Ephesians 5:1-2.
1  Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. 2  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

What we see in the text:  1. A word that calls for review (Therefore); 2. An instruction (be imitators); 3. The focus of the instruction (of God) ; 4.The persons who are specifically called to heed the instruction (Children of God - the Church) ; and 5. The example for application (Jesus - God in flesh).  Let’s break this down:

I. (Therefore)  A call to review.
What has been said up to this point that will help us understand the instruction?

How far back must we go in review? I believe we should look and listen carefully to the words of Chapter 4, verses 17-23. Here we find specific words concerning our walk. In our text we are instructed to walk as Jesus. Essential to following Jesus we must heed this teaching. 

 “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, v18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the blindness of their heart;  v19 who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. v20 But you have not so learned Christ, v21 If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, v23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” 

Eph. 4:17-23.
These verses are followed by specific examples of the transformation. Essentially all state the fact that we were the old, but the old was put away and we put on the new, which is the exact opposite of the old (Eph. 4:25-32; see II Cor. 5:17; Gal.:2:20 ). Complimenting this transformation we read in Eph. 5: 8 “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” 

II. An Instruction - (Be imitators of God)
Preparing for the instruction of our text let us focus for a moment on how God has made it possible for us to imitate Him.

1. 1. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before Him (Eph. 1:4). 
   2.  He predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself  (Eph. 1:5). 

      C.   He made us accepted in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6). 

      D.   He redeemed us by the blood of Christ and granted complete forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 1:7). 

      E. He declared us the righteousness of God in Christ (II Cor 5:21).

      F.  He made us one with Christ (II Cor. 5:17; I Cor. 12:13).  

      G. He granted us saving faith (Eph. 1:13; Rom. 10:14-17).

      H. He sealed us with the Holy Spirit (Eph:1:13) and our  bodies became the temple of the Spirit (I Cor.  6:19-20). 

So in summary, because I am in Christ, I am holy and without blame, I am a child of God , I am accepted in the Beloved, I am redeemed by the blood of Christ, I am reconciled to God, I am one with Christ, and I have faith that continues to bring truth into my life. I am the temple of the Spirit and His fruit flows freely in my heart, and I am alien to this world (actually Jesus said I am not the this world even as he was not of this world John 17:16). I am the object of God’s love. He loved me so much that He sent His Son to pay my sin debt so I could have His kind of life here and eternal life with Him hereafter. I am blessed. Therefore, God is now telling me to imitate Him. In other words because of who I am in Christ I must live out my identity. If He is light and I am in Him I am to imitate a life that reveals HIS POWER AND PRESENCE  - I must SHINE! If He is life and I am in Him I must LIVE life expressing His Love, His Joy, His peace, His will so that those who see the works glorify Him. This corresponds to the passage in Eph. 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

III. The focus of the instruction (God)
We see the Trinity (God) in Ephesians and in light of this we realize:  A. God the Father’s work of redemption in bringing all things together in Christ; B. We see the Son walking in love which is amplified by his humility and submission to yield himself to sacrificial service for the benefit of His bride, the church; and C. We see God the Spirit empowering the the church to live in obedience to God’s Word (Eph.5:18).  In summary we should show our love of God by focusing on these very things in this instruction. Live to promote: A. Redemption in Christ; B. Humility in sacrificial service; and C.Obedience to God’s word revealing a testimony of His will to the world.

IV. The Persons Who are Called to Heed the Instructions
The text identifies the persons being addressed as dear children (of God). We can claim this because our identity is “in Christ.”  The text is drawing us to remain focused on giving ourselves to walking out our identity (shining). Which leads me to ask, if you are light how are you shining today? Consider your condition: 1. Burned out (just a low nominal flicker)- UNDER THE  BASKET (Matt 5: 15); 2. Blinking (SHINING INCONSISTENTLY); or 3. Brightly shining (EXCITINGLY PURSUING YOUR LOVE AND LIFE IN CHIRST). I fear the answers may yield far more Christians burnt out or blinking rather than brightly shining. However this is exactly what Paul is dealing with in this letter. Christians who have exceeding riches in Christ and yet they are living as though they have nothing. Thus our text and the call of God to the children of God to live like their Father. How can we do this, we have never seen the Father? If this is your answer,  you sound like Philip who said to Jesus, “Lord show us the Father . . . .” (John 14:8). How did Jesus respond, “. . .He who has seen me has seen the Father. . . . (John 14:9).  In this word we see the model of the instruction.  Look unto Jesus.

V. The Example for Application is Christ
Jesus (God) became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of he only begotten of the Father (John 1:14).

We have not seen Him but we love Him and we believe Him and rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (I Peter 1:8).

Jesus is calling His church to extend His ministry. He said, “As the Father has sent me even so send I you” (John 20:21).  The. Father sent Jesus to be His representative (He who has seen me has seen the Father John 14:9). Jesus and the Father have sent the Spirit to speak of Christ. Now the Spirit is empowering and sending the Church to be the representative of Jesus in the world. 

When we were saved we had the Father’s heart to see people redeemed and reconciled to God; We also had a heart to sacrifice to see God’s work continue and expand; and we were empowered to live out the teachings God gave us regularly. We feasted on fresh manna often. Worship of our Lord was full of joy and peace, prayer was our new language, and communion with Christ was the most enjoyable moments of our days. This was the time of our first love. Then somehow many congregations allowed service to become mundane, worship routine, prayer a lost language and like the elder son of the prodigal story they lost the the joy of just being the Father’s children (a joy which should never wane).  

So I close with the last word spoken to the Ephesian Church. It is not in Paul’s letter. It is in the book of Revelation, chapter 2, verses1-7.  Hear this dear children. This is the appeal of your loving Savior. (read the passage).

The Church of Ephesus got so busy and active  doing things (even some good things), that they lost their first love. And I want you to note of all churches in Revelation this is the only one that Jesus threatened to remove their lamp stand from its place. 

If you have lost your first love Jesus gives three instructions: Remember from where you have fallen; Repent and Return to your first love (your first works).   

Ephesians 5:1-2 Is a key passage of the Ephesian letter. It is a call to the Church to wake up, enjoy her first love and live imitating God. 

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DISCUSSION GUIDE
Ephesians 5:1-2

Ephesians 5:1-2 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.

Who is someone you’ve tried to imitate?
What did you have to do to make that happen?

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

What does it mean, to you, to be loved by Jesus more than anything?
What are some things about God that we CAN’T imitate?
What are some things about God that we are commanded to imitate?
What are some ways you’ve learned to practice those commands?

Discuss Romans 8:29-30, in light of Ephesians 5:1

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

As Christ loved us and gave Himself for us:
How do we live out the love with which Christ loved us; what would that consist of?
What would be our ‘fragrant offering and sacrifice’ to God?

Read Revelation 2:2-6:
What was Ephesus commended for?
What was Ephesus reprimanded for?
What’s the correlation between the 2?
What does that look like for us?
What’s a doctrinal truth that you’ve connected with in this series?
What’s an application truth you’re learning because of that doctrinal truth?

Review the Objective of the Month