Be Reconciled

The message of reconciliation is changing and will transform the world. I want you to take a moment to reflect on this great gift.

2 Corinthians 5:11-7:16

This is the powerful experience of everyone who accepts Jesus—we are restored and accepted.

One of the powerful moments of restoration that I have ever seen was at a previous church, as they were working through a long conflicted situation. One man took a courageous step at a meeting trying to address the pain and disputes. This man’s step was a catalyst for reconciliation that swept through the church family. He had been on leadership through the conflicted period, and he and the other leaders were trying to make a way through the issues and broken relationships.

Unfortunately, in one meeting in the past, during a heated discussion, he said something that offended a long-term family in the church. He carried regret and hurt of what he had done but didn’t know how to repair it.

At this meeting of healing and restoration, God prompted him and he openly apologised to the family he had offended. Two of the offended family members who were at the meeting responded in forgiveness and love, and embraced him. It started a chain reaction across the group as others confessed and others forgave. The power of the ministry of reconciliation—the restoration of relationships broken and estranged to come back, be unified and be in harmony.

This is the powerful experience of everyone who accepts Jesus—we are restored and accepted.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old is gone, the new is here! 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 people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation”. (2 Cor 5:17-19)

The message of reconciliation is changing and will transform the world. I want you to take a moment to reflect on this great gift. You are new and join back to the one who knows you, created you and loves you. Your sin has been dealt with on the cross and forgiveness given. If you follow Jesus, you have accepted that gift. If you are not yet following Jesus, that gift is there for you to take up.

And if you have walked away from Jesus, today is an opportunity to turn and be restored. To come home.

You have a story to tell the nations—Jesus reconciled you and he wants to reconcile others. Let’s share it with the same passion and desire as Paul, “For Christ’s love compels us” (2 Cor 5:14a).

God Bless

Pastor Stephen