We must be Reconciled!

A Bit of Review… Just a bit.

Last week we tackled a tough subject...

The subject was salvation, how many times did we poke up against giving our lives to God.

One-5-50. How many times was it for you… For me it was 4 times and I finally got it on the 5th.

The driving force behind sharing and talking with people about their faith to the opportunity that we have to bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We like to leave that discussion right were it is at.

I believe in God, Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior, I’m saved and I want the rest of my world to be saved as well.

That’s the stuff of the perfect Bible story book.

Unfortunately, that’s not the whole truth… Here is that truth.

Luke 13:3 The Message

3 Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you, too, will die.

Luke 13:3 ESV

3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

You see this opportunity that we have to meet the Savior and to give our lives to Jesus has an expiration date… Will actually it has an expiration date, time, hour, season.

Unfortunately, We cannot read the signs to know when God is going to call an end to all of this.

The earth becomes a cinder ball and God sends a New Heaven and a New Earth

Revelation 21:1–6 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

I want to be a V7. person

Revelation 21:7 ESV

7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Any all parts of that process of becoming a follower of Christ are beneficial.

You might ask… What about those who have never heard? How about those who aren’t mature enough to even realize they were suppose to commit their lives.

God’s Grace and Mercy only is measured with the understanding of the person being led to Christ.

IF you are capable of hearing and doing what is required… To accept Jesus as your Savior. Then it’s all good.

The rub comes and in this case the only real JUDGE is God.

Psalm 32:5 ESV

5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Never-the-less we all must repent of our old ways and confess Jesus as Lord.

This Week… BE RECONCILED!

This story begins in the Book of Joshua, Chapter 5 and V.9. This can be found on page 180 of your pew bibles.

If you are more comfortable reading inSpanish there are Spanish Bibles in the back pews.

Beginning in V.10 Joshua has just become the leader of the Jews as they come into the Promised Land

Joshua 5:9–11 ESV

9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. 10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.

So they kept the Passover. God would honor that decision. They ate that day and as prescribed only the next day.

Keeping the Passover was honoring to God.

In the New Testament we see the Passover happen when The Holy Spirit comes on all believers as in Acts 2.

Joshua 5:12 ESV

12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

God had provided throughout the 40 years that they has wandered the desert, Manna from Heaven. A chalky like substance that had no taste but evidently provided them nutrition. It was the only thing to eat.

That was now gone… This safety net that they had was now on our individual shoulders.

Salvation and Reconciliation was available to all FOR THE ASKING!!

God also freed the Jews from any of the sin that they had committed while in the desert

Joshua 5:9 (ESV)

9 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal [heb. - “To roll”] this day.

------------------------

Big Idea — It is FOUNDATIONAL to reconcile with God, It is our first step. Then we must accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives.

Reconciliation to God is best defined this way

Evangelical theologian Philip Ryken describes reconciliation in this way; "It is part of the message of Salvation that brings us back together with God. ... God is the author, Christ is the agent and we are the ambassadors of reconciliation.”

In verse 10 we read this

Joshua 5:10 ESV

10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.

Israel was now free of the “reproach” of Egypt, the sins that accompanied the Jews as they wandered the desert are now covered with God’s Grace and Mercy

They get a pass into the Promised Land! And because their mouths are full and they have been delivered and given all of the land between the River Nile and the Euphrates was their’s. They keep the passover.

Ezra 6:19–22 ESV

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

------------------

Despite past disgraces, God forgives and presents us with new opportunities for service and faithfulness.

The future lies before us, yet we are still far from where we should be.

As we reflect in Lent about our relationship to God.

Let’s just think about this… The Hebrews left Egypt or were kicked out. When they finally packed up there was more than 2 million men, women, children, slaves, animals all packed up and left in a hurry.

God was in the midst of it.

God was in the midst of the 40 years in the desert, God delayed the release of the Hebrews until everyone that left Egypt had died.

He truly wanted and got a fresh set of downs for the Hebrews.

They were given a LARGE swath of land… Land they could call their own.

But there were many people, tribes, clans and others who had occupied that land sometimes for generations.

God gave them ALL of the land between the Nile and the Euphrates.

In many parts of the Old Testament we are walked through a battle, or a war.

God is in-charge of these wars and battles and needs some of His actors to step it up and go to war if that’s what He calls for...

But the Hebrews coming off the 40 years of wandering exchanged their “finally here” and “it’s ours.”

They instead wanted to occupy a land, their land as they have been told. But they didn’t think about those that already lived their. Maybe for 100’s of years.

Joshua knew that the Hebrews needed to get back to God… Quickly, or possibly loose “Gods People” to cult worship that was happening.

God’s promise to the elites was that they would enter and possess a land of milk and honey.

Their entering the land shows that God’s promise to them is real and effective.

Despite the fact that the Israelites have not always been good, God has always been good to them.

In the wilderness they were fed manna, a direct provision from God. They wandered for years in utter dependence upon God. Now the land of promise lies before them, a land of opportunities.

APPLICATION — How are we to be accountable to God for what He has given us?

We don’t celebrate the festivals several times a year the way that the Jews do to keep them from forgetting who God is and what he did for them.

So it’s not in the Festivals that we find ourselves obeying God and getting a fresh set of marching orders 4 times a year.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD IS FOUND IN OUR

— Salvation

— Worship

— Believers Baptism

— Communion

Salvation

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

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

Worship — The chief aim for man is to Worship and glorify the Lord. We don’t worship to make ourselves “feel” better. We worship to and for the Lord only!

Believers Baptism — This is the first thing that Jesus said when it came time for Him to go back to Heaven and the right hand of the Father. Be baptized!!

----------------

1 Corinthians 11:23–24 ESV

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

I hope that when we celebrate communion that this is a most Holy time for you. For you to seek the Lord, ask for forgiveness and then come to his table as we share together the representation of His Body and Blood.

Don’t miss your opportunity to live in harmony with God and Jesus. IF YOU HAVEN’T TAKEN THE TIME TO ACCEPT HIM AS YOUR LORD SAVIOR. DON’T WAIT… TODAY IS THE DAY!

Don’t just sing a song and then another song. WHEN WE ARE WORSHIPPING OUR ONLY AUDIENCE IS GOD!

A public believer’s baptism will show and tell the world that YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS. I HOPE THAT YOUR BEHAVIOR MATCHES YOUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS.

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 ESV

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 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. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.