Sacrifice

 
Sacrifice By Pastor Dan Kennedy © November 10, 2013 www.pastorkennedy.com Sacrifice Today we are going to discuss a topic that is not an enjoyable topic. It is not enjoyable, but it is essential for all who live in this fallen human race. Because of humanity’s desperate need in its disdainful, self-disillusioned pride, God has ordained it to be woven into the very fabric of human existence. Its pain illumines reality. That topic is Sacrifice. Sacrifice In Our Military This is Veteran’s Day weekend. Those in our military, over the years, have been used by God to give our nation freedom. When a young man or woman signs up for duty in a branch of the American Armed Forces they realize that one of the very real potentials for them is sacrificing their life for the freedom of his or her country. This ultimate sacrifice has been given countless times for you and me. Many may not physically give this sacrifice, but a commitment to our military also includes many other sacrifices. • Exhausting physical training: To prepare the body and mind in warfare or in support of those in warfare. • Specific and arduous education: Training in designated areas so the individual can be as mentally prepared to meet the demanding challenges of a soldier, in their field of service. • Long periods away from the comfort of home: Travel, awkward and often cramped living conditions, loneliness, lack of communication, inability to respond ideally to emergencies that may arise in their family at home, etc. • Life-threatening arenas: Combat zones, hostile environments, enemy agents, loss of companions and friends, and other life-compromising circumstances. • Potential Long term, Life Changing Disabilities: When one enters military service they not only face the reality that they may give their ultimate sacrifice, but they could also come face to face with the fact that they may experience extreme loss in their physical body – loss of limb, sight, hearing or other; loss of emotional stability with Post Traumatic Stress Disability, loss of family, or some other serious, life changing injury or disability, which could lead to traumatic life circumstances and/or an early death. These and many other circumstances demand continuing sacrifice from our military personnel. The freedom of our nation cannot be adequately protected, without the willingness of our men and women in uniform to lay down their lives and live in sacrificial circumstances. Sacrifice is foundational for any fulfilling and lasting relationship and successful accomplishment Life Requires Sacrifice Without sacrifice people do not graciously get along with others. Any meaningful relationship requires sacrifice in each part. Every member of a family, at times, must give something up to interact kindly with others. No one can get his or her way all the time without ending up being very lonely. The Bonding of Sacrifice Sacrifice actually can become the finest attribute to seal and bond relationships. Military personnel often talk about the concept of a “Band of Brothers”, who, in extreme sacrifice have seen their lives forged together in the fires of intense battle. Success in every occupation requires sacrifice on a variety of levels to realize the goals one has set for him or her self. Families and marriages that have waded through horrific circumstances together, either find themselves severely broken or mercifully bonded and united because of the pressures endured through living sacrificially. Sacrifice is also a critical working element within a sincere and dedicated Christian’s life. Isaac Watts wrote of this in his poem, “Am I a Soldier of the Cross”: Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb, and shall I fear to own His cause, or blush to speak His name? Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas? Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God? Sure I must fight, if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord. I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy word. Thy saints in all this glorious war shall conquer though they die; they see the triumph from afar, by faith they bring it nigh. When that illustrious day shall rise, and all Thy armies shine… in robes of victory through the skies, the glory shall be Thine. The Christian’s Premiere Example is their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. And the Primary Example of Christ is His Life of Servanthood leading to His Ultimate Sacrifice. Philippians 2:1–8 2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Romans 5:6–8 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The Story of the Elderly Indian Chief When I was a child I heard the story of a wizened Native American Chieftain who was presented with the claims of Jesus Christ, through the Scriptures. The Chief left to consider his eternal destiny and the next morning brought back a lovely intricately beaded neckpiece, an heirloom from his ancestors, which he wanted to give to God. A sacrificial gift he could give back to God for appeasement of his sins. With great patience the one presenting the Gospel graciously declined the valuable gift and spent time explaining Christ’s atoning sacrifice seen in John chapter 3 of the Bible. Again the Chief went home to think about what Christ had done for him and what his response should be to Christ. On the following day the Chief brought his most prized possession to the presenter of the Gospel. A Chieftain headdress with feathers harvested with great peril from the nests of majestic eagles. It had been passed from generation to generation with extreme care and ceremony to the elder chosen to be wisest and most noble of the tribe. This coveted headpiece he laid at the feet of the one presenting Christ’s Gospel, offering it as a gift to the Great Spirit in Heaven, in appreciation for the sacrifice of His Son for the atonement of his sins. But, again with genuine appreciation and humility, the Gospel messenger graciously declined to receive the offer, once more explaining God’s free gift – the atoning blood of God’s only Son. Jesus Christ’s gift of salvation, the one sharing the Gospel explained, could not by obtained by physical gifts, no matter how precious, sacrificial and meaningful. After another restless night struggling with the Truth of Christ’s Gospel, the solemn Chief returned with resolve, to the campfire of the sharer of the Gospel, with nothing in his hands. He sat quietly down by the crackling fire and simply said, “Chief, give himself to God through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ.” Nothing we bring to God, no matter how sacrificial or important it may be to us, can purchase for us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. There is no gift that we can give our Heavenly Father to atone for our sins, other than for us to sincerely give ourselves to Him and by faith, receive His gift of eternal life through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ’s purposeful death was a sacrifice for Forgiveness of our sins and our Eternal Redemption Matthew 26:26–28 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:11–12, 14 11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption…. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Jesus Christ, then, as God the Son, left the glories of heaven and sacrificially took on Himself the form of a servant and paid the ultimate sacrifice as our perfect replacement in payment for our sin. Those who receive His sacrificial and redemptive gift, become Children of the most High God. It is through Christ’s Sacrifice that we receive life. Sacrifice is paramount in the life of the Believer in Jesus Christ. We may be tempted to believe that we have the luxury of receiving the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, and live the rest of our lives as we wish. This reminds me of the second verse of Isaac Watt’s poem: Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas? “Yes, yes,” we may say to ourselves… “Let’s choose ‘flowery beds of ease!’” It doesn’t work that way! Followers of Christ offer themselves to God as living sacrifices: Romans 12:1 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Corinthians 4:7–11 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. Sacrifice is a critical part of being a true disciple of Christ. Jesus spoke of His disciple’s necessary sacrifice and of carrying one’s cross. Sacrifice should Frame the Life-Portrait of a Disciple Sacrifice and “carrying one’s cross” is not something we enjoy hearing about as affluent North Americans. But these “frames of Sacrifice”, most accurately and distinctly display the true-to-life paintings of the disciples of Christ, in His gallery of Biblical faith – in any generation. The most distinguished and memorable sacrificial life-portrait in God’s “Gallery of Faith” is that of Jesus Christ Himself. The Sacrificial Cost of Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ Luke 14:25–27 25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. How does our relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ affect our personal decisions? • Important Personal Relationships o Our relationship with Christ can give decisive direction in moral dilemmas that can arise from interpersonal relationships. We may have to sacrificially choose not to participate in certain events or activities. Our relationship with God must supersede family and personal demands. • Personal Life Goals o Our relationship with Christ should determine direction in pointing a Believer in Christ to the healthiest options regarding life’s choices, present and future. Verses 28-30 in Luke 14 Explains how we should Count the Cost of Discipleship • Building or Accomplishing a Personal Dream All of us may have individual dreams…often related to our personal gifts, abilities, advantages and financial ability. • We ask ourselves consciously or sub-consciously what it will cost us to build that part of us which will define who we are…a dynamic representing our accomplishment in life: finding the right life partner, education, success in an occupation, building a dream home, investing in a car, boat, or attainments relating to other life investments. Luke 14:28–30 28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Verses 31-33 speaks of Conquering an Adversary, Gaining an Asset, or Wisely Surrendering, by “Counting the Cost” Luke 14:31-33 31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Wow! What is this verse saying? Verse 33 is a call to consider the Cost of following Christ: Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. Calling on Christ for salvation is certainly to one’s advantage when it comes to eternity. But, does this Commitment to Christ require the yielding of one’s whole life? What are we holding on to that we are not willing to put under God’s Authority and benefit to His Kingdom? What is the outcome of a so-called “Christian’s” life who manages and maintains his or her life for their own goals and success, outside of yielding the same to God? Luke 14:34-35 speaks to this spiritual concern: 34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. What does the Scripture mean when it says, “the salt has lost it saltiness.” Have you ever seen someone who has “lost their ‘saltiness’”? A Christian who does not manifest the reality of his or her Lord, becomes spiritually useless to God’s Kingdom and to others around them and God deals with this severely. Luke 14:35 closes with this call by Christ for clarity of comprehension for what He is saying about discipleship! “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” This means loving Jesus Christ over and above one’s immediate family, one’s assets and one’s self-benefitting and self-absorbing careers. You don’t have to become an employee at the church or a minister to fulfill the intent of this verse! You fulfill it where you are with the gifts that God has given you! You give who you are and what God has made you to be, back to Him! “Dear God, I am going to stop simply living for myself - for my own benefit, my own pleasure, and for my own fulfillment. I yield everything that I have to You. Take me…all of me and all that You have given me. I am yours. I choose to follow You and yield to You and the direction You give me through Your Holy Spirit living in me. May I listen closely to hear and obey Your Voice as I read Your Word, pray and seek Your will. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.” Consider the consequences of two diverse directions in life: • A Life Lived for one’s self • A Life Lived for God o The choice of our relationships, o The choice of what we read, watch, fanaticize about and meditate on, o The choice of how we respond when things don’t go our way, o The choice of how we earn our living and use our gifts, o The choice in what we invest our time and treasure, o The choice of what we strive for in our personal life’s goals, o The choice of listening to the Voice of God, His Spirit, and His Word vs. the choice of listening to the voice of our own desires or the expectation of well-meaning family or friends. o The choice of one’s eternity. If we were to chart the rise and fall of the “successes” or “failures” in the up and down patterns of our own personal accomplishments, what would such a chart reveal in relationship to God, and in relationship to our own goals? Which line on the chart would show our greatest successes? o A life lived for ourselves? or o A life lived in submission to God? Remember we only have one life, and one opportunity to live it. Jesus gave His assessment of such parallels in life through His words in Matthew 16. Paul responded accordingly in 1 Corinthians 3. These are healthy reminders, which should guide us in the future choices we make in life. Matthew 16:24–27 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” 1 Corinthians 3:11–15 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. If we have ears to hear, we should hear. As we have lives to live, may we live these with eternity in mind. If we were to enter the military, we may sign up for many reasons, but we should keep in mind the personal sacrifices that must be made so our country can be free. “Thank you, Veterans!” Sacrifice is a means whereby people can graciously get along with others, be more successful in marriage, in their family, in their occupation, and in life. Any meaningful relationship requires sacrifice in every part. Jesus Christ was one who sacrificed His dynamic Place at the Father’s side in the Heaven of heavens, and subsequently gave His life. Jesus become a man and died on the cross for our sins. His sacrifices are the means for our eternal redemption. If we choose to follow Christ, we must remember that there is sacrifice in following Him. Our life is not to be saturated with the world’s philosophy and with fulfilling the demands of our carnal flesh. We choose to respond, as we should to each other and to God – graciously, honorably and righteously, not in selfishness, carnality and rebellion. This always requires sacrifice. The last chapter of the book of Daniel has always been an encouragement to me. It gives us a brief but bold glimpse of eternity and the hope we have as those who meaningfully sacrifice and serve the Living God. The Apostle Peter confirms an eternal perspective as he writes the final sentenced in his letters. Daniel 12:1–3 12 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 2 Peter 3:11–14 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. The Final Reward of Sacrifice Sacrifices that cause us so much pain today, which chip away so efficiently at our carnal heart, will further mold us into God’s Image and allow us to graciously interact with others. Sacrifices also press us to look by faith more deeply into the hope we have in Christ. Each of life’s true sacrifices will vanish one day in the joyful reunion with our Savior, the glory of eternity’s fulfillment and the amazing revelation revealed to us in our eternal home. Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God? Sure I must fight, if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord. I'll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy word. ~~~ “Dear God, I am going to stop simply living for myself - for my own benefit, my own pleasure, and for my own fulfillment. I yield everything that I have to You. Take me…all of me and all that You have given me. I am yours. I choose to follow You and yield to You and the direction You give me through Your Holy Spirit living in me. May I listen closely to hear and obey Your Voice as I read Your Word, pray and seek Your will. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.” http://www.pastorkennedy.comshapeimage_1_link_0