The nature of sacrifice is

inspiration. It is caused by inspiration in the heart of the person who desires

to give himself or herself for something or someone that they value more than

life itself. It can inspire others to take action or to form loyalties, as in

Memorial Day and the memory of those who willingly offered their lives to

defend our country… bringing us again to the realization of the blessing of God

to live in and love and serve this wonderful country. In the case of Jesus, His

ultimate sacrifice inspires us to respond by serving Him and serving others.

Sacrifice is not the norm in the self-centered human life. Those who sacrifice

are heroes.

1 John 3:16 This

is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we

ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has

material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on

them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not

love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know

that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:

20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and

he knows everything.

This Sunday we will explore

and understand what it means to sacrifice and what it is that motivates us to

give beyond the norm… even to give our lives to a cause or a person whom we

love more than life itself.

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