Together again

Bible passage:  2 Cor  5:14-6:2

Been looking at what the Bible says about being saved – been through different ideas in the OT and the NT. Today we take another key word the Bible uses about receiving God’s saving love: reconciliation.

Our passage in 2 Cor 5:17 has two parts to it: the importance of being reconciled with God and the importance of being with one another.

In Jesus we are made one with God and in Jesus we are made one with each other and all Christians. As with everything to with being saved the source of it is Jesus:

1 John 2:2: "Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

The Bible world atone simply means “at one” – Jesus made us “at-one” with God.

On the cross, He was not concerned with revenge or saving Himself from the cross, but He said, "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing”.

In His suffering, he was not thinking of himself, but he was focused on His mission as the payment for the transgressions of a wicked and sinful world. Law had not convinced man to repent, so now grace through faith in Christ was to be the method of restoring the right relationship between God and man.

What’s reconciliation all about? – four points:

1. Reconciliation is motivated by love

John 13:35: "Everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another"

So, the motivation and the fruit of true reconciliation is love. God reconciles us to himself because he loves us. If we have been reconciled to God, we are to love and serve Him. Then we are to take that love and make it real by being reconciled to others – especially those in our church.

2. Reconciliation does not try to blame anyone.

God sought out reconciliation with us even though it wasn’t his fault.

Romans 5:8-10: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us… if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

Applies to our salvation – has to apply to the way we treat others – being willing to make peace with people even if it’s their fault.

3. Reconciliation forgets as well as forgives

v. 19 “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them”

God forgives and forgets the past – past is gone when we are saved. Doesn’t just act as if he forgets – he forgets!

God’s concern is not our past, but our future. Before we are saved, God’s concern deals with whether or not we accept His covenant of grace.
When we become born again, God’s concern is whether or not we are committed to serve Him.

Reconciled with others have to forget the past.

4. Reconciliation aims to restore relationships

God’s aim of reconciliation is to have the fellowship between God and people restored. Our aim of seeking reconciliation among ourselves is to have our fellowship restored – so that others may see the reconciliation of God in our life, leading others to reconciliation with God themselves.

That’s what reconciliation is all about – question is whether we are willing to do what God has done and be agents of his reconciliation in the world.

V. 19-20 "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 are to be his ambassadors of reconciliation.

We have been reconciled to God and now we have lead others to His reconciliation given through His Son Jesus. As these ambassadors, we are also to be reconciled among ourselves.

Matthew 5:23-25 says that unresolved conflicts in the church will hinder stop us serving Jesus. It tells us to first be reconciled to our brother, then offer the gift at the altar.

Why people don’t go to church:
Church survey asked people in the community why they don’t go to church.

Eight reasons in reverse order:

8. I don’t believe in God, or I am unsure that God exists. 12%
7. Church services are irrelevant to the way I live. 34%
6. Church services are usually boring. 36%
5. Churches ask for money too much. 40%
4. I’m simply not interested. 42%
3. I don’t have the time. 48%
2. There is no value in attending. 74%
1. Churches have too many problems. 81%

Most people we don’t have to convince them that God is exists – we have to show people that God loves them and that Christians are okay.

Reconciling community, loving, forgiving, compassionate, eager to help, not judging people but accepting them, showing God’s love and concern.

When God made reconciliation with people through Jesus he wasn’t trying to say, "See? I told you I was right". He just loved us and loves us so much that he wants to see the whole world restored to a right relationship with him.
Reconciliation is more than wanting to restore fellowship. It’s taking that first step.