December 23: Acts 20:25-31 (NIV)
25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
As the life of the apostle Paul was being taken in Rome under Nero another life was being born into the world that would continue to carry the flame of the gospel to those in the Roman Empire after Paul’s death. God never allows the world to go without a witness to his saving grace and the one we turn our attention to this day is the one by the name Polycarp. He was born in 69 a.d.. The details of his birth no one knows but the story goes that this young man was turned into a common slave
The story goes that a wealthy woman of the church in Smyrna noted for her works of charity among the poor was directed in a vision to go to the city gate and redeem a young man who was a slave of two men. This she did and promptly brought the young boy she had purchased into her home and gave him a Christian name and began to train him in the way of Christ. She formally adopted him and gave him a strong education.
Soon after he entered Callisto’s home he began to give evidence of God’s Spirit at work in his life. He lived a life of much self sacrifice caring for those less fortunate and was very diligent in witnessing to others about his faith in Christ.
Polycarp soon became a deacon in the church at Smyrna and it was to this work he gave much of his time. Due to persecution there were many widows in the church who had lost sons and husbands to the Romans sword. Polycarp soon became a very notable leader at the church in Smyrna. He served as a means of keeping the church unified during many difficult years of persecution.
Somewhere around 161 A.D. the persecutions by the Roman Empire grew to empire wide. Christians were not safe anywhere and the cry for the blood of Christians grew empire wide. Polycarp went into hiding but was discovered by a young child. Several Roman soldiers were dispatched to arrest Polycarp. When they found him he begged them the privilege of serving them a meal before they took him away. After the meal he asked for one more pleasure and that was to spend one hour alone in his prayer room, to which they granted him.
His prayers were of such nature that many of the guards were moved to repentance. After his hour of prayer he rose and met his guards and they took him to the proconsul who then urged him, saying, "Swear, and I will release thee; -- reproach Christ."
Polycarp answered, “You threaten me with fire that burns but for a moment and are ignorant of the fire that burns forever. Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never once wronged me; how then shall I blaspheme my King, Who hath saved me?" At the stake, to which he was only tied, but not nailed as usual, as he assured them he should stand immovable, the flames, on their kindling the fagots, encircled his body, like an arch, without touching him, and the executioner, on seeing this, was ordered to pierce him with a sword when so great a quantity of blood flowed out as extinguished. the fire.” (Foxes Book of martyrs)
So it is as we read of those who have gone before us that our way has been lighted by the flames of persecution through the centuries. We have a very bright path to walk due to those who have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God to those they have lived around. May we do nothing less in this our time in history.
God help us light the way for all those who need our Christ.
Pastor phil
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