For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (NIV)

Here at ACF Church, we're just a few days into a short but powerful series on marriage. This series applies to all whether married or single. There's a message within the message of marriage that applies to singles so please keep reading. I'll connect the dots in a bit.

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Marriage was God's plan from the beginning. Soon after God placed Adam in the garden, He declared it was not good for man to be alone (Gen 2:18). Then soon after God made Adam a helper, He created the institution of marriage: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Gen 2:24)

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As you can see, marriage is an essential building block in God's perfect design. Remember, sin had not yet entered the world.

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There are many blessings of marriage; companionship and partnership are just a couple. But I'm going to focus on one aspect of marriage that most people probably don't focus on. Try not to read ahead and take just a minute to think of the one attribute of marriage you think is its' greatest blessing. I'll do the same and post my answer below.

No doubt you came up with a great answer, but I suggest that it's through sacrifice we receive God's greatest blessing in marriage.

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You may not be married but all of us are called into relationship, to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22:39). Almost everything that applies in a marriage relationship applies to all relationships. So, let's focus on how the blessing of sacrifice applies to us all.

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First, a few key points to build on.

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Jesus is quite clear that sacrifice is the ultimate expression of love: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

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Through Paul, Jesus gives us the toughest of commandments: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” (Eph 5:1)

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Though the roles in relationships may differ, we are all one in the Body: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28)

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Finally, He that had no sin, sacrificed Himself for you who has sin: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)

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Tying these points together we see that sacrifice is the ultimate expression of love; we are to be imitators of God; we are all one body in Christ Jesus; and Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. Therefore, isn't it logical to conclude that we should follow Jesus' example and sacrifice ourselves for others? Additionally, since we're all one body, when we sacrifice for others, aren't we sacrificing for the well-being of the body which we are a part of? God's blessing through sacrifice blesses twice; once to the receiver, and once to the giver.

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Sacrifice comes in many forms but remember this general rule: anytime you put others first and yourself second, you are making a sacrifice. No sacrifice is too small. Doing a favor, lending an ear, making dinner, or even yielding to traffic is a sacrifice. Remember that the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve so every sacrifice you make, makes you more like Jesus.

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As John 15:13 stated above, the most extreme example of sacrifice is to lay down your life for someone else. Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan Friar did just that during World War II. Friar Kolbe was imprisoned at the Auschwitz concentration camp where there was an escape attempt. With disproportionate retribution, the Nazis ordered ten random prisoners to be put to death. One of the ten cried out in despair for his wife and children. With Christlike compassion, Friar Kolbe voluntarily took his place, was sealed in an underground bunker, and left to starve to death. It was a horrible fate but like Jesus, Friar Kolbe is now with the Father for eternity.

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So, as you go about your day, remember Jesus' example of sacrifice. Serving others is foundational to God's plan for unity within community. It's a powerful way to express your faith. Practice sacrifice with your spouse, friend, family, co-worker, or even a stranger. You'll further God's kingdom, helping to bring earth closer to as it is in heaven. Finally, remember these words of Jesus himself, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

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Jesus my Savior, thank you for the blessing of relationship. From the beginning you knew it was not good for me to be alone. Thank you for teaching me how to make my relationships thrive. Teach me more about serving others as you came not to be served but to serve. Please bless me with more opportunities to practice sacrifice. May I joyfully follow your perfect and ultimate example to bring earth closer to as it is in heaven. In your name I pray, Amen.