God's
servants in the Scriptures often suffered persecution and opposition. They faced
social rejection including hatred, lies, and alienation. They sacrificed
possesions and property. They were required to accomplish difficult work and
often faced imprisonment and death. Are we willing to count the cost and pay the
price?
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For 200 years, to become a Christian meant the great renunciation, the joining of a despised and persecuted sect, the swimming against the tide of popular prejudice, the coming under the ban of the Empire, the possibility at any moment of imprisonment and death under its most fearful forms. For 200 years he that would follow Christ must count the cost, and be prepared to pay the same with his liberty or life. For 200 years the mere profession of Christianity was itself a crime … For the name [Christian] itself … meant the rack, the blazing shirt of pitch, the lion, the panther, or in the case of maidens an infamy worse than death. – International Standard Bible Encyclopedia , pages 2326f
Luke 14:26-33 – We should count the cost of discipleship. We cannot be Jesus’ disciples if we are not willing to pay the price.
Romans 12:1 – We should present our bodies a living sacrifice in God’s service.
Could it be that we need a greater appreciation of the commitment serving God really requires? Could it be that, for the sake of our own comfort and convenience, we have cheapened the cost of discipleship? Consider the price people must pay to serve God:
Consider how often God’s true people are mistreated in relationships with other people.
John 7:7 – The world hated Jesus because He testified its works were evil.
John 15:18-21 – Just as the world hated Jesus, so it will hate His disciples because we are not of the world.
People resent being shown, by teaching or example, that they are wrong.
Have people shown resentment at your service to Christ? We should not try to antagonize people, but faithful living and teaching may cause this today as it did for early Christians.
Could it be that, to avoid this hatred, we have compromised or failed to stand for truth? Could it be that, instead of feeling sorry for ourselves, we should count it a privilege to suffer for Christ?
Matthew 5:10-12 – Men will revile disciples (find fault, blame) and say evil things about them falsely for Jesus’ sake. In this way they hope to discredit our stand for the truth.
Matthew 26:59-68; 27:27-31,39-44 – False witnesses testified against Jesus and spit in His face. They mocked Him and put a crown of thorns on His head. As He hung on the cross, they said if He could save others then He should be able to save Himself from the cross.
This was the price Jesus and His disciples paid in the first century.
(Matthew 10:25; Hebrews 10:32-34)
When was the last time someone made fun or falsely accused you because you stood for truth? On the job? In your neighborhood? At school?
Could it be that we sometimes do not stand for what is right because we are unwilling to accept ridicule? Kids may say, “But all the kids will laugh at me.” And parents may go along thinking, “I don’t really approve, but kids have it so hard today.”
Hebrews 12:2,3 – Bible examples were written to teach us to endure hardship like Jesus.
Luke 6:22,23 – Disciples are blessed when men separate them from their company, cast out their name as evil for Jesus’ sake, etc.
Matthew 10:21,34-37 – Family members may be upset to the point of delivering disciples to be killed. Even if our closest loved ones turn against us, we must remain loyal to Jesus.
Luke 14:26 – We cannot be Jesus’ disciples, if we love anyone more than we do Him. This is the cost of discipleship. Counting the cost requires deciding if we are willing to pay this price.
(Matthew 26:47-50; Luke 12:51-53; John 16:2; 9:22; 12:42,43)
Has anyone become your enemy or refused to associate with you because of Jesus’ teachings?
Could it be we so rarely speak out against sin that people have no reason to be upset?
How much has serving God cost us? Persecution varies from time to time. But could it be that we do not suffer because we want a cheap substitute for Christianity that does not cost much?
Luke 6:22,23 – We have reason to rejoice when people exclude us from their company, because we have a great reward in heaven. Could it be, if we had a greater appreciation of our eternal reward, we could count it a privilege to suffer for the cause of Christ?
(Acts 6:13f; 1 Peter 2:15; 3:16; 4:14)
Genesis 12:1 – God told Abraham to leave country, family, and kindred to go to a distant country not knowing where he was going. Would we do that?
1 Kings 18:4 – Fifty prophets lived in a cave on bread and water to escape persecution.
Acts 8:1 – Saul persecuted disciples at Jerusalem till they were all scattered to other areas.
Luke 14:33 – Whoever will not renounce all he has, cannot be Jesus’ disciple.
Sometimes such sacrifices are not necessary, but we must be willing to do so when necessary.
(Matthew 10:23; Hebrews 10:34)
To serve God would we sacrifice our houses, furniture, appliances, TV and entertainment, children’s toys, and sports and hobby equipment? Would we keep teaching and obeying truth, even if we knew we would we have to live in a cave on bread and water?
If yes, what about the much smaller sacrifices we may now need to make?
* Would we sacrifice overtime and extra work, so we can attend church meetings?
* Would we sacrifice a second income and live on just the husband’s income, so the wife can stay home and be a mother to the children?
Matthew 19:29 – Everyone who leaves houses, lands, or relatives for Jesus’ sake will receive 100-fold in this life, and eternal life afterward.
1 John 2:15-17 – Disciples must not love the world nor the things of the world. If we seek lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life, we do not love the Father.
Hebrews 11:24-26 – Moses gave up the pleasures of Egypt to suffer with a group of slaves.
Acts 24:24,25 – In contrast, Felix refused discipleship because it was inconvenient.
Being a disciple costs much sacrifice and inconvenience. Are we willing to pay?
[1 Peter 4:1-4; Romans 13:13,14; 2 Timothy 3:4]
Have we even given up sinful pleasures: wild parties, drinking, suggestive dancing, immodesty, foul language, dirty jokes, immoral entertainment (TV, music, movies, etc.)?
And what about our children? Are we teaching them to put God first in their lives, or do we compromise and let them participate in morally wrong or questionable activities?
What about things that may not be inherently sinful but hinder us from serving God?
* Give up a favorite TV program or sport to come mid-week, Sunday PM, or a gospel meeting?
* Give up an afternoon of fishing/hunting to teach someone the gospel?
* Give up a high school football game or musical concert to attend during a gospel meeting?
Philippians 3:7,8 – All the things Paul sacrificed for the cause of Christ he counted as rubbish so He could gain Christ. He looked toward the reward.
Could it be that, if we really appreciated our Lord and the eternal reward He offers us, we would count it a privilege to suffer for His cause?
Imagine building the ark: Many have visited or seen pictures of the life-size model in Kentucky. It had as much floor space as at least 60 modern houses! He had to provide food for animals. This took about 100 years (5:32; 7:6). Then it rained forty days and nights, but the flood lasted a year. During that time Noah and his family had to care for all those animals.
Noah paid the price. Would we have?
God required him to lead Israel out of Egypt (see the Book of Exodus)
* He had to convince the king of a mighty nation to free a nation of slaves.
* He had to lead them to cross an impassable sea while pursued by the king and his army.
* He had to lead over 600,000 men, plus women and children (Ex. 12:37), with flocks, herds, and possessions, hundreds of miles through a wilderness, providing adequate food and water.
* He had to provide the people with a law and a system of leadership for future history.
* He was opposed in battle by many nations.
* He dealt with repeated rebellion, complaints, disobedience, and even threats to kill him.
* When they finally arrived at the promised land, the people refused to enter.
Would we have paid the price?
Mark 16:15 – Twelve men were given the duty to preach the gospel to the whole world.
* They taught Jews who knew God but not Jesus. Gentiles did not even know the true God.
* They faced fierce opposition and persecutions.
* The work was hindered by doctrinal strife, indifference, and neglect of those converted.
* They had no modern transportation and communication: no airplanes or cars, phones, radio, TV, Internet, computers, or copiers. They walked or rode animals or boats to teach by word of mouth or handwritten letters.
Colossians 1:23 – In one generation they succeeded because they paid the price.
We are not required to build arks or lead slaves through wildernesses. But we do have obligations. Are we paying the price to accomplish them?
* We can buy Bibles in stores in every town. How much effort do we make to study it?
* We ride in comfortable cars to a heated/air conditioned building. Are we here regularly?
* Are we training our children to know God’s will and have good family relations?
* Are we spreading the gospel throughout this community and the world?
Hebrews 11:26 - Moses accounted the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because he looked to the reward.
Could it be that, if we really appreciated our Lord and the eternal reward He offers us, we would count it a privilege to sacrifice for His cause?
God’s people in the past suffered imprisonment, physical pain, court suits, and even death.
Genesis 39:1-20 – Joseph was imprisoned because he resisted advances of his master’s wife.
Jeremiah 37:15-17 – Jeremiah was thrown into a dungeon for saying Jerusalem would fall to Babylon. When asked again about it, he gave the same message!
Daniel 3 – Daniel’s friends were thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to bow to an idol.
Daniel 6 - Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den for continuing to pray to God.
Matthew 14:1-12 – John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded because he rebuked Herod for having an illicit marriage with Herodias. Would you preach the same thing?
Acts 5:40-42 – Apostles were beaten and charged not to preach about Jesus.
Acts 7:51-60 – Steven accused the Jews of persecuting the prophets and killing Jesus. For that, they killed Stephen!
Acts 8:3; 9:1,2 – Saul imprisoned men and women, invading homes and arresting them.
Acts 12:1,2 – Herod killed the apostle James and imprisoned Peter.
2 Corinthians 11:23-27 – After his conversion, Paul suffered much for Jesus. In city after city people rioted, imprisoned him, and tried to kill him. Time and again he had to flee for his life.
[Acts 13:14,45,50; 15:5,19,2O; 16:19-24; 22:22-30; etc.]
Consider this quotation from the Roman historian Tacitus regarding the persecution by Nero:
“Accordingly, first, those were seized who confessed they were Christians; next, on their information, a vast multitude were convicted … And in their deaths they were made the subject of sport, for they were covered with the skins of wild beasts and were worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when day declined were burned to serve for nocturnal lights. Nero offered his own gardens for that spectacle, and exhibited circus games … – International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, p. 2325.
Suppose SWAT teams began surrounding homes of members of this congregation. They come to your house and threaten to take you to jail unless you sign a document saying:
* You promise never to confess that you believe in God and Jesus.
* You promise never to teach or talk to others about Jesus and the gospel.
* You promise never to teach your children about Jesus and the Bible.
* You promise never to speak against homosexuality, abortion, or transgenderism.
How much torture – how many deaths must occur in the church – before you would sign?
Luke 14:26 – If one does not hate even his own life, he cannot be Jesus’ disciple. We must be willing to pay even the supreme price. No discounts are offered.
Acts 5:40-42 – When apostles were beaten and charged not to preach about Jesus, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the cause of Christ.
When we compare the price paid by God’s people in the past, we should surely be challenged to reconsider the sacrifices we make for God.
Could it be that, if we really appreciated our Lord and the eternal reward He offers us, we would count it a privilege to sacrifice for His cause?
(Matthew 10:17,21; 23:31-36; 24:9; Revelation 2:10,13; 2 Chron. 16:10; 18:26; 24:20,21; Romans 8:35-39; John 16:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16; 1 Kings 19:1-4)
The point is not that serving the Lord is impossible or hopeless. The point is not that sin cannot be forgiven. The point is not that we must earn our salvation. The point is not that serving Jesus costs so much that it is not worth the price.
The point is that too many people think they are disciples even though they are not making the sacrifice! Jesus wants you to know the whole cost, not to talk you out of paying it, but so you can be sure you do make the sacrifice and reap the benefits.
But the sufferings of this life cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us.
Yes, there are sacrifices required to be a child of God – maybe severe sacrifices. Are we willing to sacrifice to please our Lord, no matter how difficult those sacrifices may be?
Could it be that, if we really appreciated our Lord and the eternal reward He offers us, we would count it a privilege to sacrifice for His cause?
Are you making the sacrifices of true discipleship? If not, are you willing to begin?
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2023; gospelway.com
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Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.