WAKE UP! (CC)
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[WE ARE PRIVILEGED THIS
MORNING TO HAVE THE
REV. RICH KOGLEIR (WELS) SERVE
US WHILE PASTOR DAVE'S AWAY.]
FELLOW BELIEVERS IN THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST:
THE WORD OF GOD BEFORE US
I'VE READ ALREADY BUT I'D
LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH YOU IN
THE 1984 TRANSLATION OF THE
NIV.
AND THE WORD THERE REALLY
CAPTURES THE GREEK
IDEA OF PATTERNING ONESELF
AFTER SOMEONE ELSE.
IT STARTS OFF HERE IN VERSE 1
OF CHAPTER 5: [VERSES 1 - 2]
BE IMITATORS
OF GOD, THEREFORE, AS DEARLY
LOVED CHILDREN
AND LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE, SUCH
AS
CHRIST LOVED US AND GAVE
HIMSELF UP FOR US
AS A FRAGRANT OFFERING AND
SACRIFICE TO GOD.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO JUMP
TO THE
CLOSING VERSE 14:
FOR IT IS LIGHT THAT MAKES
EVERYTHING
VISIBLE. THIS IS WHY IT IS
SAID:
"WAKE UP, O SLEEPER, RISE FROM
THE DEAD, AND
CHRIST WILL SHINE ON YOU."
THESE ARE THE WORDS OF OUR
TEXT THIS MORNING.
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, MY
SON-IN-LAW WENT CAMPING WITH
US FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
AND AS HE DID,
HE BROUGHT WITH US A SKILL
SET.
HE'S A GOOD COOK. HE'S ALSO A
VERY DISCIPLINED INDIVIDUAL.
WELL HIS BACKGROUND IS, HE HAD
SERVED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS
AS ... IN THE MILITARY AS A
NAVY SEAL. AND
NEWLY MARRIED TO MY DAUGHTER,
WE INVITED HIM TO COME ALONG
ON THE FIRST CAMPING OUTING
THAT WE NORMALLY DID,
AS WE WENT UP TO SOUTH
MONTEREY, BIG SUR, BEAUTIFUL
AREA OF THE COAST OF
CALIFORNIA
AND THERE'S A CAMPGROUND THERE
THAT'S CALLED: JULIA PIPER
BIG SUR STATE PARK. AND
SO WE WERE IN AND FOUND OUR
CAMPING SPOT, AND
THAT EVENING BEFORE WE ALL
TURNED IN, HE
RAISED HIS HAND AND HE SAID:
I'LL TAKE CARE OF BREAKFAST.
AND WE THOUGHT: WELL, ALL
RIGHT! USUALLY MY WIFE AND I
DO THAT ON OUR OWN AND HE SAID
HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT
AND WE KNOW HE WAS A GOOD COOK
AND WE SAID: OKAY! GO FOR IT!
WELL, WE SLEPT WELL BUT THEN
ALL OF A SUDDEN ABOUT 6 A.M.,
A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN
WE'RE USED TO GETTING UP WHEN
WE GO CAMPING, WE HEARD THIS
SING-SONGY VOICE: WAKEY,
WAKEY,
EGGS AND BAKEY. [LAUGHTER]
AND, UH, BRIGHT AND EARLY AS A
GOOD NAVY SEAL, HE WAS UP AND
AT IT, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T
MIND TOO MUCH BECAUSE THE
BREAKFAST HE HAD PREPARED
WAS JUST OUTSTANDING. AND WE
REALLY ENJOYED IT. THERE WAS A
CALL TO WAKE UP BECAUSE
SOMETHING WAS THERE FOR US AND
IT WAS GONNA BE SPECIAL; IT
REALLY WAS. YOU KNOW WE GET
THOSE KINDS OF WAKE-UP CALLS
THROUGH OUR LIFE. BUT YOU KNOW
AS A CHILD, I CAN REMEMBER MY
MOTHER COMING IN. MY DAD
HAD ALREADY GONE OFF TO WORK
BY 6 O'CLOCK AND MY MOM WOULD
COME IN AND SAY: RICHARD, GET
UP! YOU'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR
SCHOOL. AND I WOULD HEAR THAT
WAKE-UP CALL AND
SOMETIMES I DIDN'T PAY
ATTENTION.
AND HER PROPHECY ABOUT
LATENESS, IT WAS FULFILLED
IN MY LIFE. WE HAD TO WALK
SOME DISTANCE. IT WAS NOTHING
TOO HEAVY BUT, IF YOU DIDN'T
GET GOING ON SCHEDULE, YOU
USUALLY WALKED INTO THE DOOR
AND YOU WERE MARKED TARDY.
WELL THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF
TIMES TO ME. ON OTHER
OCCASIONS WHEN I HEARD HER
WAKE-UP CALL, OUTTA BED,
HAD BREAKFAST, ON THE WAY, GOT
THERE, IT WAS A GREAT DAY.
YOU KNOW WE GET THOSE KIND OF
WAKE-UP CALLS
ALL THROUGHOUT OUR LIFE AS WE
GO HERE, AND GO THERE ...
IN OUR FAMILIES, AS WE DO
BUSINESS, AS WE
JUST LIVE AS PEOPLE. THERE ARE
MESSAGES COMING TO US
THAT SAY: WAKE UP AND START
SOMETHING! AND THEN
OTHER MESSAGES THAT SAY: WAKE
UP AND STOP SOMETHING!
IT'S LIKE, UM, YOU GO TO THE
DOCTOR
AND HE SAYS: WAKE UP!
IF YOU DON'T START TO EAT
DIFFERENTLY,
YOU'RE GONNA DEVELOP DIABETES.
WELL THERE'S
A WAKE-UP CALL FOR YOU! THEN
AGAIN WE HEAR THOSE
MESSAGES THAT SAY: WAKE UP AND
STOP TEXTING WHILE YOU'RE
DRIVING! OR YOU'LL GET IN A
WRECK.
AND SURE ENOUGH THE LAW WAS
PASSED BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE
WHAT? THEY WERE TEXTING WHILE
THEY WERE DRIVING. HAVE YOU
EVER SEEN THAT? HAVE YOU EVER
TRIED IT? IT'S PRETTY TOUGH TO
SEE WHAT'S AHEAD WHEN YOU'RE
LOOKING DOWN LIKE THAT. YEAH!
AND WITH THE SPEEDS ON THE
FREEWAYS THAT WE DRIVE HERE IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, JUST LIKE
THAT! A NIGHT DRIVE CAN BECOME
A WRECK. AND DEATH AND SEVERE
INJURY CAN OCCUR. IT'S A
WAKE-UP CALL THAT WE REALLY
NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
SO SOME OF THE WAKE-UP CALLS
WE GET
ARE BENIGN. YOU KNOW IF
YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION ...
IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT YOUR
LIFE TOO MUCH.
OTHER WAKE-UP CALLS, DRAMATIC,
CUZ IF YOU DON'T PAY
ATTENTION, DON'T MAKE SOME
CHANGES, THEY WILL AFFECT YOUR
LIFE.
IN OUR TEXT TODAY,
THAT PHRASE ... WAKE-UP ...
IS IN THE FOURTEENTH VERSE
AND THAT WAKE-UP CALL COMES TO
EVERY SINGLE
ONE OF US, AS CHRISTIANS.
"THE WAKE-UP"
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T IT WILL
AFFECT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
JESUS.
AND IF THAT RELATIONSHIP IN
FAITH IS BROKEN
OUR ETERNAL DESTINY
WILL BE IMPACTED. AND WE WILL
'NOT' BE HEAVEN-BOUND, BUT
HEADED FOR HELL.
IT'S A SERIOUS WAKE-UP CALL
THAT WE HEAR IN OUR TEXT.
AND THAT WAKE-UP CALL IS ONE
THAT IS COUCHED IN
GOD'S LOVE FOR US. YOU SEE
IT'S GOD'S LOVE FOR US THAT
COMPELS US.
TO WAKE UP
AND IMITATE
THE ONE WHO HAS CALLED US TO
FAITH.
THESE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE
PAUL,
INSPIRED BY THE HOLY
SPIRIT, REALLY ARE REFLECTIVE
OF JESUS'S WORDS. VERY
SIMILAR. JESUS HAD SAID TO HIS
DISCIPLES ... EARLY ON IN HIS
MINISTRY:
"LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE
MEN SO THAT
THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS
AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER
IN HEAVEN." [MATTHEW 5:16]
SO OUR BEHAVIOR, AS WE LIVE,
IMPACTS OTHER PEOPLE AROUND
US.
THEY SEE US AND
IT CAN DRAW THEM TO JESUS, OR
IT CAN
PUSH THEM AWAY. THE APOSTLE
PAUL
IS LED TO WRITE SOMETHING
VERY, VERY SIMILAR AND SAYS IT
A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY
WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT IMITATING
GOD
OUT OF LOVE FOR HIM WHO FIRST
LOVED US.
AND HE SPEAKS THESE WORDS OF
"WAKE-UP"
TO THE EPHESIAN CHRISTIANS.
AND THEY WERE A GROUP OF
CHRISTIANS LIVING IN THE CITY
OF EPHESUS AND AS THEY LIVED
THERE, THEY INTERACTED
IN A PAGAN SOCIETY.
THEY WERE LETTING THEIR LIGHT
SHINE IN THE MIDST OF
GODLESSNESS. THEIR FELLOW
GREEKS
WORSHIPED HERCULES, DIANA,
ALL THE CONSTELLATIONS HAD A
NAME
AND THE PEOPLE REVERED THOSE
CONSTELLATIONS
THINKING THAT THEY WERE
SOMEHOW GODS
WHO WOULD IMPACT THEIR LIFE.
WE SEE THAT THE MORALITY OF
THE DAY WAS
DEBAUCHERY. SEXUAL RELATIONS
OUTSIDE OF
MARRIAGE: COMMON, A WAY OF
LIFE. IN FACT ...
RIGHT! AND THEN WE ALSO SEE
THAT
EVEN THE WORSHIP PRACTICES
OF THEIR GODLESS,
THE PAGAN WORSHIP PRACTICES
INVOLVED
FORNICATION, ADULTERY,
SEXUAL IMMORALITY.
IT WAS EVERYWHERE.
IN THE WORKPLACE, HONESTY WAS
NOT THE WAY TO GO BUT
GET AHEAD NO MATTER WHAT ...
IT'S ABOUT SURVIVAL.
YOU HAD THE ROMANS BREATHING
DOWN YOUR NECK, AND THEN YOU
HAD THE LOCAL MAGISTRATES
TRYIN' TO GET THEIRS
AND THE TAX COLLECTORS COMING
AROUND WHENEVER POSSIBLE SO
WHEN IT CAME TO BUSINESS ...
IT WAS A DOG-EAT-DOG WORLD.
AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF
THAT ...
WERE CHRISTIANS.
AND THE APOSTLE POINTS OUT
THAT AS YOU LIVE IN A GODLESS
SETTING,
A GODLESS COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE
TO BE ALERT.
YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP.
WAKE UP AND REALIZE
WHO YOU ARE. WHAT GOD HAS DONE
FOR YOU.
AND WHERE YOU'RE HEADED.
SO THAT YOU ARE 'NOT' ... LED
AWAY FROM JESUS!
SO THAT YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY
IS NOT LOST. SO THAT YOUR LIFE
SHOWS ... WHO YOU ARE
AS A CHILD OF GOD.
I'D LIKE YOU TO JUMP FROM THEN
TO NOW.
IS IT MUCH DIFFERENT TODAY?
CHRISTIANS
LIVING IN A COMMUNITY,
IN A SOCIETY IN A PLACE WHERE
THINGS THAT WERE ONCE RIGHT
ARE NOW WRONG. AND THE THINGS
THAT WERE ONCE WRONG
ARE NOW RIGHT.
MORALITY IS SOMETHING THAT'S
DETERMINED BY
YOUR OPINION. HOW MANY PEOPLE
HAVEN'T YOU TALKED TO WHEN YOU
SHARED WHAT GOD'S STAND
IS ON SOMETHING
AND THEY'VE SAID: WELL, EACH
TO HIS OWN.
IF YOU WANNA BELIEVE THAT,
THAT'S GOOD FOR YOU, BUT
DON'T PUSH THAT ON ME.
DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT'S
TRUE.
SO WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TURN ON
THE TELEVISION, SELECT
THE MOVIE LISTING AND WHAT DO
WE SEE?
IMMORALITY IS MADE TO BE A
GOOD THING!
AND WILL BRING GOOD TO YOU
WHEN, IN FACT, WE KNOW BETTER!
GETTING AHEAD IN THE BUSINESS
WORLD?
ENCOURAGED TO DO THAT DEAL.
RIGHT?
CHEATING ON TAXES? WELL,
YOU NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR
YOURSELF WE'RE TOLD.
I MEAN THE LIST GOES ON. YOU
CAN FILL IN THE SPACES.
WE LIVE IN A SETTING VERY
SIMILAR TO THE EPHESIANS
AND IT'S IN THAT SETTING THAT
THESE WORDS
SPEAK TO YOU AND ME. WAKE UP!
WAKE UP! WAKE UP SO THAT
YOU ARE NOT LED AWAY FROM
CHRIST.
SO THAT YOU ARE NOT LED TO
EMBRACE
THE THINGS OF THE WORLD.
RATHER THAN LIVE
AS A CHILD OF LIGHT. WAKE UP!
AND LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE
BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MIGHT SEE
YOUR GODLY LIFE AND GLORIFY
YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
WAKE UP! NOW WHY SUCH A STRONG
WAKE-UP CALL? WHY DID THEY NEED
IT?
WHY DO WE NEED IT? BECAUSE WE
HAVE A SINFUL NATURE.
WE'RE NOT PERFECT PEOPLE. AND
WE'RE DRAWN
INTO THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD
APPEAR TO BE GOOD
AND YET LEAD TO TROUBLE.
WOULD THE OFFERING OF SOME
PLEASURE FOR THE MOMENT AND
YET ... MESS UP OUR WHOLE LIFE
BY ONE ACTION.
YOU SEE WE'RE SINNERS AND
SAINTS; WE'RE DUAL NATURED AND
WE NEED THAT KIND OF WARNING.
OTHERWISE,
WE BECOME COMPLACENT.
WE BECOME LUKEWARM. WE JUST GO
ALONG
WITH THE CROWD. WE JUST GO
ALONG WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WE JUST GO ALONG WITH WHAT IS
POLITICALLY CORRECT ...
RATHER THAN WHAT'S RIGHT
BEFORE GOD.
AND SO WE NEED ... THAT
WAKE-UP CALL.
I MEAN, WHO OF US HAS NOT
FALLEN
TO THE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED
HERE?
LISTEN TO THE LIST AGAIN AS I
READ IT FROM THE TEXT.
THE APOSTLE SETS IT OUT THERE
FOR US SO THAT WE CAN HAVE
GOD'S STANDARD TO MEASURE OUR
LIVING AGAINST,
RATHER THAN MAN'S. SO WE NEED
THAT CLARITY.
IT SAYS: "BUT AMONG YOU THERE
MUST NOT BE EVEN A HINT
OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY,
OR ANY KIND OF IMPURITY, OR OF
GREED,
BECAUSE THESE ARE IMPROPER FOR
GOD'S HOLY PEOPLE.
NOR SHOULD THERE BE OBSCENITY,
FOOLISH TALK OR COARSE JOKING,
WHICH ARE OUT OF PLACE, BUT
RATHER THANKSGIVING.
FOR OF THIS YOU CAN BE SURE:
NO IMMORAL,
IMPURE OR GREEDY PERSON --
SUCH A MAN IS AN IDOLATOR --
HAS ANY INHERITANCE IN THE
KINGDOM OF CHRIST
AND OF GOD. LET NO ONE
DECEIVE YOU WITH EMPTY WORDS,
FOR BECAUSE OF SUCH THINGS
GOD'S WRATH COMES ON THOSE WHO
ARE DISOBEDIENT.
THEREFORE DO NOT BE PARTNERS
WITH THEM.
FOR YOU WERE ONCE DARKNESS,
BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN
THE LORD." [EPHESIANS 5:3-8a]
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR LIVES IN
COMPARISON TO THAT LIST, WHO
OF US CAN SAY
THAT WE'VE 100 PERCENT
ALL OF THE TIME LIVED UP TO
THAT LIST? WELL, NONE OF US.
THE BIBLE SAYS: "IF WE SAY WE
HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE
OURSELVES AND THE TRUTH IS NOT
IN US." [1 JOHN 1:8]
AND THE TRUTH 'IS' IN US!
AND THE TRUTH IN US LEADS US
TO SAY: I'VE DONE THAT, TOO.
BUT THE TRUTH IN US ALSO LEADS
US
TO SAY: LORD, FORGIVE ME FOR
FAILING TO LET MY LIGHT SHINE,
FOR BECOMING COMPLACENT,
FOR FALLING ASLEEP, AND
STARTING TO
EMBRACE THESE GODLESS IDEAS
AND
GODLESS BEHAVIORS THAT ARE SO
BLATANTLY AGAINST YOUR WILL.
PLEASE FORGIVE ME. AND YOU
KNOW WE DON'T DESERVE
HIS FORGIVENESS. WHAT WE
DESERVE IS HELL.
PAUL MADE IT SO CLEAR. HE
SAID: IF YOU LIVE THIS WAY,
IF YOU CONTINUE IN
UNREPENTANT SIN, YOU'RE HEADED
FOR ETERNAL DAMNATION. THERE
IS NO SECOND CHANCE. THERE'S
ONLY ONE DESTINY FOR YOU. AND
THOSE WORDS
RING IN OUR MIND.
NOW WE DO NOT WANT THAT FOR
OURSELVES, BECAUSE GOD HAS
CALLED US TO BE CHILDREN OF
LIGHT. AND WHAT WE DESERVE
ISN'T WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET.
ISN'T WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET.
THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS! THE
APOSTLE GOES ON. HE SAYS:
YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO BE
CHILDREN OF LIGHT.
YOU KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD SHOWN
YOU,
IN CHRIST. YOU KNOW ABOUT
FORGIVENESS. HE SAYS AT THE
VERY BEGINNING:
HE SAYS: "BE IMITATORS OF GOD,
THEREFORE,
AS DEARLY LOVED CHILDREN ..."
[EPHESIANS 5:1]
THERE IT IS! OUR STATUS! WHO
ARE WE? WE'RE DEARLY
LOVED CHILDREN! WE'RE NOT
OUTSIDE
OF THE FAMILY, WE'RE PART OF
GOD'S FAMILY. WHY?
HE SAYS IT IN THE FIRST
VERSES:
HE SAYS: BECAUSE OF JESUS!
WHO GAVE UP HIS LIFE AS AN
OFFERING AND
SACRIFICE TO GOD FOR US.
THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS!
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE NOT
GOING TO GET WHAT WE DESERVE.
WE'RE GOING TO GET WHAT JESUS
HAS WON FOR US.
YOU KNOW, THIS PASSAGE REPEATS
THE WORD 'LOVE' MANY, MANY
TIMES. IT TALKS ABOUT OUR
LOVE FOR GOD
AND THEN IT ESPECIALLY TALKS
ABOUT GOD'S LOVE FOR US
IN CHRIST. THINK ABOUT THAT
LOVE FOR JUST A MOMENT HERE.
WE THINK ABOUT IT IN OUR
HYMNS. WE THINK ABOUT IT IN
WORSHIP. WE HEAR ABOUT IT
HERE.
BUT THINK ABOUT IT FOR YOU.
THAT LOVE. DIVINE LOVE.
SELF-SACRIFICING LOVE. THE
BIBLE IS FILLED
WITH PASSAGES THAT TALK ABOUT
HOW GOD REACHES OUT TO US
AND THE WORLD IN LOVE ...
THROUGH CHRIST. IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT
WE READ VERSES LIKE THIS ONE
FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH:
[CHAPTER 53:5] "HE WAS WOUNDED
[REFERRING TO THE MESSIAH]
FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS,
HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR
INIQUITIES; AND THE
PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US
PEACE WAS UPON HIM,
AND WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE
HEALED."
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WE READ
THESE VERSES: "THE SON OF GOD
[REFERRING TO JESUS] CAME INTO
THE WORLD
NOT TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT
THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM
MIGHT BE SAVED." [JOHN 3:17]
HERE'S ANOTHER NEW TESTAMENT
VERSE: "HE WHO KNEW NO SIN
BECAME SIN FOR US
THAT WE MIGHT HAVE
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD."
[2 COR. 5:21]
OUR STATUS BEFORE GOD THE
FATHER
IS ONE OF FORGIVENESS.
OUR STATUS BEFORE GOD THE
FATHER IS ONE OF
CLOTHED IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS
OF JESUS.
OUR STATUS BEFORE GOD THE
FATHER IS:
MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY; DEARLY
LOVED CHILDREN.
BROTHERS TO JESUS ... THE HOLY
SPIRIT
OUR COUNSELOR AND COMFORTER.
THAT'S OUR STATUS.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE.
BECAUSE GOD HAS FIRST LOVED
US.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT,
AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT IN THE
FRONT OF YOUR THINKING
ON A DAILY BASIS; WHEN YOU GET
UP IN THE MORNING
IT SHAPES HOW YOU LIVE,
IT SHAPES HOW WE THINK.
IT SHAPES OUR ACTIVITY
BECAUSE WE ARE NOT LIVING FOR
OURSELVES.
WE'RE NOT LIVING
TO PLEASE THE WORLD.
WE'RE NOT LIVING WITH WORLDLY
GOALS.
WE ARE LIVING TO SAY 'THANK
YOU'
TO GOD WHO REDEEMED US IN
CHRIST;
WHO HAS SECURED FOR US A PLACE
IN HEAVEN.
AND WHO ASSURES US EVERY
SINGLE DAY
OF THE FORGIVENESS WE HAVE IN
HIM.
AND THAT
SHAPES HOW WE LIVE.
WHO ARE YOU IMITATING AS YOU
LIVE YOUR LIFE?
THAT'S THE QUESTION.
IN THE EARLY CHURCH,
CHRISTIANS
WERE NOT ALWAYS CALLED
CHRISTIANS.
SOMETIMES THEY WERE CALLED
'FOLLOWERS OF THE WAY'.
AND SOME OPENLY SAID THEY WERE
'FOLLOWERS OF JESUS'.
THEY WERE HIS DISCIPLES.
BUT IN THE EARLY CHURCH, THEY
GOT A NEW HANDLE THAT STUCK
AND STILL STICKS. AND THEY
WERE
FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS
IN ANTIOCH, WE'RE TOLD. WHY
DID THEY CALL THEM
CHRISTIAN? WELL, THE WORD
CHRISTIAN LITERALLY MEANS
LITTLE CHRIST.
THAT'S RIGHT. LITTLE CHRIST.
SEE THE PEOPLE SAW, IN THE
FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, THEY SAW
IN THEM A LITTLE BIT OF JESUS.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SAW,
SAW THEIR SELF-SACRIFICE, SAW
THEIR LOVE OF OTHERS,
SAW THEIR FORGIVENESS OF EACH
OTHER, SAW THEIR HOPE
OF HEAVEN, SAW THE WAY THEY
LIVED AND HOW THEY TALKED.
SAW HOW THEY WEREN'T
CONFORMING TO THE THINGS OF
THE WORLD, BUT RATHER WERE
LIVING FOR GOD.
AND THAT STOOD OUT AND SO
THEY SAID:
WE'RE GONNA CALL YOU
CHRISTIAN.
SO WHO ARE YOU IMITATING?
DO PEOPLE LOOK AT YOUR LIFE?
WOULD THEY SAY THE SAME THING
OF YOU?
I HOPE SO. I PRAY SO. I
THINK WE WANT THAT, DON'T WE?
WE WANT PEOPLE TO SEE US AND
SAY:
THERE GOES A CHRISTIAN.
IN THE WORKPLACE,
IF YOU GET THE HANDLE: HE OR
SHE IS A CHRISTIAN ...
PRAISE GOD! CUZ THAT'S
WHAT YOU WANT! WE WANT TO BE
SEEN
FOR WHO WE ARE. DEARLY LOVED
CHILDREN.
REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF
CHRIST. MEMBERS
OF GOD'S FAMILY. WE WANT TO
BE SEEN AS CHRISTIANS.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BOY WHO WAS
SHOPPING WITH HIS MOM AND DAD.
THEY WERE GOING OUT THE DOOR
AT SEARS. I'LL NEVER FORGET
THIS. I'M GONNA SHARE THIS
STORY WITH YOU.
A LITTLE BOY WAS WALKING
CLOSELY AND THE FATHER,
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AS THEY
WALKED OUT THEY WOULD STOP
THROUGH THE APPLIANCE SECTION.
AND YOU KNOW HOW THOSE ARE ALL
SET UP WHEN YOU LEAVE SEARS IF
YOU'VE EVER SHOPPED THERE,
AND HE SAID TO HIS WIFE:
HONEY, I'D LIKE TO BUY ONE OF
THESE [POINTING TO A WASHING
MACHINE] FOR YOU. AND ALL OF A
SUDDEN A LITTLE VOICE THAT
SAYS: HONEY, I WANNA BUY
ONE OF THESE FOR YOU. WHEN
THEY GOT TO THE LAWN MOWERS
HIS DAD JOKINGLY TURNS TO HIS
WIFE AND HE SAYS: HONEY, I
WANNA BUY ONE OF THESE FOR
YOU, TOO. AND THE LITTLE BOY
SAYS: HONEY, I WANNA BUY ONE
OF THESE FOR YOU, TOO.
WELL, HERE IT WAS THE LITTLE
SON WHO WAS
IMITATING HIS FATHER.
ONE OF THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENTS
A CHILD CAN GIVE THEIR PARENT
IS TO WANNA BE LIKE THEM.
THEY IMITATE THEM.
WE AS PARENTS WANT TO GIVE OUR
CHILDREN A CHRISTIAN
GODLY EXAMPLE TO IMITATE.
AND WE'RE REJOICING WHEN OUR
KIDS
SEE A LITTLE CHRIST IN US.
THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENT THAT
WE CAN PAY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
IS TO IMITATE HIM.
IN OUR THINKING,
IN OUR SPEECH, IN OUR
BEHAVIOR.
WHY? BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM.
BECAUSE
HE FIRST LOVED US.
SO IF YOU THINK OF YOUR LIFE,
ASK YOURSELF THIS WEEK:
WHO AM I IMITATING? HAVE YOU
BEGUN TO SLIDE DOWN THE SLOPE
OF THE WORLD THAT SAYS:
LIVE THIS WAY, LIVE THAT
WAY? IMITATE THIS PERSON?
IMITATE THAT PERSON? AND WE
FIND THAT ALL OF THESE
EXAMPLES THAT HAVE RAISED
UP ARE GODLESS,
PAGAN PEOPLE. AND WE BEGIN TO
PATTERN OUR LIFE AFTER THEM.
OR HAVE WE BEGUN TO LOOK AT
THOSE HEROES OF FAITH
IN THE SCRIPTURE, JESUS
HIMSELF, AND SAID
THAT'S WHO I WANNA BE LIKE.
BECAUSE OF WHAT HE'S DONE FOR
ME.
I'D LIKE TO CLOSE BY PRAYING
WITH YOU THE PRAYER THAT I ...
UH, THE ONE MAN WHO RECENTLY
QUIT HOLLYWOOD. HE WAS THE
HIGHEST PAID CHILD ACTOR. HE
WAS MAKING
$300,000 PER EPISODE.
YOU MIGHT KNOW HIM.
MIGHT KNOW HIS NAME. IT WAS
ANGUS T. JONES.
YOU KNOW ANGUS? HE WAS THE
LITTLE KID ON THE
SIT-COM, TWO AND A HALF MEN.
BUT HE GREW UP
AND HE QUIT A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO.
WHY'D HE QUIT?
HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN.
HE SAID I CAN'T BE INVOLVED
IN THAT KIND OF HYPOCRISY. I
CAN'T BE INVOLVED IN THAT KIND
OF FILTH AND STILL BE
A CHILD OF GOD. AND SO HE
QUIT.
SO YOU AND I HAVE BEEN CALLED
BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN
JESUS TO BE CHILDREN OF A
LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER. THAT'S
WHO WE ARE. AS WE LIVE OUR
LIVES, MAY WE ASK THE LORD TO
HELP US
EVERY DAY TO BE IMITATORS
OF THE ONE WHO FIRST LOVED US.
AMEN.