The Message of Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5: 16-19

How many of us make New Year’s resolutions?  How many of us make resolutions all year long?

“Okay, Monday I’m going to start eating better.  Or, tomorrow I’m going to get up early and exercise.”

We all tend to set goals, whether they be big or small, that often don’t make it past a few days and then we end up starting all over again.

“I mean it this time!  It’ll be different now, I swear!”

I do this a lot and not just with diet and exercise.  I do it with relationships, devotional time, educational goals and career objectives.

So why don’t my goals “stick?”  Why am I not transformed from old to new??

In all the times I’ve attempted to better myself or try something new, I’ve never really acknowledged the message of reconciliation.  I’ve beaten myself up.  I’ve tried on my own and hindered my progress.

Maybe it wasn’t that I failed to reach my goals, but I missed the mark in recognizing God’s necessary contributions to my success.

It comes down to reconciliation.  “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them” (v.19).  He gave the world a new start through forgiveness.

I normally don’t turn to Wikipedia in my devotions, but when I searched reconciliation, this is what I found…  Reconciliation is the end of the estrangement, caused by original sin, between God and humanity. Evangelical theologian Philip Ryken describes reconciliation in this way; "It is part of the message of Salvation that brings us back together with God... God is the author, Christ is the agent and we are the ambassadors of reconciliation.

Reconciliation is key.  It’s where we get the strength, the determination, the drive to acknowledge and carry out His plans for us.  It is through reconciliation that we are transformed and brought back into relationship with God.  We are human and will continue to sin, but we worship a God who loves us and wants to make us new each day and will continue to transform us, as long as we let Him.

Father, I need you.  I don’t want to be estranged from you because it’s through our relationship that I’m able to accomplish what you have planned.  Save me from myself and make me new each day.  Amen

Charlottesville Justice

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

On August 13 of this year, there was a deadly incident that occurred after two days of protests, counter-protests and confrontations. It ended with a young woman being struck and killed by a white supremacist who purposefully drove his car into a crowd. No matter where you turn today, the battle for justice seems to be lost.

The same was true during Jesus’ lifetime. He was born into a world where the invading Romans ruthlessly ruled and the Jewish religious leaders imposed their legalistic interpretation of the law, which was used to control the masses. It was used to judge and condemn. There was no mercy or grace.

Into this world, Jesus made a point of healing those who others would never touch. He didn’t differentiate who he loved based on their nationality, ethnicity or religion. He didn’t care whether you lived in poverty or were wealthy and powerful. He showed

justice for all.

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”   Luke 4:18-19 NIV

 God has instructed us that it is more important to live justly than to be religious.

⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.   Micah 6:8 NIV

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15, that because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the battle for justice in our own life is already won! Now it is up to us, to share that Good News justice with the world; to show God’s love and forgiveness to those who He has brought into our lives.

  

⁵⁶ For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. ⁵⁷ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.       NLT

⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers, since future victory is sure, be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection.   TLB

Act Now - Malachi 4:1-6

I was reading a devotional this morning and was stopped by this comment about relationships.  "In the intensive care waiting room the world changes."  Many of you reading this can understand what it means.  I know I can, but if not for the 'waiting room' experiences of almost a year ago, I probably couldn't.

"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them." (Malachi 4:1)
Do we place too much value on feelings?  Feelings aren't facts, as they say in 12-step recovery rooms.  Our painful memories aren't accurate or at the very least no longer relevant. In the waiting rooms of life we find that grudges disappear, past hurts fade and hearts are healed.  Why should it take a waiting room experience to find peace and to give love a second chance?

God is instructing us to cast aside our arrogant ways and embrace our relationships, appreciating the fact they may only be for a season.  God is preparing us for eternity with Him, but we have to learn how to love each other so we can love Him.

"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:2)

Read the Malachi 4:1-6 text here.  Listen to a reading of the  text here.

Reconciliation - Isaiah 2:1-5

Raise your face to God – turn your

Eyes to Heaven

Consume yourself with love

Only God can heal your hearts

Never allow pettiness to reign

Consider there may be no tomorrow

Isaiah tells of a time of peace

Last days are approaching

Invite your enemy to dine with you

Allow forgiveness to rule your life

Train for war no more

Illuminate the world with Light

Outstretch your arms to embrace

Nations of peoples unite

He'll settle things fairly between nations.
He'll make things right between many peoples.
They'll turn their swords into shovels,
their spears into hoes.
No more will nation fight nation;
they won't play war anymore.
Come, family of Jacob,
let's live in the light of God. (Isaiah 2:4-5)

Read the Isaiah 2:1-5 text here.  Listen to a reading of the text here.

Genesis 33:1-10

This story makes me smile.  I hope you had a chance to read the chapters between 27 and 33 because they are filled with life and struggles.  They lead up to this climactic meeting between brothers; one feeling guilty from the deception he performed years earlier, the other full of love and forgiveness.  He is anxious to see his brother and get caught up.

What a party there must have been that evening.  How many times in our lives do we let our pride, or fear, get in the way of doing the right thing?  How many sleepless nights have we given up to tossing and turning in our guilt and shame?

"But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept." (Genesis 33:4)

If this scene were a Hollywood production, this is where the slow motion camera would zoom in on first one then the other brother as they closed in on each other.  Can you see the family of Jacob watching in fear and then smiles slowing breaking across their faces?  I love the visual the words in Genesis 33 provide the reader.  Love in action, the love of God coming out in his servant, Esau.  

Does this make you just chomp at the bit to call you brother you may be estranged from?  Don't you want to knock on your sister's door and give her a big hug?  Go ahead, it isn't too late.  Take it from one who knows, while I was not at odds with my sisters, distance kept us from having a close and meaningful relationship.  That has all changed now and I know it is part of God's big plan for us.  Years ago I claimed Jeremiah 33:3 and God is working now.


Read the Genesis 33:1-10 text here.  Listen to a reading of the text here.

Ministry of Reconciliation 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Today’s passage uses a form of the word reconcile three different times, so I looked up the definition of, to reconcile. An online dictionary gave me the definitions of, “to become friendly with (someone) after estrangement or to reestablish friendly relations (between two or more) people. It also said, to make two (apparently conflicting things) compatible or consistent with each other.”

Our passage today says, “And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us.”

When sin entered the world we were no longer compatible with God. We were estranged, unable to have a friendly relationship with our Creator because He couldn’t be in the company of sin. That is why Christ came and died. His death, reestablished our friendly relationship with God.

Our passage today says that we have the responsibility as Christ’s ambassadors to share this message of forgiveness and love. It is not an easy message at times. There are days when we around some who don’t want to hear the message. God still wants us to preserver. Don’t give up. Remember Christ did the hard work of dying, all we have to do is love people.

Read today's passage at Biblegateway 2 Corinthians 5:11-21