Transformed Identity: Our Call to Reconciliation in Christ
Summary
In today's gathering, we focused on the transformative power of encountering Jesus Christ and how it redefines our identity and purpose. Reflecting on Psalm 96, we are reminded of the greatness of God and our call to worship Him. This sets the stage for understanding our new identity in Christ as described in 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. We explored how, like the Apostle Paul, our encounter with Jesus changes everything about us, including how we view the world and our purpose within it.
Paul's transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a devoted apostle illustrates the profound change that occurs when we meet Christ. Before his conversion, Paul viewed Jesus and others through a lens of prejudice and hostility. However, his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus radically altered his perspective. He no longer saw Jesus as merely a man but recognized Him as the Savior, the God-man who came to reconcile us to God. This change in perspective extended to how Paul viewed others, no longer through the flesh but as potential recipients of God's grace.
As Christians, we are new creations, and with this new identity comes a new vocation—the ministry of reconciliation. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ, entrusted with the message of reconciliation, which is the gospel. This vocation aligns with our transformed desires to see others reconciled to God. Our task is to boldly proclaim the gospel, imploring others to be reconciled to God, just as Paul did.
The message of reconciliation is rooted in the profound truth that God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. This exchange is the heart of the gospel, and it is the message we are called to share. As we carry out this vocation, God Himself makes His appeal through us, empowering our efforts with His presence and authority.
In conclusion, as new creations with a new vocation, we are to view the world through the lens of who we are in Christ. We are to see others as those who can be reconciled to God and to preach the gospel with urgency and love. This is our high calling, and it is a privilege to participate in God's redemptive work in the world.
Key Takeaways:
1. Transformation Through Encounter: Like Paul, our encounter with Jesus transforms our identity and perspective. We are no longer defined by our past but are new creations in Christ, called to view the world through the lens of our new identity. [57:48]
2. The Ministry of Reconciliation: As new creations, we are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. This divine calling aligns with our transformed desires to see others reconciled to God, and it is our responsibility to share the gospel message. [01:15:17]
3. The Power of the Gospel: The gospel is the power of God for salvation. It is the message of reconciliation that we are called to proclaim, imploring others to be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ. [01:19:28]
4. Ambassadors for Christ: We are ambassadors for Christ, sent with the message of reconciliation. Our role is to boldly proclaim the gospel, knowing that God makes His appeal through us, empowering our efforts with His presence. [01:25:46]
5. Viewing Others Through a New Lens: Our new identity in Christ changes how we view others. We no longer regard people according to the flesh but see them as potential recipients of God's grace, longing for their reconciliation to God. [01:13:28]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:01:00] - Opening Prayer and Worship
- [00:02:30] - Introduction to Psalm 96
- [00:05:00] - Personal Story: Skateboarding Lens
- [00:10:00] - Viewing the World Through Our Vocation
- [00:15:00] - Paul's Transformation on the Road to Damascus
- [00:20:00] - New Creation in Christ
- [00:25:00] - The Ministry of Reconciliation
- [00:30:00] - The Gospel Message
- [00:35:00] - Our Role as Ambassadors
- [00:40:00] - Viewing Others Through a New Lens
- [00:45:00] - The Power of the Gospel
- [00:50:00] - Call to Action: Preach the Gospel
- [00:55:00] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Psalm 96
- 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Psalm 96 emphasize about God's character and our response to Him? How does this set the stage for understanding our identity in Christ? [00:00:00]
2. How did Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus change his perspective on Jesus and others? [01:03:26]
3. According to 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, what is the "ministry of reconciliation" that believers are entrusted with? [01:15:17]
4. How does the sermon describe the transformation that occurs when one becomes a new creation in Christ? [01:13:28]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of being a "new creation" in Christ redefine a believer's identity and purpose? What implications does this have for daily life? [01:10:36]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our new identity in Christ should change how we view and interact with others? [01:08:00]
3. What does it mean to be an ambassador for Christ, and how does this role align with the ministry of reconciliation? [01:25:46]
4. How does the sermon explain the significance of the exchange described in 2 Corinthians 5:21, where Jesus became sin for us? [01:19:28]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own encounter with Jesus. How has it transformed your identity and perspective? Are there areas where you still view the world through your old self? [01:05:59]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of viewing others as potential recipients of God's grace. How can you practically apply this perspective in your interactions this week? [01:13:28]
3. As ambassadors for Christ, we are called to share the message of reconciliation. Identify one person in your life who needs to hear this message. How can you approach them with love and urgency? [01:25:46]
4. The sermon highlights the power of the gospel for salvation. How can you incorporate the gospel message into your daily conversations and actions? [01:19:28]
5. Consider the ministry of reconciliation as your new vocation. What steps can you take to align your daily activities with this divine calling? [01:15:17]
6. The sermon challenges us to view the world through the lens of our new identity in Christ. What specific changes can you make in your life to better reflect this perspective? [01:10:36]
7. How can you ensure that your life and actions consistently reflect the transformation that has occurred through your encounter with Jesus? [01:03:26]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional.
Quotes
"I love that Psalm it reminds us of who our God is and even reminds us of what we should be doing something we're going to talk a lot about this morning as we look at our calling but I love that it just points us to God and we've gathered this morning as God's people not to focus on a band and not to focus on a man but to focus on the God man Jesus Christ to set our eyes on him and worship him and that's what we're going to do we're going to continue to sing we're going to continue to praise we're going to hear from his word but I'm going to open our time in prayer Father thank you thank you for the reminder that you you alone are worthy of worship Father we have gathered today to do just that" [00:32:56] (57 seconds)
"But I was really, from that point on, I was captured by the world of skateboarding. If you could speak to my parents today, they would tell you for many years of my life, that was who I was. I was a skateboarder. That's all I ever talked about. That was actually the lens through which I looked at the world. So when I would ride around with my parents and ride through towns in their car, I would look out the windows and everything I saw, whether little concrete structures or parking lots or handrails or stairs, everything I looked at, my parents probably saw something totally different, but the way I looked at the world was, that's something I could ride on my skateboard. Everything was that way. I just thought about it that way. I looked at the world through that lens. And this past week, I was reminded, that's pretty much how we operate." [00:54:04] (54 seconds)
"He viewed the world through the lens of who he was in Christ and through the vocation to which Christ had called him to. You see, while vocation is the work a person might be employed to do, a vocation is likewise a calling. In the religious world, a vocation is understood as a divine call to a specific work. Well, the Apostle Paul had a divine call to a specific work that began with the divine encounter with the one who gave him that work. And that encounter changed him. It changed who he was. It changed the work that he did. And it changed the lens through which he now looked at the world. It changed it forever." [00:57:02] (46 seconds)
"Paul wrote to the church at Corinth these words. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. 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." [00:59:13] (45 seconds)
"Paul's understanding of who Jesus was changed on that road. Before he was saved, Paul looked at Jesus and thought that he's just a man. He's just a rabbi, a self-appointed false messiah. He was an enemy of Judaism, and his movement needed to be destroyed. Paul regarded Jesus according to the flesh. He just saw him as an ordinary man, not the God-man, Jesus Christ. But then something happened on that day when he ran into Jesus on that road to Damascus. Something that changed his view of Jesus forever. Paul believed the gospel and was saved." [01:04:55] (47 seconds)
"Paul was radically changed by the gospel. He no longer viewed Jesus according to the flesh. He no longer viewed others according to the flesh. He now looked at others through the lens of being a new creation. Verse 17, Therefore, if anyone's in Christ, he's a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. Are you gathering what he's saying here now? I look at people differently. I look at Jesus differently. I look at people differently. Why? Because I'm a new creation. The old Paul has passed away." [01:10:56] (35 seconds)
"Paul's like, I'm a new creation, I've been reconciled to God. No longer is there a wall of hostility that stands between us. God has removed it and replaced it with peace through faith in Jesus Christ. That's what happened to Paul when he believed the gospel, reconciled to God. He became a new creation and was radically changed that day. His old sin nature had lost his power, his way of looking at the world had changed, his way of looking at people had changed. His values, his behaviors, his plans, his desires, his beliefs, his loves, his view of everything had been changed by Christ because he was a new creation." [01:12:20] (40 seconds)
"Christians, we have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Verse 18, all this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. So God has given us a service. He's given us a duty. He's given us a high calling. He's given us a ministry, a new vocation. And I love this. God has given us a vocation that aligns with our new desire to see others reconciled to him. We long to see others saved, right? Right? All right, good. We view others differently. We look at people through the lens of being a new creation. We desire to see them receive reconciliation." [01:15:36] (41 seconds)
"You're like, well, what does that entail? Well, Christians, we've been entrusted with the message of reconciliation. Verse 19, 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. And we're going to take a few minutes and break those verses down. God's plan to reconcile sinners to himself was Jesus. Verse 19, that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself." [01:18:27] (33 seconds)
"Paul even tells us who we're supposed to be going to implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. You're supposed to be taking this message to people who need to be reconciled to God. So let's put that all together. I know I'm pouring a lot on you this morning, and so sorry it was an open mouth, insert fire hose morning, but you're getting a lot. So let me bring it back together for you. As new creations, we have a desire to see others receive reconciliation, right? As new creations, we've been given the ministry of reconciliation." [01:25:08] (31 seconds)
"And I want you to see this because this was so awesome to me. You know who comes to work with you when you do your vocation? God. Look at verse 20. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. So when you and I carry out our vocation of delivering the message of reconciliation, we preach the gospel. God is making his appeal through us when we are sharing the good news with people. He repeats this in verse 1 of chapter 6, working together with him, then we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain." [01:28:53] (39 seconds)
"Christians, all this is still true. For people to be saved, they must believe the gospel. For them to believe it, they've got to hear it. For them to hear it, you and I must be preaching it. And you and I are ambassadors of Christ. New creations given the ministry of reconciliation, entrusted with the message of reconciliation, sent by Jesus to preach to people, imploring them to be reconciled to God. Carry it out. You have the most powerful person ever making his appeal through you when you unleash that powerful message." [01:32:04] (41 seconds)
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