Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 2 Cor. 5,6. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- One of the things that really irritates me is missing out on a good opportunity. It frustrates me when someone tells me about some really good bargain, a couple of days after it has ended! It makes me angry to find a great coupon, but to read in the fine print that it has already expired!
- There is a great bargain available to all human beings, and the purpose of the church is to make sure that no one ends up in the circumstance of “not knowing” about it, or missing out on the opportunity. In our text the apostle pretty much sums up the whole deal, the whole gospel. And shows us God’s will – what we are to receive, and what we are to be giving to others!
- It is great and wondrous good news to those who are fasting, weeping, and mourning over their sin and guilt that:
I. God Has Acted For Us, For Our Salvation; He Is Reconciled To Us In Christ’s Cross
Text: “For our sake God made Christ to be sin, Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
A. So Our Sins Were Placed Upon Him – “for our sake [for our sins] God made Christ to be sin [the sinless Christ]” He Suffered The Punishment For Our Sins, Our Guilt Has Been Taken Away And Dissolved By Jesus, On The Cross
B. Now We Have Become The Righteousness Of God In Christ, Through Faith In Christ
1 Cor. 1:30 And because of Him [God the Father] you are in Christ Jesus, Who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”
Romans 5:18,19 “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one Man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
Phil. 3:8,9 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”
Statement: Two things are necessary for us to be fully reconciled to God. First, we need to have all of our guilt for all of the sins we have committed taken fully and completely away. Second, we need to somehow gain credit for doing all the things that we in fact have failed to do – for which we are accountable to God. Neither of these can we accomplish for ourselves. No one can! But these are the two things that Jesus accomplished for us – the very Son of God, come in human flesh! The first – taking away our sin and guilt – He accomplished in His suffering and death on the cross. We no longer have any sin in our account with God, for the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. The second – providing us with an “obedience” and “righteousness” in the sight of God, this Jesus did throughout His earthly life, a perfect life, and also in the obedience of His suffering and death for our sins. This perfect righteousness of Jesus – including everything that we should be doing, has been provided for us fully and completely, placed into our account with God, by the Lord Jesus.
Application: Because of these two things which God has done for us in Christ Jesus, there should be no question in anyone’s mind! GOD IS RECONCILED TO US! No sin remains to be forgiven; no righteous works need to be done by us to fulfill our duty to God. Jesus has taken care of everything for us. This is the wondrous glory of God’s salvation. This is how He has turned our mourning into gladness! So it is our privilege and responsibility to share this good news with others, for:
II. God Now Implores All Of Us – Through His Pastors And People: Be Reconciled To God
Text: “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God!”
A. Now Is The Time
Text: “He says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
B. Do Not Receive God’s Grace In Vain [letting it slip away through unbelief]
Text: “We appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.”
Statement: First, let each of us be warned not to neglect or disdain such a great gift of life and salvation! There is no reason for us “TO MISS OUT.” Then let us also consider what a blessed thing it is for us to also take this glorious good news to our friends and neighbors! God is reconciled to us in Christ – what a wondrous reality. We too can stand “in the stead of Christ,” urging others “on behalf of Christ,” to finally be reconciled also to God, seeing that He is already reconciled to them!
Application: It is a great tragedy that so many people, even within the church, are not convinced that God is already reconciled to us. What angst, fear, and wasted service is performed in an attempt to somehow gain God’s favor – when we already have it fully and completely!
And how sad, that we as Christians do not see others as God sees them: He is fully reconciled to them. They lack nothing of God’s blessings and goodness; they only lack knowledge of His love, and faith in His love; they are not themselves reconciled to God. But He wants them to be: “God wills all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” We are God’s ambassadors, His representatives, to announce His reconciliation to us, and to urge humans to reconcile themselves to God!
Conclusion: This is a bargain, an opportunity of epic proportions – to know God’s love, to live in His love, to serve Him in love, to store up heavenly treasures. “WHY MISS OUT?” on such a tremendous opportunity!
And we are privileged – not only to benefit from the deal, but to share it with others, when it is NOT too late for them! God grant the blessings of this, His great salvation, to all of us, and to all of our loved ones! May He make us willing, eager, and capable reconcilers of our fellowmen! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.