Laying Down Our Lives

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. (John 15:13)

Memorial Day is not a day for honoring our country. (That's July 4.) It's not a day for honoring all who have passed away. (That's Dia de los Muertos.) It's not (quite) a day for honoring soldiers--rather, Memorial Day is a day for honoring sacrifice and service. That's why it has a place in our churches.

It's kind of amazing how often the New Testament talks about laying down our life. We are told that the thing that makes Jesus the Good Shepherd, loved by his Father, is that he lays down his life for his sheep. (John 10:11-17). The Bible tells us that love is defined by the way Jesus laid down his life for us--and calls us to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16).

Over and over, Scripture calls us to take up our cross--to offer ourselves as living sacrifices--to have a Jesus-like attitude of humbling ourselves for others. In extreme cases, we may actually die for those we love. More often, we pour out our energy, go beyond our comfort zone, or face some kind of suffering for the sake of God and others. Real love isn't easy. It usually involves sacrifice and service.

Real love isn't easy. It usually involves sacrifice and service.

If you've known someone who embraced discomfort and discipline in order to serve, even up to risking their own life, you honor what they did. Some of these people gave their lives. Others showed their sacrifice and service in other ways. Many were soldiers, but others were firefighters or police officers, or healers, or teachers, or other such roles.

What they share in common is that they gave their life in service and, when necessary, put themselves in harm's way. They laid down their lives for others.

Join us this Memorial Day weekend to honor Jesus, and all those who follow Jesus in the way of self-giving love. Worship is at 10 a.m., Sunday school at 9 a.m. This is where we train ourselves to live not just for ourselves, but for one another--and for God.

--Jonathan