as it is found in John chapter 2 verse 23 to 25. Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover in the feast days, many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men and needed not that any man should test father man for he knew what was in man. This is the word of God. How trustworthy are you? Can Jesus trust you? The year was 155 A.D. The persecution against Christians had swept across the Roman Empire. It came to the city of Smyrna. The pro-consul of Smyrna swept up into this persecution, put out the order to arrest the bishop of Smyrna, Polycob. Polycob was to be arrested and to be brought into the local Colosseum for execution. Polycarp was warned to flee, but he did not. When the Romans found Polycarp, they asked, does Polycarp live here? And he responded, yes, I am he. He invited his captors in. He treated them as friends. He prepared them food. He served them a meal. Polycarp had just one request. He requested an hour to pray before they took him away. The Roman officers overheard his prayers, which actually went on for two hours. They probably began to have second thoughts. What are we doing arresting an old man like this? A man well advanced in his 80s. The crowd screamed when they saw this famous Christian leader come forward. They wanted his blood. But the proconsul offered him a way of reprieve. Pity your grey hairs, old man, he said. Just curse Christ and I will release you. Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna, responded, if you imagine for a moment that I would do that, you pretend not to know who I am. 86 years I've served my Christ and he has done me no wrong. How can I bless him, my king, who has saved me? The proconsul sought for a compromise. Then just do this, old man. Swear by the genius of the emperor. That shall be sufficient. To spread by the genius or the spirit of the emperor was to acknowledge the pagan gods of Rome, to recognise that Caesar was a god. And Sir Polycarp responded, you pretend not to know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian. There were more entreaties. And at one point, the proconsul ordered him to say, away with the atheists. Now, you may find it strange to think, but Christians used to be called atheists, because Christians did not believe in the gods of Rome. Therefore, a Christian was an atheist in the eyes of the Romans. So he is told, stay away with the atheists. And waving his arm to the cheering crowds in the stadium, Polycarp said, away with the atheists. And the Procrastinator was not satisfied with that. He threatened him, I have wild beasts. Polycarp said, bring them. I will change my mind from the worst to the best, but not from the right to the wrong. And then the proconsul's patience was exhausted. I will have you burned alive, he said. Polycarp responded, you threaten me with a fire that burns but for an hour, and then it is extinguished. You know nothing about the fire of eternal judgment, which burns forever and ever. Bring what you will. The fire was prepared. Polycarp was burned to death and he died praying, praising God and singing. As the fire engulfed him, people were converted to Christ in the stands. That was the 22nd of February and the year was 155 AD. Now what is it about a man in the very worst of circumstances that enabled him to behave in such an extraordinary way as to make it his greatest moment? Well, Polycarp trusted Christ. There's serious, significant, supernatural explanations for how Polycorp could be so courageous at such a moment. But there's something of a human explanation as well. Polycorp was mentored by somebody who knew our Lord Jesus Christ in a most unique way. Polycorp's mentor was the Apostle John. Now thousands thronged around Christ. Hundreds followed him. But a dozen became his daily disciples. And of that 12, three went in a circle, Peter, James, and John. And John was described as a disciple whom Jesus loved. The relationship between Jesus and John was something absolutely unique. John must have passed on something of that unique relationship to Polycarp, who he discipled. When Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing, and they believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man to test me about a man. He knew what was in a man. In Jerusalem, many people believed in Jesus, but Jesus did not believe in them. They trusted in Jesus, but Jesus did not trust them. Jesus knew their hearts. He understood their motivations. They believed when they saw the miraculous signs that he was doing. It's an interesting point when you look at church history. As the cost of discipleship increases, the numbers decrease. We shouldn't be too surprised at this. At the first church picnic, when the Lord multiplied the loaves and fishes, more than 5,000 turned up. Offer a meal, you will get far better attendance, no doubt about it. At the first church sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, there were hundreds, maybe over 600. At the first church prayer meeting, there were 120 who gathered at the Pentecostal prayer meeting. 120 gathered to pray until a power from above came down upon them. For the first midweek outreach, there were 70 men who were sent out, two by two, into the highways and byways to evangelize. When it came to daily discipleship, to follow the Lord, to be with Him where He was, to be learning from Him every moment of the day, there were 12 men and about four women. And of those 12 men, one betrayed Him, Judas, one denied Him, Thomas, and one doubted of Thomas, and one denied Him, Peter. And only one of those 12 men went all the way to the cross, and that was John. All the women disciples had to follow the cross, but only one of the men, and that was John. As the cost of discipleship increases, the numbers decrease. John trusted Jesus. It's one thing to follow Jesus when all the people are crying, Hosanna, Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the highest, waving palm fronds, casting the garments in front of him. It's easy to follow Jesus when he's popular, but to follow Jesus when he's being condemned to a criminal's death on a cross, nailed to a Roman cross in a disgraceful death reserved for criminals, painful death designed to humiliate and break a person, to follow Jesus at the point of the cross, now that's another story. Where were all the thousands of people that Jesus had fed? And where were the thousands who had been healed, and those whose relatives had been healed? Where were the people who had been waving palm fronds just a few days before, on Palm Sunday, when Pontius Pilate was giving the people a choice between, shall I release Barabbas, the violent revolutionary, or shall I release Jesus of Nazareth? And the crowd was crying, we have no God, we have no king but Caesar. Christ like Christ, release Barabbas. Where were the people Jesus healed? Where were the people that Jesus had fed? Where were the people who had been seeing Hosanna just a few days before? The crowd is fickle, but John was there at the foot of the cross. Now John trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity. You may not think of the followers of Jesus being prosperous people, but John was prosperous. His father owned a family business. They had at least two homes, one in Jerusalem, the other in Galilee. They had servants. They had access to powerful people like the House of Carthus, the high priest. So John's family was actually well off. But one day John was captivated by a man who spoke like no one had ever spoken before. And while he could not have understood who Jesus was fully, he sensed the power and the presence of God in this teacher from Nazareth. And he forsook everything and he followed Jesus. When Jesus said, follow me and I will make you a fisher of men, John followed. He gave up everything he owned. He trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity, comfort, safety, security. And John trusted Jesus enough to forsake his life for him, to risk his life. At the Mount of Crucifixion at Golgotha, Calvary, other than the woman disciples, only John turned up. Of all the men, they all fled, but only John was willing to stand up and stand at the foot of the cross at Jesus' time of greatest shame and pain and disgrace and dying a criminal's death. and there's every probability that John could be arrested and crucified as he was. John followed Jesus when the thousands were applauding him and following him, when miracles were being performed, when the people were waving palm fronds. Hosanna blessed as he comes in the name of the highest. Yes, he'd been there with a crowd, but he was now standing with Jesus at his time of greatest need and disgrace, dying a disgraceful criminal's death on a Roman cross. John trusted Jesus enough to risk his life. There was a missionary to Uganda, Alexander McKay. He said, I want to remind the missions committee that within a few weeks, you'll probably hear that one of us is dead. When that news comes, do not be downcast, but send someone else to take the vacant place. Within a few months, several of the mission team had died of disease or been murdered. Within two years, Alexander McKay was the only one of a party of 12 missionaries still alive. In fact, he survived in the field for 12 years. He beat the odds. The average missionary in 19th century, the average missionary to Africa, had a life expectancy of two years. Some died within a few months of arriving. Roland Bingham, a missionary to Nigeria, vowed, I will open up Africa to the gospel or I will die trying. Now that kind of single-minded devotion and determination to do your duty is quite rare. Nate Saint, one of the missionary martyrs who died in Ecuador, take the gospel to the Wadoni Indians. He said, the way I see it, we ought to be willing to die. In the military, we were taught that to be able to obtain our objectives, we have to be willing to be expendable. Missionaries must face the same expendability. And people who do not know the Lord ask, why do we waste our lives as missionaries? They forget that they, too, are expending their lives. And when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted. Several years ago, there was a denomination in the Congo that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the gospel coming to them. And there was long speeches and music and all kinds of festivities and celebrations, and one event overshadowed it all. A very old man came before the crowd at the end of the celebrations and insisted that he be allowed to speak. He had information that no one else had to give, and he knew that he would die soon, and if he died without saying this, the information he had would go to the grave. The man explained, when the Christian Mishmis came to that part of the Congo, the elders did not know what to think of the Mishmis. The Mishmis were strange. Their message was unusual. So the tribal leaders decided to test the Mishmis by poisoning them to death. And over a period of months and years, every one of the Mishmi children and then the parents died one by one. And the man said, it was as we saw how they died that we decided we wanted to live as Christians. And the entire tribe was converted. Now, it's credible this story had not been told for 100 years. Those people had died strange, painful, unknown deaths. They never knew why they were dying. They had no idea what the impact of their lives and deaths and sacrifice would be. But they did not leave. They stayed. They ministered. They persevered. And their graves are there to this day. And there are churches in that area to this day because these missionaries, like John, trusted Jesus, even at the risk of their lives, even to martyrdom. Now, John trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity. He trusted Jesus enough to risk his life for him. He also trusted Jesus enough to remain anonymous. Now, this may seem to be strange, but what we have here written in our Bible is John's gospel, or the gospel according to St. John, or John. It didn't have his name. It just was the gospel of Jesus. And it's Polycarp who identified John as the author. And we've tended to put another gospel according to St. John, or just simply John, in many of our modern Bibles. But John never put his name there. In fact, you can read through the gospel of John. You won't read John's name anywhere. You'll read about John the Baptist, but that's another John, of course. But John the Apostle, he never mentions his name in his own gospel. He refers to Peter, to Andrew, to James, to Judas, but he never writes his own name. He refers to himself as the other disciple, or as the disciple who Jesus loved. In John's relationship with Jesus, John concluded he could trust Jesus to do with him as he wished, whether to make him famous or to let his name be lost in obscurity, that was sufficient. The sufficiency of Christ was an expression of his trust. He did not start the Apostle John Evangelistic Ministries International or something like that. These days you have ministries named after individuals, but John was not like that. In fact, you don't see any of the apostles naming their evangelistic ministries like Son of Zebedee's Ministries or the Apostle Peter Ministries International or something like that. Nothing like that. So John trusted Jesus enough to remain anonymous. But there's another side to this relationship. John trusted Jesus, yes, but Jesus trusted John. Jesus trusted John enough to write his own gospel. The first three Gospels of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark and Luke, are the synoptic Gospels. They cover much of the same content, many of the same stories, many of the same teachings and parables. Many of the same miracles and incidents are related in different words, sometimes word for word. Most of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are similar. But in the later Gospel of John, the last Gospel to be written, you have a tremendous amount of new information that we wouldn't otherwise have. Apparently, the Lord Jesus wanted more of a story told. He wanted different miracles mentioned, a new perspective that had not yet been incorporated by the earlier Gospel writers. He chose someone he could trust to do that job. The final lines of John's Gospel said there were many other things that Jesus did, that the world itself could not contain all the books that could be written if you put all the things Jesus had done, especially as the creator God of the universe into it. So John had an infinite editing job. He had to edit down enough volumes to fill all the library shelves of the world into 20 short chapters. He had to leave out far more than he could include. He had to get it right. John was in the inner circle of three. He had been at the Mount of Transfiguration. He had sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper. He had heard that whisper about Judas. He had information to give that no one else had. Jesus chose someone he could trust to get the record straight, to communicate what was most important. And because John was trustworthy, we have some of the most beloved and familiar words in the scriptures. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. God is spirit. His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth. Open your eyes. Look to the fields. They are ripe unto harvest. Those who have done good will rise to live. Those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, but make no effort to obtain a praise from one and only God? I am the bread of life. All that the Father gives me will come to me. This is the will of him who sent me, that I lose none of them that he has given me, but I will raise them up on the last day. If any man is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink. Out of his innermost being, as the scripture says, streams of life-giving water will flow. Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to father except through me. Greater love is no one than this, that he lay down his life for another. Now these and many other passages you will find were first written down in the gospel according to St. John. John trusted Jesus, Jesus trusted John. Jesus trusted John not only to write his gospel, but he trusted John with his love. That's an extraordinary thing to be described as a disciple whom Jesus loved, to be Jesus' best friend. It seems inappropriate that Jesus should have a best friend. It doesn't seem right, but that's what the relationship was. In fact, we read that Enoch walked with God. We read that Enoch pleased God. We read that Enoch was taken up to be with God. That's actually all we know about Enoch. What an incredible epitome. He pleased God. He walked with God. He was taken up by God. Abraham was called a friend of God. Moses spoke to God and God spoke to Moses face to face. David is described as a man after my own heart. Daniel as a man with a most excellent spirit. Of all the people in the Old Testament, only Daniel and Joseph do you read no negatives about. Maybe they had some negatives, but the Bible doesn't record anything negative about either Joseph or about Daniel. And Daniel had an excellent spirit. What do you think it would be like today if it was known on this earth that somebody is the Lord's best friend on earth today? Can you imagine? They'd be on the cover of some magazines, best friend of Jesus' seminars, probably cut a CD, best friend of Jesus' music albums, and who knows what, speaking to us. There'd be tremendous temptation to arrogance and abuse, and a person would take advantage of it. There's a possibility of treating other people in an inappropriate and disparaging way. How would you know? You're not the best friend of Jesus, and so on. But Jesus had every right as a human being on this earth to have a best friend. And it was critically important that he chose someone who would not abuse that friendship, who he could be confident, who he could trust. And John was trustworthy. Jesus trusted John with his gospel, Jesus trusted John with his friendship, and Jesus trusted John with his mother. In chapter 19 of John's gospel, we read the last gasping words of our Lord Jesus from the cross. The excruciating, painful experience of crucifixion, where it's hard just to breathe. He would have to literally be scraping his raw back on this rough cross, just having to move up from the spiked nail through his feet and with the nails through his wrists to get up to be able to breathe. Each gasp would be so painful. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Into your hands I commit my spirit. It is finished. But also, from the cross he gasped out to his mother, Mary, this is your son. And to John, he said, this is your mother. These are some of the most powerful personal words, private words that the Lord said. It's absolutely true that the Lord Jesus was and is the eternal son of God. And his mission on earth was the redemption of his people. It's also true that he was fully God and fully man. And as a son of a Hebrew family, when his father died, he was responsible for the care of his mother. now crucified, soon to die, his hands nailed to the cross. He couldn't, humanly speaking, touch or care for his mother. So his most important human responsibility on earth, he could not fulfill. He had to entrust to someone, and he chose John to care for his mother. Perhaps this is what we call an anthropomorphism. We struggle with the idea that God could need anything. I mean, God is all-sufficient, all-powerful. But humanly speaking, Jesus could not continue to care for Mary, and he entrusted John with the care of his mother. All the apostles left Jerusalem. Thomas went as far as India. Peter ended up in Rome. Matthew went all the way to Ethiopia, which was then Aksum, what then became Abyssinia, in the 20th century became Ethiopia. Simon the Zealot ended up in present-day Crimea, just south of Ukraine. They spread out throughout the Mediterranean and the Roman Empire to Britain, to Africa, to Asia. They went in the power of the Holy Spirit. They went with the gospel of Christ and they built the Church of Christ. All of them went except John. John stayed in Jerusalem until Mary died. Then he went to Patmos in Asia Minor, what is present-day Turkey, where he discipled Polycarp in Smyrna. Now I'm sure you've been asked many times, do you trust Jesus? And I trust that every one of us can give a resounding, yes, I trust Jesus wholeheartedly. I trust him with my life, with my health, with my name. But today, can we ask this question? Can Jesus trust you? Are you trustworthy? Can Jesus trust you with your family? Can he trust you with difficult assignments? Can He trust you with standing up to the Nazi life or pre-born babies? Can He trust you with the education of your children? Can Jesus trust you to care for His creatures, to be faithful in small matters, to be trustworthy, to write what He wants written, to do what He wants done? Can Jesus trust you? In our world today, we have many people willing to be successors for Jesus. Lord, you can trust me with great power and wealth, and I won't abuse it, right? But how many people are willing to be failures for Christ, to take the tough assignments? Be like Toni Erikson, a paraplegic in a wheelchair, although God has entrusted her with music ministry, art ministry, even though she can only paint with a paintbrush in her mouth, even though she's paralyzed, she's got a singing, and teaching ministry, and writing ministry, and autistic ministry, can you imagine? But how many people are willing to have tough assignments, to have children with learning disabilities, to have health problems? We need Christians who are willing to even do the hard assignments. God needs people to show what it's like to be able to live with cancer. We need people who are both able to trust Christ and be trusted by Christ. In 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9 we read, For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. So the Lord's eyes are searching through churches and homes and even the school this morning, looking into hearts, looking for hearts that are fully committed to Him. He's looking for hearts that He can strengthen. Jeremiah 17, verse 10, I, the Lord, search the heart. I examine the mind to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. God can use suffering to alert us. He can use suffering to direct us, to shape us, to unite us, to purify us. Proverbs 15, verse 8 and 9, we read, The Lord detests the sacrifices of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him. The Lord's eyes are searching. He's examining your heart right now. Are you fully committed to Him? Can Jesus trust you? Let us pray. And let us be silent to the hearts and just reflect for a moment, what is God saying to me as a result of these scriptures and these principles this morning? What does God want you to do? Is there a sin you need to repent of? Is there a command you need to obey? Is there a lesson you need to learn? Is there a prayer you need to pray? Lord God, we thank and praise you for the Apostle John. We thank you for Polycarp. We thank you for the words of scripture. Thank you for the Gospel of John. Thank you, Lord God, for these great spiritual truths. And we pray, Lord God, that you would mercifully and graciously speak to us this day. By the power of your Holy Spirit, may you impress upon us what you want us to do, what you want us to make right, what you want us to confess, to obey, to pray, and to do this very week. Lead us, we pray. Have mercy upon us, Lord God. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit. May you, Lord God, make us more brave and bold for you, more faithful to your word, and more effective in your service. We pray it in Jesus' precious and holy name. Amen.