Sacrificial love

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:12-13

Total Sacrifice.  Bryan Chapell tells this story that happened in his hometown: Two brothers were playing on the sandbanks by the river. One ran after another up a large mound of sand. Unfortunately, the mound was not solid, and their weight caused them to sink in quickly. When the boys did not return home for dinner, the family and neighbors organized a search. They found the younger brother unconscious, with his head and shoulders sticking out above the sand. When they cleared the sand to his waist, he awakened. The searchers asked, "Where is your brother?" The child replied, "I’m standing on his shoulders".   With the sacrifice of his own life, the older brother lifted the younger to safety.  The tangible and sacrificial love of the older brother literally served as a foundation for the younger brother’s life. - sacrificial love

WHAT LOVE!  WHAT A SACRIFICE!  

We read "love stories that portray the man saying sweet nothings, buying roses all for the "end result." "If you love me," he says, "you will______" No, my friends, that is LUST, that is giving to get.   John 3:16 show us what sacrificial love is...

Sacrificial Love: HE GAVE!!!! ...we got. He died so we could live!  He didn't expect anything back. He just LOVED. One last story...from OUR COMFORT, OUR HOPE-- COMMUNION MEDITATION

Recently I came across a true story that happened during the Holocaust of the Second World War.

Solomon Rosenberg, his wife and their 2 sons were arrested, together with Rosenburg's mother and father for the crime of being Jews. They were placed in a Nazi concentration camp.

It was a labour camp, and the rules were simple.

"As long as you can do your work, you are permitted to live. When you become too weak to do your work, then you will be exterminated."

Rosenberg watched as his mother and father were marched off to their deaths. He knew that the next would be his youngest son, David - because David had always been a frail child.

Every evening, Rosenberg came back into the barracks after each day of hard labour and searched for the faces of his family. When he found them they would huddle together, embrace one another and thank God for another day of life.

One day Rosenberg came back and didn’t see those familiar faces.

He finally discovered his oldest son, Joshua, in a corner, huddled, weeping and praying. He said, "Josh, tell me it’s not true."

Joshua turned and said, "It is true, Dad. Today David was not strong enough to do his work. So they came for him."

"But where is your mother?" asked Mr. Rosenberg.
"Oh Dad," he said, "When they came for David, he was afraid and he cried. So Mum said, 'There is nothing to be afraid of, David,' and she took his hand and went with him."

That illustrates a mother’s love-- a love so strong that it chooses to give up life so her child can be comforted.  sacrificial love

Now look at your relationships.  Are they sacrificial or lustful?  Why are you friends with _______? Why do you do ______in relationships? "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." He loves sacrificially. Are you? - rejoicing in the present.