SCRIPTURE – BY RAUFU SPAGNOLETTA
Scripture Lesson Text: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Related Scriptures: Romans 5:1-11; Colossians 1:18-23
The ministry of reconciliation is God’s work in bringing man into proper relationship with Himself and with his fellow man, (from enmity to friendship). This is the major theme of the Bible and the message of the gospel. Our lesson looks at our reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, and our calling as ambassadors of Christ, to bring the message of reconciliation to the world.
In Romans 5:1-11, we read, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Colossians 1:18-23, Paul writes of the preeminence of Christ. He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell. God having made peace through the blood of His cross has reconciled all things in heaven and in earth unto Himself. We who were once alienated and enemies in our mind by evil thoughts and actions, Christ has now reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present us unto Himself holy, blameless and beyond reproach.
SYNOPSIS – BY JANICE HALL
We see in 2 Corinthians, chapter 5 follows Paul’s declarations in the previous chapter.
His suffering though severe is only a light affliction preparing him for eternal glory. For believers, Paul describes death as that which is mortal being swallowed up by life. God has prepared eternal bodies for all who are in Christ and has given to them the Holy Spirit as a guarantee. Paul’s goal is to please God for as long as he lives and the presence of the Holy Spirit gives him this confidence.
In the verses,2 Corinthians 5: 11-21, we see the basis of all, this is the love of Christ, that brings us together with Christ and one another. The Corinthian Christian liked those who glory in appearance and not in heart, this is why they looked down at Paul.
We no longer need to deny death, because we know that Christ’s love is stronger than death.
Christ’s love compels Paul to keep telling everyone that Christ died for all, so they can live for Christ. Paul now views every person as an eternal being, and not merely” according to the flesh”. Anyone who is in Christ becomes like Christ, a new creation. Once God reconciled Paul to Himself, Paul’s life work became telling others about reconciliation in Christ. “ If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”( vs.17).
PRACTICAL APPLICATION – BY CHARLENE ARMSTRONG
I once read that everybody wants to believe in something, and everyone that believes has a belief that what they believe is the truth. Yet we being blood bought, born again, water baptized, believing believers have an advantage on our side. The Greater One who lives in us, known as The Spirit of Truth, makes it plain and clear in our lives and throughout the scriptures (which Pastor Hillman refers to as the script for our lives), that we have been blessed by way of reconciliation through the sacrifice and death of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
It is because of this reconciliation and truth revealed to us of our identity in Christ that we are new creatures, and if new then our minds and ways of thinking and our actions should line up and reflect newness in our conduct, speech and deeds. For it is the love of Christ that encourages us to accept the fact that Jesus died once and His death was for ALL of our sins. We are not our own, therefore if He who knew no sin died for our sins we should live our saved lives for Him.
With this blessing of reconciliation and our new identity we are called to be ambassadors for Christ. A call that requires us to be kingdom minded citizens of Heaven. We are messengers that represent the King as we share the gospel of Jesus with a sick and dying world which needs to be reconciled with God, for creation needs to be reconciled with it’s Creator. It is God’s desire to speak through us as we share the good news of salvation and faith offered to all who accept the life and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life for no one can come to the Father except through Him.
