Living for Jesus - Pt 2

(5:9) – “Therefore…” refers back to (v.8 - READ)

I. Living for Jesus COMPELS US to LIVE in the FEAR OF THE LORD! – (5:9-10)

II. Living for Jesus Gives Us a NEW OCCUPATION! – (5:11-15)

A. Our MOTIVATION – (v.11a) – “…since we know the fear of the Lord”

B. Our WORK - (v.11b) - “…we try to persuade people.”

C. Our METHODOLOGY – (v.11c-16)

Our METHODOLOGY is marked by FIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

1. INTEGRITY! – (v.11c) - “What we are is plain [well known] to God…”

2. TRANSPARENCY! – (v.11d) - “…and I hope it is also plain to your consciences.”

3. HUMILITY! – (vv.12-13)

4. COMPASSION! – (v.14a) – “For the love of Christ compels us…”

5. SINGULAR FOCUS! – (vv.14b-15)

There is a single-mindedness to our ministry - “…Since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died.”

Howard Hendricks referred to this as the monomaniacal nature of ministry— “We are monomaniacs when it comes to the substitutionary death of Jesus!”

The focus is on CHRIST ALONE - (v.15) - HE PAID MY SIN DEBT, QUALIFYING ME TO LIVE FOR HIM!

III. Living for Jesus Gives Us a NEW PERSPECTIVE - (5:16)

The perspective we now enjoy is that we see people WITHOUT PREJUDICE! – (v.16)

I believe, based on the Paul’s testimony that he knew who Jesus was before his encounter with Christ in Acts 9.

NOTE the following passages: (Acts 5:34; 6:12; 7:58; 22:3)

Based on Paul’s connection with Gamaliel alone, I believe there is NO WAY that Paul could have been in and around Jerusalem and NOT known who Jesus was!

When you add his testimony in (v.16b), “…Even if we have known Christ”

From the Greek, γινώσκομεν [root - γινώσκω], perfect tense; active voice; indicative mood; first person plural.

I believe it is safe to assume that Paul knew Jesus “...from a worldly perspective/according to the flesh,” BEFORE he met Him on the Road to Damascus!

IV. Living for Jesus Gives Us a NEW POSITION! – (5:17-21)

A. We are a NEW CREATION IN CHRIST! - (v.17)

B. We Have Been RECONCILED THROUGH CHRIST! - (v.18a)

C. We Have a NEW MINISTRY and MESSAGE IN CHRIST! - (vv.18b-20)

A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS on these three verses:

FIRST: The DEFINITION of RECONCILIATION (καταλλάσσω)

The Greek-English Lexicon of the NT based on Semantic Domains defines reconciliation as, “to reestablish proper friendly interpersonal relations after these have been disrupted or broken (the componential features of this series of meanings involve (1) disruption of friendly relations because of (2) presumed or real provocation, (3) overt behavior designed to remove hostility, and (4) restoration of original friendly relations)—‘to reconcile, to make things right with one another, reconciliation.’”

EACH of those ‘componential features’ is crystal clear in Scripture!

(1) The disruption occured in the Garden at the FALL! (2) The presumed or real provocation is every sin that has been committed since! (3) The overt behavior to remove the hostility is what God did through Jesus described in (v.21)! (4) The RESULT is peace with God!

Romans 5:1 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

SECOND, We have been given BOTH the MINISTRY of Reconciliation (v.18b) AND the MESSAGE of Reconciliation (v.19b)!

The “ministry of reconciliation” (v.18c) is distinct from “the message of reconciliation” (v.19) and I believe the distinction is important!

τὴν διακονίαν τῆς καταλλαγῆς

τὸν λόγον τῆς καταλλαγῆς

One is our works and the second is our words! It’s not enough just to LIVE the message of reconciliation, we have to SPEAK THE WORDS of reconciliation!

Nor is it acceptable to SAY the right things, but not LIVE the message of the Gospel! It must be BOTH—our lives and our words must declare the reconciliation of God!

What is our message? - (v.20)

Romans 3:21–26 CSB

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. 26 God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.

FINALLY, “AMBASSADORS” IS A VERB!

NOTE: (v.20) – “ambassadors” is a VERB (present tense, active voice, indicative mood)! Lit. ‘We ACT as a representative of Christ’

NCV – “So we have been sent to speak for Christ…”

“Ambassador” is not your TITLE, it is your WORK—it is WHAT YOU DO!

What is our message? - (v.20)

D. We are MADE RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST! – (v.21)

ALL of the righteousness of Christ has been given to you!

“…in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Hebrews 9:11–15 CSB

11 But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God? 15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 10:14 CSB

14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

V. Living for Jesus Gives Us a NEW POWER! - (6:1)

“…workers together with Him” “…God’s fellow workers” (NIV)

NOTE: This phrase (which comes from one Greek word) is also a VERB…the emphasis in on doing the work!

The root word, “συνεργέω” is the origin of the english, ‘synergy.’

VI. Living for Jesus Gives Us a New URGENCY! - (6:2)

BELOVED, the time for salvation is RIGHT NOW!