“The Ministry of Reconciliation”
Text: II Corinthians 5:14-20
Intro:
There is a lot of good preaching in this passage, but I would like to focus for just a few moments on verses 18-20, and introduce to you to The Ministry That Every Christian (For Heaven’s sake) Should Be Involved In:
At some point in life, we look for our niche, our calling, our purpose, our reason for living. Without it, we become shallow, bored, irritable, and unstable, floating about trying to always figure out, God is this it, is this why I’m here?
There is a word that permeates this passage of scripture. It is the word reconcile or reconciliation. It appears in this passage some five times. The word, reconcile, means to remove enmity from two enemy parties. Christ is the epitome of this very principle! We by our disobedience to God’s law were enemies of Heaven, and therefore at enmity with God. Christ reconciled –changed our relationship with God
And so now, whatever this reconciliation is, Christ has entrusted it ultimately to care of the church, but placed it practically into the hands of the saved and called it a ministry (something established to serve others.)
*There are two powerful words that verses 18 & 19 teach about the ministry of reconciliation.
1. Notice the first in verse 18, “… and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” Well when someone gives you something you become responsible & accountable for it?
2. And then in the latter part of verse 19, it reads “…and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” When something is committed to you to do, it is assumed that you will make the effort to get it done?
This ministry that you are to be involved in is not an event, a day, an hour time slot, a moment. It is to become a way of life.
Our lives must become lives consumed by reconciling sinners back to God. You say theirs more to life than the ministry/service? Perhaps, but this ministry that I speak of is to be your life.
You say, “Well theirs more to life, than reconciling sinners back to God. I have children to take care of, I have bills to pay, I have a home & vehicle to pay for and maintain. I have personal problems that need resolving, bless God I’m tired!
I have school, I have work, I have balls to pitch, shows to watch, friends to entertain, I have a life, ya know…
Hey, believe me I understand, it’s just Colossians 3:1-3, your going to have to rip that out our your Bible.
Let’s look at it…
You understand God is concerned about your happiness, yet that does not negate you from your responsibility to reconcile sinners back to God. Every day of our lives ought to find us doing less for our flesh, and more to reconcile sinners back to God. Why is this so important?
1. Because God Has Given YOU a New Nature To Nurture-
*The old nature is the self-promoter, interested in your agenda. The new nature is interested in God’s agenda! You say, “Well, I’m interested in shopping, I’m interested in entertainment, I’m interested in money, I’m interested in the bells & whistles of life.” Well Amen, is that what God is interested in?
“Well, I know he wants me to have the best…” Well aren’t you a crook & a shyster if you don’t reciprocate that back to Him, shouldn’t God get your best? (Attitude, worship, praise, gratitude, love, concern) Why do we appear to be happiest away from the things of God, and indulged in the things that please our flesh? Should not the thing that excites God, excite us!
*Now the old English word nurture has come to mean something completely different in our day and time. Men don’t want to touch it! It is associated with women, and the way they deal with their children. (Feeding, providing, bathing, holding, stroking, and etc.) But that is not the Bible meaning for nurture.
-Notice Ephesians 6:4, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath (a lot of parents are provokers): but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Interesting the command to nurture was given to fathers, and it comes from a Greek word that means disciplinary correction that leads to instruction. Now, this applies to your new nature in the sense that God expects you to allow the Word of God to nurture-instruct you through Biblical discipline, and doctrine. God has given you a new nature to nurture. It’s not, “Let me get my church face on or my Christian face on.” This new nature of being a Christian is a full-time priority, yet many of God’s people put it on the back burner. I know parents who are not Christian towards their children. I know children who are not Christian toward their parents. I know students who are not Christian toward their teacher, and vice versa. I know women who are not Christian toward their husbands, and vice versa. This new nature of your new life, it is your way of life, not a suggestion. God expects his people to have a new nature. God, not man, expects you to be a full-time Christian!
2. Because God Has Given YOU a New Cause To Champion-
*A lot of Christian people champion all types of causes: crime, politics, counseling, picketing abortion clinics, and those are all notable causes, but they are not “THE CAUSE.” It appears that the Christian of today is so busy that he only has time to champion the causes that he wants to champion. We are known for making time for the things that are important, why can’t we make time for the cause?
The casual reader of the Bible might assume that this passage is speaking of some special work that the Corinthian church was involved in. But tonight I will submit to you that this was not just a special work given to the Corinthian church or the apostles alone. This ministry that the apostle is speaking of is one of absolute importance. It is a gift from God. Timothy put it this way, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” Oh, Timothy had found a cause to champion! You say, “Hmm, that’s good for Timothy, but I’m not “in the ministry.” Oh, but you are so wrong, according to II Corinthians 5: 18-20, after your verse 17 salvation experience, you have been given a ministry from God. You say, but I don’t want it. I have chosen a different career path. I’m not a preacher, missionary, or a reverend.” Oh no, but you have been placed into the ministry of reconciliation! As a matter of fact, God calls you an ambassador or representative for Christ. Just as the U.S. have ambassadors to teach foreign policy, explain American culture, help form alliances, and maintain allies. God expects us to do the same. To acclimate this lost world to the culture, intentions, and plan of God. What if your pay, benefits, lifestyle, and standard of living would all of a sudden reflect how serious you take your ambassadorship or how well you perform your duties, how would you fair? Let’s make provisions to get seriously involved in the ministry of reconciliation.
