"Sacrifice"
It's the difference between the stairs and the elevator, the bike or the car, the narrow and the wide. Sacrifice. I've been watching smatterings of the winter olympics this week. These young athletes astound me with their abilities but even more so, with their level of sacrifice. A pair of figure skaters take the ice. They look like most of the other competitors with their custom made outfits, skates and planned choreography. But, they are in debt. They have been working 8 years to get to this point. The house is mortgaged, the creditors call and the times are hard. They are not medal contenders. They are just excited to be in the olympics at all. They have no corporate sponsors. Sacrifice.
Sacrifice by its very nature causes us to take the "road less traveled." In Luke's passage he admits that as followers of Christ we need to make a different guest list to our parties than most. We are to invite those who cannot repay us, who will not thank us and who will not sing our praises. Sacrifice. The reward, which is not the goal, comes much, much later. Are we willing to delay our own gratification for the sake of others?
Jesus says we have to do this! Have to!!!! A little later in verse 27 Jesus says, "And anyone who does not carry his cross and follw me cannot be my disciple." Ouch! If you want to be a Christ follower, you must sacrifice. I must sacrifice. The faith community must sacrifice. We must take the "stairs" instead of the "elevator" and reflect on our love of Jesus with every painful, uphill step.
Today is Ash Wednesday. What a great day to begin this new journey. Worship at Hillside begins at 6:30pm. Sacrifice.
Sharing in Faith,
Rev. Craig W. Duke
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