“Good morning and welcome to the Christian Recruiting Center.  It’s gratifying to see so many fresh, eager faces—people seeking joy, peace, love and mercy; people hungry for change, adventure, excitement, and a chance to see the world, perhaps…?

“Hmm-m?  Yes, that’s definite.  Anyone who truly believes will see the glory of God.  Any other questions before we get started?  Yes?  Did everyone hear the question?”  [Repeats it:] “Is it true that those who serve the Master will get a chance to meet Him?”  Affirmative.  Our God is willing to have a personal relationship with anyone who truly desires to follow Him.   And on that note, let’s start our program.

“First, we’re going to see a brief video on the life of Christ.  Then, I’ll walk you through the brochure.  After that, we’ll have a live Q & A session with a few of our veterans.  Finally, we’ll pass out the commitment papers and go over them with anybody who thinks they’re ready to take the next step.  Clear?  Great.  Lights, please?  Let’s go!  [Video plays.]

“Well, what do you think?  Inspiring, isn’t it?  Gets me every time.  But I want to hear YOUR feedback.  Don’t be afraid to speak your mind.  We want to keep this interactive and informal.  Questions?  Comments?  [The recruiting officer listens.]  Great observation.  Jesus did go through a tremendous amount of intense suffering to save others, including those who rejected Him and wanted Him dead.  

“How did He save them?  Correct—by dying on the cross for the sins of the world.  Though Jesus was willingly sacrificed, crucified, dead and buried, His Father raised Him up again on the third day, according to the scriptures.  Christ paid the penalty that we deserve, paid it in full, so that God could offer forgiveness and everlasting life as a gift to all who humble themselves, repent of their sin, confess that Jesus is Lord and accept the pardon Jesus died to give them.  That’s the gospel, the ‘good news’ of salvation by grace through faith, that brings us peace and personal relationship with God.  Everyone understand what grace is?  Yes, you in the Jesus t-shirt?  Exactly.  Grace is undeserved or unearned favor.  

“Why did God send His only begotten Son to suffer the death penalty in our place?  Love, that’s right. God loved the world so much that He sent His own Son to die for us.  Jesus came for the same reason—love for the world and for His Father, which Christ showed by His obedience.  I think we all know the story, but it’s important to set a baseline.  Thankfully, it never gets old. 

“Let’s shift gears now and talk about the brochure.  I’ll take us through it, and then we’ll have a little Q & A.  Right—page 1, with the quotes from Jesus to His inner circle, when these disciples were first commissioned.  Think of this as the fine print.  Let’s read it aloud together:

Warning: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.” (Matthew 10:16-18)  

Be careful who you trust: “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another…” (Matthew 10:21-23)

The stakes are high: “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”  (Matthew 24:9-10)

You may be tempted to turn back: “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”  (John 16:1-2)

What to say when arrested or tried for being a Christian: “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Matthew 10:19-20)

“Okay, let’s pause right here.  I can see that some of you are getting a little agitated.  No doubt this is new information for you.  Take a deep breath, then let’s flip the brochure over.  On this page, Jesus acknowledges that He may permit you to be put in some pretty tough spots.  According to tradition, all but one of the Twelve Disciples were martyred.  But there’s understanding and compassion for His faithful followers, as well.  Let’s read on.”

Perspective—Jesus led the way: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.”  (John 15:18-21)

Price seem too high?  Consider: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  (Matthew 16:26)

Reassurance: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”  (Mark 8:35)

“Pretty sobering, isn’t it?  And they say that Christians are weaklings who need a crutch to face life!  Unbelievable.  At any rate, now that we’ve read all of the allurements for becoming a follower of Jesus, let’s take a few questions.  Assisting me with today’s Q & A are a couple of veterans in the King’s service, Mark and Paul.  [A few would-be recruits slip out the back, while the rest politely applaud.].  Right.  Who wants to kick things off?”  A middle-aged woman timidly raises a hand and is recognized.

“Sorry, I’m a little nervous,” she began.  “But this is all new and strange to me.  I’ve gone to church for many years, and somehow I never heard that following Christ might be so…so demanding.  I mean, it sounds like it could take over, if you let it.”  

The older vet, the one introduced as Paul, thumbed through his worn-out Bible, found what he was looking for, and read: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  (I Corinthians 6:19-20).  The woman nodded slowly, as if deep in thought.  Behind her, a few more “would be’s” became “not me’s” and tiptoed out the rear exit.

A young man, he could hardly have been out of his teens, asked about “the whole ‘sheep among wolves’ thing.  Don’t Christians have a right to defend themselves?  Aren’t they supposed to resist evil, ‘fight the good fight’ and all that?”  Paul answered this one from memory, in a clear and confident voice:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:3-5).  Once again, the group shrank ever-so-slightly.

‘Hold on,” piped up another.   “I’m new at this, but I’ve heard something about armor, too.  Or is that like the weapons—not real, either?”

The veteran called Mark nearly spit out his coffee. “Both are quite real,” he chimed in.  “It’s just that they’re spiritual, not physical equipment.  With your permission?” he asked, half-turning toward Paul.  Paul smiled and nodded.  Mark quickly turned to the passage he had in mind:

^“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…” (Ephesians 6:11-18) 

At the statement that the Christian’s real enemies are not other people—not flesh and blood, but wicked beings in the spiritual realm—small knots of people began shaking their heads in disappointment or disgust.  They had apparently planned on suiting up for a different kind of conflict, which would presumably pit them against more tangible adversaries.  They rose with an air of superiority, tinged with pity, and piously edged toward the exits.

“Wow,” exclaimed the recruiter.  “We’re really thinning out here.  I think we have time for one or two more questions” he said.  “You in the back—” [the man pointed to himself]. “Yes, you.  Go ahead please.”

Young and obviously fit, the guy looked as if he lived at the gym.  “I’ve heard that we should “count the cost” before we set out after Christ,” he said, “but what’s the trade-off?  I mean, what’s Christ’s commitment to me?  Not to be crass or anything, but what’s my reward for “denying myself, taking up my cross daily and following Jesus?” 

Paul drew a coin from his pocket and flipped it for he and Mark.  Mark won the toss.  After a few moments, he seemed to have found his spot.  “The Apostle Peter had the same question” he said, “and the boldness to ask it of Jesus point blank.”  Mark read: 

“Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.  And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”  (Mark 10:28-30)

When the recruiter looked up, only one person remained seated in the large room. Everyone else had gone.  He sighed and thought to himself, ‘Why does it always seem to go like this?’  He shrugged off the all-too-familiar question.  He knew very well why it happened this way.  It was, in fact, His objective.  He prayed for strength.  His one remaining prospect was a round-shouldered, slightly paunchy gent in his mid-fifties.

“Did you have a last question?” he asked the fellow.

“Yes,” came the reply.  “Where do I sign?”  

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”  (Romans 10:9)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)