The Cost

So one of the classes I am taking for my Master's right now is a church history class. I have been recently studying and reading about the early church of the first and second century. There were many men I have read about or even read some of their writing that I have come to appreciate. I have come to love followers of the first few centuries; men like Ignatuis and Polycarp and even women like Perpetua (I think my wife would love her to).

But what got me really thinking is what it meant for these churches as the cost of discipleship. The early church knew that to be a disciple of Jesus Christ was first a person that followed Christ, and later also meant someone that was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice and die a martyrs death. Now I do not think that death is required today to be called a disciple, but a follower should be a description of a disciple. But more importantly someone who is willing to stand for Christ and not back down even to the point of persecution. When was the last time we were persecuted, whether vocally or by discrimination, because we stood for Christ. The real question is would we feel honored to stand next to the first and second century disciples of Christ because we to stood for Christ?