Walking in Love, Part 1 B

Will please God. You want your life to rise to God's nostrils as a sweet smelling savor B a life of love, let it be a life that's characterized by unconditional love which forgives and forgives and forgets how to grudges and bitterness and angry time is led by Gen., also named Alexander. Alexander the great, the soldier was brought before the general for being cowardly in battle what happened. Alexander the great looked the soldier in the eye and told him drop your cowardice or drop your name as a point well taken. For the Christian life. If you're going to name the name of Christ. If you're going to call yourself a Christian, you need to walk as Christ walked and love as Christ loved John MacArthur helps you see what walking in love means on this edition of grace to you as he continues a study he calls the portrait of a new life. It's all about cultivating the traits that honor God and strengthen your Christian testimony so turned out to the fifth chapter of Ephesians as John begins the lesson in Ephesians chapter 5 verses one through seven. We have one of the most wonderful and helpful passages in all of the book of Ephesians will show you four points of the seven verses four points to please a pattern. The perversion of the punishment, the plea first verses one and 28B.

Therefore, children or other followers of God mimics of God, as dear children and walk in love, separate, there is the plea the plea is for us the level of life.

Let me take that in force it in your mind listening. Measure your love today. Would you there'll always we can talk. Let's deal with the text as it appeared measure your love today by the thought of forgiveness.

When because I really believe now hang on. I really believe that as far as we're concerned the greatest measuring rod of love in your life is forgiveness. So first of all, the depth of your love is indicated by how much you forgive. I think about you hold a grudge against somebody in your house isn't a promise or your inability to forgive belies your love and I say to you if this is characteristic of your life are not a Christian because if you don't have love you, not God's child.

Think about second thing I want to say about this.

First is the depth of your love is indicated by how much you forgive and secondly the depth of your love is indicated by how much you know you've been forgiven to get that first of all, you can tell a person's lot by how much they will forgive somebody out and you can also tell by how much they know they've been forgiven. I never cease to be amazed that it is inevitably the people who have the greatest sense of forgiveness in their lives who grant to others the greatest forgives you for noticing. It is always the smug self-righteous religious people who can't forgive somebody for something in the past we can't let them off the hook. Chairperson of the church resembles a former drunk alcoholic prostitute criminal and they come to Jesus Christ and a little later on.

Somebody comes along with a terrible deep sinful problem can a person say I forgive him after all saluted to meet the Lord.

On the other had to get somebody on the church all my life I've been in the religion to seek somebody comes along's overzealous farm donut person the riffraff in the church daily others. The fact of the matter is that Dyson is probably worse than prostitution because religious super pi acid he was the worst thing of all. But you see it's the people know they been forgiven.

The most are able to forget only show illustration of this. Look at Luke seven. See these two people contrasted here in Luke seven we see a beautiful picture of our Lord. Verse 37 verse 36 sets it up one of the Pharisees by the name of Simon not Peter but another Simon desired Jesus to eat with him, and he went to the Pharisee's house and sat down to eat I watch what happens. Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner and here's a woman is an evil, vile, no doubt a prostitute, just a really a rotten wretched one when she knew Jesus was eating in the Pharisee's house.

She brought an alabaster box appointment now is not time to go into all of that that Signet signifies with nothing would be very costly and may have been also purchased by her with money that you gain from her trade which would be prostitution. So it's kind of a strange situation.

She comes in the house where the Pharisees entertaining Jesus, and she started his feet behind him, that is Jesus weeping broken and a contrite spirit morning over seven and she began to wash his feet with tears and she could wipe them with the hair of her head and she kissed his feet and you know I that's absolutely shocking scene. She's another. The first heater turned around and slapped her across the mouth you had a service pick her up and throw her in the street. How dare you touch a clean person you file filthy will in verse 39 indicates that when Pharisee who had bitten him saw he spoke within himself saying this man if he were a prophet would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touches him for. She's a sinner will self-righteous is incredible you have any forgiveness in his heart you know what you didn't think you need to be forgiven for anything and you will forgive and measure as you comprehend your own forgiveness. You will love as you comprehend the love of God toward you and the deeper your sin, the greater your sense of forgiveness and the more magnanimous your love and forgiveness to someone else. What he didn't have a sense of sins. We did have a sense of forgiveness and I like this he was saying it in himself not out loud and then Jesus answered in a great lowboy.

Few of those deals newbie shake your read your mind and Jesus answering said, I'm Simon.

I have somewhat the same unique guys prize forces of master sing-along. There was a certain creditor, Jesus was a master of illustrations was a certain creditor. He had two debtors, one old and 500 and areata Neri is about a days work in the other 50 when they have nothing to pay. He frankly forgive the book by sky right tell me therefore which of them will love the most. Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom you forgive most descent and him – rightly judged got the points and he turned to the woman and said to Simon, son see this one I entered into your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she's washed my feet with tears and wipe them with the hair of her head.

You gave me but this woman since the time I came in has not ceased to kiss my feet my head with oil, you did not anoint. But this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore, I say into the her sins which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven same loves little 01 terrible indictment. The reason she loves me so. The reason she's doing this to me reason she's responding like this to me. See this because she loves much in the reason she loves much is because she's a deep sense of sin, and seeks a deed forgiveness and Jesus turned to her and she said verse 48, thy sins are forgiven you for gave her much she loved much see the ability to love depends upon how deeply you sense the love of God, the ability to forgive somebody else is dependent upon how much you know you been forgiven here was a smug, self-righteous Pharisee who thought he was so righteous and so good and so wonderful that he didn't even need forgiveness. He didn't even talk to Jesus like that woman that he wasn't interested in washing Jesus feet. He wasn't interested in serving Jesus and the way she did all he wanted was a theological discussion to find out if this guy was who he was cracked up to be and from the very beginning and believe anyway because he set off he was a prophet would mess with his own self-righteousness dam to be never needed Jesus. He had no ability to forgive a harlot because he had no sense of forgiveness and is on a lowlife because he had no need yet, no sense of sin, and the point is this, people that Manson realize that if those two sinners were maxed side-by-side. He was the greater one because it is the same. To say I don't need God's so I say to you that dependent upon the depth of your own sense of forgiveness will be your ability to forgive somebody else you love little because you sense God's love little love much because you sense much love in your forgiveness. Beautiful story. There is a broken sinner who knew she desperately needed forgiveness and she would need lots forgiveness and on the basis of much forgiveness. There was much love.

Sometimes I think those are the kind of people that populate the church more than the others. We don't need people think they don't need anything really. People already think they're okay and so what is going on here in Ephesians they can look back is our Lord is saying this God loved us and for gave us that's the way we are to be with each other. No bitterness, no anger, no wrath.

Nothing in a great measure. Beloved your ability to forgive is absolutely dependent on your ability to love and you will love and forgive little if you see yourself forgiven little you see yourself as a file broken sinner cooler destitute and desperate, forgiven much you will forgive much that's it. People measure your you love because you been forgiven much and you love and that causes you to forgive others much, so we are in this sense, to be like God and the spirit can do it.

You might say, like so far said to be like God can stop by searching, find out got his ways past finding out how can we be like God is impossible. If we take our world definition. We think God is a benign Santa Claus. Maybe we have a shot at. But if we take the Bible definition. We must stay with Peter will depart from me oh Lord from sinful man we must say, with John ICM in Revelation chapter 1 is a vision of Christ.

He says when I saw my fellow at his feet as a dead man to be like God. How could such a thing be 636 as your Father is merciful. You be merciful first Peter one as he is only yelling. Matthew 548, as he is perfect. You be perfect. First John 411 is he is loving you.

Be loving like is a possible sureties number one as possible by regeneration.

Second Peter one forces it when you are regenerated you became a partaker of the divine nature. That's incredible.

You can be like God because God lives in you right your partake of the divine nature by regeneration number two by sanctification is the spirit of God works in the life of the believer to conform to the image of God and beloved Paul is saying, you know, if you want to call yourself a child of God. Act like it would in the name of Jesus in the name the name of God, then walk like you want is now at first John two sections. It says he abide in him ought even to walk as he walked first Corinthians 1614 sums it up with all your things be done in love. Love is to qualify everything in our life. This is always been God's standard seizes a New Testament thing. It's always been God's standard. The heart of everything is love from the very first time got a relay on the standard it was love is they limit the 10 Commandments. Boy that was crushing.

Law legal is not what was left as you know that you know that the 10 Commandments are nothing but 10 aspects of love verbalized solely 10 aspects of love verbalized look with me. Exodus 20 Street very briefly. Maybe something you never thought of before 10 aspects of love verbalized fabulously. First of all, toward God and secondly toward others love for God first four commands love toward others. In the last six irregular First love is loyal love as well as what he saying verse three.

Thou shall have no other gods before me is when love is love is loyal, not fickle, loyal God is the same. Would you love me enough not to leave me for some of the God. Second, love is facing faithfulness is loyalty extended love is faithful. Don't make any graven image carved image or anything in heaven above and in earth beneath or in the water of the earth don't bow down to them or serve them. For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation within that hate me and showing mercy on thousands of them that what what love me Lord's love is love is faithful God saying if you if you love me you not go if you love me. That's the negative you're not going to leave me but you gotta stick to me to be faithful in the third love is reverent for seven thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless. It takes his name in vain. I would people say you can't talk about my wife like that boom you can't find my friend one you feel that way about God. Love is reverent. If you love God you can use his name in vain to drag his reputation to the gutter. Love is reverent. Fourth, I love this love is intimate love is intimate, beautiful. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all that I work with the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shall not do any work nor a son or daughter manservant maidservant cattle stranger and I gates four and six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and so forth. Lord blessed the Sabbath and how it love is intimate, you know what love does it draws aside for intimacy. God is saying, you know, if you let me.

Don't just go live your life. You come apart to me. You are being with me to fellowship with me want to drop the cattle in the activities in the land and the busyness want to be with me in and that's why love is you see love is loyal and faithful and reverent intimate's always talk about is loving all he wants, why, when it was all summed up when the whole deal was some duct Jesus of the whole thing can be summed up in these words love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Right. That's the second part of the Commandments are toward men and was he saying there toward minutes.

Love again verse 12, first of all of his respectful love his respectful honor thy father and thy mother that I days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth the love is not lawless.

It is not rebellious is respectful.

It gives people. One of the great characteristics of love is love always seeks to say the best about everyone. Love always seeks to even help assist in honor of his respectful of his harmless where there is true love there would be no injury and so he says in verse 13 thou shalt not murder but would murder of his harmless it hurts no one. It helps next one.

Love is pure all love always seeks the purity of another. So thou shalt not commit adultery. Adultery defiles, but love seeks only, and then another love is unselfish. She says love is unselfish.

Thou shalt not steal. Love doesn't steal love what it gives you, doesn't take. It gives in the number nine is in verse 16.

Love is truthful shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. If you like.

Yesterday we try to hurt them if you love your neighbor you say the truth, love is truthful. Finally, love is content. Love is content doesn't want its neighbor's house is one his neighbor's wife, nor anything yes content. It its content. In this sense, love says I'm so glad you have that stuff my happiness is in your possessing you see what I'm trying to say love toward God. Love is loyal, faithful, reverent, intimate toward minutes, respectful, harmless, pure, unselfish, truthful, and content. You see, even the 10 Commandments 11 say the same thing be like God. God loves Jesus and love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and by what neighbor is nice you love your neighbor will take some your respect and will never harm your treated with purity, unselfishness, truth, and you be content not to have any business it's all Jesus was saying Mark 12. He made that statement. Summing up the law.

No wonder Paul said the whole law is fulfilled in this love love love be like God. People love like God's and God forgives people who offend so we see the plea walk in love now want to see the pattern very quickly will close the pattern as Christ also hath loved us, and have given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor Nellis. Here's the pattern seen love like God love how does God love will.

God loves in this way, he forgives sin and it doesn't matter how bad the sin help how continuous the city forgives will use the example of the pattern.

It's not as none of the Christ.

I want to see some here, it's very important to listen as Christ also hath loved us, not catch this when people. I believe I said a lot of different ways. In years past. What you get the message. I believe that biblical love is not an emotion. Please. It is not an emotion is never defined as an emotion is an act of self sacrificing giving out see if we had election love in our marriages make a difference does it well. I don't anymore then you're a sinner. That's right, at least once in your life. Can't you commit yourself to love somebody not what you get out of just one person. God says, find one person and cleave to that one person and give yourself that one person. If you never got anything out of it and you'll know what it is to know the love of Jesus Christ love us because of what he get out of loved us in spite of the hurt you see it as there is a love that doesn't exist on the basis of reciprocation point it's that humble, obedient, self giving, self-sacrificing love that says I love I love, not for what I get out of that. I love because it's my nature to love you know love somebody you've dissolved a friendship or a marriage or something else and you know love somebody that's not their problem at your sin, love, biblical love is not conditional. It is on condition our dear Lord is washing the feet of the disciples in John 13 were there. While there being so unloving to so indifferent to him. He's going to the cross, they could care less. They're arguing about who's going to sit on his right and left and the king want to lose you to be glorified in the kingdom which of them will go to be a hotshot and he's going to the cross there indifferent and he gets down plus blesses them and washes their feet and he loved them in the midst of their most ugly moments because it wasn't reciprocal. He darted across heaven. He said of those people standing there spitting on his face. Father what forgiveness it's that kind of nonreciprocal, unconditional, not what I can get out of it. Stuff the guys after infected says in verse to watch this that when Christ did that and gave himself as an offering at a sacrifice.

It went up to God is a sweet smelling savor the hall active, Christ smelled good to God because it was this kind of love that was independent and it was unconditional. God loved it sweet and his nostrils.

So what is it mean was at me while Philippians 418 says it an owner of sweet smell, a sacrifice, acceptable, well pleasing to God is simply a single God was well. Please you remember in Leviticus chapters 123455 offering the first three offerings.

The bird offering the meal offering and the peace offering our chapters 1 to 3 is required of Israel. You remember that the bird offering speaks of Christ's total devotion to God how he literally gave his life the meal offering speaks of his perfection and the peace offering speaks of is making peace between God and man, and those three offerings are sweet smelling savor. Because God is pleased with the devotion of Christ. God is well pleased with the perfection of his character. God is well pleased that he made peace between God and man. See, it's that kind of stuff that pleases God one please God. You want your life to rise to God's nostrils as a sweet smelling savor B a life of love, let it be a life that's characterized by unconditional love was forgives and forgives and forgets you know that when I can have any grudges in any bitterness as any of those angry times and malicious times. It's all Don's desire to characterize your this is God's.

That's John MacArthur continuing his current study, titled the portrait of a new life along with being the teacher here each day on grace to you. John is a pastor conference speaker and Chancellor of the Masters University and seminary both in the Los Angeles area.

John in this study, you've talked about the responsibility of Christians to fill their minds with new things and good things, righteous things, so let me ask you, what are some practical steps that you have taken to fill your mind with things like that. Steps that those listening right now. Maybe new believers can even put into practice what I think it's a pretty simple thing you have to put the word of God in your mind you have to be saturated with the word of God.

You know this and I know this we we live our entire lives with our face in the word of God every single day of our lives in our thoughts are saturated by that and then added to that and and this is one reason why we love him so much we sing our theology to ourselves all the time in our there's really a brilliant moment in my life when I'm not in a conversation with somebody that there aren't hymns going through my in my mind and the biblical truth that controls you as you think that's so, you are the Bible says whatever is going on in your mind is going to dictate how you live your life so saturating yourself with the word of God is absolutely critical.

And that leads me to remind you again as we have in the last couple of weeks about the MacArthur daily Bible. You need God's truth in your mind every day and this is the daily Bible which takes the entire Bible breaks it into 365 daily readings a section from the Old Testament a section from the newer section from Psalms and some from Proverbs for every day of the year. It just puts the word of God in your mind and in your heart so we would love to get it in your hands, particularly as were moving toward the new year. You can use it as a great Christmas gift. People can begin with January 1. To do this on a regular basis.

By the way also find study notes throughout the daily Bible punctuating key truths. Page after page, so this is a good time to order several copies, and of course free shipping on US orders use these for the folks you love as a Christmas gift. Yes friend. This is a great resource. John and Patricia have read it together for years. And if you're married, you are sure to benefit by reading it with your spouse to order the MacArthur daily Bible. Contact us today our toll-free number here 800-554-7223.

That number is easy to remember as 855 race or shop online@tty.org get the MacArthur daily Bible and fill your thoughts with God's word again to order 855 grace for visit TTY.also, be sure to visit our website often TTY.org. There you can listen to all of John's verse by verse teaching five 3500 of his sermons available on MP3 ending transcript format free of charge. You can search by topic or by a specific verse or by a book of the Bible. And if you're not sure where to start. Log on to grace stream. It's always on continuously airing John sermons from the New Testament in sequential order. We reset it about every two months and it's a great way to stay focused on biblical truth in these difficult and unpredictable times will find grace stream at TTY.that's our website one more time. TTY.ORT now for John MacArthur.

I'm Phil Johnson reminding you to tune into grace to you television this Sunday. Check your local listings for channeling times also join us tomorrow for another 30 minutes of on reaching God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you