Brown's Daily Word 3-10-09

Good morning,
Praise the Lord for the season of Lent, when we focus on Christ and the Cross where the Prince of Glory died. We are invited to deny self and to confess Christ with joy and zeal. Last Sunday a pastor was gunned down in the sanctuary of his church. The widow of the pastor said that her husband died doing what he loved to do. Following Christ is the way of the cross. There is no crown without the cross. In recent days over hundred Christians in Orissa, India have said "no" to themselves and "yes" to Jesus in the face of death, and have been martyred for the sake of the Gospel. When I read about these men I get excited about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a great thrill to serve Christ and follow Him.
"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself (that is, who God made you to be), your life will count for plenty." - Matthew 23:11-12 (The Message).
Church history is paved with the blood of the martyrs. Indeed, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church". One of the martyrs of the early church was Polycarp. Polycarp was Bishop of the church at Smyrna (present day Turkey). Persecution broke out in Smyrna and many Christians were fed to wild beasts in the arena. The godless and bloodthirsty crowd called for the carcass of the leader, Polycarp. The authorities sent a search party to find him. He had been taken into hiding by some Christians, but the Romans tortured two young believers until they finally disclosed his location. When the arrival of the authorities was announced there was still time in which Polycarp could have been whisked away, but he refused to go saying, “God’s will be done.” In one of the most touching instances of Christian grace imaginable, Polycarp welcomed his captors as if they were friends. He talked with them and insisted they eat a meal. He made only one request before being taken away – he asked for one hour to pray. He prayed aloud and the Roman soldiers listened to his prayer. Their hearts melted as they listened, and so they gave him 2 hours to pray. They had second thoughts about their assignment. They were overheard asking each other why they were sent to arrest him. Other authorities also experienced warmed hearts upon the arrival of Polycarp. The Proconsul sought a way to release him, too, and he instructed, “Curse God and I will let you go!”. Polycarp’s reply was classic, and completely true to Christ, “For eighty-six years I have served him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King was has saved me?” The Proconsul again looked for a way out. “Just do this, old man, just swear by the spirit of the emperor and that will be sufficient.’ Polycarp’s replied, “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.” There were further entreaties by the Proconsul, but Polycarp stood firm. The proconsul threatened him with wild beasts, but Polycarp’s reply was, “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from worst to best, but not to change from right to wrong.” The Proconsul then threatened, “I will burn you alive!” Polycarp replied, “You threaten with fire that burns for an hour and is over but the judgment on the ungodly is forever.” So it was that the fires engulfed him. Despite the flames all around, the witnesses noticed his faith and joy. It seemed that the flames refused to kill him, so he was finished off with a dagger. He was buried for the cause of Christ on February 22, 155 A.D. It was as much a day of victory as it was a day of tragedy. Polycarp illustrated the power of knowing Jesus intimately. He knew Him well enough, followed Him closely enough, and loved Him dearly enough to follow Him into the flames. As Jesus said, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”
In Christ,
Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlAYiQetZoQ