Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Sacrifice is something we are all familiar with and likely do on a regular basis in our day-to-day lives. We’re all willing to give something up for what we love more—it’s in our nature.

Sometimes the sacrifice is noble. Other times it's done from a more selfish angle. Either way, we make choices based on priorities, even though everything comes with a price. Have you ever sacrificed sleep to get more done? Or perhaps you worked more hours to increase your income so you could better care for your family.

Sacrifices aren’t unique to humans. Even God made sacrifices. Because of his love for us, he gave up his perfect son for us decidedly imperfect beings (John 3:16). And Jesus willingly came to earth to die for our sins.

John 1:14
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

He left the perfection of heaven to offer us a way to be with him forever through his death on the cross. That’s a huge sacrifice! And if we only believe in him, we gain eternal life. What a gift!

So how do we respond?

Hebrews 13:16
And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

These good works don’t earn our salvation—only our faith in Christ’s resurrection does that. We are called to be more like Jesus, who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We can do that by demonstrating his love to others, and this Christmas season is the perfect time!

Sacrifice can be lived out in a variety of ways. It might look like sharing what you have with others who are struggling financially. Or, it could be spending time with someone who is feeling lonely or missing a loved one this holiday season. Just your presence could bring them joy.

We all need to remember that the greatest bringer of hope and joy is Jesus. So the best gift we can give this Christmas is to sacrifice a little of our time to help someone realize what Jesus has done for us. That gift has the potential to help so much more!

Questions:
What do you, or will you, sacrifice in order to follow and live more like Jesus?

Is Christmas a tough holiday for you? Have you talked to someone about it?

Next Steps:
Make time in your schedule to sacrifice for a good cause.

Attend GrowthTrack to find out how your skills and personality are best fit to serve at CedarCreek.

Prayer:
God, I am so thankful for the sacrifice you gave to me so that I can be with you forever. Show me how I can sacrifice the time that you give me to do good for others and, hopefully, turn their hearts to you. In all the sacrifices I make, I have my full faith in you, Lord. You have not failed me yet, and I know you won’t. I will do my best to do the same and help others follow your Son, Jesus. In his name, amen.

Parent Resource:
Read Luke 2:6-7 together as a family. Use a nativity set or stuffed animals to act out the Christmas story as a family member reads it. Think through the 5 senses and discuss what the experience may have been like for Mary and Joseph.

This post was written by Casey Stengel, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut.