The Perseverance of the Saints (Week 49, July 30)
Readings
John 15:18–20
Matthew 5:10–12
Matthew 24:9
2 Timothy 3:12
Luke 21:12
Colossians 1:24
1 Peter 4:12–13
1 Corinthians 12:12, 21, 26
Silent Reflection
Remarks
For this week’s gathering, we are going to do something different. Print out the following excerpts, cut them up, and pass them out among all the members at your gathering.
Have people silently read and reflect on what they see in their excerpt.
Then have people slowly share their portion out loud.
Excerpts
Polycarp, disciple of John, was once brought to the arena of Smyrna, tied to the stake and ordered to deny Christ and affirm the lordship and deity of Caesar. He replied, “For 86 years I’ve served Jesus and he has never wronged me in any way; how then, could I possibly curse my very King and Savior?”
The soldiers began piling wood around the stake and nailing down Polycarp’s limbs. He assured the soldiers, “Leave me as I am. The one who gives me the strength to endure the fire will also enable me to remain motionless against the stake without being secured.”
After allowing Polycarp time to pray, the soldiers lit the wood on fire.
———
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
–The Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 4:7)
———
“Blessed ones, … you are about to pass through a noble struggle in which the living God is your manager and the Holy Spirit is your trainer. The prize is an eternal crown. … The prison does the same service for the Christian that the desert did for the prophet. … The leg does not feel the chains when the mind is in heaven.”
–Tertullian (AD 200)
———
The Prefect Rusticus says, “Approach and sacrifice, all of you, to the gods.”
Justin Martyr says, “No one in his right mind gives up piety for impiety.”
Rusticus threatens, “If you do not obey, you will be tortured without mercy.”
Martyr replies, “That is our desire, to be tortured for Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and so to be saved, for that will give us salvation and firm confidence at the more terrible universal tribunal of Our Lord and Savior.”
———
All the martyrs said, “Do as you wish; for we are Christians, and we do not sacrifice to idols.”
The Prefect Rusticus read the sentence: “Those who do not wish to sacrifice to the gods and to obey the emperor will be scourged and beheaded according to the laws.”
The holy martyrs, glorifying God, went to the customary place and were beheaded, consummating their martyrdom and confessing their Savior.
———
“Besides being put to death, [the Christians] were made to serve as objects of amusement. They were clad in the hides of beast and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed. Nero had thrown open his grounds for the display, and was putting on a show in the arena, where he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or drove about in his chariot. All this gave rise to a feeling of pity, even toward men whose guilt merited the most exemplary punishment; for it was felt that they were being destroyed not for the public good, but to satisfy the cruelty of an individual.”
–Tacitus, Roman historian
———
“Men and women, young and old, maidens and matrons, soldiers and civilians, of every age and race, some by scourging and fire, others by the sword, have conquered in the strife and won their crowns.”
–Dionysius, Roman historian
———
“I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God’s sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching God. I am God’s wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.”
–Ignatius of Antioch (AD 108)
———
“From Syria even to Rome, I fight with wild beasts, by land and sea, by night and by day, being bound amidst ten leopards, even a company of soldiers, who only grow worse when they are kindly treated.”
–Ignatius of Antioch (AD 108)
———
A man in China once said, “The chains keep me from signing this.”
The officer protested, “But you are not in chains!”
“I am,” said the prisoner. “I am bound by the chain of witnesses who throughout the centuries gave their lives for Jesus Christ. I am a link in this chain. I will not break it.”
He was put to death.
———
In China, a sword was put to the chest of a professing believer. He was asked, “Are you a Christian?”
The man answered, “Yes.”
He would have been killed if an officer had not said, “Free him. He is an idiot.”
Someone later asked him, “How could you confess Christ with such courage?”
He replied, “I had read the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus, and I did not wish to weep bitterly.”
———
“If we died with Christ, we will live with him. If we don’t give up, we will rule with him. If we deny that we know him, he will deny that he knows us. If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful, for Christ cannot deny who he is.”
–The Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 2:11–13)
———
“I tell you this so you won’t be ashamed by my death. If you love me, you will rejoice that God has called me to this honor, which is greater than any earthly honor I could ever attain. Who wouldn’t be happy to die for this cause? I trust in my Lord God, who put His mind, will, and affection in my heart, and choose to lose all my worldly substance, and my life, too, rather than deny His known truth. He will comfort me, aid me, and strengthen me forever, even to the yielding of my spirit and soul into His hands.”
–Bishop Nicholas Ridley (burned at the stake in England, 1555)
———
In AD 258, Cyprian of Carthage declared, “This temporal and brief suffering, how shall it be exchanged for the reward of a bright and eternal honor!”
Blindfolding himself, he was beheaded under Emperor Valerian.
———
“Though beheaded, and crucified, and thrown to wild beasts, and chains, and fire, and all other kinds of torture, we do not give up our confession; but, the more such things happen, the more do others in larger numbers become faithful.”
–Justin Martyr
Silent Reflection
Response
What are your responses to the exercise? Graciously and compassionately debrief together.