Text: 2 Cor. 5:20b-6:10
Facebook live: Christ reconciles the word unto himself!
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
When we look at a new born baby we might have a difficult time recognizing the corruption of sin upon this beautiful creation of God. How - we might think - can this be a sin bearer and God’s enemy? The truth is that sin brought forth in the fall clings to us all and like life is part of who we are from conception.
We inherit many things from our parents. Some things determine our looks, demeanor, walk, hair and eye color, intellect, intelligence, height and health concerns. One thing we also inherit is sin.
Paul writes:
We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
As a pastor to the congregation in Corinth, Paul’s words are passionate and direct. He implores those that are either apathetic, which means: (showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern) but living a mere outward type of holiness to be reconciled [or returned to right relationship] to God.
In his first Epistle to the Corinthians Paul had been strong in his rebuke of them in how they were dealing with sin in their midst. Paul had written them:
11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, (someone inside the church) who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
Paul’s rebuke is strong, as it should be. But after the Corinthian’s come to repentance, the sweet comfort of the gospel must be applied. For there is no joy for Paul in leaving a repentant sinner terrified of their sin, that Christ Jesus has carried upon Himself to the cross forever burying it in the grave by his all sufficient sacrifice.
Paul now pleads to the repentant sinner as workers together with Him … not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 For [God] says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
The help for the sinner is our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus who became sin for us that we might be reconciled to God receiving again the original righteousness that had been lost and broken in the fall in to sin.
The sin of the world, your sin and mine … God wept over.
But do you? Do you feel the anguish of falling short daily? Are you in prayerful repentance sorry for your sin and asking for forgiveness? Or, is sin your master?
It could be indifference, greed, jealousy, cohabitation, adultery - which Paul speaks of as being sexually immoral; gossip, or simple unkindness … does it cause you to break down in guilt and repent of your sin which really is simply to ask for forgiveness and turn away from sin. Does it for me as well?
In the epistle reading Paul brings Good News to those who are broken and repentant.
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:2b)
Friends, now is the time to receive forgiveness.
Ash Wednesday is the name given to the first day of the season of Lent, in which ashes are applied to the foreheads of Christian’s signifying an inner repentance. This repentance continues throughout Lent as we remember the suffering that our Lord endured at the cross for the sins of the whole world – yours and mine - as we wait in anticipation of Christ’s glorious Easter resurrection.
The work of the ministry is to call sinners to repentance so that the work of God’s Law can bring about a true repentance for sin and the Gospel of salvation a glorious comfort that on account of Christ you are forgiven!
Paul tells the Corinthians and us what the true work of the ministry is commending ourselves as ministers of God:
in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Christ through his ministers today as then absolves the repentant. This gift He gives through his church, so that comfort is given to those broken by sin so that they might be renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit working in them to a newness of life over sin, death and the power of the Devil.
Visitation to those who are unable to come brings Christ and his forgiveness to those unable to come. Whether Don and Jean Pilot, Scott and Sue Regentin, Eleanor Brown, Sue Vogt, Cheryl Vandeweghe, Ruth and Charlie Dow or Bill and Marilyn Rappuhn and many others they all get the same forgiveness you receive in word and sacrament.
As I continue to visit those who are unable to be at church or those who are dealing with illness, I am constantly lifted up as together we pray and remember God’s, loving forgiveness in Christ. And though they can’t right now be with us they always remember Jesus who is the one who has freed them from sin and this broken world giving them the assurance that in Christ they have true forgiveness, peace and comfort and a place in the house of the Lord forever.
Christ reconciles the word unto himself!
We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Please join me in prayer:
Heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
As we begin this Lenten season, may we recognize our sin and be turned in repentance by the working of your Holy Spirit so that we might receive the comfort of your forgiveness in Christ Jesus who lived, suffered, died and rose again for our justification. Give us all peace and comfort in his work on our behalf.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen
We can all be comforted to know that in Christ we are forgiven and that by His stripes we are truly healed!
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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