The Cost of Discipleship

Introduction: This weekend Americans celebrate Memorial day.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The day was changed to honor Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971

There is a larger war – a longer war going on, however, the war between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of evil. This war has its casualties, they are called martyrs – giving your life in this war is the cost of discipleship!

“When God calls a man He bids him come and die!”

Matthew 10:1 - 42 (NKJV) ¹And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. ²Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and ^Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; ⁴Simon the ^Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. ⁵These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. ⁶But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, ^raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. ⁹Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, ¹⁰nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. ¹¹“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. ¹²And when you go into a household, greet it. ¹³If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! ¹⁶“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ¹⁷But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; ²⁰for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. ²¹“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. ²²And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. ²³When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. ²⁴“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. ²⁵It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house ^Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! ²⁶Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. ²⁷“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. ³²“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. ³⁴“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’^{ 37}He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. ⁴⁰“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. ⁴¹He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴²And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

1. The Cost of Discipleship to the Apostles

Stephen - was preaching the gospel in Jerusalem on the Passover after Christ’s crucifixion. He was cast out of the city and stoned to death. About 2,000 Christians suffered martyrdom during this time (about 34 A.D.).
James, the son of Zebedee and the elder brother of John, - was killed when Herod Agrippa arrived as governor of Judea. Many early disciples were martyred under Agrippa’s rule, including Timon and Parmenas (about 44 A.D.).
Philip, - a disciple from Bethsaida, in Galilee, suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified (about 54 A.D.).
Matthew, - the tax-collector from Nazareth who wrote a gospel in Hebrew, was preaching in Ethiopia when he suffered martyrdom by the sword (about 60 A.D.).
James, the Brother of Jesus, - administered the early church in Jerusalem and was the author of a book in the Bible. At the age of 94 he was beat and stoned, and finally had his brains bashed out with a fuller's club.
Matthias - was the apostle who filled the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.
Andrew, - the brother of Peter, preached the gospel throughout Asia. On his arrival at Edessa, he was arrested and crucified on a cross, two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground (thus the term, St. Andrew's Cross).

Mark - was converted to Christianity by Peter, and then transcribed Peter’s account of Jesus in his Gospel. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria in front of Serapis, their pagan idol.
Peter - was condemned to death and crucified at Rome. Jerome holds that Peter was crucified upside down, at his own request, because he said he was unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord.
Paul - suffered in the first persecution under Nero. Because of the converting impact he was having on people in the face of martyrdom, he was led to a private place outside the city where he gave his neck to the sword.
Jude, - the brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa in about 72 A.D.
Bartholomew - translated the Gospel of Matthew in India. He was cruelly beaten and crucified by idolaters there.
Thomas, - called Didymus, preached in Parthia and India. He was thrust through with a spear by pagan priests.
Luke - was the author of the Gospel under his name. He traveled with Paul through various countries and was supposedly hanged on an olive tree by idolatrous priests in Greece.
Barnabas, of Cyprus, - was killed without many known facts about 73 A.D.

Simon, surnamed Zelotes, - preached in Africa and Britain, where he was crucified in about 74 A.D.
John, the "beloved disciple," was the brother of James. - Although he suffered great persecution, including imprisonment where he wrote the book of Revelation, he was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.

2. The Cost of Discipleship today

ILL: It would be impossible to list the sufferings and deaths of the saints from the day of Christ to our day – but it is still going on – not daily but hourly!

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write...

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” (Rev. 2: 8-11)

Pray that God will use the testimony of our brothers, who were faithful until death, to build His Kingdom.

A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna –dated May 22, 2007

This past week has been filled with much sorrow. Many of you have heard by now of our devastating loss here in an event that took place in Malatya, a Turkish province 300 miles northeast of Antioch, the city where believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). On Wednesday morning, April 18, 2007, 46 year old German Christian and father of three Tilmann Geske prepared to go to his office, kissing his wife goodbye and taking a moment to hug his son and give him the priceless memory, “Goodbye, son. I love you.” Tilmann rented an office space from Zirve Publishing. Zirve was also the location of the Evangelist Church office. A ministry of the church, Zirve prints and distributes Christian literature to cities in Eastern Turkey. In another area of town, 35 year old Pastor Necati Aydin, father of two, said goodbye to his wife, leaving for the office as well. They had a morning Bible Study and prayer meeting that some other believers in town would also be attending. Ugur Yuksel likewise made his way to the Bible study. None of these three men knew that what awaited them at the Bible study was the ultimate testing and application of their faith, which would conclude with their entrance into glory to receive their crown of righteousness from Christ and honor from all the saints awaiting them in the Lord’s presence.

On the other side of town, ten young men all under 20 years old put into place final arrangements for their ultimate act of faith, living out their love for Allah and hatred of infidels who they felt undermined Islam. On Resurrection Sunday, five of these men had been to a by-invitation-only evangelistic service that Pastor Necati and his men had arranged at a hotel conference room in the city. The men were known to the believers as “seekers.” No one knows what happened in the hearts of those men as they listened to the gospel. Were they touched by the Holy Spirit? Were they convicted of sin? Did they hear the gospel in their heart of hearts? Today we only have the beginning of their story.

These young men are part a group of “faithful believers” in Islam. These young men all lived in the same dorm, all preparing for university entrance exams. The young men got guns, bread knives, ropes and towels ready for their final act of service to Allah. They knew there would be a lot of blood. They arrived in time for the Bible Study, around 10 o’clock. They arrived, and apparently the Bible Study began. Reportedly, after Necati read a chapter from the Bible the assault began. The boys tied Ugur, Necati, and Tilmann’s hands and feet to chairs and as they videoed their work on their cellphones, they brutally tortured our brothers for almost three hours. Neighbors in workplaces near the print house said later they had heard yelling, but assumed the owners were having a domestic argument so they did not respond. Meanwhile, another believer Gokhan and his wife had a leisurely morning. He slept in till 10, ate a long breakfast and finally around 12:30 he and his wife arrived at the office. The door was locked from the inside, and his key would not work. He phoned and though it had connection on his end he did not hear the phone ringing inside. He called cell phones of his brothers and finally Ugur answered his phone. “We are not at the office. Go to the hotel meeting. We are there. We will come there,” he said cryptically. As Ugur spoke Gokhan heard in the telephone’s background weeping and a strange snarling sound. He phoned the police, and the nearest officer arrived in about five minutes. He pounded on the door, “Police, open up!” Initially the officer thought it was a domestic disturbance. At that point they heard another snarl and a gurgling moan. The police understood that sound as human suffering, prepared the clip in his gun and tried over and over again to burst through the door. One of the frightened assailants unlocked the door for the policeman, who entered to find a grisly scene. Tilmann and Necati had been slaughtered. Ugur’s throat was likewise slit and he was barely alive.

CBNNews.com –

Indonesia - In the region of Aceh an angry mob set fire to a church that had stood strong for 28 years. The pastor and his wife had to flee through the jungle for safety. Netty is emotional as she recounts that fateful night when she and her husband were inside their church as angry Muslims poured liters of gasoline on the building and set it on fire. Her face was covered during television interviewees to protect them from retribution. "When I heard the Muslims say 'Kill them, kill them,' I thought I was dreaming," Netty said. "I jumped at the back of the house and fell to the ground. I was crying and praying, "Where are you God, where are you God?" Netty's husband, Luther Saragih, has been the pastor of the Indonesian Evangelical Mission Church since 2003. He says it was about midnight when two trucks and 50 motorcycles carrying more than 100 Muslims surrounded their church building. "The people were holding swords ready to kill us," Pastor Saragih said. "But we were astonished when they just looked at us as we passed in front of them. I believe God's angels were there to protect us." Pastor Saragih explained that the Muslims became enraged when they received invitations to a revival meeting at the church. Though he denied sending the invitations, police ordered him to cancel the revival gathering. Despite the police order, 60 Christians continued to meet for prayer. "The police said the people will be angry if we continue with the fellowship, but I did not see anything wrong if we worshiped God," Saragih said. "We prayed and read Psalm 23." Pastor Saragih and his wife survived the attack by running into the jungle while their church burned to the ground. Netty, who was then three months pregnant, fell several times as she fled. She was hospitalized to prevent a possible miscarriage. Because of death threats, Pastor Saragih and his wife fled from danger only to find themselves preaching in a much bigger town. Several months later, CBN News met up with Saragih and Netty - and their newborn baby girl. "At first I told myself I will stop sharing the gospel." Saragih told CBN News. "I must admit I questioned God for what happened to us. But He allowed me this amazing experience with Him. We did not think we would survive, but God miraculously saved us and our baby, too."

Because his faith was strengthened by the attack, Pastor Saragih was inspired to attend Bible school. He's now sharpening his evangelism skills. While the church building in Aceh was destroyed, the congregation continues to hold prayer meetings in their homes while waiting for the completion of a new church building. "At first, when our church was burned, we were afraid. But later on we realized we should not be afraid because we are followers of Jesus Christ," said Augustus, an elder of the Indonesian Evangelical Mission Church. "We believe that if we die, because of Jesus, we will live again. We pray for the Muslims, for them to follow Jesus. They did not know what they did. We believe God has a good plan for us here in Aceh." These Christians insist persecution will not drive them from their village in Aceh. They intend to stay. They ask believers around the world to pray God will give them the strength to endure this ongoing test of faith.

On May 13, approximately twenty-five Hindu militants attacked a morning worship service at a Village Vision India church. The militants destroyed Bibles and beat several Christians, including Pastor George. They told Pastor George to stop converting people to Christianity. The two pastors were taken to the police station and released at 10:30 p.m. Meanwhile, at approximately 6:30 p.m., militants went to Pastor George's house and assaulted his wife along with their one-year-old daughter.

On May 11, a mob of Muslims attacked the Christians of Bamha, a village twenty-five km south of Cairo after hearing rumours that a church was to be built in the village without government permission. Hundreds of Muslims left their Friday prayer service and attacked the homes and shops of Christians, setting the buildings on fire. At least ten Coptic Christians were injured in the attack.

Christians in the towns of Charsadda and Mardan in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, have received letters demanding that they close their churches and convert to Islam within ten days or face dire consequences. Copies of the handwritten letter were delivered to two churches and several Christian families on May 7. The towns have been facing heavy opposition from Islamic militants, including bomb attacks. Police have been stationed around churches and homes to provide protection to the estimated 600 Christians in the district.

A terrorist group in Iraq has been going to the homes of Christians in Baghdad telling the residents to denounce Christ and convert to Islam or have their houses burned to the ground. A Christian city in northern Iraq has been told to convert to Islam or be killed and have their city blown up!

In Vietnam two Christian Lawyers were sentenced this week to five years in prison for the crime of compiling evidence of Vietnam’s suppression of the Protestant religion and promoting human rights.

ILL: We could read these to you all day long and as fast as we could read one another would be available.

3. We are in a War!

Matthew 11:2 - 12 (NKJV) ²And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he ^sent two of his disciples ³and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” ⁴Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: ⁵The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. ⁶And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” ⁷As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’^{ 11}“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹²And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

1. John the Baptist was a warrior – he had his head cut off in the battle!

2. Christians are soldiers

2 Timothy 2:1 - 4 (NKJV) ¹You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³You therefore must endure^ hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Philemon 1:1 - 2 (NKJV) ¹Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, ²to ^the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

Conclusion: Christians have no choice – we have to fight! (I’m not talking about taking up the sword – “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal”- but don’t let that fool you into believing that we are not in a fight or that we do not have weapons!

1 Timothy 6:12 - 16 (NKJV) ¹²Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, ¹⁵which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Ephesians 6:10 - 18 (NKJV) ¹⁰Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of ^the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

A Woman in her 90’s told her family in Iraq, “They tortured me and told me that I had to say that Jesus was a false prophet and that Mohammad was God’s prophet and there was no other God but Allah.” With tears streaming down her face she sobbed, “Oh! My God I have denied my Lord!”

Don’t think you will escape – What kind of soldier of the cross are you? Absent without leave? A deserter or are you a Rambo making the devil and the forces of evil shake?

*note: Between the calling of the name of each disciple and how they died - a drum roll of honor.