I. INTRODUCTION
A. It seems Christians these days like a good book series
or plan of action from Christian authors.
1. I remember when everyone was experiencing God.
2. Then there was a period when people were afraid they
might get left behind, and grew terrified of the end
times.
3. Finally, people today are being purpose driven.
4. I want us not to be just purpose driven, but purpose
livin’--to be reconciled!
B. The mission of the Church is to tell the world about Christ
(Matt 28:18-20), but more over, our purpose is to live a
sanctified life that pleases and worships God.
C. READ 2 COR 5:10-21
II. SHOWING THE INVISIBLE THROUGH THE VISIBLE (5:10-15)
A. Define Reconcile
1. Manifest or Reconcile: to restore to friendship or
harmony. To bring one thing into correspondence
with another.
2. Like the restoration movement seeks to bring people
back to the bible alone, God wants us to be
reconciled to Him in order to bring us back to our
original intent and life.
B. Why does God seek to reconcile with us after what we’ve
done to him?
1. When we leave His side after sinning, we may turn
our back on God, but God never abandons the
thought of us coming back.
2. Did I say that He pulls us back, as unwilling
servants? No. We aren’t puppets pulled by wires,
nor are we forced into subjection to a salvation we
do not want.
3. We have to come into subjection to His will, thus
conform to Him, and then we will be RECONCILED
BACK to Him.
C. We don’t do the Reconciling ourselves, but God does
through Christ.
1. Wait! How come we can choose to come back, but
we aren’t the ones doing the work.
2. Because we are not the offended party. Only the
offended party (God) may choose to accept man back
into righteousness.
3. This is where the power of Grace lies. Grace and
reconciliation are seen through Christ and his
willingness to die for our sin.
4. Colossians 1:19-20a reads, “For it was the Father’s
good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
having made peace through the blood of His cross.”
D. Let’s look again at 2 Corinthians 5:14-15.
For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that
one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so
that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for
Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
This fulfillment of our obligation to God, to which we didn’t even deserve, allows us a unique opportunity to be as we once were—innocent and blemish free. But we must be willing to be built into the Body of Christ.
This is the work of reconciliation that God performs in us when we accept His plan of salvation in our life. And in it, we allow Him to work within us to aid in getting the word out about reconciliation to others. Remember what Paul said at the very beginning of the verses we read. So let’s look at:
III. THE WORK OF RECONCILIATION WE PERFORM (5:16-21)
A. Remember the definition of reconciled
B. One body that functions on behalf of the one head.
C. As mentioned before, a hand or foot doesn’t act on its own
for its own gain, rather it serves a specific purpose to
benefit the entire body. Sound familiar? That’s how we
should function.
1. Verses 16-17 read: Therefore from now on we
recognize no one according to the flesh; even
though we have known Christ according to the flesh,
yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creature; the old things passed away; behold, new
things have come.
2. I like what the TNIV reads, "the old has gone, and
the new is here!" There is an explanation mark at
the end, telling us that That means that when we
once thought independent of God, we now are equipped
as part of Him.
D. He equips us through his reconciliation of us! (v.18-19)
E. Much like the apostles were sent, as their title means, they
exhorted the people to do likewise, and to teach and live
the reconciled life!
F. God is petitioning us through His Word and through His Son
to be reconciled! Thus, we should function as the Lord
would want His Body to function.
IV. GETTING THE WORD OUT!
A. Today, There is still a need for outreach!
1. People didn’t stop being lost after Christ.
2. God didn’t stop loving people, even though they were
sinners, after Christ.
3. Otherwise, we’d be in a world of hurt!
B. God said in Isaiah 6, "Who shall I send." Isaiah
replied, "Here am I Lord SEND ME!" Likewise, we
are to have the same courage and enthusiasm to
spread the Gospel as he did then.
C. Every single Christians needs be involved in the ministry
of reconciliation!
1. This shouldn’t be thought as optional.
2. Rather, it is our responsibility to all of our
family, friends, and co-workers.
D. Whether we are preachers, teachers, contractors, farmers,
lawyers, or housewives, we have a duty to bring others to
understand their relationship with the Lord.
V. CONCLUSION (6:1-2)
A. Understanding this reconciliation tell us a couple of solid
facts.
1. God’s Love is unconditional
2. Our Response is based upon our reaction to this love
3. How serious we are about our relationship with Him
and those around us is reflected on our willingness
to teach this reconciliation.
4. Some may think that is a bit rough...after all, if
His love’s unconditional, then that would mean our
work saves us?
5. Christ did the work, through His unconditional love,
and asks us to come to Him through that love. It
requires us to make the move. While His love is
unconditional, His redemptive work must be accepted
by us, and those that we know in this life who have
shrugged Him off.
6. And how can people know the redemptive, reconciling
work unless we are willing to spend time with Him in
His Word, talk to Him often in thoughtful considerate
prayer, and then share the relationship through our
walk with others?
B. Today, I have the wonderful opportunity to spread the
message of reconciliation! Both to those coming to know
God for the first time, and to those who know Him, and
seek to tell the world about Him.
C. "We then, as workers together with Him also plead with
you not to receive the grace of God in vain. for He says,
"AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,
AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU."
Behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now
is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"--" (2 Co 6:1-2)
D. BE SAVED TODAY!!!!!!!! An obedient faith and relationship
with the Lord can assure us of His work of reconciliation in
us, and insure that we have Jesus as the author of our
eternal salvation!
