TEXT: MATT.
16:25-27
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we talked about the importance of laying up
treasure in heaven. The teacher mentioned the ways we can lay up treasures in
heaven, Reasons to lay up treasure in heaven and dangers of Earthly treasures.
Today by the Grace of God, we will be looking into another topic: self sacrifices
WHAT IS SACRIFICE
i. Sacrifice
is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals to a higher beings, as
an act of worship.
ii. Sacrifice
also means giving to the lord whatever he requires of our time, our earthly
possessions, and our energies to further his work.
The law of sacrifice was practiced anciently from the
time of Adam and Eve to the time of Jesus Christ.
Our
willingness to sacrifice is an indication of our devotion to God. Rom. 12:1 Matt.
4:19-20
WHAT IS SELF SACRIFICE
i. Is the
act of giving up some thing that you want to have or keep in order to help
someone else.
ii. Self
sacrifice is sacrificing willingly the things one owns and gives importance to
and preserving for the sake of his difficulties.
iii. It is
also a way of dedicating ones body, mind and spirit in the service of God and
humanity. Philip 2:4-8, 1Cor10:24 self sacrifice is one of the basis moral
qualities that allows people to attain real goodness, can enable individuals to
give up happily and without a second thought, all that they own, love and
valued.
When faced with choosing between their own advantage
and that of their loved ones, they will forego their own benefit and make the
greatest physical and emotional sacrifice that they can for their loves ones.
Gal. 6:9, Jh. 12:25 sacrificing your life for another is perhaps the most
courageous thing you can do.
Self
sacrifice is far more than just giving parts of one’s possession to someone in
needs
FOUR KEYS OF SELF SACRIFICE
1. Sacrifice
has never been meant to be a self-righteous practice. Someone other than
ourselves should experience the benefit from one’s sacrificial offering.
2. The
“what” that is being offered is more important than who is offering it. When we
believe ourselves, it becomes a lot more difficult for us freely rendering it
as a sacrifice
3. True
sacrifice begins when we offer what we have
4. Sacrifice
does not reward an individual’s expectations. If we’re offering our services
only to get something better than what we’ve offered. We will open the door
expecting to be rewarded, and find that disappointment is standing on our door.
A
sacrificial offering of one’s self is the greatest gift we can render to
anyone.
Examples
of people who have self sacrifices in the bible
1. Moses Ex.
32:32
2. Ruth Ruth
2:11-12
3. Esther Esther
4:16
4. Jephthah’s Daughter Judg. 11:36
Self Sacrifice of Christ
Eph. 5:2 Gal 1:4 1Jh. 3:16
IN CONCLUSION
Only through sacrifices we can become
worthy to live in the presence of God and enjoy eternal life. Many who have
lived before us have sacrificed all they had. In the case of Abraham, God
commanded him to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice Gen. 22:1-14.
We
must be willing to do the same if we would earn the rich reward they enjoyed.