Jesus Is Number One

2. Matthew was run through with a sword in Ethiopia.

3. Philip was hanged in Greece.

4. Bartholomew was flayed alive in Armenia. In other words, his skin was stripped off of his body by whipping.

5. Andrew was crucified in Achaia and Thomas was killed with a lance in east India.

6. Thaddeus was slain with arrows and Simon the Zealot was crucified by the Persians.

7. Peter was crucified upside down by the Romans.

8. John died alone on the island of Patmos.

Greatness means there is a price to be paid. It always has meant that and always will mean that. Jesus knew that if his disciples could reject the earthly ties that bound them to human allegiances and loyalties first and foremost, then they could focus their faith and draw their strength from God’s power, love and kingdom.

Some of you may have heard of a Baptist minister by the name of Dr. Charles F. Stanley. He is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and the president of In Touch Ministries. His church services are televised worldwide on the program “In Touch. He is also a world-renowned author. In fact, the Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible is one of the many resources that I use when preparing my sermons. His motto is “Obey God, and leave all the consequences to him”. What this means is that if we choose to follow Christ, God will give us the strength and courage to face the consequences of our decision-both positive and negative. God will give us the courage to face adversity.

Our decision to follow Christ will involve huge sacrifices and the spending of vast amounts of energy and resources on serving our fellow man. This has been done by ordinary people. After all, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Jesus’ disciples were ordinary people ranging from fishermen to a tax collector. God used Billy Graham, a farm boy from North Carolina, to create one of the greatest spiritual revivals on the 20th century. God uses Billy’s son Franklin to ease the suffering of humanity through his work with the Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. Billy Graham recently said that he feels called by God to preach again at the age of ninety, even if it is for one last time. Closer to home, God uses me and other volunteers, some of whom are from our own parish, to help ease poverty through the local food bank, which was started in the 1980s by the now-defunct local association of churches. God uses our rector to ease the plight of sailors on ocean-going vessels through his work with the Missions to Seafarers in the Port of Liverpool and Brooklyn.

There is a movement abroad today by people who want a very different kind of Christ. This movement is called the Prosperity Gospel. Supporters of the Prosperity Gospel emphasize that Christ wants to make his followers wealthy. A billboard for a revival by evangelist Benny Hinn promised “Business Breakthrough: Special Prayers for Your Business & Finances.” The Prosperity Gospel is a movement that started in the United States and has spread throughout the world. People find it attractive because it promises material rewards for discipleship. It tells them that Jesus will make them wealthy, BUT Jesus said, “None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” What he meant is that we cannot be his disciples if we allow the God-space at the centre of our lives to fill up with the love of money or material goods.