Imitate Jesus

Ephesians 4:17-5:2

St. John’s United Church of Christ
Greeley, Colorado
September 15, 2024
Phillip Rhoads and Children’s/Youth Team

“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 4:17-5:2).

Greet the children, wearing some sort of costume elements or disguise…

Hello, children of God! Can you guess who I am today? Can you tell? I was just trying on some different costumes, and of course this one is (state who you are dressed up as). Now, of course I am not really (Spider Man/the pastor/etc.), but I have his outfit on, and I am pretending to be him. This is called imitating. When you imitate something, you act or dress like it, or maybe make the kinds of sounds it makes. Hey, why don’t we try some imitating right now? How might you act or sound if I told you to imitate…. A frog? How about a bird? (Provide several animals, people, or objects, and allow students to act them out).

Sometimes we hear the term “imitate” as something that is very similar to another thing. For instance, I have this margarine here (hold up whatever product or products you choose as examples of imitation)…now, this is not butter. However, it sort of “acts like” butter in a way. I can use this in recipes and on things, instead of using butter. It’s not exactly the same but it does what butter might do. Or I might use this imitation meat if I can’t or choose not to have meat. These products help out if I don’t have the “real thing.”

Well, how might you behave if you were going to imitate…Jesus? It’s not a trick question. The Bible invites us to be imitators of God, walking in love as Christ loved us. When we imitate something, it might mean that we greatly admire or value the original. It might also mean that we want to have something that can stand in for the original. Both should be true in the case of imitating Christ. We know that we cannot actually be Jesus, of course. We don’t wear sandals and loin cloths or speak Greek and Aramaic. On our own, we can’t heal people with a touch or turn a few loaves of bread into a meal to feed thousands. We are not God, after all. However, the spirit of God lives in us, and calls us to carry His love to others.

When we think of imitating Jesus, God wants us to consider how He loves and serves others. We “put on Christ” like we put on clothes, covering our own natural habits and interests with His. We want to give to others and to treat them with kindness and forgiveness. In this way, we can act like Jesus and imitate Him. When we do that, others will see who Jesus is and how His love can transform our hearts and lives. We can bring His love to one another when we imitate Him and act like Him. How do we know how to imitate Him? Well, just as we might watch another person or study a product to make an imitation, we can read God’s Word and pray to know how He wants us to act towards one another. We are God’s dear children, and we follow His example to communicate love with those around us! Let’s say a prayer to ask for God’s help as we imitate Him and share His love.

Prayer:

(Have congregation join kids in repeating each line)

Dear God,
Thank you for teaching us how to live
Help us to be your people and imitate you
Help us speak truth and lift each other up in love
Help us to be kind and loving
Thank you for your love
We love you, God!
In Jesus name, Amen!