Walk This Way

Read Ephesians 5:1

Mimic

Do as I say and not as I do. Unfortunately this has become the mantra of modern times even in the church of Jesus Christ. This should not be the case because the Bible does not teach this philosophy. Today we pick up in Ephesians 5:1 and look more specifically and practically how one lives the new life. Since the old nature is been shed and the new is put on and you are now living the new life I will take an even deeper look at what the Christian life is intended to look like.  You now live opposite to the old sinful ways this means you begin living the 180 degree life by speaking the truth to one another, being angry yet not sinning and living the completely new life (opposite of the old ways). Today we continue looking at the new life and the challenge that Paul makes for believers to imitate God or walk the walk. What does this mean? How do you do this and how does this affect the way you live daily and in the world? These are some questions I aim to answer this morning.

Vs 1:  Paul tells his readers to imitate God as beloved children and walk in love. On the surface we can say, “Ok, I can do that.” But when we take a deeper look at the passage the questions I ask are “What does it really mean to imitate God?” “How am I to imitate him?” and “what does walking in love, as Christ loved us look like?” Imitating God and walking in love are certainly connected because Jesus being God in flesh is the perfect representation of God and our perfect example to follow and imitate. Since I talked about living the new life or the 180 degree life in the last blog we can now flesh out what it means to be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving to one another by looking at the life of Jesus and imitating him.  Followers of Jesus imitate God when we purpose in our lives and hearts to live as Jesus lived. When you and I are able to imitate Jesus (by the power of the Spirit) we can truly walk the walk of the Christian life.

Paul tells me to be an imitator of God as beloved children of God. Imitators – To mimic or to do what is seen or done by someone else. Have you ever played “Simon Says”? This is a game of imitation and mimic. When Simon says to do something you do what you are told to do or shown. Of course the game is meant to be a game of trickery and deceit and this is not what imitating God looks like, but the idea of copying what is said and done is the same. When we look at the life of Jesus we can learn a lot about how to walk the walk or imitate God as his beloved children.

Imitate God

Jesus was a man of compassion: (Kindness, caring) 

• Jesus was always concerned with the needs of those around him. So many times in the New Testament we see Jesus showing compassion to individuals and large groups. 
• Matthew 15:29 - 34 
• In what way did Jesus show compassion in these instances? Healing and teaching them the ways of God. W
• What can you do to apply compassion to people in your life? 

Jesus was a man of prayer 

• There are numerous times we see Jesus praying in the Bible. He valued prayer and it was his life line. He prayed for his disciples, for future believers, for his enemies, before enduring the hardships and during times when He just wanted to be alone with God (Sometimes all night long). 
• Read John 17:14 - 21
• What specifically did Jesus pray for in this prayer? What does this tell you about your own prayers? What should you pray for? 

Jesus displayed and showed true love 

• Peter tells me to walk in love as Christ loved us. 
• How did Christ love me? Sacrificially.
• Read John 15:13, 14 

Jesus was a man of evangelism 

• The thirty three years Jesus Christ walked this earth was for one purpose… to share the “good news” of the kingdom of God. 
• Read Matthew 9:35 - 38 
• What is the “good news of the Kingdom”? God has come in the flesh to offer life to those who believe. Eternal life and life with God here on earth is available to all who believe. 

Jesus was a servant

• Jesus put others before Himself. We never read that He didn’t do something because He didn’t feel like it or it didn’t help him advance in life. He was always putting the needs of others before Him.
• Read John 13:1 - 7 
• What is it that Jesus wanted his disciples to learn? What does it teach you? 

What I have described today is the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ. The disciples in the Bible were followers of Jesus and His representatives. When we do what the leader (Jesus) says; to imitate and emulate Him we are living as disciples of Christ. This is what being a disciple is all about! It’s about living your life worthy of the calling and imitating Jesus! If you don’t know how the Leader lives, then how can you imitate Him?