Treasure Hunt: Reflections on Sacrifice

Sacrifice is a concept we see all over the Judeo-Christian faith tradition - from the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament to the sacrifices of the apostles, not to mention what we consider the ‘supreme sacrifice’ - the death of Jesus Christ. 

I think we do well in grasping the theological significance of sacrifice. From this perspective, we learn that sacrifice can serve as worship, to atone for sin, and to help maintain a relationship with God. 

One thing I hope to do through my work is to push us beyond mere dogma so that we can understand why we believe what we believe. I have found in my journey that when I have started with a strong “why,” there is a greater sense of direction, empowerment, and purpose. 

In other words, we want to move beyond being sheep who simply believe factual religious information because we have been taught to. We want to acquire a faith and spirituality that is empowered and grounded in a tangible experience of God. 

As I said, sacrifice is one of those topics we tend to read about in the Bible or learn about in Church, but let’s be honest, its application for us in modern times remains fairly vague. 

What I will do is offer a perspective on sacrifice that attempts to move beyond simple religious significance into something that is an essential part of the human experience, especially the human spiritual experience. I will explain why the truth of sacrifice remains just as important today as it was for our ancient brothers and sisters.

A sacrifice is the laying down of what we personally or collectively think is extremely valuable - whether in mind, body, or spirit. But this is about so much more than just making God happy.  

There’s something to be learned about ourselves through the process of sacrifice. Our very reality is structured around what we find to be the most valuable.We invest all of ourselves - our mind, body, and spirit - into what we find truly valuable. If we can shift what we find valuable, everything changes around us.  

The true Christian life of surrender is about a hunt for hidden treasure - the glorious riches of the inner Christ. It is depth of wisdom and insight into the mystery of Christ, who lives within a new humanity, the Body of Christ. 

The title of this teaching is “treasure hunt.” How does a treasure hunt relate to sacrifice? The answer is that, in reality, they are the same thing. How? 

Jesus said, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, Luke 12:34). Jesus connects an outward reality - treasure, with an inward one - the human heart. The implication is that there is a connection between what is happening within us and something we find of value in our experience.

Investing every part of us into God’s reality, the kingdom of heaven is the call of every true Christian. This call is so much more than duty - this is an adventure into the unknown with God so that we may discover more about ourselves and our true identity in Jesus Christ. The treasure is in the transformative process, where we become filled with the wisdom and life of God.

Think of someone on a treasure hunt. They venture into the unknown -  facing fear, death and God knows what else because their imagination and intuition tell them that something much greater lies at the end of it all. They sacrifice resources and energy in the present to potentially gain something in the unknown future. 

Christianity (and our churches) have largely lost our sense of spiritual adventure. We believe our treasure lies in the shadowy beyond (“heaven”), not in a tangible experience of God’s presence in mind, body, and spirit (the “kingdom of heaven”). As such, there is no real reason to sacrifice, to give up what feels known or safe for the potential of something far greater.

True Christianity is surrender. The surrendering of what is known, what is safe, what is comfortable, for the manifestation of God’s reality in our minds and bodies. 

A major obstacle to spiritual progress in our modern world is our deep trust in what is fleeting - be it finances, relationships, or systems of thinking. These things may provide the illusion of safety, but they are transient. The form of this world is passing away (1 Corinthians 7:31). Our very reality is shifting to make way for the manifestation of God’s reality, God’s kingdom. 

Sacrifice teaches us about ourselves - where the allegiance of our heart lies, where our treasure truly is. Sacrifice teaches us to move beyond ourselves so that we can truly learn and truly know.

Reflecting on my own path, I think of my own path of sacrifice and surrender. This was a career, this was relationships, finances, etc. I can say with confidence that all these things at the time felt like my whole world. I structured my very identity around them. But they were nothing compared to what I learned through the process of giving them up. They were nothing compared with the reality of knowing God on a much deeper and experiential level. That glory came through sacrifice.

When we step against our fear and into the unknown, we meet God. True faith, a faith that moves beyond mere dogma and knowledge, requires risk and sacrifice. When sacrifice truly costs us something, God honors it. 

I offer this teaching to encourage you to follow God’s promptings because there is spiritual power and value in genuine sacrifice. Maybe it’s something you know needs to be set aside in your life because it is blocking a greater inflow of God into your experience. 

I would encourage you that this happens because there is something so much greater available to you not only in the future, but in process of self-reflection and transformation that comes through true sacrifice. 

This is why Paul links sacrifice with the mind in Romans 12: 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) 

The implication is that sacrifices transforms our very existence so that we can know and experience not only the will of God, but the presence and power of God. Sacrifice has a transformative power on both the mental and spiritual planes. It reveals to us both ourselves and glorious reality of God’s presence in, through, and around us.