The Cross of Jesus and The Message of Reconciliation

Let's turn again now to Paul, 2nd chapter 5, and we can read verse number 18 but take

! 2nd Corinthians 5, verse 18. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself

and gave us the ministry of reconciliation and so on. Now once today and in the times that we spend

together in the next couple of months to think of the benefits of the cross of Jesus Christ

and doing so because we all recognize that we may know about the event of the cross of Jesus

without actually sharing in or participating in the benefits that flow from the cross.

And we are looking here at a typical example of the way in which the cross has become central to

the life of the Apostle Paul. And when we think of the journey that he was on, on the way to Damascus,

to at least imprison Christians, and if he could destroy the church of Jesus, Jesus met with him.

And we read in this letter itself in the fourth chapter that his reflection on that is that he

saw the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. And we want to think of

where the gospel takes us, the encounters that we have with God, and especially having this encounter with

the Lord Jesus. And through these verses, we recognize that there were a lot of people in Corinth

who questioned Paul, who questioned whether he was an apostle or not, and were ready to reject the gospel.

They didn't realize that their relationship with him actually raised a serious question about their salvation

and threatened their enjoyment of the promised salvation that God has in Christ. And he goes through these

verses to draw attention to the fact that God has empowered him and commissioned him with this gospel

which speaks of a new creation. And all of us today, whoever we are, we need a new creation in order to be saved.

And Paul goes on here to explain what that person looks like, what's true about the person who is a new creation.

And I want to carry with us the picture that C.S. Lewis had in mere Christianity.

And we want to kind of go into this Corinthian hall with the apostle Paul and see what doors are there

and see which door we must pass through in order to be saved.

And to think especially of the cross of Jesus and the message of reconciliation.

I want to think first of all of a new engagement.

People coming together who have lived apart.

That's the backdrop to this whole idea of reconciliation that God has given to Paul, the ministry of reconciliation.

Reconciliation speaks of changing an existing relationship to restore it to what it was and what it should be.

And thereby reestablish a new friendship and a living relationship.

And when we read our Bibles, that's why God made us.

Let us make man in our own image after our likeness.

We are made in and for our relationship with God.

We follow the history of the Bible.

And we see the children of Israel.

And God called them.

He formed them.

Took them from the peoples and the nations of the earth.

And made them his own people.

So that you should be mine, he says to them.

That's the purpose of God.

That's the plan of God.

But the plan has run into difficulties.

Because there is a crisis.

And the crisis has to do with what we have in verse number 19.

Where Paul speaks about trespasses.

There has been behavior.

Which has meant that those in this relationship.

Have clashed with God.

Are no longer doing the will of God.

Have rebelled against God.

And have separated themselves from God.

And that's why God says to Israel.

To the people of God in Isaiah chapter 59.

Isaiah 59 · chapter mention

Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God.

And we need to understand that major backdrop to everything that Paul is saying here.

That you and I have broken our relationship with God.

And the crisis is universal.

But it is also personal.

It's not about the rest of the world.

It's about you today.

That you are in this personal crisis.

Because your sin has caused a breakdown in your relationship with God.

And read through the New Testament.

And that's the picture that we have.

Paul writing to the people in the church in Ephesus.

You have no hope and without God in the world.

You are dead in your trespasses and sins.

You are children of wrath just like others.

There has been a disengagement.

There has been a breakdown.

And you and I today need to face up to that.

And embrace that.

If we are to understand what the gospel means.

We are lost sinners who have rebelled against God.

And God steps into that crisis.

He steps into that breach.

To do something about the separation.

And that's what Paul is saying here.

That in version of 18, through Christ has reconciled us to himself.

God takes the initiative.

God is not reconciling himself.

He is reconciling people like you and like me.

The change takes place on your side.

So that the relationship is restored.

And the God who is playing about the change.

He is reconciling people to himself.

It's in that wonderful, in the good news of the gospel.

That is the very core today.

Is that God intervenes in your life and in mine.

To do something about the separation.

That you and I have caused.

To remove the cause of it.

And to reestablish.

A relationship.

That is living.

And that is real.

Reconciliation.

And.

Not only is it staggering that he is doing so.

But perhaps more staggering still.

Is how he does it.

And that's what Paul speaks about in verse number 19.

Not counting their trespasses against them.

God logs.

All of our sin.

He has a record.

He has a book of our lives.

Every thought.

Every action.

Every conversation.

Marred by sin.

God has that logged and recorded.

Those who are accountants with us.

Will understand the whole idea of.

Of.

Of.

Bookkeeping.

And bookkeeping changes.

And the way in which.

There are debits.

In that bookkeeping system.

And.

As far as.

The record for you.

And for me is concerned.

There is a debit in our account.

Before God.

Before.

Because of our transgression.

And our transgression calls out.

For the punishment of God.

For the penalty of God.

For the judgment of God.

And in a stunning way.

At the heart of the gospel.

Is the fact.

That the judge.

Who should rightly.

Condemn you and me.

To eternal lostness.

Is.

Putting aside.

At this stage.

All that is written against us.

He is sitting as our judge.

He is taking out of our account.

Everything that stands against us.

And he is welcoming us back into.

A relationship with him.

And back into his family.

He is not counting.

Our transgressions.

Against us.

Reconciliation.

Paul says.

God shows his love.

For us.

In that.

While we are yet sinners.

Christ.

Died for us.

And in this remarkable moment.

The judge.

Who should condemn me.

Becomes my friend.

Who embraces me.

The judge.

Who should condemn me.

Becomes my father.

Who takes me home.

To his family.

The transformation.

That exists.

That exists.

In this new engagement.

Is life and experience.

Changing.

For the person.

So reconciled.

And that's what.

What the gospel offers.

To you and to me today.

In our lostness.

In the crisis.

That we have caused.

Because of a transgression.

Against God.

the only hope that we have

is that God makes a new creation

through this new engagement with us

to embrace us as his own children

and from that moment onwards

we will be just like Paul

the old things will have passed

and the new will have come

no wonder Paul pleads with them

to be reconciled to God

to hear the message of his gospel

to hear about God's new engagement with them

and today if God has already done so

you will know in your heart that it has happened

this moment cannot go unnoticed

it's a new creation

and that's why Paul does say in 2 Corinthians 4

that the God who said

let light shine in the darkness

that creation is a God who shone in our hearts

in our dark hearts

to give the light of the knowledge

of God's glory in Christ

it cannot happen without us realising it

and if it hasn't happened today

then you will know it hasn't

and you will know you are still in the crisis

you are still in the place where God can help

but you are still in the crisis

unless you sense

that God has given you this newness

through his engagement with you

a new engagement

that deserves an explanation

and the first part of that explanation

brings me to my second point

which is the fact

there is a new event

something has happened

that never happened before

and in this new event

there is a Persian

Persian

and the Persian

has a special character

because he is special

and we come to verse 21

where we at the beginning

for our sake

he made him to be sin

who knew no sin

there is someone here

who was never in the crisis

that you and I are in

he never transgressed

he never sinned against God

he never participated in our plight

in that sense

he never shared our experience

of rebellion against God

he is the one not knowing sin

and when we seek the identity

of this person

with this unique characteristic

then we don't need to go too far

to realize

that we are face to face

with the Son of God

the Lord Jesus Christ

whom God sent into the world

Jesus

in words referred to Jesus

in Hebrews 10

we read

the way in which

Jesus himself

the Son of God

says

a body you prepared

for me

the Son of God

came into our world

the angels told Mary

that the child born to her

would be wholly

the Son of God

the unique

only Son of God

who came into this world

to be one of us

to live with us

but to be distinct

from us

there is an event

and there's a special

person

of the Lord Jesus

at its center

it's all

about

him

and that's why

Paul is

repeatedly going back

to the

to the cross

as being the power of God

to salvation

to those who believe

it's why

he keeps going back

to the cross

as a place

where he has

separated himself

from the world

and given his life

to the Lord Jesus

there's an event

and there's a passion

and he is precious

today to all those

who have the new

engagement

with God

or with whom God

has entered into

a new engagement

the new event

the special

passion

and

the penalty

God made him

to be

sin

who knew

no sin

God did

something

in one moment

he did something

down through the

Old Testament

God has the

habit of doing

things

when the people

of God

were in Israel

he did the

great act

of salvation

from Egypt

he brought them

across the Red Sea

after all the

miracles

and they rejoiced

the people of God

rejoiced in him

because of what

he did for them

God acts

to ensure

that his plan

for salvation

remains on

Cush

and here

Paul is telling us

that it is

something unique

something unexpected

something that

brings a new

experience

into the life

of a son

an experience

that was

never in anybody's

life before

and never will be

again

he made him

to be

sin

and how we

need to

in a sense

pause

and to consider

how was this

possible

that the

Holy Son

of God

is made

sin

so that you

and I

could have

peace

with

God

and in the

Old Testament

we have

the image

and the

sacrifice

of

a sacrifice

being identified

with the sins

of the people

and so when the

sacrifice comes

into the

tabernacle

the temple

it is identified

with the sins

of the people

and the priest

lays the sins

on the people

and we read

and I say

at chapter 53

that the Lord

laid on him

the iniquity

of us all

he made him

to be sin

he is the

sin bearer

he is bearing

the sins

of the world

he bore our sins

in his own body

to the tree

to the cross

at Calvary

and when we

come to

to reckon

what is

happening

we think

especially

of sin

as guilt

as penalty

and

as condemnation

what did

Jesus

experience

as a

sin bearer

he never

became a

sinner

the sins

never tinted

his person

in any way

shape or form

but he did

experience

what it was

to be counted

guilty

he did

experience

what it was

to be

condemned

he did

experience

what it was

to have that

penalty

executed

in his

own

person

and suspended

as he is

on Calvary's

cross

that's the

moment

at which

he is

paying the

penalty

for our

sin

for the

transgressions

that were

not logged

in our

account

they're taken

from our

account

and placed

in his

account

in this

moment

and he

suffers

for them

and these

transgressions

they caused

a separation

between you

and your

God

and between

me and

my God

and when I

go to

Calvary's

cross

I see

Jesus in

all of

the

solitariness

of the

moment

at which

he was

made

sin

I read

that the

disciples

fled

and left

him

I read

that he

cries out

to God

in the

midst of

the darkness

why have

you forsaken

me

the actual

exile

that is

the eternal

punishment

eternal death

that you and I

should suffer

Jesus suffered

it in these

three hours

on Calvary's

cross

he has

made

sin

for us

and that

whole image

of for us

it's

interesting

I think

just to

note

that it's

a picture

of somebody

standing

over someone

else

to protect

them

from what

may come

upon them

in any

particular

danger

and I

think it's

a powerful

image

of what

Jesus did

as our

substitute

he did

this

for us

and

he's in that

sheltering us

from all that

we should

experience

and we should

suffer

because of

our sin

a new

event

God

God

is the

God

who

did not

spare

his own

son

the penalty

he endured

is the

penalty

that you

and I

deserved

and in

the moment

of that

punishment

our sins

are taken

away

carried away

as they were

in Leviticus 16

and the

day of

atonement

taken away

into a

far distant

place in

the wilderness

forgotten

to draw

attention

to the

fact

of the

significance

and the

value

of the

sacrifice

that had

been

given

the new

event

today we

think of

so many

different

events

that

grow

with all

of our

attention

with

star

attractions

and so

many other

things that

throw our

hearts

and God

wants us

today to

to stop

and to

think of

the

greatest

event of

all time

and the

greatest

portion of

all time

and what

he endured

on his

own

so that

blessing

would come

to you

and to

me

and so

in the

Corinthian

hall

where we

are

joining

with

Paul

in

these

words

the

door

that

we

must

enter

is

the

door

that

speaks

to us

of

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

Jesus

and

him

crucified

a new

engagement

a new

event

and

thirdly

a new

existence

a new

existence

for those

with whom

God

engages

a new

existence

for those

for whom

Christ

died

so that

God

did this

wonderful

thing

on

Calvary's

cross

for this

purpose

in him

we might

become

the

righteousness

of God

and just

to help

us

see that

perhaps

more clearly

to read

this

into it

so that

we

who don't

have

righteousness

may become

the righteousness

of God

in him

there's

a

becoming

and the

becoming

is the

sense

of a

genesis

of a

new

creation

and that's

what Paul

has referred

to

in this

moment

of this

new

engagement

with God

there is

a new

existence

that comes

to play

and into

place

and it

comes to

play

and in

place

in him

in Christ

Jesus

in our

relationship

with him

in our

union

with him

the union

through which

all of the

benefits of

his death

and of his

resurrection

become

ours

the union

that Jesus

himself

describes

as being

the branches

in the

vine

the union

that Paul

describes

in Romans

11

as being

grafted

into the

olive tree

so that we're

nourished by

the root

of the

olive tree

that union

that life

that relationship

that

takes place

in this

new

engagement

when we're

reconciled to

God

in Christ

Jesus

we are

found

in

Christ

we

become

the

righteousness

of God

and if

it's a

stunning

statement

that

Jesus

was

made

sin

it's

equally

stunning

that you

and I

become the

righteousness

of God

righteousness

speaks

about

conformity

to the

norms

of God's

kingdom

it speaks

of the

God

whose

kingdom

it is

and his

perfection

and his

standard

and

meeting

that

standard

which

he himself

has put

in place

for his

kingdom

it is

the

righteousness

of God

it's

defined

by God

it's

required

by God

and it is

now provided

for us

by God

the

righteousness

of

God

and when

we think

of the

righteousness

I want

to think

of three

things

as we

close

righteousness

first of

all

it's an

existence

that belongs

to the

new creation

new heavens

and the

new earth

what is

life like

in God's

kingdom

at the

end of

the day

at the

end of

the age

it is

a

kingdom

of

righteousness

where all

of the

people

have no

sin

where all

the people

stand

righteous

before

God

and their

sins

are left

behind

that's

what

existence

will be

like

in the

new

kingdom

the

new

heavens

and

the

new

earth

but

in this

moment

in the

moment

of this

engagement

when we

become

the

righteousness

of

God

it does

not speak

about

changing

us

within

and that's

why I

said

earlier

the ones

not knowing

righteousness

become the

righteousness

of God

in him

this

moment

does not

mean that

you are no

longer a

sinner

it does

not mean

that you

no longer

transgress

it does

not mean

that you

no longer

fall away

there's

another

process

that deals

with our

sin

as we

go on

in life

but this

moment

is about

declaring

two

things

it's

about

declaring

that we

are

righteous

the

judge

who

accepted

us

with whom

we are

reconciled

is a

judge

who is

declaring

that we

have a

right

standing

before him

it doesn't

say anything

about my

being

it says

something

about my

standing

my new

existence

as this

new creation

is that

I'm

accepted

as righteous

before God

for Jesus

sake

and we

think of

the image

of Joshua

and Zechariah

3 and that's

the picture

that we

have

something

that we

are so

familiar

with

Satan

accusing

us

because of

our sin

that we

cannot belong

to the

kingdom

of God

because of

our sin

and Satan

at Joshua's

right hand

accusing him

but then God

speaks

and take

the filthy

garments

off him

and put on

the new

garments

because I've

taken his

sin away

it's a

status

it's an

existence

it's a

standing

we have

peace

with God

we soon

discover

that sin

remains

but there

is no

condemnation

to those

who are in

Christ Jesus

the declaration

that we are

accepted

as righteous

and we

stand with

Jesus

in the

kingdom of

God

accepted

by God

our

father

in the

same way

as

Jesus

our

savior

is

accepted

and then

God

begins

the process

of changing

us

and transforming

us

to be

like his

son

in

our

hearts

and along

with that

there is

the

declaration

of

forgiveness

that's

what we

sang of

in

psalm

number

32

the

person

that

David

considers

to be

blessed

to be

envied

with

desire

is this

person

what is

true about

him

it's the

person

whose

lawless

deeds

are

forgiven

it's

the

person

whose

sins

are

covered

forgiveness

peace

with

God

through

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

the

storm

the

crisis

the

coming

crisis

of

the

judgment

of

God

and

God's

penalty

being

executed

over

me

and

in

me

because

of

my

sin

is

replaced

by

the

calm

of

knowing

that

my

sins

are

forgiven

and

as

we'll

sing

in

the

last

psalm

that

psalm 103

the

sense

of

David

rejoicing

as

far

as

east

is

distant

from

the

west

so

far

is

he

removed

from

us

and

his

love

all

our

iniquity

a

new

existence

praise

the

Lord

for

such

a

new

creation

that

you

and

I

today

can

experience

this

new

existence

because

of

God's

engagement

with

us

and

because

of

what

he

has

done

in

the

Lord

Jesus

to

know

that

our

sins

are

forgiven

to

know

they

are

covered

and

that

they

are

carried

away

to

know

that

we

are

accepted

before

God

and

that

we

shall

never

be

condemned

and

no

matter

who

lays

charges

against

us

in

the

earth

in which

we live

and

from

our

enemy

Satan

himself

there

is

no

condemnation

and

if

that

is

the

case

concerning

us

we

can

go

in

peace

and

know

that

the

greatest

thing

that

can

happen

to

us

has

happened

because

of

God's

grace

that

there

is

the

new

event

that

makes

us

new

people

so

we

can

become

the

children

of

God

and

no

wonder

Paul

is

pleading

with

them

we

implore

you

on

behalf

of

Christ

be

reconciled

to

God

all

of us

today

need

to

reflect

on

the

truth

about

us

in

our

lostness

the

truth

about

Jesus

and

what

God

has

done

in

him

and

the

truth

about

what

God

does

in

people

like

you

and to

me

as he

embraces

us

and

takes

us

into

his

kingdom

may

God

bless

his

word

let

us

pray

most

gracious

God

we do

rejoice

in

you

and your

love

and your

grace

in

the

work

of

reconciliation

in

the

life

of

your

son

the

sufferings

that he

endured

on our

behalf

and the

work that

you

undertake

and begin

in the

lives

of your

children

bless us

today

with a

sense

of

realising

the

significance

and the

preciousness

of

what took

place

in the

life

of

your

son

and

help us

oh

Lord

to

seek

you

with

all

our

hearts

today

and

to

come

to

know

that

peace

with

you

and

sense

that

we

have

access

into

the

grace

that

there

is

in

Christ

Jesus

and

find

joy

and

satisfaction

and

know

that

you

have

provided

for

us

in

him

!

So

we

pray

and

hear

us

and

accept

us

we

pray

these

things

for

Jesus

sake

Amen

So

we now

turn to

singing

psalm

number

103

in

the

psalms

it's

on

page

135

and

we're

singing

at

verse

number

12

psalm

103

page

135

at

verse

number

12

and

the

tune

is

before

the

throne

as

far

as

east

is

from

the

west

so

far

as

love

has

borne

away

there

are

many

sins

and

trespasses

and

all

the

guilt

that

on

us

lay

we

stand

to sing

in

verse

12

to

the

verse

marked

18

to

God's

praise

as

far

as

east

is

from

the

west

so

far

as

love

!

Lord

is

born

away

our

many

sins

and

trespasses

And

all the

guilt

that

on

us

lay!

Just

as

our

father

loves

his

child,

so

God

loves

those

who

fear

his

name,

!

he

remembers

!

we

are

does

And

well he

knows

our

feeble

frame,

and

well he

knows

our

feeble

frame,

!

Each

human

life

is

like

the

grass,

unlike

a

meadow

that it

grows,

its

place

will

never

be

recalled,

once

over it

the

tempest

blows,

but

everlasting

is

God's

love

for

those

who

fear

him

and

their

seed,

for

those

who

keep

his

covenant,

and

carefully

his

peace

see,

and

carefully

after

the

benediction

of

main

door

please

as

you

leave.

The

grace

of

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ,

the

love

of

God

the

Father

and

the

fellowship

of

the

Holy

Spirit

be

with

you

all

now

and

forever

more.

Amen.

Amen.