Love Walk - part 1 (Eph 5:1)
July 10, 2019

EPHESIANS 5:1

The word “Christian” hardly appears in the New Testament, but the word “Christian” only appears in the New Testament three times..

“CHRISTIANS” were called:
- followers of THE WAY
- disciples
- fellow members

PAUL IN SPEAKING TO BELIVERS AND GIVES THEM A HIGHER CALLING…

BE IMITATORS:
DISCIPLESHIP MEANT INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP AND CONNECTION WITH YOUR RABBI
A good Christian imitates the pattern of life modeled for us by Jesus.

… OF GOD

Matthew 5:48 -
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

When a verse strikes you as impossible or strange or out of place there are several things you should do:

1. Compare it to the verses around it for context.
2. Look at the Greek/Hebrew definition for that word
3. Look for other verses that use that term and see how it’s used.

The Greek word - teleios and it can mean ‘perfect’ but is more usually used to refer to maturity or wholeness.

1 Corinthians 2:6 NLT - “Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten.”

teleios means mature… able to understand.

Philippians 3:15 - “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

teleios means mature… to have the same mind even when we see things differently.

James 1:4 - But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

teleios means mature to the finish… to allow patience work with us and through us.

2 Corinthians 4:7 - “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

The extraordinary power - is God’s glory that shines THROUGH US!

As Christians we are not called to be perfect.

We are called to be who we are with all our cracks and imperfections, knowing that God’s glory will shine through those cracks into the world around us and that the gold of God’s love will mend our brokenness into something far more beautiful than it was before.

EPH. 5:1 - “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;”

OUR MOTIVATION for imitating God is that He is our loving FATHER!

EPHESIANS 5:1 MSG
“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love.”

The Law tells us to love God; the Gospel tells us that we are loved by God.

WE ARE A

OF FAITH!

WE ARE THE

OF GOD!

Our divine Parentage is as real as, but infinitely more enduring than, our human parentage

**FIRST,

it means how Jesus loved**

1 John 3:1 - 3
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

LOVE is ajgaphtav (agapeta) which in classical times with reference to children “particularly referred to an only child to whom the parents had devoted all their love”!

This is a jealous and devoted love being showered upon redeemed humanity - we’re not just forgiven, but adopted.

v. 2 - 3
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

This PURITY refers to purity of our soul… our mind, will and emotions…
UNDERSTANDING our calling as sons and daughters of God, should cause us to want to

1 Peter 2:21
21
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

THIS EXAMPLE IS SO:
WE CAN WE LOVE GOD AS JESUS LOVED HIM -
John 5:19 - ”
Jesus followed the Father out of love…
John 14:15 “If you love me you keep my commandments.”
Jealously sought for time in the temple (be about my father’s business)
If it be thy will… to go through difficulty - we do through love.

WE LOVE PEOPLE AS JESUS LOVED THEM -
Jesus loved people by spending time with them.
Zacceus didn’t have his life right when Jesus had dinner.
He also had dinner with Levi (Matthew) before they had it right.
Luke 15:2 - ”
Jesus love his followers by serving/honoring them
We honor others by serving them.
Jesus knelt to wash feet.

SECOND, it means we imitate Jesus’ beliefs

Romans 12:1-2
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

AN IMITATOR asks:
“Well, what did Jesus believe about that? What did Jesus teach? My view of life, the world, truth, as a Christian, needs to be shaped by Jesus ALONE!”

If there is one aspect of discipleship that is neglected by most people in the church today, imitating Jesus also involves doing what Jesus did, not just believing what he believed or loving the way he loved. Imitating Christ means doing what Jesus did.

THIRD, we operate how Jesus operated -

Acts 10:37-38
37 “That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

The imitation of Christ also involves Jesus’ ministry of healing.

This is where a lot of modern Bible commentaries jump ship. They say: “Yes, we will imitate Jesus’ ethics. Yes, we’ll imitate Jesus’ doctrine and beliefs. Yes, we’ll imitate Jesus’ going around doing good. But clearly in the modern world, we don’t go around trying to heal the sick and working n miracles…

Again, disciples do what their master does. Disciples ask the question: what would Jesus do, if he were in my body now?

Mark 5:35 - 42
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

IF YOU DONT HEAR SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE HOLY GHOST - BE AN IMITATOR! Ask what did Jesus do?

One of the things that you see when you minister in healing is the importance of a healing environment.

Want miracles?
Join the prayer team.
Go out to the youth detention center
Go to nursing home
Go out with someone to the streets…

NO MORE CUTE CHRISTIANITY.
I WANT TO BE AN IMITATOR!
WE ARE RAISING A CULTURE OF IMITATORS IN OUR CHURCH!

THIS IS THE LIFE I NOW LIVE. ITS THE LIFE YOU ARE CALLED TO!