Sermon Tone Analysis

The Ultimate Sacrifice

From A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

Linda Birtish literally gave herself away.

Linda was an outstanding teacher who felt that if she had the time, she would like to create great art and poetry.

When she was 28, however, she began to get severe headaches.

Her doctors discovered that she had an enormous brain tumor.

They told her that her chances of surviving an operation were about 2 percent.

Therefore, rather than operate immediately, they chose to wait for six months.

She knew she had great artistry in her.

So during those six months she wrote and drew feverishly.

All of her poetry, except one piece, was published in magazines.

All of her art, except one piece, was shown and sold at some of the leading galleries.

At the end of six months, she had the operation.

The night before the operation, she decided to literally give herself away.

In case of her death, she wrote a “will,” in which she donated all of her body parts to those who needed them more than she would.

Unfortunately, Linda’s operation was fatal.

Subsequently, her eyes went to an eye bank in Bethesda, Maryland, and from there to a recipient in South Carolina.

A young man, age 28, went from darkness to sight.

That young man was so profoundly grateful that he wrote to the eye bank thanking them for existing.

It was only the second “thank you” that the eye bank had received after giving out in excess of 30,000 eyes!

As Disciples of Christ, this story can help us reflect on what it means to pour ourselves out for others, to give when the cost is great, and have an attitude that would exemplify the costly love lived out by our greatest example, Jesus Christ.

Back Story

Philippians 2 is a letter from Paul to the Church he set up in Phillipi.

Written while in prison around 59-62 AD.

Written on how to live as a Christian in a non-believing world by reminding his readers that God has called them to live as a reps of the “Citizenship of Heaven.”

A Golden Nugget nestled in Chapter 2

A famous Christological Hymn which emphasises the Doctrine of Incarnation

Incarnation: The assumption of Human Nature by God

Paul begins his letter with Greeting, Opening of Prayer, Paul’s life and the Joy of Preaching Christ,

Then switches gear: I have done, now you do.

Live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.! And, he kicks this off with today’s scripture on having the attitude of Christ.

This hymn, found in Paul’s text, is an explanation of Christ, who He is, how He viewed life and loved both people & God, and what he gave up because of that love.

I want you to listen for what Jesus gave up in coming to Earth to pay our ransom.

Listen for the COST of His LOVE.

What Christ Gave Up

Life as God

Status: Rags to Riches

God Almighty - Palestinian Jew in the ANE / Humble baby.

Created literally - Everything! & Worshipped by everything - Reduced to son of a virgin & a poor carpenter.

Trinity/Relationship - Homoousious - The Same Stuff

Now a distance in that Trinitarian Relationship

Authority & Powers of God

Loss of privileges.

- He self-limited His privileges while here on earth.

Loss of acting as God

Loss of:

Omniscience - Knowing Everything.

Omnipresence - Everywhere at the same time.

Omnipotence - Unlimited Power.

To Be Treated Like God

Dying a criminal’s death on the cross was humiliating for a mere human, let alone the One who created us.

Christ suffered & died at the hands of His own creation.

This is no way to treat the King of the Universe!

Why?

Love

How do we know this?

Jesus knows what God the Father thinks and feels about us, His people:

Jesus is working out God’s mission to reconcile people to God:

Jesus: The King of kings, Lord of lords - the creator of everything!…humbled Himself in order that you and I have the opportunity to be adopted back into God’s family.

To take our places as rightful heirs of God’s Kingdom.

To be in a right relationship with God Himself.

Jesus gave Himself as a living sacrifice for you and me.-

Because God LOVES us.

What is the COST of LOVE?

Death!

Death of God Himself.

But it doesn’t end there!

There was also a resurrection!

In that resurrection fo Jesus, life was given.

The ransom was paid, and our lives were restored.

Imagine, lives being restored through death.

We may never fully understand the extreme sacrifice Jesus paid for us.

But, we do get a glimpse of how His life touched ours.

2,000 years after Jesus’ ministry on this earth, we reap the benefits of His life as a human.

He has touched our lives because of His Love for us.

What does Love cost you?

Not in currency, or things, or preferences.

But what of YOURSELF are you giving to others, in light of Jesus’ sacrifices?

Remember Linda Birtish?

There’s more to that story.

We left off with a 28 year old man being thankful, and writing a thank you letter to the Eye Bank, for receiving sight from eyes donated by an artist named Linda.

The story continues:

Furthermore, he said he wanted to thank the parents of the donor.

They must indeed be magnificent folks to have a child who would give away her eyes.

He was given the name of the Birtish family and he decided to fly in to see them on Staten Island.

He arrived unannounced and rang the doorbell.

After hearing his introduction, Mrs. Birtish reached out and embraced him.

She said, “Young man, if you’ve got nowhere to go, my husband and I would love for you to spend your weekend with us.”

He stayed, and as he was looking around Linda’s room, he saw that she’d read Plato.

He’d read Plato in Braille.

She’d read Hegel.

He’d read Hegel in Braille.

The next morning Mrs.

Birtish was looking at him and said, “You know, I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere before, but I don’t know where.”

All of a sudden she remembered.

She ran upstairs and pulled out the last picture Linda had ever drawn.

It was a portrait of her ideal man.

The picture was virtually identical to this young man who had received Linda’s eyes.

Then her mother read the last poem Linda had written on her deathbed.

It read: