“Sacrificial Living” | May 8, 2022

I.          “Imitate Christ!”
Ephesians 4:30-32; Is 63:10; 1Thess 5:19; Eph 1:7, 13
John 16:12-14; 1 Thess 1:2-7; col 3:8-17; 1Pe 3:8-17
Matthew 6:9-14; Mk 9:35
Ephesians 4:20-24
Ephesians 4:30-5:2; Eph 4:32; Mt 5:7, 48; Lk 6:36
Ephesians 1:5: 3-14
John 1:9-13; Is 42:1; Mt 3:17; 17:5
Hebrews 1:3-4; 2Co 4:4
Romans 8:12-17
John 13:34-35; Jn 15:12; 1Jn 3:23; Ro 13:8; 1Jn 4:10, 11
 
II.       “Walk In Love!”
Ephesians 5:1-2; Ro 14:15; (Col 3:14); Ro 8:37; 4:25;
Galatians 2:20; Rev 1:4-5; 3:9
Luke 6:27-38; Prv 25:21-22; 1Pe 3:9; Mt 7:12; (Ja 1:5)
James 3:17; Mt 5:7, 48
Ephesians 2:4-7; 5:2; Jn 3:16; Tit 3:4-7
Romans 4:21-25; 6:3-5
Genesis 8:20-26; 1-22; Ex 29:18, 25, 41; Hb 7:27; 9:14
Hebrews 10:10-12; Ro 5:6-8,32; Is 53:5-6 Mt 20:28
Galatians 1:4; Jn 10:10-15; Mt 28:18-20; 2Co 5:18-21
2 Corinthians 2:14-16; Col 2:15; Eph 5:2; 1Co 1:18
2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Php 4:13; Lk 22:24-27

Greek Word Study:
Imitators: ‘mimetes’: from ‘mimeomai’ (a mimic); - To Imitate: sadness; to be sad, distressed, feel grief. From sorrow; to grieve, afflict with sorrow. With the meaning of to cause grief, offend (2Co 2:5, 7:8; Eph 4:30)
Beloved: ‘agapetos’: from ‘agapao’: beloved: - (dearly, well) beloved, dear. Adjective from ‘agapao’, to love. Beloved, dear. Spoken of Christians as united with God or with each other in the bonds of holy love. ‘Agapetoi’ the plural, meaning conjoined in the bonds of faith and love. ‘Agapetoi’ ‘Theou’, beloved of God, means chosen by Him to salvation. (Ro 1:7; 11:28; Eph 5:1) The phrase ‘huios agapetos’ (huios, son; agapetos, inherently beloved) means the only son as being the object of peculiar love. In NT spoken only of Christ, the Son Beloved of God (Mt 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; Mk 1:11; 9:7; Lk 3:22; 9:35; 2Pe 1:17)
Children: ‘teknon’: a child (as produced); - child, offspring, son. N. from ‘tikto’, to bring forth, bear children. A child, male or female, son or daughter. Spoken figuratively of one who is the object of parental love and care, or who yields filial love and reverence toward another. Spoken of in reference the children of God [see Theos] in the sense of those whom God loves and cherishes as a Father. Generally of the devout worshippers of God, the righteous, saints, Christians (Jn 1:12…Eph 5:1…)
Walk: ‘peripateo’: (figuratively) to live, to deport oneself, to follow (as a votary or companion): - go, be occupied with, walk (about). In Eph 5:2,  a present active imperative carrying the meaning “Devoted Follower”.
Love: ‘agape’: from ‘agapao’; love, i.e. affection or benevolence. From ‘agapao’, to love. Love, affectionate regard, goodwill, benevolence. Specifically, “the love of God” or “of Christ”: Subj. or act., means the love which God or Christ exercises toward Christians. The Love that is derived from God. The love of Christ means the love which is derived from Christ. (Eph 5:2) Used in an aorist active indicative sense.
Loved: ‘agapao’:  perhaps from ‘agan’ (much) to Love (in a social or moral sense); - (be-) love (-ed, -s). TO love. It differs from ‘phileo’, to love, indicating feelings, warm affection, the kind of love expressed by a kiss (‘philema’) To love, to regard with strong affection. With the accusative of the corresponding noun, “his great love wherewith he loved us” (Eph 2:4) (Eph 5:2) {Pastor’s comment: “Salvific Love; The Love of God in Christ”}. To love, i.e. to regard with favor, goodwill, benevolence. To wish well or do good to. To love one’s neighbor, one’s enemies (…Lk 6:32)
Gave: ‘paradidomi’: to surrender, i.e. to yield up, entrust, transmit: - be arrested, betray (-er), commend, commit, deliver (over, up), give (over, up). Surrender, Yield up. (Eph 5:2)
Fragrant: ‘euodia’: Good scented-ness, i.e. fragrance: - aroma, fragrant (offering).
Offering: ‘prosphora’: from ‘prosphero’, to tender (especially to God); presentation; concretely an oblation (bloodless) or sacrifice: - offering.
Sacrifice: ‘thusia’: From ‘thuo’ sacrifice (the act or the victim, literal or figurative): - sacrifice. N. from ‘thuo’, to sacrifice. Sacrifice: By metonymy: the thing sacrificed, victim, the flesh of victim part of which was burned on the altar and part given to the priests (Ac 7:41-42); of an expiatory sacrifice for sin (Eph 5:2; Hb 5:1; 7:27; 8:3; 9:9, 23; 10:1, 11, 12, 26).
Pastoral Note: notice the use of the word love, (beloved, love, loved) expressed in three-(3) different Greek words respectively (‘agapetos’, ‘agape, ‘agapao’); all from the root word ‘agapao’ to explain the nuances of the Love of God to and through those chosen by Him to salvation. (Eph 1:4-5) All Christian love flows from God through Christ by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5) God’s Love is an action word, not a feeling!