We are in the season of celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Behind this inestimable act of God executed by His only begotten Son on the Cross at Calvary was sacrifice. Sacrifice has wide definitions from various schools of thoughts. Sacrifice is an act of giving up something valuable for the sake of other considerations. It means to surrender something for the sake of something else. It when you give up on your dream for the sake of others.
When the first Adam fell, our fellowship with God suffered a setback. Genesis 3:8-10, “8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
Adam and Eve dare not to fellowship with God in the ways they used to do in the past because they disobeyed His commandment. The fall of first Adam created a vacuum, a gap between God and mankind. We lost our precious position in the sight of God. Jesus Christ showed up to rescue mankind from this eternal condemnation and destruction. He became the sacrificial lamb for the mankind in order to reclaim our rightful position in the sight of God. He became an advocate to reconcile us back to Almighty God. He stood in gap as a mediator to reclaim the lost glory. He paid the supreme price on the Cross at Calvary by this precious blood.
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.”
He came as a new covenant to eradicate the old covenant. Hebrew 12:24, “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” That is an inestimable sacrifice, anyone can offer the mankind. And this was done by Jesus Christ. As Christians, Jesus Christ is a perfect example and God wants us to live a life sacrifice just like Him.
HOW CAN WE LIVE A LIFE OF SACRIFICE?
We must first love God. You cannot lay down your life for something you do not value (love). Your love (inestimable and unconditional love) for God is the key to your sacrifice. How can we show our love to God? We must surrender all to Him. We must surrender our totality to Him. The greatest sacrifice God wants from us is our salvation and this must be acknowledged in our day to day activities lest will lose the essence of our salvation. Philippians 2:12, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” We must involve in daily consecration of our spirit, soul and body, as a living sacrifice to Almighty God. Psalms 51:10-12, “10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” You must set yourself apart for Him alone. Everything about you must be for Him alone Psalms 51: 17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Giving up old ways of life for the take of Christ is not easy, but you must do it for the sake of your eternity.
LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM JESUS CHRIST
- He lived a selfless life. He showed more concern for the people. We must also show concern more for the needy. You must stand for the oppressed. That is a life of sacrifice. John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
- He used His time teaching people about God. Luke 21:37, “And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.” John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 7:28, “Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.”
- He obeyed God to the point of death. Philippians 2:1-10, “1If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”
These verses of the Scripture showed the in-depth of Jesus Christ’s sacrifices from the beginning to the end. He lived a life of humility. He did not allow pride to rule over His thought. He made Himself of no reputation. The Son of God took a place of slave for the sake of others. He did not allow His will to prevail over the will of His father. He obeyed unto death, even the death of the cross. These are sacrifices God is requesting from us as His sons and daughters. Are you ready to go extra-mile because of your God?
PRAYER
- Oh Lord, I thank You for Your only begotten Son, You sent to the world to rescue humanity from external condemnation and destruction.
- I thank You for the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary, the blood He shed, and His resurrection.
- Father, by Your mercy and grace help me not to crucify Jesus Christ second time.
- Oh Lord, by mercy and grace, I will lose my position in Your presence in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Father, help me to live a life that will please You in all things and at all times.
- Father, help me to live a selfless life just like Jesus Christ did.
- Father, help me to shine as the light to others.
- Father, help me to obey You to the end in the name of Jesus Christ.