Has anyone ever persuaded you to something horrible?...

Has anyone ever persuaded you to something horrible?  My friend says, "I got sold."  It is when a smooth talking used car salesmen sells you a lemon.  Joel and the used car story.

As Christians we are to persuade others but what we have for them is greater than we know. 

Islam is spread through the sword - convert or die

Selfish humanistic Christianity - spreads by fear, work, do this, pray this prayer or go to hell

• We have been speaking about loving one another.  I do not want you to be mislead on how this plays out in our life.  We must not remove this from biblical teaching that we must first love God.  I hope I have made this clear.  We do not love others so they do not go to hell.  We love others because God loved us first and we love him.  Our love for others is because he lives in us and loves others through us. 

We will look today loving one another because of Christ

2 Cor 5.1-10 - our heavenly home with God, we get to be with God forever

v. 11-13 - because we have been given the Holy Spirit we know we will be with God forever and we persuade others because of what he as done for us

1. We live for Christ (v.14-15 )
1. Love of Christ or Christ's love controls us because he owns us (v.14)
1. It is love for Christ and the love of Christ why we witness not so people do not go to heaven
2. It is his love which impels us to action and we are held captive by his love and must act
3. Everyone was dead
1. When Christ died, we died with him
2. We now live for him
1. He changes our perspective #. We are linked to the resurrected Christ, if he fails then we fail
2. What matters is what is on the inside  (v. 16-19)
1. Already spoke of this in 5:1-10
2. It is not about the flesh (v.16)
1. Some will regard Paul and Christ as lowly #. Paul had found Christ wanting
2. We must not judge based upon externals and image
3. We are a new creation (v.17)
1. A restoration of the created order, we like Adam can have a relationship with God
4. New creation from God means a new job  God gives the messenger, ministry and message(v.18)
1. Reconciliation is the forgiveness of sins and God receives us as his own #. Those reconciled know they are also alienated
2. It is the judge declaring not guilty, beginning a friendship and inviting over for dinner
3. Adam was told to take dominion over the world and name the animals #. We are given the job of reconciling others to God
1. Ministry of reconciliation is a call to the lost to come to Christ
2. Christ came to reconcile the world to himself #. Christ came to pay for the sins of the world
3. Christ came that we might have reconcile others to God
3. We are Ambassadors for God (v.20-21)
1. Ambassadors - for the elite, not always easy as you had to live in a faraway country
2. Ambassadors for Christ - the H.S. makes us elite, we are citizens of heaven sojourners here on earth
3. He speaks through us
1. Notice the tension: We are given the ministry of reconciliation  - but this is only done as God works through us
4. The message: be reconciled to God #. The price paid and what you receive
1. Christ is sinless - not a sinner and not a sin offering something in between
2. He became sin as our substitute and sacrifice
3. You did not pay for it #. You do not deserve it
4. You just have to receive it, which is him