A sacrifice is defined as “the giving up of one thing for another.” This happens when someone perhaps has two goals to accomplish as a public servant and cannot serve in both capacities. Therefore, he has to sacrifice one dream to succeed at the other. A sacrifice is also defined as “a loss brought about by getting rid of something below its value.” This occurs rather frequently when someone selling a home has a buyer “in hand” who offers less than what is being asked, and the owner sells at the lower amount because he needs the money now.
Another definition of sacrifice is “destruction or surrender of something valued or desired for the sake of a higher object or more pressing claim.” In other words, someone might choose to give up what he really wants in order to accomplish something that would be of more value overall. Our military really doesn’t want to go to battle, but it is willing to do so and stand in harm’s way because it is more concerned for its families and country. Most baseball fans know what a “sacrifice hit” is, but for those who don’t know, it is a bunt or fly ball that enables a base runner to advance a base although the batter is put out. The batter doesn’t do that for himself, for he’d rather hit a homerun. However, he does makes an out for the overall good of the team.
Do you realize we are describing the actions of Jesus? He gave up one thing for another; that is, He gave His life’s blood for the benefit of salvation for others as stated in John 1:29, which reads, “Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” When He gave that blood on Calvary, He certainly got rid of something of higher value for the sake of the greater good— that is, the forgiveness of men’s sins. Peter expressed this concept in 1 Peter 1:18, 19, which notes, “You know that you are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold… but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without spot and without blemish.” Jesus made the supreme sacrifice.
Christians have to make sacrifices also. Just as Moses did, Christians must “choose to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:11). Christians must give up sin and the love of sinning. Just because something makes one feel good doesn’t make it right. Further, God doesn’t want a partial sacrifice from His people; He wants the whole heart, body and soul! Listen as Paul told the Roman brethren, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
Frequently, I make the statement that Christians must offer their sacrifices of worship to God. These are not physical, blood sacrifices, but they are the things that we give up and the things that we do for God that show our dedication and loyalty to Him. First, we give up sin and its hold on us. Then, we are free to acceptably offer our sacrifice of worship.
In our assemblies with the saints, we pray, study God’s Word, listen to lessons from His Word, sing hymns of praise and devotion, give of our means and take the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. We do some of these things in our private worship, too. Whether we do these things in public worship or in private, these are means of becoming “a living sacrifice” to God. Peter said, “You… are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The Lord be thanked that we don’t have to offer bloody animal sacrifices any more since Christ became a sacrifice for us. “…He humbled Himself and became obedient to death to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God has also highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and of those in heaven and of those on earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father” (Philippians 2:8-11). I beg of you that you be mindful to acceptably offer your life and your sacrifice of worship to the glory of God.
