We have all heard people say it, haven’t we?
“I love you so much, I’d do anything for you.”
“I’d take a bullet for you.”
“I’d give my right arm for you.”
Phrases like these are meant to express how much we love someone. But words are easily said and much harder to act upon, aren’t they? Would we really do anything for someone? Would we really take a bullet or give our right arm for someone? Most of us would most assuredly say so, without hesitation, for our spouse or children. But would we really?
Sacrifice is the greatest mark of love. Laying down our lives for the well-being of others is when we take the words of love and turn them into action. Sacrifice is when we take the “tell” and turn it into the “show.” But do we really show our love consistently?
I invite us all to pause and examine our love for those closest to us. Is our life with them characterized as one of sacrifice, or is it more a life where we live selfishly, putting our needs first? Do we expect our spouse to give without first thinking about how we can serve and lay down our lives for them? Do we assess the health of our relationship based on how they are serving us more than how we are serving them?
Listen to the love language the Spirit teaches us, which should be foundational for us as members of the Kingdom of Heaven. These are the sacrificial, action-oriented words that put our money where our mouth is:
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13 ESV).
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV).
“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1 ESV).
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16 ESV).
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10 ESV).
“Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.” (1 Corinthians 10:24 ESV).
“But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17 ESV).
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13 ESV).
Serving. Sacrifice. Giving. Showing.
These are the actions-oriented evidence of a love that would do anything for someone. We become magnanimous when we claim we will give our right arm for someone, but how can that be when we can’t be bothered to give up a little time to serve someone in need? How can we take a bullet for someone if we can’t give a few dollars to take care of those in need?
Love that citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven have is not reserved for those closest to us. It should be the mark of our discipleship to King Jesus. Listen to the way that Jesus puts it:
“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46 ESV).
Jesus is our perfect example of loving others. His love was truly sacrificial. He didn’t return love only when it was given to Him first. He gave love to us when we didn’t deserve it. This is sacrificial love. This is loving more than the Gentiles love.
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV).
Would Jesus give His right arm for us? Would He take a bullet for us? His actions prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that He would. How can I say this? Because what He did for us was far greater than taking a bullet or giving an arm. When it came to His love for us, Jesus didn’t speak in hyperbole.
The cross was the ultimate act of sacrifice. In His sovereignty, Jesus chose the one sacrifice that would prove beyond all doubt that His love for us was without limits. There was never before, or never since, a death more gruesome than that of the cross. No one can look at King Jesus and say that if He had to face something else, it would have proven His love more.
There was nothing that man had devised that was more cruel, more painful, more insidious than the death on the cross. Giving a right arm or taking a bullet would have been humane compared to the horrors He endured for us while we were still His enemies.
When Jesus chose the shame of the cross, He told each of us, “This is how much I love you. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” Indeed, nothing existed in man's mind more cruel, painful, or tortuous than death on the cross. And He chose it to show His great love for us. This was sacrificial love put into action.
Death on the cross was so painful that there was nothing to compare it to. No words could accurately capture the horror of this pain, so we had to invent a word for it.
Excruciating.
How do you describe the indescribable? You use the word itself to set the pain in its own category. The word excruciating comes from the Latin word excruciare, which means “to torment or torture”. Excruciare comes from the word crux, which means “a cross.”
Jesus suffered excruciating pain because that’s how far His love was willing to go for you and me. It’s easy to tell people how much we love them, but it’s another thing to show them. And no matter what we do for others, it will never compare to what our Savior did for us on the cross.
Let us be careful not to speak in hyperbole about our love for others. Let’s look to our King to see how we should turn our love into sacrificial action. Love marks the disciples of Jesus as His people. Let’s ensure we are laying down our lives for others and not simply giving when it suits our needs or is convenient for us.
May our Lord continue to teach us how to love like Jesus loved.
I have it on good authority that today could be the Day Jesus returns.
Are you ready to meet Him today?
When Jesus faced the soldiers in the Garden of Gethsemane;
When Jesus faced Pilate seated on the judgment seat;
When Jesus was strapped to the post as the scourging ripped into His flesh and muscles;
When Jesus was held on the cross as the nails were pounded through His hands and His feet...
He never once had His back against the wall.
At any time, He could have abandoned mankind to our destruction, calling twelve legions of angels.
Just as He had the power to speak us into existence, He also had the power to speak us out of existence if He wished.
He finished His work of salvation because of the great love He had for us.
And only because of His great love.
“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18 ESV).
I am reading the Book of Isaiah in my daily Bible reading. When I read 25:1, it warmed my heart. I share it with you so you can meditate on it today. What an awesome and wonderful God we serve.
“O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” (Isaiah 25:1 ESV).
In the Garden of Gethsemane, we witness Jesus laying aside His will to avoid the cross in His future and yielding Himself to the Father's will.
“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 ESV).
In the Garden, Jesus taught us the essence of Kingdom living. No matter what we face, we lay down our lives for God and trust in Him to walk us through our own valley of the shadow of death.
When our tears become as great drops of blood, we bend the knee and lay down our will to His. We walk in faith, trusting He will lead us through our fears.
I have witnessed people stating biblical principles most would agree with and then equate their opinions and inferences to those principles.
Be careful not to let people force you to accept their opinions and inferences by accusing you of rejecting biblical principles if you do not agree with them.
The two are not the same. It is possible to stand strongly on biblical principles while rejecting someone's opinions and inferences they may try to connect to those principles.
As we celebrate Memorial Day,
As we celebrate graduates,
As we celebrate birthdays,
As we celebrate anniversaries and weddings,
Let's remember as we look back not to forget to look forward.
Enjoy life, but remember Jesus.
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:36-39 ESV).