A Loving Walk Series

INTRODUCTION:

2Co 5:7 says we are to walk by faith, and not by sight. This week, we have our third sermon in

the series entitled “The Walk of Faith.” We have considered that it is a New Walk of Life; it is an Honest

Walk, and today, we will find it to be a Loving Walk or a Selfless Walk.

The Bible has much to say about Love. Yet we so often misunderstand love. I suppose that is

reasonable to expect, for so many sources try to lay claim on the definition of love: Hollywood and the

entertainment industry as a whole; the Dear So-and-so columns all try to describe love. The horoscopes

try to forecast love, with no real definition so it will fit any situation. Psychologists all take a crack at love,

but only through a “pseudo-scientific” approach, never with any real understanding. Our government has

redefined love as “tolerance” creating a society of greater division than ever before.

Now, with our country facing an very real, if somewhat undefined threat to our way of life, we

rally around the Flag proclaiming what unity and love we have for one another. We lend a hand and a

dollar, give blood and even fall to our knees in prayer. Now, with all this extra prayer our nation is

experiencing, are we genuinely following Christ, or are we merely begging for mercy with no intent of

changing our ways?

READ: EPHESIANS 5:1-7

Just a comment: notice that verce 6 says, “for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon

the children of disobedience.” I’m not saying that God has allowed these tragedies to come upon us as

wrath, but millions of Americans are beginning to see that God is, and is our only hope. We have begun

to see some of the destruction that He could bring upon us should He choose. His hand of favor is as

saving as His hand of wrath is destroying. But mere praying for His favor does not guarantee it.

Preachers are preaching everywhere the passage from 2Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called

by my name, shall seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and I will

forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” But the emphasis is on seeking the face of the Lord for healing.

There is little said about turning from our wicked ways. We are told by our leaders to resume the life

before the attack as quickly as possible. Return to normal. Is that where we are to find hope? Are we to

find hope in the ways of before? Have we examined our “obedience level” in relation to our obedience to

God? Have we considered that there might genuinely be hope in God, but it requires something of us?

Well, as I read this passage in Ephesians 5, I see clearly that God gently, but unwaveringly

demands of us that we follow Him. And that journey will certainly prevent the wrath of God upon the

children of disobedience.

God contrasts The Good (the walk of Jesus Christ) with the bad (the walk of the world, society,

and “normalcy”). Verses 1 & 2 are about the walk of Jesus Christ, along with the exhortation to follow.

Verses 3-7 (2/3 of the passage) is used to convince us that the old ways are not acceptable any longer.

We must put aside behaviors, attitudes and desires that do not please God.

Vance Havener said, “You have not really learned a commandment until you have obeyed it....

The church suffers today from Christians who know volumes more than they practice.”

In the book, No Bad Dogs, by British dog trainer Barbara Woodhouse, she says dogs understand

love better than we do. She writes, “In a dog’s mind, a master or a mistress to love, honor, and obey is

an absolute necessity. The love is dormant in the dog until brought into full bloom by an understanding

owner. Thousands of dogs appear to love their owners, they welcome them home with enthusiastic

wagging of the tail and jumping up, they follow them about their houses happily and, to the normal person

seeing the dog, the affection is true and deep. But to the experienced dog trainer this outward show is

not enough. The true test of love takes place when the dog has got the opportunity to go out on its own

as soon as the door is left open by mistake and it goes off and often doesn’t return home for hours. That

dog loves only its home comforts and the attention it gets from its family; it doesn’t truly love the master

or mistress as they fondly think. True love in dogs is apparent when a door is left open and the dog still