What does it mean to be a Christian?

Why didn’t Matthew stay at his tax post when Jesus called him? Why didn’t he just tell Jesus, “Lord, there are so many people that pass through my tax post! If I stay here, just think of the kind of ministry I could have! I would have the opportunity to share the gospel with so many, Lord! I could do your work without having to leave my job! My ministry could be so much more effective if I stayed here. So yeah, I appreciate you asking me to come with you and all that, but it is not really my thing. I’m going to stay here and reach people while I’m at my job.”

What is it that most of us will follow God (or be a “Christian”) as long it does not require any sacrifice on our part, or at least the bare minimum of sacrifice? Why will we follow only if we are sure that we can keep our job and stay in our home (with our three cars)? What ever happened to leaving it all behind to follow him?

Why is it that we will be in ministry as long as it is “cool” or big, impressive, flashy, etc.? Sure, we will follow God, as long as it means that we’re in a ministry that makes us look great in front of other Christians (and brings lots of results). But whatever happened to sacrificing our reputation, our time, our money, or even our lives?

Is the Christian life more about a moral existence (you know, not being a “bad person”--doing mostly good stuff) or is it more about sacrifice? Did Jesus say “whoever comes after me must go to church every Sunday (at least), be involved in ministry (the more “cool” it appears, the better), and don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t have sex outside of marriage, etc, etc, etc.?” I seem to recall him saying, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24) and “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27, 33)

As Christians, are we just supposed to float along in our comfortable yachts doing good things and digging for worms instead of fishing? Or are we supposed to jump into the water to rescue the drowning? Is the Christianity we’re living the kind of Christianity Jesus came and died for? Or did we get off track somewhere along the way…and if so, how can we get back on track?? How can we change the world?