In Light of Eternity

I wonder how many of you have ever heard the name Polycarp? Do you know anything about Polycarp? I believe if you know some church history, you know the name of Polycarp, the bishop of the church in Smyrna, who was martyred because he refused to call Caesar Lord. Now, let me ask you another question, friends. How many of you have ever heard the name Croesus? Do you know who Croesus was? He was a contemporary of Polycarp.

Anyone ever hear this man Croesus? No, I don't believe you have. But he was the most famous man in his time. He lived in Sardis, and he was the richest man living in his day.

He controlled all the wealth of Asia Minor. But you've never heard of him. But you have heard of a poor man called Polycarp, whom the risen Christ was familiar with the church in Smyrna, for he said, I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty.

I don't think Jesus paid too much attention to this rich man Croesus. But I can assure you, friends, the risen Christ received glory when Polycarp laid down his life as a testimony to the gospel. The Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates, and Warren Buffets of the world, all the atheists and agnostics that rule now, and control all the wealth of the world today, and whose money is their God, will one day be insignificant and forgotten in light of eternity.

How many people waste their life in a vain pursuit of money and pleasure that ends up getting burned up anyhow? In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, we read, beginning in verse 11, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Listen, friends, how tragic if we live for the wrong reasons, for the wrong things in light of eternity. If we spend our life on the pursuit and accumulation of this world and attend church and make Christianity an afterthought, and at the end of our life, when we stand before the one who has eyes of fire, as he reviews our life and all is placed into the fire to test the work, how tragic it will be if we stand there, knee-deep in the ashes of a wasted life, as we bend over to scoop up those ashes and press them into his nail-pierced hands.

How are we living our life now? We'll either stand or fall in light of eternity. Do you want to be remembered as a Croesus or a polycarp? Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last.