What Cost Will You Bear? Part 1

I believe God Almighty is calling His Church—made up of people just like you and me—to an uncompromising radical commitment on behalf of the Great Commission, especially as times of difficulty continue to increase in opposition to the truth of His redeeming love.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3:16

The “whoever believes in him” that John references is you and me. We are those who believe and trust in Jesus with our lives. I believe we are living at a unique point in history for the following reasons:

• More people are living in the world today that at any other point in history.
• We have more resources today for the gospel than ever before. We have more physical, financial, and technical resources than any other time in history.

In response to these things, the gospel is exploding globally. But it seems to be retreating in America. More churches are closing than starting. More and more people people between the ages of 18-45 say they are born again but are not a part of a church and do not live with a biblical worldview.

We must understand that it is no accident that we are alive today for the purpose of addressing these issues.

I believe the Church in America stands at a crossroad of great peril or great promise. I say great promise because the Church is still the hope of the world. I say great peril because it will be tragic unless we go on the offensive to point people to Jesus.

When the people of God are in His presence and live under His authority and pursue His purposes, the Church is the most powerful force for goodness and righteousness in the world.

And God has called us to go to every tribe, tongue, and nation of the world.

Will it cost us? Yes! There will be a great cost because the Kingdom of God is precious.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” -Matthew 13:44

It cost the Father His Son. It cost the Son His life and glory. It cost the lives of men and women throughout history who have carried the message of the redeeming love of Jesus to the world.

And the same is true for us today. The Kingdom of God will cost us. But that cost comes with a great reward.

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