Sermon Notes - Sunday, September 17th, 2023

DISCOVER & DISCIPLE // The Ministry of Reconciliation
Pastor Chris Pletcher

Ephesians 4:17-19
"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity."

Titus 3:3-7
"For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Romans 5:1-2
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Colossians 1:21-22
"And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him."

Do you remember being alienated from God?
Do you remember being lost, enslaved, condemned? Maybe you feel that way now?
Do you long for peace, forgiveness, purpose?

At the core of Christianity is a merciful message of reconciliation with God in the place of our alienation from Him. The tension of enemies at odds with one another gets washed away by the merciful and justifying blood of Christ.

Key Themes of 2 Corinthians
- Comfort in the midst of Affliction
- Triumph in the midst of Opposition
- Treasure in the midst of Weakness
- Life in the midst of Death
- Life in the midst of Death
- Eternal Glory in the midst of Temporary Struggle

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5:14 - 6:2
"The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For 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."

Reconciliation is the primary MESSAGE that gives us access to the Father and His Kingdom, and once we've entered the Kingdom, it is our primary MISSION as citizens of heaven.

4 Key Components to True Christian Ministry

1. Driven by LOVE (v.14-15)
2. Denying of SELF (v.14-15)
3. Declaring His INVITATION (v.16-21)
4. Determined to WORK (6:1-2)

1 Corinthians 15:9-11
I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

2 Timothy 4:5
As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Practical Ways to Move from DISCOVERY to DISCIPLESHIP
1. Commit to spending time alone with God daily.
2. Commit to a Lifegroup!
3. Ask a seasoned believer to disciple you... and commit to meeting with them!

Practical Ways to GROW in the Ministry of Reconciliation
1. Begin praying for 2-3 people
2. Begin planning for a conversation
3. Begin inviting people to church

Jesus lived a life of CONSTANT INVITATION. Do we?