TEXT- EPHESIANS 5:1,2

Ephesians 5:1-2  Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

INTRODUCTION

DAVID DOUBILET IS A PHOTOJOURNALIST WHOSE PICTURES OF A SILENT UNDERWATER WORLD CAN TURN EVEN AN UGLY, BUG-EYED SEA CREATURE INTO A LOVELY, LUMINESCENT WORK OF ART. ALTHOUGH HE HAS RECEIVED MANY HONORS FOR HIS WORK, HE HAS ALSO BEEN CRITICIZED BY ENVIRONMENTALISTS FOR NOT DOING MORE "HARD-EDGE" JOURNALISM. THEY WANT HIM TO TAKE PICTURES OF DEAD FISH, DIRTY BEACHES, AND POLLUTED OCEANS.

BUT DOUBILET BELIEVES THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. INSTEAD OF SHOWING THE DESTRUCTION THAT HUMANS ARE CAUSING, HE SHOWS THE BEAUTY GOD HAS CREATED.

SOME CHRISTIANS SEEM TO THINK THAT THE WAY TO IMPROVE OUR SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENT IS TO POINT OUT ALL THE EVIL IN THE WORLD. BUT JESUS SHOWED US A BETTER WAY. ALTHOUGH HE NEVER GLOSSED OVER SIN (MATTHEW 15:18-20), HE SAID TO HIS FOLLOWERS BEFORE GOING TO THE CROSS, "BY THIS ALL WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER" (JOHN 13:35). WE ARE MORE EFFECTIVE WITNESSES WHEN WE BECOME PORTRAITS OF THE BEAUTY GOD IS CREATING IN US THAN WHEN WE MERELY PAINT A BLEAK PICTURE OF HUMAN DEGRADATION.

"IN THE END," SAYS DOUBILET, "THE BEST THING ONE CAN DO IS TO AMAZE PEOPLE." AND WHAT COULD BE MORE AMAZING TO THE WORLD THAN CHRISTIANS WHO TRULY LOVE ONE ANOTHER?

LOVE IS A MAGNET THAT DRAWS BELIEVERS TOGETHER AND UNBELIEVERS TO CHRIST

TODAY IS VALENTINE'S DAY, A DAY THAT MANY PEOPLE ASSOCIATE WITH LOVE AND ROMANCE.

AT ONE TIME THIS DAY WAS CALLED "SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY" BECAUSE IT WAS NAMED AFTER A MAN WHO WAS A ROMAN PRIEST AND WAS KILLED IN 269 AD BY THE ROMAN EMPEROR CLAUDIUS THE GOTH.

AT ONE TIME THIS DAY WAS A VERY RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY AMONG MANY PEOPLE AND WAS CELEBRATED IN HONOR OF THIS MAN, BUT THROUGH THE YEARS IT HAS LOST ITS RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE AND IS CELEBRATED BY MANY TODAY FOR OTHER REASONS.

VALENTINE'S DAY IS NOW A DAY WHEN LOVERS AND FRIENDS EXCHANGE CARDS AND DISGUISE THEIR HANDWRITING SO THAT THE PERSON WHO RECEIVES THE CARD WILL NOT KNOW WHO IT CAME FROM.

IT IS A DAY THAT MANY PEOPLE EXCHANGE GIFTS SUCH AS CANDY AND FLOWERS WITH LOVE NOTES T0 THEIR BOYFRIENDS, GIRLFRIENDS, WIVES AND HUSBANDS.

WHENEVER WE THINK OF VALENTINE'S DAY TODAY WE THINK OF LOVE, AND SO BECAUSE OF THIS I WOULD LIKE TO PREACH A SERMON ON LOVE THIS ` MORNING.

THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE TO USE THE LETTERS FROM THE WORD “LOVE” TO SHOW FOUR WAYS WE ARE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.