EXPLORING GOD’S WORD
The
Greatest Sacrifice Many are moved by inspiring stories of great courage, conviction and self-sacrifice, as we should be. Yet one sacrifice stands far above all others as the greatest of all time. And whether you realize it or not, it directly impacts you!
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ave you ever been inspired by a story of great courage and conviction? Or stirred by an example of great personal sacrifice for the benefit of others? We hear of such stories from time to time, and often they are truly inspiring. They can and often do move us to want to emulate such positive examples. They appeal to our better nature, as they should. The Bible, too, records many such positive examples. Consider a few: • The young shepherd David, who defied the Philistine army and common sense to do battle with the giant warrior Goliath. • The young king Josiah who took on his nation’s religious and cultural establishment to rid the land of pagan idolatry and restore worship of the true God. • John the Baptist, who stood up to a powerful ruling family and paid for it with his head on a platter. • The apostle Paul, who first appears in the Bible as a persecutor of the Church but then dedicated his life to it, enduring such hardships as hunger, thirst, shipwreck, beatings and being stoned and left for dead. And there are many more we could mention, faithful men and women who sacrificed greatly for a purpose greater than themselves.
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Beyond Today
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B Tm a g a z i n e . o r g
The greatest sacrifice of all But of all the examples of great personal courage and sacrifice found in the Bible—and indeed in all history—one stands immeasurably far above all the rest. It stands alone because it was the greatest sacrifice ever, the greatest of all time. It stands alone because it involves One who gave up the most that has ever been given, and it involves One who gave the most to those who benefitted from that sacrifice. It stands alone because it involves not just a great sacrifice that was remarkable enough in itself—but another, lesserunderstood aspect of that sacrifice so great as to be almost beyond human comprehension. I’m referring to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, astounding on more than one level. Why was Christ’s sacrificial death necessary? Many people are likely already familiar with Jesus Christ’s death by crucifixion, in which He was executed as a criminal. This is a major theme of the Christian religion, and rightfully so. It lies at the heart of biblical Christianity, although certainly not all who know of it understand it. Many biblical passages tell us the importance of this sacrifice and why it was necessary. Let’s notice a few: • “If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we
Photo illustration Photo illustration by Shaun byVenish/ Shaun Venish/Lukas Lukas Bischoff/123RF Bischoff/123RF
by Scott Ashley
