as: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
We see love in action through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-26
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
What does it mean to take up our cross and follow Jesus? What does sacrifice look like for us? Jesus said in Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” When I think of sacrifice from a worldly point of view I think of heavy burden and giving up something that I don't want to give up. But from a spiritual point of view sacrifice is denying our flesh nature and living a life free from sin. For example, you want to get back at someone for hurting you but instead you follow Christ, you pray for that person, you continue to be kind to that person and you have good will towards that person. That doesn't mean you have to continue to associate with that person but when you see him you're treating him with a Christlike love.
In Hebrews 13:15 we read ‘Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.’ The word sacrifice in this verse is the Greek word thysia. It's pronounced thoo-see’-ah. The biblical definition of sacrifice is victim but when you get a little deeper in the Thayer's Greek Lexicon it is an expression involving a comparison. In this scripture a free gift is compared to sacrifice. Think for a moment about a sacrifice of praise. It's your gift to God. You lift your voice and your hands to him, you proclaim your gratitude to him in front of others or in private and you affirm that you are a believer and a child of God. Through that you are honoring God and promoting His Kingdom. In God's eyes that is sacrifice and this is well pleasing to God.
Anytime we put God first, choose to look like a child of God instead of the world, choose to try to live a holy life without blame in a dark and perverse world, and stand up for Christ and what's right making ourselves a target to non-believers we are living a life of sacrifice. We are taking up our cross and following Jesus and with these things, these sacrifices, God is well pleased.
Don't let the word cross prevent you from buying in 100% because we weren't created to carry burdens and do this life thing alone and in our own strength. In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter wrote,
‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’ Peter was one of the disciples of Jesus Christ who preached the gospel at the risk of being killed. He traveled far and wide, risking his life, laying down his life for Jesus. Peter knew where his salvation, his strength and might in his inner man, his promise of eternal life came from. He witnessed Jesus being beaten and crucified and learned what grace is by being forgiven for his denial of Jesus Christ. Thank God for grace and praise be to God for being a merciful God.
I just want to leave you with a little more scripture. In Matthew 11:28-30 we read the words of Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Written by: Lisa Collier Clewis
