The Power of Sacrifice

In wedding season everyone in the Tricity gives gifts. But there is a difference between an envelope you hand over because you must and a gift that cost you something you wanted for yourself. God knows the difference. This message is about the power of sacrifice, and why it still matters today.

“But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.” (2 Samuel 24:24-25)

Many people think sacrifice is an outdated idea that belongs only to the Old Testament. It is not. Sacrifice is not simply giving something up; it is a conscious choice that strengthens your faith and lines you up with God’s will.

Sacrifice in the Bible

True sacrifice always costs something; if it cost you nothing, it was not a sacrifice. King David showed this when he chose to pay for his offering instead of taking it for free. Araunah offered him the threshing floor, the oxen, the wood, everything. David refused. In 2 Samuel 24:24 he said, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” When you give to God, it should not be out of convenience, but with sincerity and commitment.

The widow of Zarephath learned the same lesson (1 Kings 17:8-16). She had a handful of flour and a little oil, enough for one last meal for herself and her son. Elijah asked her to bake him a small loaf first. She obeyed, and the flour and the oil did not run out through the whole famine. Her willingness to give what she could not afford opened the door to God’s provision.

Then there is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her yes to God’s will brought her shame in her village and a hard road, but in the end she was honoured above all women. Sacrifice often comes with a cost, but its reward is beyond measure.

Jesus: The Ultimate Sacrifice

Jesus did not come to Nazareth to make furniture; He came to give His life on a cross. He is the greatest example of a sacrificial life. His purpose was never merely to be a carpenter, but to die for the salvation of humanity. That sacrifice gave Him the name above every name (Philippians 2:9).

As believers, we follow His example. John 12:24 says, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Sacrifice is how one seed becomes a whole field of grain. It is how a believer becomes fruitful. Nothing you hold on to in your fist will ever multiply.

The Impact of a Sacrificial Life

A sacrificial life is not a one-time decision at the altar; it is dying to yourself every morning. It means surrendering your ambitions, your desires, and even your comfort for God’s greater purpose. The apostle Paul lived this way. He said that he dies daily (1 Corinthians 15:31), a continual laying down of his own will for God’s.

Job did the same for his family. Every morning he rose early and offered sacrifices for each of his children (Job 1:5). Those daily sacrifices built a hedge of protection around him, and Satan himself admitted it. Sacrifice invites God’s protection and God’s blessing over a home. Is there a father or a mother reading this who has stopped praying over the children?

Practical Applications of Sacrifice

• Give God your best. Do not offer Him leftovers, whether in time, resources or effort. The Bible calls for the first fruits, not what remains after everything else is done. Pray before the phone, not after the phone is finished with you.
• Live by faith. Sacrifice requires trust. When you give sacrificially, whether time, money or effort, believe that God sees it and that He is never in anyone’s debt.
• Die to self. As a seed must die to bear fruit, you must let go of the personal desires that hinder your spiritual growth.
• Endure trials. Sacrifice may be painful at first, but its rewards are eternal. Just as Jesus endured the cross, we are called to endure hardship for a greater purpose.

Conclusion

Sacrifice shapes your faith, guards your home, and puts you where God can bless you. It is not an optional extra for very spiritual people; it is an indispensable part of Christian living. A sacrificial life protects you from the enemy and pleases God, and it leads to rewards that last for ever. Do not give God what costs you nothing. Embrace this principle, and experience His abundant grace in your life.

This week

• Give God the first thirty minutes of one day this week, before work, before food, before the phone.
• Choose one comfort you are holding on to, and lay it down for seven days as an offering to Him.
• Like Job, pray a blessing over each person in your house by name every morning until Sunday.

May the Lord accept what you lay on the altar this week, and may He answer you the way He answered David. God bless you abundantly.