Sermon Objects of His Affection Ephesians 5:1-2 Introduction

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph 5:1-2)

WHAT is a Christian? ‘If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father.

If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all.

For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new, and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian as opposed to merely Jewish, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God. “Father” is the Christian name for God.’

We are to imitate or follow God, as BELOVED CHILDREN. We underestimate the radical nature of our sin and the surprising reality of grace.

The energy and power which Jesus had to obey the Father are ours. The impulses and motivations behind the obedience of Christ are included in the new heart that we have been given.

The impulses that energized Jesus’ life on earth are actually in us. That’s part of what it means to be alive in Christ. IN Christ people are forgiven, adopted as members of the family of God and provided with the nature of that family. - Larry Crabb-

This gospel orientation shows the difference between the two thieves of the gospel. The moralist understands the need to imitate God in obedience, but he has a hard time understanding the “beloved child” part.

The relativist is at home with the idea of being a child of God, but doesn’t like the part about the need to imitate God. How many of our problems (v.26-31; 5:3-6) come because we don’t live as beloved children?

Ps 16:5,11 “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.” Ps 63:3 “Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise Thee”

Our task is to keep our hearts fresh in the love of God. Experiencing our relationship as beloved children is the movement of faith.

REPENTANCE is a step toward knowing His love. We know the love of God by grace, and grace always flows downhill – it flows towards those who recognize their need.

We can’t scold our hearts into obedience, but we can rejoice them into obedience. PIPER: “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." That is simply an awful sentence -- that the slaughter of his Son smelled good to God!

There are in this sentence realities so great and so awful and so wonderful and so devastating that when we believe them they are the power of God unto sanctification and a great uprooting of unkindness.”

There is in the heart of every true Christian a desire to obey the commands of God as an expression of childlike love. “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.