How Good is your Imitation?
Pastor Glenn Newton
Oct. 31, 2004
Some of the best comedy that I have ever seen is when the comedian is imitating some other person, and they have it down just right. I think we have some young imitators up here right now, lets see if we can figure out who they are imitating?
Dillon……… Dad
Karinda … Mom or Dad
Niki Brent
Did you know that we have been called to Imitate someone else? This morning my sermon title is…. How Good is your Imitation?
First, we better answer the question, Who am I supposed to be imitating?
Turn in your Bibles with me to Eph. 4:29-5:7
EPH 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
EPH 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
EPH 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
Have you noticed that Fall has arrived? With Fall comes that cooler weather, leaves on the ground, the shorts get put up and the jackets get pulled out of the closet. Not everything is good during this season, with the colder weather comes flu season…. When you get sick, and you can’t seem to get over your sickness, what do you normally do?
You go see the doctor, and before you leave, on that little piece of paper, he scribbles something beyond recognition for you to get filled at the pharmacy, what is that called?
Your right, it’s a prescription for health, and don’t forget to finish the whole bottle.
Well, this morning in our Scripture what we have read is a prescription for health, your spiritual health. Let’s look at what God’s Word says to us today.
Read 4:29-30
This passage follows the passage that I used last week as we learned about keeping the Mud out of our lives, instead we want to live as God’s people, people of the light.
The First thing I want you to understand this morning is that God Expects Us To Live Our Lives a Certain Way - His Way.
This morning during SS in our Basic Training we went over some of the Special Rules that the Church of the Nazarene has for our Members, Rules to direct us towards Holy Living. The truth is God’s Word has rules for us to follow, God has commanded us, His people to be obedient to His rules.
This morning, how many of you like rules? Rules are put in place for our protection, did you know that?
* Traffic rules… how many of you drove to church?
* Safety rules at work….. Do you like having all your fingers?
* Rules in your home? Parents, you don’t allow your children to do what ever they please do you? Why not? Chaos would rule.
God expects us to live our lives by His rules…. We need to be students of His Word so we can know and understand what His Word teaches us. As a Christian one of the basic disciplines that you must make part of your everyday life is getting into His Word… reading it daily. I want you to think back over your week…. How long everyday did you spend reading God’s Word?
EPH 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Friends, if you don’t want to grieve the Holy Spirit of God… then you need to get into His Word everyday so that the power of God can help you to live in the Light, Live for God.
When we continually drag mud, as we talked about last week into our hearts, we grieve the Holy Spirit. Take care of the mud problem, know the Word, and obey it.
JAS 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.
Next, God Expects Us To Imitate Him.
EPH 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
“Grandpa walked into the family room and found his little grandson, Jeffy, standing up in his playpen, crying.
“He looked so pitiful, standing there in his little baseball T-shirt and diaper. His face was red and tear-stained from crying. When Jeffy saw his grandpa, his face lit up in a way that warmed the old man’s heart. He immediately reached up his chubby little hands in a cry for help.
“Out Papa, out!”
“What grandpa could resist such a plea? Not this one! He walked over to the playpen and reached down to lift his little buddy out of captivity and distress.
“Just then, however, Law and Order stepped into the room.
“Jeffy’s mother walked out of the kitchen with a dishtowel in her hand and spoke sternly. “No, Jeffy! You are being punished. You have to stay in bed! Leave him right there, Dad.”
“Oh, fine. Now what’s a grandpa to do? His grandson’s tears and reaching little hands tugged mightily at his heart- but he didn’t want to interfere with a mother’s discipline either.
“He couldn’t stand staying in the same room with the boy, reading his newspaper and pretending to not hear. Nor could he turn around and walk out the door without feeling like a betrayer to his little pal. What could he do?
“Love found a way.
“Since Grandpa couldn’t take Jeffy out of the playpen, he climbed in with him. “If you’re in the playpen, Buddy, I’m in the playpen. What’s your sentence? How long are you in for?” And finding a big, jolly grandpa suddenly filling his little prison cell, the little boy found comfort even in his captivity.”
Grandpa imitated what God has already done for us… We were in trouble, caught in our own sin, in our own prison with no way out… lost for good… do you know what God did?
He sent Jesus to get into the pen with us. When Jesus came everything changed, amen?
Jesus came and lived on this earth, faced trials and temptations, and He gave us this Word to live by…. So we could Imitate Him.. So we could love like He has loved us.
I ask you this morning, does your life imitate that of Christ? Do your words speak words of love, healing, encouragement… do your words bring life to the people around you?
Husbands and wives, how are you talking to each other? Do you treat each other with the kind of respect and honor that God wants? In a marriage, if you don’t have the Love of God being shared in your relationship… your marriage will be in trouble.
EPH 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Who are you Imitating this morning? With God the Holy Spirit living in you, as you are obedient, He can empower you to live a Holy Life… a Life that God is pleased with… a Holy Life.
You have heard the Word this morning, what is the Holy Spirit saying to your heart this morning… If you need to come and pray, then let’s be obedient and allow God to speak to us… let’s stand….. You can start this life of obedience by saying Yes to God this morning if He has spoken to you.. Come and pray…. Tell God that your sorry for your sins, put your faith in Him, and He will set you free to be all that He has created you to be.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 JN 1:9
