The Church Of The BeginningSample

An unconditional servant. 

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

Paul knew that trouble and trial awaited him in Jerusalem; God had made that clear. But God had also called him to go to Jerusalem, and he was resolved to make that trip no matter the cost. Paul was undeterred by the fear of danger because he was unreservedly surrendered to Jesus Christ. Every believer must decide a basic question: Does my life belong to me, to do with as I choose, or does my life belong to another, to Jesus Christ?

In every generation, there have been followers of Jesus who were fully devoted to Christ. These believers could not be intimidated. Polycarp was the bishop of the church in Smyrna (the city of Izmir in modern-day Turkey). The Apostle John mentored him in the church at Ephesus. Joseph Stowell tells Polycarp’s story: In order to be a loyal member of the Roman Empire, you had to say, “Caesar is Lord.” Most early Christians, rightly so, refused to say that. By the time Polycarp was 86, the empire had begun to persecute Christians who wouldn’t say that. Polycarp heard this was in the works and fled to a little village miles away from Smyrna, but he was found. A captain knocked on the door with the troops behind him. Polycarp opened the door. He was so well respected that the captain pled with him, “Just say, ‘Caesar is Lord.’ You don’t even have to mean it. Just say it. We don’t want to do this to you.” Polycarp said, “He’s been my God 86 years, and he has never betrayed me yet. How can I now betray my Lord and my Savior Jesus Christ?” They led him back to Smyrna, tied him to a stake, and set it on fire. Unwaveringly he gave his life, because he would not deny his Lord. 

Oswald Chambers puts it succinctly: “There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.” Is that true for you—unconditional surrender to Jesus Christ?