Church Talks
SERVICE AND SACRIFICE
[I had prepared the following 2.5 minute talk in case I was asked to speak at the Zone Conference on March 8, 2008. But I was not called upon to speak.]
Theme: Matthew 10:39
“He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”
This verse is written in the poetry of the prophets—a Chiasmatic couplet. It is to some a contradictory riddle, yet it is a common experience of ordinary life. We never receive the joy that comes with “finding” a material thing, unless we first loose it.
Is the Saviour talking about losing mortal life to gain immortal life? Is He talking about losing an unhappy self-centered mortal life to gain a joyous Christ-centered mortal life? Is He talking about losing a self-centered mortal life to gain eternal life? Or is He referring to all of those or none of those?
By reading the verse preceding and the verse subsequent, I get the notion that the Savior is saying, if we give our life in service to others—that is Christian service that aids others in their quest for eternal life—then we will in that very process gain eternal life for ourselves.
The Savior appears to be talking about the importance of following His example of service to others, for he says in the preceding verse: “[H]e that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38)
The Savior seems to be talking about our serving as his representative and teaching of Him, for he says in the subsequent verse: “He that receiveth you receiveth me….” (Matthew 10:40)
I do not believe we can separate finding eternal life from the principle of giving of ourselves in actionable service to the Lord.
Today, we recited a verse that deals with being in the service of God and the quality of service that He requires of us. “Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.”
Service requires personal sacrifice, putting the Lord’s will above our own will. However, in a twist of irony that matches the contradiction in our theme verse, it is impossible to sacrifice for the Lord because we will always gain more than we give, find more than we forfeit, pocket more that we pay, and receive more than we relinquish.
I bear my testimony to the truthfulness of the Savior’s words found in Matthew 10:39: By losing our life in His service, we will find a life of fulfillment and joy.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.