Walking in the Way of Christ: Love, Light, and Wisdom

Personal Reflections on Physical Aging and the Concept of the Walk

• Physical Limitations and Aging:     - The speaker observes that physical exercise in their $40$s is significantly different from their teens and $20$s.     - The body experiences more "cracks and aches" and does not respond as well as it once did.     - The speaker now enjoys walking $2$ to $3\,\text{miles}$ several times a week rather than running.     - While a younger version of the self might view this shift as "weak" or "old," the $40$-year-old self recognizes it as a necessary adjustment for the "long way to go."
• Parental Motivation for Health:     - The speaker has three young children, aged $6$, $4$, and $2$.     - The goal is to maintain health and mobility so that when the children are teenagers, the speaker (then a $50$-year-old) can still "dominate them in sports."
• The "Marathon" Mindset:     - Life and faith are described as a marathon rather than a sprint.     - This perspective encourages an appreciation for Biblical passages that focus on the act of "walking."

The Biblical Definition and Significance of "Walking"

• Frequency in Scripture:     - Within the specific passage being discussed, there are $17$ total commands.     - Three of these specific commands focus on and repeat the theme of "walking."
• The Three-Fold Call:     - Believers are called to walk in Love.     - Believers are called to walk in Light.     - Believers are called to walk in Wisdom.
• Linguistic and Cultural Context:     - The word "walk" is used throughout the Bible to describe a person's lifestyle.     - In many modern translations, the words "live" and "walk" are used interchangeably.     - From a Hebrew perspective, the way a person walks represents their "pattern of conduct."     - It encompasses an individual's values, actions, and the commitments typical of their life.     - It embodies the idiom of "walking the walk"—ensuring that actions align with spoken values.
• The Watching World:     - A central question for followers of Jesus is: "What is our pattern of life saying to a watching world around us?"

Walking in Love

• The Foundation of Identity (Verses $1$-$2$):     - Paul begins by focusing on identity rather than a list of rules or commands.     - Believers are addressed as "duly loved children."     - The instruction is to "follow God’s example" as a result of being unified in Jesus.
• Imitating God:     - To imitate God, one must know Him.     - Knowing God requires understanding His Word.     - $\text{1 John 4:8}$ states that "God is love."     - Love is not merely an action God performs; it is His essence, nature, and character.
• The Nature of Divine Love:     - God's love is unconditional and self-sacrificial.     - It was demonstrated through the death and resurrection of Jesus to atone for sin.     - In $\text{Ephesians 3}$, Paul notes that humans need the power of the Holy Spirit to even begin to grasp the dimensions of Christ’s love: how wide, long, high, and deep it is.     - This love is metaphorically described as deeper than the ocean and higher than the heavens.
• The Flow of Love:     - Believers have the privilege of receiving this love and then demonstrating it to others.     - Love should flow into the believer and then out to the world.
• Defining Genuine Christian Love:     - Culture often confuses love with "mushy emotions" or "raw lust."     - $\text{Ephesians 5:2}$ defines walking in love "just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."     - True Christian love is about giving and sacrificing for the sake of the loved one, regardless of feelings or whether the recipient deserves it.     - It is best demonstrated to those who do not deserve it and should "cost" the giver something.
• Practical Applications of Walking in Love:     - In the Home: Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church, sacrificing time and energy for the wife's flourishing.     - In the Church: Being intentional, welcoming newcomers, introducing people to help them feel connected, and inviting people to events.     - In the Community: Visiting the sick, bringing meals, grocery shopping for elderly members who cannot leave home, serving at food kitchens, and helping the homeless.
• Evangelistic Impact:     - Love is the greatest evangelistic tool.     - People are often receptive to the Gospel message only after they see those actions in the church.     - The speaker cites the adage: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Walking in Light

• Identity Transformation (Verse $8$):     - The text says: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord."     - Note: Paul does not say they were "in" darkness, but that they were darkness.     - This represents a total identity transformation through faith.
• Characteristics of Darkness vs. Light:     - The Old Self (Darkness): Marked by greed, sexual immorality, impurity, foolish talk, deception, and disobedience.     - The New Self (Light): Marked by walking in love, light, and wisdom.
• The Source of Light:     - Transformation comes through the work of God; believers are not the source of light.     - Believers reflect the light of Jesus, similar to how the moon reflects the sun.
• The Power to Expose (Verses $10$-$11$):     - Believers are instructed to "find out what pleases the Lord."     - They must have nothing to do with "fruitless deeds of darkness" but rather expose them.     - Exposing darkness is a natural response of following Jesus, not necessarily a self-righteous pointing out of others' faults.
• The Influence of Light:     - Integrity and pure words that build others up serve as a witness.     - $\text{Matthew 5:16}$: "Let your light shine among men and women that they may see your good works and they will glorify your Father who is in heaven."     - A single godly individual can change a workplace, a family, or a community.

Walking in Wisdom

• Wise vs. Unwise Living (Verses $15$-$17$):     - Wisdom is not about the amount of knowledge possessed, but what is done with that knowledge.     - To be wise is to live with intentionality and an eternal perspective.     - To be foolish is to forget God entirely and live with a "me-first" mentality, which wastes life.
• Scriptural Definitions of Wisdom:     - $\text{Proverbs 9:10}$: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."     - $\text{Proverbs 3:5-6}$: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to him and he will make your paths straight."

The Example of Jim Elliot

• Historical Context:     - Jim Elliot was a missionary in the $1950$s who traveled to a remote tribe in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador.     - The tribe was isolationist and extremely hostile toward outsiders.
• Elliot's Motto:     - "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."     - This emphasizes that worldly possessions and temporary life are things we cannot keep, while eternal rewards cannot be lost.
• The Outcome of the Mission:     - Jim Elliot and four other missionaries were killed by spears while attempting to share the Gospel.     - His wife, Elizabeth Elliot, documented his life in the book Shadow of the Almighty.     - Elizabeth and other family members eventually lived with the tribe for years, translated scripture, and the group is now recognized as a Christian people group.

Intentionality and the River Metaphor

• The Peril of Passivity:     - Life is compared to floating down a river.     - Success requires being proactive and attentive to "rocks and rapids."
• White Water Rafting in Colorado:     - The speaker recounts a trip to the Rocky Mountains with a high school youth group two years ago ($2022$).     - Success in the raft required intentional positioning and paddling.     - Aimless wandering on the river leads to capsizing and danger.
• Opportunities:     - $\text{Verse 16}$: "Walking wisely is making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil."     - Being "intentional" means using time, resources, and relationships for eternal purposes.     - This requires being alert to "windows of opportunity" that God presents.
• Distractions:     - One of the greatest weapons of the enemy is distraction.     - Modern distractions include screens, phones, and social media scrolling.     - Living for comfort rather than stepping out of the comfort zone leads to regret.
• Eternal Perspective:     - Consideration of one's last day on earth helps prioritize.     - Regrets rarely involve wishing for more screen time; they involve wishing for more prayer, more Bible reading, more sharing of Jesus, and more investment in family and friends.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

• The Impossibility of the Task:     - Imitating God perfectly is an impossible task for "broken image-bearers."
• Divine Assistance:     - Believers do not walk alone; the Holy Spirit is within them.     - God acts as a mentor, molding and crafting the believer into His image.     - The believer's role is simply to be obedient and take advantage of the opportunities provided.

Closing Prayer Summary

• Acknowledgment of identity as God's children.
• Request for the Holy Spirit to guide all areas of life.
• Prayer for help in showing love and shining light even when inconvenient.
• Prayer for wisdom in using short, temporary lives for eternal purposes and God's glory.