A Known Cost

“’Go and stand in the temple complex, and tell the people all about this life.’ In obedience to this, they entered the temple complex at daybreak and began to teach… Every day in the temple complex, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that the Messiah is Jesus.” (Acts 5:20-21, 42 CSB)

So here’s what happened. Word got out that the disciples of Jesus were healing people, so crowds began to come to Jerusalem. Miracles and signs were taking place. The religious leadership couldn’t have that, so the high priest took action and had the apostles arrested. During the night, an angel opened the doors of the jail and told them to go tell the people all about this Christian life. The apostles did. Then they were re-arrested and hauled in before an angry Sanhedrin, upset that these men were determined to bring Jesus’ blood on them (as if it were not already a fact!). Gamaliel offered some sage advice which was accepted. He told them to leave these guys alone, because if none of this was of God it would fail, and if it was they wouldn’t be able to stop it anyway. So, the leaders had the apostles flogged and then showed them the door. The apostles went away rejoicing they were counted worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus. From then on, the apostles continued teaching about Jesus every day in the temple and in homes.

Here were the options the apostles had. First, they could just stop preaching and teaching about Jesus. Second, they could try to establish a dialogue with the religious leaders, seek some common ground, and develop a white papyrus stating their points of agreement and defining everyone’s parameters. Third, they could look for a politically correct solution that would include everyone, seek a sweet sensitivity to the feelings of all others, and scrupulously attack anything and anyone who might say or do something offensive. Fourth, they could just continue preaching and teaching Jesus and take their lumps, because they knew there would be more.

The first three options would have been a total denial of everything the apostles had seen, heard, and experienced over the past three years. They would have been a denial of the truth. Worse, they would represent a direct disobedience to the very commands of Jesus and the expectations of the Father. There really were no options. The fourth one was the only direction possible. And they took it. They took it knowing what the cost would be. But the cost of not going that direction would have been infinitely greater.

Does the church in America understand the cost of discipleship, and are we willing to pay it for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Lord, You paid the full price for our sins. You freed us from the tyranny of sin. You filled us with Your Spirit. You call us to walk faithfully with You and share You with a lost world. Help us to understand the cost, and help us to be faithful in preaching and teaching about You. Amen.