INTRODUCTION
SLIDE #1- ORIGINAL TITLE SLIDE
- Love better.
- Why are we even diving into this subject?
- Since we are Christians, are we already loving to the max?
- If you are like me, you have good intentions, you want to love people like Jesus does, and how Jesus wants you to do.
However, those people I have the best intentions to love sometimes make me not want to love them.
- Besides, the people Jesus walked the earth with were much nicer than the people of today!
- Well, maybe the whole rejection and crucifixion thing throws water on that theory.
The truth is that people are not the reason I struggle with loving better; the problem is squarely on me.
- In our series, we seek the answers to two questions.
- What can I do to love other Christians better?
- What can I do to love people in my community better?
- Today’s message centers on a problem that causes us to struggle with loving other people.
BIBLE VERSE SLIDE
1 Corinthians 13:5 NET 2nd ed.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful.
SLIDE#2- NEW TITLE SLIDE
- The Greek phrase translated as ‘resentful’ in 1 Corinthians 13:5 means to count, to consider, the reckon or to take into account.
- The word is an accounting term.
- It refers to the act of entering an item onto the page of a ledger so it will not be forgotten.
- The other part of the phrase means ‘the evil’ or ‘the wrong.’
- So, the full phrase can be understood as ‘does not take into account a wrong’ or ‘does not keep a record of evil.’
- The phrase conveys that love does not keep a ledger of offenses.
- It does not store up past grievances or keep score of wrongs done.
- Instead, love chooses not to dwell on or harbor those wrongs, reflecting a heart of forgiveness.
- The idea is that true love refuses to retain resentment or to continually consider how it has been wronged.
- This aligns with the broader biblical theme of forgiveness and mercy, as seen in God’s own character.
- Being resentful or keeping a mental ledger of the bad things that happen to us helps us to not be able to love better.
- If we want to love better, we must learn how to stop being resentful.
- My prayer is that today the Word will give us the help we need to win the battle!
- We will spend our time today in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
- I love this passage, and this passage will give us the key to unlock our ability to defeat resentment.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NET 2nd ed.
17 So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!
SLIDE #3- POINT 1 SLIDE (1 SLIDE)
SERMON
I. The New Way.
- I have stated this thought before, it baffles me how those who are in Christ, can still be miserable, hateful, unforgiving, mean, nasty and habitually negative people.
- Paul shares the fact that when we are in Christ, new thing have come!
- Part of the new things is that we tear up the old ledger we used to track everything anyone has done to us.
SLIDE #4 THE OLD WAY
- The old way of life before we are in Christ has some issues,
- The old way of life involved keeping track of all the wrongs committed against us and seeking retribution for those offenses.
- Holding onto anger poisons our own hearts more than it affects the other individual.
- Unforgiveness festers internally, ultimately harming us and hindering our walk with God.
- Picture resentment as a Heavy Bag: Imagine carrying around a bag of stones, each labeled with a person’s name or offense against you.
- Each stone represents your resentment.
- Throughout the day, that bag feels heavier and heavier.
- Just as you wouldn’t continue carrying physical weight for no reason, so too should you let go of resentments that weigh down your soul.
- Jesus gives us freedom from that type of attitude.
- Keeping track of all the wrongs done against us is tiresome, and trying to settle the score is impossible.
- A preacher visited someone who was bitterly resentful toward a neighbor.
- As they talked, the preacher asked how often the neighbor’s offense replayed in his mind.
- The man admitted he thought about it every day. Gently, the preacher said, “Your neighbor isn’t losing sleep, but you are.”
- That simple realization moved the man to release his resentment, recognizing the freedom that comes with true forgiveness.
SLIDE #5- THE PROBLEM
- There are many problems with living a life marred by resentment.
- Here are two from Arron Chambers' book, Love Better.
- First, no one is perfect, so there will always be enough wrongs to fill every page, every day.
- When you think a little deeper, are you perfect?
- Why do you expect others to be perfect when you cannot?
- The second problem is if you choose to keep a record of wrongs against someone, you will kill that relationship.
- You want to ruin a marriage?
- Live with resentment.
- Believe me, you may think nobody knows you carry it, but I promise you that your spouse knows, and it is killing them.
- Anyone who is within a mile of you sees it.
- There is a better way!
SLIDE #6-THE NEW CREATION
- Being “in Christ” marks a radical and comprehensive transformation, resulting in a “new creation” where the past is superseded by a new reality of reconciliation, forgiveness, and a life lived for Christ.
- This New Way is characterized by the superiority of the New Covenant and a new relationship with God based on grace and not the keeping of a record of wrongs.
- How would Jesus want those who are in Him to act towards others?
- The new creation that has new things come changes everything about us.
- The result of being “in Christ” is that one is a new creation.
- This is not just a superficial adjustment but a fundamental remaking.
- Contrast that with the “old things” which would include the previous way of life and potentially the limitations and condemnation associated with the Old Covenant and the old way of life.
- The declaration “the old has gone, the new has come!” emphasizes the decisive and complete nature of this transformation.
- Why are we holding on to the old ways of life?
SLIDE #7- NEW REALITY
- A new creation signifies: a new spiritual reality, where our spirit is renewed, we do not have to punish ourselves for the past!
- The new reality is we are in Christ; you are no longer the person you were before Jesus!
SLIDE #8- NEW RELATIONSHIP
- Being in Christ is the foundational aspect of this New Way.
- It signifies a union with Christ that brings about a radical change in status and nature.
- This is not merely an external association but a deep, spiritual connection that alters a person’s very being.
SLIDE #9- A NEW COVENANT
- The New Covenant is presented as superior to the Old Covenant (the Mosaic Covenant), bringing with it a new ministry and a new understanding of God’s relationship with humanity.
VERSE SLIDE- 2 SLIDES
2 Corinthians 5:18–20 NET 2nd ed.
18 And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation.
20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!”
SLIDE #10 MAIN POINT 2 SLIDE
II. The New Mission.
- The old mission of life seemed to be to seek retribution, to never forget being slighted by anyone, and live for self.
- God has done something wonderful for us!
SLIDE #11- RECIPIENTS OF GRACE
- We have received God’s grace!
- Did you notice that our passage explains what it means to be saved?
- According to the passage, a definition of being lost is “when God has a record of all of our wrongs and counts them against us.”
- And here’s what it means to be saved: “when God does not hold the record of all of our wrongs against us.
- This is what grace is, God’s unmerited favor!
- Do we deserve to be forgiven? NO!
- God offers us salvation through His grace.
- The fact that we have received His grace should drive us to show the same grace to others who do not deserve it.
SLIDE #12 MINISTERS OF RECONCILIATION
- We are not only recipients of God’s grace but are also empowered and commissioned to participate in His work of bringing others into reconciliation.
- The “message of reconciliation” is the specific message they are tasked with proclaiming.
- It is the good news that reconciliation with God is possible through Christ because God is not holding humanity’s sins against them.
- This “message” becomes the basis for the apostles’ plea in the following verse, “Be reconciled to God”
SLIDE #13- AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST.
- An ambassador is an official representative sent by one sovereign or state to another.
- In this context, Christians, particularly the apostles, are Christ’s authorized representatives in the world.
- Their mission is to act on His behalf, conveying His message and representing His interests.
- That is now our mission!
- We become ambassadors for Christ (5:20), with the primary aim of urging others to embrace this same reconciliation.
- In 2 Corinthians 5:20, are Christ’s ambassadors, divinely authorized to carry out the “ministry of reconciliation.”
- Our central task is to earnestly implore people, on Christ’s behalf, to “be reconciled to God.”
SLIDE #14- MESSENGERS OF HOPE
- We are bringing hope to a dying world!
SLIDE #15- AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST- DIVINE AUTHORITY
- Our role underscores that the new mission is not based on the apostles’ own authority but on the delegated authority of Jesus Christ.
- They are not acting independently but as commissioned agents of their Lord just as we are doing today!
- This highlights the divine origin and backing of the apostles’ message.
SLIDE #16- MINISTRY FOCUS
- Our focus is not on the sins of others, but to reconcile them to God!
SLIDE #17- EARNEST APPEAL
- Our call to reconciliation is not merely their own plea but God’s own earnest appeal to humanity.
SLIDE #18- GOD’S DESIRE
- The appeal is not just for our own desires but reflects God’s own desire for humanity to be restored to a right relationship with Him, a cornerstone of “The New Message” that they are commissioned to proclaim.
BIBLE VERSE SLIDE
2 Corinthians 5:19 NET 2nd ed.
19 In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation.
SLIDE #19- MAIN POINT 3 SLIDE
III. The New Message.
- Drawing on the theme of “The New Message,” 2 Corinthians 5:19 powerfully articulates the core content of the gospel that the apostles, and by extension believers, are commissioned to proclaim.
- Verse 19 states, “that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation”.
- This verse unveils the substance of the new
SLIDE #20- GOD’S INITIATIVE
- It is a message centered on God’s initiative in reconciling the world to Himself through Christ, characterized by the forgiveness of sins (not counting trespasses), and entrusted to the apostles as “the word of reconciliation”.
SLIDE #21- NOT COUNTING
- The declaration that God is “not counting their trespasses against them” is a radical element of this new message.
- We are always counting, what good comes of counting the sins of others?
- If God is not counting our sins against us in Christ, then why are we counting the sins of others?
SLIDE #22 WORD OF RECONCILIATION
- The new message proclaims that, through Christ, God is now setting aside the record of sins for those who are reconciled to Him.
- This is the essence of forgiveness offered in the New Covenant.
- ,The statement “and He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” emphasizes our role role as messengers of this new reality.
SLIDE #23- DIRECT PATHWAY
- The new message contrasts the Old Covenant’s perceived shortcomings, offering a direct and gracious pathway to relationship with God based on His work in Christ rather than human effort under the Law.
- This message is the foundation of the “ministry of reconciliation” that defines the believer’s new mission!
BIBLE VERSE SLIDE
2 Corinthians 5:21 NET 2nd ed.
21 God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.
SLIDE #24- MAIN POINT 4
IV. The New Opportunity.
- The verse states, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
This single verse encapsulates God's radical exchange, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for humanity to attain righteousness through faith in Christ.
SLIDE #25- DIVINE EXCHANGE
- Firstly, the phrase “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf” highlights a pivotal aspect of this new opportunity.
- Jesus took our place; He exchanged Himself for us!
This signifies a substitutionary sacrifice, in which Christ took the place of sinners and bore the consequence of sin.
SLIDE #26- OPEN DOOR
- This act removed the fundamental barrier that separated humanity from God – sin.
- As stated in relation to 5:15, Christ’s death for sinners removed every obstruction that lay in the way of their becoming friends with God again.
- This removal of the sin barrier is the very foundation of the “New Opportunity” for a relationship with God.
SLIDE #27- UNMERITED GIFT
- His substitutionary act opens the door for reconciliation and a restored relationship with God, based not on human merit but on God’s grace manifested in Christ.
The verse is part of the message spoken when the apostles begged men to be reconciled, and it underscores the urgency and significance of seizing this “New Opportunity” for reconciliation with God.
CONCLUSION
I wish I could help those who live with resentment see the folly of that kind of life.
- Your life is already short, why waste it being resentful?
- Let me ask you a simple question, how has living with resentment enhanced any area of your life?
- What positive benefits have you seen in your marriage, your kids, your relationships, and your walk with Jesus?
- The answer to that question is NONE!
- Resentment can be compared to bruised and rotten fruit left in a kitchen drawer.
- At first, it might only seem like a small spot, but over time, it spoils everything around it and creates a foul smell.
- In the same way, unresolved grudges grow and corrode our relationships if not dealt with promptly.
SLIDE #28- EMBRACING
- EXPLAIN
SLIDE #29- FINAL SLIDE
