Imitators of God

Introduction

Good morning. If you will open in your New Testament with me to Ephesians chapter 5. Letter to the Ephesians chapter 5. As you’re turning there, I’d encourage you to recognize the song, This World is not my home. We often sing it. I believe it’s number 230 in our song books. And as we sing that song, the focus, this world is not my home. We’re just a passing through. A lot of times when life’s hard, we need to remember that song. This world is not my home. This is an area we’re just passing through. And it might be that if you meet someone difficult along the way, you need to keep that in your mind. Or perhaps, as the story goes, there was once a little girl who knew and loved that song dearly, and her mom often would say when times were hard, just remember, this world is not my home.

Well, one little boy came up on the playground and pushed her over, and she said, Boy, I wish this world was not your home. Not quite the idea, but we understand that we need to be with our God. Our place as God’s created creatures is to be with our creator, the one who wants to be, has offered to be, and done all things possible that we might be his children, that he could be our heavenly Father. Of course, God has done wonderful things. He’s reached out to us in wonderful ways with great sacrifice, with great love, offering forgiveness, offering mercy and grace. You name it, God has done it for his people. In fact, God has even offered it for those who are not yet his people.

But to be a part of the heavenly kingdom, to be a part of the citizenship that belongs to the Lord, to be one with him. We have a lofty standard that we’re held to, and that is to be imitators of God. In Ephesians chapter 5, you see that exact language in verse 1. Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Of course, this is on the heels that therefore in chapter 5 and verse 1 calls back to what we’re seeing in Ephesians chapter 4, which is the characterization of the walk of the Christian. We’re no longer to be held in feudal thinking and to be held back like the Gentiles at their mind that doesn’t understand who God is, what God has done, and what it means to sacrifice ourselves in the service of the Lord.

And we understand that when it comes to being imitators of God, if you pair this with a passage like Matthew chapter 6 and verse 48, that you therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect, that this is truly a lofty and difficult goal. If we’re honest, when someone says you need to be imitators of God, we would agree, and yet many of us would try to add a caveat or that little signal that changes so many things, that little asterisk, where it says, Yes, but we can’t be perfect. Or yes, we need to be perfect or complete, as Matthew chapter 6, 48 kind of intends. Or yes, we need to be holy as God is holy, as 1 Peter chapter 1 writes, but we know we can’t quite get there.

1. God Is Love and Shows No Partiality

Regardless of trying to add that asterisk or not. Note that we are to be imitators of God. We are called to be holy as God is holy. And that’s going to be a tough effort. What I want to do this morning is outline a few ways to show who and how God is, and recognize not just that we have a high standard to live up to, but to recognize how high it is, and that when we don’t give our all, it is evident immediately when we compare ourselves with our Creator God. Consider with me, first of all, as it says in Ephesians chapter 5, the first idea after being beloved children is to walk in love as Christ loved us. We recognize from a passage like 1 John chapter 4.

Turn there with me. And 1 John chapter 4, this is the section of the Bible, you may not know it’s there, but where it says, God is love. In 1 John chapter 4 and verse 7, beloved, let us love one another. For love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. There is the absolute form of imitation in a sentence. It’s from God. Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because, verse 8, God is love. In this, the love of God was made manifest among us that God sent his only son into the world, so that we might live through him. And this is love. Not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us. Once again, the standard is twofold here. We recognize who God is on the forefront, that God is the perfect encapsulation of love. Verse 8, God is love. How do we know that? What is he shown? Well, as is the case with Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 2, we see it here in verse 9 and in verse 10. What did God do in his love? He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus sacrificed himself. God sent his son to die in our place. As verse 10 says, God sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.

When we consider that God is loved, though, we have to understand that that means a lot. It doesn’t just mean he has good affection for us. And it doesn’t simply mean what we think of a God being a service way. We need to know that God’s love is sacrificial and it is open to all. We don’t say love is unconditional because that’s not exactly how God loves, but it is unconditionally offered to all. That is the sense that he has no respecter of persons. And we see the second point that God shows no partiality. While to be accepted to God implies certainly that you submit to him and by faith are found pleasing to him. God offers his love. He wants his love, grace, and mercy to be called upon by all of his creation.

But there is that one caveat as Peter reaches in Acts chapter 10 and verse 34, he understands the first part of this. Truly, I understand that God shows no partiality, but what in verse 35? And every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. That verse both shows how God offers love to all, and yet it would be unfair to say in and of itself it is unconditional. It is conditional upon God’s favor is not just for those he likes or those who are better than others, but for those who in every nation, verse 35, what? Fear him and do what is right. Those are the those are whom, as Peter says in verse 35, are found acceptable in his sight.

Certainly passages like 1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 4, when it recognizes that God desires that all men be saved are applicable here. But when we understand God’s love, it’s more than just sacrificial.

And this is obvious that God wants us to come to him. We know our God is like that. But the problem is not that God is like that. The problem is going to be on the next slide where we say that we have to be like that too. Imagine for just a quick minute if God loved the way we loved. You take even the best of us and we have our favorites, don’t we? It’s easy to be loving and kind to those who are loving and kind to us. It’s easy to be sacrificial to those who have sacrificed for you. And certainly God checks all those boxes and we owe him our love. But what about how we love one another? If you’re still open in 1 John chapter 4, consider back in verse 12, or excuse me, 11 and 12.

If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. God’s saying on the basis of God loving us, we should love one another. No one has seen God. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love is perfected within us. There is that expectation that if we understand who God is, what God has offered, and being imitators of Him and taking on this walk and journey, we will not only submit to His will, but in so doing, our will will be changed by the God whom we are imitating. Not through some miraculous way, but by sticking to His will, understanding that He far transcends our lowly physical lusts of the flesh. When we recognize that God is love and He shows partiality, if you were to take the illustration a little bit further and say that what if God only loved those and offered grace to those who loved Him the most?

What do you think that would look like for you? I gotta tell you, if it was only about who loved God the most or who was the most perfect, I wouldn’t make that list. How many of us would? Perhaps some here might. But if God loved only based upon who loved him first, or he only offered love to the people he liked, or from before the foundation of the world, as some religions have it, he picked them by random call or even by name, that would be a hard God, first of all, to please. And second of all, it wouldn’t quite bode well for me. If that’s how God loves, though, of course, we see the application’s gonna be obvious. We’re gonna need to love in that way.

2. God Continually Offers Forgiveness

Consider with me thirdly about God, though. He continually offers forgiven. Look at me in 1 John chapter 1 and verse 9. 1 John 1 and verse 9. If we confess our sins, important conditional statement, verse 9 begins with, if we confess our sins, God is what? He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That’s a powerful offer God makes. We see that He’s faithful and just, but that He’ll cleanse us from our sins and from all unrighteousness. That’s powerful. In Matthew chapter 6, if you turn there with me in Matthew chapter 6, a passage we’ll reference towards the end of the lesson this morning. At the end of this model prayer, as we so often demon in Matthew 6, note what Jesus applies in verse 14 and 15.

For if, conditional word found again, you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Of course, we often take the application and will later this morning that we need to be careful to be showing this type of forgiveness. But first and foremost, when we’re thinking about our God who is one characterized as love, God is love. He shows no partiality, he offers forgiveness to all. If we will submit to him and be imitators of him, God doesn’t care in any nation. You can be pleasing to him. You can be found acceptable to him if you fear him and do what is right. Once again, it’s pretty easy to think for a moment.

Imagine if God forgave the we the way we did. Can you imagine if God forgave, but then kind of brought it up a couple of years later? Or what if he forgave simply on the basis that humans do, and we got to the day of judgment. I wouldn’t have great confidence that all my sins would be forgiven if God forgave the way I do, because if I’m honest, and perhaps other people share this flaw as well. It’s hard to fully forgive. We might say the words, I forgive you, but do we truly let go of the consequences and the sting of what otherwise might ensnare and embitter us? That’s when it’s difficult. That’s when it’s hard. How does God forgive? How do we want God to forgive completely?

3. God Is Always There for His People

To wipe away our sins. And the good news is that’s what God promises to do if we confess our sins. He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That’s a powerful promise from a powerful God. But once again, we’re to be imitators of that powerful God. Consider one final attribute of God, and of course, attributes of God could go on forever. God is always there for his people. God is always there for his people. Look at Hebrews chapter 13. Here’s a bonus little Easter egg if you were here at the 9 o’clock hour this morning. You read Deuteronomy chapter 31. And you’ll see this quoted, or at least perhaps that idea quoted, in Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 5 and 6. Keep your life free from love of money and be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

So we can confidently say, verse 6, the Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me? It’s powerful to see in verse 5 that God has told us he will never leave us nor forsake us those who are submissive to him, those who put God first in our lives, who are willing to sacrifice sin and choose what is righteous, to choose what is holy, to be imitators of God. But in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 5, that’s powerful. Verse 6 also is so we can note what verse 6 says. It doesn’t say so we can say, so that we can express, so that we can what? Confidently say, The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. Why? What can man do to me?

If God is with us, and God promises always to be there, there are a great many psalms that recognize that God not only is there for us, but will be and desires to be our fortress, our rock, our stronghold. Then we don’t need to worry about man. We don’t need to worry about what the world can do to us. And I put 2 Chronicles chapter 33 there because if you know me, you know my favorite Bible story is the one of King Manasseh. And if you know from 2 Chronicles 33, or even especially the 2nd Kings account, Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings possible at the beginning and the major part of his reign, even. And yet what happened? In 2 Chronicles chapter 33 and verse 10, when God tried to get him to repent, showing his love, showing that God doesn’t show partiality.

He doesn’t just love those who come out starting to be a good servant. He rejected him, and so Manasseh was taken away into captivity. And it was there that Manasseh humbled himself. And the text says in 2 Chronicles 33, he entreated the favor of the Lord. And this wicked king Manasseh. God listened to. And God saved from the bondage that he had been in for his sin. That is our great God. He is always there for his people if we will simply trust in him to take advantage of. Too often we know God is there, but we don’t actually take advantage of that offer. We say, we say God is there, and when times are good, we thank him for what’s there sometimes. But when life’s hard, when life’s difficult, we don’t understand, we don’t know why.

Do we look at God as always being there for us? Or do we somehow think God has abandoned us? There’s many different examples, and I won’t give one, but suffice to say, if you have to, if you have to question within yourself, has God moved away from you? Who normally moves when you examine the Bible story? Is it God or His people who have severed the connection? It is always the people. It is always me who rejects my God. It is never God who rejects me. It is through my sin that I willingly sever the connection that God is willing and offering me through his love, through his mercy, through his lack of favoritism. But I want to note that last phrase, though. God is always there for us.

He will never leave us or forsake us. I want to think for just a moment in an expanded way on can you imagine if God was there for us, like we’re there for him. The truth is, when we think about Christianity and being like God, I started with that idea of that asterisk. We always like to say, well, we can’t really be holy as God is holy. We can’t be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect. We can’t be like Jesus, Jesus was sinless. We’re excusing ourselves because we know sin will come. But the Bible never says to accept sin. It tells us how to deal with it, it tells us how to avoid it, but it the Bible never teaches us, don’t worry, sin is an inevitability.

Just let it happen. We are to be on constant vigilant, watch, to watch out not only for the temptation to come, but for sin to penetrate our life and to wreak its havoc. When God is always there for us, I have to think, am I always there for God? Certainly this would apply to assembly times. Maybe at 9 o’clock on Sunday morning or 7 o’clock on Wednesday evening, we have the ability to be with saints and worship and we choose not to. That’s not being imitators of God. God is always there for his people. Maybe during the week we have an opportunity to show sacrificial love. Maybe during the week we have a chance to show favoritism or to not show favoritism, to look out for those who otherwise have no one.

And when we don’t capitalize on the opportunity, we’re not always living like God. We often throw around words like zeal and passion and being ready to serve for Christ. But if we’re going to be imitators of God, our zeal will compel us to keep moving forward. We will not stop. We will not pause. We will keep moving forward. If we want God to always be there for us, and He is, and we are to be imitators of God, and we must be, then we need to be zealous always for God. We cannot allow this world to pull us apart, to pull us down, to pull us away. If we are to be like God, that means always putting Him first, always submitting to His will. Always what?

4. We Have to Be Committed Like God

Looking for an opportunity to show those characteristics that define Him. Always look to show love. Look to show mercy. Look to offer forgiveness, grace, and mercy. That we not only are offered by God, but if we’re His children, we need every single day and take advantage of. If we’re imitators of God, we’re going to show love, no favoritism. We’re going to offer forgiveness and recognize that we’ll always be there for God. And so we see that the application is clear. We have to be committed like God. Go back to Ephesians chapter 4 now. Ephesians chapter 4, and that which predicated Ephesians chapter 5, the word, the first word found in verse 1, therefore. There’s another word, therefore, which goes back to verse 17, this walking that we are to do as Christian disciples, not being darkened or futile or thinking like the Gentiles in verse 17 and 18.

But to be changed, to be moved. In verse 25, though, note some of how this walk goes. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth of his neighbor, for we are members of one of another. Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as good for building up as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Instead be what, Paul, verse 32, be kind to one another. Tenderhearted, forgiving one another. How? As God in Christ forgave you. Note very carefully the last phrase in verse 32. As God in Christ forgave you. And what’s the next verse? Therefore what? Be imitators of God. Our commitment to God is predicated upon what God has already done for us. He has shown sacrificial love. God has already forgiven us. And if we are to be forgiven Christians, that’s a change in life. That’s a change in mindset. Our will will be transformed by our God to whom we want to be in the image of. We’re going to be committed like God is committed to us.

How often does God move away from us? He doesn’t, as we previously said, unless we sever the tie by sinning against him and forsaking his law. If we transgress his will. I think it’s very clear that when we serve God, it’s easy to kind of excuse ourselves and say, you know what? I sin and everyone sins, and that’s just the way it is. But imagine if we applied that thought to any of our human relationships. Can you imagine in your marriage, if your spouse was faithful to you 90% of the time? 75% of the time. What about even 95% of the time? We shoot for a higher standard. We look for a hundred percent. Why would God be worth any less? Our God is worth our all.

If we’re going to be committed like God, that means recognizing that God in Christ forgave us, that salvation is possible, forgiveness is possible, but we’re going to try to transcend sin. We’re going to be better than that because our God has shown the way. And if we do stumble, we call upon that God for forgiveness. And in that way in which we love one another, we’re going to be committed. And if you look with me in Romans chapter 12, this great passage, of course, in Romans chapter 12 and verse 9, where Paul writes, Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. When you see in verse 11, to not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit. Serve the Lord.

We recognize what our service to God is predicated not just on hating evil, which the Christian would, clinging to what is good, which the Christian would. But in verse 11, what is one specific application? Do not be slothful in zeal. I believe it was Zootopia. Have you seen the movie Zootopia? If you haven’t, maybe you’ve seen the commercial where they have the sloth working at uh, of course, the DMV or their equivalent. And of course, the sloth talks incredibly slowly. You didn’t think I could talk that slowly, did you? And we think about sloths, of course, we have that lazy idea, don’t be pulled back. But just as annoying as the sloth is in not spitting out either his information or laughing at the joke or delaying their journey.

When we think about not being slothful in zeal, it’s time to get up. It’s time to go, it’s time to be zealous for God. Don’t just not be slothful in zeal, though be what? Be fervent in spirit. The end of verse 11. Serve the Lord. The time is now to be committed to God who loves us now. If you love God and you’re one who says, I love God, he has forgiven me, then it’s time to likewise view others with the love you first want from God. It’s time to start serving God the way I want him to be looking upon me, with giving me the benefit of the doubt, offering grace, mercy, and love, being there sacrificially and in every way for me that he already has been, and he’s promised us he always will be.

That’s the level of commitment that God expects of his children. And that means something very hard. Always offering forgiveness. Yes, 1 John chapter 1 and verse 9 says very clearly, if we confess our sins, I’m not overriding the condition upon which God offers forgiveness. But if you look at Matthew chapter 18, neither is Jesus. In Matthew chapter 18, in verse 21 and 22. Matthew chapter 18 and verse 21 and 22, perhaps you’re familiar with this account. Then Peter came up and said to him, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him. Jesus said to him, I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times, or seven times seventy, depending on your translation. But translation from what Jesus is saying, how often do we offer forgiveness?

Always. Why? Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 32. Christ and God has forgiven us. We have no basis with which to withhold forgiveness. And that’s the exact story that Jesus then tells, beginning in verse 23, when he says, Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wish to settle accounts with his servants. We recognize the king as the servant who owes him an unpayable debt. That’s me. I owe God an unpayable debt. And what does the king do? He not only releases him of the debt, but he forgives him as well. He forgives him of any of the consequences of it whatsoever. But then in the story that Jesus tells, what does the servant go on to do? He finds his servant who owed him a debt who it was payable.

And he begins to choke the servant, saying, Pay what you owe. In verse 35, Jesus has chilling words. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. And the words that Jesus puts on the end of the model prayer, Matthew chapter 6 and verse 14 and 15 come back to us. How and why are we to forgive? Because we’re imitators of God. Because God first loved us. And most importantly, to the context of what Jesus is saying in Matthew chapter 18, who are we to withhold this forgiveness? If God can forgive me of a life that was hostile to his causes, violating his will as the creator of the heavens and the earth.

Can I not forgive one who’s transgressed me in a minor way, in a little non-life-changing way. God demonstrated his own love towards us, and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Forgiveness is not meant necessarily to be something easy to do. But it’s something we want from our God. And Jesus makes it very clear. If we want God to forgive us, we must what? Forgive our brother. And see the last part of verse 35 unique here? From your heart. Remember that God is love. When God offers forgiveness, it’s not cheap. It’s not because God goes, oh, well, I guess I promised forgiveness, so I gotta do it. God lovingly embraces the idea that his creation can return to him, that he can be forgiven.

5. Treat All People with Love

And that’s what it means to be committed to God. To always show forgiveness, to have the type of heart that God does. Consider with me another point. We need to treat all people with love. James chapter 2 is a warning against the Christians from showing partiality to those who they would otherwise show favoritism to. But look with me in 1 Peter chapter 2 and note to the point of the songs that Jim led, and I appreciated those songs this morning. First Peter chapter 2, we are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. In 1 Peter chapter 2, beginning in verse 13. Note how we are to deal with one another. We wonder what it means to love like God does. Look at 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 13.

This is very hard in practice. But the concept is clear. In verse 13, be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the Emperor as supreme, or to governors, as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor. Note very carefully in verse 18 that this is the type of person we would naturally respond with love to. In verse 18, servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the unjust.

For this is a gracious thing. When mindful of God one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if when you sin and are beaten for it you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued in trusting himself to him who judges justly.

For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Time and again the Bible shows us that we are to love. We are to be committed to others on what basis? Recognizing, first and foremost, that God has done it for us. That Jesus has been there and done that. And he’s been there and done that on my account, on our account. Not because I deserved it, but because he lovingly, graciously, mercifully offered it. If you note the theme, though, found in verse 18, notice the last word. We not only need to be subject to our masters with all respect, not just to the good and gentle, but to the unjust. Verse 19, the two themes, unjust and the second one, for this is a gracious thing.

But mindful of God, one endures sorrow while suffering unjustly. Time and again, gracious thing in the sight of God, when we suffer unjustly. Not only has Jesus been there and done that, and being imitators of God, following in the footsteps of Jesus, requires this level of sacrifice. Note that this is not our normal gear. This is not if someone mistreats you and they’re coming back humbly on their knees, asking for forgiveness, and you offer it because Jesus wants us to be, tells us that we should be forgiven by God, and just in so doing, we need to forgive our brother from our heart. This is when in verse 18, a servant is being treated not only by his master poorly, but unjustly. He did not deserve this.

This was not right. This has no basis in God’s pattern. And yet, what is the response to be? Is it to lash back? No, what did Jesus do? When he reviled, he did not revile in return. When he was threatened, what did Jesus do? He did not threaten. He was taken, as Isaiah 53 says, like a lamb to the slaughter. He sacrificed himself for our sins. It is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

At the hands of an unjust person or action. We have a wonderful God who has not just told us to do these things, but has first done them for us. God offered us love and we were sinners when we were hostile to his cross, hostile to his causes, and we were enemies of his. Jesus lived in this life. He was tempted in all points as we are. He cannot say he doesn’t understand. And yet, what was Jesus’ response in verse 23 at the very end? He continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. We need to not only trust in our God, but we need to be committed like our God, to be imitators of him, treating all people with love, whether we feel like we deserve it, or whether we know we deserve it or not.

6. Look Carefully How You Walk

God is our example. Consider one final point. Back in Ephesians chapter 5. In this walk that begins in chapter 4 and verse 17, when Paul says, Now this I say, and testify in the Lord that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do in the futility of their minds. We’ve seen through verse 25 that we’re to put away falsehood. In verse 31, we’re to put away all these things that pull us away, bitterness and clamor and malice. In verse 32, we’re to be kind hearted, forgiving one another as God and Christ first forgave us. Chapters 1, or excuse me, verses 1 and 2 of chapter 5, be imitators of God as beloved children, walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Those are the key words. What does it mean to be imitators of God? To sacrifice ourselves in love to his cause. But in verses 15, 16, and 17, look carefully than how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Verse 16 is very important and very applicable easily. Making the best use of the time or redeeming the time. Take advantage of the opportunities God’s given you. God had a plan for his creation, and it came to pass. Jesus was born in Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4 in the fullness of time. When we have our opportunities, if we’re going to be imitators of God, we have to take them.

But note with me one final point at the beginning of verse 15. How are we to walk? How are we to redeem the time? Looking carefully. Looking carefully takes the same amount of thought, effort, and sacrifice that being imitators of God does because they’re one in the same. How are we to walk as imitators of God? Beloved children walking in love. How are we to walk as imitators of God? Looking. We need to be looking every step of the way. It takes thought. It takes effort. It’s not easy and it will be hard. But we know when even one suffers unjustly in the sight of God and remains acting in righteousness. It’s a gracious thing in the sight of God. What does it mean to be imitators of God?

Conclusion

It means to love as God loved us. It means to forgive as we wish to be forgiven by God. And most importantly, if nothing else, those will come if we are fully committed, as we want our God to be fully, completely, 24 7 committed to us. We have a wonderful God. And we owe him a wonderful sacrifice with all that we have and all that we are. If you’re here this morning and you haven’t sacrificed yourself to him, recognize that while God’s love is there and it is unconditionally for all, available. That doesn’t mean that to accept the love is unconditional. As Peter said, he understood that God shows no partiality, but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

Trust in God. Have the faith with which it’s necessary to please him this morning. Believe in Jesus, dying on the cross for our sins, paying the price, giving an example. Confess of your sins. Turn from your life of wrongdoing. Repent. Make your life right with our great, loving, and merciful God. Be baptized, having your sins forever forgiven by our perfect loving, forgiving God. You can have that blessing this morning. Or maybe you’re a Christian and you haven’t been looking carefully how you walk. We haven’t been redeeming the time. We haven’t been recognizing what it means to truly be imitators of God. Recognize that with love, those who are beloved children of God can pray with you. We can pray for you. And one day, Lord willing, we will all be together with our great loving God, whom we are striving with every step to be more like each day.

If we can help you in any way, come forward now as we stand and sing the invitation song.