Ambassadors of Hope: The Ministry of Reconciliation
Summary
In 2 Corinthians 5, we are reminded of the profound ministry of reconciliation that God has entrusted to us. This ministry is not just a task but a divine calling to be ambassadors for Christ, sharing the message that God is reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus. The world, filled with turmoil and strife, often causes us to lose heart. Yet, in the midst of this, we are called to be bearers of hope, sharing the good news that God has removed every barrier on His side through Christ, making reconciliation possible.
Reconciliation presupposes conflict, and the conflict between humanity and God is rooted in sin and rebellion. Despite our efforts to bridge this gap, the real barrier is the divine justice that stands against sin. This is why Jesus' sacrifice is central; He alone can deal with the divine justice that blocks the way to reconciliation. Jesus' death on the cross was not to make God love us but because God already loves us. In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting our sins against us.
This ministry is from God, for the world, and through us. God is actively engaged in reconciling the world, and He does this through us, His people. We are called to speak on behalf of Christ, imploring others to be reconciled to God. This is a ministry that requires humility, as we ourselves are sinners reconciled by grace. It also requires passion, as God Himself pleads through us, reaching out to a world in need of His love.
The story of Rey Abraham and his act of forgiveness illustrates the power of reconciliation. Despite personal tragedy, Rey extended forgiveness to the driver responsible for his wife's death, reflecting God's mercy and grace. This act of reconciliation is a powerful testimony of God's love and the transformative power of the gospel.
Key Takeaways:
- The ministry of reconciliation is a divine calling, reminding us that God is actively working to reconcile the world to Himself through Christ. This ministry is not about condemnation but about sharing the hope and love of God. [03:06]
- Reconciliation presupposes conflict, and the real barrier to reconciliation with God is divine justice. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross addresses this barrier, making reconciliation possible. [12:41]
- God's love is proactive and relentless. He is not a passive observer but actively engaged in reconciling the world to Himself. This ministry is from God, for the world, and through us. [19:21]
- As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to speak with humility and passion. Our own reconciliation with God should drive us to reach out to others with the same grace and mercy we have received. [27:21]
- The story of Rey Abraham exemplifies the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. It challenges us to extend grace to others, reflecting the heart of God who holds out His hands to a rebellious world. [39:01]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:16] - Introduction to the Series
[01:22] - The Troubled World
[02:28] - The Ministry of Reconciliation
[03:37] - The Gift of Ministry
[06:23] - Presupposing Conflict
[09:13] - The Problem of Divine Justice
[12:41] - Why Jesus is the Only Way
[14:31] - From God, For the World, Through Us
[19:21] - God's Relentless Love
[23:19] - God Speaks Through Us
[27:21] - Humility in Ministry
[29:31] - God's Appeal to Us
[36:39] - The Story of Rey Abraham
[41:17] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
- Genesis 3:24
- Romans 5:8
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Observation Questions:
1. What does 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 say about the role of believers in the ministry of reconciliation? How does this passage describe our relationship with God and our responsibility to others?
2. In the sermon, what is described as the main barrier to reconciliation between humanity and God? ([12:41])
3. How does the story of Rey Abraham illustrate the concept of reconciliation and forgiveness as discussed in the sermon? ([36:39])
4. What does Genesis 3:24 reveal about the consequences of sin and the separation it causes between humanity and God?
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of divine justice, as discussed in the sermon, deepen our understanding of why Jesus' sacrifice was necessary for reconciliation? ([12:41])
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's love is proactive and relentless in the ministry of reconciliation? How does this understanding affect our view of God's character? ([19:21])
3. How does the sermon explain the role of believers as ambassadors for Christ, and what implications does this have for how we live our daily lives? ([24:14])
4. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of humility in the ministry of reconciliation, and how does this relate to our own experiences of being reconciled to God? ([27:21])
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. What barriers were present, and how did you overcome them? How can the message of reconciliation help you address similar barriers in the future? ([12:41])
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being proactive in sharing God's love. Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about God's reconciliation. What steps can you take this week to share this message with them? ([19:21])
3. Consider the story of Rey Abraham and his act of forgiveness. Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? What steps can you take to extend grace and reconciliation to them? ([36:39])
4. As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to speak with humility and passion. How can you cultivate these qualities in your interactions with others, especially those who may not share your faith? ([24:14])
5. The sermon discusses the importance of humility in ministry. How can you practice humility in your daily life, especially when interacting with those who may challenge your beliefs? ([27:21])
6. Reflect on the proactive nature of God's love as described in the sermon. How can you embody this proactive love in your relationships and community? ([19:21])
7. The sermon challenges us to be points of light in a dark world. What specific actions can you take this week to be a bearer of hope and reconciliation in your community? ([41:39])
Devotional
Day 1: Divine Calling to Reconciliation
The ministry of reconciliation is a divine calling that God has entrusted to us, reminding us that He is actively working to reconcile the world to Himself through Christ. This ministry is not about condemnation but about sharing the hope and love of God. As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to be bearers of hope in a world filled with turmoil and strife. God has removed every barrier on His side through Christ, making reconciliation possible. Our role is to share this good news, imploring others to be reconciled to God. [03:06]
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of reconciliation today? How can you share God's love and hope with them in a practical way?
Day 2: The Barrier of Divine Justice
Reconciliation presupposes conflict, and the real barrier to reconciliation with God is divine justice. Humanity's sin and rebellion have created a gap that cannot be bridged by our efforts alone. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross addresses this barrier, making reconciliation possible. His death was not to make God love us but because God already loves us. In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting our sins against us. This profound truth calls us to embrace the grace offered through Jesus and to share it with others. [12:41]
Romans 3:23-25 (ESV): "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith."
Reflection: In what ways have you tried to bridge the gap between you and God on your own? How can you rely more on Jesus' sacrifice to address this barrier?
Day 3: God's Active Love
God's love is proactive and relentless. He is not a passive observer but actively engaged in reconciling the world to Himself. This ministry is from God, for the world, and through us. As His people, we are called to be vessels of His love, speaking on behalf of Christ and imploring others to be reconciled to God. This requires humility, as we ourselves are sinners reconciled by grace, and passion, as God Himself pleads through us, reaching out to a world in need of His love. [19:21]
1 John 4:9-10 (ESV): "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's ministry of reconciliation today? What steps can you take to be a vessel of His love in your community?
Day 4: Humility and Passion in Ministry
As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to speak with humility and passion. Our own reconciliation with God should drive us to reach out to others with the same grace and mercy we have received. This ministry requires us to be humble, recognizing our own need for grace, and passionate, as we share the transformative power of the gospel. God speaks through us, appealing to others to be reconciled to Him. This is a profound responsibility and privilege that we must embrace with sincerity and dedication. [27:21]
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Reflection: In what ways can you demonstrate humility and passion in your ministry today? How can your own experience of reconciliation with God inspire others?
Day 5: The Power of Forgiveness and Reconciliation
The story of Rey Abraham exemplifies the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. Despite personal tragedy, Rey extended forgiveness to the driver responsible for his wife's death, reflecting God's mercy and grace. This act of reconciliation is a powerful testimony of God's love and the transformative power of the gospel. It challenges us to extend grace to others, reflecting the heart of God who holds out His hands to a rebellious world. [39:01]
Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
Reflection: Is there someone you need to forgive today? How can you take a step towards reconciliation, reflecting God's grace and mercy in your life?
Quotes
Paul says all this is from God who, through Christ, reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. [00:02:40]
The ministry of reconciliation presupposes a conflict. Reconciliation only happens when there has been a fight, a dispute, or some kind of falling out. If someone were to ask me after the service, are you reconciled to your wife, I would say what in the world are you talking about because I've never fallen out with her. [00:06:32]
On our side, obviously, there are many issues: our sins, our doubts, our fears, our resistance to God, our distrust, our unbelief, our self-interest, our lack of faith, lack of hope, lack of love. All of these things set us at a distance from God so that by nature we don't want to talk to him. [00:07:41]
Jesus is the only way because only Jesus can deal with what blocks the way, which is not simply a question of internal thoughts and feelings and decisions in me. It's on God's side. It's the flaming sword. It's that if, with the best will in the world, I decide that I want to come to him, the flaming sword blocks the way. [00:13:34]
The ministry of reconciliation is from God, it's for the world, and it's through us. It's from God, it's for the world, and it is through us. Number one, it's from God. Look at Verse 18: all this is from God. And then notice how this runs right throughout these three very short verses. [00:14:42]
God is not standing passively, as it were, remote in heaven, looking down to see what will happen. He is actively engaged in every way, constantly, relentlessly at work. He's reconciling us. He's giving us the ministry of reconciliation. He's reconciling the world. He's doing it in Christ. [00:19:14]
The message of reconciliation is not, hey, God hates you, but if you're really sorry and change and believe in him, then he will perhaps reconcile to you. That's not how it is. No, the message of reconciliation is much better than that. It is that God has put away every barrier on his side through and in Jesus Christ. [00:21:41]
When you speak about Jesus, Jesus speaks through you. How is Jesus going to speak into this world? When you speak about Jesus, Jesus speaks through you. Try and take this in. It's one of the most staggering phrases in the New Testament: God making his appeal through us. [00:24:48]
It's really important for us to serve in the world with humility because we ourselves are sinners who are reconciled to God. Always remember that's who we are. That's the us. All this is from God who, through Christ, reconciled us to himself. Again, Spurgeon is so helpful here. [00:26:19]
God making his appeal through us. Think about this: God making an appeal. God appealing. I mean, this feels like it's the wrong way around. Surely it should be sinners who are appealing to God. Surely it should be sinners who are coming and holding out our hands and asking and urging and pleading, oh God, will you please receive us? [00:28:44]
God wants you. You matter to him. It matters to him that you are reconciled to him. He's done everything on his side to open the way for you. If you should find yourself outside Heaven on the last day, you could not have anybody to blame but yourself. You certainly could not blame God. [00:29:34]
The gospel cannot be communicated in a sort of, well, here's what it is, take it or leave it, it's up to you whether you believe it kind of thing, because the heart of God is greater than that, and therefore the heart of a Christian servant has to be greater than that. Look at what he's saying: God making his appeal through us. [00:31:41]
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