FOLLOW GOD'S EXAMPLE (Captioned)
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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.