“The great use for life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”
William James
The term Sacrifice comes from the same root word as PAIN. It means to give up something painfully or with much discomfort. It also means to Give-up, Forgo, Forfeit, and Let-go. Giving sacrificially is God’s acceptable way of giving. Anything less is not acceptable (Lk.9:23-24; Gen.22:1-2; Mal.1:7-8; Jn.3:16.). However, God has called us to exemplify 5 forms of Sacrifice:
Sacrificial Living: In Dan 1:8, we saw Daniel exemplify sacrificial living by not defiling himself with the royal food and wine sacrificed to idols. He remembered Exodus 20:3 (You shall have no other gods before me”). Sacrificial living is a deliberate choice to honour God with our lives to our own ‘‘detriment’’, displeasure and discomfort. God’s pleasure and happiness is supreme in sacrificial living. Self denial for the sake of the kingdom is a choice each one must make (Lk.9:23-24, Jn.17:19, Phil.3:7)
Sacrificial Worship: Worship in our own context, is an offering of obeisance and praise to God acknowledging His right to receive such because of who He is, what He does and can do. Sacrificial worship brings you into special favour with the Lord (1Sam1:19-20); moves God to act and bless beyond human expectations (Gen.22:15-17) and brings victory against overwhelming enemies (2Chron.20:21-22)
Sacrificial Giving: The story of Abraham’s offering and God’s response typifies God’s attitude towards this (Gen.22: 1-3, 15-18). Giving sacrificially connotes God’s ownership by recognizing that whatever we have comes from God and therefore His (Ps.24:1; Job1:21). For us to great and bountiful fruits, we must sow commensurate seed (Gen.8:22; Phil.4:18b, 19.). Our giving must be painful to us for God to honour it (1Kgs.17:7-16)
Sacrificial Service: The key issue here is the Sacrifice of our Time & Convenience for the Convenience of others. It is not about the office we hold in church (i.e. Priest, Pastor etc) but about being the good Samaritan (Lk10:30-37). Prejudices, Cultural & Religious barriers must be broken to be able to serve God in His own terms (Matt.10:40)
Sacrificial Lifestyle: This is an attitude that says “I must decrease for God to increase”. This is the principle of “Surrender”. (Jn.3:29-30). Evangelist John Zechariah says that he is not the Messiah but the forerunner to the Messiah. He also recognises that Jesus is the Bridegroom and that the Bride (Church) belongs to the Groom (Christ), therefore he must step aside. Sacrificial Living is a sacrifice of humbleness in personality and position and is expected to be part of our lifestyle
