Pilgrim's Chapter 11: Vanity Fair

After his battle with Apollyon, Christian is sprawled out on the ground, utterly exhausted...

Forward this Email to a Friend Vanity Fair Email 11 in a 16 part series on the 16 Worlds of The Pilgrim's Progress "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." —James 1:14 [ESV] After his battle with Apollyon, Christian is sprawled out on the ground, utterly exhausted. Just then, Faithful appears, and Christian recognizes him. It was the same pilgrim who had left the City of Destruction before him. The Book that Faithful had left behind had inspired Christian's journey to the Celestial City in the first place! Evangelist soon finds them both, and invites them to eat with him and rest for a while. Evangelist offers encouragement, and explains how glad he is that both Christian and Faithful have remained on the path despite hardships. "A crown, dear Christian and Faithful, awaits you both, and it will last forever." But, he was not there to only bring encouragement. A trial was coming. A significant one. Evangelist explains, "You will soon come to a town where you will be arrested…And one, or both of you will seal your testimony with blood."  Vanity Fair, Evangelist said, is a unique town, constructed by Apollyon. It is filled with every evil thing, every vice that can tempt the heart. Everything that can lead a pilgrim astray can be found there, but the town cannot be avoided. It stands directly on the path toward the Celestial City. Their guide encourages them to be vigilant: "Many have fallen who walked in with one eye on eternity, and the other on the present."  In our Christian lives, we will face temptation, but it is much easier to endure together with others who have the same commitment to the Lord. One must be resolute to seek the things of God, and not be tempted away by earthly gain or pleasure. Our desires must be shaped by what the Lord calls good, not what might seem good to us. Paul writes, "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." (Rom. 13:13-14, NIV) These are the things Christian and Faithful are up against in Vanity Fair: every evil thing that is disguised as good. Our desires must be shaped by what the Lord calls good, not what might seem good to us.  Together, Christian and Faithful enter the town. They will not so much as glance aside at the evil things that tempt them. But, this makes the residents of Vanity Fair angry. Christian and Faithful refuse to participate or buy anything. The things that Christian and Faithful seek from the King are things that they cannot buy: peace, joy, love, unselfishness, patience, contentment, and a crown that never fades away. The things which we seek as Christians are not things of this world. We will often need to forsake earthly things for the sake of our eternity with Christ. It does not make sense to the world that we choose to not participate in what is evil, especially if it would make our lives easier. It simply does not make sense to people who do not know the Lord that we would choose hardship so that Christ is glorified. But the promises of our King are so much better than any earthly gain: "And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." (1 Pet. 5:4) The things we seek as Christians are not things of this world.  When the pilgrims are brought before Judge Hategood, they tell him that the King is the source of all of these wonderful things. These blessings that they seek "are not such things that you can hold in your hand," Faithful explains, but they are worth so much more than anything that can be purchased.  Cruelty suggests to the judge that the pilgrims endure hardships. All manner of evil and pain was then inflicted upon Christian and Faithful, but they did not hate their attackers, or return any insults or blows, but instead smiled at them. This, of course, made the judge even more upset: "How vile! How very unnatural of them! How purely evil!"  It is wholly unnatural to bless those who cure you, but Jesus tells his followers to do just that:  "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matt. 5:44) By doing so, the Lord is glorified. In response to their display of contentment, peace, and even blessing of their attackers, Judge Hategood sentences Faithful to death. As he is being dragged away, Faithful shouts to Christian: "Do not weep that I am sent ahead of you dear brother, stay true, and I shall yet see you. I shall yet see you!"  Martyrdom isn't something far-off. Though we may not experience this form of persecution in the US currently, there are certainly persecuted Christians all over the world who have to make the choice: will they remain faithful even if it means they will be killed? The truth is that "to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:21) Because Jesus conquered death itself on the cross, death has become a pathway to eternal life for all who believe in Him. Though one may die for their faith, they enter into everlasting life with God their father. But, even when killed for his faith, Faithful's death is not in vain. Hopeful, a former guard in Vanity Fair, hears his testimony and decides to leave all that he has and go with Christian on his quest to the Celestial City. Christian remarks, "Perhaps that's the reason the path leads through the city. So other sojourners can help people like you."  "Perhaps that's the reason the path leads through the city. So other sojourners can help people like you." Faithful's witness, even in dying, testified that the message he believed was true. And though he died, The King used his death to bring another pilgrim to the path. But Christian knows, as we know, that death is not the end. Eternal life awaits all who believe and trust in God our King. "And as [Christian] went, he sang, saying—Well, Faithful, thou hast faithfully profest Unto thy Lord; with whom thou shalt be blest, When faithless ones, with all their vain delights, Are crying out under their hellish plights: Sing, Faithful, sing, and let thy name survive; For though they kill'd thee, thou art yet alive!" —John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress WATCH THE PILGRILM'S PROGRESS ONLINE FOR FREE Help Produce The 16 Worlds of The Pilgrim's Progress and Reserve Your Free Copy! The 16 Worlds of The Pilgrim's Progress: The Journey Begins is a devotional book which contains 16 lessons and a video collection that guides individuals through Christian's journey from this world to that which is to come. It will feature The Pilgrim's Progress movie, broken into 16 powerful segments. These segments are designed to disciple the next generation to stay on the straight path. Each of the 16 chapters will also will feature all new, exclusive video content with special guests, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Pilgrim's Progress movie.   Help Produce the 16 Worlds of The Pilgrim's Progress Devotional Copyright © 2020 RevelationMedia, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: RevelationMedia PO Box 518 McKinney, Texas 75070 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? 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