In this sermon from the "God's House" series, Garrett Bookout explores Ephesians 5:1-2, calling the church to "be imitators of God as beloved children" and to "walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us." He challenges listeners to move beyond knowing the greatest commandment (love God and neighbor) in their heads to living it deeply in their hearts, contrasting detailed "faithful church" checklists with the Bible's emphasis on love as the weightier matter. Delivered April 26, 2026, at Oak Hollow church of Christ.

Garrett Bookout continues the "God's House" series on the book of Ephesians—God's own description of what His church should be—by focusing on Ephesians 5:1-2. He begins by reflecting on how Sunday gatherings have become his favorite day and how this young church plant visibly demonstrates the love of God among its members. He reminds the congregation that Jesus Himself identified loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves, as the most important commandment (Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10).

Using personal stories—including a childhood Disneyland trip where his heart revealed his true excitement—Bookout honestly examines how Christians often know the right answers intellectually but struggle to live them. He shares a candid example from a previous ministry where an extremely detailed preaching schedule emphasized many important topics (gospel plan of salvation, modesty, divorce, dancing, etc.) but notably omitted any focused emphasis on love, mercy, justice, or faithfulness—the "weightier matters" Jesus highlighted in Matthew 23 when rebuking the Pharisees.

Drawing from Hosea and other passages, he warns against reducing faithfulness to rule-keeping or sacrifices while neglecting the heart of God. Paul’s command in Ephesians 5 is direct and unique: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Bookout unpacks what this imitation looks like: not superficial niceness, but a lifelong direction (“walk”) of doing good to others—even enemies—as Jesus did. Christ’s sacrificial love on the cross, offered while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), is the ultimate fragrant aroma to God and the model for His people. A faithful church, as portrayed in Ephesians (where love or its cognates appear 23 times), is fundamentally a community of love that reflects the image of God we were created to bear.

The sermon closes with an invitation to respond to the gospel through study, prayer, or baptism. Ideal for anyone reflecting on what truly makes a church faithful to Scripture or seeking to grow in Christ-like love.

Introduction
- Greeting and appreciation for the church family and the visible love among them.
- Sunday as a favorite day; the church as a place where God’s love is seen.
- The greatest/most important commandment: Love God fully and love neighbor as yourself (Jesus in Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10).
- We often know the right answer in our heads but don’t fully believe or live it in our hearts (personal Disneyland story as illustration).

The Danger of Knowing Without Loving
- Story of a detailed preaching job description from a previous ministry that covered many important topics extensively but omitted love, mercy, justice, and faithfulness.
- Contrast with Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees (Matthew 23): They tithed meticulously but neglected the “weightier matters” of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
- Old Testament parallel in Hosea: God desires love, kindness, and humble walking with Him more than rivers of sacrifices.
- Question: Do we really treat love as the most important thing Jesus said it is?

Ephesians in Context: God’s Picture of His House (the Church)
- Why study Ephesians: As a new church plant, we want to know what God says a faithful church looks like (not just human lists).
- Love (agape and related terms) appears ~23 times in Ephesians—central to God’s vision.
- Ephesians 5:1-2: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

What It Means to Imitate God and Walk in Love
- Unique biblical command: “Be imitators of God” (stronger than “be holy” or “forgive as God forgave”).
- As beloved children—secure in God’s love, we naturally imitate our Father (kids mimicking parents in speech, walk, thinking).
- Connection to Ephesians 4 (new self, renewed in the spirit of the mind, created after the likeness of God) and Genesis 1 (image bearers). God’s original plan to have image-bearers is not abandoned; He intends to complete it.
- “Walk in love”: Not a one-time act, but the ongoing direction and course of our entire lives.
- Love as doing good/charity—seeking and meeting the real needs of others (looks different for spouse, children, church family, enemies).
- Christ’s model: Sacrificial love for enemies and sinners (Romans 5:8). He did good, blessed, and prayed for those who persecuted Him—even on the cross (“Father, forgive them”).
- The cross as a “fragrant offering” to God: What looked ugly and heinous to humans was the most beautiful act of love in God’s eyes.

Application and Challenge
- Love is often misunderstood, so we must talk about it more, not less.
- It includes character (avoiding sexual immorality, etc.—see v. 3) but centers on active goodness, even toward the difficult or undeserving.
- A faithful church is a church of love—loving one another and loving everyone as Christ loved.
- Personal reflection: Do our lives and church priorities reflect that love is the most important thing?

Invitation
- Opportunity to respond: prayer, study, baptism, or seeking help in your walk with God.
- Elders and minister available after the closing song.