John chapter 2, starting in verse 23. Let us hear the word of the Living God as it's found in the Gospel of Saint John chapter 2, starting in verse 23. Now, when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself to them, because he knew all men. and had no need that anyone should test her of man, for he knew what was in a man." This is the word of God. The year was 155 A.D. The persecution against the Christians that had swept across the Roman Empire came to the city of Smyrna. The pro-consul of Smyrna swept up into this whole spirit of persecution, put out the order to arrest the Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp. Polycarp was to be arrested and brought to the local Colosseum for execution. Polycarp had been warned to flee, but he decided not to. When the Romans finally found Polycarp, they asked, does Polycarp live here? And he answered, I am he. He invited his captors in. He treated them friendly. 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. In fact, he prayed for two hours. And the Roman officers, overhearing his prayers, must have asked themselves, what are we doing? Arresting this old man with grey hairs, a man well advanced in his 80s. The crowd screamed when they saw this famous Christian leader come forward into the arena. They wanted his blood. And the pro-consul, however, shocked at his great age and his grey hairs, said, Fetch your grey hairs, old man. Just curse Christ and you can go free. Holycock, the Bishop of Smyrna, responded, Eighty-six years I've served Christ and he has done me no harm. How then can I bless him, the King, who has saved me? the proconsul reached for compromise. Then just do this old man, swear by the genius of the emperor and that will be sufficient. Now the genius was the spirit of the emperor and so to swear by the genius of the emperor was to acknowledge him as an idol, as a false god, the deity of the emperor so called, and to recognise the pagan gods and the pagan religion of Rome. At that point Polycarp responded, if you imagine for a moment that I would do this, Then you pretend not to know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian. There were more entreaties. At one point the proconsul commanded them to say, away with the atheists. Now, because the Christians didn't believe in the gods of Rome, they were called atheists. Interesting to think the first Christians were known as atheists. And so he was sent away with the atheists. And so Polycarp pointed to the jeering mob of pagans in the stands and said, away with the atheists. And that wasn't what they had in mind. So Polikov was threatened that he'd be eaten by wild beasts. I have wild beasts, said the proconsul. Bring them, said Polikov. I would change my mind if it meant going from the worst to the better. But I will not change from the right to the wrong. The proconsul's patience was now exhausted. I have fire. I will have you burned alive, said the proconsul. Polycarp responded, you threaten me with a fire that burns but for an hour, and then it's extinguished. You know nothing of the fire of eternal judgment. Bring what you will. Fire was prepared. In fact, it is said that first, a wild animal was released, a leopard, according to accounts, and the leopard would not harm it. And of course these animals were deprived of food, they were starved, they were goaded, they were mistreated, so that they would be ready to tear anything to pieces that was put in their way. But this leopard would not harm them. So finally they prepared a fire for him. And Polycarp was burned to death. In fact, a wind came within the arena and kept the fire away from his body, and he was preaching. And finally, a centurion walked up and plunged a spear into his heart to stop his preaching and to end this. He died praying, praising God and singing, and as the fire finally engulfed his body, 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 enables him to behave in such an extraordinary way as to make it his greatest moment? We're still talking about Polycom 1850 years later. It's because he trusted Christ, and this changed everything. There are very significant spiritual, supernatural explanations for Polykov's unique courage. God gives grace when we need it. There's no doubt that he is there in a most extraordinary way with the martyrs, in a way that none of us would know unless we were in that situation. God doesn't give you grace before you need it. He gives you grace when you need it. But leaving that aside for a moment, there's a human explanation for Polykov's extraordinary courage too. because Polycarp was mentored by somebody who knew Christ in the most unique way. Polycarp was mentored by the Apostle John. Thousands thronged around Christ. Hundreds followed him. A dozen became his disciples. But of those twelve, three were in the inner circle. John, James and Peter. And John is described as the disciple whom Jesus loved. The relationship of the Lord Jesus with John was absolutely unique. John must have passed on something of this unique relationship with Christ to his disciple Polycarp. You can sum it up in these three words. John trusted Jesus. There is no doubt. And look at these words that we read this morning. That the Apostle John was inspired to write in John chapter 2 and verse 23. While 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's testimony about a man. He knew what was in a man. This is the Word of God. In Jerusalem many people believed in Jesus, but Jesus did not believe in them. They trusted in Jesus, but He didn't trust in them. Jesus knew their hearts. He knew all men. He didn't need man's testimony about a man. He knew what was in their heart, their heart motivations. They believed when they saw the miraculous signs He was doing. They were impressed by healings, multiplied food, walking on water, changing water into wine, multiplying loaves and fishes. Yes, they were very impressed when they saw the miraculous signs Jesus was doing. But Jesus did not believe in them. It's an interesting point that when you look at church history, as the cost of discipleship increases, the numbers decrease. In fact, the numbers plummet. Just think about it. The first church picnic, over 5,000 people turned up for the first church picnic, as the Lord multiplied the loaves and fishes. It's well known in church circles, if you want better attendance, you throw in a meal. and we've had some of our very best attendances for fellowship rallies when we've had a supper thrown in. So there's no doubt that a meal will increase attendance. So there were 5,000 at the First Church Picnic. At the First Church Sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, there were several hundred. For the First Church Prayer Meeting, the prayer meeting where the Lord told them to pray day and night for power from above, 120 gathered for the Pentecost prayer meeting. When it came to the first mid-week outreach, Dorchador evangelism, evangelism explosion, there were 70 who went out there. Dorchador following the way of the Master and going up the highways and the byways and compelling them to come in. So we've gone from the thousands to the hundreds, to 120, to 70, and when it came to daily discipleship, when the Lord wanted men and women to be with Him day and night to follow Him, to be where He was, there were 12 men and at least four women. And of those twelve men, only one went all the way to the cross. Of the twelve disciples, one betrayed Christ, one denied that he knew him, one doubted his resurrection, and they all fled, they all forsook him. But only one went all the way to the cross. Only one of the men. All the women went to the cross. of the male disciples, only John went all the way to the cross. So you can see as the cost of discipleship increases, the numbers decrease. John trusted Jesus. John trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity. Now maybe you don't think of the apostles of Christ being very wealthy people, but John was prosperous. If you read the Gospels clearly and carefully, you see, he was a man who worked in a family business, owned by his father, Zebedee. Zebedee's family had a business in their home in northern Galilee, and they had a second home in Jerusalem, which is quite unusual in 1st century Israel. And John would sometimes stay at his home in Jerusalem, and we're told that John had ready access to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. So if you put it all together, They had at least two homes, they had servants, they had a family business, access to friends and powerful people. You can see, in fact, that John was well, more than comfortable. But one day John was captured by a man who spoke like no other man. John was drawn to Jesus, and while he could not have possibly known all that Jesus was, He sensed the power of God in Jesus. He saw that he was different, worth following. He abandoned everything. He abandoned his wealth, his comforts, his security, his stability, and he followed Christ. He trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity, comfort, safety, security. But John also trusted Jesus enough to risk his life for him. At the Mount of Crucifixion at Golgotha, other than John, only the woman disciples turned up. All the men had fled. They had abandoned him in fear that their fate could be the same as that of the Lord himself. John was the only man to show up at the cross. He stood there at the risk of his own life. There was every likelihood that he could be arrested and imprisoned and maybe even crucified as Jesus was. John had followed Jesus when the thousands were applauding when the miracles would be performed, when the people were waving pom-poms and singing, Hosanna, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the highest. He was there when Jesus was popular, when the Lord was multiplying loaves and fishes, when he's riding in triumph from Palm Sunday into Jerusalem. It's easy to follow the Lord when thousands of others are doing it, and it's popular and easy. But it's quite another thing to trust Jesus when he's stripped, bleeding, dying, powerless, nailed to a cross, dying a disgraceful criminal's death, humbled on the cross. John trusted Jesus and identified with him at his worst, at his lowest point, when it looked like Jesus was defeated, doomed. No hope of him being the Messiah of Israel anymore, it would seem. But John was still by Jesus' side. Where were the thousands? who'd been seeing Hosanna just a week before. They weren't anywhere to be seen. And so John trusted Jesus enough to risk his life. One missionary to Uganda, Alexander McKay, said, I want to remind the missionary committee that within six months they will probably hear one of us is dead, but when that news comes, do not be downcast, but send someone else immediately to take the vacant place. In fact, within a few years, Alexander McKay was the only one of eight missionaries still alive. Several have been murdered, some have died of disease, a couple have fled, but Alexander McKay survived an incredible 12 years, beating all the odds, and died at the old age of 42 in the field in Uganda, which in 19th century missionary movement was way past the average life expectancy. Roland Bingham, a Mishki to Nigeria, said, I will open up Africa to the Gospel or I will die trying. Now this kind of single-minded determination and this devotion to duty can also be seen in the example of Nat Saints. Nat Saints is one of five Mishki martyrs amongst the Orca Indians in South America. He said, the way I see it, we ought to be willing to die. In the military we were taught that to obtain our objectives we had to be willing to be expendable. Mishkis must face that same expendability. And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives. And when the bubble is burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have lived. Now several years ago, a denomination in Zaire, what today is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, funny when a country is called democratic you know it isn't, They had the 100th anniversary of the coming of the Christian Mishmis to that part of the Congo. There were long speeches and there was music and there were all kinds of feastings and celebrations. But there was one event that everyone agreed overshadowed it all. An old man, a very old man, well over 100 years old, came before the crowd at the end of the day and he insisted on being allowed to speak. He had something that only he could say and if he died the secret would go with him to the grave and he had to tell the people what had happened. There was information that he alone had. There was no one else alive who knew about this. He explained that when the Christian Mishmis came 100 years ago to that part of Africa, it was controlled by Belgium, and the people didn't know what to think of these Mishmis. They were very strange and the message was very unusual. So the tribal leaders decided to test the Mishmis by slowly poisoning them all to death. And over a period of months, The Mishmi children all died and then their parents died one by one. An old man said it was as we watched how they died that we decided we wanted to live as Christians. And the entire tribe, not just the village, but the whole tribe came to Christ. And the incredible thing is this story had not been told for a hundred years. That's incredible. Those Mishmis died painful, strange deaths and they never even knew why they were dying. They assumed it was some tropical disease. They didn't know what the impacts of their lives or their deaths would be. But the amazing thing is they didn't leave. They stayed. They buried their family members, they stayed, they planted the gospel, and their churches in Congo to this very day. And because those missionaries like John trusted Jesus, even at the risk of their lives, even to martyrdom, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. John trusted Jesus. He trusted Jesus enough to forsake prosperity, he trusted Jesus enough to risk his own life for him, and John trusted Jesus enough to remain anonymous. Now I know this may sound strange, we've got in our Bibles the Gospel of John written at the top of this passage, but of course it wasn't called that, it was called the Gospel of Jesus. Polycops are the ones who identified John as the author, actually. They started to name the Gospel of Paul as St. John. John's name doesn't appear in the Gospel. John the Baptist does, but not the Apostle John. It's a fascinating fact that in John's Gospel he never mentions himself by name. He refers to other disciples, Peter and Andrew and James and Judas, but he never writes his own name in the Gospel. He refers to himself most often as the other disciple, or the disciple whom Jesus loved. In John's relationship with Jesus, John concluded he could trust Jesus either to make him famous or to have him lost in obscurity. John didn't promote himself. There was the sufficiency of Christ in his life, and this was an expression of trust. He trusted Jesus enough to remain anonymous. Not for him starting the Apostle John Evangelistic Association, or something like that. Apostle John International Ministries. Now, there's another side to the story. John trusted Jesus, yes, but Jesus trusted John. Jesus trusted John to write one of his Gospels. Now the first three Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and those three are called the Synoptic Gospels because they cover much of the same territory and in fact sometimes even the same words are repeating often the same miracles or parables and teachings. And while there are significant differences, Matthew, Mark and Luke are similar. But the later Gospel of John gives all kinds of new material that you don't find anywhere else. We wouldn't otherwise have without the Gospel of John. Our Lord Jesus obviously wanted more of his story told. He wanted different miracles mentioned. He wanted a new perspective that had not yet been incorporated by the other Gospel writers. So he chose someone he could trust to do the job. And the final lines of John's gospel say there were many other things that the Lord Jesus did. So the world itself could not contain all the books that would be written if you put all the things that Jesus had done into it. Now that may sound amazing, but obviously the Lord had an incredible life on earth. But if you still think of everything that he's done as the God of the universe, well indeed, all the books and all the libraries of the world would not contain all that the Lord has done, if you go that far. John had an infamous editing job. He had to leave out far more than he could include in. In just 20 short chapters, he had to edit down enough volumes to fill all the libraries of the world into 20 short chapters. For he, John, had been one of the twelve. He had been one of the inner circle of three. He had been on a mount of transfiguration. Only two others had been on there. 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 could give. Jesus chose someone he could trust to get the story right. To communicate what was most important. And because John was trustworthy, we have these most beloved and familiar words of the Bible, which you don't get anywhere else in the Bible. for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that he so 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 see the kingdom of heaven unless a man is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God God is spirit and his wishers must wish for him in spirit and in truth open your eyes look at the fields they're ripe unto harvest Those who have done good will rise to life, and 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 the praise that comes from the one and only God? I am the bread of life. All that the Father gives to me will come to me. This is the will of Him who sent me, that I lose none of those that He has given to me, but that I raise them all up on the last day. Whoever is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink. Whoever believes in me as the Spirit has said, streams of life-giving water will flow out from within him. 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 life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies. I am the way, the truth and life. No one comes apart except through me. Greater love is no one than this, that he lay down his life for another. These and many other passages you'll only find in the Gospel of John. John trusted Jesus and Jesus trusted John. Jesus trusted John not only to write his Gospel, but he trusted him with his own love. That's the most extraordinary thing to be described as the disciple whom Jesus loved. To be Jesus' best friend, because that's what it actually means. It doesn't seem right in our egalitarian society today to have the Lord having a best friend during his ministry on earth. But that's in fact what the relationship was. John was Jesus' best friend. 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 about all we know about Enoch. But what an incredible epitaph. He walked with God. He pleased God. Abraham is called God's friend. Moses spoke with God and God spoke with him face to face. David is described as a man after my own heart. God describes him as that. Imagine being described as a man after God's own heart. I wonder what it would be like today if we knew who God's best friend on earth would be. Could you imagine? What do you think would happen if we knew today this is the person whom God loves the most on earth at the moment? Do you know what would happen in 2011 if this was known? He'd be on the cover of all the Christian magazines. They'd write a book out on him. They'd put out CDs and DVDs. They'd be best friends of Jesus' seminars. They'd be speaking to us. There'd be potential. All kinds of tremendous potential of ruining this person's life. And a real temptation to arrogance. A possibility of treating others in an inappropriate and disparaging way. How would you know? I'm Jesus' best friend. You don't get anywhere in the Gospels or in the Book of Acts where John steps up and takes the lead. Peter, James, Paul, they all seemed to dominate in the church conferences. John's name isn't read anywhere around there as taking the lead and making the decision or giving the keynote speech at the first church conference council in Jerusalem or anything like that. John was happy to be anonymous and John was happy to be in the background and John was happy to be the youngest and the least. Didn't the Lord Jesus have a right to have a best friend like any of us might have that right? And if so, wasn't it critically important that he chose someone he could trust to be his best friend? Someone who wouldn't abuse the friendship, who wouldn't abuse the trust. Jesus trusted John with his gospel, he trusted him with his love and his trust, but he also trusted John with his mother. Now this seems another strange addition to the list, but in chapter 19 of John's gospel, you read some of the last gasping breaths of our Lord. Some of his last words from the cross, when the excruciatingly painful crucifixion process would have allowed very little breath to speak at all. It was hard enough just to breathe a little and speak. But there were seven phrases from the cross. And amongst them, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. It is finished. Into your hands I commit my spirit. And from the cross as well he goes right This is your son. And to John he says, this is your mother. Now these are some of the most powerful personal private words our Lord said. And while it's absolutely true that our Lord was and is the eternal Son of God, the only Redeemer. And while it's true that his mission on earth was the redemption of his people. Yet it's also true that he's a man as a son, the elder son of a Hebrew family. When his father died, he was responsible for his mother's care. And now, crucified soon to die, his hands now to the cross. He couldn't, humanly speaking, touch her. He couldn't fulfill his duties towards her. He couldn't care for her. And so his most important human responsibility on earth, he entrusts to his best friend, to John. Now, theologians obviously struggle with the idea that God could need anything from anyone. For our very definition of God is that God is self-sufficient. in anthropomorphism. It's not that God actually needs any of us in one sense, but in a human sense, the Lord is entrusting this responsibility, this privilege, to his best friend. And he picked someone he can trust. And the record goes on to state how all the followers of Jesus, all the apostles, left Jerusalem. Thomas went as far as India. Peter ended up in Rome. Matthew went all the way to Ethiopia. Simon the Zilch went to President Crimea in Ukraine. They went out throughout the Mediterranean, across the Roman Empire, they went to Britain, they went to Gaul, they went to Africa, they went to Asia. Everyone went except John. John stayed in Jerusalem and he cared for Mary, and so Mary died, and then he went to Patmos in Asia Minor, which is present-day Turkey, where he mentored Polycarp amongst others. Now I'm sure you've been asked many, many times, do you trust Jesus? And our answer, I trust, is a resounding YES! I trust Jesus. I trust Him with my life. I trust Him to forsake all safety, comfort, prosperity, and I trust Him that my name is in His hands. I'm willing to risk my life for the Lord. I trust the Lord. But we need to ask a more important question. Does Jesus trust you? Can Jesus trust you? Can he trust you with your family? Can he trust you with your ministries? Can he trust you with his creatures, with his animals? Can he trust you with educating your children? Can he trust you with standing up for the rights and life of pre-born babies? Can he trust you to witness to your neighbours, to fulfil his mission? To be faithful in small matters, to be trustworthy in large matters? To write what he wants written, to say what he once said, to do what he once done. Can Jesus trust you? Now in a world today we need people who are willing to live for Christ. We need people who Jesus can trust. The whole emphasis of accept Jesus is nonsense. Jesus needs to accept us. And even the idea of trust Jesus is also important as it is. It's also important to know, can Jesus trust you? There's a long list of volunteers who are willing to be successors for Jesus. Lord, you can trust me with big ministries, lots of power, lots of money. I won't abuse it. I won't let it go to my head. I won't become proud and unreasonable. You can trust me to be a great success. But how many people are willing to be failures for Christ? Think of those who, it's great to be part of a victorious army, it's great to be part of a winning team, but sometimes God calls some of His greatest people to be part of the losing side, and to be faithful to Christ. Think of people like Joni who can trust God in a wheelchair as a paraplegic. It's easy to trust God while you're healthy, wealthy, prosperous, successful, popular. Anyone can do that. But we also need people who are willing to take the harder side, to raise children with medical and educational problems. be a Christian who can cope with cancer. Obviously these are also hard assignments. God gives some tough assignments, but it's a privilege to be given the hard assignment too. We need people who can be trusted, who can trust Christ and be trusted by Christ. 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9 says, For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. Think of it, God's eyes are searching even through this room and through our hearts today. He's looking into our hearts and He's looking for hearts fully committed to Him so that He can strengthen them. I, the Lord, search the heart and examine the mind to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. Prophet Jeremiah 17 verse 10 recorded that. God can use suffering to alert us, to direct us, to shape us, to unite us. The Lord detests the sacrifices of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him. And so the Lord's eyes, in the words of 2 Chronicles 16 line, are searching, He's examining our hearts right now. Are you fully committed to Him? Do you trust Jesus? Can Jesus trust you? Let's pray. Lord God, we want to thank and praise you for your love and mercy. We want to thank you for the Apostle John. We want to thank you, Lord God, for Polycarp. Lord, thank you for these examples, these inspiring examples. And we pray, Lord God, that you truly would work in our hearts what is well-pleasing to you. Lord, that our hearts may be fully committed to you so that we can be those who please you and those whom you can trust to do your will to go where you want us to go, to say what you want to be said, to write what you want to be written, to be who you want us to be. May you be honoured, may you be glorified, Lord God. May you take our lives like you took the lunch of that little boy and multiply it to be able to feed the thousands. We pray this in Jesus' precious name. Amen.