Book of Ephesians, we are continuing on chapter 5.
Chapter 5. How many of you brought your Bible with you this morning?
Wonderful. I love it. I actually got some Bibles waved at me right there. That was fun.
How many of you have the Bible on your phone? You're going to use that this morning?
That's alright. Don't be ashamed. It's okay. Own it.
You've just given in to the technological takeover of the world. That's alright.
I'm kidding. I do it every day, so no problem.
Yeah, it's a nice advantage to have that.
Whatever you're looking at, I hope it's a copy of God's Word this morning.
There should be one in the few back in front of you if you don't have one there.
Ephesians chapter 5. By way of review, we have gone through this book, the first four chapters of it.
It's talking about who we are and how we live.
Y'all notice the difference in this slide here today?
Alright, I've had this top left book up there for quite a while.
I consult that regularly in my study for this series.
But I've also added in the Bible exposition commentary from Warren Wearsby.
That's a great resource as well for anyone who wants to dive into a more in-depth study of the Bible.
The breakdown, I'm sorry, the background of the book of Ephesians written by the Apostle Paul around the year AD 62.
And he was in prison at the time.
I say, what did you do in prison?
Well, I wrote a book of the Bible.
So that was quite an accomplishment that God breathed into Paul to write down God's words for us that have lasted for all time.
And he was very familiar with this church in Ephesus.
He had been their pastor for about three years and then wrote this letter back to them.
We can read about his exploits in Ephesus in Acts chapter 19.
And of course, the breakdown of the book, it's nice and handy, divided up into two sections, chapter 1 through chapter 3.
Who we are in Christ, chapters 4 through the end of the book.
How we live for Christ.
The identity and then the practical side.
What should we then do with our newfound identity in Christ?
So that's the part we're in right now.
The second half, how we live for Christ.
Let's look at Ephesians chapter 5, verses 1.
And we'll read down through 17.
I'm reading from the Christian Standard Bible.
I know we've been up and down a good bit during this service.
If you're able to join us in standing one more time, let's do it again one more time in honor of God's word.
Ephesians chapter 5, verse 1.
Therefore, be imitators of God.
We heard about it in our children's time just a moment ago with Miss Sarah.
Imitators of God as dearly loved children.
Walk in love as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us.
A sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you.
As is proper for saints.
Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable.
But rather giving thanks.
For know and recognize this.
Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person who is an idolater does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty arguments.
For God's wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.
Therefore, do not become their partners.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light.
For the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Testing what is pleasing to the Lord.
Don't participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.
For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret.
Everything exposed by the light is made visible.
For what makes everything visible is light.
Therefore, it is said, get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead.
And Christ will shine on you.
Pay careful attention then to how you live.
Not as unwise people, but as wise.
Making the most of the time.
Because the days are evil.
So don't be foolish.
But understand what the Lord's will is.
God, I ask that you would reveal to us what exactly you would have us to learn today.
From your word.
May your spirit have free reign and ability to work in our hearts.
And we'll thank you and give you all the glory in Jesus' name.
Amen.
You may be seated.
Thank you for standing.
How many of you have been up to the Colorado Rocky Mountains?
Anybody?
Yeah, good number.
That's awesome.
How many of you have been to the Marble, Colorado area?
I would have been surprised if there had been a hand raised.
That is a very obscure little part of Colorado.
And then in that area, Marble itself is a very small town.
And the reason they called it Marble, Colorado was this marble quarry that can be found up in the mountains.
And you have to hike up to it.
The roads are all impassable.
And there's three big mountains around there.
The one closest to the marble quarry is Treasure Mountain.
Well, there used to be a campground up there.
I don't know if it's even there anymore.
It could be.
But I haven't been there since I was a kid.
But every year, my dad and my older brother, who will be here next week,
and I used to go up there just about every year for a little father-son getaway.
So my dad knew the owner of this campground.
And we would go up there before the camp season would open.
So we'd be there, and the camp owner wouldn't be there,
but he'd let us through and let us go stay at this campground.
And there'd still be snow everywhere.
And it was an interesting time.
It was a lot of fun.
For one thing, we would go to Sam's Club or Costco or something before we ever got up to the remote mountain area.
And we'd stock up for that week with all kinds of provisions.
And, you know, we'd get our sodas.
And we wouldn't stick the sodas in the refrigerator.
We'd stick them in the little creek that ran right outside of the cabin.
And they'd be way colder than you could ever get in the refrigerator.
There's a lot of fun.
So we would have a blast.
And the point of this, the reason I'm bringing it up today,
for one thing, it's really pretty.
The next thing is, we would always take hikes.
Just about every day, we'd take some kind of hike.
And at some point during that week,
and there were even some years,
we'd bring another dad and his son with us
and kind of have more of a friend-type week
rather than just father and son.
But we would always go up and do this hike up to the top of Treasure Mountain.
And that was the goal, try to get as far up.
And if we could actually reach the summit, that'd be a lot of fun.
And these are 11, 12, 13,000-foot mountain peaks.
So not, you know, super high like the Himalayas or something,
but still a pretty good hike.
And this was a lot of fun.
But I was probably, I don't know, in the range we were doing this,
I was probably anywhere from 8 to 15 or so.
So the first few years,
they wouldn't let me go all the way to the top of the mountain.
But then eventually, I remember the year I finally got to do it.
And especially that first year,
my dad would lead out in front,
and he would say,
okay, now, once we get past the tree line and all this,
you really just need to walk where I walk.
Step in my footsteps.
Because otherwise,
for one thing, my legs were a whole lot shorter.
For another thing,
he'd been doing that path for years
and kind of knew where to go
and where the tricky spots would be.
And he said,
if you go out and forge your own path,
you're liable to get into a deep snow drift.
It'd be hard to get out of.
You might hit something that makes you fall or whatever.
So he'd say,
just walk where I walk.
I wish there was like some kind of,
you know,
incredible climax to the story,
but there isn't really.
Because I actually did it.
I actually walked where he walked.
The only time I didn't really
was when we were still in the trees.
And I thought,
okay, well, we're not really past the tree line,
so it's okay.
So I kind of ventured off on my own.
And sure enough,
went through this big bunch of snow
and wound up with my boot in a little stream
that was running underneath the snow
and I couldn't see it.
So then everything got wet.
And the problem is,
in that kind of deal,
you can't just get wet
and then keep going.
If you get wet,
you got to go back
and get out of the wet clothes
and socks and all that.
Because otherwise,
it'll freeze.
Nobody wants that.
So that cut short
my little hike that day.
But it is,
I learned the importance of,
okay,
you've really got to walk
where your guide
tells you to walk.
Step literally
in his boot prints.
And unrelated to this,
but I remember the year
when my brother decided
to be the point man,
so to speak,
and go out
and blaze the trail for us
on up ahead.
And then he came running back
not too long after that,
totally out of breath,
and he said,
a mountain lion
just ran across my path.
It's about 15 feet in front of me.
Just boom.
I was like,
okay,
we're all going to stay together
as a group now.
So that was a lot of fun.
But I definitely learned
the importance of walking
where I was supposed to walk.
So look back.
Well, before we do,
I want to show you this verse.
1 Peter 2, 21.
You were called to do this
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example
that you should,
let's read it together.
Follow in his steps.
That's exactly what God called us to do.
Walk in my boot prints.
I'll keep you out of the real bad snowdrifts.
I'll keep you from getting wet
in the streets.
I'll keep you on the path
that I know you need to walk.
This is the best path for you to walk.
And I remember at times in Colorado
when I would look over and say,
it looks like we can make it easier over there.
And he'd say,
no,
underneath all that
is loose shale
and we'll fall.
I remember at times when,
you know,
we were going back down the mountain.
And sometimes that's the trickiest part
is going down the mountain
rather than going up.
It's easier to fall going down.
And I remember there would be times
when he'd say,
okay,
now on this part,
you need to sit down
and slide down
because it's actually formed a glacier over here.
And we'll get down a whole lot better
and easier
and there's snow at the bottom
to impact our landing and all that.
We just need to slide down now.
And I wouldn't have known that
if I hadn't walked that path before.
But can I remind every one of us,
Jesus came to this earth himself.
He was born a man.
The Bible says he was tempted
in every area
that you and I get tempted in.
He literally walked this path of life before us.
He knows exactly what we can go through.
He knows all the arrows
that the devil will shoot at us.
He's heard it all before.
And he can show us
where to place our feet
as we go through this life.
And that's what we're called to do.
Follow in his steps.
So the title of our sermon today
is How to Walk in the Footsteps of Jesus.
How to Walk in the Footsteps of Jesus.
Number one, you've got it in your bulletin.
Number one, walk in love.
Walk in love.
Back in verse one, Ephesians chapter five.
Be imitators of God
as dearly loved children
and walk in love
as Christ also loved us,
gave himself for us.
What does it mean
be imitators as dearly loved children?
I love this quote by Mark Twain,
the famous author
and kind of comic writer.
He said,
children are natural mimics
who act like their parents
despite every effort
to teach them good manners.
Some of you didn't get that,
but I saw a couple jokes.
children are natural mimics
who will act like their parents
despite every effort
that we make
to teach them good manners.
In other words,
yeah, do as I say,
not as I do, right?
But children usually do what we do
rather than always
what we tell them to do, right?
So that is the point
is that children are imitators.
They're mimics.
Children will do
what they see usually.
That's how we learned.
It's how we learned to talk,
hearing others talk around us.
It's how we learned
to live our lives
and do the things
that we do every day
is usually by seeing others
model that for us.
So Philippians chapter two,
verse five,
let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus
who made himself
of no reputation,
took upon him
the form of a servant,
was made in the likeness of men
and being found in fashion
as a man,
he humbled himself,
became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
So this is the mind
that we should have.
The mindset that we should have
is imitating,
mimicking,
copying,
learning from
Jesus.
He is our example.
So what did he do?
What is it we're supposed
to learn from him?
What are we supposed
to mimic from him
or imitate?
He made himself
of no reputation.
That goes against
what we do.
You and I don't want
to make ourselves
of no reputation.
We want to build up
our reputation
and make it as big
and great as we can.
We want to exalt ourselves.
We want to promote ourselves.
When you're in the job site,
you know,
oftentimes you're going
for some kind of promotion,
more pay,
better hours,
better perks,
whatever it is.
You're trying to build up
your reputation.
Jesus had the opposite mindset.
He made himself
of no reputation.
He took upon him
the form of a servant.
He was made
in the likeness of men.
He was God.
He was the son of God.
Left heaven's throne
and all the majesty
and glory
and humbled himself
to become a servant.
Humbled himself
and became obedient
unto death.
This is what we're
supposed to imitate.
It's a mind shift.
It's different.
We got to stop
the way we've been thinking
and consciously choose
to imitate someone else.
So this is hard to read
probably from where
you're sitting,
but I'll try to read it
off for you.
Let me give you
the scriptural background
before we get there.
So we said,
be imitators of God.
Walk in love.
Now,
when you say love
in today's world,
oftentimes,
we might say love,
but what is heard
is lust.
There's a big difference
between love and lust.
And that's why
in verse 3,
it dives straight
into this comparison,
this contrast.
Sexual immorality,
impurity,
greed should not even
be heard of among you.
Verse 4,
obscene or foolish talking
or crude joking.
Don't do it.
Verse 5,
every sexually immoral
or impure or greedy person
who is an idolater
does not have an inheritance
in the kingdom of God.
So what are we talking about?
The difference in love and lust
and how you know,
and this is for young people,
older people alike,
is one,
the column on the left
is love.
Godly agape love.
Not getting into that idea
of the word agape,
but that's the form of love
that God showed to us.
There's agape love.
There's phileo love,
which is more of a familial
or friendship type love.
And then there is the,
obviously,
the erotic love,
and that's where you get into lust
and that kind of thing.
So on the left,
we have the love
that God showed for us,
which is that agape love.
That means sacrificial,
holding nothing back.
Everything I have,
I will lay down
out of my love for you.
That's the kind of love
that God showed us on the cross.
So what does that look like?
It's unconditional.
Lust, on the other hand,
or what some people would call love,
is conditional.
I will love you if such and such.
God did not do that.
He loved us despite all these things
that would normally erode love.
On the left,
it's patient and long-suffering.
It'll last.
On the right,
lust, temporary and finicky.
On the left,
love gives first from abundance.
On the right,
it takes first,
constantly comparing and always needy.
What does it mean
it'll give first from abundance?
It means that there is plenty of love.
That's not a shallow amount.
It's not going to run dry.
And I can promise you
God's love for you and for me
will never run dry.
He'll never run out of love for us.
And it'll always give first.
He won't take first.
Girls, can I remind you,
if a guy tells you he loves you,
but the first thing that he wants
is something from you,
that's not love.
Right?
That's not love.
Give first.
And then on the left,
always available
and always listening.
And on the right,
randomly interested,
limited attention.
Randomly interested,
limited attention.
Think through the relationships
that you have.
Think through the relationships
you have in your life.
Is it love?
Is it godly love
or is it human love
that might even be
categorized as lust?
And then on the left,
desires unity and harmony.
And on the right,
it's inconsistent.
It's discordant.
It's not unified.
It's not harmonious.
You're not together.
And it's inconsistent.
And then on the left,
selfless and meek.
Humble.
And on the right,
it's selfish and prideful.
So there's a real distinction
between love and lust.
Between sometimes
what humans strive to love like,
but we fall so far short.
But on the left
is the kind of love
that we receive from God
and the kind of love
that God can shine through us
to someone else.
God can help us love
how he loves.
So it's incredibly important
to understand
that we read
in verse 2 of chapter 5
to walk in love
as Christ loved us.
Now what does it mean
in verse 5
when it says,
know and recognize this,
every sexually immoral
or impure
or greedy person,
and I love that they
combined those impure
and greedy
with the sexual immorality.
because that is greediness.
That is a form of take
for me, right?
So what does it mean
when it says
these kinds of people
will not have an inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ in God?
Does that mean
if you commit sexual sin
that you don't get to go to heaven?
Is that what that means?
Because remember,
this is written
to Christians.
It's written to a church.
It's written to people
who have already said
that they have placed
their faith in God.
So what does it mean?
We all are coming up
empty like I did, okay?
That's good.
I tried to study this out
and I even talked to
some friends
and ministry
and that kind of thing
and finally
what I realized is
I'm skipping over
a key part.
It says,
no one recognized this,
every sexually immoral
or impure
or greedy person
who is an idolater
does not have an inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ in God.
You understand that that part
who is an idolater
is crucial,
essential.
Can't skip over it.
it means that,
what is an idol?
What is an idol?
Anybody?
Substitute for God.
That's a great way to put it.
Something that you have lifted up
or elevated above God.
Now,
you and I will do that
at times in our life.
We will place something else
more important
than God in our lives.
And usually that will lead us
off into somewhere
that we don't need to be.
However,
if you are an idolater,
it means that you have refused
to acknowledge God as God.
And so these people
have elevated their own lust,
their own greed,
themselves above God.
And this seems to be someone
who perpetually does this.
So actually,
he's warning us
that there are people
possibly even in this church
in Ephesus,
and it would be foolish
to think that we don't have
people like this
in our town
or even in our church today
who have not actually
humbled themselves
and made God,
God in their life.
That means they're not saved,
if you will.
They're not Christians.
They haven't truly
repented of their sin
and put their faith
in a Savior.
They are an idolater,
someone who will not
acknowledge God as God.
So,
they've let lust be their God.
They've let sexual immorality
be their God.
They've let obscenity,
foolishness,
impurity, greed
be their God.
So this is a warning.
And then it goes on to say,
walk in light.
Let no one deceive you.
No one like this.
Don't let these people deceive you
with empty arguments
because God's wrath
is coming on the disobedient
because of these things.
Have you ever noticed
that if you talk to someone
who lives for themselves,
they will come up
with all kinds of reasons
why they should?
They'll come up
with all kinds of excuses
why it's okay for them.
Have you ever noticed that?
You can be calling someone
on the carpet
for their obvious,
obvious sin
that is destructive
to them,
to those around them.
And they will just
come back with,
well,
you don't understand
my situation.
You don't understand
what I've been through.
You don't understand
this and this and this.
And yes,
I don't understand,
but Jesus does.
And he still calls you
to walk in the light.
He still can empower you
to resist the devil
and the devil will flee from you.
There is forgiveness.
There is grace.
But in order to experience
the forgiveness
and the grace,
we must turn
from the sin.
We must turn
from the sin.
And if we don't,
we cannot walk
in the light.
Look at verse 8.
Once you were in darkness,
but now you are light
in the Lord.
Live as children
of light,
for the fruit of the light
consists of all goodness,
righteousness,
and truth,
testing what is pleasing
to the Lord.
Don't participate
in the fruitless works
of darkness.
Instead,
expose them.
It's shameful
to even talk about
what's done by them.
Verse 13,
everything exposed
by the light
is visible.
That's what makes
everything visible.
And so get up,
wake up,
and Christ will shine
on you.
Now,
I don't normally quote
Johnny Cash
in my sermons.
However,
this one was on the money,
all right?
As sure as God
made black and white,
what's done in the dark
will be brought
to the light.
Now,
God said it a whole lot
more eloquently
here in Ephesians.
But I think
that that's spot on.
God will shine
in the darkness.
Now,
listen,
that should be
a good thing for you.
That should be
a good thing,
that God sees
the things you do
for Him.
That God always sees
the struggle
that you go through.
That He's there
and that the darkness
can't overwhelm you.
It can't overcome you.
You do get to walk
in God's light
unless you're enjoying
the darkness too much.
Unless you're hiding
in the darkness.
Unless you're sneaking
around doing things
that you know
are not healthy,
that you know
are not good for you
or anyone you love.
But you're putting
yourself first
and you're lifting
yourself above God.
And then,
it's a scary thing
to think that the light
is going to shine
in the darkness.
What's done
in the dark
will be brought
to the light.
So,
let's go to Luke.
Luke chapter 12.
There's nothing covered
that won't be uncovered.
There's nothing hidden
that won't be made known.
Whatever you have said
in the dark
will be heard
in the light.
What you've whispered
in an ear
in private rooms
will be proclaimed
on the housetops.
Y'all,
you want to see
evidence of that?
Turn on the news.
Right?
We're constantly
hearing of things
whether it's politicians
in Washington
or even pastors
in large churches
and ministries.
People in Hollywood.
People in the business world.
You know,
look at all this stuff
with Epstein
and his island
and the lists
that are coming out
of people
that participated
in the horrific things
that went on there.
Human trafficking,
etc.
Everything eventually
will come to light.
It'll be proclaimed
on the housetops.
John 8, 12.
Jesus said,
I am the light
of the world.
Anyone who follows me,
if you're walking
in his steps,
will never walk
in the darkness.
But you will have the light.
You will have the light.
Doesn't mean you won't
mess up.
It doesn't mean
you won't fall.
It doesn't mean
you won't sin.
But you will not live
in that darkness.
God will shine his light.
And if you follow him,
you will not walk
in darkness.
You will have
the light of life.
Let me hit this briefly.
You understand
there's a distinction.
Jesus says
that we are
the light of the world.
He said,
you were once darkness,
but now you are
the light.
But do you understand
that we are not
the source?
Of the light.
Jesus is the light source.
He is the way.
He is the truth.
He is the light.
And he said,
I am the light of the world.
And then later,
he called you and I
the light of the world.
But our source
is Jesus.
We are shining
that light
into the darkness.
So,
walk in love.
Walk in the light.
And then number three,
walk in wisdom.
Verse 15.
Real quick.
Verse 15.
Pay careful attention
then to how you live.
Not as unwise people,
but as wise.
Making the most of the time.
Because the days are evil.
So don't be foolish,
but understand
what the Lord's will is.
Number one,
embrace wisdom.
Embrace wisdom.
Back in verse 15,
it said,
don't live as unwise people,
but as wise.
Embrace wisdom.
Proverbs 4
elaborates on that.
Wisdom is supreme.
So get wisdom.
Whatever else you get,
get understanding.
You know,
it's super helpful
to compile knowledge,
but unless you,
unless you come to grips with it,
unless it makes sense for you
and you can apply it,
unless you understand
what to do with that knowledge,
then it doesn't do you any good.
Right?
So wisdom is supreme.
Get wisdom
and get the understanding
of what to do with that wisdom.
Number eight,
verse eight,
Proverbs 4,
cherish her
and she will exalt you.
If you embrace her,
she will honor you.
Embrace wisdom.
She will honor you.
You will bring honor to God.
And just like Jesus,
we read a moment ago in Philippians,
he humbled himself,
took on the form of the servant.
And the next verses after that said,
God highly exalted him,
gave him a name,
which is above every name
so that the name of Jesus,
every knee would bow
with things in heaven,
things in earth,
things under the earth,
and every tongue would confess
that Jesus is Lord.
If you humble yourself,
God will exalt you.
You will bring glory to him
and he will then in turn
give honor to you.
But you must embrace
godly wisdom.
And then adopt fruitfulness.
Adopt fruitfulness.
Apparently I ran out of
a room on that there
and it just dropped the S down.
But you get it, right?
Verse 16,
making the most of the time
because the days are evil.
What does that mean,
making the most of the time?
It means you're productive.
It means you understand
that Jesus is coming back.
The day is coming soon
when Jesus will return.
We don't have tomorrow guaranteed.
We make plans.
Boy, it's going to be cold.
I got to do this.
Well, the Cowboys are going to play,
so I got to do this.
Well, my parents are coming to town
or my kids are coming to visit,
so I got to do this.
We make all these plans,
but we don't know
that tomorrow is guaranteed.
All we have is today.
All we have guaranteed
is right now, this moment.
So we must keep a sense of urgency
as the children of God
and adopt fruitfulness.
Romans chapter 13,
do this knowing the time
that now, right now,
it is high time
to awake out of sleep
for now our salvation is nearer
than when we first believed.
Our salvation,
that moment when Jesus comes back.
And we get to start our eternity
with God forever in heaven.
Now it's nearer
than when we first believed.
The night is far spent.
The day is at hand.
Therefore,
let us cast off those works of,
what is it?
The works of what?
Darkness.
Let's put on the armor of what?
Light.
Let us walk properly
as in the, what?
Day.
Not in revelry and drunkenness.
Not in lewdness and lust.
Not in strife and envy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ
and make no provision for the flesh
to fulfill its lust.
You see how this ties together?
The darkness versus the light.
Love versus lust.
The flesh versus the spirit of God.
And then finally,
understand God's will.
Verse 17.
It said,
don't walk as unwise people.
Walk as wise.
Make the most of your time.
And then verse 17.
Don't be foolish,
but understand
what the Lord's will is.
We've been hitting this passage
the last two Sundays.
And here we are.
We're going to hit it again today.
Romans 12.
Verse 2.
Don't copy the behavior
and the customs of this world,
but let God transform you
into a new person
by changing the way you think.
Then you'll learn to know
God's will for you.
That's how you can understand God's will.
It said in Ephesians 5,
don't be foolish.
Understand what God's will is.
Well, that's great.
How do I do that?
God is so much bigger than I am.
I recognize that.
God's so much greater than I am.
How do I understand God
and His will for me?
Let Him transform you
by letting Him change
the way you think.
You feel like you're hitting a wall.
You just can't get past
whatever it is.
If it's an addiction,
if it's a problem,
if it's something that someone else
is messing up for you,
and you just can't get around this wall,
let God change the way you think.
And then He can transform you.
He can change you.
Then you'll know
what His will is in that situation.
Then you'll know
you'll experience the breakthrough.
Then you'll get to see
the fruitfulness.
You'll get to see the promises of God.
You'll get to see the blessings.
Because God can change me.
God can change you.
I call you back to this verse
that we read at the beginning.
You were called to this
because Jesus suffered for us.
That is our example
that we can walk in His steps.
Guys, I promise you,
if you get out of those boot prints,
you're liable to get into
all kinds of treachery.
You're liable to get into
all kinds of danger.
You're liable to get off the path
that God intended for you
and experience all kinds of things
that He does not want to see
His children go through.
Whatever God allows you to go through,
He'll get you through that.
Don't worry about that.
He will get you through that.
It might be tough.
It might be difficult.
It might be taxing.
It might be sad at times.
But God is enough
to get you through that.
It's those things
that we get into
that He never planned for us
when we get out of His footsteps.
That's what messes you and I up.
That's what leaves the scars
that don't seem to heal.
That's what keeps you up at night.
But I promise you,
when we follow His steps,
man, we experience joy.
We experience blessings.
We experience that good life
that He has for us.
Looks a little different sometimes
than the good life
that we think we deserve.
But it's so much better
than anything that we could
fight and scrape to achieve.
So our point to ponder today,
how often does my path stray
from following Jesus' footsteps?
How often do I get out of those footsteps?
How often do I wander off
on my own
and I wind up
in all kinds of trouble
that I need God
to get me out of again?
And God in His loving graciousness
picks us back up,
puts us back on the path
and says,
walk in my footsteps again.
Walk where I walked.
I got you.
We can handle this together.
If we imitate Jesus,
we imitate Jesus
when we walk in love,
light, and wisdom.
That's the ingredients
that Paul gave us
in his letter to Ephesus.
Walk in love.
Walk in light.
Walk in wisdom.
We find all of that
in the Word of God.
We find all of that
in the fellowship of believers
in our church.
We find all of that
by going constantly to God
in prayer throughout the day.
So we walk in love
and light and wisdom.
And that's how we imitate God.
Amen?
Let's pray together.
God, I pray that you would
continue to work on us, Lord.
We're all trying to follow you
and sometimes we get out of line.
Sometimes we stray
from your footprints.
But God, draw us back.
Don't let us wander too far.
Pick us back up.
Put us back on the path
and let us walk forward.
At this time, church,
we're going to enter into
a time of Lord's Supper.
I'm going to call our deacons forward
at this time.
The deacons, if you'll come forward.
The Lord's Supper
is a very special time
that's reserved just for the church.
And we're not going to take long
with it this morning,
but it's important
that we observe this.
And our church has planned
on doing this every so often.
The Lord's Supper is a time
when we examine our hearts.
And so it's important...
It is important
to examine our hearts
at times like this
and ask the kind of question,
God, have I strayed
from your steps?
I'm going to ask that together
as a room,
we bow our heads
and enter into a time
of quietness,
examining our hearts
and saying,
God, show me
where I've strayed
from your footprints.
Maybe there's something obvious
that God will bring to mind
that you know you need
to work on.
You know you need to
flee from.
God, you know you need to
to be able to do it this morning.
Regardless,
this is the moment
when we stop
and we think about
the Lord's death,
his sacrifice.
That's why Paul reminded us
there in Ephesians 5
of the sacrifice
that Jesus made for us.
So let's stop
and remember
his body
broken on the cross
for us,
his blood
shed
for the forgiveness
of our sins.
We thank him
for that.
We praise him
for that.
And then together
as a church,
we take the bread
and we drink
from the cup
in honor
and remembrance
of his body
and his blood.
And the Bible says
let us first
examine ourselves
before we do this
together
as a church.
Examine
that our love
for him
is strong.
That we're not perfect
but we are truly
committed
to following
in the steps
of Jesus.
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