Imitators of God

BELIEVE AND LIVE

SERMON 10

“IMITATORS OF GOD”

CENTRAL IDEA OF THE TEXT (CIT): YOU SHOULD STOP COMMITTING EVIL SINS, WHICH BRING THE WRATH OF GOD ON PEOPLE, SINCE THOSE ARE THE DEEDS OF DARKNESS, AND YOU ARE CHILDREN OF LIGHT.

PROPOSITION: WE IMITATE GOD WHEN WE WALK IN LIVE, IN WISDOM AND IN FRUITFULNESS.

INTRODUCTION:

FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WE’VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE EXPECTATIONS THE APOSTLE PAUL IS BEGINNING TO DETAIL IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS.

PAUL MAKES THIS TRANSITION BETWEEN CHAPTERS THREE AND FOUR, AND TO THIS POINT WE HAVE LOOKED AT WHAT GOD EXPECTS OF BELIEVERS IS A NUMBER OF AREAS, SUCH AS ATTITUDE, HOW TO LIVE THE NEW WALK OF THE BELIEVER, AND A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, BECAUSE IT WAS FATHER’S DAY, WE SKIPPED AHEAD AND LOOKED AT GOD’S EXPECTATION FOR MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS.

TODAY, I WANT US TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 5, WHERE PAUL BEGINS TO GIVE US A PICTURE OF WHAT LOVE – THAT IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST, IMPACTING US SO THAT WE CAN IMPACT OTHERS – WHAT THAT LOVE LOOKS LIKE.

SO TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND TURN WITH ME TO EPHESIANS, CHAPTER 5, AND LET’S READ VERSES 1 THROUGH 14.

STAND WITH ME, IF YOU ARE ABLE, AS WE HONOR THE READING OF THE WORD OF THE LIVING GOD.

STAND – READ – PRAY

I WISH I HAD TIME TO SHARE WITH ALL THAT IS IN THIS PASSAGE, BUT TIME JUST WON’T ALLOW IT.

THEREFORE, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT JUST GO HOME AND RE-READ THIS PASSAGE, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO HOME AND STUDY THIS PASSAGE.

BECAUSE IT IS PREGNANT WITH TRUTH THAT WILLHELP YOU IN YOUR WALK WITH CHRIST.

BUT LET ME SHAR A FEW THOUGHTS ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO IMITATE GOD.

HOW CAN I TELL IF A PERSON IS TRULY TRYING TO IMITATE GOD?

WELL, HERE’S THE ANSWER.

LOOK AT THE FIRST FEATURE OF A PERSON WHO IS TRYING TO IMITATE GOD.

1. TO IMITATE GOD, YOU MUST WALK IN LOVE.

a. EXPLANATION

i. AND WALKING IN LOVE REQUIRES SACRIFICE.

1. (ESV) – 2 AND WALK IN LOVE, AS CHRIST LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US, A FRAGRANT OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD.

ii. WALKING IN LOVE ALSO REQUIRES PURITY.

1. (ESV) – 3 BUT SEXUAL IMMORALITY AND ALL IMPURITY OR COVETOUSNESS MUST NOT EVEN BE NAMED AMONG YOU, AS IS PROPER AMONG SAINTS. 4 LET THERE BE NO FILTHINESS NOR FOOLISH TALK NOR CRUDE JOKING, WHICH ARE OUT OF PLACE, BUT INSTEAD LET THERE BE THANKSGIVING. 5 FOR YOU MAY BE SURE OF THIS, THAT EVERYONE WHO IS SEXUALLY IMMORAL OR IMPURE, OR WHO IS COVETOUS (THAT IS, AN IDOLATER), HAS NO INHERITANCE IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST AND GOD.

iii. WHAT WE SEE HERE IS THAT WE ARE CALLED TO PURSUE PURITY IN TWO AREAS OF LIFE…

1. FIRST, WE ARE CALLED TO SEXUAL PURITY.

a. PAUL REFERS HERE TO SEXUAL IMMORALITY, IMPURITY, AND COVETOUSNESS.

i. YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THESE THREE THINGS ARE ALL CONNECTED WHEN IT COMES TO SEXUAL IMPURITY.

b. SEXUAL IMMORALITY IS OFTEN THE END RESULT OF AN IMPURE, COVETOUS HEART.

c. SO GOD MAKES IT CLEAR HERE THAT WE ARE TO GUARD AGAINST SEXUAL IMPURITY.

d. WE ARE CALLED TO SEXUAL PURITY.

2. WE ARE ALSO CALLED TO CONVERSATIONAL PURITY.

a. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR THAT THE WORDS A PERSON SPEAKS ARE AN INDICATION OF THE CONDITION OF THAT PERSON’S HEART.

b. (ESV) - …FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS.

3. A SANCTIFIED HEART SHOULD RESULT IN A SANCTIFIED MOUTH.

b. ILLUSTRATION

i. THINK OF THE PROGRESSION TO SIN, AS DESCRIBED IN JAMES, CHAPTER 1.

1. (ESV) - 14 BUT EACH PERSON IS TEMPTED WHEN HE IS LURED AND ENTICED BY HIS OWN DESIRE. 15 THEN DESIRE WHEN IT HAS CONCEIVED GIVES BIRTH TO SIN, AND SIN WHEN IT IS FULLY GROWN BRINGS FORTH DEATH.

a. I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU READ THAT PASSAGE, BUT THE WAY I READ IT MAKES IT CLEAR TO ME THAT FOR EVERY PERSON, SIN IS A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO ACT UPON THE DESIRES THAT ALREADY DWELL WITHIN THE HUMAN HEART.

b. IN OTHER WORDS, SIN IS YOUR PROBLEM, AND SIN IS MY PROBLEM.

c. YOU CANNOT BLAME ANYONE ELSE FOR YOUR SIN, AND I CANNOT BLAME ANYONE ELSE FOR MY SIN.

c. APPLICATION

i. THIS BEING THE CASE, BELIEVERS ARE COMMANDED TO PRACTICE SEXUAL PURITY AND CONVERSATIONAL PURITY.

ii. WE ARE IMITATORS OF GOD WHEN WE ARE STRIVING TO LIVE SACRIFICIAL, PURE LIVES.

2. TO IMITATE GOD, YOU MUST ALSO WALK IN WISDOM.

a. (ESV) – 6 LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU WITH EMPTY WORDS, FOR BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS THE WRATH OF GOD COMES UPON THE SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE. 7 THEREFORE DO NOT BECOME PARTNERS WITH THEM; 8 FOR AT ONE TIME YOU WERE DARKNESS, BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD. WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT 9 (FOR THE FRUIT OF LIGHT IS FOUND IN ALL THAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT AND TRUE), 10 AND TRY TO DISCERN WHAT IS PLEASING TO THE LORD.

b. EXPLANATION

i. WISDOM IS VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM KNOWLEDGE.

1. SOME OF THE WISEST PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE NO ADVANCED DEGREES.

2. BUT THEY HAVE COMMON SENSE.

3. THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASSESS A SITUATION, AND DETERMINE WHAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE.

c. ILLUSTRATION

i. THERE IS GREAT DANGER IN EMPTY WORDS.

ii. EMPTY WORDS, AS PAUL STATES IT HERE, ARE WORDS THAT ARE DEVOID OF ANY ADVANTAGE OR BENEFIT.

iii. WORDS THAT ARE SELF-SERVING.

iv. TYPICALLY, THESE ARE WORDS SPOKEN TO GIVE ADVANTAGE TO THE SPEAKER, NOT TO THE LISTENER.

d. GOD’S WORD CAUTIONS US HERE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO LISTEN TO EMPTY WORDS, NOT TO “BECOME PARTNERS” WITH THOSE WHO SPEAK THEM, BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME, THE SPEAKERS OF EMPTY WORDS HAVE NO INTEREST IN WHAT IS PLEASING OT THE LORD.

e. APPLICATION

i. WE IMITATE GOD WHEN WE EXERCISE GODLY WISDOM.

3. FINALLY, TO IMITATE GOD, YOU MUST WALK IN FRUITFULNESS.

a. (ESV) – 11 TAKE NO PART IN THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT INSTEAD EXPOSE THEM. 12 FOR IT IS SHAMEFUL EVEN TO SPEAK OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO IN SECRET. 13 BUT WHEN ANYTHING IS EXPOSED BY THE LIGHT, IT BECOMES VISIBLE, 14 FOR ANYTHING THAT BECOMES VISIBLE IS LIGHT. THEREFORE IT SAYS, “AWAKE, O SLEEPER, AND ARISE FROM THE DEAD, AND CHRIST WILL SHINE ON YOU.”

b. EXPLANATION

i. THE EXPECTATION OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THAT THERE IS A DIVORCING OF ONE’S PAST BEHAVIORS, THOSE BEHAVIORS WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERED UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS…

ii. AND THAT THERE WOULD BE A REPLACEMENT OF THOSE BEHAVIORS WITH ACTVITIES WHICH GLORIFY GOD AND BEAR FRUIT FOR THE KINGDOM.

c. ILLUSTRATION

i. THIS DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT GOD IS GOING TO CALL YOU TO VOCATIONAL MINISTRY, BUT HE COULD.

ii. IT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT GOD IS GOING TO CALL YOU TO BE A MISSIONARY INSOME FAR AWAY LAND, BUR HE COULD.

iii. IT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT GOD IS GOING TO CALL TO PREACH, BUT HE COULD.

iv. BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT GOD EXPECTS EVERY BELIEVER TO PRODUCE FRUIT FOR THE KINGDOM.

v. AND PEOPLE ARE SHAPED AND FORMED DIFFERENTLY, SO THAT EVERYONE IN THE KINGDOM HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER.

1. SOME PEOPLE ARE GIFTED AS TEACHERS.

a. IF THIS IS YOU, YOU SHOULD USE YOUR TEACHING ABILITY FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

2. SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BLESSED FINANCIALLY.

a. IF THIS IS YOU, YOU SHOULD USE YOUR FINANCIAL BLESSING AS A WAY TO BLESS GOD.

3. SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT BLESSED WITH SPEAKING GIFTS, OR THE ABILITY TO TEACH, BUT THEY HAVE OTHER RESOURCES THEY CAN OFFER TO BLESS THE LORD AND OTHERS THROUGH HIS CHURCH.

vi. THE REALITY IS THAT WE ALL ARE PRODUCING SOME KIND OF FRUIT.

1. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT KIND?

d. APPLICATION

i. WE IMITATE GOD WHEN WE PRODUCE KINGDOM FRUIT.

CONCLUSION:

SO HERE’S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO THIS MORNING.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT AND DO A SELF-ASSESSMENT.

TAKE STOCK OF YOUR LIFE.

OTHER THAN GOD, NO ONE KNOWS YOU LIKE YOU KNOW YOURSELF.

ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS…

AM I WALKING IN LOVE?

AM I WALKNG IN WISDOM?

AM I WALKING IN FRUITFULNESS?

IF YOU ANSWER NO TO ANY OF THOSE THREE QUESTIONS, THEN YOU MAY BE IN ONE OF TWO CONDITIONS.

- THE FIRST IS THE DISOBEDIENT BELIEVER.

o YOU MAY BE A CHRISTIAN, BUT YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DISOBEDIENT TO THE COMMANDS OF THE LORD, AND TO HIS CALLNG ON YOUR LIFE.

o IF THIS IS YOU, YOU NEED TO ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR DISOBEDIENCE, AND PLEDGE ANEW THAT YOU WILL WALK IN LOVE, WISDOM, AND FORGIVENESS.

- THE SECOND IS THE CONDITION OF A LOST SEEKER.

o YOU HAVE NEVER REPENTED OF YOUR SINS AND ASKED GOD FOR FORGIVENESS, PLACING YOUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

o IF THIS IS YOU, YOU NEED, TODAY, TO ADMIT YOUR SINFUL CONDITION TO GOD, ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU, TURNING FROM YOUR SINS, AND RECEIVE CHRIST BY FAITH, TRUSTING HIM TO SAVE YOU.