Called to the Ministry of Reconciliation
“We gave nothing of value, yet in this exchange, and through the blood of Jesus, we have been given EVERYTHING!”
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NIV)
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 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 therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Reflection
A few days ago, I went to the Farmers Market and bought some wonderfully fresh sweet corn and tomatoes. In exchange for this delicious produce, I gave the cashier enough money to cover the purchase. As consumers, we make exchanges like this every day. We usually exchange something of value (money) for something we want or need. Everyone involved contributes something to make the exchange fair.
Now, think about the exchange that Jesus made for us when He died on the cross. Jesus, who was sinless, bore our sin FOR us and made it possible for us to be right with God. In this Great Exchange, Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin. A fair and equitable exchange? Hardly! We gave nothing of value, yet in this exchange, and through the blood of Jesus, we have been given EVERYTHING!
Reconciliation requires us to repent, ask God for forgiveness, and to make changes in our lives. To me, part of the exchange is that it is now our duty, as well as our blessing, to invite and encourage others to receive the gift of reconciliation with God. By doing so, we are nowhere near making the exchange with Jesus fair and equitable, but to Him, the desire to have more souls reconcile with His Father carries an immeasurable value.
Action Steps
Do you think about ways that you can incorporate the message of Jesus and reconciliation with God into your everyday conversations? For most of us, it is not easy or comfortable to do this. We fear we won’t say the right thing or that we may cause people to feel uncomfortable around us. Pray daily, asking God how you can be more effective in sharing the good news with others.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to be more like Jesus in everything I think, say, and do. More than anything, I want to be able to talk freely and joyously to others about You and the promise of eternal life You have offered us. Thank You for loving me unconditionally and for the opportunity to be reconciled to You. Amen.
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 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 therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Reflection
A few days ago, I went to the Farmers Market and bought some wonderfully fresh sweet corn and tomatoes. In exchange for this delicious produce, I gave the cashier enough money to cover the purchase. As consumers, we make exchanges like this every day. We usually exchange something of value (money) for something we want or need. Everyone involved contributes something to make the exchange fair.
Now, think about the exchange that Jesus made for us when He died on the cross. Jesus, who was sinless, bore our sin FOR us and made it possible for us to be right with God. In this Great Exchange, Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin. A fair and equitable exchange? Hardly! We gave nothing of value, yet in this exchange, and through the blood of Jesus, we have been given EVERYTHING!
Reconciliation requires us to repent, ask God for forgiveness, and to make changes in our lives. To me, part of the exchange is that it is now our duty, as well as our blessing, to invite and encourage others to receive the gift of reconciliation with God. By doing so, we are nowhere near making the exchange with Jesus fair and equitable, but to Him, the desire to have more souls reconcile with His Father carries an immeasurable value.
Action Steps
Do you think about ways that you can incorporate the message of Jesus and reconciliation with God into your everyday conversations? For most of us, it is not easy or comfortable to do this. We fear we won’t say the right thing or that we may cause people to feel uncomfortable around us. Pray daily, asking God how you can be more effective in sharing the good news with others.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to be more like Jesus in everything I think, say, and do. More than anything, I want to be able to talk freely and joyously to others about You and the promise of eternal life You have offered us. Thank You for loving me unconditionally and for the opportunity to be reconciled to You. Amen.
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