FOLLOW GOD'S EXAMPLE (Captioned)

LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT RECORDED FOR US IN THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 4, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 30: AND DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD, WITH WHOM YOU WERE SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION. GET RID OF ALL BITTERNESS, RAGE AND ANGER, BRAWLING AND SLANDER, ALONG WITH EVERY FORM OF MALICE. BE KIND AND COMPASSIONATE TO ONE ANOTHER, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, JUST AS IN CHRIST GOD FORGAVE YOU. FOLLOW GOD'S EXAMPLE, THEREFORE, AS DEARLY LOVED CHILDREN AND WALK IN THE WAY OF LOVE, JUST AS CHRIST LOVED US AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR US AS A FRAGRANT OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD. THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD. LET US PRAY: GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBILICA, INC.] DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST: I THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO AGREE THAT ELIJAH WAS NOT HAVING A GOOD DAY. PROBABLY NOT ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF HIS LIFE AS HE WAS WALKING A PATH HE JUST GAVE UP. HE HAD REACHED THE END OF HIS ROPE, HE WAS TIRED. HE WAS DONE. HE WAS EXHAUSTED AND HE SAT DOWN NEXT TO THAT BUSH AND HE PRAYED TO GOD: GOD, JUST TAKE MY LIFE. I'M DONE. I'VE HAD IT. AND HE PROBABLY CLOSED HIS EYES HOPING THAT HE WOULD OPEN THEM TO THE GLORIES OF HEAVEN. ELIJAH WASN'T HAVING A GOOD DAY BUT IT GOT BETTER. IT GOT BETTER THROUGH A MIRACLE OF GOD. WHERE GOD SENT AN ANGEL TO HIM TO WAKE HIM UP. NOT TO HIS ETERNAL GLORY, BUT TO REALIZE THAT THERE WAS SOME FOOD. SOME FOOD THAT HAD BEEN PREPARED FOR HIM SO THAT HE COULD EAT TO GAIN HIS STRENGTH AND GET SOME NOURISHMENT. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT ELIJAH DID! AND THEN HE WENT BACK TO SLEEP AGAIN ONLY LATER ON TO BE AWAKENED BY AN ANGEL WHO SAID, EAT. EAT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE WORK TO DO. I AM NOT DONE WITH YOU, IS THE LORD'S MESSAGE TO ELIJAH. YOU HAVE WORK THAT I WANT YOU TO ACCOMPLISH. AND I HAVE COME HERE TO HELP YOU. TO CARE FOR YOU. TO REMIND YOU OF MY LOVE FOR YOU. NOW, EAT AND YOU'VE GOT SOME WALKING TO DO. FORTY DAYS OF IT. IT'S INTERESTING IN LIFE SOMETIMES HOW WE THINK WE KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. ELIJAH THOUGHT THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO HIM WAS THAT HE WOULD BE TAKEN FROM THIS WORLD TO HIS ETERNAL GLORY. BECAUSE HE HAD HAD ENOUGH. SELFISH PRAYER TO GOD. I KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I KNOW WHAT I WANT AND I WANT YOU TO DO IT. AND GOD, YET IN HIS LOVE, ANSWERED ELIJAH. HERE'S WHAT YOU GET. WHAT YOU NEED. NOT WHAT YOU WANT, BECAUSE I NEED YOU TO DO MY WORK. I NEED YOU TO CONTINUE TO SERVE ME. I NEED YOU TO CONTINUE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE OF FAITH IN THE CALLING THAT I HAVE BROUGHT YOU TO. AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE LESSON THAT ELIJAH LEARNED. IT REALLY IS THE SAME LESSON THAT PAUL SHARED WITH THE CHRISTIANS IN EPHESUS. WHEN HE COMES TO THEM HE SAYS: YOU NEED TO BE IMITATORS OF GOD. YOU NEED TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A WAY THAT IMITATES GOD BY BEING LOVING, AS GOD IS LOVING. AND NOT GRIEVING THE HOLY SPIRIT. REALIZE THAT IN YOUR LIFE, GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE HIS OWN. HE HAS PLACED YOU INTO THIS WORLD AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME TO LIVE AS HIS CHILD. TO SERVE HIM AND TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS. TO THE FAITH THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU LIVE THAT LIFE OF FAITH. IMITATE GOD. IMITATE GOD ESPECIALLY IN HOW GOD LOVES YOU. AND WE SEE THAT SO CLEARLY THIS MORNING IN OUR LESSONS. THE LOVE OF GOD. YES, GOD WAS CONCERNED WITH ELIJAH'S HEALTH. THE FACT THAT HE HAD PROBABLY WORN HIMSELF OUT, DIDN'T SPEND ENOUGH TIME SLEEPING, DIDN'T EAT WELL AND GOD CAME TO HIM AND GAVE HIM NOURISHMENT TO DO THE WORK THAT GOD HAD CALLED HIM TO DO. JESUS - THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO HIM IN THE LESSONS, IN OUR GOSPEL LESSON FOR THIS MORNING, WHO REALLY WANTED TO MAKE HIM A KING. ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW ARE GRUMBLING AGAINST HIM BECAUSE HE CLAIMED THAT HE IS THE BREAD THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. THEY'RE ALL UPSET WITH HIM, SAYING: AREN'T YOU JOSEPH'S SON? DON'T WE KNOW YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? JESUS DID TAKE CARE OF THEIR PHYSICAL NEEDS. BUT HE REMINDS THEM OF WHAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT: HIS LOVE FOR THEIR SPIRITUAL CONDITION. AND HE REASSURED THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE: THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ME WILL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. THERE IS THE LOVE OF GOD. REACHING OUT FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE TO SAVE THEM WHEN THEY CAN'T SAVE THEMSELVES. WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO SAVE THEMSELVES. IT IS GOD WHO COMES TO PEOPLE IN THEIR MOST OBSTINATE POSITION. BORN IN SIN, CONDEMNED TO HELL, NOT WANTING ANYTHING TO DO WITH GOD, BLIND TO HIM, LIVING IN DARKNESS; THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF ANYTHING THAT IS DIVINE AND HOLY. YET GOD COMES TO THEM WITH HIS WORD. WITH THE POWER OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND CREATES IN THEM FAITH. FAITH THAT TURNS AND LOOKS TO JESUS - THE LIVING BREAD WHO CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN WHO GAVE HIS FLESH IN SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS. FOR MY SINS. THAT GOD LOVED ME SO MUCH THAT HE WAS WILLING TO MAKE THAT ULTIMATE SACRIFICE THAT ULTIMATE SACRIFICE SO THAT I WOULD BE HIS AND LIVE WITH HIM AND SERVE HIM DAY AFTER DAY. AND PAUL REMINDED THE EPHESIANS OF THAT. HE SAID: THERE IS THE LOVE OF GOD. THE LOVE OF GOD IS IN FORGIVENESS. AND I WANT YOU NOW TO IMITATE GOD'S LOVE. I WANT YOU TO LOVE EACH OTHER. FORGIVE EACH OTHER. THOSE ARE IMPORTANT WORDS. BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY FOR US TO RUN TO GOD BEGGING AND PLEADING WITH HIM TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS. BUT WE CAN COME UP WITH ANY NUMBER OF EXCUSES LIKE WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO TALK TO THAT BROTHER OR SISTER IN THE FAITH - CONCERNING THE THINGS THAT ARE BETWEEN US. WHETHER IT BE JUST TO ASK THEIR FORGIVENESS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE WRONGED THEM, OR JUST TO FORGIVE THEM AND LET IT GO. LET IT GO LIKE GOD DOES. NOT REMEMBERING OUR SIN. NOT HOLDING THEM AGAINST US. NOT COUNTING THEM AGAINST US. BUT OUR HUMAN NATURE LIKES TO THINK: YES! WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. WE'RE FORGIVING THEM. BUT I WILL NOT FORGET! WHY DON'T WE FORGET? BECAUSE WE LIKE TO HAVE THAT POWER. WE LIKE TO HAVE THAT AUTHORITY. WE LIKE TO HAVE THAT HAMMER IN OUR HAND TO USE TO BEAT THEM DOWN AT A FUTURE POINT IN THEIR LIFE. AND GOD NEVER DOES THAT TO US. GOD ALWAYS COMES BACK TO US IN LOVE AND CARE. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE BROKEN HIS LAW. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST HIM. HIS FORGIVENESS COVERS ALL. AND WE'RE TO IMITATE THAT IN OUR LIFE. THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO LOVE PEOPLE. TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SPIRITUAL NEEDS AS WELL AS TAKING CARE OF THEIR PHYSICAL NEEDS IF WE CAN DO THAT. AND WE'RE NOT TO GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE APOSTLE PAUL REMINDS US THAT THAT'S A TERRIBLE THING TO DO. TO MAKE THE HOLY SPIRIT SAD. TO GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT. THAT'S BASICALLY WHEN WE SIN. THAT HOLY SPIRIT THAT HAD COME TO US IN OUR BAPTISM. CREATING FAITH WITHIN US. LIVING WITHIN US EACH AND EVERY DAY. TO KEEP US LIVING A SANCTIFIED LIFE. WHEN WE IGNORE THAT VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE GRIEVE HIM. WHEN WE DO EXACTLY WHAT WE KNOW HE WOULD NOT WANT US TO DO, WE GRIEVE HIM. THERE IS A SADNESS IN GOD WHEN WE CONTINUE TO SIN. AND THE FEAR IS THAT IF WE CONTINUE IN THAT SIN, AND LIVING IN THAT SIN, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DULLED TO THE BLESSINGS OF GOD. THAT THAT SINFUL LIFE BECOMES COMFORTABLE. THAT THAT SINFUL LIFE BECOMES OUR SECOND NATURE. AND THEN IT'S JUST EASY FOR US TO WALK AWAY FROM GOD. TO TAKE ONE STEP TODAY MAKES IT MUCH MORE EASY TO TAKE TWO STEPS TOMORROW. TO NOT OPEN OUR BIBLES DURING THE WEEK BECOMES EASIER AS WE DON'T DO IT. AND THEN WE DON'T MISS IT - IF WE DON'T USE IT AT ALL. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD TO LIVE OUR LIFE OF FAITH. TO WORK WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. WHO WANTS US TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. TO AVOID WHAT IS WRONG HE WANTS US TO CONTINUALLY BE TESTING OURSELVES ... LEARNING MORE, GROWING IN THE FAITH. PUTTING THAT INTO PRACTICE WHEN THOSE TIMES AND DAYS ARE DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO THAT. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL SUSTAIN US. THE LORD SAID HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US. EVEN WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT LIKE ELIJAH. AND GOD FORBID IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO US. WHERE WE JUST WANT TO END IT ALL. GOD IS STILL THERE. GOD STILL WANTS US AS HIS OWN. GOD IS STILL LOVING, AND FORGIVING - AND WANTS US TO TURN TO HIM TO SEE THE BLESSINGS THAT ARE THERE IN OUR LIFE. HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS FOR US TO TRUST IN GOD. TO TRUST IN HIS WILL. TO DO HIS WORK. NOT TO BE AFRAID OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY IF THEY SEE THE FACT THAT WE'RE CHRISTIANS. OR WHAT WE BELIEVE ABOUT CERTAIN HOT-BUTTON TOPICS OR ISSUES IN THE NEWS. WE PRESENT THE WORD OF GOD IN ITS TRUTH. WE PUT IT BEFORE PEOPLE. WE FOLLOW IT WHEN WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT IMITATES GOD. THAT IS LOVING, THAT IS CARING ABOUT PEOPLE'S ETERNAL WELFARE. BECAUSE GOD'S FIRST AND FOREMOST CONCERN IN OUR LIFE WAS SAVING US FROM SIN. AND THAT'S HOW WE LOOK TO OTHERS. THAT'S WHAT WE FILL OUR LIFE WITH. HELPING OTHERS SEE THE SAVIOR. WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH OUR ACTIONS OR SHARING WITH THEM THE WORD OF GOD OR BRINGING THEM TO THE LORD HIMSELF. THERE'S WHERE THEY WILL FIND COMFORT. THERE IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT THEY WILL FIND PROTECTION AND CONSTANT CARE - IN THE LORD'S HANDS. SO THE LORD COMES TO US TODAY. EACH OF US AT VARIOUS POINTS IN OUR LIFE. EACH OF US CARRYING BURDENS THAT WE ONLY KNOW HOW WE'RE FEELING TODAY. WHETHER IT'S BEEN A GOOD DAY FOR US SO FAR, OR JUST ANOTHER DAY IN A STRING OF A HORRIBLE WEEK, MONTH OR YEAR. BUT GOD KNOWS AND HE CARES. AND HE LOVES US. HE IS WITH US. HE SAID TRUST ME. LIVE IN ME. IMITATE ME. AMEN. LET US RISE. NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.