text: Luke 12:49-50; 2COR 6:3-10.
DEFINITION
The act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone.
A destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else.
Something giving up or lost.
To suffer loss of give up, renounce, injure or destroy especially for an ideal, belief or end.
INTRODUCTION:
In this day of unbelievable blessings and tremendous affluence one of the most difficult concepts to get across to God’s children is the need for sacrifice. It is not acceptable to eliminate (do away with the necessity of sacrifice of Christian living). It is the means of maturity and the measurement of our individual and our congregational strength. Sacrifice is essential to pleasing God in every generation and for the growth of an individual. When one think of the bible and sacrifice, one’s mind turn to father Abraham when he offered Isaac, his son whom he loved, on the altar (Gen.22; Heb. 11:17-19)tell us how he was able to do this. Then ultimately, I remembered the father (God) not sparing his own son, but offering him for our salvation (Rom.5:8;8:32; 1John 4:9,19)
DISCUSSION
To live a life of sacrifice comes as a result of deep love for God and for man (Matt. 26:39) without sacrifice their could be no greater achievement. As Christians and as Human beings we are too comfortable in one position or achievement.
People don’t want to live there comfort zone. Sacrifice means doing beyond your best, it means getting to a breaking point. It makes you drop blood because there is no sacrifice without blood. If you are not prepare to stretch yourself then you will not go far in anything.
People get tired and relaxed easily. Sacrifice of time, energy and money. It means going beyond your best. pulling longer hours staying awake while others are sleeping. Those who sleep longer hours wakes up only to be angry with themselves, because why you are sleeping others are moving forward. You can never be extraordinary without paying an extraordinary price (2Cor.6:10; Phil. 1:21) there is no easy way for one to become outstanding in life. Everyone who matured in life began when they were young.
Children, parent, graduate nothing comes by accident. You have to stretch yourself. There is no star without a scar and the scar of every star is what is refer to as sacrifice. If it does not cause you anything it will not pay you anything.
Sermon by bro Tambari Benson