INTRODUCTION
• Here we are, one week from Resurrection Sunday. Over the last two weeks we have looked at the fact that Jesus is the Son of God and then we found out that He is the only way to God.
• If Jesus is the son of God and He is he only way to get to God, then what?
• This week we are going to see who Jesus died for, the purpose behind His death and finally what the implications are for us.
• When I hear stats from TV that say 80% of Americans consider themselves Christians, I have to wonder why this country is not an even better place. 80% of 260 million people makes for a lot of good influence going around.
• As I watched the movie, “The Passion of The Christ”; it helped me to understand some of the price that was paid for my salvation. For me it helped me to realize the importance of the difference Jesus should make in my life. When you watched the Passion, did you wonder why God allowed that to happen to Jesus? Did it seem pointless to you? Did you come away with a renewed passion for Jesus in your life?
• I believe we lose our passion because we forget the sacrifice that was made.
• The text we will look at is one of those heart and soul passages from the bible. In this passage the Apostle Paul explains the true meaning of the life and death of Jesus.
• I hope today’s message will get though to us in a way that will inspire us to make some changes in our lives.
• Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
SERMON
I. WHO DID JESUS DIE FOR? (14-15)
• Did Jesus die for just a few people? Did He only die for those who live in the United States? NO!
• In verses 14, 15 we are told that Jesus died for all. Jesus died for everyone. The original reads that Jesus died instead of, in the place of, on behalf of, or for the benefit of, everyone.
• This fits in well with 1 Timothy 2:3-4 which says, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
• I do not know if you understand that no matter who you are, what you have or are doing right now, Jesus died for you, He died in your place, for your benefit.
• I said last week that many of the false religions do nothing but take, Jesus gives, He gave His life for you!
• MAT 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
• 1TI 2:5-6 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”
• Jesus did not just die for nice people, He died for all. He did not wait until we were clean before He did it. ROM 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
• Jesus not only died for us, but because of His great love for us. This is the basis of the gospel message. JOHN 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
• Our God wants to have a personal relationship with you through Jesus. Jesus is the door to make that happen. I know it is hard to believe that the creator of the universe loves you that much, but He does and He has shown that through Jesus.
• Since Jesus died for all, why did He die, why didn’t God come up with another way? Remember Jesus Himself asked three times if there was another way.
II. WHY DID JESUS DIE? (18, 19, 21)
1. For the purpose of reconciliation. (18-19)
• Jesus died so that we could be reconciled with God.
• When there is a dispute between two parties, they need to be reconciled. There is something between the two parties that is causing them trouble.
• Sin separates us from God. God is holy and pure; our sin places us at war with God.
• When two parties are at war are at odds with each other, it affects their relationship and their attitudes about each other.
• When we are not in fellowship with God, it affects us in the same way.
• Our sin affects our attitudes toward and our relationship with God.
• Remember Isaiah 53 said that it was for our sins that Jesus died.
• 1 JOHN 2:2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
• The word for reconciliation denotes a change in attitude and relationship. When we make Jesus our Lord, He makes things right between us and God.
• We receive God’s grace into our lives. We receive a new lease on life.
• ROMANS 5:9-10 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
2. So that we could become a new creation. (17)
• Since sin comes into our lives and messes us up, we need a total ground rebuild.
• Verse 17 tells us that because of what Jesus has done, when we belong to Him, we are a new creation.
• The word translated “new” denotes something of superior quality of being. We are regenerated spiritually and our spirit is made alive.
• EPH 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
• We were spiritually dead. Through Christ we are made alive!
• When Christ makes us new, we have new goals, new, aims, and new purposes. Everything is new!
3. So that we could be righteous in God’s sight! (21)
• When God looks at us, He sees us for what we are. He sees all that is wrong with us.
• I think seeing the Passion of The Christ made me appreciate the ugliness of sin. Sin makes us look hideous.
• When we belong to Jesus, the blood of Jesus purifies us.
• 1 JOHN 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
• God sees us as righteous through Jesus. This is part of what grace is all about. God considering us as righteous even when we are not perfect.
III. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF HIS DEATH FOR US? (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
1. We have a new purpose for life. (15)
• Before I gave my life for Jesus, my life was about me. My purpose was about me. If you do not belong to Jesus today, what is your life about, and what will that do for you when your life is over? What is it doing for you now?
• Jesus died so that we could live for Him because of what He did for us.
• When you give your life to Jesus, your life has purpose, it counts for something. You are able to serve something bigger than you.
2. We have a new motive for living. (Love of Christ) (14)
• What motivates you to do what you do? What motivates you to serve God?
• Some serve God out of fear. They are afraid of going to hell or they are afraid that God will drop the hammer on them.
• Fear is not a bad thing, but that should not be the motivation to serve God.
• God loves you; He did what He did for you because He loves you.
• The word control means to hold together, to press together. We are held together by the love of Jesus.
3. We have a new way to look at people. (16)
• You can judge a book by its cover. Heard that one? That is how the world works. READ VERSE 16.
• It is so easy to write people off. How many of us have been written off?
• When you belong to Jesus, EVERYONE should be a person we are willing to share Christ with.
• Jesus did not write a single one of us off. Even though Jesus can see what is going on inside of us, yet He did not write us off.
• We are not to look at people for what they are, but what they can be through Christ.
• I am so thankful that Maurice saw something in me no one else did.
4. We have a new job. (Ministry of reconciliation, Ambassador for Jesus) (19-20)
• Jesus reconciled the world to Himself; He removed the sin that separates us from God.
• Our job is to take the message of reconciliation to everyone we know.
• The word “committed” means that Jesus deposited into our hands the ministry of reconciliation as though we have been handed a sacred treasure.
• Because we have been given the job by Jesus, we are commissioned by Him and we are action on His behalf.
• We are now ambassadors for Jesus.
• The plan God had in mind was or His Son to die for us and then for us to receive Jesus and then be the ones commissioned to take the wonderful message that saves people.
• What else can we do for a person that will change their eternal destiny?
• We can take the message of life to them.
• An ambassador is to reflect who sent them.
• This is why it is so important for us to reflect Jesus in our conduct, our attitudes and how we live.
CONCLUSION
• Has Jesus death made a real difference in your life? I am asking this of those who call themselves Christians.
• Are you letting Jesus be your true Lord, are you acting as an ambassador for Jesus?
• If you are struggling, do not give up, let the church come around and help you. If you are not making the effort, I hope that today that changes.
• Jesus wants to make a difference in your life, Jesus wants you to be a part of His family.
