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

Ephesians 5:1

From Eden to the Cross of Christ, the red line of sacrifice was unbroken.  But all the sacrifices found their culmination in the Lamb of God.  All offerings provided by man fall far short of the righteousness of God.  In mercy to a sin-smitten world, God provided for Himself a Lamb (John 1:29). 

1.  What the sacrifice was.  “He gave Himself for us.”  Not only His love, His time, His power, His wisdom, but HIMSELF, in all the fullness of His life and moral worth. 

2.  To whom it was made.  “He gave Himself to God.”  To God as the ruler of the universe and righteous judge of all.  Forgiveness was needed, and only God could give it.  If God will save, He will do it justly.  He is a just God and Savior.

3.  For whom it was made.  “He gave Himself up for us.”  In this us Paul includes himself, a blasphemer and murderer of Christians.  Us, poor and needy, morally deformed and alienated from God.  As the sinner’s substitute He died. 

4.  How it was made.  It was entirely voluntary.  “He gave Himself.”  He who had life in Himself could alone give Himself for others.  It was His own choice and He was able to do it.  “I have the power to lay it down,” Jesus said. 

5.  The nature of it.  “A fragrant offering and sacrifice.”  Two aspects in one offering.  The meat-offering and the sin-offering all in one Person.  The offering shows the “Beloved Son,” well pleasing to God; the sacrifice shows the Substitute made a curse for us.  The first is the blameless life of Christ, the second is the atoning death. 

6.  The preciousness of it.  “A fragrant offering to God.”  There was something infinitely sweet to God in His Son’s death. This is how the Blood of Christ is called precious.  We rejoice in His death, because it is a savor of delight to God. 

7.  The constraining motive for it.  “Christ loved us.”  It was because He loved us He gave Himself for us.  And so He exhorts us to “love one another as I have loved you,” (John 13:34).

8. The purpose of it.  “Be imitators of God.”  We are to imitate His self-sacrificing life.  Jesus did not live to please Himself.  He spoke of  His followers as having to “deny themselves” and carrying their own cross (Matthew 5:44).  The child may be but a poor imitation of the father, but through obedience it may grow up into perfect likeness.  Colossians 1:10 says, “Walk worthy of the Lord.”