Imitating God's Love: Walking in Faith and Wisdom
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we gathered to worship God through singing, fellowship, and studying His Word. We are continuing our journey through the book of Ephesians, focusing on Ephesians 5:1-7. This passage emphasizes the importance of imitating God, particularly in how we love others. Just as children often mimic their parents, we are called to mimic our Heavenly Father. This imitation is not about achieving perfection but about continually striving to be more like Jesus.
We discussed the transformative power of prayer and how God has recently answered some significant prayers in my life. This serves as a reminder that God is active and responsive to our needs. We also touched on the importance of character development, which doesn't come naturally due to our sinful nature. Instead, it requires intentional effort and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Paul's message in Ephesians 5 is clear: we are to walk in love, light, and wisdom. Today, we focused on walking in love. Paul contrasts God's genuine love with Satan's counterfeit love, which is rooted in selfishness and impurity. True love, as exemplified by Jesus, is sacrificial and unconditional. It is not based on the other person's merit but on a selfless desire to serve and uplift them.
We also discussed the perversion of love that the world offers, which is often lustful and self-indulgent. This counterfeit love leads to behaviors like adult immorality, impurity, and greed, which are contrary to God's will. Instead, our lives should be characterized by gratitude and thanksgiving, reflecting God's love in all we do.
Finally, we touched on the consequences of living a life contrary to God's will. Those who persist in sinful behaviors without repentance are warned that they will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we must strive to imitate God in all aspects of our lives, relying on Scripture and prayer to guide us.
### Key Takeaways
1. Imitate God in Love: Just as children mimic their parents, we are called to mimic our Heavenly Father. This involves walking in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. True love is sacrificial and unconditional, not based on the other person's merit but on a selfless desire to serve and uplift them. [12:48]
2. The Power of Prayer: Prayer is a powerful tool that God uses to grow us and meet our needs. Recently, I have seen God answer significant prayers in my life, reminding me that He is active and responsive. Instead of worrying and trying to fix things on our own, we should turn to God in prayer and trust in His provision. [09:30]
3. Character Development: Developing godly character requires intentional effort and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Sin comes naturally to us, but we must fight to grow in character and resist sin. Imitating God's moral attributes, such as love, compassion, and kindness, is essential for our spiritual growth. [15:43]
4. Counterfeit Love vs. True Love: The world offers a counterfeit version of love that is lustful and self-indulgent. This leads to behaviors like adult immorality, impurity, and greed. In contrast, true love, as exemplified by Jesus, is sacrificial and unconditional. We must strive to reflect God's love in all we do, avoiding even a hint of sinful behaviors. [33:08]
5. Consequences of Sin: Persisting in sinful behaviors without repentance has serious consequences. Those who live contrary to God's will are warned that they will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we must strive to imitate God, relying on Scripture and prayer to guide us in living a life that honors Him. [42:14]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[08:08] - Introduction and Prayer
[09:30] - The Power of Prayer
[11:18] - Imitating God
[12:48] - Walking in Love
[14:12] - True Love vs. Counterfeit Love
[15:43] - Character Development
[17:14] - Practical Acts of Love
[18:41] - Children's Lesson: Simon Says
[20:02] - God's Purpose in Saving Us
[21:23] - Communicable Attributes of God
[22:56] - Reflecting God's Image
[24:34] - The Supreme Act of God's Love
[25:57] - Forgiveness and Compassion
[27:13] - How Much Should We Forgive?
[28:39] - Agape Love
[30:18] - Loving Our Enemies
[31:45] - Sacrificial Love
[33:08] - Counterfeit Love
[34:42] - The Perversion of Love
[36:16] - Avoiding Even a Hint of Sin
[37:42] - Renaming Sin
[39:09] - Managing vs. Killing Sin
[40:35] - Fleeing from Sin
[42:14] - Consequences of Sin
[43:40] - Restoring Sinners
[45:11] - Knowing God's Truth
[46:23] - Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
[47:00] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Ephesians 5:1-7
- Romans 8:29
- 1 John 3:16
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Ephesians 5:1-2 say about how we should imitate God? How does this relate to the concept of walking in love? [12:48]
2. According to the sermon, what are some examples of Satan's counterfeit love mentioned in Ephesians 5:3-4? [33:08]
3. How does Romans 8:29 describe God's purpose in saving us? How does this relate to the idea of being conformed to the image of His Son? [20:02]
4. What does 1 John 3:16 say about the nature of true love? How is this exemplified by Jesus? [28:39]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the sermon explain the difference between true love and counterfeit love? Why is it important to distinguish between the two? [33:08]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that character development requires intentional effort and reliance on the Holy Spirit? How does this align with Ephesians 5:1-7? [15:43]
3. How does the concept of sacrificial love, as described in 1 John 3:16, challenge our everyday understanding of love? What practical steps can we take to embody this kind of love? [28:39]
4. What are the consequences of living a life contrary to God's will, as mentioned in Ephesians 5:5-7? How does this warning impact our daily choices and behaviors? [42:14]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you had the opportunity to show sacrificial love. How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in the future to better imitate God's love? [12:48]
2. The sermon emphasized the power of prayer. Can you share a recent experience where prayer made a significant difference in your life? How can you make prayer a more integral part of your daily routine? [09:30]
3. Character development requires intentional effort. What specific area of your character do you feel needs growth? What steps can you take this week to work on that area, relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance? [15:43]
4. The sermon discussed the perversion of love that the world offers. How can you guard your heart against counterfeit love and ensure that your actions reflect true, godly love? [33:08]
5. How do you handle situations where you are tempted to engage in behaviors that are contrary to God's will? What strategies can you implement to flee from sin and avoid even a hint of immoral behavior? [36:16]
6. Think of a person in your life who tests your patience or challenges your ability to show love. What is one specific action you can take this week to demonstrate Christ-like love to that person? [28:39]
7. The sermon mentioned the importance of gratitude and thanksgiving. How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude in your daily life? What are some practical ways to express thankfulness to God and others? [40:35]
Devotional
Day 1: Imitate God in Love
As children often mimic their parents, we are called to mimic our Heavenly Father. This involves walking in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. True love is sacrificial and unconditional, not based on the other person's merit but on a selfless desire to serve and uplift them. This kind of love is transformative and reflects the very nature of God. It is not about achieving perfection but about continually striving to be more like Jesus. By imitating God's love, we become a living testimony of His grace and mercy to those around us. [12:48]
Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who needs to experience God's love through you. How can you show them sacrificial and unconditional love today?
Day 2: The Power of Prayer
Prayer is a powerful tool that God uses to grow us and meet our needs. It is a direct line of communication with our Heavenly Father, who is active and responsive to our prayers. Instead of worrying and trying to fix things on our own, we should turn to God in prayer and trust in His provision. Recently, there have been significant answers to prayer, serving as a reminder that God is always listening and working in our lives. Prayer not only changes our circumstances but also transforms our hearts, aligning us more closely with God's will. [09:30]
James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you need God's intervention? Spend time in prayer today, asking God to work in that situation and trusting in His provision.
Day 3: Character Development
Developing godly character requires intentional effort and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Sin comes naturally to us, but we must fight to grow in character and resist sin. Imitating God's moral attributes, such as love, compassion, and kindness, is essential for our spiritual growth. This process of character development is ongoing and requires us to be vigilant and proactive in our spiritual disciplines. By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can overcome our sinful nature and grow in godliness, reflecting God's image more clearly in our lives. [15:43]
2 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV): "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love."
Reflection: Identify one area of your character that needs growth. What practical steps can you take this week to develop that aspect of your character, relying on the Holy Spirit for strength?
Day 4: Counterfeit Love vs. True Love
The world offers a counterfeit version of love that is lustful and self-indulgent. This leads to behaviors like adult immorality, impurity, and greed. In contrast, true love, as exemplified by Jesus, is sacrificial and unconditional. We must strive to reflect God's love in all we do, avoiding even a hint of sinful behaviors. True love is not based on what we can get from others but on how we can serve and uplift them. By living out this kind of love, we stand as a stark contrast to the world's perversion of love and point others to the true source of love, which is God. [33:08]
1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationships. Are there any areas where you have been showing counterfeit love instead of true love? How can you begin to demonstrate sacrificial and unconditional love in those relationships?
Day 5: Consequences of Sin
Persisting in sinful behaviors without repentance has serious consequences. Those who live contrary to God's will are warned that they will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we must strive to imitate God, relying on Scripture and prayer to guide us in living a life that honors Him. Sin not only separates us from God but also hinders our spiritual growth and damages our relationships with others. By turning away from sin and seeking God's forgiveness, we can restore our relationship with Him and live a life that reflects His holiness. [42:14]
Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV): "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Reflection: Is there a specific sin in your life that you need to repent of? Spend time in prayer today, asking God for forgiveness and strength to turn away from that sin and live a life that honors Him.
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "I encourage you that, God works and He grows us through praying, through our trusting in Him and relying on Him. Instead of having ulcers and being sick over stuff for a month, we're supposed to talk to our spouse and talk to God instead of just trying to fix it on our own." [09:30] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Look at Jesus until you look like Jesus. And just a little spoiler, that's going to take a lifetime to maybe even get close to that. So we should always be looking at Jesus." [12:48] (9 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We are not forgiven of our sins. We don't have a relationship with God because we do good things. Doing good things, trying to be good, trying to be more like Christ will not forgive us of our sins and will not give us a relationship with God. That's only possible because of what Jesus accomplished through living a sinless life, dying on the cross and rising again." [14:12] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Growing in love is a need for all believers. And since the definition, the biblical definition of love is contrary to the world's definition of love, we're always in a need of a reminder that we need to be living a life of love towards God and towards other people." [17:14] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The greatest evidence of love is the willingness and ability to forgive people. So the supreme act of God's love was that he sent his son, Christ, to come and die in our place so that we don't have to pay the penalty for sin if we trust in him." [24:34] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "As Christians, we literally bear the name of Christ to the world. We say we're a Christian. We're wearing the name Little Christ and saying to the world, how I act is how Jesus acts. We're witnessing in our actions." [21:23] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "When you believe that people before Christ works in their life, they are slaves to their sin, your compassion leaps forward for that person. You see that people can't simply just try harder. Their hearts must be one for Christ. And we can be compassionate and forgiving and gracious to them because they need Christ." [25:57] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We ought to be forgiving and loving and kind to those who hurt us and those who love us. Jesus says even the tax collectors, even the bad guys back in the day, the shady people in society that nobody liked, they love their friends. That's easy to do. Christians are called to love those that they don't want to love." [31:45] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Instead of doing these things, like being immoral, talking dirty, our mouth should be known for giving thanks. If we're known for anything, it should be love expressed to God with unending thanks." [40:35] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We have to know God's truth and filter God's truth through scripture and see this is how God wants us to act. And then, like I said, we must imitate God. So we can ask ourselves some questions. We can say, how would God show love in this situation? How would God demonstrate his love in an act of kindness?" [45:11] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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