Twelve Stones - Lesson 11 - Selflessness

Joshua 4:21-22, ‘…When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know…’

The Lord has taken us from captivity and allowed us to enter His Promised Land.
We have been in turn handed the awesome responsibility of walking differently
of loving differently and teaching differently.
Have we forgotten where we came from?
Have we forgotten where we are going?
Let’s not forget our foundation and let’s certainly not forget
to pass the torch to the next generation.


Some synonyms for the word selflessness: unselfishness, self-sacrifice and altruism

Opposite of this word would be selfishness


Is this generation here now more selfish than the one before?
So apparently they forgot to pass something on to the next generation.
I think it was the attitude,
‘My children aren’t going to work hard like I did…’
‘My children aren’t going through what I went through…’

Aren’t we withholding blessings from our children if we do not allow them to be stronger?


You cannot win without sacrifice. -Buxton


1Corinthians 10:33, ‘Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.’

Please, so far as is consistent with fidelity to God and to others.

What can you tell us of your sacrifice to others…





2Corinthians 12:5, ‘Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.’

Does this verse say anything to you?





Matthew 16:25, ‘For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.’

What advice do you have for us to keep our eyes off of ourselves?





Romans 14:21, ‘It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.’

If we don’t say it we think it.
‘If they don’t like it too bad.’
This verse tells us differently.

Do you have any practical advice to help us with this issue?





1Corinthians 10:24, ‘Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth’

I don’t believe we could truly enjoy our reward if we knew
someone else was out there suffering because of it.

Can’t we then rest and find glory if we go without something,
And know someone is out there better in their life because of what we went without?


It is what we give up, not what we lay up, that adds to our lasting store. -Ballou

You’re thoughts…





Philippians 2:4, ‘Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.’

Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices. -Emerson

How can we keep our eyes focused on others?





That which we should value in ourselves and in one another is the dignity of God's image and the great price at which we were bought. -Anonymous

So here are some example’s if Christ’s self-sacrifice.

John 15:13, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’

I believe we would die for our spouse and children.
This verse says friends…
It doesn’t say brother and sister in Christ…

Your thoughts…





Galatians 1:4, ‘Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:’

He died 2000 years ago for us.
Before we even sinned, he died for our sins.
He died for those who rejected and still reject Him.
Do you think Jesus said to His Father, ‘What’s in it for me?’

Don’t we say that, or certainly think that at times?





1John 3:16, ‘Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.’

I believe we would.

What are your closing thoughts for this lesson?





Next week’s lesson will be on service.

next chapter

back to index