Walk in Love, Imitating God
Notes
Transcript
THEREFORE…
THEREFORE…
Imitate God!
Imitate God!
This is a command, not a suggestion. Paul knew he could not make it a suggestion - the Imperative of Imitate is needed.
This is why the call of discipleship is so hard, because on the one hand it is imitating God - we will come back to that in a moment.
On the other hand, the devil throws so many insufficient alternatives at our feet and this tactic hasn’t changed over the millennia, he has only added technology to his lies.
If he can get us to give our time and heart to something else, to anything else - then we are tempted to imitate that something or someone just by sheer volume of investment.
Here’s a couple of examples from my childhood that I gave some time to.
My sisters loved Cabbage Patch kids - and they had to have some JELLY Shoes.
What about TV? You may remember a few plans coming together on Tuesday nights with the A-Team!
Then When it came to music, there was this guy - this rapper named MC Hammer - and I HAD TO HAVE SOME Pants like that!
They didn’t make me a rapper?!
Every
When I tried to wear those pants - and I had to have a pair - I ended up something like MC Whitebread and his
Back to why we should Imitate God.... Why? First and foremost, He’s the only One Worthy of Worship, the only worthy of imitating.
Back to why we should Imitate God.... Why? First and foremost, He’s the only One Worthy of Worship, the only worthy of imitating.
Because He loved us and gave Himself up for us.
Because He loved us and gave Himself up for us.
We’re forgiven - and are to reflect our BELOVED status as Children.
We’re forgiven - and are to reflect our BELOVED status as Children.
Walk in Love JUST AS Christ...
He walked in Love,
gave Himself as a FRAGRANT Offering
offering and sacrifice to God.
we are urged to do the same as imitators.
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.
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.
Act like BELOVED Children of God
Act like BELOVED Children of God
Do not take this for granted! Act like sons and daughters of the King!
HOW? Five examples based on immoral lifestyle...
Immorality -
Impurity
Greed
No Filthiness
Silly Talk / Coarse Jesting