Sacrifice [Unexpected Gifts pt. 2]

Gravetop Church

Main Idea: While the word “sacrifice” is thrown around a lot among Christian culture, it’s often not applied in our lives as Christians. The most that we invoke sacrifice is in modular efforts of repentance, financial giving or becoming the best version of yourself. Isn’t Christianity more than this? The most spiritual form of personal sacrifice is seen in laying down oneself for others.

Today, we are going to examine the unexpected gift that sacrifice can be. We’re going to talk about the difference between sacrificing for oneself and for others. We’re going to unpack the idea of how sacrifice actually gives you more control in life. And we’re going to talk about aspects of reaping what you sow when it comes to sacrifice.

The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because in our world, we’ve made everything revolve around ourselves. Even when it comes to the topic of personal sacrifice, we perpetuate it in a way that only benefits us. Examining this topic from a biblical perspective can help us to shift our attention back onto God and His people.

' “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends. ' -John 15:12-13

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1. Reward Mentality

[IT’S NOT REALLY SACRIFICE IF YOU’RE THE SOLE BENEFACTOR]

Most people perform a mental equation in their heads of costs and rewards before committing to any level of sacrifice. And the farthest that many go in regard to sacrifice is the kind that only benefits them. That kind of sacrifice is more so personal discipline rather than the spiritual kind. When we only weigh our actions on the scale of personal reward, we often take faith to see God move out of the equation.

(Acts 7:57-59; Acts 8:1-3)

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2. Realize Control

[SACRIFICE IS THE REALIZATION OF CONTROL THROUGH COST OF SELF]

At first glance, the idea of sacrifice can feel like you’re giving up control while in reality it is actually taking control instead. When you position yourself as the catalyst to the change you want to see, you end up taking control of the wheel of life and situations. It of course comes at a cost, but learning to endure the sacrifice for a greater cause brings intrinsic value to your soul that is often greater than the pain that came through the sacrifice itself.

(1 Corinthians 9:16-27)

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3. Reap What You Sow

[THE RESULTS OF SACRIFICE ARE GREATER THAN THE PAINS OF SACRIFICE]

The most meaningful thing to consider about this idea of sacrifice for others is that it invokes you to trust God for the process, outcome and reward. You inevitably add God to what you’re doing by the way you have faith for your sacrifice to be useful. We may sow the seeds but God causes them to grow. These kinds of acts of faith are pleasing to God, and the Bible talks about how he rewards faith like that.

(2 Corinthians 11:23-29;Galatians 6:7-10)

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