1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:03,520 All right. Second Corinthians chapter 5, 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,960 verses 17 to 21. The Bible says, therefore, if 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,480 any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 4 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,600 Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:23,640 new, and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:28,200 himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:33,280 reconciliation, to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the 8 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:38,800 world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and 9 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,520 hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,520 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did 11 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:51,320 beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead be 12 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:57,040 reconciled to God, for He hath made Him to be sin for us who 13 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:02,120 knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in 14 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,599 him. Today we're going to deal with 15 00:01:04,599 --> 00:01:10,360 this subject of reconciliation. We will see first and point #1 16 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:18,840 if you're following along the work of reconciliation, the work 17 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:25,280 of reconciliation, see something had to happen for man to be 18 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,440 reconciled to God. And you maybe didn't know this, 19 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:35,120 but this is your greatest need. If you could maybe think about 20 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,720 what does the world need or what do I need? 21 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:44,400 We all want security, money, purpose. 22 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,040 We all want to fix the planet, make it a better place, make 23 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:49,400 America great again, or whatever. 24 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:52,800 You know, I don't mean to be political, but we all want 25 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,640 things to improve. And what really is the thing 26 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,120 that will improve society? Is it reform? 27 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,920 What really will fix my life? Is it more income? 28 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:07,440 And your greatest need, whether you want to admit it or not, is 29 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,000 that you need to be reconciled to your Creator. 30 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,480 This word reconciled is used multiple times in verse 18. 31 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,640 Who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ in verse 32 00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:22,800 19, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto 33 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:28,680 himself. And in verse 20 the request is 34 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,440 be reconciled to God. This is your greatest need. 35 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,640 So just in case you aren't familiar with the word, maybe 36 00:02:35,640 --> 00:02:38,000 it's been a long time since you've been to English class. 37 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,960 The word reconcile is to conciliate anew, to 38 00:02:42,920 --> 00:02:46,840 reconciliate, to call back into union and friendship the 39 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:52,600 affections which have been alienated, to restore after 40 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,520 estrangement. Maybe you see some of those 41 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:01,080 words and think that's that's pretty intense to think that I 42 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,680 need to be restored to God. Most people think they're a good 43 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:10,000 person, but the the reality is that we need to be conciliate 44 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,800 with God and we are alienated. As it says, that's a pretty 45 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,720 intense word as well. We are estranged as in we don't 46 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,880 by nature have a relationship. We may understand who he is. 47 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,520 He's certainly at work in our life and in the the whole world. 48 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,200 But as far as connection in relationship goes, the Bible 49 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,680 uses a couple of those words. Alienated is a Bible word. 50 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,680 Colossians chapter 1 In Colossians one it mentions the 51 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,720 the previous life of a Christian before you were saved, that you 52 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:50,240 were alienated and enemies. Yet now hath he reconciled, you 53 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,240 have been conciliate again. Romans chapter 5 similar 54 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,960 language. When we were enemies, we were 55 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,440 reconciled to God by the death of his Son. 56 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,800 This isn't just that you're kind of a good enough person to get 57 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,280 to heaven. The standard is holiness and all 58 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,680 have fallen short. We are all enemies of God until 59 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:14,400 we are saved. So I put it to you this way in 60 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,720 your notes. We must know that we are lost 61 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,120 and separated from God to be saved. 62 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,280 If you don't think you need saving, then the gospel will not 63 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:33,680 really have much value to you. And maybe you've met people like 64 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,160 that. You try to share the gospel with 65 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:36,720 them and they're like, Nah, I'm fine, I'm good. 66 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:38,120 I think I'll make it to heaven anyway. 67 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:43,040 On their own merit, not on the merit of Christ. 68 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,320 So you, so people need to understand their lostness. 69 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,280 That's your greatest need. Secondly, you need to know that 70 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:56,080 Jesus did all the work for you to be reconciled to God. 71 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,440 Many of us would think, I have things that I've done, if we're 72 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,160 honest with ourselves, I've had things that I've done that I'm 73 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,200 ashamed of or I know I shouldn't have done, and maybe I need to 74 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,560 atone in some way. And what we find, the good news 75 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:14,360 of the gospel is that you can't atone somebody atone for you. 76 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,360 You don't have to try to make up for all of your past sins. 77 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:22,680 Now, if you are in relationship with other people and you've 78 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,240 done things wrong, you should apologize. 79 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,960 You should get right, you know, do what you know to do. 80 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,000 But as far as being in right fellowship with God, there is 81 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,480 nothing you can do to restore the breach of being an 82 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,800 adversary. It had to be done for you. 83 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:43,280 So first we see that Jesus takes all of your sin. 84 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,360 This verse in verse #21 is absolutely amazing. 85 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,440 The Bible says, For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no 86 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:57,720 sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 87 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:04,200 This is this is the greatest deal of all time. 88 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:08,480 Like if you're thinking about game shows like Deal or No Deal, 89 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,000 or if you're hip and modern and you're thinking about Mr. Beast, 90 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,640 who would I betray for $1,000,000, right? 91 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,400 This on the have you seen the show? 92 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,280 You know, they put up people against all these different 93 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,840 things and there's money or choose your friends and but it's 94 00:06:24,840 --> 00:06:26,080 a game show. These people don't know each 95 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:27,200 other. It's like choose the money. 96 00:06:27,280 --> 00:06:29,720 Come on, it's 1,000,000 bucks, right? 97 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,840 No, that's just, that's how I look at it. 98 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:36,200 It's a game, but there is no greater deal. 99 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,480 There is nothing that anyone could give you. 100 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:43,480 There is no exchange that you could ever make that's greater 101 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:50,240 than the exchange of the cross. That every single thing you've 102 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:54,240 ever done wrong was placed on Jesus, for he hath made him to 103 00:06:54,240 --> 00:07:01,360 be sin for us. John calls Jesus the Lamb of 104 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,600 God, which takes away the sin of the world. 105 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,040 The book of Galatians, the Bible, says that he gave himself 106 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,720 for our sins. So Jesus is death on the cross. 107 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:17,120 It's not just accident, it's not political, it's not whoopsie. 108 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,000 It was an intentional, intentional laying down of his 109 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:26,600 life for us. Hebrews tells us that he 110 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:30,320 appeared once in the end of the world to put away sin by the 111 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:36,040 sacrifice of himself. So when you watch the Passion, 112 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:40,320 when you remember Easter and you think about the crucifixion, you 113 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:45,120 can know that the thing that put Jesus on the cross was your sin. 114 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:53,960 Certainly it was the Romans, the Jews, but also we're responsible 115 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,600 as well. He took it upon himself. 116 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,760 So he takes all of your sin, and this is the exchange. 117 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,920 He gives you all of his righteousness. 118 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:15,160 Verse 21 that that we might be made the righteousness of God. 119 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,840 This is absolutely incredible that we might be made righteous. 120 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,360 You see you, you have, you aren't righteous, you have to be 121 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,000 made righteous. And when God makes you 122 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,360 righteous, it's greater than anything anybody else can do. 123 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,480 Verse 19 says not imputing their trespasses unto them. 124 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:40,520 So God is no longer taking your trespass or your sin onto you. 125 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,799 It's now been placed onto Christ. 126 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:47,360 So that word impute is probably not a word you use everyday. 127 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:55,200 So to impute is to reckon, to properly set or to put. 128 00:08:55,520 --> 00:09:00,880 It comes from the Latin word input O or to put in to input, 129 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:02,560 right? It's that simple. 130 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:07,120 You see it, right? So what God does is He no longer 131 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:11,560 puts your sin on you. Instead He exchanges that and He 132 00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:17,720 puts righteousness into you. We see this in Psalm 32. 133 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,200 This is quoted in Romans chapter 4. 134 00:09:21,560 --> 00:09:24,080 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose 135 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:27,080 sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the 136 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:32,400 Lord imputeth, not iniquity. So it's no longer on your 137 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:39,840 account, it has been reconciled, cleared and instead God imputes 138 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,560 something else to you. As Abraham is a picture for us 139 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:49,800 in Romans chapter 4, it says for us also like Abraham, to whom it 140 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,520 shall be imputed if we believe. So. 141 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:55,000 You can go read Romans chapter 4. 142 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,280 Maybe that's some homework for you. 143 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,880 The example of Abraham is that he trusted God by faith, and 144 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,640 because of his faith, God put righteousness into Abraham to 145 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:07,360 say I'm counting him righteousness because he 146 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,960 believed me. And that's the same thing for 147 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:15,480 us. It is our faith that puts God's 148 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:20,760 righteousness in us, not because we're deserving based on the 149 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,680 merit of our faith. So I put it to you this way in 150 00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:28,240 your notes that rightness with God is only obtained through 151 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:38,320 faith in the Gospel. Rightness with God is only 152 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,960 obtained through faith in the gospel. 153 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:47,160 So so far, this is how you are saved. 154 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:53,240 Atonement was made on the cross. If you take the greatest deal of 155 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:57,040 all time, your sin is placed on Jesus and God gives you his 156 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,240 righteousness. And when you choose to believe 157 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,480 by faith, I believe that Jesus died, buried, was buried, and 158 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,280 rose again. I call him Lord God, forgive me, 159 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,480 put my sin on Jesus. I want to be righteous. 160 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:11,680 I want to be saved. When you choose to do that, 161 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:18,640 there's a result that happens. The results of reconciliation. 162 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:28,120 You will forever be changed. It is an unchangeable change 163 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:31,520 because it was made by God. You were made righteous. 164 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,080 So let's look at this change that we see here in verse 17. 165 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,480 It says therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. 166 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:45,160 Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become 167 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:49,040 new. So the Christian that believes 168 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:53,280 the gospel that's taken the deal you're on Mr. Beast and you said 169 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:55,520 I want the 1,000,000 bucks. I don't care about my friends. 170 00:11:55,800 --> 00:12:00,480 I'm in on Jesus right. You have a new nature. 171 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:07,360 This isn't just a new religion. It's not just a pattern of good 172 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,440 works. I've got to attend church 173 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:14,080 because I'm supposed to. Something changed inside of you 174 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,320 the moment that you believed. So there's three things I want 175 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:19,840 you to see here. We'll hit them briefly, but 176 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,600 first you are placed into Christ. 177 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,040 You are in Christ. This is in verse 17. 178 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:35,320 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, this is just absolutely 179 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:40,360 amazing that God places you into His Son. 180 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,240 We see that a similar passage, Ephesians chapter 2 says that we 181 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,840 are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. 182 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,640 So that word created is very simple, similar to the concept 183 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,920 here in 2nd Corinthians 5 that you're a new creature. 184 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,200 Here it says you're recreated again. 185 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:09,160 You are created in Christ Jesus. Secondly, we see that you are 186 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:20,370 passed away. We can just have a funeral right 187 00:13:20,370 --> 00:13:25,370 now. Let's just do it next week. 188 00:13:25,370 --> 00:13:27,010 I'll do that. I'll wear all my I have funeral 189 00:13:27,010 --> 00:13:28,890 attire. I call it like funeral shoes and 190 00:13:28,890 --> 00:13:30,570 stuff that's like just all black. 191 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,560 My wife likes when I give clothes away and clear my closet 192 00:13:35,560 --> 00:13:39,320 out and we purge things, right? And she pointed to those and I 193 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:40,600 was like, those are my funeral shoes. 194 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,640 They can't go away. I need what if someone dies? 195 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,920 I need black shoes. But let's just imagine you're 196 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,520 right here. You're in a casket in the front 197 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,840 of the room. We all come to grieve. 198 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:59,800 We mourn the loss today of you. Old things are passed away. 199 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:12,290 Whoever you think you are, Romans chapter 6 says that we 200 00:14:12,290 --> 00:14:15,010 are buried with him by baptism into death. 201 00:14:17,730 --> 00:14:20,410 This is how we identify with Jesus in the the water of 202 00:14:20,410 --> 00:14:23,250 baptism. It's not the act of baptism, but 203 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,520 the act of baptism represents the spiritual reality that when 204 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,120 I chose to believe, I became a new creature and what happened 205 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,640 to me is I'm actually buried with Christ into death. 206 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:40,160 It goes on to say that our old man, who I used to be, I'm 207 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:47,880 actually crucified with him. Well, that's hard to accept, 208 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,800 isn't it? Obviously you're still alive. 209 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,320 You should stay alive. That'd be good. 210 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,920 We're talking about the submission of yourself to God 211 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,200 and the acceptance of the new creature that God made you to 212 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:04,080 be. Just by way of example for me, 213 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,800 some things that that looked like when I became a Christian, 214 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:12,160 sort of following God and his word, I brought to the table 215 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:16,640 about the time I was being discipled A threefold options 216 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,480 for my life. I was going to be a professional 217 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:24,240 video gamer. I played competitively. 218 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,600 I thought I was good. And the Lord just totally shut 219 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:30,120 that down. I was in a death metal band. 220 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,760 I can still play guitar, but I'm not the Lord just shut all that 221 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,680 down. And I thought I had a career 222 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,640 path, that I no longer have that career path anymore either. 223 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,240 And certainly it's not wrong to do things with your life, enjoy 224 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:50,560 your life, do things. But our, our entire identity 225 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:52,280 changes when we become a Christian. 226 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:55,760 It all gets surrendered and crucified to say God, you tell 227 00:15:55,760 --> 00:16:00,320 me who you want me to be. My old man has passed away. 228 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,760 And that's bad news. But good news is that you are 229 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,040 made new. There's a new you. 230 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,600 You don't have to worry about grieving the loss of the old 231 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,880 you. The new and improved 1 is 232 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:17,480 absolutely better, just infinitely better because he's 233 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,240 eternally better. The new you is saved. 234 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:25,800 You have eternal life man. I mean you have victory over 235 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:30,480 sin. Verse 17 says he is a new 236 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:35,360 creature. All things are become new. 237 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:41,760 All things are of God. This is essentially the rebirth 238 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,280 of you. If you might wonder, you know, 239 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:49,760 you watch like TV or something or video games or whatever it 240 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,160 is. They use rebirth as like the the 241 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,760 thing that happens to to change and create or develop a new 242 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:58,160 thing or spin something off again. 243 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:03,080 And it's really all just ripping off Jesus in John chapter 3 when 244 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:07,839 he says accept a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom 245 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:09,839 of God. This is the born again 246 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:15,960 experience salvation that when we're born a second time through 247 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:19,920 faith in the gospel, God gives us his Holy Spirit to 248 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,760 permanently indwell us and identify us with him, to be 249 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,119 conciliate and reconciled back to him. 250 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,680 We become a new person. Your personality might even 251 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,600 change. I know when I was lost, I had 252 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,640 taken personality tests that were one thing, and as I began 253 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:43,120 to follow the Lord, I started to realize maybe I'm not the way I 254 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:47,320 thought I was. You, you might still retain some 255 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,640 of your personality. By the way, God retains that. 256 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,960 When you read the Psalms, you see King David's personality 257 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,560 through the Psalms. He cares very much about your 258 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:57,720 life and your experiences. And he can we'll talk in a 259 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:02,600 moment about using those things, but we need to believe God when 260 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,960 He says that all things are become new. 261 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:10,720 We need to step into the new creature and the new creature. 262 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,480 Lastly, we'll see today has a new purpose. 263 00:18:22,110 --> 00:18:27,230 If you believe the gospel is true, you have something else to 264 00:18:27,230 --> 00:18:28,830 do with your life than what you used to do. 265 00:18:31,710 --> 00:18:37,710 You now live your life just one moment. 266 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:52,720 All right, we got it. So you have a new purpose in 267 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:54,200 verse. Read verse 20 with me. 268 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,480 In Second Corinthians chapter 5 it says, Now then we are 269 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:00,880 ambassadors for Christ. As though God did beseech you by 270 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,840 us. We pray you in Christ's stead be 271 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:08,480 reconciled to God. So who wrote this? 272 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,760 The book of Second Corinthians is written by the apostle Paul. 273 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:17,120 It's written to a church in Corinth, essentially Greece that 274 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:21,000 he he planted prior to this. This is the second technically 275 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,600 the 3rd letter that he's written to them and he's talking about 276 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:28,840 himself here with the other apostles or his ministry team. 277 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,720 When he says we are ambassadors for Christ, he's talking about 278 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,320 him visiting Corinth with that. The message that I shared with 279 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:40,760 you in .1 the the God was in Jesus reconciling the world unto 280 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:44,440 himself. So he says we came as 281 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:49,640 representatives of Jesus to you as though God did beseech you by 282 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:53,640 us. So he said God is hitting you up 283 00:19:53,640 --> 00:20:02,520 and he's using us as we come to you and this is now your life as 284 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:06,880 a Christian. We no longer have apostles that 285 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,800 are outgoing, wild and crazy planting churches doing 286 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:15,440 miracles. We now have Christians, we are 287 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:19,280 ambassadors for Christ. So this new purpose that you 288 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,000 have is twofold. We'll see today. 289 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:31,720 First is to become a minister. It says in verse 18 and and hath 290 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:36,320 given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 291 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:44,480 So those of us that believe we have a ministry of service to go 292 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,360 to other people and see them reconciled unto God the same way 293 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,440 as we were, It says we are ambassadors for Christ. 294 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,920 And I'll tell you what, the lost world will never preach the 295 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:01,120 gospel. People that are not born again 296 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:05,120 do not care about the gospel. If Christian people don't share 297 00:21:05,120 --> 00:21:11,880 the gospel, nobody will. Who is going to be saved in your 298 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:20,840 neighborhood, in your Co working space, in your family, unless 299 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:26,440 you share the gospel with them as though God did beseech you by 300 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:29,360 us. This is your new life. 301 00:21:29,360 --> 00:21:31,280 You're a minister. Congratulations. 302 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,800 You want to come up here? I'll get you my funeral garb. 303 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:36,400 I don't have one of those callers, but we'll get you a 304 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,880 caller if you want one. Welcome to the ministry. 305 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:42,920 This is what Jesus taught us, didn't he? 306 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,800 The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister 307 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:49,680 and to give his life a ransom for many. 308 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,640 So no doubt we we want you to come to church man, get 309 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,000 discipled and joy being ministered too. 310 00:21:56,520 --> 00:22:00,200 But you got to get equipped because you have a ministry even 311 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,840 in your own life. We all do. 312 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:07,240 I want to point to an an example. 313 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:11,960 In first Corinthians chapter 16, Paul mentions these folks, the 314 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,400 House of Stefanus. He says that they have addicted 315 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,720 themselves to the ministry of the Saints. 316 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:23,440 I just think what a phrase for the Bible to use the word 317 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:29,920 addicted. Like I can't get enough of 318 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:34,280 serving other people of the ministry of reconciliation, of 319 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,040 sharing the gospel, of investing in others. 320 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:41,960 I I just can't stop. I think that should be true of 321 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,400 all of us. We maybe don't always feel like 322 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,200 it. We all need rest, absolutely. 323 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,080 We need to function within our gifting, no question. 324 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,600 But we can all seek other people out that they might be 325 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:55,400 reconciled. So I put it in your notes. 326 00:22:56,080 --> 00:23:02,360 How can we leverage our identity in Christ to reach others? 327 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:07,480 I might have put an extra word in there. 328 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:14,720 That one's free. But just think about for you, 329 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:24,000 how can you reach others? I know just this week I've been 330 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,520 praying, walking around my neighborhood, praying and 331 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,160 counting the houses and just thinking who's going to reach 332 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:33,720 them. And I got to confess, I don't 333 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:35,120 always want to be the one doing that. 334 00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:39,040 As much as I love the ministry, I really do, there is that 335 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:42,040 social thing of like trying to figure out, hey man, you you 336 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:47,520 need to get right with Jesus. It's not always easy for us to 337 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:48,880 do, but how can we leverage that? 338 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,880 How did God make you? What opportunities do you have? 339 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,360 And lastly, let's look at sharing with others. 340 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:02,520 Verse 19 says, so verse 18 says we're given a ministry. 341 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,720 Verse 19 says that we're committed the word of 342 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:10,560 reconciliation, the word of reconciliation. 343 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:14,520 See, the only way anybody's ever going to receive this message is 344 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:18,480 if it comes out of our mouth. I have a pastor friend in 345 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:22,120 Vancouver who would say that the gospel is still mouth to ear. 346 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,840 No matter how fancy we make it in digital, we make it. 347 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:28,160 We can't outsource it. We've got to just talk to 348 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:32,080 people, and really we need to talk to people with the Word of 349 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:33,920 God. Faith comes by hearing, hearing 350 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,960 by the Word of God. So we need to be pursuing 351 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:40,720 conversations that get us to the Scriptures so that the Word of 352 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,520 God can do the heavy lifting and convict of sin and open the eyes 353 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:46,640 of the blind for people to see Christ. 354 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,440 That might be intimidating for you, but I have it real easy for 355 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,600 you in your notes. At very least you have the 356 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:58,640 gospel. You maybe can't solve all of the 357 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:02,840 problems in the world. You maybe don't have a rebuttal 358 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:07,720 for every atheist or every complexity in the faith, but if 359 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:10,920 you know that there was an exchange made on the cross the 360 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:16,080 greatest deal of all time, that's enough. 361 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,160 If you don't have that, I think we have tracks. 362 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:21,880 I don't know if I have one with me. 363 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,160 Our tracks will help you out. You can just grab one of these. 364 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:26,760 You can cheat. It's totally fine. 365 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:29,160 You can cheat on the gospel, man. 366 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,720 It's OK. But if you have more, maybe 367 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:38,400 maybe you know more. You also have what you know of 368 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:42,560 the Bible. If you've been in church for any 369 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:46,520 length of time, you know enough to steward. 370 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:52,680 You can take people as far as you've been, and if you don't 371 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,760 know enough, this is what our personal discipleship ministry 372 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,880 is for. We want to take the Word of God 373 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:03,440 and then commit it to faithful men. 374 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:06,760 Let's get some doctrine into your life. 375 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,120 Let's give you answers to common questions. 376 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:11,480 How do I know that I'm saved? Am I saved forever? 377 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:13,240 Who's the Holy Spirit? What's communion? 378 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:14,880 What's baptism? What's a church? 379 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,520 What should I do with my life? We can give you the answers to 380 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:22,720 those questions and you can steward at least as much as you 381 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:29,480 have in your possession. But that's a lot for us today. 382 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,440 We saw the new creature. We saw we became the new 383 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:39,280 creature through the gospel. Let me ask you in a moment of 384 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,480 response. Well, we have another song here 385 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:48,440 in just a minute. What do I need to do today? 386 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,480 Has there been a time in your life that you chose to take this 387 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,080 deal the greatest deal of all time? 388 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,360 If not, it's a simple The Bible says that you believe in your 389 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:04,840 heart that Christ rose from the dead, and you confess with your 390 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:08,560 mouth that he is the Lord and you'll be saved. 391 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,760 You'll be changed just like that on a random Sunday night in 392 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:19,120 April. Maybe the new creature needs 393 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:22,000 some reckoning to figure out. What does it mean for old things 394 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,320 to be passed away? What does it mean to have all 395 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,920 new things in my life? I I don't even, I don't know if 396 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:32,960 I understand that. Maybe just tell that to the 397 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,080 Lord. What'd you do to me when you 398 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:43,960 save me, who am I? How about this week, if we go 399 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:48,040 from Sunday to Sunday and we never pursue anybody or share 400 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:49,840 the gospel with anybody, we're missing it. 401 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:55,320 Is there anybody in your life that you would just right now 402 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,840 have come to mind that you would say, man, I know I need to reach 403 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:02,440 out to that person. If they die right now, apart 404 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:04,640 from Christ that they're not going to go to heaven. 405 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,480 Or maybe you at least would surrender to God using you this 406 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:14,960 week. But how about us as a church? 407 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:22,040 If we consider the neighborhood we're in or the way in which 408 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:26,720 we're reaching the city, what does God have for us? 409 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:32,440 How can we be good ministers of reconciliation as a church? 410 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,600 How can we have the word of reconciliation and get it to 411 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:38,840 others? What does that look like? 412 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:41,640 We have opportunities this summer. 413 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,840 We have missions teams coming about 1 per month. 414 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:46,560 I think most of those are in your notes. 415 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:49,480 If you want to figure out your calendar, come and be present. 416 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,560 We're going to do evangelism together in the city on a 417 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,200 Saturday once a month. If you've never done it, just 418 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:00,360 come and watch and be a part. Or you can come and try. 419 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,800 That'd be awesome. But I'd like to give us a moment 420 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,760 now to pray. Let's just ask the Lord to 421 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:10,440 search you out if He's given you something already that you know 422 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:14,040 you need to do. Circle it, write it down, pray, 423 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:16,960 and then I'll lead us in a prayer and we'll have one more 424 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:18,480 song. So let's take a moment and pray.