This week we observed Memorial Day and honored the sacrifices of incredibly brave men and women who served our country with honor. It’s important to remember that the freedoms we enjoy have come at a great price, and for freedom to continue each generation must be willing to make certain sacrifices for the benefit of those who will come behind them.
But even greater than the freedom we enjoy in the here and now is the spiritual freedom that goes beyond the grave and finds its fulfillment in eternity. That freedom has also been secured by a great sacrifice, which the Apostle Paul describes like this:
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV).
Notice how counter-cultural Jesus’ example is in our day and time. We live in a society obsessed with self-exaltation, but Jesus shows us that self-sacrifice is what God exalts. We are saved from sin through Jesus’ sacrifice, but we are also saved to sacrifice for the benefit of others and the glory of God.
That’s how we can live as faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. It’s also how to live a fulfilling life, how to leave a lasting legacy, and how to make the world a better place for future generations.
rusty tugman 