The Best Deal Ever!

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