Hope Through Sacrifice
December 28, 2025
Love
Relationship
Sacrifice
“12This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:12-14 (NLT)
1. Surrender
“24Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” Matthew 16:24-26 (NLT)
Following Jesus is counter-cultural and counter-me.
Hope is on the other side of surrender.
2. Serve
Provide • Protect • Prevail is all about ME
Love • Relationship • Sacrifice is all about OTHERS
“43But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45 (NLT)
Our purpose is never about us, it's always about OTHERS.
Brings Peace, Joy and Contentment
Builds your Identity and Relationships
Grows your Faith, Hope, Love
3. Simplify
“11This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. … 14The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures (Hēdonē) of this life and so they never grow into maturity”. Luke 8:11, 14 (NLT).
You can’t add Jesus to your already crowded life … He is your life.
Hope is found through sacrifice.
What is your next step?
- Is it to Surrender? To fully surrender your life to Christ?
- Is it to Serve? To serve your family and the people around instead of serving yourself?
- Is it to Simplify? To evaluate how you spend your time and your money so that the cares, riches, and hedonism of this life won’t crowd out your desire to follow Jesus.
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