Polycarp Joy in Living and Dying for Jesus

Series: HEROES OF THE FAITH

Speaker: James Barnett

Date: 4th January 2020

00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 would lie? Do you think you would give up Jesus to save your own life? I hope that if I was in
00:00:06 --> 00:00:11 that situation, that I would confess that Jesus is the Lord, that I wouldn't give him up.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:17 Today we're starting a short series throughout the next four weeks of January,
00:00:18 --> 00:00:25 looking at heroes of the faith. And in particular, we're looking at their joy in Jesus. And today
00:00:25 --> 00:00:31 we're going to meet this black and white looking gentleman. I was going to say this good looking
00:00:31 --> 00:00:36 gentleman, but I can't really tell. This gentleman called Polycarp. It's a bit of a strange name, I
00:00:36 --> 00:00:47 know. But he had been living with joy for Jesus. He lived almost 2 years ago, born just after the
00:00:47 --> 00:00:55 death of Jesus. And Polycarp was faced with dying for Jesus. And he is going to help us today
00:00:55 --> 00:01:01 to see what it means to truly live for Jesus. So please, let me pray again for us. Dear Heavenly
00:01:01 --> 00:01:09 Father, we thank you for the many saints who have followed you throughout history. Thank you that we
00:01:09 --> 00:01:17 are not alone today as we follow you. Help us to be encouraged by Polycarp today to live worthwhile
00:01:17 --> 00:01:24 lives following Jesus. Amen. As I mentioned, Polycarp was the bishop in a place called Smyrna,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:34 which is in modern day Turkey. And he lived from about AD 70 to 156. And he was said to have been
00:01:34 --> 00:01:41 appointed bishop by John the Apostle himself. One of the other early church fathers, Irenaeus,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:46 would tell stories of Polycarp, that Polycarp would sit around telling stories about where he,
00:01:47 --> 00:01:52 you know, John the Apostle had sat when he told stories about Jesus. And so he was one of the very
00:01:52 --> 00:02:02 first disciples to be made bishop over this young church. John the Apostle was the last of the
00:02:02 --> 00:02:10 apostles to die around 100 AD. And so when Polycarp was bishop, there was many problems for this young
00:02:10 --> 00:02:16 church. There was problems of doctrine. There was problems of this church as an organization which
00:02:16 --> 00:02:23 quickly grew up and got big. And how do you organize a large church as it's spreading across the world?
00:02:23 --> 00:02:29 There was issues of persecution. This time, Christians were collecting the letters of the
00:02:29 --> 00:02:38 apostles and beginning to form the set of scriptures that we have today. And around February of 155 AD,
00:02:38 --> 00:02:45 156 AD, there was tensions mounting between Christians who were being persecuted by Caesar.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:50 Christians were different to the people of the time. The people of the time, the Romans,
00:02:51 --> 00:02:58 had a pantheon. They had many gods and they had Caesar as one of their gods. And the Christians were
00:02:58 --> 00:03:04 called atheists because they refused to worship all of these gods. So, you know, it's very strange to
00:03:04 --> 00:03:09 only have one god at that time. Now, it's very strange to have any god. But at that time, it was
00:03:09 --> 00:03:13 strange to only have one god. So, the Christians were called atheists. And Christians were strange,
00:03:13 --> 00:03:21 again, because they had no shrines. They had no images to worship. Under Roman law at the time,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:29 a Christian who professed faith in Jesus was subject to the death penalty because they would not join in
00:03:29 --> 00:03:35 worshipping the emperor. Some rulers were keen to keep the peace, though, and so they didn't enforce
00:03:35 --> 00:03:40 this law because they wanted to keep all the different religious and political parties happy
00:03:40 --> 00:03:49 and at peace. But in particular, Christians dreaded the sports festivals because many were thrown to the
00:03:49 --> 00:03:59 wild beasts, to the lions, to satisfy the bloodthirst of the crowds. On this occasion in February of 155,
00:03:59 --> 00:04:07 155 AD, 11 Christians had already been martyred. They had already been thrown to the crowd and devoured
00:04:07 --> 00:04:14 by wild animals. But the crowd cried out for more. And they cried for Polycarp the bishop.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:24 Give us Polycarp. A messenger quickly came to Polycarp to flee. He flees out of Smyrna and he is taken to a
00:04:24 --> 00:04:31 farm outside of the city. There he hid and he spent time praying for the Christians and praying for those
00:04:31 --> 00:04:40 who were suffering persecution. And there he hid until he had a vision from God that he must be burned alive.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 I can't even imagine what that kind of realisation would be.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:51 The authorities sought him and when they came to his house, he came down from the room that he was
00:04:51 --> 00:04:58 hiding in and he talked with those who arrested him. There's a quote that all those who were present
00:04:58 --> 00:05:05 marvelled at his age and constancy and that there was so much ado about the arrest of such an old man.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:12 He asked for permission to pray before being taken away. They allowed it and being so filled with the
00:05:12 --> 00:05:19 grace of God that for two hours he could not but hold his peace. And so he is taken to the town by a
00:05:19 --> 00:05:24 sheriff. A sheriff met him and took him in his carriage and he tries to persuade him to give up
00:05:24 --> 00:05:33 Jesus, deny Christ. The sheriff said to him, now what harm is there in saying Lord Caesar and offering
00:05:33 --> 00:05:40 incense and then saving yourself? Polycarp said, I do not intend to do what you advise.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:47 And so he is then brought into the city and he's taken before the ruler and the ruler again tries
00:05:47 --> 00:05:57 to persuade him to save himself. Have respect to your age. Swear by Caesar. Repent and say away with
00:05:57 --> 00:06:02 the atheists, as in away with the Christians who don't believe in the Roman gods. And so Polycarp
00:06:02 --> 00:06:09 turned to the mob of lawless heathen in the stadium and he waved his hand at them. Away with the
00:06:09 --> 00:06:17 atheists, as in a way with those who don't follow Jesus. And again the ruler said, swear and I will
00:06:17 --> 00:06:26 release you. Curse the Christ. Now if you were there with Polycarp at this moment, what encouragement
00:06:26 --> 00:06:34 would you give him? He seems to be a living embodiment of those two passages that John just read for us.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:44 Polycarp's life has been so impacted by Jesus' life, his death and his resurrection, that he will
00:06:44 --> 00:06:51 live for him regardless of what it means for himself. Wendy, can you just go to the slide,
00:06:51 --> 00:06:57 my slides for me? There we go. From Galatians 2, Paul says, I have been crucified with Christ
00:06:57 --> 00:07:05 and I no longer live but Christ in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of
00:07:05 --> 00:07:13 God who loved me and gave himself for me. Paul is saying that once we follow Jesus, the old life dies
00:07:13 --> 00:07:20 and our new life begins. As Jesus says in John 3 that we need to be born again. The old life dies,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:29 the old life begins. And this life can only happen because Jesus, he died and he was raised to new
00:07:29 --> 00:07:37 life. And so our entire lives are changed. It is not a preference to be a Christian. It is not that we
00:07:37 --> 00:07:42 now spend time on a Sunday morning at church instead of at the shops or at the beach or at a family meal.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:52 Everything has changed. Everything is different because we are different. When God reveals himself
00:07:52 --> 00:08:01 to us and we place our trust in him, in that moment we die and we are made alive. And the priorities of
00:08:01 --> 00:08:08 this new life are different to the priorities of the old life. Paul makes the good news of this
00:08:08 --> 00:08:16 resurrection are extremely personal. He says, I have been crucified with Christ and he gave himself
00:08:16 --> 00:08:25 for me. This is the wonderful truth of the gospel that Paul can say and that we can say and that
00:08:25 --> 00:08:34 Polycarp was living that Jesus died for me. He died for Rachel, he died for John, he died for Sue Wing.
00:08:34 --> 00:08:46 And he is alive and he is living in me and in you now. Because of this new life, Paul keeps talking
00:08:46 --> 00:08:53 about this new life and he declares in 1 Corinthians 15, where, oh death, is your victory? Where, oh death,
00:08:53 --> 00:09:04 is your sting? Death is defeated. Even though Paul died and we will all die, the sting of death is defeated.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:11 All because we have a new life that cannot be destroyed by death. It keeps going in verse 56,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:19 the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, he gives us the victory
00:09:19 --> 00:09:28 through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus has won a victory over sin and death and he gifts it to us.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:35 He's won the victory and he gives us the victory. We no longer need to live lives fearful of death
00:09:35 --> 00:09:44 because in Jesus he has given us new life. And not just a good life now, but a new life that endures
00:09:44 --> 00:09:52 beyond the grave. I think this has massive implications for how we live our lives. When our lives after death
00:09:52 --> 00:10:00 are secure, we can fully trust God with what happens now. When Alyssa and I were first married,
00:10:01 --> 00:10:10 we had one car and we worked different shifts. So I bought a motorbike and I always used to joke
00:10:10 --> 00:10:18 about riding a motorbike. I'd say to Alyssa, oh look, it doesn't matter if I'm riding a motorbike.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:25 It doesn't matter if I have a higher risk of dying. You know, if I die, it's God's plan.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:32 If I go to God, it doesn't matter. It's all part of his plan. Now, that's not necessarily loving to a
00:10:32 --> 00:10:37 new wife to be saying, it doesn't matter if I die because I'll be with God and you'll just be here
00:10:37 --> 00:10:47 grieving me. But the sentiment in one sense is right. The future looks different because of what
00:10:47 --> 00:10:53 Jesus has done. And so it changes how we live now because tomorrow is different. The old life,
00:10:53 --> 00:11:02 the old attitudes have died. The new life has begun. We know that God has our future secure.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:13 And so for us now, it is possible to face death. Even death by being burned alive on a pyre,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:20 because God is bigger and he is more powerful than that. And he also knows our pain of death.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:27 Because Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, God himself, has died so that we might live.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 15.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:51 New life for us means that our lives are different now. We can stand firm because even when we are
00:11:51 --> 00:11:59 knocked over, we are raised in Jesus. And so for Polycarp, when he is faced in that situation,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:04 when he is asked by the ruler, swear and I will release you, curse the Christ.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 Polycarp gave his most famous response.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:14 Eighty-six years have I served him and he has done me no wrong.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 Where is it? Hang on.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 Give me the quote, Wendy, if you can, please. Thank you.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:24 Eighty-six years have I served him and he has done me no wrong.
00:12:24 --> 00:12:28 How then can I blaspheme my king who has saved me?
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 Told to curse Christ and he can live.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 Eighty-six years have I served him and he has done me no wrong.
00:12:35 --> 00:12:38 How then can I blaspheme my king who has saved me?
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 The ruler said again, swear by Caesar.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 And Polycarp answered, look, here plainly, I am a Christian.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:53 The ruler said, I will make you consumed by fire if you repent not.
00:12:54 --> 00:13:01 Polycarp answered, you threaten the fire that burns for an hour and in a little wire is quenched.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:06 For you don't know of the fire of the judgment to come.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:10 And the fire of the eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 But why do you delay?
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 Bring what you will.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:19 And so the ruler sent word that should be proclaimed aloud to the crowd.
00:13:19 --> 00:13:23 Three times, Polycarp has confessed himself to be a Christian.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 And so Polycarp is taken to a pyre.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:34 Spectators are crying and jostled for a view of this old Christian as he is about to be burned at the stake.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:41 The executioner approached Polycarp to nail him to the pyre.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 And he said calmly, leave me as I am.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:50 He who grants me to endure the fire will enable me to remain on the fire unmoved.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 Without the security you wish from the nails.
00:13:54 --> 00:13:58 The gentle aged bishop raised his voice in prayer.
00:13:58 --> 00:14:03 Praising God that he was deemed worthy to die for God.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:09 And so in death, Polycarp received the crown of life.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:21 And his faithful witness and testimony inspired many other Christians to persevere, to triumph, and to die following Jesus as this church grew and spread across the world.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:29 Polycarp is such a wonderful example of what Paul is encouraging us in Galatians and in 1 Corinthians.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 He was able to stand firm, even to death.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 All because of his confidence in life.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:44 He knew that even though death would hurt, the sting would last only a little while.
00:14:44 --> 00:14:50 That fire would only burn an hour, but that he would have an eternity with God.
00:14:51 --> 00:15:01 When we are so satisfied in Christ that we would willingly die for him, we are free to live a life that he has for us.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 That shows that God is our greatest treasure.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:12 When we are so satisfied in Christ that we would willingly die for him, we are free to live the life he has for us.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 To show that Jesus is our greatest treasure.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:23 Now, for us sitting here in Chatswood today, I don't think we'll be faced with that question.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:29 Swear that Scott Morrison is God or die.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:35 It's very unlikely that we're going to be faced with this type of question.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 Swear that Jesus is not God or die.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 Life for Christians is getting harder in Australia.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:50 The things that God loves and values are no longer things that our society broadly agrees with.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:55 But we are not yet at the point where Christians are being thrown to the lions.
00:15:55 --> 00:16:03 So how does it help to know whether we would say, yes, I believe in Jesus if we're faced with death?
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 How does this help us?
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 It helps us to know what we are living for.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 Remember what Polycarp said before he died?
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 Eighty-six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 How then can I blaspheme my king?
00:16:18 --> 00:16:24 Polycarp's decision to stand firm was based on a life following Jesus.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 Because Jesus is always good.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:35 Salvation by Jesus had shaped his footsteps going forward, even those steps that took him to his death.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:47 Polycarp stood firm in the face of death against the gods of his day, worshipping Caesar, worshipping the other gods, and worshipping what was approved by his culture.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:52 But for us, the gods of our day are not gods.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 They're different gods.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:58 But being accepted by our culture, it's still an idol.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:04 Following the gods that our culture sets can be a temptation for us.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:10 We are less likely to have people call to us that we should be burned at the stake.
00:17:11 --> 00:17:16 But we will have people like the sheriff and like the ruler who will tempt us.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:25 The sheriff and the ruler tried to tempt Polycarp to deny Jesus, but they don't come across as vicious in history.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 They're actually...
00:17:28 --> 00:17:31 They can almost come across as looking out for Polycarp.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 Look, it's okay.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 It's all right.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 Just deny Jesus and everything will be fine.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 I know, Clemmie, everything will be fine.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:43 Just deny Jesus and it'll go well for you.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 It's okay.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:47 These guys don't come across as enemies.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:50 They almost appear as if they're on Polycarp's side.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:56 And that is how we can be tricked in our culture where people will try to tempt us,
00:17:56 --> 00:18:00 not by vicious words, but by saying it's okay.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 It's all right.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:06 Just deny this little bit of God and just follow us over here.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:10 Just take a little step away from obeying God.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:18 Just take a little step away from saying that Jesus is the Lord and he has saved you and come and enjoy this sin with us.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:30 As we start a new year and as we start a new decade, Polycarp is a great encouragement of a life trusting God.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 A life of joy trusting in Jesus.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:38 Treasuring Jesus even more than his life on earth.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:45 And so for us, at this point, it is worthwhile that we ask some tough questions.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:51 And we make some big commitments at the start of 2020 for the next decade.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 When you came in, I hope you received one of these.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 Pull these out now if you can, dear brothers and sisters.
00:18:59 --> 00:19:03 If you didn't, our welcomers in the red vests would love to grab you one of these.
00:19:03 --> 00:19:08 If you don't, please raise your hand and our helpers would love to get you one of these.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:17 This is a list of questions to help us to start a new year and a new decade well.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:24 This is a list that I found on John Piper's website of questions as we start the new year.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:29 And I've made it in the form of a handy bookmark to slot into your Bible.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:38 These are 10 questions for us as we consider what we should be committing to for the next year and for the next 10 years.
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 So I want to take a moment.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:43 I'd love to go through these slowly.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:47 Firstly, I'd love for you to be writing a thing or two on these.
00:19:47 --> 00:19:54 Put this in your Bible so you can be remembering where you need to be going throughout the year.
00:19:55 --> 00:20:02 Firstly, what is the one thing you can do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
00:20:03 --> 00:20:12 God has promised to bless us most directly and consistently through His Word, the Bible, through prayer and through the church.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:23 And so one specific suggestion that I'd offer would be to include some devotional or meditation on Scripture along with your daily reading.
00:20:23 --> 00:20:26 I actually think it's better to read less.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:31 Read less of the Bible and spend time thinking about what you've read.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 For me personally, I have a thick head.
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 You may have noticed but not said anything.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 I thank you for that.
00:20:38 --> 00:20:42 I need to go slower and I need to think about it so it gets into my head.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:48 Otherwise, I can just read lots of the Bible and it won't permeate through my head to my heart.
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 Read less of the Bible if you need to.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 Keep reading it.
00:20:52 --> 00:20:57 But read it and save time for meditation and devotion.
00:20:57 --> 00:21:01 God, what do you actually want me to get out of this?
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 God, what am I learning about you?
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 What am I learning about Jesus?
00:21:05 --> 00:21:08 What am I learning about myself from what I am reading today?
00:21:08 --> 00:21:13 The result of meditation, remember, read something.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 It's better to read something more than nothing.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:22 So what is one thing to increase your enjoyment of God?
00:21:23 --> 00:21:28 Secondly, what is an impossible prayer that you can pray?
00:21:28 --> 00:21:34 Some of my favorite parts in the Bible start with but God.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:41 Situations that are humanly impossible are transformed by but God.
00:21:41 --> 00:21:45 Ephesians 2, we are dead in our sins.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 We can't do anything to save ourselves.
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 But God.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:56 But God sent Jesus and he showed his grace to us.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 But God loves us.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:03 What is a but God prayer you can be praying for this year?
00:22:04 --> 00:22:07 What is something that is seemingly impossible in your mind?
00:22:08 --> 00:22:13 Maybe it is a sin that you've had in your life and that you need healing from.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:18 Maybe it is a broken relationship that you need God to work on.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:23 What is the prayer that you are saying, this is impossible for me but God?
00:22:26 --> 00:22:29 What is the most important thing, number three,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:33 what is the most important thing you could do to improve your family life?
00:22:33 --> 00:22:35 Bringing your children to church is a wonderful thing.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 It is good to be doing that.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:45 Maybe you could be spending a moment of prayer together during a meal.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 Share what you are reading in the Bible over food.
00:22:51 --> 00:22:54 About a year ago, my family, we started a prayer jar.
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 We have got this jar at home that says prayer jar.
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 And it has got these prayers.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 And I was pulling them out the other day.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:04 And they all say, help us as we start at the new church.
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 Help us as we start.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 Isaac starts at the new school.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:10 And we went really hard on this prayer jar.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 And it was wonderful.
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 Our kids were writing prayers.
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 But we moved here a year and a half ago.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 We haven't picked this up for a while.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:24 And this was a wonderful thing to get us all praying as a family over a meal.
00:23:24 --> 00:23:26 So I'm going to pick this prayer jar back up.
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 It's still sitting there.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 It's still full of prayers.
00:23:28 --> 00:23:31 I think we probably need to pull some of those out and write some new ones.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:36 But what is the most important thing you can do to improve your family life?
00:23:37 --> 00:23:44 Number four, in which spiritual discipline do you want to make the most progress this year?
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 Actually plan it out.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:48 How do I want to be growing as I follow Jesus this year?
00:23:49 --> 00:23:56 Here at St. Paul's, we talk about five areas of spiritual growth to grow in.
00:23:56 --> 00:24:10 How could you grow in one of those areas?
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 Maybe you're not sure.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:17 Maybe you're like, I want to grow as a Christian, but I have no idea.
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19 I want to grow in those areas, but I don't know how to.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:24 We use this, which is, it's called the My Purpose Checkup.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:27 In here, there's helpful questionnaires.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 And you can fill these out.
00:24:29 --> 00:24:34 And this will help you to identify, actually, I'm growing in maturity.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 I'm sharing the gospel.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:40 But I'm not a strong member of the church.
00:24:40 --> 00:24:43 I actually need to get to know more people.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 What can I do?
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 So please, I've got some of these.
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 Come and grab one of these off me.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:52 How can you be growing to make progress as a Christian?
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 Number five.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:57 This might be the most painful.
00:24:58 --> 00:25:01 What is the single biggest time waster in your life?
00:25:01 --> 00:25:03 And how can you redeem the time?
00:25:04 --> 00:25:06 How many people are thinking of their phone right now?
00:25:08 --> 00:25:10 I was thinking it would only be the young people.
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 It wasn't.
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 Is it social media?
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 Is it the phone?
00:25:15 --> 00:25:19 On my iPhone, I have the Screen Time app, pops up on a Sunday morning,
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 usually just before church starts.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:24 And it says, you've been using your phone, on average,
00:25:24 --> 00:25:27 for four hours a day over the last week.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 And that's always a rebuke.
00:25:29 --> 00:25:32 What is the single biggest time waster?
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 Is it video games?
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 Is it sport?
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 Is it hobbies?
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 These things are all good and wonderful,
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 but it's easy for any of these,
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 or something else,
00:25:43 --> 00:25:47 to take too much of our hearts and our time.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:50 Do we need to repent?
00:25:52 --> 00:25:54 Trying to stop by itself is probably not the answer,
00:25:54 --> 00:25:59 but actively replacing it with something else can make it better.
00:26:00 --> 00:26:04 You know, if everybody at the family dinner table is on their phones,
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06 maybe it's, okay, let's write some prayers instead.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 Let's share what we've been reading in the Bible.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:12 Number six, flipping it over.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:19 What is the most helpful way you could strengthen the church St. Paul's?
00:26:19 --> 00:26:22 Christianity is not just a personal faith.
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 We are part of the church.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 It is a body.
00:26:27 --> 00:26:32 So how can you be serving or giving or praying differently to last year?
00:26:33 --> 00:26:37 Back in November, we pledged support to the ministry of the church.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:43 Have you changed your direct deposit giving to reflect what you pledged in November?
00:26:43 --> 00:26:46 However, how can you be serving?
00:26:46 --> 00:26:48 How can you be strengthening the church here?
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 Number seven,
00:26:51 --> 00:26:55 who will you pray for to be saved this year?
00:26:55 --> 00:26:58 And who will you be praying most fervently for?
00:27:00 --> 00:27:03 Praying frequently and fervently for someone's salvation
00:27:03 --> 00:27:07 makes us more sensitive to opportunities to share the gospel with them.
00:27:07 --> 00:27:11 If I was praying for, I'll pick on John, not that I'm saying he's not saved,
00:27:11 --> 00:27:14 but if I'm praying for John to know Jesus every single day,
00:27:14 --> 00:27:18 and then I see John, what am I going to be thinking about?
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 His salvation.
00:27:21 --> 00:27:24 If it's not in my thought at all, I'm going to see John,
00:27:24 --> 00:27:28 and I'm going to ask him about his family, anything else.
00:27:29 --> 00:27:32 Who are we praying for most fervently?
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 Write down their name.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:39 Number eight,
00:27:39 --> 00:27:41 what's the most important way by God's grace
00:27:41 --> 00:27:45 you will try to make this year different from last year?
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 Under God's sovereignty,
00:27:48 --> 00:27:53 he gives us a measure of responsibility over many areas of our lives.
00:27:54 --> 00:27:57 In which of these would you most like to see a change from last year?
00:27:59 --> 00:28:02 The reality is the answer to this might be one of the above.
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 I want to grow as a Christian.
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 I want to learn how to share my faith.
00:28:05 --> 00:28:07 I want to read the Bible more.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:14 But to which of these is the Holy Spirit calling you
00:28:14 --> 00:28:17 to put your attention to most urgently?
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 Number nine,
00:28:20 --> 00:28:24 what one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
00:28:25 --> 00:28:29 For many, it might be as simple as designating a prayer time
00:28:29 --> 00:28:34 instead of praying only the on-the-go, urgent-type prayers.
00:28:34 --> 00:28:40 Last year, it was about this time last year, February I think it was,
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 we started a series on prayer.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:45 And last year I committed to praying through the Psalms.
00:28:45 --> 00:28:48 And I did, and it was wonderful.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 All 150.
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 And I loved it.
00:28:52 --> 00:28:56 This year, I'm doing it again, but I have a new goal.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:59 I want to get through the Psalms twice this year.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 There's 150 of them.
00:29:01 --> 00:29:04 I should be able to do that twice.
00:29:05 --> 00:29:07 Pray through one Psalm a night.
00:29:07 --> 00:29:11 And so for me, that is what I'm trying to do differently to last year.
00:29:11 --> 00:29:14 That's how I'm trying to improve my prayer life.
00:29:14 --> 00:29:17 What are you going to do to improve your prayer life?
00:29:17 --> 00:29:20 Last, number 10.
00:29:21 --> 00:29:24 What single thing can you plan to do this year
00:29:24 --> 00:29:29 that will matter most at the end of this decade, in 10 years' time?
00:29:29 --> 00:29:34 What single thing can you do this year that will impact eternity?
00:29:36 --> 00:29:39 Don't let the tyranny of the urgent distract you
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 from something that you are neglecting
00:29:40 --> 00:29:44 that would have enormous long-term impact on your soul,
00:29:44 --> 00:29:46 for your family, or for this church.
00:29:47 --> 00:29:51 Now, we might say that we would die for Jesus.
00:29:52 --> 00:29:55 But will we live for Jesus?
00:29:56 --> 00:30:01 Are we living to show that He is the treasure worth living and dying for?
00:30:02 --> 00:30:07 Are we living to show His good news that it should be spread?
00:30:07 --> 00:30:12 Are we living to show that because of Jesus' death and resurrection,
00:30:12 --> 00:30:14 we can be God's children,
00:30:14 --> 00:30:19 and that we have faith and trust in what our future holds?
00:30:21 --> 00:30:26 Are we living to show that we will obey our Father who has loved us?
00:30:28 --> 00:30:31 Polycarp was able to stand firm following Jesus,
00:30:31 --> 00:30:33 even in the face of death,
00:30:33 --> 00:30:37 all because He knew the Jesus who had saved him.
00:30:38 --> 00:30:40 And He lived a life like that for 86 years.
00:30:41 --> 00:30:44 Let's commit this year and this new decade
00:30:44 --> 00:30:46 to following this Jesus.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 Let me pray for us.
00:30:47 --> 00:31:17 Let's pray for us.