The Good Shepherd and Living Sacrifices

Sacrifice is “the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered to have a higher or more pressing claim.”  That’s a basic definition from dictionary.com but I think it’s a good one.  A sacrifice is made not for its own sake, but for the sake of something else. In Hebrews 12 we read that Jesus endured the cross, not for the sake of the cross but for the joy set before Him – for the joy of what his going to the cross would accomplish.  He was willing to sacrifice Himself in order to achieve a greater end.  When we face obstacles as we ‘walk the Way’ of discipleship are we willing to make sacrifices to achieve our end – to reach the upward call of God?

What does that mean?  It doesn’t mean that our sacrifice is in any way an atoning sacrifice.  There is only one atoning sacrifice and that was Christ’s on the cross.  What it does mean is that we are to be Living Sacrifices.  We are not striving to do what only God can do, rather we glorify God for what he has already done.  We respond to His grace by being Living Sacrifices.

Now, to understand that, we need to look at Jesus (something we have been doing throughout this series).  And when we look at Jesus, as He reveals Himself in John 10, we find that He is the Good Shepherd.  He says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”  And so, when we look to Jesus, we find that:

ð sacrifice comes from love. We read in our text (v12-15) that the hired hand does not love the sheep and so is not willing to sacrifice himself for them.  But the Good Shepherd loves the sheep (He knows them and they know Him) and so He is willing to lay down His life for them.

ð sacrifice is freely offered.  Jesus said in John 10, “I lay it down of my own accord.”  Jesus’ sacrifice was not constrained or forced.  Jesus freely gave Himself up for us.

ð sacrifice brings life.  Jesus said, “I lay down my life - only to take it up again.”  Jesus’ sacrifice was a death that brought about life.  His death and resurrection gives us salvation and new life.

And so, in Christ’s example we find our model.  Since Christ’s sacrifice comes from love, our sacrifice is responding to that love with love for God and for one another.  Since we receive the blessings of Christ’s sacrifice freely by grace, our sacrifice is freely offered.  And since Christ’s sacrifice brings life, we are to be Living Sacrifices.

But what is a Living Sacrifice?  In Romans 12:1, we read, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.”  A Living Sacrifice is not merely a “spiritual” sacrifice.  We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices, meaning that what we do and how we live – what our mouths say; what our hands do; where our feet go; what our eyes look at; what our ears listen to; what our minds think about – are to be offered in obedience to the Lord.  The apostle Paul goes on in Romans to define what a living sacrifice is.  Among several things, he speaks of holiness – in that we are not to conform to the world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds; he speaks of humility – not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought; and he speaks of being open-handed - serving others – each member of the Body of Christ belongs to all the others and we each have gifts to share.

In each of these things, we see that sacrifice involves giving. 

ð It is giving up something for the sake of holiness. 

ð It is giving over something (like control) in humility.

ð And it is giving to – being open handed. 

And so, sacrifice involves giving up some things for the sake of holiness.   For we are not to conform to the world but rather be transformed.  Paul would go on in Romans to write, “let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”  We read in Eph that we are called to, “Put to death … whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” If something has control over you, whether it be lust, anger, pride unforgiveness) must be put to death.  It must be given up to God for it to be killed.  Only then can we live.  As Lewis says at the end of Mere Christianity, “Nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.”  Walking the Way involves sacrifice and sacrifice involves giving up certain things.

And sacrifice involves giving over.  We do this in humility.  For in humility we give over control of ours lives to God and follow, not our own way, but His Way.  Discipleship is impossible without humility, for if we are always running ahead and trying to lead, it is impossible to follow behind.  To follow Jesus, we have to give over control and trust Him fully.  Walking the Way involves sacrifice and sacrifice involves humbly giving over control.

And sacrifice involves giving to – giving to God and to others – being open-handed. As followers of Jesus, we are called to generosity and simplicity.  We are to live simply – not ostentatiously , not pridefully, not showing off, not keeping up with the Jones’, not striving to accumulate wealth and possessions, but simply – so that being open-handed, being generous comes more easily.  We are to be gracious stewards – those who are wise with their money but who hold it lightly and are generous with it – who give to the needy and who share with one another.  We’re not to be stingy with our money, nor are we to be stingy with our time, energy and talents. 

ð We are to give time to worship, to study, to pray and to serve. 

ð We are to give our energy by doing our very best and giving our all as we serve the Lord.

ð We are to give our talents, recognizing the gifts God has given us and therefore developing them and using them for His glory.  God has given His people gifts and those gifts are to be used to build one another up.  Walking the Way involves sacrifice and sacrifice involves giving to God and others.

As Living Sacrifices, we give up, give over and give to.  We die to sin in order to live for holiness.  We die to self in order to live in humility.   We die to selfishness in order to live open-handedly. That is what it means to be a Living sacrifice. 

Being a Living Sacrifice is a life-long process.  It may happen that that process is cut short if we are called to lay down our lives in martyrdom for the sake of Christ (as so many of our brothers and sisters have).  But even if we are not called to that, we are called to lay down our lives in life-long obedience.  Being a Living Sacrifice is not saying, “Ok, now how can I get myself killed for the Gospel?”  Being a Living sacrifice is being obedient to Christ even if it gets you killed.  It is obedience in life and in death.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “The American Board of Missions has for its seal an ox, with an altar on one side and a plough on the other, and the motto "Ready for either, "- ready to live and labour, or ready to suffer and die.” We are called to radical obedience in life and in death.

Jesus, our Good Shepherd laid down His life for us.  We, His flock who follow after Him, are called to respond to His sacrifice and follow His example.  We are to be Living Sacrifices who give ourselves freely in love to God and to others.

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it (Mark 8:34-35).  Walking The Way of our Good Shepherd calls us to be Living Sacrifices.