What does it cost you?

     In the first century church there was rampant persecution of those who loved Jesus.  So much so that extraordinary action was taken to both conceal and propagate their witness of the Savior.  Home churches met in various locations.  The groups were small and of trusted members.  The fish became a password.  When two people met and one wanted to know if the other was a believer they took their foot and drew a half moon line on the ground.  If you were a Christian you would take your foot and draw another half moon line over theirs making the fish symbol we see everywhere today.  The Christians were tortured, killed and pursued in an effort to squelch them and their message.  Obviously that didn't work and we can be thankful today for their sacrifice.  There were other elements of being a Christian and belonging to the home group or early church.  The need to trust and be trusted was immense.  When one member would sin they would go through Matthew 18 in order to lead that person back into the flock where they were safe.  If they didn't repent they were cast out of the home group because they could no longer be trusted.  They would move their home group to a new secret meeting place.  The unrepentant was thrust from their midst and took their chances for their enemies.  Staying true to the faith was not just an individual pursuit but also a group pursuit.
     Many millions of Christians have been killed for their faith.  I should say they were sent home!  China murdered by crucifixion over a million.  The same was true for many of the Asian countries.  Many Christians were killed in the lands around the Mideast and are still being killed there.  The enemies of the Christian body are brazen, powerful, and they will one day go after us even here in America.  The threat we pose to other people is that we carry a message of hope and life.  Satan has his message of hate for those who carry the faith.  In America and many other countries we have freedom to worship Jesus openly.  This has become a failure point of the Christian church.  Without the accountability for our choices, we have strayed from the faith with impunity.  We aren't worried about what others will do to us for the most part.  Lackadaisical living and thinking has rendered many peoples faith insignificant and the church doesn't resemble the church Jesus envisioned very much.  Why is that?  I think that one reason is that our faith in this day and age doesn't cost us much if anything.  It's kind of like buying Fords all your life.  It's a choice that we can make and not care about other brands of cars. 
     When we stand for nothing, we fall for anything said a wise man whom I don't remember their name.  It's true though.  Compromise of the faith is dangerous and deadly to others whom we lead either to Jesus or astray.  It's not just up to pastors to protect the faith.  The leaders of the church don't have this job title either.  It's up to you and I to govern our lives and our faith in such a way that we portray Jesus and not the world.  I fail at that many times.  I succeed at this more often than not.  The cost of discipleship is belonging to Jesus first and foremost.  This can mean losing friends, family, jobs and social standing.  Personally, I'd rather stand for Jesus than fall for man.  The cost makes the difference of allowing others to go unconfronted in their sin or to be a protective family member looking out for one another.  The cost is losing fake believers in the process (and some pastors).  The Gospel is only ONE gospel.  There is no room for anyone or any group that takes it upon themselves to change the Gospel message to appease anyone or anything.  The cost means being the responsible one in leading your family, educating your children and seeing that generation after generation loves Jesus rather than potlucks and family reunions.  There are many rewards for those who risk the cost of being a discipleship in both the tangible and intangible.  The ultimate reward is to hear "Well done thou good and faithful servant.  Welcome into the presence of the Lord."  It's always your choice.