John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
2. We chose this Sunday in October as pastor appreciation Sunday. Why did someone make a special day for this? I don’t know when or how it started but I will thank God for it! Some people want honor but do not labor at deserving it. Like one time a friend of mine was with me talking with the street people about Jesus, and one man said, “Hey you, do know who I am here? I am the King around here!” My friend said, “Oh, but what matters really is not who is the king on this block, but rather knowing who is the King of Kings!” He was left dumbfounded! Church members and Soldiers can often forget about all the responsibilities, feelings, and trials pastors go through. A pastor’s life may look wonderful to an outsider, but many aspects of a pastor’s life is not very easy. I and all pastors suffer when their people suffer!
Here is a fact: Pastors live blessed busy lives but many times they have to fight being overstressed! Some amazing classic pastors like Charles Spurgeon, considered the Prince of Preachers in this modern age, even lived with depression. Many great people of God have had many secret trials and yet they hide it from others as they do not want anyone of their sheep to feel disquieted by their own pain! True pastors only want others to feel love and intimately know the love of Jesus! A true pastor remains solid in the good times and in the bad times being faithful to God’s sheep. But sometimes the bad times can break you and bring you to tears down a dark tunnel. Dealing with people’s souls can sometimes be disillusioning and difficult as some slip away but we do not focus on the negative, we thank God for the positive, for the good getting done, and the rewards for it on earth and in heaven.
A true pastor will remain faithful to his sheep as in the verse today, ”the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep”. Pastors get all the blame when things are going wrong, and when things are good, they often are not recognized as the ones behind the scenes making it all happen.
3. It is hard to preach on pastor appreciation because after all, I am not seeking anyone’s recognition and praises; that would make me be some sort of co-dependent, egocentric, arrogant doer of works. Instead all I want is to share with you and others the love that Jesus taught us to give! I want to give and receive love, which is what God created us all to do! Every Christian, you and me, are all in the process of learning how to love God and others more! Agreed?
All any of us can do in life is to do our job as best as we can and then say what is here in this next verse in Luke 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
Glory, honor, and respect are at times qualities that happen on earth amongst fellow servants but in reality most of it is reserved for heaven. Just as when Jesus died on the cross, not many were there to honor him, but God honored Him with signs, that according to scripture, scared everyone to death by an eclipse of darkness and an earthquake. Jesus is the good shepherd who gave his life for us who deserves all the honor of all creation forever and ever!
4. Who do musicians admire? Other talented musicians! Pastors admire other men of God who bring respect, inspiration, and intelligence to the exogenesis or unpacking of God’s word. It is important to read about the great lives of Christians past! I hope you are choosing wisely what pastors you listen to on TV or the radio because some feed you with solid food and others feed you with junk food which will make you sick.
Every denomination has been blessed with their great pastors, and in our case it is William and Catherine Booth, Charles Brengle, and the Generals. Who has read anything about them? Many Officers today are very talented, sacrificial, and outstanding and they deserve outstanding appreciation. Many Christians today admire pastors who have deep teachings and good fruit, and have not been involved in scandals or doctrine perversions. Those modern day pastors may include Billy Graham, R.C. Sproul, D. James Kennedy, Charles Stanley, Adrian Rogers, Michael Youssef, and others. The Holy Scriptures come alive for those who practice them!
Today, I want to share with you the life of an old pastor from the 1st century, one which when I read his story impacted me and made my eyes wet! It has only been a few Sundays ago that I asked you while in a sermon to name the name of a saint, any past man of God, and only a few could name one or two. Do you recall? I did a footnote in my head to share what I have here for you today. It may be up for debate who is a saint in the eyes of God and who is recognized by men by some huge denomination, but certain stories, being undisputedly true, greatly inspire our faith. A mature Christian will read about and focus on the lives of great Christians! Those who reject all church history are willingly making their selves ignorant and they are not in agreement with our Salvation Army creeds which follows the Wesleyan Quadrilateral which is the practice of applying 1) scripture 2) tradition 3) reason 4) experience.
5. Polycarp (AD 69– 155) was a great man of God! He contributed much to the early church and gave his life for his sheep all the way! Can you imagine how it must have been for the church members in Smyrna watching their own beloved and aged pastor burn at the stake in a Roman coliseum? Polycarp was a disciple of Jesus’ disciple, the Apostle John. Everyone loved him because he possessed the same love, tenderness, and compassion as his mentor John. Several historical writings convey his story because his story influenced countless ones throughout the centuries.
Polycarp was the Bishop (a term for an overseer, a guardian, or a pastor in the New Testament) of the church at Smyrna (a city in present day Turkey). Persecution broke out in Smyrna and many Christians were fed to the wild beasts in the arena. The godless and bloodthirsty crowd called for the carcass of the Christian leader – Polycarp. The authorities sent a search party to find him. He had been put away into hiding by some fellow Christians but the Romans tortured two young believers until they finally disclosed his location.
When the authorities were arriving, Polycarp still could have hid away somewhere else, but instead he refused to leave saying, “God’s will be done.” In Christian grace he always showed Christ likeness. Polycarp welcomed his captors as if they were friends. He talked with them and insisted they eat a meal. He made only one request before being taken away; he asked to allow him to pray for one hour.
6. The Roman soldiers listened to his prayer. Their hearts melted and they gave him 2 hours to pray. They had second thoughts as well and were overheard asking each other why they were sent to arrest him? Other authorities also experienced a warmed heart when Polycarp arrived. The Proconsul tried to find a way to release him too. He want to stop his execution. “Curse God and I will let you go!” he pleaded. Polycarp’s reply was: “For eighty-six years I have served him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who was has saved me?”
The Proconsul again looked for a way out and said; “Old man, just swear by the spirit of the emperor and that will be sufficient.’ Polycarp’s reply was: “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.” More entreaties by the Proconsul Polycarp stood firm. The proconsul threatened with the wild beasts. Polycarp’s reply was: “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from worst to best, but not to change from right to wrong.”
The Proconsul threatened, “I will burn you alive!” Polycarp’s reply was: “You threaten with fire that burns for an hour and is over but the judgment on the ungodly is forever.” They took him to the coliseum. The fires quickly engulfed him. All the witnesses noticed his faith and joy even while dying. He was finished off with a dagger. He was buried for the cause of Christ on February 22, 155 A.D. Little did he know that it became as much a day of victory as it was a day of tragedy.
7. His death brought distaste to the Roman leadership and people because right after his death the appetite for the killing of kind loving Christians slowed to a stop for quite some time. Polycarp in all of his preaching years had even visited Rome, and with his testimony he converted many disciples of the Roman Empire.
It is recorded that he prepared leaders such as Marcion and Valentinus, who were of a great influence in the forming of the early church with Christian writings and doctrines. He corresponded with Ignatius and Irenaeus (important early church founders) Polycarp is recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, and the Lutheran Church which includes all Protestant denominations such as ours. In other words, everyone in all Christian denominations honor him as an outstanding testimony!
Sadly in our modern age many Christians have we stopped telling the stories of the great men of God. Polycarp was outstanding in his wisdom and witness, and in laying down his life for the sheep, of serving His Lord Jesus until the very end. Imagine, at 86 years old facing death by fire and still remaining firm in the faith! You would think he would have said just let me alone to die in peace.
8. Some of you may think, wow, what a great testimony, but is it relevant to me? Will face I ever this situation? I am not sure I could be that strong! Actually you can be that strong if you just remain faithful to be like Jesus every day! Just like with Polycarp, 86 years may go by (or 20 or 40 or 60) and then you are called to the test to give you last breath for Christ! If all your life you have practiced true faithfulness, holiness, and love, your love for Jesus will not fail you when that time comes! Many testimonies report that a dying grace takes over! It did with Stephen in the book of Acts7:58-60
I have felt horrible because in these past months many Christian pastors, leaders, and sheep throughout all the world, in particular in the Eastern hemisphere, have had to die for their faith! The most recent report is that there are 11 martyrs per minute happening in the world now! None of us know if we will be called by God to be a martyr or not but God’s peace frees us from worry about it. Jesus will reign forever and ever and His followers will win in the end. No matter if we die or if live, we are the Lord’s!
I have always been convicted by these verses, Mark 8:35-37 ‘For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? There is a popular song by Toby Mac, “ I don’t wanna gain the world and lose my soul” that encourages me! As long as I (and you) serve Him day to day we are saved and safe forever!
9. We are all bound by love. John 15:12-14 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”
Everyone should have leaders in their life that they honor and respect. Some people may honor a pastor close to them and that is God’s design, but we all know in the end you do not answer to me and my wife or to any person for your deeds; instead you and I answer to the pastor of pastors, the Captain of Captains, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ!
Now is a good day to take a look at your own convictions. As a pastor I cannot make you do anything for Jesus; that has to be born from your own heart, for your love for Him, by conviction of the Holy Spirit. My role is to serve you, to build up the Corps, and connect with the community; to serve, teach, and pray. And my desire is to bring you conviction in your faith walk, inspiring you to lay down your life for Jesus, for your family, Corps, and suffering community. Let’s pray for all the world’s millions of Christian pastors today! You never know what crisis they may be facing, even dying for Jesus! Jesus, Polycarp, and millions gave up everything for Jesus and were faithful until death, may God help us all to do the same! Everyone is leading someone, right?
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