Sacrifice

I'm just wondering why we have forgotten this within the church. When was the last time we have been challenged to sacrifice something? Growing up in a culture where we are as spoiled as we are, where is the point where the church says it's not healthy to get everything we want? Jesus taught about sacrifice many times. When he asked who gave more the poor lady or the rich man. He wasn't referring to how much money did they give, but yet how much did they sacrifice for the glory of God. Cedarville had scheduled Shane Claiborne (Author of Irresistible Revolution) to speak at their school months ago. When word got out that about it parents started to complain as well as students. They didn't like the idea of a radical passivist Christian speaking at their school. They act like there is something wrong with a person who sacrifices a consumeristic way of life for something much more simple. It is sad that we as a church body refuse a person like that from speaking. I know we still have him on the schedule for Mount Vernon as of now. I'm not saying everyone has to be radicals, but is it wrong to have someone challenge who we are? How is it not Christ like to give up everything to follow God and teach people love? Is this really what the church has come to? I'll be honest, I'm not the best example of sacrifice. I've been struggling with it but it isn't an easy thing to do when you've been raised in society to fend for yourself and becoming successful is all about how many cars you have in the drive way and how big your house is. I'm not saying that Shane Claiborne is some perfect person or anything but is it wrong for a person to challenge who we are? Is it wrong for a person to challenge our motives and challenge how we love? I think the church is scared of people like this because we might have to feel uncomfortable. Christianity isn't about just going to church on Sunday or going to Chapel 3 times a week. We try to sprinkle a little Jesus in by going on a few mission trips and stuff like that, but are we really sacrificing that much? Are we really giving up our day to day lives? Christianity is about every moment, not just once a week or an hour a day. The leaders of the church in the Bible are a lot like our leaders today. They know the Bible from cover to cover and every line in between but they don't know the true meaning behind it. Jesus, a person who was ugly, poor, and lived a very simple life, came to earth to show us a new meaning of sacrifice. He didn't just sacrifice the way that normal humans lived, he gave his life for us. What more could he have possibly done? Jesus told his disciples to leave everything and follow him....they left normal jobs such as being a fisherman or a tax collector to tell people the good news. They missed the point so many times and even after years of following Jesus they weren't perfect. But Jesus instilled in them a sense of sacrifice. The phrase "this world has nothing for me" really showed in the way they lived. So being the first day of lent I guess my challenge would be to be challenged. Sacrificing is a challenge. If you give up something for lent, do it in secret so no one knows. Step outside your comfort zone never be content with your walk with God, always strive for more.