WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.919 We're going to read again at the beginning of chapter 5, these first two verses, but as you see the word, therefore, at the beginning of the verse, it links into what we read beforehand as well. 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:15.300 We can read again at chapter 5, verse 1. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:30.020 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 of God. 00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:40.299 There's a wonderful phrase there in that opening verse that describes God's people as beloved children. 00:00:40.299 --> 00:00:50.359 And it's a great reminder to us as we gather together this evening and every time we gather to worship and come near to God that we are his beloved children. 00:00:50.819 --> 00:01:06.039 So whatever else is going on in our lives and whatever else may be affecting us, we always have that assurance that we have a father in heaven who is with us and watches over us and desires for us to be walking closely with him. 00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:14.420 And that theme is here in these verses, in the verses that we read both in beginning in chapter 4 at verse 17. 00:01:14.420 --> 00:01:23.920 And as we close our reading at the beginning of chapter 5, you see the word walk used in the opening verses and in the closing verses that we read. 00:01:24.740 --> 00:01:31.180 Now this I say and testify to the Lord that you must no longer walk as Gentiles do in the futility of their minds. 00:01:31.180 --> 00:01:36.880 So he's going on then to outline the areas where they have been distracted and led away. 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:40.780 Then as we come into chapter 5 in the opening verse there, he says, 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:57.500 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 for God, to God. 00:01:57.500 --> 00:02:02.519 There was a German by the name Albert Schweitzer. 00:02:03.420 --> 00:02:06.159 And he was a doctor, a medical doctor. 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:11.680 He was a musician, but he was also a missionary for God too. 00:02:12.740 --> 00:02:14.240 And he was once asked a question. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:18.759 He was asked the question, what's the best way to raise children? 00:02:18.759 --> 00:02:25.319 And he said in his answer, there are three ways, the best ways to raise children. 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:27.319 One, by example. 00:02:28.219 --> 00:02:30.379 Two, by example. 00:02:30.899 --> 00:02:33.599 And three, by example. 00:02:34.939 --> 00:02:40.000 Now to us it may sound, well there must be more to raising children than that. 00:02:40.039 --> 00:02:45.739 But he was highlighting just the importance of being an example to your children. 00:02:45.740 --> 00:02:53.740 And we are reminded here in these verses too that we have someone who is a great example to us. 00:02:54.280 --> 00:03:00.780 Paul in his teaching, in his letters to the churches, so often speaks about examples. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:06.080 He describes himself as an example to follow in some places. 00:03:06.640 --> 00:03:10.280 He also points to others who are good examples to follow. 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:16.840 But above all, he's always pointing us to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the greatest example of all. 00:03:17.900 --> 00:03:25.120 And we see here that he is talking, God is talking to his church, his people, as his children. 00:03:26.120 --> 00:03:34.000 And as our walk with the Lord, as we go on in our development and our growth in faith, we are to walk as his children. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:42.000 And God in his word gives us great examples and illustrations into how we are to grow. 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:47.560 It's not just Paul saying, follow me, follow my examples. 00:03:47.659 --> 00:03:49.620 If he's boasting in himself. 00:03:50.620 --> 00:03:57.979 Even when he says that, he always turns it around to say, it is always through what he has learned through Christ Jesus as his Lord. 00:03:57.979 --> 00:04:04.719 And so we want to surround ourselves in our own lives with good examples too. 00:04:05.179 --> 00:04:08.519 Because we live in a world where we are so often distracted. 00:04:08.759 --> 00:04:16.459 And as Paul is writing here to this church in Ephesus, he's showing us here how many have been led away from God. 00:04:17.139 --> 00:04:24.899 He speaks there in verse 17, how they no longer walk as the Gentiles do in the futility of their minds. 00:04:24.899 --> 00:04:34.259 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to their hardness of heart. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:40.879 He's reminding us here just how easy it is to just turn cold towards God. 00:04:41.139 --> 00:04:47.120 How easy it is to be pulled away from God and end up ourselves walking alienated from God. 00:04:47.639 --> 00:04:50.039 Walking in darkness once again. 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:55.420 And so often the danger is that we are going on in our own strength. 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:59.020 But we are always to go on in the strength of the Lord. 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:03.620 And that's what he goes on to remind them in chapter 4 there in verse 24. 00:05:03.820 --> 00:05:10.580 To put on the new self, created after the likeness of God and through righteousness and holiness. 00:05:10.579 --> 00:05:15.399 This is our ongoing walk with God. 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:23.919 Put off all bitterness, wrath, malice, all these sins that so easily come into our hearts. 00:05:24.339 --> 00:05:28.459 And we say to ourselves, you know, it's easier said than done. 00:05:28.459 --> 00:05:40.000 How often do we find ourselves caught out once again with all of these sins that he speaks about from our former life that are still there sort of clinging on to us? 00:05:40.779 --> 00:05:44.279 Wrath, anger, malice, bitterness, jealousy. 00:05:44.719 --> 00:05:48.459 They're all there just fighting for our attention and pulling us away. 00:05:48.459 --> 00:05:51.459 And it's easier said than done. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:58.219 But it's by focusing on the Lord that we always go on and walk closely with him. 00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:04.139 And so continually we ask ourselves, you know, are we walking closely? 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:06.299 Are we going on in his strength? 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:08.479 Where are we as Christians today? 00:06:09.359 --> 00:06:16.039 As we look back, as we come to the end of a year, where are we now compared to where we were at the start of the year? 00:06:16.040 --> 00:06:25.300 As we look back to everything that's happened in this past year, are we giving thanks to God and really entrusting ourselves to him and looking back and saying, 00:06:25.780 --> 00:06:30.020 thank you, Lord, for giving me the strength each and every point. 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:38.420 Even when I felt I was going on in my own strength, I can look back and see it's only through your grace, through your strength that I came on. 00:06:38.939 --> 00:06:44.100 The times we knew we couldn't go on in our own strength, how he afforded us his strength. 00:06:44.100 --> 00:06:46.920 And to be thankful for him. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:57.439 We're so often challenged, but we also need to be encouraged and to have our focus all the time on the Lord Jesus. 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:02.120 I've never been in a reading group just about a year ago, just now. 00:07:03.020 --> 00:07:04.180 Some of you may have been in it. 00:07:04.620 --> 00:07:09.260 It was organized by Thomas Davis, a men's reading group on Zoom. 00:07:09.259 --> 00:07:12.980 And going through it, we're reading a book together. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:19.480 And there's always a great challenge in the book as to just where we were at and how we were going on. 00:07:20.099 --> 00:07:24.860 And one chapter in particular was focusing on the problems we so often face. 00:07:25.819 --> 00:07:28.779 And three things that we often struggle with. 00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:30.360 It was three questions. 00:07:31.019 --> 00:07:32.639 What are we doing with our time? 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:35.759 What are our greatest worries? 00:07:36.459 --> 00:07:39.180 And what are we willing to sacrifice? 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.699 Questions that make us reflect. 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:48.620 But as we reflect on these questions, they will also bring us to refocus. 00:07:49.419 --> 00:07:52.079 Are we giving our time to the Lord? 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:56.240 Are we casting our burdens, our worries on the Lord? 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.759 Are we seeing the sacrifice the Lord has done for us? 00:08:00.060 --> 00:08:04.180 And willing to sacrifice our time, our efforts for him? 00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:12.240 It always brings us back to focus on the remedy to all of these challenges is to look to the Lord Jesus. 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:17.199 And so tonight, as we think of our own lives and look back and look forward, 00:08:17.819 --> 00:08:20.319 yes, we will see our lives marred by sin. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:24.800 But we're also reminded that in Christ, we are a new creation. 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:32.059 And that we are to go on in his strength, putting off the old self and putting on the new self, 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:37.559 created after the likeness of God and through righteousness and holiness. 00:08:38.939 --> 00:08:46.700 And that's what Paul goes on to outline for us there in chapter 5, verse 1 and verse 2. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.379 How do we go on? 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:49.860 By example. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:53.640 By example, by example, by example. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:09:00.400 And he gives us three examples here that we can just touch on this evening together in these verses. 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:05.280 The first example is be imitators of God. 00:09:05.900 --> 00:09:09.500 The second example is the example of love. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:11.000 Walk in love. 00:09:11.879 --> 00:09:15.440 And then the third example is the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:20.360 As Christ has loved us and gave himself up for us. 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:29.519 So we've got these three examples that Paul uses to help us to walk with the Lord. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:33.680 So the first example we see is this imitate God. 00:09:33.779 --> 00:09:35.919 Be imitators of God. 00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:44.039 Have you ever been asked to do something and in your eyes it just seems impossible? 00:09:44.439 --> 00:09:48.059 You think to yourself, I'm never going to be able to do that. 00:09:48.620 --> 00:09:54.740 We could all have maybe a different list of things we've either maybe been asked to do or been wanted to do ourselves. 00:09:54.839 --> 00:09:58.699 We just felt, well, there's no way I'm going to be able to do that. 00:09:58.700 --> 00:10:06.200 In my life, I've had many experiences where I've come to a point and I just thought, there's no way I'm going to be able to do that. 00:10:06.300 --> 00:10:12.020 Some things come to mind where we were with some young children taking them to a free church camp. 00:10:12.700 --> 00:10:17.240 We took them ice skating and I was hoping to just stay at the side. 00:10:17.940 --> 00:10:20.520 But oh no, we're told to come on to the ice. 00:10:20.580 --> 00:10:21.340 We're done the ice skates. 00:10:21.460 --> 00:10:25.060 I'm thinking to myself, there's no way I'm going to manage this. 00:10:25.059 --> 00:10:28.019 And I'm not going to make the Winter Olympics. 00:10:28.699 --> 00:10:32.399 But once you get onto the ice and you start moving, you start maybe getting the hang of things. 00:10:32.579 --> 00:10:36.259 But it's only through doing it that you gain confidence in it. 00:10:36.819 --> 00:10:39.599 And it's the same with so many things. 00:10:40.319 --> 00:10:47.599 When you first start driving, you're thinking to yourself, there's no way I'm going to get the hang of the clutch and the handbrake and maneuvering and mirrors. 00:10:48.059 --> 00:10:49.319 All of these things. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:54.039 But over time, through practice, you get the hang of it. 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:56.339 And the list could go on. 00:10:57.019 --> 00:10:58.939 But these are things that we think of. 00:10:59.019 --> 00:11:01.039 Well, we can work at that ourselves. 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:03.339 We can be taught how to do that. 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:05.579 It seems impossible initially. 00:11:06.199 --> 00:11:08.019 But we learn as we go on. 00:11:09.379 --> 00:11:17.379 Well, here in verse 1 of chapter 5, we see something that our first response is, this is impossible. 00:11:17.379 --> 00:11:22.620 Therefore, be imitators of God. 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:28.840 And you ask yourself, how can we possibly be this kind of Christian? 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:31.059 How can we possibly do this? 00:11:31.439 --> 00:11:33.500 Be imitators of God. 00:11:33.860 --> 00:11:35.960 We all know who God is. 00:11:36.580 --> 00:11:38.279 He is the creator of the universe. 00:11:38.980 --> 00:11:40.679 He has made us in his image. 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:43.179 We are made to worship him. 00:11:43.179 --> 00:11:49.000 How can we possibly be imitators of this God that we worship? 00:11:49.959 --> 00:11:53.739 It's not to be imitators that we take his place. 00:11:54.739 --> 00:12:00.620 But that we look to the example that he has given and the teaching that he has given us. 00:12:00.620 --> 00:12:11.279 So instead of being put off by this, it should be our greatest desire to be imitators of God. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:15.960 Because it is what the Lord asks of his children. 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:24.399 As his children, we are to look to him and to what he shows us, what he has done for us. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:29.939 So in the Old Testament, God tells his people to be holy. 00:12:30.459 --> 00:12:36.120 We looked at this recently in 1 Peter, who quotes from Leviticus 19. 00:12:37.079 --> 00:12:46.299 It says, speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them, be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. 00:12:47.079 --> 00:12:52.379 Each of you must respect his mother and father and you must observe my Sabbaths. 00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:55.279 I am the Lord your God. 00:12:56.179 --> 00:13:01.820 So he says to be holy, but he gives us examples of how as well. 00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:06.100 He goes on, just some, each of you must respect his mother and father. 00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:14.500 You must observe my Sabbaths, follow my commands, be imitators of God. 00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:23.379 And when you look at it here, the context of being imitators of God is, is on, the foundation is on forgiveness. 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:34.860 At verse 32 at the end of chapter 4, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. 00:13:34.860 --> 00:13:41.940 So that's the foundation of the, therefore, be imitators of God in this way. 00:13:42.340 --> 00:13:48.600 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God forgave you. 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:54.419 That's where the therefore then comes in. 00:13:54.419 --> 00:14:01.719 So we are to be imitators of God, to show that we are walking with him. 00:14:02.599 --> 00:14:04.199 C.H. Spurgeon once said, 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:07.979 Man's life is always more forcible than his speech. 00:14:09.299 --> 00:14:14.719 When men take stock of him, they reckon his deeds as pounds and his words as pennies. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:23.160 If his life and doctrine disagree, the mass of onlookers accept his practice and reject his preaching. 00:14:24.060 --> 00:14:35.600 So the importance of how we show ourselves as imitators of God, not just in what we say, but how we behave. 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:45.019 By being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. 00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:49.680 So this is something that we are to become. 00:14:50.560 --> 00:14:54.700 It is something that is always ongoing. 00:14:55.560 --> 00:14:59.259 We never come to the point where we've accomplished it all. 00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:01.660 We are always children. 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:04.360 Children of God. 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:10.899 As we teach children to grow, they grow in strength and knowledge. 00:15:11.700 --> 00:15:14.659 And there comes a time when we maybe let them go. 00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:16.940 We set them on their own way. 00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:20.360 We let go of them and they learn as they go on. 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:24.820 But here as we think of this, we are always children of God. 00:15:25.300 --> 00:15:28.360 In the sense God doesn't let us go. 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:34.800 We are always clinging to him and holding on to him and walking with him. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:40.159 So the question is, who or what is teaching us? 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:44.899 Who or what are we seeking to be imitators of? 00:15:44.899 --> 00:15:49.539 Who is our great example that we look to? 00:15:50.439 --> 00:15:56.620 We want to seek to surround ourselves with those who will be good examples to us. 00:15:57.379 --> 00:16:03.319 As Paul is writing to the church here in Ephesus, he's writing to everyone together. 00:16:03.319 --> 00:16:07.259 Not just individuals, but them all together. 00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:10.600 And that's the way we are to receive this word as well. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:14.059 All of us together as children of God. 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:16.720 To be examples to one another. 00:16:17.139 --> 00:16:19.600 To be encouragers to one another. 00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:25.319 To have people around us who will encourage but also hold us to account as well. 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:29.160 And that includes myself. 00:16:29.820 --> 00:16:32.840 That includes every minister of the gospel. 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:37.879 It's not just ministers telling a congregation, but ministers being held accountable too. 00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:40.900 You may wonder what the life of a minister is like. 00:16:42.020 --> 00:16:46.140 At times you think, well, it can be quite a lonely experience. 00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:47.520 And it can be. 00:16:48.100 --> 00:16:52.480 Which is why it's important that every minister has people around him as well. 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:57.220 The encouragers, but also people that will hold him to account. 00:16:57.779 --> 00:17:02.360 So every minister in the free church is supposed to have a mentor. 00:17:03.060 --> 00:17:05.380 Someone who holds you to account. 00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:10.559 And other people you will have around you are friends who will encourage you. 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:12.360 And why is that? 00:17:12.980 --> 00:17:16.160 It's for our growth and for our walk with the Lord. 00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:20.420 And so it's important for every one of us to have people around us. 00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:24.200 Who do you go to when you need a bit of encouragement? 00:17:24.740 --> 00:17:31.100 Or who comes alongside you when you need a bit of a challenge in your life to hold you to account? 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:35.380 It's important that we have these people around us. 00:17:35.539 --> 00:17:39.620 But all the time being imitators of God. 00:17:40.660 --> 00:17:43.620 Walking closely with him. 00:17:43.619 --> 00:17:46.339 And so we've got this first example. 00:17:46.419 --> 00:17:47.659 Be imitators of God. 00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:49.779 But then it leads into the second one. 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:53.759 As beloved children and walk in love. 00:17:54.879 --> 00:17:56.779 Walk in love. 00:17:57.539 --> 00:18:04.959 If you are to be loved by God and walk in love, do we have an example from him to follow? 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:09.480 God asks us to love him. 00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:14.120 In Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 5 it says, 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:20.880 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:24.180 It's a command. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:29.980 And then in the New Testament, the greatest command as Jesus is asked that question, 00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:31.819 What is the greatest commandment of all? 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:35.440 Jesus' response is to repeat those words. 00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:40.220 To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:43.200 And to love your neighbor as yourself. 00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:49.960 So we are called to love the Lord our God. 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:56.360 But we may ask ourselves, but do we see this love reciprocated? 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:01.019 Well, if we don't, there's something wrong. 00:19:02.600 --> 00:19:06.799 Because we see the love of God throughout the whole of Scripture. 00:19:08.259 --> 00:19:10.559 One of the most famous verses in Scripture, 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:14.460 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, 00:19:14.840 --> 00:19:19.240 that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:23.620 There you see the love of God to us. 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:27.019 He gave his one and only Son. 00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:32.700 1 John, it says, We love because he first loved us. 00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:36.279 So the question isn't, when we think we love God, 00:19:36.340 --> 00:19:39.700 do we see that love reciprocated from God? 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:45.180 The question is, does he see love reciprocated from us? 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:51.000 Is love is constant, is steadfast, as we've looked at recently? 00:19:51.740 --> 00:19:54.600 But are we walking in love of him? 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:59.440 And again, there's this sense of this love developing. 00:19:59.660 --> 00:20:01.680 And walk in love. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:09.000 So the more you go on, the more you see and realize the love of God to us. 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:13.660 And the more you want to put away the old self. 00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:18.779 The things that we read in chapter 4, the end of chapter 4, 00:20:18.859 --> 00:20:23.680 the former ways of life, the corrupt way of life, deceitful desires, 00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:25.660 all of these things. 00:20:25.660 --> 00:20:33.580 We want to put them away and be guided by and walking by the love of God. 00:20:34.320 --> 00:20:39.720 So is our Christian walk one that is walking in love? 00:20:40.360 --> 00:20:46.560 So those who see us see the example of the love of Christ for us. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:50.619 So we don't question, does God love me? 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:53.359 We know he loves us. 00:20:53.819 --> 00:20:56.279 Because we see it throughout his word. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:01.299 He loves us to that extent that he gave his own son. 00:21:02.579 --> 00:21:07.079 So how important it is for us to walk in this way. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:12.399 Not with slander and malice and gossip and all of these things. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:18.460 But to walk, being imitators of God as beloved children, walking in love. 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:20.580 So important. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:26.340 So important that Jesus in his teaching on the Sermon on the Mount says in Matthew 5, 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.019 in the same way, let your light shine before others, 00:21:30.580 --> 00:21:37.100 so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:55.119 Does it make a difference how we live? 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.099 Will anybody look at my life and think, 00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:02.480 well, there is one of God's dearly loved children. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:06.240 Sometimes we feel no good is seen in us. 00:22:07.099 --> 00:22:09.620 But sometimes even after we're long gone, 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:15.279 people may still speak about us in that way and remember the love of Christ that we knew. 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:20.779 Many years ago in China, the communist government, 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:26.860 they had seen the impact that Hudson Taylor, the missionary, had had in that land. 00:22:26.859 --> 00:22:32.339 And how so many had come to faith through his ministry and through his work. 00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:36.259 And they were all, the government was dead against this. 00:22:37.099 --> 00:22:40.479 And so they set about discrediting his name. 00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:47.299 And they asked someone, an author, to do research into his life. 00:22:47.939 --> 00:22:52.979 And to write about his life in a way that would mar his name entirely. 00:22:52.980 --> 00:22:56.279 And this author was happy to do it. 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:58.860 He was against the Christian faith. 00:22:59.420 --> 00:23:04.480 And so he set about looking into the life, researching the life of Hudson Taylor. 00:23:05.860 --> 00:23:07.319 But what happened? 00:23:08.019 --> 00:23:11.339 The more he looked into Hudson Taylor's life, 00:23:11.880 --> 00:23:17.759 the more he was impressed by Hudson Taylor's character, 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:21.839 his godly manner, the way he lived, 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:24.779 and all the things he did so faithfully. 00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:28.160 And the more he was going on, the more he was looking, 00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:30.720 the more convicted he was in his own heart. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:33.700 And he came to the point where he couldn't, 00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:37.720 in all good conscience, write what he was setting out to do. 00:23:38.879 --> 00:23:42.740 In fact, eventually, with the risk of losing his own life, 00:23:43.099 --> 00:23:45.440 he put away all that he was meant to be doing. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:50.480 And he came to give his life and his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:23:53.600 --> 00:23:55.640 Whether we realize it or not, 00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:59.960 our example leaves and makes an impression on others. 00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:05.100 We may not feel as godly as Hudson Taylor, 00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:07.740 but we all are the same Christ. 00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:10.160 We all live for him. 00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:13.559 So what kind of walk do we have today? 00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:21.899 Are we walking in love or giving ourselves over to walk in the ways that go against love? 00:24:23.159 --> 00:24:26.819 What kind of example will we leave to others? 00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:30.240 That man who set out to discredit Hudson Taylor, 00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:32.659 saw the beauty of Christ in him, 00:24:33.879 --> 00:24:35.579 and came to follow that Christ. 00:24:35.579 --> 00:24:41.299 Would it be wonderful that all of us would have that example of Christ, 00:24:41.399 --> 00:24:45.019 that light shining through us before others, 00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:51.099 that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven. 00:24:51.899 --> 00:24:53.980 Walk in love. 00:24:53.980 --> 00:25:00.140 The third example and the final example we see here is the example of Christ. 00:25:01.339 --> 00:25:07.519 Walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, 00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:12.259 a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:17.700 Christ gave himself up for us. 00:25:17.700 --> 00:25:22.059 What an example of walking in love. 00:25:22.580 --> 00:25:25.180 The perfect example for us. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:30.080 The one whose death we have remembered recently as a congregation. 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:33.299 This do in remembrance of me, he said. 00:25:33.880 --> 00:25:35.180 And that is what we do. 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:39.480 Not remembering ourselves and the example that we are to others, 00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:41.759 but always remembering Christ. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:48.940 When you hear these words, walk in love as Christ loved us 00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:52.779 and gave himself up for us, 00:25:53.019 --> 00:25:55.460 what impression does that make on you? 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:58.839 What does that do in your heart tonight? 00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:05.099 Is your heart hardened like the Gentiles who had alienated themselves from God 00:26:05.099 --> 00:26:08.619 because of ignorance in them and the hardness of their heart? 00:26:09.619 --> 00:26:11.640 Or does it make your heart burn within? 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:18.099 Does it melt your heart to think of the love of Christ for you 00:26:18.099 --> 00:26:21.279 that gave himself up for us, 00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:26.279 a fragrant offering and sacrifice for God? 00:26:28.940 --> 00:26:33.740 When you think of his life as he gave it, 00:26:34.859 --> 00:26:38.740 and as we look on him who gave himself up for us, 00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:43.000 we so often, maybe in the past, have tried to condemn him. 00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:46.819 Crucify him, we said with the crowds. 00:26:46.980 --> 00:26:47.660 Take him away. 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:50.160 I want nothing to do with this Christ 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:53.039 until our conscience is awoken. 00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:55.480 Until by his grace, 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:59.339 he opens our eyes to see how he loved us 00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:02.440 and gave himself up for us. 00:27:02.440 --> 00:27:06.620 Just as a Roman centurion who looked on at the cross 00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:09.559 and marvelled at Christ crucified and said, 00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:12.640 surely this man is the son of God. 00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:16.080 That is what he saw in Christ. 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:17.620 He knew who he was. 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:21.220 Surely this man was the son of God. 00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:23.940 He gave himself. 00:27:24.860 --> 00:27:26.980 That shows it was his initiative. 00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:29.900 No man took his life from him. 00:27:30.180 --> 00:27:31.440 He gave it up. 00:27:31.860 --> 00:27:34.240 He went willingly to do what was required, 00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:36.200 what we could never do, 00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:37.759 and it satisfied God. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:40.160 He gave himself up for us, 00:27:40.200 --> 00:27:44.259 a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:48.579 He did it for us. 00:27:49.799 --> 00:27:53.920 And so we are to keep our focus on him. 00:27:54.619 --> 00:27:57.579 It's so easy to lose our focus, 00:27:57.579 --> 00:28:00.920 and it can happen in so many areas of our life. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:02.160 We lose our focus, 00:28:02.579 --> 00:28:04.000 and there's often a cost. 00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:07.140 The golfer Arnold Palmer, 00:28:07.740 --> 00:28:10.480 very famous, very successful golfer, 00:28:11.099 --> 00:28:13.940 learned an important lesson about overconfidence. 00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:16.000 Very early on in his life. 00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:20.700 He was on the final hole of the 1961 Masters. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:22.740 He was in the lead. 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:25.140 It was his tournament. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:26.980 He was about to win. 00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:29.960 He teed off, and his shot was perfect. 00:28:30.879 --> 00:28:33.319 He was confident going up the fairway, 00:28:33.660 --> 00:28:36.180 and he saw one of his friends to the side 00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:38.019 who beckoned him over, 00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:39.640 and he went over, 00:28:39.819 --> 00:28:41.319 and his friend put out his hand 00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:42.460 and shook his hand and said, 00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:43.180 congratulations. 00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:46.240 Arnold Palmer says, 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:48.079 in that very moment I took his hand, 00:28:48.379 --> 00:28:50.700 I realized I'd lost my focus. 00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:54.920 His next shot into the bunker. 00:28:55.740 --> 00:28:58.180 His next shot across the green. 00:28:58.400 --> 00:28:59.279 Missed the putt. 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:00.920 Lost the Masters. 00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:02.820 He said, 00:29:02.820 --> 00:29:02.840 he said, 00:29:02.840 --> 00:29:02.860 he said, 00:29:02.860 --> 00:29:02.920 he said, 00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:05.640 you don't forget a mistake like that. 00:29:05.880 --> 00:29:06.840 You learn. 00:29:07.820 --> 00:29:11.400 And he went on to have a very successful career. 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:14.480 But doesn't it remind us, too, 00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:18.720 how easy it is for us to become overconfident, 00:29:19.300 --> 00:29:21.300 to lose our focus, 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:23.779 to make mistakes, 00:29:23.779 --> 00:29:27.700 but we are to learn from these mistakes, 00:29:27.899 --> 00:29:33.339 and to refocus on walking as imitators of God, 00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:34.519 as beloved children, 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:38.200 walking in love as Christ loved us. 00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:41.080 we look to him. 00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:44.559 We are to come to him, 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:48.360 and the example that he has put before us. 00:29:48.359 --> 00:29:51.439 So may we do that. 00:29:52.299 --> 00:29:56.019 May we come and see these examples that we have, 00:29:56.619 --> 00:29:58.099 being imitators of God, 00:29:58.199 --> 00:29:59.679 something that may seem impossible, 00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:02.079 but that we are always to strive to be. 00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:05.679 May we walk in the example of love, 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:10.580 and may we follow and look to the example of Christ, 00:30:11.019 --> 00:30:14.080 who gave himself for us, 00:30:14.820 --> 00:30:19.140 a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:22.799 May God bless these thoughts to us. 00:30:25.259 --> 00:30:29.299 We again come to sing to God's praise as we close. 00:30:29.940 --> 00:30:30.680 We're going to sing in the...