Reconciled to Christ
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· 23 viewsThe only reason we can be reconciled to God is b/c of Christ's death, burial and resurrection that we celebrate on Easter Sunday. And b/c of that, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation to share with the world.
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Good morning, I am CH Johnnie Elder and I am glad you are with us today. All of you should have raised your hand as first time visitors as we join together our Gospel congregation and our ChapelNext congregation to become My Father’s House. We are excited about what the future holds and to see how God allows us to partake in the mission of reconciliation here in the Wiesbaden military community.
Good morning, I am CH Johnnie Elder and I am glad you are with us today. All of you should have raised your hand as first time visitors as we join together our Gospel congregation and our ChapelNext congregation to become My Father’s House. We are excited about what the future holds and to see how God allows us to partake in the mission of reconciliation here in the Wiesbaden military community.
He Is Risen!
He Is Risen!
How does someone become reconciled? How is reconciliation completed between two people? two organizations? between two nations? Reconcile is defined: to restore to friendship or harmony or as a financial term meaning to compare ledgers to ensure they match or one has followed the rules to ensure things are fair. Reconciliation requires both parties to admit their wrongs, ask forgiveness, develop a plan to move forward and then live by that plan. It is not so with God and we will see. Let’s look at our text:
How does someone become reconciled? How is reconciliation completed between two people? two organizations? between two nations? Reconcile is defined: to restore to friendship or harmony or as a financial term meaning to compare ledgers to ensure they match or one has followed the rules to ensure things are fair. Reconciliation requires both parties to admit their wrongs, ask forgiveness, develop a plan to move forward and then live by that plan. It is not so with God and we will see. Let’s look at our text:
12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart.
Paul was dealing with a society who looked on the outward appearance for their method of evaluation (sound familiar, nothing new under the sun). The false teachers in Corinth and our day for that matter took pride in their outward appearance, relied on themselves and were lovers of money, power and prestige.
Paul was dealing with a society who looked on the outward appearance for their method of evaluation (sound familiar, nothing new under the sun). The false teachers in Corinth and our day for that matter took pride in their outward appearance, relied on themselves and were lovers of money, power and prestige.
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
Beside ourselves literally means out of our mind. This could be a reference to Paul’s vision of Heaven and could also simply refer to the world’s assessment of those people who follow Christ.
Beside ourselves literally means out of our mind. This could be a reference to Paul’s vision of Heaven and could also simply refer to the world’s assessment of those people who follow Christ.
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
This is a reference to:
This is a reference to:
14 Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.”
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
Christ’s initiating love should revoke a response in us.
Christ’s initiating love should revoke a response in us.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
What this passage isn’t saying is everyone goes to Heaven. It is saying it is His death that allows us to be beneficiaries of the covenant. When we realize this, we should then be aware of the how we are called to live and that is for Christ.
What this passage isn’t saying is everyone goes to Heaven. It is saying it is His death that allows us to be beneficiaries of the covenant. When we realize this, we should then be aware of the how we are called to live and that is for Christ.
20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
A reference to v.12 but also an understanding that Christ is divine and when he was regarded according to the flesh he was rejected and crucified.
A reference to v.12 but also an understanding that Christ is divine and when he was regarded according to the flesh he was rejected and crucified.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
This is a summary statement of redemption. There is also n already and not yet about this, do you feel it? This speaks to a few things: Not seeing others according to the flesh, new holiness in our life and will culminate in the resurrection to immortality.
This is a summary statement of redemption. There is also n already and not yet about this, do you feel it? This speaks to a few things: Not seeing others according to the flesh, new holiness in our life and will culminate in the resurrection to immortality.
18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Let’s look back at the definition of reconciliation: Reconcile is defined: to restore to friendship or harmony or as a financial term meaning to compare ledgers to ensure they match or one has followed the rules to ensure things are fair. Reconciliation requires both parties to admit their wrongs, ask forgiveness, develop a plan to move forward and then live by that plan.
Let’s look back at the definition of reconciliation: Reconcile is defined: to restore to friendship or harmony or as a financial term meaning to compare ledgers to ensure they match or one has followed the rules to ensure things are fair. Reconciliation requires both parties to admit their wrongs, ask forgiveness, develop a plan to move forward and then live by that plan.
But our scripture says God was reconciling the world to Himself. First of all, God has done no wrong in this relationship so He can’t admit what part He played in all of this IOT make it right.
But our scripture says God was reconciling the world to Himself. First of all, God has done no wrong in this relationship so He can’t admit what part He played in all of this IOT make it right.
Also, even if we acknowledge what we have done wrong, there isn’t a plan we can come up with that would reconcile us to God. You ever think about this? You can’t spend enough time in Hell to pay for your sin and wrongdoing IOT be made right and reconciled.
Also, even if we acknowledge what we have done wrong, there isn’t a plan we can come up with that would reconcile us to God. You ever think about this? You can’t spend enough time in Hell to pay for your sin and wrongdoing IOT be made right and reconciled.
Let’s think about the covenant God made with Abraham. He promised all the nations of the earth would be blessed through Him and then to ratify the covenant, God did something unheard of, He walked between the animals that were sacrificed in the making of the covenant alone. Normally both parties would walk together to show their commitment to one anther and the covenant. In doing this, God was making Himself responsible for ensuring the terms of the covenant were upheld. He took on all responsibility and in doing so offered His Son to be the final sacrifice, which was another time He ratified the covenant alone and incurred all the responsibility.
Let’s think about the covenant God made with Abraham. He promised all the nations of the earth would be blessed through Him and then to ratify the covenant, God did something unheard of, He walked between the animals that were sacrificed in the making of the covenant alone. Normally both parties would walk together to show their commitment to one anther and the covenant. In doing this, God was making Himself responsible for ensuring the terms of the covenant were upheld. He took on all responsibility and in doing so offered His Son to be the final sacrifice, which was another time He ratified the covenant alone and incurred all the responsibility.
Let that sink in for a moment…imagine if your mortgage company was the one who signed the contract saying they would take care of the loan if you couldn’t make the payment.
Let that sink in for a moment…imagine if your mortgage company was the one who signed the contract saying they would take care of the loan if you couldn’t make the payment.
And now He chooses to use us in the process in reconciling others to Himself…we have been given the ministry of reconciliation.
And now He chooses to use us in the process in reconciling others to Himself…we have been given the ministry of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
God chooses to make an appeal through us. How does an ambassador do their job?
God chooses to make an appeal through us. How does an ambassador do their job?
21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
This is how God fulfilled the covenant.
This is how God fulfilled the covenant.
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
The Bible tells us, lasting reconciliation only comes through Christ and His death, burial and resurrection that happened in my place. However, societies, groups and individuals continually push agendas disguised as reconciliation and ‘excommunicate’ anyone who doesn’t signal their approved definition of words, phrases and statements. Still, lasting reconciliation only comes through Christ.
The Bible tells us, lasting reconciliation only comes through Christ and His death, burial and resurrection that happened in my place. However, societies, groups and individuals continually push agendas disguised as reconciliation and ‘excommunicate’ anyone who doesn’t signal their approved definition of words, phrases and statements. Still, lasting reconciliation only comes through Christ.
If you are here or listening online and have never been reconciled to God I want to give you that opportunity. The Bible says
If you are here or listening online and have never been reconciled to God I want to give you that opportunity. The Bible says
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
If you want to do that, don’t leave without talking to one of our chaplains or other ministers. We want to ensure you get started in being a ‘new creation’. And don’t worry, there is nothing you can do to deserve it, it is a gift.
If you want to do that, don’t leave without talking to one of our chaplains or other ministers. We want to ensure you get started in being a ‘new creation’. And don’t worry, there is nothing you can do to deserve it, it is a gift.
Let’s pray...
Let’s pray...
