Now you and I have the same privilege and responsibility as was theirs. Just as those who have died for our country have passed its freedom and responsibility to us, so have those who have died for our Christ. Their torch is now in our hands, and ours alone.

Memorial Day is a good time to remember the price paid by the first Christians for their faith. According to early tradition:

Peter was crucified upside down, since he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same manner as did his Lord.

James was beheaded by King Herod.

John was exiled to Patmos, and the only disciple to die a natural death.

Andrew was crucified on a large X, forever known as a St. Andrew's Cross.

Philip was martyred at Hierapolis.

Bartholomew was beaten to death.

Thomas was martyred in India near what is now called Mt. St. Thomas.

Matthew was martyred in Ethiopia.

James the younger was crucified in Egypt.

Jude was martyred in Persia.

Simon the Zealot was crucified.

Paul was beheaded by Nero's order.

From Jesus' death to AD 1900, some 14 million Christians died for their faith. In the last century, 26 million died for following Christ. More Christians have been martyred for their faith than followers of all other religions combined. Some 159,000 will die this year alone for serving Jesus. But each has found a cause worth its cost. Each believed the promises of God:

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me" (Matthew 5:11).

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39).

"Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29).

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

We cannot out-give God. Everything it costs us to be fully surrendered to his will and word is a sacrifice he will more than compensate, a cost he will more than repay.

A farmer known for his sacrificial giving to his church put it well--when his pastor asked how he could be so generous he explained, "I shovel into God's bin and he shovels into mine, and he's got the bigger shovel."

This is no health-and-wealth gospel. I'm not promising you earthly treasure for heavenly investment. But I am promising that his cause is worth its cost. The sense of purpose and peace, significance and meaning he can give is worth any price. The future reward for present faithfulness is eternal. Whatever you must give up to be fully his, will be more than worth its price.