be faithful unto death sermon

Centuries earlier, during the period when Rome was struggling with Carthage for supremacy, Smyrna sided with the Romans. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, self in my heart and enthrone the Lord Jesus, 1. There was a price on the head of our Lord. The ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity (Lk. 1 2 3 4 Next He did NOT say, If you are faithful a few short years I will give thee a Picking things up after Polycarp has been arrested and hes being brought into the stadium in Smyrna. . having been freed(Deuteronomy 15:12-18), B. Give us ears, give us courage, no matter the time, no matter the opposition, no matter the circumstances. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Would I run away? We allow ourselves to be involved in so many activities that we no longer have the time to devote to Bible study and prayer. Give it up. If I die, praise His name, it is to be with Him. So, what is this sin? Thats the promise in verse 11. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 6:4 ), in which he is to set aside those things of his old way of life ( 2 Cor. 12:1). Never. However, when they entered Rahab's house, they found a woman who had already been touched by the Spirit and a man loves the world and the things that are in it, he will find his hands 1 Cor 15:14 2:10 )? A Pleasure leads many to neglect the Lord. Text: Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mothers sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. So if we have a late date for Revelation around 90 A.D., then this is some 65 years later, not that long. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. And because of the necessity pressed upon him in his growing family, he accepted an affluent church in London. Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! Number one. Pentecostal. Its a very human response to fear death. That is our faith. Listening to a man expound the unsearchable riches of the Word of God. Matthew 16:24-25: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Or suppose I were to stand in this pulpit and lecture on the humanities, or any subject you would choose to name: philosophy, psychology, medicine, astronomy, anything. There is nothing but praise from our Lord for the church in Smyrna [Revelation 2:8-11]. That is the mark of a disciple of Christ. But I do not have a child and I am old and my wife is old. Lets peer inside Pauls heart, and see whats in there. No one is agathai but One, that is, God [Mark 10:18]. Why didnt the Lord say that to him? Believed and confessed they were strangers and pilgrims in this earth(Revelation 21:2). Were at 7, 8 now? That sadly has happened. And you cannot enter heaven loving the wrong world. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Not only is there no evidence of immortality, but the facts show it is utterly impossible for us that there should be a life beyond this one on earth. Thats what they say, the unbeliever and the infidel and the agnostic. Colossians 3:2: Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. First Corinthians 15:19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.. A long time ago, in the 1700s in a little town in Yorkshire, a county in northern England, there was a very, very poor family. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important way stations that become a part of our pilgrimage. FAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. And Nathan Hale volunteered as a spy to bring back the needed information. As we apply this standard, our views on many things undergo a radical change. 18:6). In many parts of the West, though not facing yet death, are facing increasing hostility and discrimination, not the likes of which our brothers and sisters may see in Afghanistan or North Korea or parts of northern Africa, but yet facing opposition, persecution. Faithfulness in the midst of persecution doesnt mean you just grin and bear it, you suppress it, you pretend like it doesnt hurt. We are given by choice, by volition, to our Lord and Master forever. The author of Hebrews had just finished writing about great men and women of faith-He wrote about how they obeyed God out of their faith. Especially and particularly is that true with our young people. The fourth characteristic, the fourth mark of a true disciple of our Lordone who continues unswervingly in the Word of God. And if you would just swear by Caesar, recant Christ, just let them go. Christian Life, Faith, Love, Loyalty, Self-Denial, Great Doctrines of the Bible: Practical Theology, 1983, Revelation. Foursquare. The handles of my plow where tears are wet. For almost 300 years Smyrna had a close connection with Rome. If there was a crime worthy of death, what would it be? WebFAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. by Be faithful even unto the point of death because brother, sister, friend, when youre faithful to the point of death for Jesus, you get a crown of life. heroes of the faith(Hebrews 11:9-10, 16), 1. That is an extreme and harsh word taken in itself. When we think of all Jesus endured to save our souls, how could we not be faithful? That is what the Bible said about Jesus: Jesus, looking upon him, loved him [Mark 10:21]. Fearing death is natural, but Jesus means to set us free. read more, Scripture: Not only that, but the Lord Jesus can sympathize because He, too, is a man, a human being, even now in heaven, the God-man. When our Lord was on the way to Jerusalem to die, in Perea on the other side of Jordan, He was met, accosted in a town over there by a rich young ruler [Mark 10:17-22]. This is a study of the book of Genesis. The tragic and terrible civil war he was fighting in his heart registered in his countenance, stugnaz; and he lost the battle. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Heres the key-those men and women were just like we are. His face beneath the cross is the face of faithfulness. Hes already won. 2:10). Later in the letter we read such is the story of blessed Polycarp, although he, together with those from Philadelphia, was the 12th person martyred in Smyrna, he alone is especially remembered by everyone so that he is spoken of everywhere, even by pagans. Paul takes a look around as he gives his last testimony. As we remember the words of Scripture, we will be able to fight off temptation and thus remain faithful. 5:17)-His point is that Elijah was a human being just like everyone else, yet his prayers accomplished much. Or whether we die or whether we live, we are with Him [1 Thessalonians 4:15-17]. B. I have decided to follow Jesus, the characteristic of a true disciple of our Lord. He knows your tribulation. That means we are never turning back. Dont think youre the only one to whom injustice has ever happened. When we suffer, were tempted to doubt Gods goodness, to question His sovereignty, to find Him less glorious, to wonder if Hes left us or forsaken us. Matthew 10:38: He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. And Matthew 16:24: If any one will come after Me, let him . Where, O death, is your victory? It is a place on which somebody is executed, a cross. If they were faithful to the end, surely we can be as well. Would it be murder, rape, spouse abuse, adultery, theft, gambling, or perhaps lying? And when the young man asked, Master, all of these commandments have I kept from my youth, but my heart is still hungry and empty, what lack I yet that I might obtain eternal life? 1 John 5:16-18, ON POINT, III [Matthew 19:20; Mark 10:20]. sanctified, hallowed, blessed, II. But notice who this Jesus is. We always face death as Christians remembering that our God has promised us a resurrection. Once they become a Christians, they begin visiting the sick and shut-in but its just too much trouble so they quit. And on the first anniversary of that wonderful experience, he wrote that marvelous hymn: [O for a Thousand Tongues, Charles Wesley]. He knew what it was to face external temptation when that suffering came. It continues to the last stitch. The things of this world prevent people from being faithful. 2:20). In 23 B.C. It would be possible for one to worship weekly and yet be as unfaithful as one who seldom, if ever, attended. A Compelling Conclusion (Part 1) # 18 And the Lord noticed it. read more, Scripture: Heres part of the story, the martyrdom of Polycarp. And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. There will be a temptation to want to raise your flag as well and say, Here I am, you can count on me. Or to wear the sort of clothes that everyone would wear. And Jesus will reign now and into eternity. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. His townspeople where He grew up in Nazareth took Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built to cast Him along to His death [Luke 4:28-29]. The love of your life is in money. Please, sir, your Majesty, said the pastor, could you grant pardon to the boy? He did it. Is God first in your life? It was a difficult situation. Every Christian wants to be able to say with the apostle Paul, as he thought about his own death ( 2 Tim. He said you can avoid that second hellish death and though you may face martyrdom, you can live a glorious, joyous life, because on the other side of the first death, is eternal life. We dont want to exaggerate it, we dont want to claim that were facing what other people are facing. It may be in the workplace when you will not agree to do the advertising campaign they want to do, or the training that theyre making everyone do. He was a friend of Ignatius and he was a mentor to Irenaeus. But when that acclamation and acceptance violates our commitment to Christ, it is to be repudiated by the disciple of our Lord. Darrows The Story of My Life said there is no evidence of immortality, B. Gods Isa 38:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. There was . There is one surviving document we know that came from Polycarp. Faithfulness. read more, Scripture: And He uses the word stugnaz, translated lowering, the sky is stugnaz, it is lowering. But heres the second thing that had happened in 70 A.D. with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, Judaism and Christianity start to form as two different paths and two different religions, no longer just another sect, Judaism had lots of sects, but as a different religion. That was Smyrna in 155 or 156 A.D. And when John Fawcett stood and preached before the king, the king was so moved he said to the preacher, Ask anything and I will give it to thee. And the wonderful preacher replied, Sir, I have nothing for myself, but one of my families has a boy, a wayward boy who faces the sentence of death for forgery, in the strict laws of that time. You dont forget His promise. Moule]. Now even saying it that way can make us nervous, is this anti-Semitism? IF we are in CHRIST. Amen.. We would like if He had said, Do not fear because you wont suffer. I would much prefer that. They assume they will go to heaven. Preacher, just stand up there and tell us what God says. He hands it back to you doubly blessed; sanctified, hallowed when I place Jesus first in my life. We can remember the things of God. read more, Scripture: The one who overcomes, who conquers, will not be hurt by the second death, that is, the eternal punishment in the lake of fire. Suppose I were to stand in this pulpitI majored in English in college, and I love English literature. To us, we use the word cross to refer to some handicap or some suffering or some disappointment, I have an incorrigible child, an obstreperous child, and it is a cross for me to bear. Or, I have some physical ailment, I have a cross to bear. Or, I have a frustration or a disappointment in my life; it is my cross. There is no such idea of that in the Bible; in the Scriptures a cross is something to die on. ON POINT, I And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21, 22]. If I live, bless God, it is to love Him. living faith, consumed with one desire to please Him(John 12:42-43), 1. But, if in a household there was a slave, and when time came, when that seventh year came and the slave was freeif he so loved his master or she so loved her mistress, that he did not want to leave, then they went through this kind of a simple ritual. It is used twice in the Bible. False doctrine prevents people from being faithful. Revelation chapter 2, beginning at verse 8. Come. Most people dont consider that they will die. Suppose I were to stand in this pulpit and speak and discuss English literature three times once a week? And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarahs womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith being fully persuaded that, what God had promised, He was able to perform. (Revelation 2:8-11) And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Yet Paul told Timothy that anyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 1 Corinthians 15:1-58, Denomination: Gave his life to be a Baptist preacher, VII. Remember? You have no picture of what actually that word describes at all in He was sad at that saying. The word is stugnaz. It would take maybe a half hour to read. If they refuse to swear by Caesar, if they refuse to worship our gods, then we must punish them., Polycarp replied, For 86 years I have been His servant and He has done me no wrong. The real hero is not he who makes the fastest schedule but he who lasts the longest. We can remember the love that God has for us. read more, Scripture: And after he began his preachingafter he was a preacher, he was wonderfully converted. Its marking out the date and time of his death. Probably dates to around 108 A.D., that is shortly after the death of Ignatius. ( Rev. So the first command to the Church dont be afraid what youre about to suffer. An outline from the book The Bumps Are What You Climb On "Three Important Looks" by Warren Wiersbe pg 17 1980 Our home is not here, it is there [John 14:1-3; Reveltion 21:1-5]. Revelation chapter 2, verses 8 through 11. In the little city of Bethany, they plotted His death. But in particular it blames some of the Jews. I absolutely love how the story ends. Files Audio Faithful Unto Death (Video) Notes Transcript If I could digress here a minute and make a humble and humble observation: Next anniversary, I begin my fortieth year as pastor of this dear churchforty years, beginning. But if a man loves God, every day is a sweeter day, a triumphant day, and some day, a victorious day. If we are faithful, God will save us and glorify us in the life to come. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. The third characteristicchoosing deliberately the cross, crucifying ourselves and every worldly desire that we have, that we might love God. The Importance of Christs Resurrection But as Polycarp entered the stadium, there came a voice from heaven: Be strong, Polycarp, and courageous. Or some translations, be strong and play the man. And no one saw the speaker, but those of our people who were present heard the voice and then, as he was brought forward, there was a great uproar when they heard that Polycarp had been arrested. Amen. And they had a little boy born to the home and they named him JohnJohn Fawcett. Luke 14:25 and 26: And there went great multitudes with Him: and He turned, and said unto them, If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, his wife, and children, his brothers, and sisters, and yea, his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. by choice to our Lord and Master forever, 1. But whether it is a diadem or a garland, whether it is a royal crown or a victors crown, God says if we are faithful and true, at the end of the way He will reward us with a crown of life [Revelation 2:10]. We have to remember the reality to come which will last forever and the reality that exists now. read more, Scripture: We dare not just go through the motions without loving God with all our heart. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. So to his sorrowing little congregation, he preached a farewell message and they placed everything on the wagonhis books, his furniture and everythingand he and his wife and the children climbed on the wagon, and they turned to leave. Do not be afraid. Instead, He told them to be faithful unto death. 119:11). You can understand how this might happen. We Christians must be faithful. Oh, what a beautiful thing, a precious thing, a wonderful thing: to love our Lord and to follow humbly in the way of Jesus! 5:17; 2 letter from Jesus to the church at Smyrna. Inspirational devotions delivered right to your email inbox. And worse than strange, is thought hateful. 8:14). They will be subtle, but they will be there. It may be in your classroom, when they think that all your beliefs make you a bigot. Listen to what it says: Now the blessed Polycarp was martyred on the second day of the first part of the month Xanthicus, seven days before the Kalends of March, on a great Sabbath, about 2 oclock in the afternoon. I started with the story of Polycarp. And in Jerusalem, they nailed Him to a cross [Matthew 27:32-50]. He wants to be associated with them. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. As we think of Gods love, what could we do but be faithful? For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. Certain things I try to pray for each day, certain things I try to pray for on a day of the week, and persecuted church is one of those. Now the next verse: And God counted his faith for righteousness, because he believed in the Lord [Genesis 16:6]. The LORD preserves the faithful (Ps. Irenaeus tells the story that on one occasion when Polycarp came face-to-face with the gnostic heretic Marcion, Marcion asked, Do you recognize me? to which Polycarp responded, I do, indeed. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.. For Jesus sake we pray. I trust everyone understands the significance of the Gospel in relation to salvation in Christ. Almost half of those were murdered, starved, died in prison camps in the Soviet Union. He lived to be 86 years old, and for the second half of his life he served as the bishop of Smyrna, which we just read is the second city in Revelation, today the modern city of Izmir in Turkey. Some put it much lower than that, if its actually killing you because you confess Christ, the higher number is if in some way the state has starvation or death or opposition to religious groups, including Christians.
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