BEHOLDING BY BECOMING - BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE 2 2 COR 5:16-21

JESUS PUT IT THIS WAY

Matthew 24:9–10 ESV

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

Matthew 24:11–12 ESV

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

JESUS IS SAYING THAT IT WILL GET SO BAD… LOVE WILL WAX COLD..:

- You been there before?

- Have you felt that way?

JESUS SAYS - BUT THOSE WHO ENDURE WILL BE SAVED

Matthew 24:13 ESV

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

IN OTHER WORDS

WE CANNOT WITHDRAW OR RETREAT FROM THE WORLD.

WE CANNOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO BECOME PESSIMISTIC OR INDIFFERENT.

STARTING POINT

2 Corinthians 5:16–17 ESV

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 ESV

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:20–21 ESV

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

MESSAGE

BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE: “Becoming the Gospel In the World”

I WANT TO BEGIN BY INVITING YOU TO PONDER THIS QUESTION:

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE WORLD?

THE THINGS IN THE WORLD ARE TOUGH.

- WE CAN POINT TO MANY OBVIOUS THINGS THAT ARE PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD AND WE WILL MENTION SOME TODAY.

MASS SHOOTINGS

WARS

INCREASING LEVELS OF IMMORALITY

ETC..

Our calling is not to withdraw. Our calling is to run into the LEWDNESS OF CHAOS with the LOVE OF CHRIST.

Our calling is BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE

TEACH THE TEXT

I. WHY IS BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE NECESSARY?

BECAUSE WHAT IS WRONG IN THE WORLD DEMANDS IT

WHAT’S WRONG IN THE WORLD?

WHEN WE THINK OF WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD WE TEND TO THINK EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT PEOPLE

SO MUCH SO PEOPLE WOULD OFTEN SAY IN A SIDE WAY: “THE WORLD WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER IF PEOPLE WERE NOT IN IT”

- BUT HERE IS THE REALITY: AND IT IS A KEY THOUGHT THAT I NEED YOU TO PONDER, BELIEVE AND HOW I AM CALLING YOU TO LIVE YOUR LIVE AS YOU ENGAGE IN THIS WORD ACCORDING :

- What is wrong in the world is not SINNERS

- WHAT is wrong in the world is SIN

LET ME SAY IT DIFFERENTLY:

- What is wrong in the world is not the ACTION of sin from people

- What is wrong in the world is the INFECTION of sin in people

We become constantly defeated by dealing with sinful people because we are not constantly dealing with the defeat of sin in them

BECAUSE OF SIN PEOPLE HAVE WRONG VIEWS OF CHRIST WHICH ARE KEEPING THEM FROM FAITH IN HIM

PAUL SAYS

2 Corinthians 5:16 ESV

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.

People of sin people are blinded from a saving sight of Christ

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Because of sin they can only see Him from two fleshly extremes:

- Extreme 1: He came to REASSURE the world’s ways

- Extreme 2: He came to REBUKE the world’s ways

THESE VIEWS ARE KEEPING PEOPLE FROM JESUS....

PAUL’S CALL FOR US TO BE AMBASSADORS OF BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE IS PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THAT. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT WORSHIPPING CHRIST FOR THESE FALSE VIEWS AND THERE IS A COMING JUDGEMENT FOR ALL:

WHAT PAUL IS GOING TO SAY IS DRIVEN BY THE REALITY OF THE COMING JUDGMENT.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Christ did not come to judge, but He will be the Judge and His judgement is TRUE AND CLEAR

Hebrews 4:13 ESV

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

HERE IS THE REALITY:

Jesus Did Not Come To Reassure The Ways Of The World

Jesus Did Not Come To Rebuke The Ways Of the World

Jesus came to RIGHT the wrong of the world

JESUS RIGHTED THE SIN OF THE WORLD BY - 1 JOHN 3:8 (SECOND PART OF THE VERSE):

1 John 3:8

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Romans 8:3 ESV

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

JESUS HAS SOLVED WHAT IS WRONG IN THE WORLD.

HE HAS RECONCILED THOSE WHO BELIEVE BY HIS LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION BY BRINGING ABOUT A NEW CREATION:

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

THE WAY GET OUT OF JUDGMENT IS TO BE REMADE IN CHRIST

NOW, WHAT IS WRONG

THE CHURCH IS TO “CORRECT” THESE VIEWS BY MODELING WHY JESUS ACTUALLY CAME – BEING LIKE HIM FOR THEM

3. APPLY THE TEXT

II. WHAT DOES BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE LOOK LIKE?

ACTIVE AND AGGRESSIVE LOVE

2 Corinthians 5:14 ESV

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;

Romans 5:5 ESV

and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

LOVE OF GOD

Controls me: i will seek to honor him with my life.

Constrains me: keeps me from negativity about people Knowing that not only was I at odds with Gor but that if he should ever lift his hand from me I would easy and quickly return.

So love constrains me from condemning people and seeing their actions as their problem

Compels me: to become the gospel in the world to free and rescue people from the grips of the enemy

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN THE CHURCH

1. The love of God Compels us to be RECONCILERS:

I & II Corinthians D. The Urgency of Reconciliation (5:16–6:2)

Reconciliation is the establishment of harmony and peace between enemies. Enemies are said to be reconciled when their hostility ceases and mutual love binds them together. Paul’s explanation of God’s re-creative activity in his life centered on this doctrine.

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 ESV

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

HERE IS THE POINT:

- We eagerly share the message of reconciliation because we have been RECONCILED

YOUR FALSE VIEW OF CHRIST HAS CHANGED BECAUSE HE, BY GRACE ALONE, OPENED YOUR EYES, CHANGED YOUR HEART AND LOVED YOU TO HIMSELF

TELL PEOPLE WHAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART HAVE COME TO SEE

- Jesus is the Only way to New Creation

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

- Jesus is the Only Mediator between God and man

1 Timothy 2:5 ESV

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

- Jesus is the Only one who defeated Sin & Death

Acts 2:24 ESV

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

1 Corinthians 15:55 ESV

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

1 Corinthians 15:56–57 ESV

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. The love of God Compels us to be AMBASSADORS:

I & II Corinthians D. The Urgency of Reconciliation (5:16–6:2)

Ambassadors” was a technical political term used in Paul’s day that closely parallels our English word “ambassadors.”

THE PRESENCE OF A COUNTRY IN ANOTHER COUNTRY

- The PRESTIGE of an Ambassador:

Ambassadors held positions of great honor in the ancient world because they represented the authority of the kings on whose behalf they spoke.

- The PURPOSE of an Ambassador

THE DIFFERENCE - WE ARE NOT TO MERELY REPRESENT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; WE ARE TO BRING ABOUT THE WILL OF GOD ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN AND THIS COMES, NOT BY A HOSTILITY BUT BY BENEVOLENCE

3. The love of God Compels us to be become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God:

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS HIS BEING HOLY AND BEING RECONCILED WITH SINNERS ALL BECAUSE OF THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

HEAR ME HERE: THIS MEANS THAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE THEIR EYES OPENED BY THE LORD SHOULD REFLECT HIM (BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD) BEFORE THE WORLD;

IF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SUMMED UP IN THE CROSS (LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST) WHAT PAUL IS SAYING IS IMPORTANT

THE WORLD CAN ONLY COME TO SAVING FAITH IN CHRIST WHEN THEY SEE CHRIST WITH THEIR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL EYES.

THEREFORE WE NEED TO MEBRACE THESE TWO REALITIES: THIS FURTHER MEANS:

PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (OUR LIFE IN AND LIKE CHRIST)

PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (OUR MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION)

IF JUDGMENT IS COMING AND IT IS

IF YOU HAVE TRUSTED CHRIST AND BEEN RESCUED FROM GOD’S WRATH - AND YOU HAVE

THEN YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU KNOW ABOUT CHRIST

YOU CANT SAVE THEM BUT YOU CAN LOVE THEM BUT, JUST AS CHRIST’S LOVE WAS SHOWN TO YOU THROUGH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL AND YOU CAME TO KNOW HIM, SO TOO CAN THIS BE THE SAME FOR OTHERS THROUGH YOU

HAVE YOU RECEIVED THIS LOVE OF CHRIST?

All are activated by Love

a. Be Like Christ to those who do not know Christ - whose souls are desperately in need of New Creation. WE ARE CALLED TO RIGHT THE WRONGS OF SOCIETY

b. But do this LIKE CHRIST DID FOR YOUI:

i. LOVE CONTROLS YOU – Your Life is always a reflection of His Life of Love (sacrifice, humility, death for the salvation of others)

ii. LOVE CONSTRAINS: Your understanding of what is really wrong with your neighbor; it is not their actions, it is their infection – the sin that has infected them and controls them. STOP LOOKING AT PEOPLE AS IF THEY ARE, THEMSELVES, EVIL; IT IS THE SIN IN THEM THAT IS CONTROLLING THEIR THINKING, BEHAVING AND SPEAKING

1. YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO YOU WOULD SAY: I CANNOT BELIEVE HE OR SHE COULD DO THAT.

2. BT WHAT ABOUT US

a. WE HAVE DONE THINGS THAT WERE ONCE UNTHINKABLE TO US AND YET WE DID THEM.

b. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE ARE NOT SPEAKING OF OTHERS WHILE DOING THE SAME THING – ROMANS 1:28FF-2:??

iii. LOVE COMPELLS: TO GO INTO THE LAVA OF CHAOS WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST. IT COMPELLS ME TO DO WHAT MY FLESH DOES NOT WANT TO BECAUSE I AM, BECAUSE OF LOVE AND LOVE ALONE, A NEW CREATION. I HAVE BEEN MADE A NEW CREATION AND THIS NEW CREATION IS MAINTAINED BY A POWER OF LOVE – A POWER HAT RESIDES OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL

c. To Our Context

i. 21stCentury

ii. Global (States and World)

iii. Miami

iv. Perrine

THIS IS WHY WHAT THE CHURCH IS CALLED TO ENGAGE IN IS A SABATAGE OF LOVE:

- PAUL TEACHES US THAT THE SPIRIT EQUIPS US FOR THIS TASK

o NOT MERELY BY GIFTS

o BUT CHIEFLY BY POURING THE LOVE OF GOD INTO OUR HEARTS

o THIS MEANS THAT THE CHURCH IS TO (LOOK UP THE LOVE LANGUAGE BOYD AND GORMAN US)

§ LOVE IS NOT SIMPLY AN EMOTION

§ LOVE IS A GIFT OF PARDON

§ THE CHURCH IS TO MIRROR THIS GIF GIVEN TO THEM BY GIVING IT TO OTHERS

· YES, IT IS TO BE FIRST EXPRESSED IN THE CONTEXT OF FAMILY

· BUT THE AIM OF IT IS GLOBAL – THE WORLD

o MATTHEW 28 – WE ARE TO TEACH HIS LOVE

o ACTS 1:8- WE ARE TO BE WITNESSES (LIFE/LIPS) OF HIS LOVE

WE ARE AMBASSADORS: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN