Return to Index.

Sacrificing Everything
September 15, 2018

Earlier this week, as a first-century apostolic Christian, I observed the Feast of Trumpets understanding this day foretells the return of Jesus Christ. During his ministry Jesus spoke of eternal life and was asked in one instance by a rich person what he would have to do to have eternal life. The response from Jesus was to sacrifice everything that is important to you; very similar to a controversial advertisement that recently aired on national television that was linked to a decision by one athlete to bring awareness to an aspect of social injustice. While I would not agree with the method used to bring awareness to the social injustice by the athlete, the message from the ad was to fully believe in your potential even if others ridiculed you; even if it cost you everything. I can tell you as a first-century apostolic Christian who observes Saturday as the weekly Sabbath, and seven annual Holy Days and festivals most Christians have never heard of; I can affirm, that I too have been ridiculed for what I strongly believe in. I have had well-respected people tell me to my face my religious beliefs are weird and strange, and the remarkable aspect of what was said; they didn't realize what they said or that it was offensive. Thousands of years ago, Jesus was asked by a rich person what he needed to do in order to have eternal life and the response from Jesus and His discussion with the disciples is worth reviewing.

Matthew 19:16-30
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

A rich man came to Jesus and asked Him what he needed to do have eternal life, and Jesus reviewed the commandments with him. The rich person exclaimed to Jesus that he had been keeping these commandments since he was a child and wanted to know what he lacked. Jesus told the rich person to sell all of his possessions and give to the poor. In the end the rich person valued his money more than eternal life and left. Jesus then went on to explain to his disciples that it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples in considering what was said reflected that it would be nearly impossible for anyone to be saved, and Jesus assured them that with God all things are possible. Peter was quick to remind Jesus that the disciples had already sacrificed everything, what was in it for them? Jesus shared that they would help rule the twelve tribes of Israel in the Kingdom of God and that all who sacrificed, giving up houses, siblings, parents, a spouse, children, or lands, would be given more in return and would have eternal life. Jesus also indicated not everyone would be expected to sacrifice in the same way or to the same degree. Personally for me that meant while working for public schools, I never considered administrative assignments as Saturday work was an expectation. I also turned down an invitation to apply for a job at a regional education service center because in part of the same expectation. My faith did give me an advantage that helped me work with the many families during my school career tied to my reading of pure religion as defined through the Bible. Just like Jesus promised his disciples, my understanding of this verse more than compensated for the disdain of my faith by those in education who hoped I would work on Saturdays and as a result I am very blessed for all of the many families whom I have had the pleasure of meeting.

James 1:16-27
Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

James, in chronologically writing the first epistle after the death of Jesus, explains that we are the firstfruits of his creation, and that the gifts we have from God are good and perfect, and that God never changes. James reminds us of the need to be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. We are reminded of the need to listen instead of speaking. James reminds us to place tremendous distance between us and that which is dirty and wrong. In being hearers of the word, we are reminded to be doers of the word as well. For Jesus and God, it is not enough to know about something; you have to take action. It does no good to know about the Sabbath and Holy Days if one does not observe these. We have to continue in the perfect law of liberty, being a doer of the work. We need to restrain what we say and not let emotions get the best of us. We have to be able to walk away from angry words. Finally we have to consider the need of those down and out on their luck. Pure religion is defined as keeping oneself unspotted from the world while visiting the fatherless and widows. At the time of James epistle, there was no public assistance and widows and orphans were at the mercy of others. Be kind to others who are in need of mercy. To practice pure religion, to follow Jesus and God requires us in a way to be mindful of one of the commandments, the very first commandment. Everything we do in faith is contingent first on this commandment.

Exodus 20:2-3
I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

It is easy to think of gods as some carved idol to worship. The gods we can have before God could be anything, any belief, or any person we value more than God. We simply cannot have anything, any belief, or any person in our life more valuable to us than God. To follow God and Jesus we have to abandon anything that we consider to be more valuable. Unlike society which makes no guarantees when sacrificing everything and is so focused on freedom of speech it sometimes forgets to listen, in the Gospel of Matthew, when Peter believed he and the other apostles sacrificed everything to follow Jesus, Jesus reminded them and all other believers they would be repaid one hundred times for their sacrifice.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
Copyright and Legal Information
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information