Bethany Bullet Sermon Message - Week of August 12, 2018

Sermon: “IMITATION”

Text: Ephesians 4:17 – 5:2

When I was a young boy the sound that brought me great joy (admittedly sinful joy) was my sister shouting, “DAD, HE’S COPYING ME!”

There was nothing better than imitating her.  We all know how the game is played…you mimic what another says.  We all know how it ramps up… “Stop it.”  “Stop it.”  And we are all familiar with the crescendo, “DAD, HE’S COPYING ME!”  Imitation was meant to irritate, then frustrate until finally it would exasperate the one being imitated. 

In his letter to the Ephesians St. Paul says, “Be IMITATORS of God, as dearly loved children.”  

Obviously the apostle isn’t calling upon us to irritate the Lord, attempt to frustrate Him, with the goal that finally we exasperate Him.  Rather, as we imitate God we replicate His work in our world.

Paul doesn’t leave us to ponder how to imitate the Lord, he tells us, “Forgive one another, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  AND “Live a life of love, just as Christ loves you and gave Himself for you.”    That our words and acts would bear witness to the truth that, NO ONE deserves less of Jesus’ grace and mercy than we do; and that we DO NOT deserve God’s love more than anyone else. Jesus’ forgiveness is for all!  It wasn’t for many that He came, it wasn’t because God loved most, it wasn’t even for the majority that He died, the entirety of humanity God so loved thus He died for all.

I don’t know and we can’t be certain this side of the “current” but I wonder if the sound that brings angels the greatest holy joy in heaven is when the Son whispers, “Father, they’re copying me!”  

-Pastor Kevin Kritzer