A Prepared Sacrifice

This morning at church the martyr Polycarp was mentioned in the sermon, a man who was blameless in the eyes of others and accepted death by wild beasts or flames rather than deny Jesus Christ the LORD.  God had been good to him for his 86 years of life:  how could he deny God?  Unlike convicted criminals who were terrified of dying and did everything in their power to evade the execution of justice, Polycarp wore martyrdom as a privileged crown.  Like Jesus before him who had done no wrong, Polycarp did not resist evil.  He did not protest or rail against the injustice he suffered that would cut his life short.  Rather than being nailed to the stake, he offered to stand against it willingly by the power of God who gave him strength..

After being led to the stake, Polycarp prayed before many witnesses:  "O Father of thy well-beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have attained the knowledge of thee, the God of angels and powers, and of every creature, and of all just men which live before thee, I give thee thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to grant me this day, that I may have my part among the number of the martyrs in the cup of Christ, unto the resurrection of eternal life, both of body and soul, through the operation of thy Holy Spirit; among whom I shall this day be received into thy sight for an acceptable sacrifice: and as thou hast prepared and revealed the same before this time, so thou hast accomplished the same, O thou most true God, which canst not lie. Wherefore I in like case for all things praise thee, and bless thee, and glorify thee by our ever lasting Bishop, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory evermore. Amen."

Polycarp prayed to a God he knew was in complete control and had orchestrated the circumstances of his impending death even as Jesus had gone to the cross.  While the purpose of Jesus going to the cross was different--providing atonement for lost sinners and a demonstration of God's love for lost humanity--Polycarp's death for his faith in Jesus would bring glory to His LORD who died for Him.  Polycarp so loved God he praised Him for the opportunity to die for Christ's sake, really a gift in his eyes, to have prepared and provided him the means of blessing the LORD in a new way:  by fire.  Polycarp's embrace of death was not insanity, for he had been granted eternal life by faith in Jesus.

The testimony of Polycarp remains a curiosity for those who do not know God and an inspiration to all who do.  Praise the LORD He is sovereign over all and has prepared us and provided good works for us to do every day--not just to go out in a blaze for God's glory.  Ephesians 2:10 says of believers, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. "  To lay down your life for Jesus' sake in martyrdom is a good work, and to live for Him every day is a great privilege too, for He divinely enables to walk in the path Jesus guides and strengthens us.  As we present ourselves as living sacrifices to God, we are prepared for every good work until our lives on earth end.

The Orthodox Victory

This morning while reading a passage in Judges of Gideon's victory over the Midianites, Amalekites and people of the east, I was struck with how unorthodox (from a worldly perspective) their tactics were.  Rather than assembling a massive fighting force, Gideon dismissed fighters until only a meagre 300 men remained.  These men did not endure grueling training or drilling, and they did not don armour or helmets.  Instead of being armed with sword and shield, they carried a torch in their left hand and a trumpet in their right into the fray.  It was clearly the sword of the LORD that devastated their enemies, and it was a victory as comprehensive as the Egyptians being overthrown in the Red Sea or the walls of Jericho falling down.

A common Hollywood plot is when a ragtag team is thrown together and defies overwhelming odds by becoming champions.  This was the case individually of the "Karate Kid" and "Rocky" and many others, that by hard work and personal sacrifice the unknown underdog became the top dog.  Both of these characters employed unorthodox training habits, like painting a fence, waxing cars or punching sides of beef in a meat locker to hone their skills.  While the tactics Gideon and his men employed were likely never used before or since, their victory over the Midianites was totally orthodox for God's people who cried out to God, trusted and obeyed Him.  That is always the winning formula for the child of God--not to get what we want when we want it--but for God's will to be accomplished to save, deliver and provide.

God employed a process to lead Gideon into that marvelous moment when, after dividing his small fighting force into three companies, he and his men threw down their pitchers and shouted, "The sword of the LORD and the sword of Gideon!"  After God revealed Himself to Gideon while he threshed wheat in a winepress and called him to deliver Israel from the Midianites, Gideon was led to destroy his father's altar of Ba'al, confirmed God's guidance by laying a fleece before the LORD twice, culled a fighting force 32,300 strong to 300,  and ventured into the enemy camp to hear what they were saying with his servant.  God led Gideon step by step to victory to deliver the nation from their enemies, and we ought to be greatly encouraged that God does the same to this day for all who cry out to Him in faith.

Crying out to God in faith, waiting on the LORD and obeying Him is the common denominator of God's people who overcome regardless of the conflict we face, whether it be the lack of food or a job, dealing with a schoolyard bully or a wayward child, a physical illness, upheaval in society, government or a church, experiencing personal betrayal or the car breaking down.  Our failure to cry out to God and stubbornness to try to save ourselves are common problems we may not realise when we are busy trying to deliver ourselves the way others in the world do:  we follow the lead of others to pick up sword and shield to fight when God would have us take up a torch and trumpet in reliance upon God to deliver.  Faith in God and obedience to His guidance are keys to experiencing God's salvation, and Gideon's experience shows God is willing to wait decades to bring us to a place of surrender for His glory.

God Our Strength

"Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings."

Proverbs 31:3

In the book of Proverbs, Solomon and others hold forth timeless wisdom from God people do well to heed.  Kings are glorified for their wealth and power, yet as Solomon could attest excess leads even the mighty to destruction.  Promiscuity and drunkenness are ways that destroy kings--as the writer of Proverbs 31 went on to describe.  Drinking to excess leads to forgetfulness of God's Law and perversion of justice, and God will hold those who are given leadership roles in government, society, family and the church to account.

As I considered the mother's command to her son to refrain from giving his strength to women, I am reminded of the principle Jesus held forth during the Sermon on the Mount in the first part of Matthew 7:6:  "Give not which is holy to the dogs."  To the Jews in Jesus' day, dogs were considered an unclean animal.  For this reason they were often scavengers that were indiscriminate opportunists to steal and eat whatever they could.  I have known many pet dogs who were very food driven, and they would eat themselves sick if allowed.  I have witnessed dogs that greedily wolf down food without satisfaction and remain eager for more.

When I was a youth, "purity" conferences were not uncommon in Christian circles that emphasised the importance of remaining celibate until marriage and explained the pitfalls of promiscuity.  While valuing your virginity is virtuous, what is even more important is to exercise our hearts to be chaste in the fear of God.  Realising chastity and sex in marriage is holy before the LORD is much more constructive and useful than trying to avoid engaging in sexual activity.  The promiscuous do not value or treasure God's gift of sex to be enjoyed within marriage God has ordained and will greedily move on to the next offer without satisfaction.

I love how God's word does not lay down any prohibitions without also telling us what we ought to be doing.  God said in Deuteronomy 6:4-5:  "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one! ⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."  It is the love of God that guides us to obey the LORD and do what pleases Him more than warnings of future problems prevent us from disobeying Him.  Fear of contracting an STI or having an unplanned pregnancy has failed to discourage countless people from promiscuity, and physical celibacy does not ensure a heart is upright in God's sight.  Having been made holy by faith in Christ, we ought to see a monogamous sex life in marriage as holiness we ought to maintain.

Rather than wasting our strength on promiscuous or adulterous pursuits, we can know God is our strength as it is written in Psalm 46:1:  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  Psalm 118:14 also says, "The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation."  Praise the LORD He saves us from ourselves, that we need not be enslaved to our fleshly appetites because God is our strength.  God is a very present help who guides and strengthens us to do His will, and by finding satisfaction in Him we lack no good thing.

Working In Step

Through my participation in many three-legged races as group activities, I learned the importance of communicating with your race partner (before the race!) how to best coordinate movement.  If each person tries to run as fast as they can they will not be able to run at all.  The only way to move quickly when your leg is strapped to someone else's leg is to agree how to to work together to walk and jog in step.

While the analogy of walking in step in a three-legged race could be employed to mutual coordination for fruitful ministry in the church, it is very simplistic to the point it fails to account for the personal responsibility of each person to prepare their hearts before the LORD--not only when working together in ministry--but on their own time.  For this reason a marching band is a more accurate analogy of our need as Christians to freely embrace our personal role in the Body of Christ the church to work in step with others.  The human body has many organs, systems and moving parts all working together for the good of the entire body.  The role of the eye is different than the lungs, but they both function to support one another and promote the health of the whole person.

I have never been a member of a marching band that performs during a halftime show, yet I can begin to appreciate the level of practice, personal preparation, ability to take direction and accept correction required by all quality bands.  Each musician has their own instrument and music they must practice and master, and additionally everyone must work together as a team to learn how to march and where to go.  The choreographed performances require many hours of practice and training--perhaps as much or more than the football players who drill and practice every day.  A marked difference between a marching band and church ministry is Christianity is not a performance:  it is a life of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ lived in combination and mutual submission with other believers in the Body of Christ under the headship of Jesus Himself.

While each believer is to be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do God's will, we are called to be in one accord with one another as we do the LORD's work.  God works in and through His people, and it is wonderful when people are content to exercise the gifts God has given them as they embrace the calling He has upon their lives to love God and one another with their whole being.  God guides us in the Bible how we are to embrace our sanctification, both personally and as a team as it says in verses like 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15:  "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. ¹⁵ See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all."

A marching band of quality brings honour to their school, and we as Christians are to bring honour to Jesus Christ by our lives whether in private or public.  We do not labour to glorify ourselves, a denomination or ministry but the LORD Jesus who is all in all.  This requires personal obedience and sacrifice; it also means as part of the corporate Body of Christ we willingly contribute as led by the Holy Spirit to fulfil our calling as Christians and our God-given roles by His grace.  Jesus Christ is our Saviour and King, and thus we live to please Him by walking in step with Him and one another as His blameless servants.  May it be when people observe our lives and ministry they realise we are part of the body of Christ that is far greater than we are as individuals, for the plans and purposes of God have been accomplished by His power and wisdom as we walk together in unity.