1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,300 You may be seated. Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father and our 2 00:00:09,300 --> 00:00:17,166 Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen. Today we are celebrating, we're 3 00:00:17,166 --> 00:00:21,233 celebrating of course always the gifts of Christ and today. We're celebrating 4 00:00:21,233 --> 00:00:27,766 those in the text that talks about the ministry of reconciliation,. The gift of 5 00:00:27,766 --> 00:00:33,400 the ministry of reconciliation. And we do that today because we are rejoicing in 6 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:38,200 pastoral ministry calls and those who are completing a program for pastoral 7 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:46,566 ministry formation. I want to start off by asking you if you're like me, if you're 8 00:00:46,566 --> 00:00:57,733 wearing glasses, do you remember the first time you wore glasses? Do you 9 00:00:57,733 --> 00:01:05,333 you can read stories about how people's lives were literally changed, transformed 10 00:01:05,333 --> 00:01:13,200 by the fact that they came to realize that they had something, a problem that 11 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,566 that they didn't know about. That other people didn't have and that was their vision was blurred, 12 00:01:17,733 --> 00:01:22,266 they couldn't see clearly. And so people you can read stories about how they say, 13 00:01:22,266 --> 00:01:26,533 I genuinely can't believe I was functioning without glasses but I just 14 00:01:26,533 --> 00:01:32,366 didn't know it. And there's also stories about people who knew they had a vision 15 00:01:32,366 --> 00:01:37,933 problem but they didn't want to wear glasses. Now that's not as big a problem 16 00:01:37,933 --> 00:01:43,400 today I think because the glasses industry knew how to market it to make 17 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:49,033 glasses into a fashion accessory so you don't hear that much about the old kind 18 00:01:49,033 --> 00:01:53,566 of critical language of oh that's old four eyes over there or look at the 19 00:01:53,566 --> 00:01:57,366 person with the coke bottle glasses those kind of things because glasses are 20 00:01:57,366 --> 00:02:05,133 kind of cool. Well Paul likes to talk in these terms too, in fact it's all over 21 00:02:05,133 --> 00:02:10,800 scripture about now seeing things more clearly or maybe seeing things at all 22 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:17,066 going from darkness to light but in our text we have this this statement from 23 00:02:17,066 --> 00:02:30,600 Paul, we no longer regard people from now on according to the flesh. Now that's 24 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:35,433 literally the word, sarx is literally the word in Greek in there but I like the 25 00:02:35,433 --> 00:02:43,433 dynamic translation in the NIV on this one. It is basically we no longer 26 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:50,100 regard people from a worldly point of view because that's kind of the emphasis 27 00:02:50,100 --> 00:02:53,600 there in that word flesh in this case. It's we're not going to just look 28 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:59,033 according to our natural state in kind of a superficial level but we see now 29 00:02:59,033 --> 00:03:05,533 with a greater vision. And you know we use a cultural image for this a lot of 30 00:03:05,533 --> 00:03:08,800 times we'll talk about well that person's looking through a certain set of 31 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:15,466 lenses that's a common phrase in our postmodern world. And I think as 32 00:03:15,466 --> 00:03:20,066 Christians we can adopt that phrase not in a postmodernistic sort of way but in 33 00:03:20,066 --> 00:03:27,966 a true as Paul goes on in the text to say new creational sort of way. From now 34 00:03:27,966 --> 00:03:32,666 on therefore we regard no one from a worldly point of view even though we 35 00:03:32,666 --> 00:03:38,633 used to regard Christ that way we do so no longer. Paul the the converted 36 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,833 Christian now sees Christ differently. And there's so many different directions 37 00:03:45,833 --> 00:03:51,466 you can go with this biblical image this revelation because everything in our 38 00:03:51,466 --> 00:03:57,666 life looks different because of that but there's one thing that he kind of zeroes 39 00:03:57,666 --> 00:04:04,833 in on in this text. And if you know the background of the Corinthian letters the 40 00:04:04,833 --> 00:04:10,333 area that I'd like to apply it to in light of that is seeing things 41 00:04:10,333 --> 00:04:18,966 differently regarding conflict and relationship struggles in the church. As 42 00:04:18,966 --> 00:04:26,533 Christians we can use this in a very helpful way to see that our relationship 43 00:04:26,533 --> 00:04:31,966 struggles in the church are not necessarily the problem we think they 44 00:04:31,966 --> 00:04:39,033 are and therefore the solution is different than what we think it is. So 45 00:04:39,033 --> 00:04:43,533 the goal of this sermon is simply this to see how looking through the Christ 46 00:04:43,533 --> 00:04:50,833 lens the lens of faith addresses challenging relationships in ministry. 47 00:04:51,566 --> 00:04:57,233 Looking through the lens of faith the Christ lens how does that help address 48 00:04:57,233 --> 00:05:02,900 challenging relationships in ministry? Now not only with the Corinthians but in 49 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:08,266 other places in Scripture we can see that Paul had struggling relationships 50 00:05:08,266 --> 00:05:14,533 himself with people in the church. He even struggled sometimes with other 51 00:05:14,533 --> 00:05:21,733 apostles other people who were sent out and we all do that. I think it's 52 00:05:21,733 --> 00:05:27,166 important for us to recognize that to call it what it is. So these Corinthian 53 00:05:27,166 --> 00:05:32,433 letters have that in the background they're describing this this painful 54 00:05:32,433 --> 00:05:36,900 relationship in some places because there was a particular one Paul zeroed 55 00:05:36,900 --> 00:05:46,666 in on in this letter but others as well. Perhaps you maybe you guys and who are 56 00:05:46,666 --> 00:05:51,366 pastors in Specific Ministry congregations have a struggle going on 57 00:05:51,366 --> 00:05:55,866 maybe with a particular person I know I have over the years at different times. 58 00:05:57,033 --> 00:06:01,933 As Paul says elsewhere don't let the devil win so that's why we're we're 59 00:06:01,933 --> 00:06:07,133 gonna talk about those things because the devil wins when we don't. But those 60 00:06:07,133 --> 00:06:11,866 relationship struggles could be somebody who is critical of you and you don't 61 00:06:11,866 --> 00:06:18,366 really know why or maybe they're critical of you and you do know why but 62 00:06:18,366 --> 00:06:24,166 you don't know how to deal with it or how to address it what's the problem? You 63 00:06:24,166 --> 00:06:29,300 know it's kind of like the person who doesn't see clearly because they don't 64 00:06:29,300 --> 00:06:34,800 have a lens that they can look through to really see what's going on their 65 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:40,866 vision is blurry things are confusing maybe even painful especially if they 66 00:06:40,866 --> 00:06:48,533 run into things because they can't see what's going on. Well Paul in this text 67 00:06:48,533 --> 00:06:54,600 about the ministry of reconciliation makes an interesting turn for us when 68 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:58,666 we're thinking about you know conflict with other people and Paul says no 69 00:06:58,666 --> 00:07:07,733 that's not really the problem the real problem is is something else. So that 70 00:07:07,733 --> 00:07:13,566 comes out in the first verse of the text of 2nd Corinthians 5:11. Therefore 71 00:07:13,566 --> 00:07:22,066 knowing the fear of the Lord we persuade others. Knowing the fear of the Lord we 72 00:07:22,066 --> 00:07:29,933 persuade others. Now Paul is needing to defend his apostolic authority his 73 00:07:29,933 --> 00:07:34,366 ministry here because part of the conflict has been undermining that. And 74 00:07:34,366 --> 00:07:39,500 he goes on to do that he says but what we are is known to God and I hope that 75 00:07:39,500 --> 00:07:44,166 it is known also to your conscience appealing not just the surface level of 76 00:07:44,166 --> 00:07:48,533 the flesh but to the conscience of these Christians. We are not committing 77 00:07:48,533 --> 00:07:55,000 ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us so that you may 78 00:07:55,000 --> 00:08:00,300 be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance but not about what is 79 00:08:00,300 --> 00:08:06,633 in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves maybe Paul kind of got a little 80 00:08:06,633 --> 00:08:13,033 excited it is for God if we are in our right mind it is for you. Now this 81 00:08:13,133 --> 00:08:20,000 passage begins with with therefore or depends on how it gets translated so or 82 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,266 because of referring to something that happened before and this is crucial to 83 00:08:24,266 --> 00:08:29,200 understanding how to approach the ministry of reconciliation. He's 84 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:34,933 referring to the verse just before this in the text. It's the fundamental reason 85 00:08:34,933 --> 00:08:41,833 for his ministry and that verse says that all will appear before the judgment 86 00:08:41,833 --> 00:08:49,866 seat of Christ. All will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. This is a 87 00:08:49,866 --> 00:08:56,133 dose of reality that brings into this conversation about conflict what is 88 00:08:56,133 --> 00:09:01,866 ultimately the problem. It's not the fact that I'm not getting along with this 89 00:09:01,866 --> 00:09:05,633 other individual or they're not getting along with each other's it's not the 90 00:09:05,633 --> 00:09:10,300 fact that they had factions in Corinth it's the fact that they 91 00:09:10,300 --> 00:09:17,833 are sinners before God focused in on themselves and Paul says and we will all 92 00:09:17,833 --> 00:09:25,566 appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That reframes or we might say for 93 00:09:25,566 --> 00:09:37,066 our purposes relenses how we see this problem. The problem is God and His 94 00:09:37,066 --> 00:09:44,233 demands that I am not fulfilling. It's a much bigger problem than any conflict I 95 00:09:44,233 --> 00:09:49,466 have with any other human being because we all must appear before the judgment 96 00:09:49,466 --> 00:09:54,100 seat of Christ. And this is why Paul was so concerned about defending his 97 00:09:55,633 --> 00:10:00,733 ministry because above all he was concerned about the spiritual well-being 98 00:10:00,733 --> 00:10:04,933 of the people he was reaching out to. Those who are lost those who don't know 99 00:10:04,933 --> 00:10:12,600 Christ and that is what he's most concerned about. Sure he wants to get 100 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:17,433 along with other people just like you and I do but pointing people to the 101 00:10:17,433 --> 00:10:24,033 ultimate problem also helps them to see the ultimate solution. So you start to 102 00:10:24,033 --> 00:10:28,133 recognize with that statement that I need a different vision if I'm going to 103 00:10:28,133 --> 00:10:31,466 appear before the judgment seat of Christ I need to start seeing things 104 00:10:31,466 --> 00:10:36,066 differently and that's when he then brings up the ministry of reconciliation. 105 00:10:37,433 --> 00:10:42,633 Now we have a wonderful organization in our in our midst called the Ambassadors 106 00:10:42,633 --> 00:10:48,233 of Reconciliation and sometimes when people hear about AOR they think well 107 00:10:48,233 --> 00:10:51,700 they're just all about people reconciling to one another in churches. 108 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:56,933 What what's really going on with them though is helping people who are in 109 00:10:56,933 --> 00:11:01,833 conflict learn to reconcile with God. That's why private confession and 110 00:11:01,833 --> 00:11:07,333 absolution is such a big part of what they do. It's establishing that I've 111 00:11:07,333 --> 00:11:11,266 sinned against God. Against thee and thee only have I sinned and done what is evil 112 00:11:11,266 --> 00:11:23,366 in thy sight O Lord says says David. So the solution then is this wonderful 113 00:11:23,366 --> 00:11:31,033 gospel text that comes up next. In fact Luther dubbed this the Great Exchange. 114 00:11:34,733 --> 00:11:38,866 Luther called this the most wonderful one of the most wonderful passages of 115 00:11:38,866 --> 00:11:46,333 Scripture. For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin so that in Him we 116 00:11:46,333 --> 00:11:55,133 might become the righteousness of God. As he says here from now on don't regard 117 00:11:55,133 --> 00:12:02,533 anyone according to this worldly point of view. If anyone is in Christ he is a 118 00:12:02,533 --> 00:12:11,766 new creation. The old has passed away the new has come. He has reconciled the world 119 00:12:11,766 --> 00:12:17,633 to himself in Christ Jesus. That's the ministry of reconciliation that Paul 120 00:12:17,633 --> 00:12:23,533 seeks to defend and to promote. That's what really matters. 121 00:12:25,966 --> 00:12:31,766 Jaroslav Pelikan is famous for many things but one is a quote that you'll 122 00:12:31,766 --> 00:12:35,866 sometimes hear repeated from this pulpit which I think is a is a great quote if 123 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:42,733 Christ is risen from the dead nothing else matters. If Christ is not risen 124 00:12:42,733 --> 00:12:52,466 nothing else matters. I like to apply that same concept to this text. If your 125 00:12:52,466 --> 00:12:59,400 broken relationship with God is reconciled no other relational strife 126 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:06,633 really matters. If your broken relationship with God is not reconciled 127 00:13:06,633 --> 00:13:15,033 no other relationship ultimately matters. But also this I'll extend it this this 128 00:13:15,033 --> 00:13:20,833 way if our relationship with God is reconciled then every other relationship 129 00:13:20,833 --> 00:13:28,933 now matters in a new way. In fact every other person now matters in a new way 130 00:13:28,933 --> 00:13:34,766 and we can see them in the love of Christ even that person who like us is a 131 00:13:34,766 --> 00:13:42,733 sinner at odds with us. Hence we see life differently through this different set 132 00:13:42,733 --> 00:13:51,300 of lenses if you will the lens of faith. So that's why Paul is so interested in 133 00:13:51,300 --> 00:13:56,000 talking about the ministry of reconciliation and that's why today 134 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:01,900 we're rejoicing in the fact that you're formed for and ordained into that 135 00:14:01,900 --> 00:14:08,666 ministry put under orders to proclaim Jesus Christ in him crucified and risen 136 00:14:08,666 --> 00:14:14,000 from the dead because in him he has reconciled God has reconciled the world 137 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:21,000 to himself. So just a short little takeaway and that would be this when you 138 00:14:21,233 --> 00:14:28,333 relational strife remember how Paul refocuses that in this relationship 139 00:14:28,333 --> 00:14:33,966 before God and how Christ is who you need and then out of that relationship 140 00:14:33,966 --> 00:14:40,033 look to love your neighbor serve them seek reconciliation wherever you can and 141 00:14:40,700 --> 00:14:46,466 above all love them by supporting serving in and being a part of the 142 00:14:46,700 --> 00:14:51,433 ministry of reconciliation that Christ has commissioned his church to do. And 143 00:14:52,266 --> 00:14:56,766 may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding through that ministry of 144 00:14:56,766 --> 00:15:01,933 reconciliation keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life 145 00:15:01,933 --> 00:15:03,966 everlasting amen.