February 23, 2017
Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna

Polycarp lived from 69 CE to 155 CE. He was burned at the stake on this date, February 23, 155, by the Roman government who had persecuted the Christian church for approximately 300 years. Here is one account about the early Christian persecution:
“Between 125 and 160, Christians enjoyed a precarious toleration. Few martyrdoms are recorded in this era of prosperity that marked the climax of the Greco-Roman achievement. With the accession of Marcus Aurelius as emperor in 161, however, the situation changed. First, the Christians were becoming exceedingly unpopular; they were blamed for causing natural disasters by refusing to worship the deities that protected communities. Christians were also accused of immorality, unnatural vice, and black magic, all calculated to bring the rest of the population into peril. An urban mob demanded the arrest of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, during what the ecclesiastical historian Eusebius of Caesarea termed “great persecutions that disturbed the province of Asia” (perhaps in February 156, but more likely 166–69). Other Christians had been seized, tried, and executed before Polycarp was arrested. One, a Phrygian, had rushed toward martyrdom—only to recant at the sight of the beasts in the amphitheater.

Polycarp was brought before the proconsul, who begged him to have respect for his great age (he was probably nearly 100), saying, “Swear by the genius of Caesar” and denounce “the atheists.” But Polycarp, seeing “the lawless heathen” in the amphitheater, “waved his hands at them, and looked up to heaven with a groan and said, ‘Away with the atheists.’ ” The proconsul persisted, “Swear, and I will release you. Curse Christ.” And Polycarp replied, “Eighty-six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong; how can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” He was condemned to death and burned alive.” (“Persecution in the Early Church: Did You Know?” Beginning as a despised, illicit religious sect, Christianity endured 300 years of hostility to emerge as the dominant force in the Roman Empire – by Everett Ferguson)

“So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Job 2:7-10

Polycarp is asked to “Curse Christ” and the Proconsul would release him. He did not. Job was asked by his wife to “Curse G-d and die”. He did not. Both were under great pressure to abandon the G-d they loved and served, but neither flinched in the face of persecution and personal tragedy. We have so many examples of people who served the G-d we love, who worked for Christ who died for our salvation, and enjoyed lives of plenty and faithfulness. We also have many examples of people who served the G-d we love, and worked for Christ, but who were persecuted, imprisoned, martyred, beaten, and belittled throughout their lives. Most likely, those of us who are living in America will never experience the kind of persecution or tragedy that many have endured. And yet, we will still have opportunities to stand up for our faith in the face of injustice. Hopefully we will never allow ourselves to reject our faith or denounce Christ when confronted with the opportunity to do the right thing – the right thing being living the Christ-like life and publicly professing our faith.

Pastor Dave