Polar Opposites Series

I was studying wisdom this week, reviewing some of the resources I had recently received. One defined wisdom as, “The ability to look at things that look very similar, but the nature of them is quite different.” This is the focus of our message today.

Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Eph 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

Eph 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Eph 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

We are given a clear model for life. Jesus came to mankind to show us the Father.

Joh 14:5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?"

Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Joh 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

Joh 14:8 Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."

Joh 14:9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

Joh 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Joh 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

A. Walk in love.

We are to walk in love because Christ loved us. Look at the characteristics of love. Love gives. Love is approved of God. Love approves our actions in God’s eyes. That is what a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God means. He accepts love as approved and accepts our action us when we love like He loves. Jesus was a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

99% of the movies, music, and other entertainment venues which deal with love is not peddling love at all. They deal with lust, passions, sensuality…. To the unbeliever, these will appear totally the same.

To the immature Christian, these will easily be confused, but to the wise, there is a stark difference between love and lust.

Romans 5 has been the best picture of love that I know. 1 Corinthians 13 is the greatest picture of what love produces, but does not address how love is produced. Look at it with me….

Rom 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Rom 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—

Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Lust is based upon passion, emotions, feelings…etc… But look at love in wise contrast. “While we were still sinners…”

God’s love for us was never based on anything lovable in us. It had nothing to do with our attractiveness to God. It was not emotional, but in contrast, was against emotion. God loved us when we were repulsive.

Isa 64:6 “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

What we offered God was not only worthless, but gave Him more reason to reject us. We did not offer Jesus a Zero, but actually would cost Him.

A. You see, true love is based entirely on a decision. And this reason for that decision defies logic. It goes against passion.

Worldly love is something you fall into and, unfortunately, fall out of. Passionate loves responds to hurt and betrayal by pulling away. It is selfish in nature. We love primarily because of what we get out of it.