What Jesus Said About the Cost of Discipleship预览

Martyrs through the ages

Jesus said: "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also (John 15:20).

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you as though something strange was happening to you (1 Peter 4:12).

"Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).

"All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12)

Through the last 2000 years, the church suffered indescribable persecution. In the first 300 years after Christ, there were ten periods of intense persecution at the hands of the Roman Empire. Since the 7th Century, millions of Christians were killed by Muslims in the most horrific ways. This is continuing unabated today. The third major persecutor of Christians was communism. Untold millions of Christians are included in the more than 105 million people who died under communism.

If you want to understand a little bit about the persecution of Christians through the ages, read Foxe's Book of Martyrs. It has accounts of persecution through the first 1563 years of church history. This book needs to be read by every Christian at least once in their lifetime.

Jesus said there would come a time when people would kill His followers because they would think they were serving God. Jesus said: I have told you these things so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God (John 16:1-2).

Obedience: Am I willing to follow Jesus, irrespective of the consequences?