The Ultimate Sacrifice

Humility, humbleness, meekness, submissiveness, sacrifice, servanthood: all of these are topics that we try to avoid.  These are not ususally characteristics that we desire to have.  In fact, we usually strive for those characteristics that will get us noticed…like being honest and trustworthy, and having a strong work ethic etc…  Things that will benefit us and allow us to move ahead in life.

Jesus however, was very different in His approach to life.  He did not do the glamorous things that would get Him noticed…like standing in front of a crowd and proclaiming to be the almighty God (which He is) that has come to conquer the world. 

Instead, He could be found in the doorway of an ordinary home, performing the duties of the lowliest servant…washing people’s dirty feet.  He could also be found in a secluded upper room teaching His disciples how to live sacrificially…to pick up their cross daily.  He never sugar coated the truth in hopes to gain popularity…He told it like it is…not because He wanted to put people in their place, but because He wanted them understand the bad position they were in and he wanted to rescue them from their ultimate destiny…Hell. 

Jesus did not walk around looking for attention.  He did not send the disciples out with flyers to invite everyone to come and hear Him speak.  Instead, He went to the people…He met them at the point of their need.  Then, He didn’t say, “I’m so sorry to hear that, I will pray for you”.  He provided a solution for them…He took care of their need!  He provided food for the poor, gave grace to the hurting and healed the sick.

His actions were so revolutionary, so different compared to how everyone else lived their own lives. 

News spread quickly because people believed in the vision that Jesus was casting.  People came because they wanted to see for themselves…to see if this ”Jesus Guy” really was all that they heard He was.  They wanted to believe, because they knew inside that what He was doing was right.  He gave them hope for a better life…hope for the future and eternity.

When they came…they begged Him to teach them! 

Today, there are millions of people, much like those people in Jesus day, that desire that same hope.  They may not know that Jesus is that hope, but we do!

We need to reach out to them…just like Jesus did!

Be humble, be compassionate, be a servant.  

By the way…when those followers came to be taught by Jesus…oh He taught them alright…He taught them by example…by becoming the ultimate sacrifice!

 Jesus is still teaching us today.  We just need to listen!

 

God Bless,

Shan

Advertisement