It’s very simple, actually….
the story of reconciliation.
It’s not a “race” thing,
unless you are talking the human race.
No question, it is a human-race-need.
The story starts in the Garden of Eden.
God made man in His image.
His Plan-A was that we’d live as image-bearers.
So, He made Adam, and followed the first-man with the first-woman, Eve.
They had one “law” to follow.
But, their greed, and strong-internal-desire of wanting more, destroyed them.
Call it what you want, but the reality is that their action of disobedience was SIN.
And, sin separated man from God.
Peace-with-God abolished.
But, God loved His image-bearers.
So, reconciliation became the critical need.
To cover for the consequence of death, and bring reconciliation,
our great God-of-compassion sacrificed an animal (the first death in the Garden),
and covered the man and the woman.
ALL RECONCILIATION
STARTS WITH SACRIFICE….
Reconciliation restored.
Peace-with-God renewed.
Fellowship re-set.
Next thing we know is that man comes against man and a murder takes place….
Reconciliation needed again…
And, this sequence became a pattern through history, until Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice.
Once-for-all He died to bring reconciliation.
And, it was accomplished.
Finished.
Forever.
There was made and will be a way back to reconciliation………..ALWAYS!
SUCH GOOD NEWS SHOULDN’T BE CONTAINED….
So, the Lord God began compelling those whose lives were changed because of Christ’s death….
His “new creations” (2 Cor. 5:17)…
…and, He gave them a ministry of reconciliation…
A ministry designed to restore peace-with-God,
and, PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER….
“Go and tell….” He authorized.
“Go and make more disciples, who will go and make more disciples, who will also be entrusted as image-bearers with a ministry-of-reconciliation.”
Sinful man
made in God’s likeness
creates havoc
with other image-bearers…
Why?
The same old reason: SIN.
Sinful man needs something, and he doesn’t know what that need is…
So, he takes it out on others…
Followers of Jesus, we have the answer for their need…
We have the answer for the UNREST….
…and, the Lord has authorized us to be His messengers…
…to live as He would on earth, appealing others, imploring them to be reconciled…
…and to live reconciled…
with God
with mankind
to one-another one-another…
Essentially we’ve been reconciled
in order to reconcile….
What’s the answer to reconciliation?
Me!
It begins with me…
and, honestly, it ends with me…
Have I taken my role as an ambassador, as a minister-of-reconciliation seriously….
There is one basic answer:
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS
AND THOSE WHO RECEIVE IT
LIVING IT
If there is a problem with
unrest
reconciliation
fighting
greed….
Maybe,
just maybe,
followers of Jesus
need to step into their role
as ambassadors
living as THE RECONCILED.
