Be Imitators of God

St Timothy Presbyterian Church

Scripture Passage

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Worship Video

Worship Audio

Sermon Script

St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians,

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children (Ephesians 5:1)

Be imitators of God. What does this mean?

We often think of imitation as copying or mimicking someone. But when Paul says be imitators, he means more than that.

It concerns not just our behaviour, but our entire existence.

Being imitators of God means to REFLECT THE IMAGE OF GOD that is within us.

It has to do with living the way we were made to live.

We are made in the image of God, who is love. John said that clearly

Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8)

We are made to love and to live in love.

That, I believe, is the essence of Christian anthropology. It is our basic and fundamental disposition.

Love is what we experience when we first enter this world.

As children, we freely receive and give love to others. Yet somehow as we get older, we seem to lose that capacity to love.

The disappointments and hurts we experience along the way harden our hearts.

We close up, withdraw, and become selective about to whom we will show our love.

We constantly hold back even though we know very well that when we love, that is when we are most alive.

We know how to be nice', but not love. In other words, we learn to BURY the image of God within us.

Last week, Rev. Simon briefly shared about the youths in Sioux Valley. The children are very receptive and responsive to love.

The youths not as much. They are more closed off, guarded, and evasive.

It takes more time and effort to get past the hard exterior. Some of our young people had a difficult time with that.

On the final day, as a wrap-up activity, our counsellors had the youths do the warm-and-fuzzy's together. Even to get all of them to sit at a table was a challenge.

It was clear that some of them didn't like the others. You saw the resentment in their eyes.

We told them to write a positive note of affirmation and encouragement to each other.

Thankfully, all of them did it without a complaint. Some couldn't even wait to look inside the bag.

After we finished, I asked the youths why we did something like this. One of them said, to be nice and kind?

I said, That's good. Then I shared what I'm reflecting with you today.

That we are all made in the image of God. That means, we are all perfectly capable of showing our love and care to one another.

But we can only do that as long as we learn to let go and not hold back that part of ourselves from others.

The notes we wrote to each other were visible reminders of that. I encouraged them to do that for each other even after the camp.

To be honest, I didn't plan on saying that. I just felt moved in that moment to share it with them.

I felt God laid that message upon my heart.

Because at the end of the day, what does it all come down to? What ultimately counts in the end?

It is love.

Without love, life becomes cold and unbearable. There are no second chances. Community becomes divided and broken. There is no possibility of meaningful change.

When love is absent, everything falls apart.

Yet, the irony is that we often resist this kind of message. Conceptually, we know it matters, but we remain skeptical.

We think to uphold love like that is too idealistic.

We conclude by saying it is just too difficult to love people. They are too stubborn, contradictory, and unpredictable.

What is the alternative, then?

Hate? Indifference?

Even indifference is a form of hate.

What would be the implications of living such a life?

My friends, the message of love embedded in our gospel is not meant for only certain people of a specific community. It is a message for all of us.

We all need to reclaim the image of God and be imitators of God in our own life.

That is what Jesus came to do. He came to restore the image of God within us through his love.

He showed concretely what it means to love others.

Love is being completely for the other person.

For our sake, he went all the way to the cross. Through his death and resurrection, he tore down the HOSTILITY that divided us with God, and with each other.

For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. (Ephesians 2:14-16)

Because of Christ, we are now free to love as he loved us. That means we are now able to CHOOSE.

We are no longer ruled by the power of hostility. We are given the power to love.

That is why right after calling us to be imitators of God, St. Paul said

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

Much of today's passage may sound like a list of moral acts we should carry out somehow.

Don't speak falsehood, but the truth. Don't sin while you are angry. Don't steal, but share and do honest work. Don't tear down people with words, but build them up. Put away all bitterness, and be kind to others.

But these are not merely disconnected, individual acts. As if we can pick and choose what we will do.

Rather, they are all anchored together by the last two verses. They are manifestations of walking in love.

They are what happens when each one of us are concerned with the good and well-being of those around us.

Where the imitators of God are gathered, there is the CHURCH.

Church is more than a collective of friends and families.

Church is an eclectic gathering of broken people who strive to be imitators of God in a genuine and authentic way.

Church is where the commandment of love is not just uttered in words, but practiced in truth and action.

It is where the presence of Christ is felt in a real way.

Jesus said that.

For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:20)

This was my experience of the mission trip in a nutshell.

This year, we had a few members from the London Church join us. Simon and I had some concerns in the beginning because the two teams didn't have many opportunities to get to know each other.

Much to our surprise, the two churches got along very well all throughout the trip.

There was always the willingness to understand, serve, and look out for one another that instilled a sense of unity in the team.

It wasn't all smooth sailing, though.

Any mission trip is an intense experience. Being in a high-intensity environment, everything is heightened.

With the unexpected changes and challenges we had to deal with this year, in our committee, there were some subtle tensions at one point.

In the situation that we were in, we could've been cold or reactive. But rather than letting it negatively affect the unity of the team, we learned to discuss and work it out, no matter how difficult it was.

What is love if not that? It brought greater understanding between the members.

In our journey together, let us be imitators of God. Reflect the image of God within you by walking in love.

Don't bury it and grieve the Spirit who brings people together. Let it SHINE.

This is our calling as the body of Christ. To forgive, understand, and persevere with others.

There is no other alternative.

As God is always for us, we should always be for each other.

When the image of God shines brightly, we live out our calling to be his witness in the world.

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

The post Be Imitators of God appeared first on St Timothy Presbyterian Church.