Walking Worthy: A Call to Love Like Christ

Introduction

Message Title: Walking Worthy: A Call to Love Like Christ

Bible Passage: Ephesians 5:1-6

A son washing his fathers car and the neighbor. Not paid, just because of the love for His father.

Ephesians 5:1–2 “1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

Therefore

The calling to walk worthy

Ephesians 2:10 “10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Ephesians 4:1 “1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,”

Eph 4:25-32 (exhortations)

Imitators of God

Walk in love

Christ’s sacrifice

Ephesians 5:25 “25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,”

Galatians 2:20 “20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

fragrant aroma

Exodus 29:18 “18 “You shall offer up in smoke the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the Lord: it is a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 2:14–15 “14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;”

Actions opposite to love

Ephesians 5:3 “3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;”

Colossians 3:3–5 NASB95

3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

“Idolatry”

Immorality

porneia-sexual immorality

fornication, sexually impure

stealing from future spouse/their future spouse

Impurity

being unclean

Greed

uncontrolled appetite

Articulation opposite to love (speech)

Ephesians 5:4 “4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.”

Filthiness

Matthew 12:34 NASB95

34 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

Ephesians 4:29 NASB95

29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Silly talk

Be serious

Coarse jesting

Do not be common

“stay in wholesome areas of speech”

Conclusion

Ephesians 5:5–6 “5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

v5

1 Corinthians 6:9 NASB95

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,

v6

Colossians 2:8 NASB95

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.