Sacrificial Love

Heavenly Father, in this new year, help us to love one another as you have loved us from eternity through Jesus Christ our Lord, who died in place of us on the cross. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

God’s Love for Us

“For God the Father loved the world that he gave his one and only Son to die [on the cross] that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

We are destined for everlasting life. God the Father gave his one and only Son to become incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary in a cattle shed. He was the poorest man, as we read in Luke 9:58: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man,” who created all things and sustains all things, “has no place to lay his head,” except on the cross. We sinned, and Jesus died in our place for our sins.

Jesus died for the elect.  They are few. I am amazed that God the Father would let his one and only Son die on the cross for us. I do not understand it; no one understands it. We are told about the double transaction in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We give Christ the only Son of God our sins and our guilt, our death and our eternal hell. And he gives us eternal life. This is beyond understanding.

But because of this double transaction, we are going to praise and worship God throughout eternity. In 2 Corinthians 5:19 we read, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” Isn’t that amazing! And in verse 21 we read, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” We are clothed in righteousness, given freely to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is another double transaction.

Therefore Paul writes in Philippians 2:5–11, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.” In the Greek, the word for “servant” is “slave,” doulos. Jesus Christ was God the Father’s slave. He heard and obeyed. Paul continues, “being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death.” Jesus prayed, “If possible, remove this cup from me.” The Father said, “No,” and Jesus died on the cross. He said, “My food is to do the will of God and to finish it,” and he died saying, “It is finished.”

So Paul continues, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.” I have said many times that before unbelievers go to hell, they must bow their knees and confess “Jesus is Lord.” The final respect must be given to the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul goes on, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” Even people in hell, will confess Jesus is Lord. There is no way to get them out, according to Luke 16. They will want to get out, but it is not possible. Now is the time to believe in Jesus Christ.  Paul concludes, “and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

In Isaiah 53:4–5 we are told why Christ died and we did not: “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced [on the cross] for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (italics added). By Christ’s wounds we are saved, we are healed. Justification means that God forgives all our sins—our past sins, our present sins, and our future sins. May God help us to love one another as God loved us. Let us look more closely at this sacrificial love.

Sacrificial Love

In 1 Corinthians 13:13 we read, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” This is speaking about sacrificial love.

We are given an example of sacrificial love in Luke 21:1–4: “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others.’” That means she loved Jesus. Jesus continued, “‘All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’” God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. God sees how much we love him. And in a sermon by the president of Westminster Theological Seminary, we were told that this poor widow had three choices with the two mites she had. First, she could give nothing, reasoning, “I am a poor widow and need this money.” Second, she could give just one coin. That would be an offering of fifty percent. But she chose the third choice; she put in one hundred percent. She gave all she had for God, who is Jehovah Jireh, the God who sees and provides for our every need. And I believe that Jesus, who saw what she gave, also provided for all her needs.

We are told, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” I do not understand it. And we are told in 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Do everything in [sacrificial] love.” And verse 22 instructs that a curse be on the person who refuses to believe in Jesus Christ. Such a person is going to go to hell.

The first fruit the Holy Spirit produces in us is sacrificial love. I saw this love when the Holy Spirit was poured out in Kerala state, and I was amazed. I saw it in the life of my own pastor. He was a royal person and a Hindu. His family sent him to a Christian school, and he converted. As a result, he was excommunicated from his Hindu royal family. But he sold his property and gave it to the church. The first fruit the Holy Spirit produces in us is sacrificial love.

Hell is waiting for those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. A curse be on them. So let us look at these verses from 1 Corinthians 16 again:  “Do everything in [sacrificial] love. . . . If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord!” (1 Cor. 16:14, 22). God will come to send the one who does not love the Lord to hell. It is a serious issue not to believe in Jesus Christ. It is not a small thing. All unbelievers in Jesus are cursed, and eternal punishment is waiting for them.

In Romans 5:3–5 Paul writes, “We rejoice in tribulations also.” I do not always rejoice in tribulations, but eventually I come to rejoice. Paul speaks of the benefits of these tribulations: “Sufferings produce endurance; endurance character; and character, hope of the glory of God.” Jesus is going to come again for us. We can rejoice in sufferings because the Holy Spirit has been poured out into our hearts in abundance that we may love and obey his commands.

The Example of Peter

God says in Luke 10:27, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Jesus asked Peter who had denied him three times, “Do you love me more than your own life?” And Peter said, “Yes,” three times. Jesus said to him, “You are going to be crucified for your faith,” and Peter was crucified. But before he was crucified, he wrote in 2 Peter: “Make your calling and election sure” (2 Pet. 1:10). (PGM) He does not say, “Make sure you have billions of dollars.” I found out what these people do with billions of dollars. I do not want to speak to you about what they do. And Peter was crucified. But before that, he made sure his calling and election. He was born again. He loved God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength.

The Example of Abraham

In Genesis 22 we read that Abraham was tested. He was told to sacrifice his son Isaac. But as he was about to sacrifice his only son, God said, “No.” Abraham passed the test of sacrificial love, and God the Father instead sacrificed his one and only Son for our sins. When we look at God, we see infinite, sacrificial love.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). God told Abraham, “Through your offspring,” that is, through Jesus, “all the nations will be blessed.” Why did he say this? Because Abraham obeyed God. And Acts 4:12 Peter says regarding Jesus Christ, “Salvation is found in no one else.” We do have religious freedom in this country. We can worship money or idols—anything we want. But “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Jesus alone saves.

The Example of Jesus

Jesus speaks in John 10:11–18 about the good pastor. He begins, “I am the good shepherd.” Shepherd means pastor. “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Five times Jesus says that he lays down his life for his sheep. He also speaks about the hired hand, who is not the shepherd. The hired hand loves money, not the sheep. Of him Jesus says, “When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” The hired hand, the one who is not a true shepherd, loves money, more money, and most money. He does not care for the sheep.

Pastors, do you love your sheep as Jesus does? It is a question you must answer. Or are you in this business for money? I am not in it for money. Jesus continues, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” Do you know your sheep? We have four marks of the church: preaching of the word of God, observance of the two sacraments of baptism and holy communion, exercise of church discipline, and fellowship. The fourth mark, fellowship, is important. We find out what our brothers and sisters need, and we help, even paying for it, which is the best use for money.

Jesus goes on: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life only to take it up again.” The reason he could take up his life again is that he never sinned. He always obeyed God; therefore, he is speaking about his own resurrection. So he says, “No one takes it from me, but I lay down my life of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Five times in this passage, Jesus tells us that he lays down his life for his sheep. May God help us to love one another in this new year as God the Father loved us from eternity. A life well-spent is a life spent in service to others.

The resurrection proves Jesus never sinned. He always obeyed God the Father, including going to the cross. They spit on him, slapped him, mocked him, and finally crucified him. Yet he loved us—oh, what a blessing!

In John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” We are Christ’s friends. He also said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). There is no other option. And in John 13:35 he said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This is evangelism. People will see our sacrificial love and believe in Jesus.

In Ephesians 5:25–27 we are told, “Husbands, love your wives.” I fail every day. If I had a choice, I would submit to my wife. But I do not have a choice. So we read, “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and died for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” Therefore, as a husband, I must know the word and counsel the word. Paul continues, “And to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless.” This is glorification.

Our Glorious Destiny

Our destiny is glory. We are destined to live in a new age where there is no sin, no death, no mourning, no weeping.

We read in Revelation 19:6–8, “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)”

As we read in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might in him become the righteousness of God.” Now we are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is the garment we wear. Oh, what a blessing! And we are told that “fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints,” which are done through the Holy Spirit. Paul writes, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has foreordained that we should do them” (Phil. 2:10).

The final scripture for what glory is awaiting us is Revelation 21:1–4:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Sin entered the world in Genesis 3. But there will be a new heaven and new earth, where there is no sin. There we will live with our husband, Jesus Christ, forever. There will be no end. It will be unspeakable joy. Hallelujah!

Thank God for saving us. We did not deserve it. We were children of the devil. But a few are chosen from eternity. He saved us and is saving others even today. May God help us to love one another sacrificially in this new year according to the new command Jesus gave us: As God has loved us, let us love one another. Amen.