Kitchen Table Theology
Where Coffee, Conversation, and Theology Meet. During my 40 years in ministry, I’ve developed an increasing burden for what I sense to be an increase in biblical illiteracy, not only among those in our churches, but also in the young men and women entering the ministry. Conversely, I am hopeful, because I also sense a hunger from people to learn and know biblical truth and the things of God has revealed to us in Scripture. Our Kitchen Table Theology team has developed a list of over 150 doctrinal topics which I, along with one of my cohosts, Jen Denton or Tiffany Coker, examine weekly. Our goal is to educate and share biblical truth on the same level as if we were sitting at your kitchen table with a Bible and a pot of southern pecan coffee in front of us. Welcome to the table!
Kitchen Table Theology
289 The Patristic Period | Polycarp of Smyrna: Faithful Unto Death
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Polycarp lived at a time when the early church was facing pressure from Rome, false teaching from within, and the growing challenge of preserving the message handed down by the apostles.
In this episode of Kitchen Table Theology, Pastor Jeff and Tiffany look at the life of Polycarp of Smyrna, one of the Apostolic Fathers and a direct link to the Apostle John. They discuss his role as bishop of Smyrna, his influence on Irenaeus, his defense of apostolic truth, and his faithful witness even unto death.
Chapters:
01:00 Who Was Polycarp of Smyrna?
Polycarp was one of the Apostolic Fathers, a bishop in Smyrna, and a direct link between the apostles and the next generation of Christian leaders.
03:00 Polycarp’s Connection to the Apostles
Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John and was known by Irenaeus as someone instructed by the apostles and connected to those who had seen Christ.
05:00 The Apostolic Fathers
The Apostolic Fathers were early Christian leaders who lived just after the apostles and helped guide the church through its first generations.
08:30 False Teaching in the Early Church
The early church faced pressure from Rome on the outside and false teaching from within, including movements like Gnosticism and Marcionism.
10:00 What Was Marcionism?
Marcion rejected parts of Scripture and taught a divided view of God, claiming the Old Testament God and the God revealed by Jesus were different.
15:00 Polycarp and Irenaeus
Polycarp mentored Irenaeus and modeled how to stand firmly for truth while showing grace in secondary disagreements.
17:30 Polycarp’s Arrest
Roman authorities arrested Polycarp when he was 86 years old and pressured him to deny Christ by offering incense to Caesar.
20:00 The Martyrdom of Polycarp
Polycarp refused to deny Jesus, declaring that Christ had never done him wrong and that he
“Nearly 2,000 years later, we sit here and we still remember Polycarp, not because he was powerful or wealthy or famous. We remember him because he was faithful.” - Pastor Jeff Cranston
Resources Mentioned:
- Read more about the life of Polycarp: https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/martyrdompolycarp-lightfoot.html
👉 Visit Pastor Jeff Cranston on Amazon or his website to explore his books and booklets written to support believers in their walk with Christ.
We love your feedback! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review. If you have any questions or comments on today's episode, email me at pastorjeff@lowcountrycc.org
Visit my website https://www.jeffcranston.com and subscribe to my newsletter.
Join me on Sunday mornings at LowCountry Community Church.
Check in with us on Facebook or Instagram @pastorjeffcranston
Remember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!