How do you respond when you are living your best, walking by faith, serving God and the bottom falls out? It is a great vast city, today called Izmir. Romans 6: 10-23 Give it up. These things I command you, that you love one another [John 15:17]. We have been encouraged and greatly challenged in our personal walk with the Lord. For almost 300 years Smyrna had a close connection with Rome. Probably dates to around 108 A.D., that is shortly after the death of Ignatius. 15:9). No one is agathai but One, that is, God [Mark 10:18]. Near the close of the previous chapter Paul had said," The law entered that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did much more 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. 15:58). A new convert never studies Scripture, and so when a denominational group knocks on his door, he falls for what they teach. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 10:39). 4:10). 2:10). Many deal with doubt and fear, but it is possible to be certain of salvation and live abundantly in Christ. The same thing is true of those in Hebrews 11. 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. You got, theres two deaths, and unless Jesus comes back in our lifetime, we all face the first death, but not all have to have the second death. So, what is this sin? I would never think to say, Away with the atheists. I would Would I stand fast? Behold the Now, listen to His exact word: Give away what you have. And you cannot enter heaven loving the wrong world. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. Our resurrection is dependent on his resurrection- Paul said Would it be murder, rape, spouse abuse, adultery, theft, gambling, or perhaps lying? Hymn, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, C. Faith The I trust everyone understands the significance of the Gospel in relation to salvation in Christ. a man loves the world and the things that are in it, he will find his hands As the song says, Just one glimpse of him in glory will the toils of life repay. Surely, seeing Jesus face to face will be reward enough for our faithfulness. Listening to a man expound the unsearchable riches of the Word of God. Revelation chapter 2, verses 8 through 11. Now may I give, point out a poignant illustration of that in the Word of God? But I do not have a child and I am old and my wife is old. I dont want it to come. Psalms 20:5-6 FAITHFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH II Kings 2:1-12 For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. The shears with rust are spoiled and yet. ( Rev. Because when the Lord looked into the heart of that rich, young ruler, he loved things more than he loved God [Matthew 19:21-22; Mark 10:21-22]. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, John 1:10-11: Jesus was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. 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. Rev James Porter Be Thou Faithful Unto Death The real hero is not he who makes the fastest schedule but he who lasts the longest. The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways (Prov. The Lord said, if we are faithful unto death, He would give us a CROWN OF LIFE. And that is our invitation to you: a family gathering the children coming to be with us in our pilgrimage to heaven, a couple you, or a one somebody you, Pastor, today we have decided for God, and here we stand. As the Spirit shall press the appeal to your heart, that decision you make, if it is for God, will be the sweetest and most meaningful you will ever know in your life. Let me finish, then, where we started. Any psychologist, any psychologist, will tell you that one of the driving forces in human life is to be acceptableespecially to be acclaimed among our peers. This is the pastor bringing the message entitled Faithful Unto Death. Picking things up after Polycarp has been arrested and hes being brought into the stadium in Smyrna. Matthew 9:24, Luke 8:53), 2. Evangelical/Non-Denominational. Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! WebIts a very tender and touching sceneone of the most moving and heartwarming farewell speeches thats ever been recorded in literature. Its marking out the date and time of his death. read more, Scripture: Yet Jesus came that it would not keep you in bondage, because the end of this life, for the Christian, is the beginning of a life that is far better. And that leads them into all kinds of things that break the hearts of their parents. Which naturally leads to the second command, at the end of verse 10 Be faithful unto death. We read when the magistrate persisted and said, Swear the oath and I will release you. . Speaking of winning the lost, Paul says, The love of Christ compels us (2 Cor. The cross before me, the world behind me, [I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, attributed to S. Sundar Singh]. It is a place on which somebody is executed, a cross. . Hezekiah held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments (2 Ki. In Jesus we pray. It is far too easy to go through the motions of being faithful without really being faithful. Some of you perhaps pray for it every day, that would be wonderful. Heres the key-those men and women were just like we are. 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]. Christian Life, Faith, Love, Loyalty, Self-Denial, Great Doctrines of the Bible: Practical Theology, 1983, Revelation. Most of us fear death, but as a Christian were called to hope. We dare not just go through the motions without loving God with all our heart. . 1 John 5:13-17. There are absolutes in the Christian life. Charles Wesley was an Anglican minister. But after thirty-nine years, standing here in this pulpit, there are thousands and thousands who come every Lords day listening to what? 2014.04.20 HE AROSE and you can too! 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. The Bible tells us that there is a sin that leads unto death - one single sin - and it might not be what we expect. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Faithfulness. having been freed(Deuteronomy 15:12-18), B. Then, they feel they dont need God, because theyve succeeded in life. When Jesus said follow Him, this is our life's course. Polycarp was born in A.D. 69, so just before the destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of the Temple, well within the lifespan of some who would have been eyewitnesses to Christ and his work. My Glorious Victor, Prince Divine, III. 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. Most people dont consider that they will die. We dont have a small Christ who is coming and just saying, Oh, I will shed a tear for you. No, this is the One who is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. 15 Outstanding Quotes To Recharge Your Preaching. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faithFor by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of 10/18/2006 You could not help but love him. More were killed by other religious groups, and far and away, most of those Christian martyrs were killed by the state, some 55 million out of those 70 million. And He took him out under the chalice of the night sky and said, Abraham, count the stars. And Abraham said, Lord, I cannot count that many. And God said, So shall thy seed be [Genesis 15:3-5]. Would You hold fast Your Church around the world, facing so much more in opposition than we face, and when we are called upon to face whatever trials and difficulties, whether suffering at the hands of others or suffering from natural disasters and infirmity and the age of life, may we be faithful even unto death. EASTER SUNDAY 2014 SERMON Over time, the distinction between sacrificing to the Emperor as a ruler to honor him, and sacrificing to the Emperor as a god, well, that gets pretty fuzzy, and in some peoples minds a difference, a distinction without a difference. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important way stations that We could put it like this death comes to us all, heaven does not. And unbelief will ask, How can such a thing be? INTRODUCTION: Just looking in department stores. Those who seem to be strong in the faith prove to not have been in the faith. We, too, can lose focus of whats important in life. Let me finish with three points of application. We find them suggested in II Kings 2:1-12. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.. Well, Jesus said something about this. Pray for the persecuted church. 14:14). In 23 B.C. Therefore, when he was brought before him, the proconsul, so the governor, asked if he were Polycarp, and when he confessed that he was, the proconsul tried to persuade him to recant, saying Have respect for your age and other such things as they were accustomed to say. IF we are in CHRIST. Smyrna won the special privilege to build a temple to Emperor Tiberius. There is nothing but praise from our Lord for the church in Smyrna [Revelation 2:8-11]. Its been translated into English. by It is like water to a thirsting soul. He dressed like a Tory schoolmaster. A fifth characteristic of the true servant of Christhe possesses a continuing and undying faith in our victorious Lord Christ. 4:7 ), I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. While God promises that He will keep all that He saves, the process is WebSermons by Bible: Sermons by Category: Sermons by Topic: Sermons by Speaker: Sermons by Language: Sermons by Date: Staff Picks: Comments, ALL -1 sec: Top Sermons: Online Bible: Hymnal: Daily Reading: Our . If they die faithfully, they get a crown of life. WebFEATURE SERMON TEXT-FEATURE Featuring a sermon puts it on the front page of the site and is the most effective way to bring this sermon to the attention of thousands I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel (Gal. Many of us would say that murder is worthy of the death penalty; and if any of us had a child that were raped, we would probably believe the person who 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. 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. The Bible says that Zaccheus was a rich man [Luke 19:1-2]. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. But from salvation to glory there are three vitally important That is our faith. WebWe know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. [First John] 4:7, Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth The sermons and original blog posts are Copyright by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr. FAITHFUL And on the first anniversary of that wonderful experience, he wrote that marvelous hymn: [O for a Thousand Tongues, Charles Wesley]. Genesis 50:1-26, Denomination: Fawcett converted listening to George Whitefield preach, 1. In fact, we do. Its important to remember what happened after the Resurrection! 23127). Give it up and come, take up the cross, and follow me. The church in Smyrna was a church of paradoxes. 8:14). Not some physical anguish or personal disappointment, 2. They are all doing it. We must The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris. For the child of God, heaven is our ultimate destination. One, starting with Nero, Christians were blamed for things in Rome and were being persecuted, at least intermittently. Dont you find those martyrdom stories inspiring and yet utterly overwhelming? empty and heart broken(1 John 2:15-17), IV. Hebrews says since the children have flesh and blood, He, too, shared likewise in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy the one who holds the power of death, that is the devil, and set free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death.. And if the challenge in Ephesus was lovelessness, here it is the hatred of those who do not love Christ, or love the truth. Many people have is just the opposite. And He uses the word stugnaz, translated lowering, the sky is stugnaz, it is lowering. And thank Thee, Lord, for each soul You give us, in Thy precious name, amen. The connection of this passage will help us to understand its meaning. For me I have it written down. UNTO DEATH THE MARKS OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN, I. Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight. In fact, Polycarp was a disciple of John, who wrote this book of Revelation. It was a way for Rome to save, kind of save face and yet not have to go through this extermination of all the Jews, so well let them get by on a technicality. The master of the house was to take an awl, a punch, and pierce the ear of the slave and drive it against the wall, against the door of the house; a sign and a symbol that this slave was driven to the loving service of his master forever [Deuteronomy 15:16-17]. After several months of study we have come to the concluding passage of 1st John. Baptist. We all love to be accepted. Try to set an example from time to time to pray for it here from the pulpit. 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