2 Corinthians Ch5v11-21 - Reconciled To God

Good morning, everybody.

If you could open to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and we're going to read from verse 11.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

! It's up on the screen there as well, from verse 11 to 21.

2 Corinthians chapter 5.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

So that's on page 1161 if you're using the church Bible.

Just before we read, let's ask God for his help as we open up his word today.

Lord, this is your word, and we are your people, and we desperately need to hear from you today.

Because your truth is the only solid foundation that we have to stand on.

So we ask for your Holy Spirit to take your word now, and to change us from the inside out.

Help me as I try to explain it, that this will be helpful and edifying for us all.

And I just ask that your voice will be heard so clearly this morning.

Amen.

I just want you to look out for something as we read the text.

What changes when someone puts their faith in Jesus?

What difference is there between their life before Christ and after him?

Watch out for that as we read.

Thank you, Chris.

So 2 Corinthians chapter 5, beginning at verse 11.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

Since then, we know what it is to fear the Lord we try to persuade others.

What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us.

So that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart.

If we are out of our mind, as some say, it is for God.

If we are in our right mind, it is for you.

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them, and was raised again.

So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view.

Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.

The old is gone, the new is here.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them.

And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Amen.

I wonder, do you ever have those moments as a believer where you wonder what's really changed?

I mean, when you first repent of your sin and trust in Christ, everything is exciting and new.

But as time goes on, be it a year, 10 years, 50 years even, well, we start to wonder, have I really changed?

We still struggle with sin.

We look around us at our friends and family who aren't Christians, who oftentimes live more virtuous lives than we do.

It seems from the outside, at least.

And we ask, what's the real difference between us and them?

Do you ever ask those questions?

Because I certainly do.

But read verse 17.

If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.

The old has gone.

The new is here.

That's true.

If you are in Christ, your life is spectacularly transformed.

You might still look the same, still live in the same house, still work the same job, go to the same school, struggle with the same sin.

But your life has been radically transformed.

How exactly, you ask?

Well, Paul tells us in the very next verse.

Look at verse 18.

All this is from God.

All this is from God.

Who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

In that verse, we see two things.

We see that we have a new identity.

Reconciled to God.

And a new purpose.

Sharing the message of reconciliation.

So we're going to unpack those two things of how we are a new creation in Christ.

The first part.

Our new identity.

We are reconciled to God.

Now what does that word mean?

Reconciled.

Well, it speaks of two estranged people coming back into a restored relationship.

I don't know if you follow the royal family.

I certainly don't.

But I looked this thing up online.

I actually Googled the word reconciled and put the Google News tab on it.

And this is what came up.

Prince Harry wants reconciliation with the royal family.

He and his wife, Meghan, left the royal family in 2020 to move to America for a more private life.

But their leaving caused all sorts of hurt.

And now family members don't even speak to each other.

And it's really sad.

Harry went on TV in May saying that he longs to be reconciled to his father, King Charles, the King of England.

But the king doesn't want to mend the relationship at the moment.

And it's over some dispute about security and all this anyway.

But when we speak about being reconciled to the King of Kings,

the Bible tells us that all of us have walked out on a perfectly loving father.

We've all rebelled against his rule.

And our biggest problem is that we face his just judgment on our sin.

Eternity outside of this father's love and care.

We are the guilty party.

We did the damage in the relationship.

We're the ones who walked out.

Now you know what, Harry?

King Charles is taking a hard line.

He's not currently reaching out to his son for reconciliation.

Because of all that Harry has done.

And this dispute over security.

But God, the true king, is so, so different.

Read verse 19 with me to see how he's different.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ.

Not counting people's sins against them.

Do you hear that?

God is taking the first move to reconcile,

even though we're the guilty party.

And even more astonishing,

he's not counting our sins against us.

But how, you ask,

how can God just simply ignore our sins

that would not be just of him?

There is no justice in that.

If our sins are simply ignored.

Well, verse 21 tells us

God's glorious solution.

Verse 21.

God made him

who had no sin

to be sin for us

so that in him

we might become

the righteousness

of God.

Here's what happens

to anybody

who believes

in Christ.

Jesus

takes our record of sin.

It's not that

he became sinful.

We've got to be careful about that.

No, it's that

he was counted

as a sinner.

He who had no sin

became sin

for us.

Our record of sin

was counted as his

on the cross.

So, no sin is overlooked

or ignored.

No.

Every single sin

is paid for.

Justice is done

at the cross.

That is incredible.

So, number one,

Jesus takes our record of sin

if we trust in him.

Secondly,

we learn that

we get Jesus'

record of obedience.

Okay, so his

flawless record

of obedience

is credited

to us

even though

we never lived it.

Another way of saying it,

Jesus takes our

dirty

rags

of sin

and we are

clothed

in his

perfect

robes

of righteousness.

They cover us

so that when

God sees us,

he sees us

as righteous.

Legally,

it's as if

we never

sinned.

We are

perfectly

right

in his

sight.

Now,

even though

we will

continue

to struggle

with sin

for the rest

of our

days

on this

earth,

we are

legally

declared

to be

right

before

God

through

Christ.

And

therefore,

we are

entitled to

everything

that Jesus

deserved.

Adopted

as sons

and daughters

of the

Father,

receiving

his

Holy Spirit,

heirs

of heaven

for

eternity,

that is

our new

identity.

We are

reconciled

to God,

brought

back into

relationship

with him

at greatest

cost to

him,

at no

cost to

ourselves.

That is

astonishing

grace.

Can you

see how

different that

is to

King Charles?

King Charles

is like,

Harry,

you've got

to pay

for the

wrong

you've

done,

boy.

Then we'll

see about

reconciliation.

God the

King says,

I've

paid for

the wrong

you've

done.

At

greatest

cost to

me,

at the

cost of

my son.

So you

could come

into a

relationship

with me

forever.

This is

our new

identity.

It's our

greatest

identity.

identity.

You could

be a

mother,

student,

a husband,

a wife,

a workplace

manager,

a sports

person,

a musician.

So many

ways that we

can find

identity in

this world.

Here's the

one that

stands above

all others.

You are

reconciled to

God,

a son or

daughter of

the King

of the

universe.

Forgiven,

restored,

not condemned,

safe with

him forever.

What can

beat that?

If you

are in

Christ today,

do you

realize your

identity?

Is it

your number

one identity

over all

other things

that you

are reconciled

to God?

Now,

just to

say,

if you're

sitting here

and you

haven't yet

put your

trust in

Christ,

you haven't

repented

of your

sin and

believe that

he died

and rose

again for

you,

the King

is reaching

out to you

today to

reconcile.

You've read

it in his

word.

Even though

you're the

one who

did the

damage in

the relationship,

he's reaching

out to you

and he's

graciously made

it possible

for you to

be forgiven,

adopted as

his son or

daughter forever.

how could

you walk

away from

him?

How could

you turn

down that

invitation to

reconcile?

Well,

for all who

are in

Christ,

once we

realize this

new identity,

we can't

just stay

the same.

We can't.

Have a look

at verse 14.

Paul talks

about that.

for Christ's

love compels

us because

we are

convinced that

one died

for all and

therefore all

died.

What does

that mean?

Well,

I think it

means this,

that if you

are united

to Christ,

your old

life of

slavery to

sin died

with him.

And you

have new

life in

him now.

Verse 15,

and he

died for

all,

that those

who live

should no

longer live

for themselves,

but for

him who

died for

them and

was raised

again.

It makes

sense,

doesn't it?

If he has

totally transformed

our future,

paying the

price to

reconcile us

with God,

how could we

not look at

Jesus and

say,

my life is

yours?

You

redeemed

it.

You're

the only

reason why

I will

not be

condemned

for my

sin.

I want

to live

for you,

King Jesus,

because you

gave your

life for

me.

We long

to live

for him

when we

truly realize

our identity

as those

who are

reconciled

to God.

God.

But what

does it

look like

to live

for Jesus,

to give

our lives

for him?

Well,

I think

that's the

second thing

that this

text shows

us.

We have

a new

purpose

in life.

And it's

to share

the message

of reconciliation

with others.

Do you

notice how

this new

purpose flows

out of your

new identity?

Now that

we're

reconciled

to God,

we long

for others

to be

reconciled

also.

We can't

bear the

thought of

our family

or friends

remaining

far off

from God,

separated

from him

forever,

because if

Jesus took

our sin,

he can

take theirs

also.

If Jesus

can give

us his

righteousness,

he can

give it

to them

too.

Let's

read how

Paul frames

this in

verse 18.

He says

all this

is from

God,

who

reconciled

us to

himself

through

Christ,

and gave

us the

ministry

of

reconciliation.

That God

was reconciling

the world

to himself

in Christ,

not counting

people's sins

against them.

And he

has committed

to us

the message

of

reconciliation.

So first,

he's given

us a

ministry

of

reconciliation.

You know,

we often

attach our

purpose in

life to

what we

do in

our lives.

So if

you're

working,

your purpose

might be

to do

well,

to provide

for your

family,

to climb

the career

ladder.

If you're

retired,

your purpose

is to

enjoy your

retirement,

care for

your family,

look after

your health.

If you're

a parent,

your purpose

is to raise

your kids

well.

If you're

a student,

get good

grades,

and launch

your career

the best

you can.

And it's

not wrong

to have

any of

those purposes.

Those are

good things.

But I

think the

point Paul's

making here

is if

you're

united to

Christ,

you've got

a purpose

that overarches

everything else,

a new

purpose in

life.

And this

is it.

it's

your

ministry

of sharing

the message

of Jesus.

It's

helping

other

people

to get

to Jesus.

And once

they're there,

to stay

on the

journey

with

Jesus.

And that

gives us

more purpose

than all

the other

things in

our lives

added together

when you

think about

it.

A hundred

years from

now,

what's

going to

matter?

going to

matter?

What's

going to

matter?

Will it

matter the

grades I

got?

How far I

progressed in

my career?

Will it

matter whether

my kids had

all the

latest gear?

Or what

house I

lived in?

No,

it won't.

But here's

what will

matter 100

years from

now,

people.

People

matter.

It matters

whether people

hear about

Jesus.

It matters

whether they

are given

the chance

to be

reconciled

to God

and spend

eternity

with him.

What an

amazing purpose

to spend

your life

helping as

many people

as possible

get to

Jesus.

When you

get to

heaven,

will you

ever regret

even a

minute spent

doing that?

Look around

you in the

room.

you see

people

walking

through

life with

you,

encouraging

you towards

Jesus,

helping you

to trust

him through

highs,

through

lows,

challenging

you whenever

you veer

off the

track.

in heaven.

In heaven,

we re going

to look

each other

in the

eye and

know in

an instant

that every

single

moment was

worth it.

every single

text message,

every word of

encouragement,

every arm

around the

shoulder,

whatever we

did to

help each

other on

the journey

to Jesus

will be

eternally

worth it.

There is

nothing better

we could have

spent our

time doing.

And that's

supporting others

to share

Jesus as

well.

That's part of

our ministry

too, like

turning up to

wash dishes

at the carol

service.

Or giving

your money to

support the

various ministries

that are

happening in

the life of

the church,

like Rock

and Rooted

or supporting

Amy in

Sheffield,

who's sharing

Jesus with

people who've

never heard

about him.

You know

what?

We'll never

regret using

our time and

resources in

these ways

because we're

supporting the

gospel, the

good news of

Jesus, going

forward to

more and more

people.

So that's the

first thing.

God gives us a

purpose to do

something that

lasts forever,

sharing the

message of

reconciliation.

And that

message is,

in verse 19,

that God was

reconciling the

world to

himself in

Christ, not

counting people's

sins against

them.

That's the

message.

And what a

beautiful message

it is that we

share.

And Paul says

next in verse

20, have a

look at that.

He says this,

we are therefore

Christ's

ambassadors, as

though God

were making

his appeal

through us.

We implore

you on

Christ's

behalf, be

reconciled to

God.

I want you to

think about our

Taoiseach for a

second, Michal

Martin.

He's got around

90 different

ambassadors around

the world.

I didn't know

that, I

looked it up.

They work all

over the world,

and they

represent him.

They convey

messages for

him.

So for instance,

this week,

Michal Martin

was in South

Africa for the

G20 summit.

What does

he do if

he wants to

speak to

Trump, who

didn't come to

the conference,

about Trump's

peace plan for

Ukraine?

Well, he

rings up his

ambassador in

Washington, and

he sends his

ambassador to the

White House to

speak for him.

Martin makes

his appeal through

the ambassador.

So whatever that

ambassador speaks,

it's really

Michal Martin's

words, right?

And you

better believe it's

an honor to be

asked to be an

ambassador.

Not just anyone

gets that job.

You represent

the leader of

this country.

Now just think

about this for a

second.

The king of all

kings has

chosen us to

be his

ambassadors.

sent out to

communicate the

most important

message that this

world needs to

hear.

That God is

reconciling people

to himself in

Christ, not

counting people's

sins against

them.

He has his

ambassadors in

every corner of

the globe.

The message is

going forward

every day into

places where the

king is not

known.

And right here

in Cargilline,

we are among

that number.

He's given us

the job.

What about

that for a

life purpose?

Here's three

quick things to

think about if

you are God's

ambassador.

First, you've

got authority to

speak for the

king.

As Paul says,

God is literally

making his

appeal to the

people around

you through

your mouth.

through all

the words that

you say,

whether you

write them

down or you

put them on

social media,

we have

authority from

the king of

kings to

speak this

message.

We have

authority to

implore people

to be

reconciled to

God, whether

they want to

hear that

message or

not.

What a

wonder it is

that as we

speak the

king's words,

Christ himself

speaks to

us.

Wow.

That is

sobering.

It matters

how we

live as

ambassadors.

It matters

what we

say.

So it's so

important when

we are

representing the

king that we

speak the

king's words.

No good

ambassador

waffles on

about what

they think

their king

would say.

We don't

have any

remit to

speak what

we imagine

God is

like or

how we

imagine people

can be made

right with

him.

No, no,

our king has

written down

the message

for us.

He's put it

in black

and white.

And as

faithful

ambassadors,

we speak

the king's

words.

And we

want to

speak it

clearly.

right?

So whatever

we share

from the

Bible,

whatever

story we

might turn

to,

may it

always

point to

the main

story that

scripture is

telling.

How God

is reconciling

the world

to himself

and Christ,

not counting

people's sins

against them.

So I might

say, as an

ambassador,

studying God's

word is a

really good

thing for you

to be doing

with your

time.

Make

home group

a priority.

You're going

to learn

more about

the word

there too.

Be better

equipped to

share clearly.

Get good

books to

help you to

understand

scripture.

If you

want some

recommendations,

you can chat

to the elders

after.

Even try

out a course

in Munster

Bible College.

Make it

your aim

to share

the gospel

well.

Now, at

this point,

you might be

saying, Sam,

I just

can't do

that.

I'm not

cut out

for this

ambassador role.

It's not

my thing.

I'm not a

great speaker.

I've not

been a

Christian long

enough or

I don't

know as

much about

the Bible

as other

people do

in this

room.

I find

it hard

to put

it into

words.

Absolutely.

All those

reservations

are real.

We can

feel all

those things.

We can

feel like

we're

absolutely

not

qualified

to be

God's

ambassadors.

But here's

what Jesus

told his

disciples

whenever he

was sending

them out

as his

ambassadors

in Luke

Luke 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13.

He said

this,

when you're

brought before

synagogues,

rulers,

and authorities,

do not worry

about how you

will defend

yourselves or

what you

will say,

for the

Holy Spirit

will teach

you at that

time what

you should

say.

the truth

is that

unlike

Michal

Martin,

your king

actually goes

with you

by his

spirit on

the mission

to share

his message.

He actually

lives within

us to

empower us

so that when

we ask of

him,

he will

direct us

to something

from his

word so

we can

speak his

message in

a way that

person needs

to hear it.

the point

is this,

the king

will help

you to

speak.

He's not

just giving

us authority

to speak,

he's going

to help

us to

speak,

and that's

a wonderful

comfort.

That means

if like me

you don't

feel like a

very qualified

ambassador,

that's okay.

The king's

got you on

the job

anyway,

and he

delights

to channel

his power

through weak

people like

you and

me.

Last

question,

where is

the king

sending you

to speak?

There are

people that

God has

made you

his

ambassador

to.

Are you

praying for

opportunities

to share

with them?

Are you

praying that

people are

really hard

and have

never wanted

to hear

anything

about Jesus

before,

that God

would just

soften their

hearts to

be open

to him?

There are

people in your

life that I'm

not able to

get near,

and vice

versa.

See how God

places his

ambassadors in

all different

places, and we

believe that there

are no

coincidences.

things.

So God's

placed the

people in

your life

and in

mine for

a reason.

It's not

by accident.

He places

his ambassadors

on purpose

with a new

purpose to

share him.

So live out

that purpose

that God has

given you in

helping others

get to

Jesus.

I want to

finish with

a story.

It's from

The Lion,

the Witch,

and the

Wardrobe by

C.S.

Lewis.

I don't

know how

many of

you have

read the

book.

If you

haven't,

I really

recommend

you do.

Four

children

stumble into

this mystical

world of

Narnia, and

they discover

that they are

the fulfillment

of an ancient

prophecy that

when two

sons of

Adam and

two daughters

of Eve

sit on

the thrones

of Narnia,

the reign

of the

evil white

witch will

end.

And winter

will come

to an

end.

But

Edmund

scandalously

betrays his

three siblings

and Aslan,

the rightful

ruler of

the land,

and he

defects to

the wicked

white witch.

And he

does this

only because

he's mad at

his brother

and he's

greedy for

Turkish

delight.

And the

witch has

loads of

it.

But before

long, he

realizes that

he's enslaved

to a cruel

and wicked

witch.

And then he

actually finds

out that this

witch is about

to kill him.

Because she's

understood that

if she kills

Edmund, the

prophecy will

come to an

end and she

will remain

the ruler of

Narnia forever.

Now, meanwhile,

far off, Lucy,

Edmund's sister,

pleads with

Aslan.

She says,

can anything

be done to

save Edmund?

Aslan replies,

all shall be

done, but it

may be harder

than you

think.

Aslan sends

out his

soldiers to

rescue Edmund

and he's

reconciled to

his siblings,

to Aslan.

But not

long after,

the white

witch approaches

their camp.

She points

to Edmund

and she

says to

Aslan,

you know

that every

traitor

belongs to

me as

my lawful

prey and

that I

have a

right to

kill.

Aslan

can do

nothing.

Aslan

knows she's

right.

According to

the laws

of Narnia,

Edmund

deserves to

die for

what he

has done.

But he

takes the

witch aside

and he

sends everyone

else away

and after

a long

discussion

he turns

around and

he says,

I have

settled the

matter.

The witch

has renounced

the claim

on your

brother's

blood.

She skips

away with

a smile

on her

face.

No one

realizing

that Aslan

had agreed

to climb

the hill

later that

night and

allow himself

to be

bound onto

the stone

table and

killed in

Edmund's

place.

Edmund's

reconciliation

came at

the greatest

cost to

the king.

Isn't

that a

picture of

how Jesus,

the true

king,

died for

traitors and

rebels like

us?

We who

betrayed his

love.

But our

king was

too powerful

for death

to hold

him down.

After paying

our debt

of sin,

he rose

from the

dead and

our king

is really

alive today.

we are a

new creation

raised to

new life

in him

with a

new identity

reconciled

to God

and a

new purpose

sharing the

message of

Jesus.

And Edmund,

he shows us

what this new

reconciled life

is like because

right at the

end of the

story,

he rides out

into battle

against the

white witch.

And what does

he cry at the

top of his

lungs?

for Aslan.

He couldn't

help but live

for the glory

of the one

who had

reconciled

him.

And neither

can we.

We live

for Jesus

who reconciled

us as

his

ambassadors

sharing the

message of

how Jesus

can reconcile

others as

well.

Let the

echo of our

days be

for Jesus

our King.

Let's pray.

Let's pray.

Father, remind

us that we

are a new

creation in

Christ.

Where we

doubt that we

have really

changed,

remind us

that everything

has changed.

Help us to

live in our

new identity

as those

reconciled to

God and

safe with

him forever.

Help us to

live in our

new purpose of

sharing that

message as

your ambassadors.

Challenge us

to share it

boldly and

clearly,

knowing you

go with us

and you

have given

us authority

to speak

on your

behalf.

Fill us

with your

Holy Spirit

as we go

out into

this week

into the

places that

you have

sent us.

Amen.

Amen.

We're going

to sing

another song.

It's called

When I

Survey.

Play.

And this

song talks

about what

it caused

our king

to reconcile

us to God.

And it

finishes with

our right

response to

him.

Please

stand as

we sing.

Thank you.

Amen.