Jeff's Journal

Sacrifice is the theme for Sunday. Please read Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:1-2; Psalm 50:23

The concept of sacrifice is pretty simple.

   If you do one thing, you cannot do another.

   We make choices which bless others and

      God and that requires a certain quality

      of love, devotion and service which

      involves time, resources and presence.

If I choose to have children, I make

   sacrifices of time, energy and finances

   to insure their well being. I will choose

   to be with them, rather than doing other

   things which would take from them my time,

   money and caregiving abilities.

God makes a sacrifice for us,

   sending Jesus to bear witness to the truth,

   knowing all along that the people, in general,

   were not going to like the call to personal

   sacrifice and self-denial in service to others.

I think the little plastic bracelets which were

   a fad from a few years ago which said,

   "WWJD" (What would Jesus do?) clearly

   did not consider the real possibility of death

   in service to Him as holy sacrifice. 

Sacrifice, for the purposes of this discussion,

   means giving of self to the point of trading

   pleasure and ease for service in the kingdom

   of God. This sacrifice is for the glory of God

   and not our glory. Strangely, however, such

   sacrifice leads to a personal peace and

   abiding joy.

We are about to stand before the cross during

   Holy Week and remember the sacrifice that

   changed everything for you and me.

Think about what sacrifice you are making

   or are willing to make in response.

Moving to the deeper places.

Jeff