GO FOR IT: THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION!
How shall we handle discord and opposition? Where do we bend? Where do we stand? Is the hill worth dying for?
Noah needed to devise a system to tell if the waters were low enough to support life. Noah’s test was simple, let a dove fly out of the ark. If the dove returned there was still a waterlog? Do we have a system to test our hurt, offended, disappointed, broken hearts? Can a dove flying detect hatred, jealousy, pain, discouragement?
Psa. 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in anyway to do evil.
Psa. 14:17 He that is soon angry deals foolishly ...
Prov. 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty ...
Prov. 19:11 The discretion of a man defers anger ...
Prov. 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man ...
Ecc. 7:9 ... For anger rest in the bosom of fools ...
James 1:19 Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath ...
2 Cor. 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and HATH GIVEN TO US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.
1. BEING HURT AND OFFENDED IS A SIGN OF THE LAST DAYS. BEWARE!
We appear to be living in the LAST DAYS. Signs of the times are everywhere. Read the newspaper, listen to CNN. Study Israel and the current events. Read the Bible. Matthew 24: 10 warns us of an attitude or spirit that would thrive as the Second Coming nears. Mat. 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Could we identify this as HOLY HATE? There is no holy hate of brethren, this is a distortion of the truth. 1 John 3: 14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15. Whoso hateth his brother is a murder.
2. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL.
THERE IS A TERRIBLE ATTITUDE AND SPIRIT OF CONTROL, my way or the highway. There is even a worse spirit of the lack of submission, and yet still say I am right, even not though I am not submitted. See how authority is tested today, not by criminals but by Christians. Submission is a beautiful thing. We see a pushing of the limits, authority and submission starts in the home. An unsubmitted person at home will raise havoc in the church. We see the trouble in our schools birth in the homes with no respect of authory.
Life is 10% what happens to us, and 90% how we take what happens. Christians must arise, arise above reacting to problems and hurt, but we must arise to ACTION and forgiveness, we must let the Holy Spirit dictate to the situation. Just because you can out argue everyone does not make you right. Just because you push the limits and get away with it, does mean you are right.
God is calling all believers to a SPIRITUAL RENEWAL, we live not under the rule of a tooth for a tooth, get revenge and get even. Borned again individuals act on new principles, new rules, new ends, and a new attitude. If someone compels you to go ONE mile, go two. If someone slaps you, turn your cheek. Jesus said, not only is adultery wrong, but if a man looks with his eyes and lusts in his heart this is sin.
God does not just correct the old heart, He wants to give us a NEW HEART that goes beyond the eyes, and changes the desires of the new heart. God is not impressed by arguments, quarrels, and offenses. God can mend every heart at the foot of the Cross.
3. THE TEACHERS WERE CAUSING A BREACH.
Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of judgment. 22. But I tell you that if anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again any who says to his brother, RACA, is answerable to the council. But anyone that says, "THOU FOOL!" will be in danger of Hell fire. 23. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath an ought against thee. 24 Leave the gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25. Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time, the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
The are more bound by hurt, pain, disappointments, and unforgiveness than by prison bars. Our bars are not metal they are mental.
There had been much discussion in Jesus’ day about the sixth commandment, THOU SHALL NOT KILL. The Jewish teachers taught that, Thou shalt not kill was only referring to actual murder, the taking of physical life.
Jesus comes along and teachers a deeper meaning, Jesus taught a new fact --- ’ALL RASH ANGER IS MURDER --- AND THAT CHRISTIANS NEEDED A SERIOUS REFLECTION OF THEIR HEARTS AND COME CLEAN WITH A SELF-EXAMINATION.
We ought always to carefully preserve the family and the Christian love and peace.
Bitterness and unforgiveness are slow killing, bitter, poisons. Whispering tongues spread this vicious poison and often the doses come so small we can’t feel the effects (affects) until death has taken over the very soul. This has a danger that could cause one to be unfit for communion until a resolve is found.
4. WHAT IS A MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION? DO YOU USE THIS MINISTRY?
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
It is painful to admit, but sometimes the worse thing that could happen to me, was the best thing that could ever happen.
Harmony is a neat thing, the two notes are not the same, but they work together to make a chord or a fuller sound. We don’t have to be alike, think alike, or act alike to be brothers. Harmony is the combination of simultaneous notes in a cord. Accord! Fellowship! Friendship!
JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE BROTHERS, DOES NOT MAKE YOU FRIENDS?
When I was a kid a Sunday school teacher asked: "What is better than a candy bar?"
I could not imagine? What?
"Having a brother with whom you can share your candy bar!"
I am afraid I had to grow up before I believed this.
5. WHO IS MY BROTHER? AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER?
One of the heated debates of the New Testament was a discussion of WHO IS MY BROTHER?
JESUS ADDRESSES THIS ATTITUDE PROBLEM VERY CLEARLY. In Luke 10, there was a certain priest, appears there was no brotherhood between the hurting and the priest. I believe the priest was tired and burned out, so he passed by the other side.
There was a certain Levite (deacon), I call LONG NOSE, stopped to see the problem, but did nothing to help. The Levite looks and then goes to the other side to avoid action. No doubt, they requested prayer for him at church?
Then came a Samaritan? Sort of like in the West, a Cowboy vs. Indian? In South Africa --- black vs white? Ireland --- a Catholic and a Protestant? Enemy mine? The emery did the ministry of reconciliation! Ministry cost! Time, effort, and money!
In rebellion and sin, Cain dares question the authority of God and in anger asks the question: AM I MY BROTHERS KEEPER?
6. WHAT IS THE WILL OF THE FATHER?
Does calling God the Father suggest a family relationship?
Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12. How think ye? If a man have 100 sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the 99, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13. And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than the 99 which went not astray. 14. Even so it is not the WILL OF YOUR FATHER, which is in heaven, that one of these LITTLE ONES SHOULD PERISH.
Who cares for the isolated, hurt, and dying? They left on their own? They knew better? I am right, thus they are wrong? Who cares? Who cares for the LITTLE?
Do you have a ministry of reconciliation? Do you have a plan for those that the big, bad wolf has huffed and puffed and blown their HOPES DOWN? Mature ministries provide opportunities for the lost sheep to COME HOME!
Elder brothers see the younger brother coming home, not as an opportunity, but as a drag. Is your brother a drag?
7. GOD, FILL OUR TROPHY CASES WITH THE WON-ONE MINISTRY!
Luke 15: 4 What man of you, having 100 sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the 99, in the wilderness, and GO FOR that which was lost, UNTIL he find it. 5. And when he hath found the lost sheep, HE LAYS IT ON HIS SHOULDERS --- THE TROPHY CASE ... rejoicing ...
vs. 6. ... JOY ... Rejoice, I have found my sheep which was lost ...
Daniel 6:23 So Daniel was taken up out of the lions’ den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
Come and let the Holy Spirit of God restore people.
It takes two people working together to hurt you, your enemy and a friend. The enemy and friend deal hurt as they join a team together. When your heart hurts there is almost always two involved. The enemy talks bad about you and the friend runs to tell you. May I suggest to you, neither is your real friend?
Closed lips have a less of a chance hurting anyone. God help us see the our hurting, wounded soldiers and develop a PLAN OF RECONCILICATION to bring them HOME. WHO CARES?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
