On June 18th, just about three weeks ago, fire swept through a furniture warehouse in Charleston, S.C., collapsing its roof and claiming the lives of nine firefighters, the worst single loss of U. S. firefighters' lives, since the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York City.  Firefighters had entered the showroom to search of victims, because the store had been open for business at the time.  The firemen also attempted to prevent further spread of the fire. 
    Sacrifice for the sake of others, like these brave firemen, is a concept that we all can easily understand.  Sacrificial love is also central to the life and  gospel of Jesus Christ, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another!”  (1 John 4:10-11) These verses are speaking about sacrificial love: God’s first, then ours.
    When Christ came into the world, He came into a world that was hostile to the one true God.  The world worshiped idols instead of the true God.  Yet, God so loved all the world that He sent His one and only Son into the world to be the atoning sacrifice, the offering for sin, as verse 10 above says.  God first loved us, so that He sent His Son into the world to be the sacrifice for the sin of the world.  That sacrifice took place on the cross! 
    We see in the cross that the God, who is love, displayed His love for all people, because on the cross Jesus died for the sin of all people.  So, we see in Jesus, in His death on the cross, what true love is--it is sacrificial!
    Since God first loved all people in Christ, we, in response, are to love one another.  The nature of this love is also sacrificial. 
    We sacrifice ourselves, whenever we help others.  Firefighters risk their lives every time they go into a burning building.  Police officers put themselves in danger every time they stop a car for a traffic violation.  Parents sacrifice themselves, year after year, in doing what is best for their children.  Teachers sacrifice themselves in expending their time and effort in teaching our children.   Pastors sacrifice themselves in bringing the good news of Christ to lost and troubled families and individuals. 
    Each of us, every time, we intervene to help others must necessarily give of ourselves, our time, our money, our emotions.  We sacrifice ourselves for others, thus showing the sacrificial love of Christ in our lives to those around us. 
    It’s all about sacrificial love: God’s first, then ours!