The Sweet Aroma of Sacrifice

The Sweet Aroma of Sacrifice

I am going to preach on the topic "He Is Worthy of Our Sacrifice" this morning. God's Word, from beginning to end, reminds us that offering sacrifices to God is a good and right thing to do. Our culture tells us to live for ourselves and take care of ourselves before we think of others . . . if we ever think of them.

The original idea behind Freedom Fighters was to encourage men who struggle with addictions to overcome them and those who don't struggle to avoid the behaviors that could create problems. All of us who have struggled with any kind of addiction know that selfishness kicks in big time when we want a "fix" for whatever addiction plagues us.

Selfishness is the opposite of sacrifice. It pushes us to put ourselves before everyone and everything else. It makes us the center of our universe and anything that robs us of that centrality is unacceptable. Too many Christians live with that mentality, allowing their own selfish desires for money, power, influence, and satisfaction to govern them.

Consider the woman John tells us about in John 12:1-8. She anointed the feet of Jesus with costly oil and wiped His feet with her hair. Most Bible commentators believe that ointment or oil was the most precious thing she owned. She chose to sacrifice it as a gift of love to Jesus! Those who were His followers questioned her decision. John tells us that Judas objected. Other gospel writers include other disciples in the objection. Some really thought she could have used the oil in better ways. Judas wanted it sold and put in the common purse so he could steal the money. The lady wanted nothing more than to sacrifice to serve Jesus.

And here is the line that captures my attention: And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. One lady gives one costly gift. The aroma of that gift changed the ambience of the room! Everyone knew from the fragrance, that her gift was of great worth.

You and I can make choices every day between sacrifice and selfishness. We can bring the aroma of sacrifice to those around us. Or, we can bring the stench of selfishness. What scent do you and I bring when we enter a room? Whether we sacrifice specifically for Jesus or for those who follow Him or for those who need to know Him, the aroma will fill the room and bring praise to Jesus. (Pastor John Strain -- First Baptist of Toms River)

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: "You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one." -- Oswald Chambers