Walking In Love, Light & Wisdom!

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). Walk in Love (vs 1-2):

• we are Gods children (vs 1)

• we are dearly loved (vs 1)

• we are indebted (vs 2)

(2). Walk As Children of Light (vs 3-14)

• we are saints (vs 3-4)

• we are kings (vs 5-6)

• we are light (vv. 7-14)

(3). Walk in Wisdom (vs 15-21):

• we need to be focused (vs 15)

• we need to be willing (vs 16a)

• we need to be aware (vs 16b)

• we need to be sensible (vs 17a)

• we need to be filled (vs 18)

SERMON BODY:

Ill;

• I'm going to give you a quick quiz.

• Don't worry, it's easy! I'll give you a word and you give me the opposite…

• The opposite of Fast is... Slow.

• The opposite of Long is... Short.

• The opposite of Cold is... Hot.

• The opposite of Young is... Old.

• The opposite of Soft is... Hard.

• The opposite of Sour is... Sweet.

• The opposite of High is... Low.

• The opposite of Rich is... Poor.

• The opposite of Love is... Hate?

• The opposite of Light is... Darkness?

• The opposite of Wisdom is... Foolishness?

• TRANSITION: Who would want to walk in hate, darkness and foolishness;

• When we can walk in love, light and wisdom!

• And those three words give us an outline for this chapter.

(1). Walk in Love (vs 1-2)

1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ill:

• Ronni Ancona, Jon Culshaw and Debra Stephenson, Rory Bremner,

• Alastair McGowan, Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon,

• And for any old timers Janet Brown and Mike Yarwood!

• Are all famous British impersonators.

• And as you look and listen to them;

• You actually see or hear the famous person they are imitating.

• TRANSITION:

• Now the word imitator or mimic:

• Is the word that the apostle Paul uses in verse 1;

• “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children”

• It is literally the word ‘Mimic,’

• And a mimic impersonates, copies, is a replica of someone else.

• Now verse 1 explains who we are to mimic;

• Every Christian should be trying to imitate God:

• That is the theme of this chapter.

Note:

• The apostle Paul gives to us motivation to mimic God.

• He gives us a number of reasons why we ought to walk in love.

(a). We Are Gods Children (vs 1).

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children”

Ill:

• When the new parents went with their baby to get him examined by the doctor;

• The doctor told them, "You have a cute baby."

• The father replied, "I bet you say that to all new parents."

• The doctor responded “No, just to those whose babies really are good-looking."

• The father then asked: "So what do you say to the others?"

• The doctor said, "He looks just like you."

• TRANSITION: We are to look,

• Just like God!

• Now in one-sense that is impossible,

• Because we cannot be perfect, or all-powerful or all-knowing etc.

• And yet we can mimic God;

• Because we can all be loving, we can all be truthful, we can all be kind etc.

When the apostle Paul encouraged his readers to “walk in love,”

• He was not asking them to do something that was foreign to the Christian;

• The Bible teaches that at conversion every Christian.

• No exceptions, every Christian received a new nature,

• And that nature has to express itself (out work itself) in love.

Ill:

• I guess at some time or other you have all had that annoying experience;

• When someone with a drink bumps into you,

• All of a sudden you have tea or coffee or coke all over your shirt or trousers!

• So often we are like that spilt drink.

• In life sometimes we have our bumps and bruises,

• Because we run into 'unexpected irritations and knocks'

• (or we may feel it more accurate to say that they run into us) and when they do;

• Like that cup - whatever has filled us and is inside of us comes out.

• TRANSITION: How we react to life's various trials and difficulties;

• Really give us and other people an up close, personal and accurate demonstration,

• Of what our character is truly.

• When bumped do we spill love or hatred?

• Do we spill kindness or anger?

• Do we spill joy or misery?