Prior to church starting, Ronnie shared a prophetic word with the church :
Main message by Penny:
Reconciliation
Reconcile my check book to my bank statement.
A marriage reconciliation
Reconcile two opposing ideas.
katallagé – reconciliation, restoring back to favor, atonement
restoration to favor, in the N. T., of the restoration of the favor of God to sinners that repent and put their trust in the expiatory death of Christ
Katallassó – I change, exchange, reconcile.
as when two parties reconcile when coming (“changing”) to the same position.
of persons, to change from enmity to friendship
reconciling two persons at variance
the passive is used also where only one ceases to be angry with another and receives him into favor
2 Cor 5:
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Cor 5:
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.
I used to think that “Christ’s love compels us” meant that
· when we recognize how much Christ loved us,
· and what a sacrificial love He demonstrated by dying a cruel and tortuous death to pay for everyone’s sins,
· we would be compelled by this knowledge to tell others about Christ.
However, that’s not what this sentence says. It says Christ’s love compels us, the love that was in Christ for His Father and for us NOW LIVES IN US by the power of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t us trying to love like Him because we appreciate what He did for us, but actually having the exact same love in us that compelled Christ to give up his life so everyone could be reunited with God forever.
15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
And the purpose of Christ dying for people was not so they could live to please themselves, but to live for Christ’s concerns and desires. And as proven by Christ’s death for everyone in the world, his concern is that everyone be restored to a right relationship with God.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
Throughout our life, people were mainly important to us as instruments for meeting our needs. But now that Christ lives within us, people are important WHETHER OR NOT they meet any of our needs. Christ wants other people to become more important to us because they are important to HIM. He wants them saved and transformed into His image.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
The “old nature” in us mainly “used” other people for his own purposes. But when we accepted Christ, that “old nature” died, and a new nature, a spirit nature, was born in us. That nature has a desire to give sacrificially to others rather than take from them to feed our own needs.
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
God gave us His Spirit so that when we were reconciled to Him because of our faith in Christ, we would also become LIKE Christ in character, desires and purpose. Our primary ministry is to do whatever He asks us to do so others will be reconciled to Him as well.
19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
We are to tell others (with our actions, and if necessary, with our words) that Christ does not count people’s sins against them when they place their faith in Him. That is the kind of loving, forgiving God we have.
20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
We actually are ambassadors, representatives of a King of a foreign country, making an appeal on His behalf that everyone be restored to a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ’s divinity and His payment of our sins by His sinless, perfect death.
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
God put the sins of the world on Jesus so that we might have the righteousness of Jesus. Jesus willingly put up with others’ ugly actions if it meant that He might lead them to the Father. He didn’t react to their sin, which means His actions were not determined by what others did. He ONLY acted in ways that would bring people to Him as their Savior and Lord, and therefore reconcile them to God the Father.
If we are Christ’s ambassadors, that means that everything we say and do reflects on Jesus, just as an earthly ambassador’s words and actions reflect on the country from which he comes. If we are loving and kind, we are saying that Jesus is loving and kind. If we are selfish and demanding, we are saying that Jesus is selfish and demanding. If we are legalistic and pointing out other people’s sins, people will think that Jesus is legalistic and pointing out other people’s sins.
This doesn’t only go for people outside of the body of Christ. How we treat other believers can also affect how they see God. None of us is whole and perfect in this world; we still have lies we believe and live according to, sins we can’t seem to shake, and a need to be loved by others in this world. We have the opportunity to be “Jesus with skin on” to hurting and broken Christians as well as to unbelievers.
Matthew 5 says:
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister[b][c] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’[d] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
As Christians, we do not have the luxury of remaining in anger with a brother or sister – that is clearly not allowed. In this scripture, it is more important to keep the unity of the Body of Christ than to make an offering of your time or materials to God. The point of reconciliation, whether with God or others, is UNITY – being united as one.
John 17: 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Ephesians 4: 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Colossians 3: 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one bodyyou were called to peace. And be thankful.
Always remember that everything we say and do will either bring people closer to God or further from God, and that we were saved so that OTHERS would be reconciled to God, not just for salvation, but for continued unity with God. Don’t let your actions be a factor in someone else falling away from the body. Instead, let the purpose of your existence be as minister of reconciliations, ambassadors for Christ, always lovingly pointing anyone we meet (saved or unsaved) back to unity with God and the Body.