The Spirit Of Sacrifice

The Spirit of Sacrifice

Read: John 14:16-18

“You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

John 14:17

“Great victory has never been possible without great sacrifice.”

—Samuel Zwemer

IN WORD Jesus’ life can be described as a life of sacrifice. Not only on the cross did He pour out His blood to redeem us from our sins, but during His ministry He constantly worked long hours, washed others’ feet, touched lepers’ sores, suffered the threats of violent men, and dealt patiently with hard-hearted disciples. While we may be thankful that He “made himself nothing” (Philippians 2:7) on our behalf, we cannot escape the implications of His example: Our attitude should be exactly the same as His (Philippians 2:5).

Self-sacrifice is not human nature. We are more inclined toward self-preservation. Yet in fundamental ways, the gospel contradicts human nature. Human nature is the aberration that we fell into with our sin; it is a “fallen” nature. Why would we settle for it? God’s intention for us is entirely contrary to our fallenness. It is to be like Him; we were made in His image, and through Christ He is conforming us to His image. So for those of us who say we have the love of Christ in us, how can we truly believe it if we are not willing to pour out our lives for others as He did? If His love is sacrificial and His love is in us, then we will be sacrificial. If we are not, His love is not in us.

IN DEED How does sacrifice play out in your life? Is your love the kind that the world has or that Jesus has? We too easily convince ourselves that we have the love of Christ within us when we love our friends and relatives deeply. And God does want us to have this kind of love. But we cannot be convinced that His love truly dwells within us until we see ourselves behaving like Him.

Do we love the unlovable? Do we sacrifice ourselves for others, for what God says is their good? Are we willing to pay any price—even to the point of death—that others might know His love? That is how His love behaves. It sacrifices.