[THE] Huddle: Sacrifice

Ready: 

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” -- John 14:6 NLT

Set: 

A good shepherd gives 100% to the sheep. The shepherd knows the sheep’s names. They recognize the shepherd’s voice, they listen to it, and they follow wherever the shepherd leads them.

At night, the shepherd guides the precious sheep into protective walls built to keep them safe from outside predators. The shepherd knows some thieves and robbers will come to try to steal, kill and destroy them. Then, the shepherd lays down to sleep across the entrance of the pen. You cannot climb the walls to get into the pen; the only way in or out of the pen is to go through the shepherd. 

Our Heavenly Father sent Jesus, or The Great Shepherd, to the world to provide THE way for people to come back into a relationship with Him. Jesus says He is the door that offers THE way for salvation (John 10:9). 

Jesus lived with a quiet sense of urgency because He understood He is the way to The Father. Jesus understood His “why,” or in other words, Jesus understood His purpose here on Earth. 

Jesus lived out His “why” by asking great questions, sharing stories from Scripture, and modeling love, justice, mercy, and forgiveness, which led those who followed Him to discover the truth.  

The gift of Himself on the cross provided THE way back to The Father as the greatest sacrifice.   

The small daily sacrifices I make to love others deeply, build others up, care for others or even just show up are nothing compared to the greatest sacrifice Jesus made for me. 

Small shall seem all sacrifice. - Amy Carmichael 

Small shall seem all sacrifice in the classroom, on the court, on the field, in competition, and the workplace when compared to the greatest sacrifice! Why? Because Jesus came for you. He died for you. He rose again for you. For the good of the Kingdom, for the glory of God.  

Why do you do what you do? Why do you show up first and leave last? Why do you practice harder than anyone else? Why do you give your blood, sweat, and tears? The answer is always Jesus. 

Go:  

• With your family, with your friends, or at home, what do you sacrifice?   
• Why do you make sacrifices, and are the sacrifices easy for you to make? 

Workout: 

John 10:7-11; John 3:16; Mark 12:30

Overtime: 

“Heavenly Father, I praise You for sending Your Son to this world to show me how to live. His death on the cross provides the way for me to come back to You. Everything I do is nothing compared to the sacrifice He made for me. May I give 100% in all things, just as Jesus gave 100% for me. In the precious name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.”

Mindy Lee Hopman

Mindy is a Bible teacher at heart, helps women find their identity in Christ and learn how to grow in Him through multi-generational and multi-cultural ministry. Currently, Mindy serves in South Carolina as an Area Representative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Director of [THE] Huddle: For Women.