Riches of a love life

Walking in the imitation of Christ, walking in His footsteps of love and walking in the light is not an easy thing to do, but it is worth it. We have been called to walk worthy of the calling (Eph4:1) now comes some warnings and encouragement.

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When you were a child did you ever put on and walk in your mom or dad’s shoes? They were way to big, but still you tried, didn’t you? Have you heard the expression “those are some big shoes to fill?” You know when you are stepping into a position that someone who was beloved was in before you.

Imitating Christ, walking in Christ is some mighty big shoes to fill, but we are not left unequipped for it. God has given us His Spirit and His instructions on how to walk in Christ’s shoes.

We now come to chapter 5 and continue on the who we should be as the church, how we are to walk worthy in which we were called (Eph4:1)

We have been called to be:

Holy and blameless (Eph1:4)

Son’s, made, called by Jesus Himself (Eph1:5)

Fellow citizens of heaven with the saints (Eph2:19)

Members of God’s household (Eph2:19)

A holy temple in the Lord (Eph2:21)

Fellow heirs, partakers of His promise (Eph3:6)

In our passage today it is about walking as children of light and love. Learning to walk in the imitation of Christ. You know that children often mimic what they see, in their parents, grandparents and even peers, sometimes to the good, and sometimes to the not so good. Sometimes bringing pride, sometimes bringing embarrassment. When we walk in love, when we walk as light we are not going to embarrass our Father in heaven.

We should walk in love (1JN4:8; Eph5:1-7)

1 John 4:8 NASB95

8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

For God is love, and since we know God we should walk in love.

We should walk in light as light (1Jn1:5; Eph5:8)

1 John 1:5 NASB95

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

For He is the Light and in our passage today we are told you are Light! So walk in the light of the Lord

As children of God we should display God’s love

As children of God we should shine the God’s Light into the darkness

Walk in love

Walking in love by following Christ’s example. Walk in love that is pure and unhindered. Walk in love knowing who we are in Christ.

Ephesians 5:1–2 NASB95

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.

We all know God’s love, we all know Jn3:16

John 3:16 NASB95

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Knowing and walking are different are they not? As Christians we are called to imitate God as beloved children (Jn3:16; 1Jn3:2; Col1:13)

1 John 3:2 NASB95

2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

We will be like Him, why? Because we were transferred out of the darkness.

Colossians 1:13 NASB95

13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

Out of the darkness into the kingdom of the beloved Son, invited to be partakers of His nature (2Pt1:4)

2 Peter 1:4 NASB95

4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

Partakers that are well loved (Mt3:17)

Matthew 3:17 NASB95

17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

OK, if we are imitating Christ, if we are love, if we are walking in love, walking in the imitation of love, then the Father will be well pleased with us.

As we follow Christ’s example; it teaches us how to walk in love (Jn13:34-35; 1Jn3:16-17)

John 13:34–35 NASB95

34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

and add to that one

1 John 3:16–17 NASB95

16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

He love us sacrificially, when he became a sacrifice for our sins, a fragrant aroma, pleasing to God. We too when we walk in love are to be a living, holy sacrifice, acceptable to God (Rom12:1; Jn15:13)

Romans 12:1 NASB95

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

For there is no greater love

John 15:13 NASB95

13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

His sacrifice reconciled us, and should lead to our response, to walk in love (Rom5:10; Eph2:-2; Lev3:16; Rom13:8)

Paul in his elaboration about Christ and His sacrifice says

Romans 5:10 NASB95

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Saved by His sacrificial life of love, even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins.

Ephesians 2:1–2 NASB95

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

We, when we walk in the love of Christ, as a light can be a sweet, soothing aroma

Leviticus 3:16 NASB95

16 ‘The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the Lord’s.

Christ is all the sacrifices wrapped up in one. He is the sweet savor offering, the burnt offering, the meal offering and the peace offering. Meaning there is no other offering, no other sacrifice needed.

Because we know these things our response to His love for us should be our love for Him

Romans 13:8 NASB95

8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Walking in love, loving our neighbor is possible because of God’s love poured out for us (Rom5:5)

Romans 5:5 NASB95

5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Walk in love that is pure

Paul goes on to tell us things that a person walking in love should not have, or partake of.

Ephesians 5:3–4 NASB95

3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Ephesians 5:5–6 NASB95

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.

Ephesians 5:7 NASB95

7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;

Our walk of love should be free from any hint of immorality or greed (Eph5:3)

Our walk of love should not display any words not fit for kingdom (Eph5:4)

Our walk needs to be worthy of the kingdom of Christ and not the wrath of God on the sons of disobedience (Eph5:5-7)

Look a that list, immorality, impurity greed.

No filthiness, silly talk, course jesting ,

Why? for no immoral, impure person, no covetous man, who is an idolater will have inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

These things should not even be named among the children of love, the children of light, for it is not fitting. Not fitting of our new character, our new nature, our new identity in Christ and our new destination the kingdom of heaven.

These things are who we were and not who we are as we walk in love and walk in the light. Here is who we are and how we should be (1Pt2:9; Php2:14-16)

1 Peter 2:9 NASB95

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

But with knowing, comes responsibility too, we are to walk in love, because we are chosen, royal, holy, God’s own possession. We are to walk as children of light.

Philippians 2:14–15 NASB95

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

Ephesians 2:16 NASB95

16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Those things in which we were we put to death when our sins were forgiven.

Don’t be easily deceived, for there are many deceivers out there peddling worldly, fleshly views that are contrary to God’s Word and God’s justice.

So the challenge to walk in love will display a walk that is light too.

Walk as light

Be a light walker, walking as light in the Lord. Light that dispels darkness.

Ephesians 5:8–9 NASB95

8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

Ephesians 5:10 NASB95

10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Before Christ, we were darkness; Now we are Light of the Lord (Eph5:8)

Were darkness, now we are light, so walk as children of light.

Walking in light produces fruit that is not found in darkness (Eph5:9)

Goodness

Righteouesness

Truth

By bearing, showing, demonstrating such fruit, we are proving (demonstrating) light that is well pleasing to the Lord. (Eph5:10; Rom12:1-2)

Ephesians 5:10 NASB95

10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

What is pleasing is the acceptable sacrifice noted in Rom12:1-2 that we already mentioned.

As Children of love and children of light we do not participate in the deeds of darkness but expose them. (Eph5:11-13)

Ephesians 5:11–12 NASB95

11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

Ephesians 5:13 NASB95

13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

Darkness is the absence of light, so as light we exposes the darkness and it becomes visible. Not only does it expose it, it dispels it and turns the darkness into light.

Things we expose, fornication, uncleaness, covetousness, (Eph5:3-4)

These things are even disgraceful to speak of (Eph5:12)

Here is some application right now

Ephesians 5:13 NASB95

13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

When you, who are love, you, who are light, come into the presence of darkness, our example, our Christian example of love, and light walking will expose the deeds of darkness. By our life, by God’s Word may the darkness be revealed.

Keep in mind that this letter is written to believers. Even believers who are light, if they are not careful can allow the darkness of this world to push out the light of His love for us and the riches of a love life. Hence why we need to be sober, alert, diligent in our walk as children of love, Children of light, knowing how to walk as children of light.

Ephesians 5:14 NASB95

14 For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

The light in us is not our light, it is His light in us that dispels the darkness in us and radiates out of us to others. It it not about us telling others what they are doing wrong in a negative sense, it is us being light and letting the light of His love shine through us to them that they may come to know what darkness is and how to dispel it.

(lead to invitation)

(insert invitation slide#1-be love, be light saved on computer already)

Don’t let the darkness of this world overshadow the light of the World. We are to be love, we are to be light and we cannot be those things without Christ being in us (expand, invitation now)