Sacrifice - From the Ashes 5

John 15:13 “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Introduction

The story of John Robert Fox

He was born Cincinnati, OH 1915

He graduated Wilberforce University where he was part of the ROTC

He was Commissioned as 2nd LT and joined the 92nd Infantry, a segregated division of African-American soldiers

His unit was sent to Europe in 1944 to fight the Nazis in Italy

In December he was sent to Sommocolonia in Tuscany

The village was overrun and the Americans had to retreat

Fox stayed as a Forward Observer - He hid out in a 2nd floor of a house and used his radio to call in artillery fire (Jay would love this story)

He called in fire toward the village to give the US troops time to retreat, regroup, and launch a counter-attack.

This is the amazing thing—he called in a barrage of fire on his exact position

The gunner asked him if he was sure he knew the coordinates were on his own position. Fox, bravely confirmed.

He is quoted as having said, “Fire it. There’s more of them than there are of us.”

Lt Fox’s sacrifice helped save lives. Because of his sacrifice many American troops lived and had futures and families.

SIDE NOTE: John Fox was not immediately recognized for his act of bravery but eventually he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor under President Bill Clinton.

Lt Fox reminds us just how precious life is and the value of SACRIFICE.

Today we look at this thing of SACRIFICE as we journey to Resurrection Sunday.

Today is Palm Sunday and we have been looking at the life of Jesus as our example. He, after all, is the best example there ever has been.

Jesus has shown us how to deal with TEMPTATION

Jesus has shown us how to be HUMBLE

Jesus has shown us about a time of CONTEMPLATION

Jesus has also shown us about CONFESSION

all of these things are something that Jesus did and also expects from His followers

Let’s look at this thing of SACRIFICE

SACRIFICE: THE OLD SYSTEM

There is something very basic that I want you to understand — life is important. It is not just important to us but it is important to God. He values life.

Life was created by God when He breathed into a pile of dust and made man, Adam.

Adam messed up by choosing the forbidden fruit rather than God. This is how SIN entered the world.

All mankind has had to deal with this issue of SIN.

God could have just zapped Adam for his disobedience, but He didn’t. The MAN God created was valuable to God.

When Adam turned from God, he discovered he was naked and God clothed him with animal skin. Genesis 3:21 “And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.”

You see, Something had to die so something could live. This was the first sacrifice.

Let me give you a few scriptures to validate how important life is.

Genesis 1:27 “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” He values what He made in His own image.

Genesis 9:6 “If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.” He values life.

Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” The answer to that question is a resounding yes!

God cares about you and he cares about how you live! He could have zapped Adam and He didn’t. He could have zapped you and me, but He didn’t.

God gave Moses the 10 Commandments on Mt. Sinai so the community could know how to worship God and how to live in this world. In the book of Leviticus God gives us some very specific instructions concerning sacrifices.

The people had to make sacrifices or offerings to be made right. It is all seems quite complicated for us.

Let me just give you a brief overview:

Burnt Offering — Leviticus 1:1-17— A sacrifice to make atonement of sin (a payment for a wrong) or for prayer or praise. — Young Bull, Sheep or goat, it could be a bird — turtledove or young pigeon

Grain Offering — Leviticus 2:1-6 — A voluntary expression of devotion to God for His goodness and providence — choice flour with olive oil poured on it, sprinkled with frankincense

Peace Offering — Leviticus 3:1-17 — An offering of fellowship between God and the people — animal from the herd (M or F) , animal from the flock (M or F) NO DEFECTS

Purification or Sin Offering — Lev. 4:1-5:13 — An offering for the forgiveness of sin or to be cleansed from impurity - The high priest must give for himself and then the community — a young bull with no defects

Guilt Offering — Lev. 5:14-6:7 — Atonement for violating the Lord’s holy things or the property of others. — the offering must be your own ram with no defects or you may buy one of equal value with silver, this is restitution

All of this is very complicated and was done this way for roughly 1500 years.

It was done this way until a perfect sacrifice could be given.

SACRIFICE : THE NEW WAY — JESUS

Hebrews 9:11–15 NLT

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

Now this was a long passage but wow it is some great news! Isn’t it???

There are just a few things that I want to point out here:

The Sacrifice of Jesus is Good for everyone (1)

John 3:16 ““For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

To receive the gift of life requires one thing — you must believe in Him — That is to say that you must believe in Jesus. Believing is not just a head knowledge but an active participation.

There is no one on the face of this planet who is excluded from this list.

Everyone - whosoever - anyone

The sacrifice of Jesus was made available to make people right with God

2 Peter 3:9 NLT

The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

The sacrifice for Jesus is good for everyone!!!

The Sacrifice of Jesus is Good for all time (2)

Hebrews 9:12 “With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.”

This means that this sacrifice that Jesus made covered the sin of all those who sinned from the beginning of time until the end of time

Adam’s sin - covered

David’s sin - covered

Grandpa’s sin - covered

My sin - covered

Your sin - covered

My kid’s sin - covered

My grandkid’s sin - covered

My great grandkid’s sin - covered (should the Lord tarry)

But like any gift, it must be recieved!

This sounds so wonderful — I don’t know why anyone would pass this up

The Sacrifice of Jesus Never needs repeating (3)

“Once for all time and secured our redemption forever” (REPEATED FROM NO. 2)

This means that unlike the old way of the high priest offering a sacrifice each year for himself and then the community, it never has to be done again.

Jesus died once, He does not have to die again. - Good Friday - he is not on that cross - it is about remembering

What He did was more than enough!

In the old system, you had to make an offering if you messed up.

In this new and perfect system, you confess your sin and accept the gift of mercy and grace that the Lord Jesus already paid.

If He says you are forgiven, then you are forgiven.

Well — There is a cost I would like to talk about

THE COST

The Bible tells us that salvation is a free gift from God—we can’t earn it.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

It won’t cost you anything to know God, but it will cost you to serve Him. Do you want to just make it to heaven by the skin of your teeth or do you want to hear “Well done, my good and faithful servant.?” Anything worthwhile is going to cost you. (Pastor Ronnie Luke, conversation on Monday 3/23/26)

Some people say a prayer and sit comfortably by waiting to make it to heaven. Others desire everything they can get from a relationship with Jesus. I imagine that there will be people in heaven who you never thought would be there. Can I tell you this? I don’t want to just make it, I want to be as close to my Lord as I can.

1 Corinthians 3:13 “But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.”

This should remind us that what we do with what God has done for us will be judged. You have passed from the judgement of making it to heaven but you will be judged on what you do with your salvation.

If you want to follow Jesus closely, its gonna cost you. Jesus even tells us to count the cost.

What is the price you ask?

Luke 14:25–33 NLT

A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

In order to be saved, you must believe. (ACTIVELY BELIEVE)

To follow as a disciple — You have to let go of everything that you once held dear.

Jesus will not leave you to walk this journey alone. He is with you every step of the way.

Paul said it well when he wrote to the Galatians —

Galatians 2:20 NLT

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul certainly lived for Christ, gave his life as an offering

Many people we know have done the same thing

I offer my life as a living sacrifice to follow Jesus

Where are you today?

Do you want this Jesus I speak about?

Do you want to just make it to heaven or do you want all that God has to offer?

What is God asking you to sacrifice today? Will you come and ask Him to show you?

I just want to take a second and thank our online community for joining us. We would love for you to join us in person at 10 each Sunday morning..

This is your time to move. Take the step of faith today. We would love to pray with you.