It's so good to be here with you all this morning.
I on behalf of my family. I'd like to say that we are so
happy to be able to be here with family friends.
Those I haven't seen in a very long time, You may count it your
constitutional right? To gather here to worship, which
it is in this country. But it's much more than that.
It's much more than just a constitutional ride.
It is a privilege of ours to be able to be here to be able to
gather together as Brothers and Sisters in Christ and worship
our Lord. Worship.
Our God. Our God truly has given us so
many gifts, so many things to be thankful for in our lives every
single day. But this morning, I'd like to
talk to you about one gift. One thing that we hear of word
that we're familiar with its simple.
But on the other hand, it can be very complicated and can turn
into a study, that takes an entire lifetime and and really
beyond that, something that we might never truly fully
comprehend. And that is the topic of
reconciliation. We know that reconciliation is
good. We're happy.
When Children are reconciled to their parents when husbands are
reconciled to their wives when brothers and sisters, come
together and reconcile with each other, for the first time in
years. Every time we hear something
like that, that's great. We're very happy to hear that
people reconcile with each other.
And how much better it is in reconciliation with God.
That's a big word, six syllables.
But as we entered as I just said, it's it's some kind of a
simple idea. That relationship between man
and God is even bigger than the word sick.
Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 18, and 19 tells us and
all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by
Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation to wit that God was in Christ.
Reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them. It has committed unto us, the
word of reconciliation and we'll do our best this morning to try
and explain this huge topic. This big thing in a tiny
nutshell will simplify it as best as we possibly can, and I
hope the Lord willing, you can take something away from this or
be strengthened by it. Reconciliation means to restore
Harmony between two parties. Your according to Webster's
Dictionary, the renewal of a friendship.
So first of all, the word reconciliation itself, we
learned that all men and women were at one time.
Time at peace with God to be reconciled means that at one
time, there was a good relationship there.
But that relationship at some point or another has fallen as
Fallen apart. Well, when was this, when were
men and women at peace with God, when were we able to be in that
relationship? What has to be a time of
Innocence? There has to be a time of
innocence in our lives and that would be perhaps in our
childhood and Mark chapter 10 and verse 14 and 15.
It says, but when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased and said
unto them suffer, the little children to come unto me and
forbid them. Not for of such is the kingdom
of God, verily. I say unto you whosoever shall
not receive the kingdom of God as a little child.
He shall not enter Are there in now?
There are many. In fact, I believe the majority
of those who consider themselves to be Protestant believers.
They believe in something called total hereditary depravity but
we are not depraved as children. We were innocent according to
the Lord Jesus, I know that sometimes my daughter can cause
me some grief and some trouble, but I know that she's sweet.
And innocent. She doesn't mean any ill will
buy anything that she does yet. But at one time that word
reconciliation tells us that while we were innocent.
It also tells us that there was a time when we decided to do
wrong while we were innocent at one time.
We once also chose to do wrong in our wrongdoing, took away our
innocence. It took away, our good standing
relationship with God. The Father, we were no longer in
harmony with him. Romans chapter 3.
And verse 23, says that all have sinned and fallen short of the
glory of God, Isaiah chapter, 59, and verse 2, says that
iniquities or sins, our sins separate.
Us. They separate Mankind from God.
It was of our own choosing that is to say it was our own doing.
It's our fault. It's not God's fault.
It's on us. As a true holy and righteous
being God, literally cannot have a relationship with sin or with
one who does sing, but God wants that he so eagerly earnestly
wants to have a relationship with all Sinners with us with
you. And with me, And because of
that, we're so thankful that even though we disobeyed him,
even though we turn our back on him and disobeyed his will, we
are thankful that God took the necessary step to restore our
relationship with him to wash our sins away, making it
possible to be reconciled to him.
And that's probably the most important thing that I want to
point out this morning to you. Is that this Is God's gift.
The reconciliation we did nothing to deserve it.
God didn't have to give it to us if he didn't want to.
It is a it is completely a gift. From God.
Paul wrote in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 20 through 23, and
having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to
reconcile, all things unto himself by him.
I say, whether they be things in Earth or things in heaven, and
you, that were some time, alienated at that were
sometimes, alienated and enemies in your mind by Wicked Works yet
now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through
death, to present you, holy and unblameable and Unruh provable
in his sight. If you continue in the faith,
grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the
Gospel, which ye have heard and which was preached to every
creature, which is under heaven. Where for I, Paul am made a
minister on. That is why we are here this
morning, that's why we we've gathered here.
It is our blessed privilege. It is a gift to be able to stand
together as the Lord's Church. A reconciled body to God in
peace and harmony with him to worship.
And to praise the one who has made our Salvation from sin
possible. John chapter 3 and verse 16 is a
well-known verse that we cling to and that we we love because
of the truth that is found there in for God.
So loved the world. He gave his only begotten.
Son, that whosoever believes in Him.
Should not perish. But have everlasting life.
It was Jesus, it was Jesus shedding of blood.
It was Jesus. Brutal death on the cross that
made reconciliation with God possible.
We'll take our last reading this morning from Ephesians chapter 2
and verse 16 through 22, where the Apostle wrote and that he
might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having
slain the enmity, thereby and came and preached.
Peace to you which were afar off or Gentiles and to them that
were nigh or Jews for through him.
We both have access by one Spirit unto the The father.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners but
fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God and
are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets.
Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Cornerstone in whom all
the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an Holy
Temple in the Lord in whom ye also are builded together.
Foreign habitation of God through the spirit, that one
body that Paul wrote of is the church.
The body is the Church of Christ, which is United, it is
United, both Jew, and Gentile to God as one people.
As Christians. And all who came in that one
body, the church, they all came in the same way.
They were all reconciled to God by God's plan.
By the gospel Plan of Salvation, the way taught in the holy word
of God. But perhaps you were here and
you are not a Christian, perhaps you have not received that great
gift of God, you have not been reconciled to him and if you
have not, then you are living in sin.
Why don't you choose to be reconciled to God?
Then you have heard. The word is Romans chapter 10
and verse 17 says. So, then faith comes by hearing
and hearing by the word of God. Now, you must believe is Jesus
said in John, chapter 8, and verse 24.
I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins.
If you believe not that, I am he ye shall die in your sins.
Then you need to repent of your past sins acts, Jack chapter 17
and verse 30 says, and the times of this ignorance, God winked
at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
Then we confess then you confess and believe, Jesus is the son of
God just as the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 and verse 37.
And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart,
thou mayest Mayest. And he answered and said, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And then, according to the scripture, you must be immersed
in water. Baptized for the remission of
your sins. Mark chapter 16 and verse 16
says he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he
that believeth not shall be damned or perhaps you were
already a Christian. Perhaps, you have been
reconciled to God, but you have sinned in some way and you want
to make that relationship right again.
You want to be in peace in, good standing with god.
Well, the Bible says that it, if you come forward, confess your
sins will pray with you and for you.
And God is just and willing to forgive We thank you for
listening to our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15
plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
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