The Bridge Church
Made for More - Made to Be Imitators
May 28, 2023
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Be imitators ("mimetai") of God
1. Walk in love
2. Walk in purity
Walking in purity involves avoidance and accountability
3. Walk in the light
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
Dig Deeper:
1. As we wrap up the Made for More series, share one or two ways in which God has shown you more about your identity in Him.
2. Describe a time when you have seen someone imitate someone else. What was the outcome?
3. Read Ephesians 5:1-2. Why do you think Paul makes a connection between being “dearly loved children” and “imitators of God”?
4. What ways can we imitate God? What ways are we not able to imitate God?
5. Looking back at Ephesians 5:2, what is one result of imitating God? Why does Paul use the verb “walk”?
6. Imitating Jesus’s agape love shows that we are a child of the King! Share ways in which you have been able to show this kind of love to others and have seen others do the same.
7. Read Romans 5:5. Where does this ability to love come from? Why is this important to recognize?
8. Read Ephesians 5:2. How does knowing that loving others is “a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God” redefine how you go about walking in love?
9. Read Ephesians 5:3-4. Why are sexual immorality, impurity, and greed all mentioned together? What do obscene and foolish talking or crude joking have in common?
10. Why does God want us to walk in purity? What does He do when we confess any and all sins to Him?
11. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5. Why are avoidance and accountability important when walking in purity?
12. What does it mean to hold each other accountable? How is accountability different than trying to control someone else’s actions?
13. Read Ephesians 5:8-10. How does living a transparent life with God, and others, lead to freedom?
14. Read Ephesians 5:11-13. How does exposing secrets to the light create a deeper intimacy with God and others?
15. Describe a time when you’ve seen the Holy Spirit move you out of darkness and into the light.
16. Read 1 John 1:9. What does God do when we confess our sins?
17. How is confession of a sin, after you have put your faith in Jesus, a response to already having God’s approval instead of an attempt to gain it?
18. Read John 8:12. Describe what it means to you that you never have to walk in darkness.
Live It Out:
“Therefore, be imitators of God….” (Ephesians 5:1-2). How do we imitate God?
1. Walk in love. Loved people love people. If you struggle with loving others, spend time with God and identify why you might not feel loved. Look up scriptures that share God’s love for you. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you in loving others. Write down names of people who you can show love to this week. Let them know how much they mean to you, and to God. Identify their love language, and then show them love through words of affirmation, gift giving, quality time, acts of service…or all of the above!
2. Walk in purity. Walking in purity involves avoidance and accountability. If you do not have either in your life, commit to doing so this week. Avoidance means we are to flee, not flirt. Create boundaries to protect your heart and life. Find an accountability and prayer partner who can speak into your life. Be a friend to others, allowing them to be open and honest to you. God created us for community, so walk together and grow to become more like Jesus.
3. Walk in the light. Today, you might have shame, regret, and guilt. You might be worn down, discouraged, or ashamed. Jesus meets us in our brokenness and sin with mercy. This week, be a light shiner! Live differently because you serve a different kingdom than this world. Identify any sins that need to be brought into the light. Confess, repent, and thank God for Jesus.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Ephesians 5:1-14
Tuesday: Ephesians 5:15-21
Wednesday: Ephesians 5:22-33
Thursday: Ephesians 6:1-9
Friday: Ephesians 6:10-24
Saturday: Matthew 22:37-39, Romans 5:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, John 8:12
1. As we wrap up the Made for More series, share one or two ways in which God has shown you more about your identity in Him.
2. Describe a time when you have seen someone imitate someone else. What was the outcome?
3. Read Ephesians 5:1-2. Why do you think Paul makes a connection between being “dearly loved children” and “imitators of God”?
4. What ways can we imitate God? What ways are we not able to imitate God?
5. Looking back at Ephesians 5:2, what is one result of imitating God? Why does Paul use the verb “walk”?
6. Imitating Jesus’s agape love shows that we are a child of the King! Share ways in which you have been able to show this kind of love to others and have seen others do the same.
7. Read Romans 5:5. Where does this ability to love come from? Why is this important to recognize?
8. Read Ephesians 5:2. How does knowing that loving others is “a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God” redefine how you go about walking in love?
9. Read Ephesians 5:3-4. Why are sexual immorality, impurity, and greed all mentioned together? What do obscene and foolish talking or crude joking have in common?
10. Why does God want us to walk in purity? What does He do when we confess any and all sins to Him?
11. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5. Why are avoidance and accountability important when walking in purity?
12. What does it mean to hold each other accountable? How is accountability different than trying to control someone else’s actions?
13. Read Ephesians 5:8-10. How does living a transparent life with God, and others, lead to freedom?
14. Read Ephesians 5:11-13. How does exposing secrets to the light create a deeper intimacy with God and others?
15. Describe a time when you’ve seen the Holy Spirit move you out of darkness and into the light.
16. Read 1 John 1:9. What does God do when we confess our sins?
17. How is confession of a sin, after you have put your faith in Jesus, a response to already having God’s approval instead of an attempt to gain it?
18. Read John 8:12. Describe what it means to you that you never have to walk in darkness.
Live It Out:
“Therefore, be imitators of God….” (Ephesians 5:1-2). How do we imitate God?
1. Walk in love. Loved people love people. If you struggle with loving others, spend time with God and identify why you might not feel loved. Look up scriptures that share God’s love for you. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you in loving others. Write down names of people who you can show love to this week. Let them know how much they mean to you, and to God. Identify their love language, and then show them love through words of affirmation, gift giving, quality time, acts of service…or all of the above!
2. Walk in purity. Walking in purity involves avoidance and accountability. If you do not have either in your life, commit to doing so this week. Avoidance means we are to flee, not flirt. Create boundaries to protect your heart and life. Find an accountability and prayer partner who can speak into your life. Be a friend to others, allowing them to be open and honest to you. God created us for community, so walk together and grow to become more like Jesus.
3. Walk in the light. Today, you might have shame, regret, and guilt. You might be worn down, discouraged, or ashamed. Jesus meets us in our brokenness and sin with mercy. This week, be a light shiner! Live differently because you serve a different kingdom than this world. Identify any sins that need to be brought into the light. Confess, repent, and thank God for Jesus.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Ephesians 5:1-14
Tuesday: Ephesians 5:15-21
Wednesday: Ephesians 5:22-33
Thursday: Ephesians 6:1-9
Friday: Ephesians 6:10-24
Saturday: Matthew 22:37-39, Romans 5:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, John 8:12