Sermons by Rev. Rob Henderson

Rev. Rob Henderson
Shelby Wesleyan Church
https://www.angelfire.com/mi2/robhenderson/
robnaomi@oceana.net

Philippians 1:19-26

October 1, 2000 am

The arena was filled with screaming fans. They cheered and they jeered as the opponents were ravaged mercilessly. Every time there was a score the crowd went wild. Their team was winning and they were delirious with joy. The game was a bloody affair as the competitors put up a fight. The home team was undefeated and victory was for sure once again. And finally, as before, the massacre ended. The wild animals were rounded up and the dead bodies of Christians that were scattered in pieces around the field were gathered and carried away.

First century Christianity was a dangerous place to be. To believe in God and stand up against the tides of paganism could cost you your life. Going to church was no country club outing on a sunny Sunday morning. Your life hung in the balance constantly.

And the fans in the arena were not satisfied. They wanted more. These were just everyday Christians. They wanted bigger and greater brought to defeat. They wanted a holy man of great stature who neither feared life or death. His name Polycarp. And the search was on to get this eighty-six year old saint of God. This man who bore testimony of what Christ had done in his life. They would not be satisfied until this leader of the Christians was killed.

Turn with me to Philippians 1:19-26.

Every one here knows that I love sports. I love basketball (especially Kentucky basketball), I love football, I love hockey, I love playoff baseball, and I love soccer. I love all kinds of sports that involves competition. As a roofer from West Virginia named Jimmy always said: “It’s just the way I am. If you don’t like it, we’ll take it to the grass and settle it, buddy.” Okay, maybe I’m not quite as tough-talking as Jimmy.

I love sports. I dreamed of pitching for the Tigers, and playing quarterback for the Lions. (Funny, I never dreamed of playing center for the Pistons.) The first section of the newspaper I read is the sports page. The reality is this, though: My life is not about this. If I were to risk my life for something it certainly would not be a basketball game, not even a Kentucky championship game.

Let ask a very serious question. This question haunts all of those who endeavor to come up with an answer. In fact, the one who comes up with a quick answer may not really understand the question. What is it? All of us must consider the ramifications of the question I will pose.

WHAT IS WORTH LIVING FOR?

Do you know what is worth living for? I have carefully struggled over this question for quite some time and expecially during the course of the past two weeks. What is there in this world that is worth living for?

Is it sports? I would guess not, although there are those who put sports ahead of their family and God on a consistent basis. Is it my job? Hopefully we would have that is proper perspective. I guess it would also depend on what your job might specifially be. There are any number of peripheral values that we could consider but let’s see what someone else says.

The Teacher in Ecclesiastes takes time to highlight all of the great and wonderful things that he has done. He discovers that all is meaningless, meaningless! Just a chasing after the wind. The beautiful handiworks, the pleasures of life, everything that he could accomplish. He was unlimited and undaunted in his search for meaning. And he comes to the final chapter of his writing and what does he say? In the last chapter and the thirteenth verse he writes: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

What is worth living for?

I propose to you that whatever it is you choose to live for it must also be something that you would choose to die for.

There isn’t a soul here that would not fight for his or her family. I love my children and would do everything in my power to protect them. I love my wife and would have willingly taken her place for the numerous surgeries that she has had to endure (and she would have willingly consented, after the first one!). My family is worth living for and worth dying for.

However, in the movie, Indecent Proposal (of which I have never watched) the plot surrounds the question that a multi-millionaire proposes to a financially struggling young married couple: Would you let me sleep with your wife for a million dollars? A whole movie is based on this question.

Just as Norman Wilson points out, and I now do the same, there are many who have sold out there marriages for far less than a million dollars. They have allowed certain behaviors and attitudes to infiltrate their marriage that to commit adultery would be of little consequence to their conscience. But I also must point out that the damage that a fling can inflick is far more costly than what money could possibly heal.

Would harming your marriage be worth living for or dying for?

How about relationships with other people? I love my friends that I have. I love being around people and feel energized when I am with a few who are of like mind. Friends are something worth living for and dying for if they are the right kind of friends. You would give your life for your friend. At the same time you would live your life for your friend. With no strings attached. But here’s the question begging to be answered: Have we allowed roots of bitterness to divide our friendship with someone else? Do we attempt to control our frineds so that when they make independent choices that we feel betrayed? It is very important that we protect our friendships. These are worth living for and dying for.

I believe that there are some here who would even risk their life for a stranger. These would be considered heros. If you saw someone in urgent need and their life in precarious danger you would do everything you could to save them.

But, far greater than any of these ( and notice that I see relationships far superior to other “values”) my relationship with Jesus Christ supersedes everything. I am a love-slave of the one who loves me most. He’s everything to me. Like Paul, I trust that I would have the courage to follow through with whatever besets me. That I would stand up for Christ.

“He is my strength when I am weak, He is the treasure that I seek, He is my all in all.”

William Laud, a fifteenth century Christian, must have had quite a relationship with Christ. As he stood on the scaffolding with the noose around his neck waiting to be hanged for following Christ he shouted so everyone could hear: “Lord, I am coming as fast as I can.”

Our relationship with Christ should be a fellowship of balance. And that is precisely what Paul says here in this scripture. “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” I want to live because I can be a benefit for the kingdom, but yet I long to see my Savior’s face.

I realize that there are some hear who feel this way even today. You earnestly pray for those of us in ministry or missions, you support the church and the mission field with your giving, and you have served and followed Christ your entire life. But now, you cannot do what you used to do; you don’t get around like you used to; your work for God has diminished immensely. You are frustrated. You understand far better than I do what Paul is saying because you live this everyday: “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”

However, there is one remarkable difference: Paul’s life was continually in danger. He was constantly being harassed by those who opposed him and the Roman soldiers who guarded him. He was not struggling with the the age issue but with the basic survival issue. Paul was under house arrest continually and in danger always.

Polycarp was a part of a Christian society that was determined to follow Christ to the grave. In fact, he was what you would call a “Second Generation” Christian. He had been discipled under John the Beloved (who wrote the book of Johns and Revelation). He had heard the testimony first-hand of Christ’s resurrection and had passed this on to his disciple Iraneaus. Iraneaus then passed this testimony on to his disciples. Polycarp confirmed the written witness of Christ’s life by recognizing the four Gospels. His letter to the Philippians heavily quoted other scriptures. He was willing to die for Christ- and live for Him.

In His day, there were many kamikaze Christians who went out of their way to be martyred. They believed that there would be a greater reward if they died a martyrs death. And even today, I have met those who live their faith the same way: always creating ways to be persecuted by drawing attention to themselves. Out trying to stir up trouble, they only make people like me irritated because they bring a bad name on Christianity.

Polycarp was not like this. He lived a humble life and served the humanity around him. He was respected and honored by Christians all around. What he had was worth living for and worth dying for. He avoided it until it was God’s will. He would hide out and dodge the opportunities of martyrdom that were his anytime he desired. But he valued his life as well as his relationship with God. He would not throw caution to the wind. He understood the balance that was necessary.

That fateful day arrived. Following a riotous slaying of Christians the crowd thirsted for more. They wanted the chief of the atheists; they wanted Polycarp. And so the search was on. Even the Jews were as avid for his death as the pagans were. Aftering torturing two boys, Polycarp was found at a farm. It was too late to run elsewhere so Polycarp came downstairs and asked to be given an hour to pray. The soldiers consented. And he prayed. His captors were fed a meal and then they took him to the arena. Polycarp was asked to denounce his faith and he refused. The old bishop stood strong and firm. The proconsul begged Polycarp to give in but he would not. “Say ‘Away with the atheists’ ” and Polycarp looked at the crowd and said “Away with the atheists.” On various points he did not and would not give in. “If you imagine that I will swear by Caesar, you do not know who I am. Let me tell you plainly, I am a Christian.”

He was then threatened with being burned at the stake but he knew that the fire that burned for an hour was better than eternal fire.

He replied once again: “I have served Christ eighty-six years and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King? I am a Christian.”

They tied him to a post. The fire was lit but miraculously he was not harmed. And then a soldiers sword was driven into his body and he died. The fire consumed his body.

What is worth living for? Whatever it is that we choose we must also be willing to die for the same thing.