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THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2
Key Verse: 5:18-19

“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 to Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed us the message of reconciliation.”

During this retreat, we thought and discussed a lot about transformation. We heard the messages, wrote and shared testimonies. I believe that all of us discovered the beautiful work of transformation that has already begun in our lives through the Holy Spirit. Even if we see only a small and slow change in us, it’s very important to acknowledge it because transformation is not a one-time event, but a lifelong and on-going process. This beautiful work of transformation that has begun in us will be continued by the work of the Holy Spirit and be completed at the time of Jesus’ second coming.

This morning, we studied one of the most difficult passages in the Bible in group. However, the message is simple and clear: God is calling us who are being transformed to the ministry of reconciliation. The Apostle Paul took a very important and active role in the ministry of reconciliation. Let’s think about how he did it and how we also can become a part of it.

First, we need to think about why Paul had to write such long letters to the Corinthian Christians and even defend himself so much. One reason is that there were so many problems in the Corinthian Church. The Corinthian church was established through Paul’s ministry during his second missionary journey. However, the Corinthian Christians created a lot of headaches and trouble for Paul. It was a multi-ethnic church, with people of many different races, cultures and different socio-economic backgrounds. Although the church had many gifted members, they just could not get along with one another. One of them said, “I belong to Paul,” another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” They had disputes and disagreements. There was sexual immorality among, and even law-suits against each other. During his absence, some false teachers, who were jealous of Paul’s ministry, came and tried to confuse the members of the church with false teachings and even questioned Saint Paul’s credentials as an apostle, reminding the people of the fact that Paul was not one of the Twelve. They even undermined the sincerity and motives of his hard work by saying that he was doing it all out of selfish ambition. Paul defended himself by confronting these challenges one by one by writing long letters. He defended himself not for his own sake but for the sake of the gospel he preached. (12) Today’s passage is the crux of his defense. How did he defend himself?

Look at verse11. “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.” Paul’s ministry of reconciliation was a great success in so many major cities in Asia and Europe in the first century. Paul worked hard to preach the gospel. But Paul’s hard work was not out of selfish ambition. He was actively involved in the ministry of reconciliation out of fearful responsibility before God. Look at verse 12. “We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.” Unlike some of his contemporaries, Paul’s wasn’t trying to impress people by establishing a glamorous ministry. He was interested in bringing change into the hearts and lives of people. The focus of his ministry was transformation. Paul is a good example to us who are also called to the ministry of reconciliation. Let’s see how Paul participated in it.

First, He was compelled by the Love of Christ (11-14)

Look at verse 14. “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.” What does it mean that you are compelled by something? It means you are totally controlled by it. It’s not difficult to tell when a person is in love with someone. You would always think about the people you love and would do anything for the ones you truly love and care for. You almost become a slave to the person you love. Paul used the present tense, “Christ’s love compels us” not the past tense, “compelled us”, meaning that he was always compelled by the love of Christ.

How could Paul always be compelled by Christ’s love? Was it because Paul was full of zeal in his personality? Did Paul served God with his human zeal? As we know, our human zeal does not last forever. What was the secret that he was compelled by the love of Christ? Someone might say that it’s because of his dramatic conversion experience, which was like hurricane and fire. Some people say that their love for Christ is lukewarm because they didn’t experience a drastic conversion experience like Paul. However, even though his conversion experience was very dramatic, it does not mean that it was natural for him to be always filled with Christ’s love. Rather, it might have been quite difficult for him because of his background as a legalistic Pharisee and a man of great intelligence. In fact, Paul had never met Jesus during his life and ministry on earth, unlike other disciples of Jesus. After all, he was a persecutor of Christians. But he was compelled by Christ’s love, not just once but all through his lifetime. How was this possible?

The secret is very simple. It is nothing new. Paul was a true Christian. In other words, Paul practiced his faith in Jesus, which means he struggled to live his life in Christ as much as he could by crucifying his sinful nature. In other words, withdrew the grace of God through faith in Jesus as much as he could. In Galatians 2:20, Paul defines what it means to be a Christian. He said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

As we read from John Chapter 21, the Risen Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John. Do you truly love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered, “Yes, Lord. You know that I love you.” Then Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” When we study this part, we mainly focus on “feeding sheep.” As disciples of Jesus, we automatically think that the way we express our love for Jesus is by feeding sheep and sacrificing our time and everything we have. This is true. However, we must be very careful. We think about how to love our sheep. But we don’t really think about loving Jesus himself. When you love someone you really spend a lot of time with the person alone. Even if you are busy, you give first priority to that person.

Why is it that so many Christian workers who would do anything for their sheep eventually burn out? It’s because they neglected caring for themselves. Many people think that caring for themselves is a selfish thing to do. So they only want to serve others. As a result, they get burned out physically, emotionally and spiritually. Someone said that burnt out Christian workers may be more dangerous than demon-possessed people. We need to feed ourselves by spending time alone with God, abiding in him and being united with him so that we may be filled with the love and grace of Christ. Then we can also love others, feeding them with the love of Christ.

I see some coworkers coming to the center early in the morning and spending time with the Lord in worship and prayer, not because they have nothing else to do. They are extremely busy people. But they still make time for personal devotion and worship. As a result of their intimate love relationship with Jesus, they are filled with love and grace through the Holy Spirit. Their prayers and labor of love for others bear much fruit. If we are not compelled with the love of Christ, it may not be necessarily because of lack of hard work but may be because of lack of our fellowship with the Lord. This is a crucially important issue. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” God’s love through Christ is the foundation of the ministry of reconciliation. Are you compelled by the love of Christ? You must abide in Jesus.

Second, New perspectives (15-17)

In joining the ministry of reconciliation, having genuine motives is a very important. Look at verse 15. “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” One of the greatest temptations we face as Christians is that we follow our selfish ambition in the name of doing the ministry. One pastor who has the biggest congregation in the world confessed that the hardest thing for him was not to build a big ministry but to truly live for the glory of God. Well, we may not have great achievements to brag about. But if we want to impress others through our ministry, we are not true servants of God but actors. God knows everything. He will reward us according to our deeds and motives. Whatever we do, we must do it all in genuine motives for the glory of God.

In verses 16-17, Paul talks about new perspectives that we, as the ministers of the reconciliation, must have. Read verses 16 and 17. “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” We see things through our lenses. If we wear red sunglasses, everything looks red. If we wear blue sunglasses, everything looks blue. Our perspectives must be changed.

From a worldly point of view, crucifixion was nothing but a symbol of curse and shame. Many people spat on Jesus while he was hung on the cross. Paul also despised the crucified Jesus and his followers as the scum of the earth. He thought that Christians were liars. He was eager to destroy the church of God. How could he have a new perspective of Jesus Christ? It was only by the grace of God. One day, on his way to Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him, he fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ It was the voice of Jesus. In fact, he met the risen and gloried Jesus. Since then, Paul became a new person, and many things had changed in his life. The most drastic change in his life was that he began to have a new perspective.

Paul said in verse 16, that he regarded no one from a worldly point of view. What did he mean by that? It meant that he saw Jews and Gentiles in a new perspective. He no longer evaluate the Gentiles based on their race, gender, ethnicity, skin color, achievement, or even religion. He saw people as the ones who had “Imago Dei -the image of God.” He began to have basic respect of every person on earth as God’s creation. He said in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then, you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” He also said in verse 17 again, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

What does it mean that we are a new creation in Christ? It means that anyone who is in Christ should not be viewed according to the old way with its worldly priorities and values. What counts before God is our new self in Christ. Our human status does not really count. What counts is that we are in the process of transformation. We are a new creation in Christ. Of course, this does not mean that we are perfect. We still have the same physical features, same personality, same parents, and same DNA. We live in the same polluted city and crowded streets and are vulnerable to temptation. But we don’t have the same perspective of ourselves or others. We have a new perspective. We are no longer enslaved to sinful nature as we used to. We also possess spiritual wealth, such as love, joy, peace, kindness, patience, faithfulness, goodness and self-control. Most of all, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who is transforming us into new creations. We may not be perfect now, but we have the glorious future. Our physical body is wasting away but we are being renewed day by day. We are created in the image of God (Imago Dei). We will be like Christ when Christ comes again. We will be completely transformed into the glorious image of our God. In order to be a part of the ministry of reconciliation, we need a new perspective of ourselves and others.

Third, the Message of Reconciliation (5:18-6:2)

Transformation is in the ultimate goal of God’s creation and redemption of humankind and the world. This is indeed a fantastic vision that we all should have as Christians. In God’s appointed time, a new heaven and a new earth will replace the old heaven and the old earth we now live in. There will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain. The old order of things has passed away and the new order has come. (Rev 21:1-3)

How are all these things possible? Let’s all read verses 18-19. “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 men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” The ministry of reconciliation is by divine providence. God is behind all these beautiful things that are going on. However, there are four steps in the ministry of reconciliation: initiation, intermediation, proclamation, and actualization.

The ministry of reconciliation is the most glorious and greatest project that will bring complete transformation into the humanity and the entire universe. God our Father not only initiated but also intermediated it throughout history, especially by sending Christ as ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

In verse 21, Paul reexplains how the reconciliation is possible. Look at verse 21. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”Paul says “God made Jesus to be sin for us” instead of saying “God made Jesus to be a sin offering for us.” “God made Jesus to be sin for us.” It’s a very radical expression. Sin is very poisonous. It makes people ugly, filthy and evil. When a baby is born, he or she looks so innocent and pure that we immediately fall in love with them. In the movie, “Green Mile” a man was accused of sexually molesting and murdering a girl even though he was the one who tried to rescue her. Even though he was totally innocent of the crime, he was executed in the place of someone else’s crime. In fact, this man drank the poison of sin for other person.

“God made Jesus to be sin for us” means that God poured all the poison of sin upon Jesus when he became a sin offering on the cross. Jesus actually drank the poison of sin and death on our behalf so that the power of sin and death might die in his death and those who believe in him may become right with God. Now, the gate of heaven has been opened wide. Now is the time of God’s favor and reconciliation. (6:1-2)

However, the fact that God has reconciled everyone does not mean that everyone is justified. It means that through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, God has brought everyone into a savable relationship to Himself. People still need to respond to the offer of salvation by believing the gospel. God has committed the message of reconciliation to us to share with as many as people as possible. God wants us to proclaim the message of reconciliation. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ (20), peacemakers on earth through the message of reconciliation. We say to the people of the world, “Be reconciled to God. Come back to God, my friend.” To be a part of this glorious ministry of reconciliation is a great blessing. I am so thankful to God that I am also a part of it.

Last night, we heard so many beautiful, heart-breaking and moving stories of people’s transformations. I was very much touched by their testimonies. I also have a story of transformation. I was born in 1954. My parents had 9 children, 6 daughters and 3 sons. Two of them in their young age of sickness during the Korean war. Since I was born in their old age, I was treated special by my parents, almost like Joseph in Genesis. I was the only one who went to kindergarten and graduated from college in my family. I was gifted and handsome. I was number one in the class. Since my brother was a very famous baseball player both in Japan and Korea, most people thought our family was rich and famous and always happy. But the reality was far from what most people thought it was. As I grew up, my family had such turmoil and became dysfunctional with many complicated reasons. One of them was the conflict between my father and oldest brother who had a lot of bitterness toward my father. There was either verbal or physical fight between my father and my oldest brother almost every week for so many long years. Everyone in the family was affected by it. We didn’t talk to each other days and weeks. To make the matters worse, my father failed in business so many times. My house was frequently visited by creditors. One day nearly 70 construction workers came to our house threatening to kill my father because he failed to pay their wages on time. As a sensitive young boy, I had nightmares almost everyday. Going home was like going back to hell because there would always be a fight or creditors would come and threaten us. From my young age, I used to go to church faithfully. But I could not go any longer because I felt so ashamed of my family situation. Nobody knew what was going on. I went to highly competitive high school, in which academic excellence was the only way to be recognized. At school, I could not concentrate. I couldn’t stand the pressure. I began to break down. I could not speak out for myself. I became introverted and reached the point of paranoia. I wet my pants and couldn’t look at people in the eye. Nobody understood what was going on inside of me. I often contemplated committing suicide. But I couldn’t because I didn’t want to hurt my mother. The only relief I had was to sing sorrowful songs. I grew my hair long, like a hippie. I started playing guitar and sang songs, like “I started a joke” by the Bee-Gees or like “For the good time.” I tried to escape from the reality of the world through music. In college, I drank almost everyday and smoked heavily. I had no real motive of my life, thinking that my life was over. But Jesus came into my life one day through my friend, who was in UBF. I was deeply touched by Genesis 1:31, which said, “God saw all that he had made and it was very good” and Genesis 12:2, “I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.” I thought that I was a cursed man. But what a fantastic promise it was. I was deeply touched by the word of God, yet, I didn’t remain in UBF because I was in deep darkness of sin. But Jesus didn’t give up on me. So many of God’s servants and loving shepherds reached out to me, taught me the word of God and served me with Christ’s love. Recently, I looked at my old pictures and didn’t recognize myself. Although I am not perfect and have so much to be changed, I cannot deny that I have been changed much. First of all, I am no longer afraid. I used to blink my eyes because I was so afraid. I still blink my eyes but with a different reason. Whenever I blink, God’s inspiration come to me. I am no longer angry or bitter. Most of all, I am a child of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in me. I am what I am, a minister of reconciliation only by God’s grace. Praise Jesus!

God called the Israelites out of Egypt so that they could be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation for the whole world. This is the Old Testament version of the ministry of reconciliation. God wanted to make them a source of blessing for all people of the world. But because of their national pride, racial prejudice and sinful nature, they failed to participate in God’s redemptive work. In order to participate in the ministry of reconciliation, we are to be renewed over and over again, we are to be compelled by the love of Christ everyday by living in Christ by depending on the grace of Jesus, we need new and spiritual perspectives and accept and embrace others who are different from us. Most of all, we are to share the message of reconciliation with those who are not made peace with God. We are a chosen few, ministers of reconciliation, Christ’s ambassadors and peacemakers in this emerging generation. May the Lord help to live as ministers of reconciliation as the work of transformation continues in our lives and until Jesus comes again and rewards us with the crown of His glory.

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