Digging Deep And Leaning In Series

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11; John 15:18-20

Theme: Digging Deep and Leaning In

This sermon is about how to live a vibrant and positive life in the face of Persecution using St. Polycarp and the Smyrna Church as models.

INTRO:

Grace and peace in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Have you ever heard of a woman by the name of Callisto?

If you are into astronomy you might say – Well, isn’t Callisto the name that was given to the 2nd largest moon that orbits Jupiter?

And you would be right. But the Callisto that I am referring to this morning was a woman who lived in the city of Smyrna. She lived around the same time that John the Apostle was working with the house churches in Smyrna.

We don’t know very much about Callisto, only that she was instrumental in the life of a young boy named Polycarp. Callisto meets Polycarp when he was a slave. A slave that would have little chance in life to become someone or do something meaningful.

Callisto purchased Polycarp and then did some things that transformed his life forever:

+She adopted him as one of her own children. Polycarp was no longer a slave. He was free. He had all the privileges and rights of a free person in Smyrna.

+She taught him about the Lord Jesus Christ.

+She introduced Polycarp to the Apostle John who was so impressed with him that he asked Polycarp to become one of his students. John then poured himself into this young man and taught him everything he knew about Jesus and Salvation.

That is the world in which Polycarp grew up. His city of Smyrna was one of the great cities of Asia Minor. It was nicknamed the Ornament of Asia. It was famous for its intellect and its advancements in medicine and art. And it was also a sports city with an amphitheater that could hold over 20,000 people.

Polycarp became not only an influential leader in his own city but one of the first Christian bishops in Asia Minor. He became famous for his knowledge of Jesus and his commitment to righteousness and holiness.

One of his close friends, a bishop by the name of Ignatius once told Polycarp, “Your mind is grounded in God as an immovable rock.”

That immoveable rock became not only famous for his ability to share Jesus with others but for his ability to withstand suffering and persecution.

When Polycarp was 86 years of age, he was arrested for his faith in Jesus. He had refused to worship Caeser and to proclaim Caeser as the Savior and LORD of the earth.

He was taken to the amphitheater and was told that he could either present a sacrifice to Caeser or else like others before him he would be put to death. Rome had decided that the Christian Church was a threat to its existence and to choose Christ over the state; over Caeser could now result in a death sentence.

They showed Polycarp the stake where they were going to bind him and the pile of wood that they had gathered up that they were going to use to set him on fire. Unless he recanted and proclaimed that Caesar was Savior of the world and not Christ, he would die a horrible death in the flames.

Polycarp looked at the soldiers around him and at the top of his lungs yelled out these words for all who had gathered to watch the Christians die at the hands of gladiators, wild animals, the sword and fire.

“86 years have I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” ....I bless Thee for (deigning) considering me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among Thy martyrs and drink the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ.”

With that the soldiers set him on fire and one of them took a knife and thrust it into his heart. Rather than deny Jesus, this 86-year-old man made a stand for Christ. He was the 12th esteemed leader that had been put to death in the Smyrna church in its first 100-year history.

It’s hard to imagine being part of a church that during its first 100 years that had 12 important leaders taken out and put to death for their faith in Jesus. You can only imagine how many others were put to death alongside of them.

This church: these house churches that Jesus talks to in our passage this morning were strong churches. They were strong in witness; they were strong in their faith, and they were strong in their ability to stand up against persecution.

These house churches that were in Smyrna were the only churches that Jesus speaks to in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 that there is no reproof or condemnation.