Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for us motivates us to sacrifice ourselves for others.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

I love birds, which is why I bought six caged birds and carried them home to our daughter Alice, who began to care for them daily. Then one of the birds fell ill and died. We wondered if the birds would be more likely to thrive if they were not caged. So we freed the surviving five and observed them fly away in jubilation.

Alice then pointed out, “Do you realize, Daddy, that it was the death of one bird that caused us to free the rest?”

Isn’t that what the Lord Jesus did for us? Just as one man’s sin (Adam’s) brought condemnation to the world, so one Man’s righteousness (Jesus’s) brought salvation to those who believe (Rom. 5:12–19). Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

John makes it more practical when he says, “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters” (1 John 3:16). This won’t likely mean literal death, but as we align our lives with Jesus’s example of sacrificial love, we find that we are “laying down our lives.” For instance, we might choose to deprive ourselves of material goods in order to share them with others (v. 17) or make time to be with someone who needs comfort and companionship.

Who do you need to sacrifice for today? 

In what ways have others sacrificed for your well-being?

基督为我舍命，激励我为他人牺牲。

我是好牧人，好牧人为羊舍命。-约翰福音10章11节

我很喜欢养鸟，所以我买了六只小鸟，把它们养在鸟笼里，让女儿爱丽丝负责照顾它们。过后，有一只鸟儿生病死掉了。我们心想，或许这些小鸟不关在笼中，自由自在会活得更好。于是，我们打开笼子，将剩下的五只释放，看着它们欢欣地飞向自由。

爱丽丝看了深有感触，说：“爸爸，你有没有发现，是因为那一只鸟的死去，才让我们释放其余的鸟儿，使它们得自由？”

这岂不是主耶稣为我们所做的？就如一人（亚当）的罪将审判带入世界，所以一人（耶稣）的义将救赎带给那些相信的人（罗马书5章12-19节） 。耶稣说：“我是好牧人，好牧人为羊舍命。”（约翰福音10章11节）

约翰则将这个道理加以延伸，他说：“主为我们舍命……我们也当为弟兄舍命”（约翰一书3章16节）。这不是要我们按照字面的意思舍去生命，但若我们活出耶稣牺牲的爱，这就是“舍命”，例如，我们可以选择舍弃自己的财物，以便能和他人分享（17节），或者牺牲一些时间，安慰和陪伴那些有需要的人。

今天你可以为谁作出牺牲呢？

别人为了你，曾经做了怎样的牺牲呢？

1 John 3:16-17New International Version (NIV)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

整理：于姊妹