When we think about love, many different words, emotions, and definitions will arise. While we all have different definitions and emotions associated with the word love, sacrifice is not often the first thing that comes to mind when we consider love and what it means. The truth is that genuine love requires sacrifice. It requires setting aside our own will and desires for the betterment of our loved ones. The greatest of all examples of this kind of sacrificial love is, of course, Jesus, who gave up His very life in order to rescue humanity from sin and death.
The apostle Paul describes the depth of the sacrificial love of God for all of humanity in Romans 5. In this passage of Scripture, Paul writes that “when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners" (verse 6). In order to help us understand just how great Christ's sacrifice on the cross was, Paul continued, saying, “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (verses 7-8). Indeed, most would not even be willing to die for a good person, but while we were lost in our sin, living for ourselves, God sent Jesus to sacrifice His life for us so that we could be rescued from sin and death. There is no greater love than this sacrificial, life-giving love that Jesus has shown us.
As Jesus was explaining His sacrificial love to His disciples shortly before His death in John 15, He told them, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (verse 13). Several verses later, He said to them, “This is my command: Love each other" (verse 17). In light of His great sacrificial love, Jesus called His disciples to love in this same sacrificial way. They were to follow in the footsteps of their teacher and Savior.
Still today, we are called to demonstrate the same sacrificial love for the people around us. We are called to model Jesus’ example of loving others, even when it comes with a cost. Will you follow His example of life-giving, sacrificial love today?
Take a few minutes to think about how you can model the same sacrificial love that Jesus so graciously showed us. Maybe you can sign up to serve at Sagebrush, setting aside your time to serve the body of Christ. Maybe you can show sacrificial love to your spouse by serving them instead of looking out for your own needs. Maybe you have a small group member going through a difficult time, and you can take them a meal or offer to take them to a doctor’s appointment so that they don't have to go alone. Whatever it looks like for you, choose today to love sacrificially.
1Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
