12-01-23-ENG.

"Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you. " 
Ephesians 5:2
WALK AFFECTIONATELY

Read It: Ephesians 5:1-7 3
You're supposed to look like your daddy. That's what Paul says in verse 1 of today's reading. We're talking about the practice of the Church, what it means to look and act like the people of God that we actually are. Now to walk in love as we imitate God means that we do for each other what Jesus Christ did for us. The Bible says He came to serve and to give, not to be served and to receive. He took the form of a "bond-servant," a slave (Philippians 2:7). Therefore, for Christians to walk in love means seeking to serve one another, being ready to sacrifice for the next person. The shame of people ple in the church who are not involved in any way in its ministry is that they are saying, "I don't want to walk in love. I don't plan to serve anyone. one. Just keep serving me." But the Bible says we should love each other so much that we are willing ing to die for each other. Now that's what I call an intense relationship. God has called very few of us to lay down our lives for the church, especially cially in this country. But too few of us are even willing to do the easy things He asks us to do: serve, give, teach, pray, or whatever. One thing is sure. If the world doesn't see this kind of love in the church, they aren't going to find it anywhere else. What the world offers is the stuff Paul lists in verses 3-7.

In light of what he says in verses 1-2 about imitating our loving and serving God, one striking thing about this list of ungodly attitudes and actions is that these things are the opposite of love. When you walk in love, you don't use people to satisfy your impure desires; you don't take from them to satisfy your greed, and you don't abuse or belittle them with your mouth. Instead, you distance yourself from these kinds of things and the people ple who practice them. We talked yesterday about Christians being different. ferent. If there's anything that ought to distinguish you and me from the world, it's the love we have one for another. Think About It People don't care what you know until they know that you care.