Embracing the Ministry of Reconciliation and Unity

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing the Ministry of Reconciliation

In our journey of faith, we are called to embrace the ministry of reconciliation, a divine task entrusted to us by God. This ministry is about restoring relationships, first with God and then with each other. At one point, we were all alienated from God, viewing Him as a distant figure who restricted our joy. However, through Jesus, we are reconciled, understanding that God is pure goodness and love, desiring only what is best for us. This reconciliation transforms our mindset, allowing us to see God as a loving Father who guides us towards what is truly beneficial. [04:35]

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 do you need to reconcile with today, and how can you take the first step towards healing that relationship?

Day 2: Guarding Against the Deceitfulness of Sin

As believers, we must guard our hearts against unbelief and the deceitfulness of sin, which can distort our perception of God. Sin can make us believe that God is withholding good from us, leading to a hardened heart. We are encouraged to exhort one another daily, ensuring that none of us fall into this trap. Our relationship with God should be one of trust and faith, seeking Him because He is the source of all good and perfect gifts. [09:48]

Hebrews 3:12-13 (ESV): "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

Reflection: What specific sin or doubt is currently challenging your trust in God, and how can you seek support from your community to overcome it?

Day 3: Unity Reflecting Divine Oneness

Moreover, reconciliation extends to our relationships with each other. Jesus prayed for unity among His followers, a oneness that reflects the perfect unity He shares with the Father. This unity is a powerful testimony to the world of God's presence among us. We are called to strip away anything that harms others, such as anger, malice, and divisive opinions, and instead, clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. [17:01]

John 17:20-21 (ESV): "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Reflection: How can you contribute to unity within your church or community this week, and what specific actions will you take to promote peace and understanding?

Day 4: Stripping Away Harmful Attitudes

In our church community, we must strive to be a place where everyone is valued equally, without distinctions or divisions. By doing so, we create a safe space for those seeking God, where they can experience His love and acceptance. Our commitment to this unity and love is a reflection of our commitment to Christ, and it is through this that we become true disciples, known by our love for one another. [22:00]

Colossians 3:12-14 (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. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."

Reflection: Identify one harmful attitude or behavior you need to strip away, and what positive trait can you replace it with to better reflect Christ's love?

Day 5: Becoming Peacemakers in Our Community

As peacemakers, we foster an environment where God's love and unity can thrive. This involves creating a safe space for those seeking God, where they can experience His love and acceptance. Our commitment to this unity and love is a reflection of our commitment to Christ, and it is through this that we become true disciples, known by our love for one another. [43:23]

Matthew 5:9 (ESV): "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Reflection: What practical steps can you take today to be a peacemaker in your family, workplace, or community, and how can you invite others to join you in this mission?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, we are called to embrace the ministry of reconciliation, a divine task entrusted to us by God. This ministry is about restoring relationships, first with God and then with each other. At one point, we were all alienated from God, viewing Him as a distant figure who restricted our joy. However, through Jesus, we are reconciled, understanding that God is pure goodness and love, desiring only what is best for us. This reconciliation transforms our mindset, allowing us to see God as a loving Father who guides us towards what is truly beneficial.

As believers, we must guard our hearts against unbelief and the deceitfulness of sin, which can distort our perception of God. Sin can make us believe that God is withholding good from us, leading to a hardened heart. We are encouraged to exhort one another daily, ensuring that none of us fall into this trap. Our relationship with God should be one of trust and faith, seeking Him because He is the source of all good and perfect gifts.

Moreover, reconciliation extends to our relationships with each other. Jesus prayed for unity among His followers, a oneness that reflects the perfect unity He shares with the Father. This unity is a powerful testimony to the world of God's presence among us. We are called to strip away anything that harms others, such as anger, malice, and divisive opinions, and instead, clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. This transformation allows us to become peacemakers, fostering an environment where God's love and unity can thrive.

In our church community, we must strive to be a place where everyone is valued equally, without distinctions or divisions. By doing so, we create a safe space for those seeking God, where they can experience His love and acceptance. Our commitment to this unity and love is a reflection of our commitment to Christ, and it is through this that we become true disciples, known by our love for one another.

Key Takeaways

1. Ministry of Reconciliation: We are called to the ministry of reconciliation, restoring our relationship with God and with each other. This involves understanding God's true nature as pure goodness and love, desiring only what is best for us. [04:35]
2. Guarding Against Unbelief: Sin can deceive us into believing that God is withholding good from us, leading to a hardened heart. We must guard against this by exhorting one another daily and maintaining a heart of faith and trust in God. [09:48]
3. Unity in the Church: Jesus prayed for unity among His followers, a oneness that reflects His relationship with the Father. This unity is a powerful testimony to the world of God's presence among us. [17:01]
4. Stripping Away Harmful Attitudes: We are called to strip away anything that harms others, such as anger, malice, and divisive opinions, and instead, clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. [22:00]
5. Becoming Peacemakers: As peacemakers, we foster an environment where God's love and unity can thrive. This involves creating a safe space for those seeking God, where they can experience His love and acceptance. [43:23]
** [43:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:35] - Ministry of Reconciliation
[05:17] - Alienation from God
[06:08] - Misconceptions About God
[07:43] - Understanding God's Goodness
[09:06] - Experiencing God's Blessings
[10:29] - Guarding Against Unbelief
[12:37] - Exhorting One Another
[14:40] - The Deceitfulness of Sin
[16:15] - Reconciliation with Each Other
[17:01] - Jesus' Prayer for Unity
[19:00] - The Power of Unity
[22:00] - Stripping Away Harmful Attitudes
[25:22] - Clothed in Christ's Image
[43:23] - Becoming Peacemakers
[46:07] - Commitment to Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Colossians 1:19-22
Hebrews 3:12-14
John 17:20-23

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Observation Questions:

According to Colossians 1:19-22, what was the purpose of Jesus' sacrifice, and how does it relate to reconciliation?
In Hebrews 3:12-14, what warning is given to believers, and what is the suggested remedy to prevent a hardened heart?
What does Jesus pray for in John 17:20-23, and how does this prayer relate to the unity among believers?
How does the sermon describe the transformation in our perception of God once we are reconciled with Him? [07:09]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does understanding God's true nature as "pure goodness and love" change a believer's relationship with Him? [07:09]
What are the potential consequences of allowing sin to deceive us into unbelief, according to the sermon and Hebrews 3:12-14? [09:48]
How does the unity among believers serve as a testimony to the world, as mentioned in John 17:20-23 and the sermon? [17:01]
What does it mean to "strip away anything that harms others," and how does this contribute to the ministry of reconciliation? [22:00]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt alienated from God. What steps did you take to reconcile with Him, and how did it change your perception of His nature? [06:08]
How can you actively guard your heart against unbelief and the deceitfulness of sin in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to encourage others in your community to do the same? [09:48]
Consider your current relationships within the church. Are there any attitudes or opinions you need to strip away to foster unity and reconciliation? How can you begin this process? [22:00]
Jesus prayed for unity among His followers. What specific actions can you take this week to promote unity within your church or small group? [17:01]
Identify one person in your life with whom you need to reconcile. What steps can you take to initiate this reconciliation, and how can you ensure it reflects God's love and goodness? [05:17]
How can you create a safe and welcoming environment in your church for those seeking God, especially those who may feel marginalized or different? [23:49]
Reflect on the concept of being a peacemaker. What specific actions can you take to foster peace and unity in your community, and how can this reflect your commitment to Christ? [43:23]

Sermon Clips

"and you know what this is how god reconciled the world to himself and you know what he's done he's given that ministry of reconciliation to you and i that's the ministry he's given us and how did he go about reconciling the world to himself he was not counting their trespasses against them he's not considering them it's not imputing their trespasses that means he came to save sinners it's not the healthy that need the doctor jesus said i didn't come to call the righteous i've come to call sinners to repentance to reconcile those who are not right with god to be with god as a matter of fact all of us whether we realize it or not at one time were enemies of god" [00:04:26]

"all of us at one time had this view of god that he is taking things from us he's arbitrary he wants to keep us from having fun he says know the things that we enjoy and we don't want to give them up because in our minds doing these things that we thought were so good and so pleasurable made us hostile in our mind to god thinking he's the big kill joy the one to take away our liberty and we don't want to become one of those holy rollers who never have any fun in your mind you did not have the correct view of god that he is pure goodness pure kindness pure love and would never desire a single thing for any of us except what is absolutely best for us in every way" [00:06:08]

"when we understand that this is the heart of our father then we enjoy his instruction and we receive his guidance and we look for it and count it as a treasure we want his help we enjoy his life we seek him for understanding and we seek to grow and know how good he is because we no longer trust ourselves as a matter of fact this can happen even as christians if you want to turn with me to hebrews chapter 3. look what can happen because when you begin to experience reconciliation when you begin to see god for who who he really is how good he is how wonderful he is and how much he wants your life to be abundant he wants your joy to be full he wants you to be to live in his peace" [00:08:25]

"watch out or be on the lookout brothers lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief that means it could happen it means some of us here could suddenly begin to think not god's too hard god's a killjoy i've tried to serve him i've tried to pray i've tried to follow those things and it just doesn't work for me i don't get anything out of the bible it's just i'm done see what's happened is something has affected your heart because the bible says without faith it's impossible to please god those who come to him must believe that he is and he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him you seek god because he's good you seek god because every good and perfect gift comes from him" [00:09:52]

"exhort one another daily encourage one another exhort is almost a word like like a the sergeant would uh speak to his troops encouraging them to be strong to hold their position to remember their training to not give way maintain their order in the face of attack we would exhort one another daily so that none of us would be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin what is the deceitfulness of sin all sin is pleasurable for a season and the sin that was introduced in the garden remember how the serpent deceived the woman into partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that the lord has said you're not to touch or take he tried to make it like god is holding out on you" [00:12:43]

"you remember what jesus prayed that john recorded in john 17. prayed something for his disciples and for those like us who would come to believe later through the disciples do you remember what he prayed one thing particularly was on his mind who could tell me what he prayed there in john 17 for all of those who had come to believe in him through the apostles that they may be one and here's what he said rudy not just that they may be one that they may be one as you and i are one oh jesus and the father were perfectly one jesus knew the father could never sin jesus knew the father never had a bad thought jesus knew that the father's commands are eternal life" [00:16:29]

"strip away from you anything that could harm anyone else anything that could harm anyone else get it off of you your anger just hurts people your malice just hurts people your opinion about republicans just hurt people your opinions about democrats just hurt hurts people your opinions about race just hurts people your opinion about police officers just hurts people your opinion that comes from your passions is not safe for god's people strip off everything from your life that could possibly hurt someone else so that god's people in god's house can be perfectly one because you know what these things do opinions they form schisms they divide people" [00:23:04]

"and look what it says in verse 11. isn't that fascinating once you do that if you strip away everything that's harmful to someone else and you clothe yourselves with the image of his son then there is neither greek nor jew circumcised or uncircumcised barbarian scythian slave nor free but christ is all and in all no distinctions in the same church there's not greeks or jews just christ in the same church there's not republicans or democrats just christ in the same church not calvinists or or many it's just christ in the same church not liberals or conservatives just christ not black or white christ not mexican and ego christ christ is all and in all no distinctions" [00:25:26]

"therefore as the elect of god holy and beloved put on tender mercies kindness humility meekness long-suffering bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has any complaint against anyone so not only are you to put off everything that is potentially harmful to someone else you are to make sure you clothe yourselves with compo compassion kindness humility long suffering you bear with one another these words should never be uttered by a child of god towards a child of god i can't stand that person we should never say that person or think that person makes me sick never and even every one of us who has because it says forgiving whatever complaint" [00:26:50]

"you forgive them like christ forgave you how many of us remember the end of the lord's prayer the end of it what do we think the end is tell me what you think the end is ah that's what most people think for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever but it's not the end of the lord's prayer is and if you forgive not men their trespasses neither shall your father in heaven forgive yours that's the end of the lord's prayer because he knew there was not a single chance for perfect oneness in the church if his people were allowed to hold faults with one another not there's no place for here there's no place for a single one of us to hold fault towards anyone else regardless of what they've done or how many times they've done it" [00:28:40]

"you know what a real peacemaker is a peacemaker is someone who causes everyone around them to fit into a beautiful hole he's not divisive he doesn't make opinions he doesn't cause schisms he doesn't get his little uh his little click around them he's for everyone and he works for everyone and he's there for everyone because he wants the whole to be clean and the whole to experience god's goodness he's non-divisive a peacemaker is just the opposite of the of the person that it actually says in proverbs chapter 6 as it lists these things that god hates the last thing in the list that god hates is one who sows discord among brothers" [00:43:23]

"i'm going to ask you to commit your life to jesus christ again i know many of you have have become you've been followers of christ but i'm asking for a commitment of that you will commit to strip away from you everything that could be harmful to another person strip it off i'm asking you to commit yourself to clothing yourselves with everything that would be so life-giving so edifying so unifying so beneficial to others i'm asking for that commitment in your heart that you be like jesus you love others like jesus love you" [00:46:07]

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Embracing the Ministry of Reconciliation and Unity

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing the Ministry of Reconciliation

Day 2: Guarding Against the Deceitfulness of Sin

Day 3: Unity Reflecting Divine Oneness

Day 4: Stripping Away Harmful Attitudes

Day 5: Becoming Peacemakers in Our Community

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing the Ministry of Reconciliation and Unity

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