgrimage festivals described in Deuteronomy 16:16. Whether they came from Galilee, Jericho, the coastal plain, or the Negev desert (southern Israel on today’s map), every route eventually became an ascent into the Judean hills. As the Temple Mount came into view, families often sang the Songs of Ascents: "I lift up my eyes to the hills…" (Psalm 121) and "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord!'" (Psalm 122).
The first Christians inherited this rich imagery. Although they understood Jesus to be the fulfillment of the Temple, they continued to think of themselves as pilgrims. The New Testament calls believers strangers, sojourners, and citizens of heaven. The anonymous Epistle to Diognetus1 observed that Christians lived in their own countries "but only as sojourners."
1 There is a beautiful passage in the Epistle to Diognetus, “They [Christians] dwell in their own countries, but only as sojourners. They share in all things as citizens and endure all things as foreigners. Every foreign country is their homeland, and every homeland is foreign."
For Further Reading
In Scripture
- Psalms 120–134 (especially Psalm 121 and Psalm 122)
- Philippians 2:1–11
- Acts 20:35
From the Early Church
- Justin Martyr, First Apology, Chapters 65–67
- Epistle to Diognetus
Recommended Books
- Justo L. González, The Story of Christianity, Volume 1
- Robert Louis Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought
- N. T. Wright, The New Testament and Its World
Faith Through the Ages Timeline
This article connects Israel's pilgrimage tradition with the Early Church's understanding of the Christian life
✓ Apostolic Church (A.D. 30–100)
✓ Apostolic Fathers (A.D. 70–150)
✓ Ante-Nicene Church (A.D. 150–325)
○ Imperial Church (A.D. 325–590)
○ Early Medieval Church (A.D. 590–1054)
○ High Middle Ages (A.D. 1054–1517)
○ Reformation (A.D. 1517–1648)
○ Evangelical Awakenings (A.D. 1648–1900)
○ Modern Church (A.D. 1900–Present)
From the Church Archives
The Songs of Ascents
(Psalms 120–134)
Why it matters: The historical biblical pilgrimage reminds us that the Christian life is not defined by compass directions or worldly achievement, but by a lifelong journey toward our Lord and Savior.
For nearly a thousand years, Jewish pilgrims climbed toward Jerusalem singing these psalms. Early Christians treasured the same songs, recognizing that through Jesus Christ every believer is on a lifelong pilgrimage toward our Savior and the “heavenly Jerusalem.”
Reflection
Where is the road leading you today?
Ask the Lord to help you take one deliberate step upward through worship, humility, generosity, or service. In Scripture, going 'up' was more than a change in elevation; it was a movement toward God's presence. Are you “moving up?”
Our Commitment to Faithful Adherence to God’s Word
We seek to present Scripture as the final authority for faith and practice while drawing upon the best available historical scholarship to illuminate the Church's witness. Historical sources enrich our understanding but never supersede the authority of God's Word