Every Easter, beginning on Palm Sunday, Christians enter into Holy Week, when they consider the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for you and me.

But, consider the sacrifices He made just prior to His greatest sacrifice: the crucifixion.

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead to prophesy a future resurrection — even though He knew the act of raising Lazarus would so terrify the religious leaders that they would immediately begin plotting His death (John 11:47-53).

He entered into Jerusalem with humility to declare God’s Kingdom. He shared bread and wine to enlighten His disciples about the life they could enjoy through His death. Jesus prayed earnestly in a garden and asked others to keep watch with Him before the end.

All these actions required a sound mind, self-control, a focused prayer life. If you or I were about to be executed, our focus might be elsewhere. But, Jesus’ focus was always on His love for the Father and His love for us. And because of His great love, Jesus’ whole life was a sacrifice before He ever went to die on the cross.