Growing in Sacrifice

Introduction

Just yesterday this community celebrated the graduation of our seniors in our community. They did it. They graduated from high school. They often learned what forms of sacrifice looks like.

They learned about sacrifice when they gave their evenings to invest in their assignments.

They learned about sacrifice when they chose to risk injury to themselves to defend their fellow classmates.

They learned about sacrifice when they saw their parents give up their evenings to help them with their assignments.

They learned about sacrifice when they saw their parents work tirelessly so that they could have everything they needed to succeed in school.

They learned about sacrifice when they saw their parents give their time, their energy, and their money to support the passions they pursued in school.

They learned about sacrifice when they put their bodies on the line for their teammates.

They have more sacrifices to make in this life, but they have learned what it looks like to sacrifice for themselves and for others.

Graduation generally comes before the weekend that is all about sacrifice. This weekend is special. On Monday we will honor those that gave their lives in defence of this country. Since it is a national holiday it is also a weekend where people take a get-away, throw bbq’s, descend upon lakes and swimming pools. This holiday, and all holidays, are made possible by the sacrifice of the brave soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors that gave their lives defending the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is for this reason that Congress made it a national holiday in 1971. We should be extremely grateful for those that paid the ultimate price for our freedom. While we are also thankful for all the men and women that have served in our armed forces Memorial Day is not about those that came home, but those that gave their lives to keep this nation free and they are what makes this country the land of the brave. Those that came home stand in admiration and remembrance of their fallen comrades. They are proud to remember the sacrifice of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and we should be too.

Jesus is the Greatest Sacrifice

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

We are absolutely grateful for the sacrifices of our parents and all that they have done for us.

We are humbly grateful for the sacrifices of the men and women of our armed forces and how their sacrifice provides us the freedoms that we enjoy each and everyday.

He Sacrificed Himself out of Love

John 3:16 “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.”

1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us...

Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to die for us. He wanted to pay the price for our sin that we might be set free of our sin and free to live life more abundantly. Satan wants you to live your life for yourself and you will ultimately be disappointed.

He will steal your joy.

He will steal your contentment.

He will steal your fulfillment of life that only Jesus Christ can give you.

Your sin will kill and destroy your life. Jesus came to this earth that you might have life more abundant than the world can offer you; in fact, it is the most abundant life you could ever have.

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

He Sacrificed Himself for Our Sins

1 John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

We must be grateful for the greatest sacrifice of all; Jesus giving his life for us. The massiveness of Christ’s sacrifice does not negate the sacrifices that we celebrate on Monday and appreciate every single day.

Likewise the sacrifice paid by the men and women of our armed forces do not diminish the greatest sacrifice in the history of mankind. Jesus Christ paid for the sin debt of every human being although he was innocent, pure, and good. He loved us enough to die for our sins that we might be truly set free, once and for all.

We are Compelled to Sacrifice

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

God calls us to a new life in him. When we accept Christ as our personal Saviour God calls us to change our lives. Sacrifice is one of those changes.

Our New Life is One of Sacrifice

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

We must live a life of sacrifice because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.

Our New Life is One of Preference

Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

We are to prefer a life lived for Christ over any life that the world had to offer. Paul had an outstanding position of influence. He was on the rise within the leadership of Israel. He likely had nothing to worry about financially. Yet, he sacrificed it all for Christ.

We must prefer a life lived for Christ even if it requires sacrifice on our part.

Our New Life is One of Service

Romans 12:1–2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Service requires sacrifice and any sacrifice that we make for Christ is just simply reasonable. Any sacrifice that we make for Christ can never repay the sacrifice that he made for us on the cross. It is simply reasonable that we would willingly make any sacrifice necessary to serve Christ because our new life is one of service to the Savior.