We arrived in Moscow on Tuesday morning and boarded a bus to go to our hotel. After we showered and changed we made our way by foot to a Russian restaurant where we ate traditional Russian food. The rest of the day we traveled by foot and subway all over Moscow.
Our touring was focused mainly on visiting the Kremlin and all of the Russian orthodox churches and also walking through Red Square.
We were able to enter several of the churches so we could take in the breathtaking murals that are painted all over the walls and the ceilings. The pictures are intended to reveal to the people all that is contained in God's Holy Word. I learned that as you face the altar, the second icon to the right of the altar tells the name of that church. The first church we entered was called the church of the assumption of Mary.
We also went to the church of the archangel and then finally made our way to The Church of Christ Our Saviour.
It was the grandest of the grand with its high ceilings, its murals and its ornamentationI watched women and children lighting candles and praying to those who to them are truly saints. Seeing this made me think again about emptiness. My heart felt empty when I waved farewell to my brothers and sisters in Christ in Ulyanosvk, but it felt full of the Lord to think I was able to take part in their first church service in their new building. The empty I felt in the Russian churches in Moscow was knowing they believe the means by which they will enter into Heaven is good works. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast." I also thought of when Jesus said to the people, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the father but by me.
These churches are very beautiful but they are empty. In order for the parishoners to be full they must first hear of the truth of the gospel of Christ. It is in Him and Him only that the fulness of God dwells.
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