The Ultimate Sacrifice
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Introduction:
Introduction:
Memorial Day is an American holiday that affects me in a way that none of the other holidays do. So many times we get caught up in the hustle and the bustle of a long weekend and we forget the purpose that the day holds.
As a matter of fact, Congress responded to this over a decade ago, and passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act, declaring that at 3:00pm on Memorial Day, all Americans should stop what they are doing and reflect on those that have given their lives for their country. Many radio stations and other public events play taps during that time.
The holiday began as a way to commemorate the soldiers that had lost their lives to the Civil War. Over 600,000 soldiers were killed in our nation's bloodiest conflict. On that day, women decorated the soldiers’ graves with flowers. The tradition spread, and over the years grew to include every American soldier lost in every conflict.
How much time do we take to consider the magnitude of that sacrifice? On Memorial Day tomorrow, we commemorate the loss of over a million American soldiers. Over a million! That is enough American soldiers to fill Comerica Park in Detroit twenty-six times! It would take over 5000 sanctuaries this size to fit them all.
The Bible makes it clear that we are to give honor to whom honor is due. Jesus Himself said in , “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Today, we as a nation owe a great debt to over one million men and women who cared enough about honor, and freedom, and duty, to pay the ultimate sacrifice. I thank God for the men and women who sacrificed their lives so that my children and I could enjoy freedom in our lives.
As Christians, we know Another, Who died not for our civil freedom, but for Spiritual freedom. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, made the Ultimate Sacrifice so that we could be free from the power of sin. Romans chapter 5 sheds some light on this sacrifice.
Read Text:
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
– For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Organization:
In this passage we find three truths about Christ’s Ultimate Sacrifice. First, we see how Christ’s Sacrifice is a Remarkable Sacrifice (6-8), second we discover the Result of the Sacrifice (9-10), and finally we examine Our Response to the Sacrifice (11).
Proposition:
Men and Women sacrificed to secure our Individual freedoms, and we take time to honor that. Think about this now: The sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf secured our Spiritual freedom. Do we live in light of that?
Transition:
Let’s look first at how remarkable Christ’s sacrifice is, as found in the first three verses of this passage in .
The Remarkable Sacrifice
The Remarkable Sacrifice
– For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Performed for the Powerless
Performed for the Powerless
A. When we were without strength
We had no hope.
We had absolutely no chance at heaven.
Heaven is for the righteous
None of us is righteous
We were dead in our sin.
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
– And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.
4. We were completely without hope.
4. We were completely without hope.
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
– That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.
We deserved nothing but hell.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
– For the wages of sin is death.
The Bible says that we were the children of wrath. Storing up God’s judgment against us with every day we lived in sin.
There was absolutely nothing that we could do about it. We were without strength, no ability, no chance.
(Performed for the Powerless)
Performed Punctually
Performed Punctually
The phrase that comes to mind is “just in the knick of time.”
Christ came just when we needed Him too.
Those who lived before the cross looked forward in faith to when He would redeem mankind.
Those of us who live after the cross look back to His sacrifice in faith in what He has done for us.
He came just in time to offer salvation to anyone and everyone who has ever lived.
He came because we needed Him too. There was no other reason for His sacrifice than you and I.
We needed a Savior, and Jesus Christ answered the call.
(Performed for the Powerless)
(Performed Punctually)
Performed for the Profane
Performed for the Profane
He did not come to offer salvation to a bunch of people that deserved it.
We were not righteous! We never will be on our own.
Christ did not come to offer Himself as the sacrifice for a bunch of good people, He came to give up His life for sinners. For the ungodly. For this humanity that is flawed and hateful and violent and depraved.
We did not deserve it, but thank God that He came for the ungodly!
If Christ’s sacrifice applied only to the righteous, then no one would have salvation! He came to rescue sinners like you and me!
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
– For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
What did Christ die for? He died for sinners like us.
Think about those one million plus soldiers. What did they die for? They died for honor. They died for freedom. They died protecting their families and their friends back home from tyranny and oppression and all threats foreign and domestic.
They had a cause worth dying for. They had people that loved them that counted on them as they made that awesome sacrifice.
Yet Christ died for a sinful, wicked people. People that cared nothing about Him. People that lived their lives in constant rebellion and rejection of Him.
Christ died for those tyrants. Christ died for those oppressors. Christ died for every single human being that ever lived and will ever live.
He laid down His life for me. Why? I do not know. But He did.
He laid down His life for me and for you. For all humanity.
We are sinners by nature, and hopelessly so. Even our best efforts to live as good citizens fall so far short of perfection.
ILLUSTRATION:
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Regeneration Not Reformation
Spurgeon told of a missionary who visited a primitive hut and became nauseated by the filthy floor on which he had to sit. He suggested to his host that they scrub the dirty surface with soap and water, but the man replied, “the floor is just clay—packed down and dry. Add water and it turns to mud. The more you try to wash it, the worse the mess becomes!” Yes, the hut needed something besides an earthen floor. So it is with the human heart: it is hard and dirty, and nothing will help it. Man needs a new heart. He must be born again from above!
Thank God that Christ was willing to make the Ultimate Sacrifice for the Profane!
(Performed for the Powerless)
(Performed Punctually)
(Performed for the Profane)
Performed with a Purpose
Performed with a Purpose
Looking into the depth of the sacrifice leaves us with the question: Why in the world would Christ make this sacrifice at all?
The purpose is found in verse 8, God loved us.
He did not just love us, He loved us before we even knew Him.
He loved us while we were still dead in our sins.
He loved us while we were in complete rebellion against Him.
– Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
– Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
– 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.
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.
– 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.
6. His sacrifice was great, and it was for us, a people who did nothing to deserve it.
His sacrifice was great, and it was for us, a people who did nothing to deserve it.
ILLUSTRATION:
A chaplain was ministering to a soldier in the hospital and said, “You have lost an arm in the great cause.”
The soldier replied, “I didn't lose it—I gave it.”
Jesus did not lose His life either. He willingly gave it for us so we could be reconciled to God.
He loved humanity even though it was unlovable. And that Love caused Him to make that Ultimate, Remarkable Sacrifice.
Transition:
The Remarkable Sacrifice – it goes beyond understanding. And that sacrifice produced some wonderful results for us.
(The Remarkable Sacrifice)
The Result of the Sacrifice
The Result of the Sacrifice
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
– Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Justified
Justified
“being now justified by His blood”
Our justification is a direct result of the shedding of His blood on the cross.
Justification has often been explained as just as if I had never sinned.
Because Christ paid the penalty for our sin when He died on the cross, we have been acquitted, we have been declared not guilty.
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
– Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
– Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
– Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
4. You are forgiven! Think about that for a moment – completely, 100%, forgiven!
If you know Christ as your personal Saviour, you are forgiven! Think about that for a moment – completely, 100%, forgiven!
ILLUSTRATION: Everyone enjoys being forgiven
10,000 Sermon Illustrations A Father’s Love
A Father’s Love
There’s a Spanish story of a father and son who had become estranged. The son ran away, and the father set off to find him. He searched for months to no avail. Finally, in a last desperate effort to find him, the father put an ad in Madrid newspaper. The ad read: “Dear Paco, meet me in front of this newspaper office at noon on Saturday. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father.”
On Saturday 800 Pacos showed up, looking for forgiveness and love from their fathers.
Bits & Pieces, October 15, 1992, p. 13
Christ has forgiven you for every mistake. Every shortcoming. Every failure. Every lie. Every wicked thought. Every evil word. Everything that you have ever done that is contrary to His word, and everything that you will ever do, forgiven!
Christ has forgiven you for every mistake. Every shortcoming. Every failure. Every lie. Every wicked thought. Every evil word. Everything that you have ever done that is contrary to His word, and everything that you will ever do, forgiven!
When God looks at your record, there are no mistakes there. They are all gone and in their place it’s written, forgiven!
(Justified)
(Justified)
Glorified
Glorified
“we shall be saved from wrath through Him”
Not only forgiven, but saved from wrath!
1. Not only forgiven, but saved from wrath!
We are no longer on our way to hell, we are on our way to a perfect eternity!
Had He only forgiven us of our sins, that would still be astronomical and incredibly merciful, but He took it a step further.
Not only does He remove our trespasses and forgive our iniquities, He gives us an inheritance. He gives us eternal life!
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
– And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
– These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
– These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
5. Because He made the Ultimate Sacrifice, we can have complete confidence that if we believe on Him, we have eternal life!
Because He made the Ultimate Sacrifice, we can have complete confidence that if we believe on Him, we have eternal life!
This is something that no other religion has. Because of what Jesus did for me, because of what the Bible promises, I know exactly what is waiting for me in eternity. God’s not going to weigh the good against the bad; I don’t have to try extra hard; I don’t have to check off a list of do’s and don’t’s; I know exactly what He promised – there’s a place there, especially for me.
ILLUSTRATION:
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Angel of Light
Angel of Light
An elderly man said to H.A. Ironside, “I will not go on unless I know I’m saved, or else know it’s hopeless to seek to be sure of it. I want a definite witness, something I can’t be mistaken about!”
Ironside replied, “Suppose you had a vision of an angel who told you your sins were forgiven. Would that be enough to rest on?”
“Yes, I think it would. An angel should be right.”
Ironside continued, “But suppose on your deathbed Satan came and said, ‘I was that angel, transformed to deceive you.’ What would you say?”
The man was speechless. Ironside then told him that God has given us something more dependable than the voice of an angel. He has given His Son, who died for our sins, and He has testified in His own Word that if we trust Him all our sins are gone. Ironside read I John 5:13, “You may know that you have eternal life.” Then he said, “Is that not enough to rest on? It is a letter from heaven expressly to you.” God’s Spirit used that to bring assurance to the man’s heart.
(Justified)
(Glorified)
Sanctified
Sanctified
“we shall be saved by His life”
Jesus died to pay our penalty, but He did not stay dead. Now He is still at work on our behalf, offering salvation to all who believe, preparing a home in heaven for His Saints, working in our hearts to transform us and direct us and guide us. That's what verse 10 is talking about, that Christ's death restored the relationship between us and God; and now He continues to intercede for us, to strengthen us, and to ready us for heaven.
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
– Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
– Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
– Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
– Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
– Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
2. You might not think this as interesting and encouraging as I do, but think about it: He died for me. That would have been enough. Yet, He is still working on my behalf every single day, because He cares about me.
You might not think this as interesting and encouraging as I do, but think about it: He died for me. That would have been enough. Yet, He is still working on my behalf every single day, because He cares about me.
Transition:
Christ’s inexplicable sacrifice was made for our justification, so that we could have the promise of eternal life with God in heaven. So what is our response to that sacrifice?
(The Remarkable Sacrifice)
(The Result of the Sacrifice)
Our Response to the Sacrifice
Our Response to the Sacrifice
You know what we tend to do in this area? It’s not hard to realize, because we are consistent. I mentioned the Remembrance act already this morning. Years ago Congress passed that Remembrance Act because they wanted to do something to help people respond properly to the one million plus soldiers who sacrificed everything for this great nation. They thought people needed reminding that Memorial Day is not just a long weekend. It’s not about barbecue or vacations. It’s about honoring a sacrifice.
We need the same thing when it comes to the Sacrifice that Christ made for us. We need to be reminded. We need to realize that Christ did not die for our sins so that we could just do what we please and hold our get-out-of-hell-free card. His sacrifice deserves a response.
– And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
The Source of our Joy
The Source of our Joy
His sacrifice gives us joy.
This should already be obvious this morning: reflecting on what He has done for us stirs up joy and wonder in our hearts.
But it not only gives us joy, but joy in God!
Our joy is found in recognizing that the Almighty, infinite God that created us, loves us so much that He gave us His Son.
We can have joy in Him because now we are His children.
We can have joy in Him because now we can have fellowship with Him.
Sin once separated us from Him, but because of Christ we can know Him personally.
Let me put it this way – because of what Christ did, we can now enjoy our God.
(The Source of our Joy)
The Means of our Joy
The Means of our Joy
1. Christ is our mediator. Christ did this all for us.
Christ is our mediator. Christ did this all for us.
1. Christ is our mediator. Christ did this all for us.
1. Christ is our mediator. Christ did this all for us.
He is the only way to the Father. There is no other way.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
– Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Unless you have come through Christ you will not experience joy in God. Unless you have come through Christ you cannot have a relationship with God.
Jesus is the door, by which we enter in God’s presence.
The overwhelming belief today is that you can believe whatever you want, and that will work out for you. All roads lead to heaven, just do practice whatever religion or belief system you like.
But that belief is 100% the opposite of what the Bible says. According to this book, Jesus is the one and only way to eternal life.
(The Source of our Joy)
(The Means of our Joy)
The Reason for our Joy
The Reason for our Joy
That word “atonement” means reconciled.
Christ has taken two things that could never go together – a Holy God, and a sinful humanity – and brought them together.
Our relationship with God has been restored because of Christ’s sacrifice.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
– And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
We can never fully grasp the depth of Christ’s sacrifice. I cannot explain to you why He would bother to die for someone like me. I had nothing to offer Him, I am certainly not perfect. Yet, He loved me enough to rescue me by giving everything for me. He bought me salvation with His blood. He declared me righteous before a holy God, and I can have joy and peace with God.
Do we live in light of that fact? He has given so much for us, how much do we give to Him?
You know, it frustrates me to see people berate our country. It makes my blood boil to see people desecrate the flag. To hear people talk like this is not a great nation. To see people refuse to stand for the National Anthem.
It just burns me to hear our elected officials and politicians walking around apologizing to the world for America. Over one million American soldiers died so that you and I could be in this place today. Over one million Americans died preserving freedom all across the globe, and so many Americans today live like that sacrifice means nothing to them. That’s so frustrating, isn’t it?
Hold on to that frustration and ask yourself with me, do you think God is frustrated when His people live like Jesus’ sacrifice means nothing to them? When we do what we want with the life that we don’t deserve? When we treat His Word like suggestions, and do our own thing? When we keep quiet about what He’s done for us, and neglect to share the truth of the Gospel with others? Do we live our lives to be worthy of that sacrifice?
Have you ever received the free gift of eternal life which Jesus made the Ultimate Sacrifice to make available to you? He loves you, and He wants you to know true freedom and joy and peace today.
Invitation Hymn #186 – And Can It Be? (1st & Last)