In the previous message I spoke about loving the Lord your God and ended it off by saying that if someone says that this seems difficult or perhaps even unreasonable, then one of the things that helps with this thought process is taking a look at the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and reflecting on His example on the cross and it demonstrates the ultimate example of love and sacrifice:
John 15:12-13
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
1 John 3:16
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us...
1 John 4:9-11
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Romans 5:7-10
Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to willingly give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a good man [one who is noble and selfless and worthy] someone might even dare to die. But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more certain, having been reconciled, that we will be saved [from the consequences of sin] by His life [that is, we will be saved because Christ lives today]
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
In the above passage we see Christ's amazing obedience to carrying out His assignment. He knew He was going to suffer, endure pain and experience separation from the Father (only for a temporary period) but He looked beyond that (to an eternal reward), and endured what He did, no matter how much it cost Him in that moment, and chose to be obedient to the Father's will.
One of the things that always stands out for me about what Jesus did is that He chose to do it. To consider that Jesus chose to overlook the shame, embarrassment, pain, betrayal, rejection, etc. that He would have to endure for me. That He CHOSE to make the ultimate sacrifice for me ...
It shouldn't seem unreasonable for God to ask us to love Him when we consider how much He loves us and the sacrifice Jesus has made. It shouldn't seem difficult for God to ask us to commit our lives to Him, knowing how much He has been, and continues to be, committed, faithful, patient, merciful, forgiving, caring, loving, helpful, etc. towards us...
It makes me ask myself the question - how much am I prepared to sacrifice for Him? How often do I choose Him? The times that He wants me to spend with Him, to read the Bible, pray, attend church or small group meetings, share the gospel with others, to give to support the preaching of the gospel, etc. Or the times when I'm required to forgive others as God forgave me, to love others as God loves me ... how can any of these be seen as something that's "too much" for me to do when I consider how much He's done and given me ... He gave His life for me! ... He continues to honour His covenant of love towards me ... Therefore there's nothing that God can ask of us that can match/beat what He's already done/continues to do for us!
Let us therefore consider how much God loves us and the sacrifice Jesus has made and be challenged and encouraged to offer our lives to Him as He so freely offered up His life for us.
Amen