“Eighty and six years I have served Christ…”
Topic: The Story
In the early days of the church — when Christians could become lion food for refusing to worship Caesar — one aged bishop taught everyone with ears to hear and eyes to see that if the truth is worth living for, it’s worth dying for as well. His name was Polycarp. He was a direct disciple of the Apostle John himself. And in one of the most well–documented events of the ancient world, his courage in the face of death emboldened persecuted Christians throughout the empire to remain faithful to Christ, regardless of the cost.
The bloodthirsty crowds in the arena were getting bored with the deaths of common Christians. “Followers, that’s all they are! We want their leader! We want Polycarp! Death to Polycarp! Death to Polycarp!” So, the Roman governor gave the arrest order, and eventually the soldiers escorted Bishop Polycarp into the arena.
The crowd roared with approval.
The governor called for quiet with a wave of his hand. He looked down at the old man. “Are you Polycarp, the teacher of the Christians?”