"Building a Reconciling Community"
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Birthday Theme: Coming of Age
Birthday Theme: Coming of Age
The Book of Corinthians
Paul is writing to a Multicultural and Urban/Metropolitan Church
Paul wanted the Church to be clear about the Gospel
Paul wanted the Church to be aware of False Teachings
Paul wanted the Church to have hope and peace even during persecution
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
Talking with Pastor Phil…
He expressed his view of reconciliation in 4 areas according to Gen 3:
Between God and Man
Between Man and How he views himself
Between Man and Woman
Between the man and the earth
Reconciliation (act) n. — the act of reestablishing of friendly relations after disagreement or enmity.
Through the work of Christ…
We are now in good standing in these 4 areas…
Not only are we in good standing…
We have been given the “Ministry of Reconciliation”
This is ministry is not just for the Pastor/Co Pastor and Elders
But to “Us”
The Building is important for the Church, but it’s not the identity of the Church,. What’s on the inside of Christians and who they are collectively is deeply connected to what’s going on inside the church Building.
The Ministry of reconciliation is bigger than this church building…
On Ramps your growing up! You’re 12
We will rise up as reconcilers:
What is 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.
“In Christ God God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them”
Ministry: role ⇔ ministry n. — a role especially done in service to others.
#1 The Ministry is not about me!
The ministry was Christ Serving in my place.
Instead of my trespasses against me, They became against Him…
Ministry is how can I demonstrate God’s reconciling love through my service to someone else.
How can we demonstrate this love in the Lowell community
With my neighbors…
How can I give up of myself to meet the needs of someone else?
#2 (Effective Communication) The Message of Reconciliation…
Message: gospel ⇔ word n. — the content of what is preached about the good news of Jesus’ way of salvation (or the impending divine dominion and its king, Jesus).
On Ramps, as we mature our communication should become
Effective, Relevant, and Comprehensive
Effective: successful in producing a desired or intended result.
Relevant: appropriate to the current time, period, or circumstances; of contemporary interest.
Comprehensive: Relating to understanding…
We have to know what we are talking about!
#3 Clarity on assignment
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
On Ramps we are called to be a reconciling community
This call has an assignment… We are ambassadors
to act as ambassador v. — to act as an authorized representative of one sovereign ruler or country to another.
As a representative I am called and equipped to represent Christ:
In different spaces.....
I have had on the job training called “Life”
“God making his appeal though us”