By Steve A. Hamilton

John 12:23-26

Introduction: “Victor was a Christian of a good family at Marseilles, in France; he spent a great part of the night in visiting the afflicted, and confirming the weak; which pious work he could not, consistently with his own safety, perform in the daytime; and his fortune he spent in relieving the distresses of poor Christians. He was at length, however, seized by the emperor Maximian’s decree, who ordered him to be bound, and dragged through the streets. During the execution of this order, he was treated with all manner of cruelties and indignities by the enraged populace. Remaining still inflexible, his courage was deemed obstinacy. Being by order stretched upon the rack, he turned his eyes toward heaven, and prayed to God to endue him with patience, after which he underwent the tortures with most admirable fortitude. After the executioners were tired with inflicting torments on him, he was conveyed to a dungeon. In his confinement, he converted his jailers, named Alexander, Felician, and Longinus. This affair coming to the ears of the emperor, he ordered them immediately to be put to death, and the jailers were accordingly beheaded. Victor was then again put to the rack, unmercifully beaten with batons, and again sent to prison. Being a third time examined concerning his religion, he persevered in his principles; a small altar was then brought, and he was commanded to offer incense upon it immediately. Fired with indignation at the request, he boldly stepped forward, and with his foot overthrew both altar and idol. This so enraged the emperor Maximian, who was present, that he ordered the foot with which he had kicked the altar to be immediately cut off; and Victor was thrown into a mill, and crushed to pieces with the stones, a.d. 303.” (John Fox, Foxes Book of Martyrs, Chapter 2, “The Tenth Persecution, Under Diocletian, A. D. 303”)

          Such are the numerous stories recorded in history of early Christian martyrs.  In this lesson we will relate the extent to which many Christians have gone to serve Christ.

I. “To die is gain” (Phil. 1:21-23).

A. Dying for Christ assures salvation (Matt. 10:22, 39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; 13:13; John 12:25).   

B. In fact, Christ expects us to be faithful until death.

                    1. Notice what the Lord told the church at Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11).

                   2. It is not coincidental that the members at Smyrna suffered persecution.  Christ was prophetically telling them what to expect!

II. The persecuted church at Smyrna

A. In early writings as recorded by Eusebius, members of the church in Smyrna testify about the many tortures they endured.  “Those standing around were struck with amazement at seeing them lacerated with scourges to their very blood and arteries, so that now the flesh concealed in the very inmost parts of the body and the bowels themselves were exposed to view.  Then they were laid upon conch shells from the sea, and on sharp heads and points of spears on the ground, and after passing through every kind of punishment and torment, were at last thrown as food to wild beasts.” (E.H. IV, 15)

          B. Germanicus was a 17 year old member of the church in Smyrna.  He was brought before the Proconsul who was not so eager to execute the young man.  However, his courage was stronger than the official’s hatred for Christ.  It was said that he “eagerly irritated the wild beast against him, all but forcing and stimulating him, that he might the sooner be freed from this unjust and lawless generation.” (E.H. IV, 15)

C. Polycarp was an Elder for the church at Smyrna.

                    1. The Roman authorities were in search of Polycarp during the 4^th persecution of Christians that began in A.D. 162.  Eusebius records in his book entitled Ecclesiastical History, that his pursuers scourged a boy just to discover his whereabouts. 

                    2. Polycarp was escorted into the stadium in Smyrna before the governor who earnestly tried to have him denounce Christ.  In one such exchange of words the governor said, “Swear and I will dismiss you.  Revile Christ.”  Polycarp replied, “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never did me wrong; how can I now blaspheme my King that has saved me?” (E.H. IV, 15) 

                    3. Polycarp was sentenced to die at the stack.  At Polycarp’s request, he was tied to the stake instead of being secured by spikes (which was the common practice at that time).  History records that the fire did not seem to touch Polycarp.  Therefore, a soldier was ordered to thrust him though with a sword upon which it was said that his blood gushed in such quantity that it put out the fire.  The Romans had his body cremated before returning it those who buried his remains.

III. Would we be willing to exchange our life for an eternal one (Mark 8:35-38)?

          A. Blandina was a member of the church at Vienna in Gaul.  She had some real reservations as whether she could profess her faith in the face of torture.  “Blandina was filled with such power, that her ingenious tormentors who relieved and succeeded each other from morning till night, confessed that they were overcome, and had nothing more that they could inflict upon her.  Only amazed that she still continued to breathe after her whole body was torn asunder and pierced, they gave their testimony that one single kind of the torture inflicted was of itself sufficient to destroy life, without resorting to so many and such excruciating sufferings as these.” (E. H. V, 1)

          B. Soon thereafter she was lead into the amphitheater with three other Christians, Maturus, Sanctus and Attalus.  She was suspended on a cross and exposed as food to wild beasts while Maturus and Sanctus where tortured.  The two men were forced to pass through torturers who scourged them; next they were lacerated and dragged by wild animals, and finally placed on an iron chair where they were roasted to death.  All the while, Blandina from her cross encouraged them to look toward their reward.  Since none of the beasts touched her, she was remanded back to prison along with Attalus.  The next day Attalus suffered the same fate as Maturus and Sanctus.

          C.  Blandina was reserved as the grand finale on the last day of the shows.  This time she was brought into the amphitheater with a 15 year old Christian boy who was forced through the scourging, the wild animals and finally roasted on the iron chair as the other three men.  Blandina likewise encouraged him until he died.  Then they lead her through the same tortures except they didn’t allow her to roast to death.  They removed her from the iron chair, threw her into a net and cast her before a raging bull who tossed her about until she expired.  “Even the Gentiles confessed that no women among them had ever endured sufferings as many and great as these.” (E. H. V, 1)

IV. The relevance of martyrdom

          A. I often ask, “If the Lord required you to jump off a bridge in order to be saved, would you do it?”   For the early Christians, jumping off a bridge would be preferred to the torture many of them endured.

          B. The Lord does expect us to willingly forfeit our lives (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16).  Not just for the Lord but for our brethren as well.

          C. We live in a society with the freedom to worship the Lord in peace. Yet, that does not mean we will never be called to show our love for the Lord or one another by giving up our life.

                   1. The girl at Columbine High School.

                   2. If you were in an Islamic country and refused to declare Mohammad as a prophet you could face capital punishment.

                   3. If a gun slinging mad man came into our assembly, would you be willing to take a bullet in order to protect everyone else?  There have been recent church shootings in the news.

          D. There is a passage that makes me wonder about this line of thought   (Rev. 6:9-11).  The Lord said he would not return until all martyrdom was finished.  He hasn’t returned and there hasn’t been the martyrdom of Christians for about a thousand years or better.  Will there be more to come?  

Conclusion: Romanus was a deacon for the church at Caesarea.  “Being condemned for his faith at Antioch, he was scourged, put to the rack, his body torn with hooks, his flesh cut with knives, his face scarified, his teeth beaten from their sockets, [his tongue cut out, his feet stretched to the fifth hole in the stocks (E.H. The Book of Martyrs, 3)] and his hair plucked up by the roots. Soon after he was ordered to be strangled, November 17, a.d. 303.”  (John Fox, Foxes Book of Martyrs, Chapter 2, “The Tenth Persecution, Under Diocletian, A. D. 303”)

       Our hardships don’t even compare to those who gave their lives for the Lord.  There is no greater love than to give your life for another.  Would you give your life to the Lord?

Last modified: 05/02/08