Scripture Reading: II Corinthians 5:17-21
- Have you ever been a victim of a bad deal?
-- The freezer with moth balls
- Have you ever been the beneficiary of a good deal?
-- In 1988: A VW tub buggy for a 1987 Yugo & $2,000 (cost $1,600)
- This was NOT the best deal I’ve ever made though…
- Today’s message: “The Best Deal Ever”
THE BEST DEAL EVER STARTED AT THE CROSS...
- Read II Cor. 5:21a
- Jesus became sin for us
- Literally, God made Him “become sin”
-- Everyone here knows what it means to feel guilty
-- “Guilt” is a blessing (you have a conscience)
- It is impossible for us to imagine what it must have been like for Jesus
to bear all the sins of all mankind
- We do know that the Father had to “turn away” from looking at Him
-- In that moment, Christ experienced separation from the Father
-- He was “forsaken” by the Father
- Prior to this time Jesus “knew no sin”
-- This is not to say He didn’t know what sin was
-- It is to say He had never personally experienced sin
- The fact that Jesus bore our sin is the cornerstone of Christianity
I MADE THE BEST DEAL EVER WHEN I EMBRACED THE CROSS...
When I embraced Christ’s sacrifice for me, several things happened:
1. I became the “righteousness of God”
- Read II Cor. 5:21b
- Jesus took my sins and traded them for His righteousness
- “righteousness” = the condition acceptable to God
- To be in right standing with God
- To no longer be under the condemnation of my sin
2. I became a “new creation”
- Read vs. 17
- I was still the same person, but I was changed
- The direction of my life changed
- My eternal direction changed
- My old way was gone
- Keep in mind; I was only a young boy at the time
- Everything about my life would be different than if I’d not met Christ
-- My mom would say that she was glad I met Christ, because I had
the potential to become a “really good” criminal
- Don’t ever feel that you don’t have a dynamic testimony, if you were
saved at a young age
-- Your testimony is dynamic because of what God saved you from
becoming!
3. I was “reconciled” to God
- Read vs. 18a
- “reconciled” = to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent
value (If I ask for change for a dollar, we can “reconcile” 4 quarters)
- In God’s economy, because of the cross, I can exchange my sins for
His righteousness
- In God’s eyes, it is a “fair trade”
-- In mine, it is “the best deal ever!”
- This insinuates that I was alienated from God; in need of reconciling
-- Even as a 5 year old!
- Now I have correct standing with God – nothing holding me back
from relationship with Him
4. I was given the “ministry of reconciliation”
- Read vs. 18b-19
- My very first witnessing experiences took place on the playground of
Woodville Elementary School
-- To which I had to walk 1 ½ miles each way every day from
kindergarten through 5th grade
- The first person I led to the Lord was on the swings of the
playground
- I was just sharing what the Lord had showed me and done for me
5. I was made an official representative (“ambassador”) of Christ
- Read vs. 20a
- “ambassador” = older, older in experience, elder representative
- As young boy, I was an “elder representative” of Christ
- What little experience I had with Christ, I shared
- I’m still an “ambassador of Christ” – sharing what experience I have
I IMPLORE YOU TO MAKE THE BEST DEAL EVER...
- Do you ever get uneasy when some says, “Have I got a deal for you?”
-- I get uneasy when my wife says that!
- Read vs. 20b
- If you haven’t yet, I implore you to make “the best deal ever”
- If you already have, the things that are true for me are also true for you
