SERVING AND SACRIFICE | Northstar Church

“When I consider the cross of Christ, how can anything I do be called sacrifice? – Amy Carmichael.

At some time, every Christian has asked this question: Is serving God and others worth it? If you have been following Jesus for any amount of time, you have probably experienced moments of doubt, uncertainty, and maybe even anger at God. Maybe you have felt like the Psalmist who said, “But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked…surely in vain I have kept myself pure” (Psalm 73:2-3, 13), If that is you, you are not alone.

The Christian life requires sacrifice. Serving others demands you give up something. It might mean giving up time, attention, effort, a material resource, or all the above. So, if serving always involves sacrifice, why do it?

A familiar Bible passage gives us the answer. John 13:14-17 says, “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”

Jesus, who “existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. the eternal Creator of the universe”(John 1:1-3), shockingly lowered Himself to wash His followers’ feet.

Jesus is telling us that we are not to be above serving. Instead, we’re to follow His example. This certainly makes sense, given that Jesus tells His disciples on another occasion that “… the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

The Lord calls us to serve because it helps demonstrate to those around us what kind of Savior and Lord we follow. This can be encouraging to those who already know Him and revealing to those who don’t. After all, how do you usually react when you witness or benefit from someone’s example of service?

Following Jesus’s example is worth it. Jesus plainly says, “Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” We’re told repeatedly in the Bible that while following Jesus won’t always be easy, it will ultimately lead to our great benefit. It’s why, for example, Paul urges us, “… let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9).

And it’s the reason Jesus promises a hundred-fold return in our lives. As the old saying goes, God is no one’s debtor. In one way or another, He will always give us far more than we give Him. So serving results in both Jesus’s glory and our good.

At the end of the day, serving is worth it.

Discussion Questions:

Is living the Christian life worth it to you? Why?
How do you view making sacrifices for others?