The Resolution of Reconciliation (2)

The Resolution of Reconciliation

Welcome

· Christmas celebrating the birth of Christ.

· The new year celebrated after the birth of Christ

· Representing the new life that comes through the savior

· So this morning we are going to have

· Another Stand-alone message

· Before we meet the woman at the well

· This is the time for new year resolutions

· Give Examples

· So this year, I pray we make a resolution to strive and

· Excel in one particular ministry

· And that is the ministry of reconciliation

· So, that is what we are going to dive into today

· What is the ministry of reconciliation?

· And what is our role in it?

· So please, turn with me to

· 2nd Cor 5:16- 21

Read Text

2 Corinthians 5:16–21

“From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

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PRAY

Sermon Illustration

Christmas Evening sitting around fire

Callan and trench

1914 First World War

Christmas Eve on the Western Front

British troops heard singing

Noticed it was the German troops sings carols

The Germans even lit candles and placed them on the trenches and are rumored to even have had a Christmas Tree

The British then responded with carols and celebrations of their own

A ceasefire was then agreed upon

Tie this to Christ and reconciliation

They did not look the same, in fact they were enemies trying to kill each other

But under Christ and in the spirit of Christmas they came together and were reconciled

· honestly, isn't that what the entirety of the bible is about?

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· Its a record of God, reconciling us to Himself

· And this is exactly what is happening with Paul as he addresses the Cor for the 2nd time

· Paul history with cor

o Elaborate on letters to them

o Etc

· Paul is defending his ministry

· Paul is defending his authority

· Essentially all of 2nd Corinthians is about ministry

· In other books paul is very theological

· But here, Paul pours out his heart

· He speaks of his trials and his sufferings

· But here, in chapter 5 he introduces what is in my opinion several themes that rotate around what is possibly the most important ministry we are to take part in

· That is, as we mentioned earlier, the ministry of reconciliation

· See Pauls biggest defence for his ministry

· His authority

· Is his life

· His life changed when he met Jesus on that Damascus road

· See he went from

· from persecuting Jesus to being persecuted for him

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· his life went from self honoring as a pharisee

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· to Christ honoring and slave to Jesus

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· His new life in Christ is all the proof needed.

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