Exemplifying Ultimate Love

John 19:30

30Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

“The Ultimate Sacrifice.” Coined in the military as a fellow soldier sacrificing their life to save a comrade’s. This term is exemplified in Christ’s dying on the cross for our sins. You see, He didn’t just jump in front of us a take a bullet (maybe metaphorically). He saved our lives from spiritual death. The “forever unknown” that our souls would be cast into had He not intervened. How sweet is that victory?

If we are to be Christlike, what then does that mean for us? Certainly, there’s the physical aspect of sacrificing your earthly life for someone, but I think that is much easier than sacrificing for someone’s spiritual life. Not that we could take Jesus’ place on the cross, but how often do we sacrifice something in order to enrich another’s spiritual life?

Have you ever sacrificed your pride to lift someone up? Have you ever set aside your personal goals to help someone in need? Have you ever just dropped everything to lend an ear to a stumbling Christian. Have you ever stepped out in faith and spoke up when you saw a brother or sister heading down a path you know is not good for them? If not, then how can we identify with Christ?

The irony of Kingdom living is that without Christ, we do not have the capacity to do such things in the first place! That’s how glorious our Savior is! He is the source. Alpha and Omega. Beginning and End. He is the end of death. Why then WOULDN’T you want that?

Simultaneously, by loving Christ, we sacrifice ourselves. This is the full circle of becoming a Christian. We must love Him by laying down our earthly selves so we can be resurrected in Christ. What does that tell me? If I’m not sacrificing something, I’m not loving. If I’m not loving, I’m not obeying God.

What are you sacrificing?

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