Sacrifice did not end in loss
Our worth is best observed in how much is willing to be sacrificed on our behalf.
What are we worth? Not speaking about how much we have, but how much value our life has. Worth is subjective, our life has value to someone (and something).
To ourselves our actions bear out just how much we value our life, and we can often be quite reckless with our lives. To our parents our lives are of immense worth. To other family members our lives may be of great worth.
To our friends our lives may be of significant worth. To our community our lives may be of some worth. And so our worth seems to diminish in degrees until there are possibly people for whom our lives have absolutely no worth.
Our worth is best observed in how much is willing to be sacrificed on our behalf. How much is given to get hold of us? How much is given to hold on to us? How much is given to make our lives better?
If we really want to know how much we are worth, just look at the cross. God the Father shows a willingness to give His only begotten Son. The Father loves the Son, so this sacrifice shows us just what we are worth to Him. The Son shows a willingness to give His life with the most extreme suffering. The Son loves life, so this sacrifice shows just how much we are worth to Him.
The Holy Spirit shows a willingness to restrain interference. The Spirit could have changed the outcome in countless ways but shows how much we are worth in restraint. The cross shows our worth to God. He will give everything to get hold of us, to hold us, to make our lives better.
If we need any more confirmation, just look at the empty tomb. The sacrifice did not end in loss, it ended in an offer of resurrected relationship with us. The Father was willing to give His Son, because if we receive His gift He has both us and His Son. Jesus was willing to give His life for us, because if we receive His gift He has both us and His life.
The Spirit was willing to restrain from interference because if we receive this gift He works with us make a life transforming difference. God thinks we are worth trusting with the empty tomb. Where is the Son? Where is Jesus’ life? Where is the Spirits help? God trusts us to make the right choice, that’s how much we mean to him!
Rev Casper de Villiers
Methodist Church of Southern Africa
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