Discovery: Paul speaks about reconciliation in our passage today. v. 18 states, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." Reconciliation implies a change in relation. We reconcile our checkbooks so that the amounts are correct, nations reconcile their differences which leads to a cease-fire, etc. Reconciliation is about us correcting something that is wrong. But Paul's use of reconciliation is the reversal of the "normal" usage. God is the one who reconciles with us and not the other way around. He is the one who gave His Son and He is the one who didn't count our sins against us. God is the chief character in this act of reconciliation. We are merely the beneficiaries. Paul makes it clear that God's heart is about reconciliation.
Moreover, the church is called to be reconcilers as well. The later part of v. 19 and the beginning of v. 20 states, "...He has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation. We are therefore ambassadors of Christ..." Notice how its states that "He has committed to us." It does not say that "we committed to this." When you are committed to a mental institution, you don't willingly sign up for that. Someone else does it for you. Reconciliation is both the heart of God but also the primary mission of His followers. It is not optional.
Application: The church is too often defined by what we are not instead of what we are. We draw lines in that sand that determine whether you are on the right side of the wrong side. We take good and godly things such as theology, convictions, and beliefs and use them are tools to divide and judge rather than to witness and convert. When we look at the life and ministry of Jesus, we see what reconciliation is all about. Reconciliation is about stepping over and erasing those lines that people draw. Time and time again, we see Jesus stepping across these religious and cultural lines (Samaritan woman, Syrophoenician woman, etc.) in order to bring the Good News of God's salvation. In the Sermon on the Mount, we see Jesus teaching His followers to live in such a way that runs counter to the desires of our hearts as well as the culture of this world.
Reconciliation needs to permeate all of my life. First off in my interpersonal relationships, I need to be quick in forgiving versus stubbornly fighting. When it comes to ministry, I need to focus on those outside the church walls as well as those who are already comfortably within them. In addition to my "job" as a pastor of this congregation, I need to live out my "calling" as an ambassador and committed reconciler.
On a personal note, I recently been looking over some of my old journals when I was in high school. I am quite embarrassed by the things that wrote down. My natural tendency is to distance myself from that young man and to think that I have somehow "grown up." Reading those old journals instead reminds of the work of reconciliation that God has been doing in my life. I can clearly attest to the fact that it has always been about God doing the work.
Prayer: Oh Lord, where do I start... Remind me how much you love me and allow that love to forcibly flow over into the lives of my loved ones, community, and stranger alike. Help me lead our church in maturity. Help us be defined as people who live out your heart of reconciliation with one another and the community around us.
