Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 2 Corinthians 11:23-29. NLT.
In this 2 Corinthians passage, Paul is defending his apostleship and ministry against critics. In doing so he paints a picture of what being a disciple of Jesus and a missionary to the Gentiles had cost him in terms of suffering and a difficult life. And how determined he was to be able to do so!
Paul talks about all the rigors in this defense of his ministry, and he lists five categories of things that he suffered, things that would have proved, to his critics, the extent to which he was willing to follow the way of Christ:
- The hard work of constant travel, natural dangers, and deprivation.
- The physical violence thrust on him by flogging, being beaten with rods, near-death stoning, and conspiracies against him.
- General human dangers from bandits on the highways he traveled.
- Multiple imprisonments.
- Probably worst of all, the existential worry for the young churches all over Europe.
Paul is a good example of one who took Jesus seriously when Jesus spoke of the cost to follow in his steps.
And history is replete with examples of people who followed Jesus, no matter what the cost. Historical records say that ten of the apostles were brutally killed because of their allegiance to Jesus. And there have been countless martyrs throughout the centuries who were brutally killed because of their faith.
You can understand why Jesus would pronounce as blessed or congratulated those who followed him in spite of great cost. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Prayer:
Christ, you are the supreme example of one who gave his life for a pure and costly prize–the redemption of lost humanity. You’re a pearl of great price. A treasure of unlimited value. We pray that we will follow you as early disciples did and never give up following you for something cheap and corruptible. We pray that we will be willing to follow you, no matter what the cost. Through you and to you we pray this. Amen.