Day 24

Day 24:  Sacrifice

       The past 23 days we have focused on the Immeasurably More God will do in us and through us.  I like to think that the picture of what is happening is a beautiful and loving path of learning and implementing those lessons learned to serve others. There will be bumps and bruises, pain and tears along with the straight paths that we may venture for a short time. 

       Some of the more trying bumps and bruises come in the Immeasurably More through us.  The outcome of serving others is not always exactly how we think it should be.  Serving is a sacrifice.  We serve selflessly, with a smile, with the love of Jesus and the people we serve may not be grateful or kind or loving. I want to tell someone about Jesus and they become bleary eyed and fall deeply in love with him immediately and live the perfect Christian life.  I want my children to grow up in a loving Christian home and live a loving Christian life all of their days.  Those are not always the outcomes.

       Who did Jesus die for?  Who did He sacrifice His life for?  Was it the ones that gave up everything and followed Him? Yes.  Was it the men, women and children that followed Him in the streets watching His miracles? Yes.  Was it His 12 disciples? Yes.

“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”” Luke 22:19

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:28

       He was broken and poured out for YOU, for MANY, for FORGIVENESS of sin.  He said for you to His disciples.  They were a group of men who had given up everything to follow Jesus.  One of those turned against Him and defiled what He was sacrificing.  Judas betrayed Jesus even though he was a disciple.

       The homeless man sitting on the city street with a sign saying “I’m Hungry please help” threw a bagel I bought him.  He threw it at me and told me he didn’t want my #*@&#*$ bagel.  I was hurt and angered, I was helping him, what was his problem? My hurt feelings and my bruised ego means nothing in the light of Jesus himself being betrayed by one of his closest disciples.  Judas sat at the table with Jesus eating the bread that was His body, drinking the wine that was His blood, having his feet washed by Jesus Himself.

       We cannot hold back on our call to allow Him to do Immeasurably More through us because we may be misunderstood or even hated.  Even if we are not appreciated for our service, we cannot deprive the works God is doing in us to become stagnant.  We are called to allow Him, in His power, to do Immeasurably More through us.  Not doing anything with the Immeasurably More in us is sin.  Not obeying His call is not why He was sacrificed for our sins. 

“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to 

serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 

Matthew 20:28

       We must be wise in our service, but we must serve.  Jesus came to this sin filled earth.  He was broken and poured out for those who would turn against Him.  We must serve no matter the outcome.  We are called to show mercy, not judgment.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1Peter 4:10

       Are there places in your life where you can serve without the filter of how it will make you feel or judgment of who you are serving?  Are there negative thoughts that keep you from serving?  Can you free that space of negative thoughts to allow God to do Immeasurably More through you?