WHAT IS SACRIFICE?
Sacrifice is inevitable. On a daily basis, a Christian faces several temptations, and it is solely up to him or her to make the decision whether or not they’ll be for or against biting into that forbidden fruit.
Daily sacrifice usually looks like this:
- Turning away from phones after waking up or before going to sleep;
- Lending a helping hand to the homeless by buying a patty or two while on a fast;
- Biting the tongue during an unfair disagreement;
- Remaining obedient after corrections from parents or work colleagues;
And the list could go on and on. It is all about the denial of the flesh, a true sacrifice.
Sacrifice is when a treasured aspect of life, i.e., entertainment, food, gifts, or school, is faced by undeniable change. Change in either the amount of time spent or attention given to that aspect of life. Time is like currency that we do not own but spend, and whatever we spend it on is a good indicator of what/who we love, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, NIV).
It is not a coincidence that the Scripture says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9; followed by, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23. This confirms that sacrifice is inevitable.
We must deny our flesh and our heart’s desires.
“Imago dei” translates to image of God. As images of God, we must ensure that we, the vessels, remain of the spirit and are not devoured by the desires of the flesh.
For a Christian to advance in their walk with Christ, sacrifice must be included in their daily routine.
We often ask ourselves: how can we become more like Christ, the Lamb, Who is our example?
There is one answer: sacrifice.
Just as our Lord and Saviour clothed himself in skin and bone to be the greatest sacrifice history will ever know, we must also, as images of God, make sacrifices for His glory.
BE CHRIST-FOCUSED
What this really requires is being Christ-focused and not sin-focused.
Sacrifice becomes more manageable when we change our perspective, for then our strength will come from Him that is within us. With time, we will hunger to make sacrifices, which will cause our spiritual diet to be richer as we will turn down the plate of food as well as sinful habits.
By willingly denying our flesh or heart, it will starve and therefore become weak; while the spirit man will grow from strength to strength, thereby allowing us to live an obedient and spirit-filled life in and through Christ Jesus. In all that we do, our aim is to maintain a lifestyle of sacrifice.
MANIFESTATION OF SACRIFICE
- Cup of Sanctification
- Cup of Judgement or Deliverance
- Cup of Redemption
- Cup of Praise
These are four cups that are part of the historical communion process, which requires us to not give in to pride, but confess and repent our sins before the Lord, which must be done prior to partaking.
We take communion as a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice – the greatest sacrifice to date.
My prayer for the saints today is that we become more intentional and mindful of this constant requirement of self-sacrifice. May we continue to sacrifice.
Youth S.O.U.L. is a youth programme for youth, by youth, and with Jesus. Tune in to TBC Radio on Fridays at 6 p.m. to listen to each episode.
