Laying Our Life Down as a Living Sacrifice (page 2)

He made us righteous and as such, His ambassadors. God made us His righteous ambassadors of His grace and His love, knowing we would give ourselves as living sacrifices so that others can come to know His love also!

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" Ephesians 2:8

Jesus' death and resurrection made us right with God, AND as such granted us complete freedom, having paid the debt, and fulfilled the punishment through the wrath of God. Through Jesus, Grace was given, and to those who RECEIVE this grace IN FAITH are given eternal life, which is eternal peace with God, forever made whole.

"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:" 2 Corinthians 5:14-18

"What Does Love Require - Only to Receive

Love does not require anything from us; love is a gift that was given to us by God; love is something we are to RECEIVE from God, without effort. Why? Because He wants us to do the same, to love others as He has loved us.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you... This I command you, that you love one another." John 15:12-14,17

Love is a funny thing. It cost Jesus everything so that it wouldn't cost us anything.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us," Ephesians 3:17b-20

As it pertains to COST or REQUIREMENT of love, Jesus has already paid/covered everything for us. He paid for all the love that we could ever think of, and much much more. Regardless of the cost, the bill has been PAID IN FULL!

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:9-10

In this world, we face many trials and tribulations, no doubt. There is a cost for everything, including the cost "to love others." In the case of "love," our debt is paid. Meaning, Jesus has already paid for everything we could ever owe.

Can you imagine going to dinner with a big group of friends and everyone is given the same full price bill for dinner at the end? Let's say the grand dinner bill was $1,037.08. Of course, no one would expect each dinner guest would be required to pay the same full bill of $1,037.08, especially if one of the guests stepped up and paid for it all - as Jesus did! One big dinner, one big bill, and Jesus PAID FOR IT ALL!

God has given us His love through the grace of God in Christ, and because of this love, we are eager to love others. Although we are compelled to love others, we do so because of God's great grace and love for us. God's grace toward us produces an automatic desire to show our gratitude and gratefulness for all we have received. We are compelled by gratitude to show mercy toward others; we are actually bursting to GIVE love to others BECAUSE we have received such great grace.

GRACE was God's plan for man all along. Grace was there from the beginning. We can see Grace throughout the Bible, from cover to cover. Jesus is the Grace of God, and in that Grace, Jesus laid down His life for us and became our living example of love. Jesus even made himself to be a sacrifice for us from the beginning, and even before the beginning. God's Grace thought of everything.

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Jesus' act of complete sacrifice displayed God's nature and it displayed His love; it demonstrated God's unfathomable love for us, the same love and essence and power God used to form man; he also used to form the earth and stars and the worlds too!

"I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God based on faith." Philippians 3:8b-9

Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. What does that mean exactly? It means that Jesus' love for us is so radical; his one act of love did everything for everyone, at least that is everyone who RECEIVES. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, the sacrifice of love.

But that doesn't mean we have to receive the free gift. We'd be fools not to, but it's still a free choice to receive God's love through Jesus or not.

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17

Today's message was based on Clearview's Guiding Principle #1 - I Will Choose Love - which is based on... "There is no fear in Love; but perfect love casteth out fear." 1 John 4:18