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 to God.
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:1-21)
Getting the Church Inside People: Wearing My Dad’s Shirts
Ephesians 5:1-21
I spent most of my childhood dreaming of being like my dad. He was the coolest, toughest guy I knew. I remember lathering up my face and pretending that my comb was a razor and “shaving” the way my dad did. I liked to wear boots and jeans and a cowboy hat, not because some country singer did, but because I wanted to be like the cowboy who was my dad. On Sunday we talked about how it’s normal for children to imitate their parents. I remember that feeling of being a teenager borrowing my dad’s sportscoat and how it looked and felt to be “swallowed up” by my dad’s largeness. I now know what it feels like to fit in my dad’s shirts. For many of us, life is a process of imitating our parents and then growing into their example. Paul now challenges us to “be imitators of God” as beloved children naturally mimic their parents. What a heavy calling! Little could be more humbling than the thought of how pale a reflection our imitation of God is of His true character. We have a long way to go and a lot of growing to do! In the verses that follow, the apostle calls on us to grow into that role of our status as children who bear our heavenly Father through displaying Christlike love, practicing holiness in the world, and living in worshipful fellowship. As humbling as this challenge is to us, we can operate from the blessed promise that God has promised that it is His will to complete this good work in and through us. We are not yet what we are called to be, but by faith we can continue growing together!
· Do you have any special memories of imitating your parents or other parental figures in your life? What do you think Paul means when he calls us to be “imitators of God”?
· Who does Paul cite as our ultimate example of practicing God’s love as we seek to reflect the image of God? What are some characteristics of this kind of love?
· How do Paul’s words about holiness in a context of rampant sexual immorality resound where we live today? What message is in these following verses for us as we live into our status as God’s beloved children?
· In vs. 17-21, Paul lists three forms of music in the early church: “Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Whatever worship looked like in the first century of churches of Asia Minor, we know it included diverse forms of music. What might we learn about worship in our context from this passage as we grow up in Christ?
If you’d like to catch up on our Ephesians messages, they can be accessed here. We hope to worship with you Sunday, either in person or online.