The power of reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Introduction-
We continue in our series “connecting to God and others.”
We have taken a look at God as seen through the Ten Commandments.
The first 4 our relationship with God and the other 6 dealing with each other.
Last week looking at the Church and our relationship with each other as the body of Christ.
This morning were looking at reconciliation. Our reconciliation with God and with each other.
Turn to 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 (read later)
Paul is talking to believers here.
He is stating the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
He is telling them that they have to live in the realm of faith and dependence on God.
That as long as we are in this fleshly body, we will have challenges.
Then he swings into the text today.
Paul is telling us that we have to reconcile our differences with God and our problems that we have with each other.
2 Corinthians 5:11-15 (read from Bible)
(14) Christ love compels us… How? To live a life for God!
If out of my mind, crazy! it is for Christ, because we are crazy for Jesus! Sold out for Jesus!
If we are in our right mind, it is for you, so that you can tell others what Christ has done for you.
If you believe what Christ has done, you will be compelled to live that way also.
You will also live that way with each other.
Genesis to Revelation, the Bible Is God trying to reconcile with mankind.
What is the goal of the Christian life?
What is it that we are to become? What does that look like?
It is simply that we should be conformed to the image of Christ.
To become Christ-like.
To become Christian.
Last week we said that you are not born Christian.
You are not adopted to be Christian. To be Christian is to be a Christ-follower that has made a determined decision to follow the ways of the Lord.
Reconcile by definition means “to restore to friendship or harmony, to resolve your differences, to submit to a cause of harmony.
Reconciliation is the action of being reconciled.
There has to be a determined action to bring harmony back to a relationship.
Example:
The Catholic Church believes that reconciliation between God and man happens in a confession box, where the priest is on one side of the box, and the sinner on the other. The sinner shares his sins and the priest forgives the sin and restores relationship between God and man.
The Christian believes that reconciliation happens between God and man in a different way. That Jesus Christ is the bridge between God the Father and man.
1 Timothy 2:5- “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all man.”
That when we understand the love that Christ has for us, and we understand the debt that He paid for us, (14) “Christ love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all and that those should no longer live for themselves, but for him.”
If we really believe and are thankful for what Christ did for us, if we truly believe that Christ bridged the gap to reconcile us to God. That this same Jesus expects us to reconcile with others because of what Christ has done for us.
Picture the Lord on one side of a deep trench, extending his hand out to us, and the only way to get across is to take hold of His hand. The only way of reconciliation with each other is to live out that kind of Christ love.
“Forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
Not easy to do, in fact, nearly impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
Illustration-
Vince Lombardi was in practice with his lineman, and he turned to one of them and said, you are a lousy football player, you cannot block, and you are not giving me 100 percent. If fact, you are done for the day. Hit the showers. 45 minutes later, Vince returns to the locker room to find this player un-showered and weeping by his locker. Vince Lombardi walked up to him and said, “What I said to you was the truth, you are not a good football player, you are unable to block properly and you have not given me 100 percent., but I am telling you today, I will work with you to become the player that I know is inside of you. That day Jerry Kramer changed his life and practice as football player. He became a hall of fame player for the Green Bay Packers and is now considered one of the best guards to ever play the game.
Vince Lombardi had the ability to tell the truth, though sometimes it was painful and not what we want to hear.
But he was also able to see into the person to see what they could become.
God has so much more ability to do that with each one of us.
When we realize he bridges the gap. He does it by His love for us.
He does it by His power to transform us and change our lives and our thoughts.
Transformation is a change- we are not what we use to be, and God is not done with us, so we can become what He wants us to become.
Anything external is easy to change.
We cannot change ourselves.
God has to do that!
John 10:10- “I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.”
Some Bibles say-“Have it to the full.”
You are not really living until Christ is in your life.
Until He makes that transformation in our life.
Go ahead, change the outside! But abundant and full life begins when we allow God to change you from the inside out.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (read from Bible)
Once we get it, we begin a ministry of reconciliation.
We become Christ-like ambassadors.
(v20) as though God were making his appeal through us.”
The problem with most people is not finding the truth, the problem is facing the truth.
So what can we learn from this passage?
I. God desires to reconcile with you and I
II. God desires us to be new creations in Christ
III. God desires us to be Christ’s ambassadors.
I. God desires to reconcile with you and I
I get it pastor! Jesus loves the world.
John 3:16- “For God so loved the world…”but he also loves you too! You were included.
He knows everything about you and He loves you anyways!
Romans 5:6-
“At just the right time when we were still powerless Christ died for the ungodly.”
Ephesians 2:13-
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”
2:19- (paraphrase) tells us that we are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens and members of God’s household.
It is not about Jim Carey playing Bruce Almighty
About George Burns playing the role of a liberated God. But a God who begs that we accept His gift of salvation and be reconciled back to Him.
Christ love motivates me! It should you also.
II. God desires us to be new creations
Funny things happen when someone gets saved! They should never be the same again!
God’s blood never loses it’s power to save.
The power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives does not have to take a back seat to anything that is hindering our lives.
Failure of the past- Gone!
Inability to please God- Gone!
Our fighting against God- Gone
Breakdown of our relationship between us and God- gone!
Praise the Lord!
III. God desires us to be Christ’s ambassadors
(20) We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us.
God pulls us into a relationship with Him, reconciles us, and then compels us to tell others what He has done for us.
Ambassadors- “representative who holds citizenship in one country and represents the interest of his/here country in a foreign land.”
As Christ ambassadors, we are called to bring people back to God and each other.
People have reasons they are far from God.
Feel like they have been abandoned by God and God let them down.
Feel like they are not good enough.
They are embarrassed to come back to God.
Closing
God compels us to go the extra mile.
Some of us are here because someone would not give up on us.
God has a word for each one of us this morning.
If things are not right between you and Jesus this morning, you have an opportunity to make it right. He has already made the first move.
If God is speaking to you this morning, you need to come to Him this morning!
Maybe your here this morning, I know Jesus, but the old person just won’t go away.
I do not feel like the new creation God desires for me.
Slip up your hand, I want to pray for you this morning, that you might have victory this morning.
Message of Christ is so real! It is compelling!
Maybe you’re here and your prayer is that God gives you an opportunity to speak to others, slip your hand up, I want to pray for you also.
That you would be Christ ambassador- right where He has you – right now!
I am reading a book called “You lost me” it is a book about findings of what young people are saying about the church universal and their exit after graduation.
Some are saying we will lose a whole generation- I cannot believe that! If God can reconciled a person, he can reconcile a church, if He can reconcile a church, He can reconcile a city, reconcile a State, He can reconcile a nation, if He can reconcile a nation, He can reconcile a culture, and it is unlimited to what God could not do if we will allow him to do it.
Illustration-
You have heard me share the illustration of the many starfish on the shore. When it is overwhelming that you could not possible save them all. But that you make a difference to the ones that you pick up and toss them back in the water.
What kind of church would be if the church people were all on the shore and able to throw some starfishes back to live another day because of getting involved.
Altar Call.
