Imitate God

Pastor Akin began by asking who we imitate, noting that everyone has people they want to be like. He explained that Paul commands believers to imitate God as beloved children, emphasizing that God becomes our heavenly Father when we trust in Christ. The main focus was on loving sacrificially as the primary way to imitate God. Akin defined love as seeking God's best for others even at great cost to oneself, using Christ's sacrifice on the cross as the ultimate example. He outlined four characteristics of sacrificial love: it's a choice not an emotion, it's active not passive, it's others-focused not me-focused, and it's sacrificial not self-serving. The sermon concluded with encouragement about how the church has been demonstrating this love through various ministries in the community.

In this message:

You are new in Christ, imitate God as His beloved children.Love is seeking God's best for others even at great cost to oneself.Love is a choice, not an emotion - we choose to love even when we don't feel like it.Sacrificial love cost Jesus His life and His perfect harmony with the Father.True love requires action and demonstrates itself through service to others.