We usually think of Jesus’ sacrifice for us at Easter time.  We recall His willingness to submit to His Father’s will and endure the agony of the crucifixion.  Indeed, that was a great sacrifice which bought us our eternal salvation, but there was another sacrifice that Jesus made long before He was nailed to the cross.

Jesus was in a beautiful place; surrounded by those who loved Him.  He enjoyed being with His Father and the angels sang His praises day and night.  His life was filled with peace and love, hope and happiness.  Yet, Jesus saw the condition of mankind and chose to become our Savior.

He chose to come as a little baby, born to an unwed mother.  He chose to be born in a dusty stable, surrounded by animals, instead of in a palace.  He was the son of a carpenter and grew up in the obscure village of Nazareth.  He chose to live a life of simplicity, when He actually had a right to all things.

Jesus never really had a home of his own as an adult.  He travelled and slept under the stars.  Basically, He was homeless.  No one believed that He was the Son of God. In fact He was accused of blasphemy for making such a claim.  He hung out with a strange bunch of guys and was hated by the church leaders of His day.

Isaiah53:5 tells us about His suffering for us.  He was beaten, spat upon, cursed, and made to carry his own cross up Golgotha.  He knew from the beginning of time all the things He would suffer for us, yet to still chose to do it.  He understood His destiny long before that night in the stable.  He knew what had to be done and He was the only one in the universe pure enough to do it.

Yet, knowing all the pain and ugliness that awaited Him in this life, still He chose to come.  This is the ultimate sacrifice.  He wasn’t forced to leave His Father’s side.  No one demanded that He give up His home in Heaven.  He chose to do it because of His great love for us.  This I believe this is the forgotten sacrifice.  This was the beginning of a life filled with sacrifices.  His journey to the cross was the completion of plan, but His sacrifice came much earlier in the history of Christendom.

Let’s remember this sacrifice as we celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus into this world.  Let’s realize that it was a choice He made; a choice to lay His own life down for others.  Thank you Jesus for that sacrifice.