Today is the only day we are certain of, and NOW is the only time in that day we know about, so what will we do?

2 Corinthians 5 is so powerful and quoted, especially in the closing section beginning in v14 – “For the Love of Christ Compels”.

We know and often skip to v17 because we know we are imperfect and it is encouraging to know that in Chrit, the old has passed away… the new has come. YES!

But then Paul breaks this down, the purpose behind the what, and makes his case for our role in the work of God in Christ.

v18 – God has reconciled us to himself through Christ

Camping on that word for a minute, reconciled, the English definition is to restore friendly relations, to settle, or to make accounts consistent.

v19 In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them

God wants relations restore, and accounts settled, but he is equally just as he is love. So, the debt still must be paid. We owed an unpayable debt, Christ paid the debt. God cannot ignore the debt, but he can allow us to receive the payment from Christ.

Then v21, he who did not know sin (i.e. no debt) became sin for us – so that we might become the righteousness of God.

Our account could be reconciled and when we receive it all was good – so we say – “WHEW – YES – See you in Heaven, Lord.” right?

6:1 says working together with him, we appeal to you, “don’t receive the grace of God in vain.”

in vain – kenos – empty, empty-handed, foolish

Just as if you receive a car, you don’t then walk. If you receive food, you don’t starve… but also you don’t ignore the giver, and you respond gratefully.

While I DO come to God with nothing, empty-handed. I can’t pay for my sin, and I can’t pay it back, or reimburse the sacrificed – YET – I continue in grateful service – working together with him

My Salvation IS by grace, through faith, first to last; but don’t receive it empty-handed

My grateful response is to serve – How? To What End?

Go back to 5:15 – he died for all SO THAT those who live should NO LONGER live for themselves, but FOR the ONE who died for them

And perhaps we might think, “yes I’ll live for Jesus…” Yet, because of the work of God in Christ – think about Isaiah 61:1-2 … to bring good news to the poor… heal the brokenhearted… proclaim liberty to captives… freedom to the prisoners… proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor… comfort those who mourn… That’s the work of Jesus and thus we cannot live for the one who died… without working together with Him

v18 reconciled with God… we are given the ministry of reconciliation… 19 he has committed the message of reconciliation to us

We can’t provide the reconciliation, but we can tell everybody where to find it.

v20 therefore we are ambassadors for Christ… we plead on Christ’s behalf, “be reconciled to God.”

Now Paul isn’t saying this “ambassador” work is just for preachers or missionaries … because the context of all of this is “if ANYONE is IN Christ… new creation…”

So back there to 6:1 – Don’t receive the grace in vain. And then he tells us the message we are delivering… See, now is the acceptable time, now / today is the day of salvation

NOW THE TIME – NOW the DAY

Back to 5:16 – yep we are circling around this again and again… From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective… Our view of Christ changed our view of ourselves, and our place in the plan of God.

When God reveals Christ to us, and we receive it by faith, then we were given new life AND a new role in the work of God to reconcile all who will believe and receive it.

“But I’m not a preacher, or a missionary, I’m just a

_____fill in the blank___________

Exactly – whatever it is that you are God has placed you there as his ambassador. He called you right where you are to take the reconciliation message to that realm, that sphere of influence. Right there, you become an ambassador. An Ambassador to the House of… to the school of… in the job of… on the street of… in the family of… at the hospital of…

From now on – we see it differently – we are Working Together with Christ