A Joy That Cannot Be Described

A Joy That Cannot Be Described

2005020

Topic # 0480 (reconciliation)

Introduction:

A. God is the ultimate form of good.

1. There is no evil in Him.

2. While God seeks & produces only good, Satan seeks & produces only evil.

3. God functions in light & offers the openness of understanding.

4. Satan functions in darkness & offers the deception of manipulation.

B. There was a time when people belongs exclusively to God’s goodness.

1. Before Adam/Eve rebelled against God, they belonged exclusively to God.

2. Holy people who associated w/the holy God.

3. In their state of purity, they had never experienced evil, never rebelled.

4. As holy people, fear, guilt, shame, and blame were unknown.

C. But they were deceived.

1. Enticed to think that knowing evil was a virtue.

2. Suddenly fear, guilt, shame, and blame became a part of human reality.

3. After becoming Satan’s slaves – you know for sure that Adam/Eve had a new appreciation & understanding of God’s holiness.

4. But it was not in their power to undo what they did in their rebellion against God.

a) No matter how much they wanted to return to their previous condition – it was not an option.

D. How can people enslaved w/evil again connect w/God?

1. How can the pure, holy God reestablish a connection between impure/holy people/

2. How could/can a God of no evil reveal himself to a people controlled by evil?

3. The chasm between the holy God and unholy people was/is enormous!

E. Unholy, impure people of themselves can not produce a viable connection between themselves & the God of absolute purity.

1. God produced the connection.

2. God gave a gift to evil people.

3. Through God’s gift, people can choose to come to God.

4. Jesus is the gift God gave us.

I. 1 Tim. 2:5-6 – reconciliation is a difficult concept to grasp.

A. Sin alienates man from God.

1. Jesus ended alienation from God for all who trust his mediation.

2. Ending alienation produces reconciliation.

B. But...this can be a hard concept for humans to grasp.

1. Consider marriage.

2. Man/woman commit to marriage – bounded by their love for each other.

a) One rebels – breaks his commitment & b/c of unfaithfulness forces a separation.

b) One side is content to rebel – the other side wants things worked out.

c) This separation brings alienation – and leads to feelings of injustice & hostility.

d) He took her back after she did that to him?

3. Mediator is brought in.

4. Through the counselors guidance – new relationship skills are learned; old relationship skills are resurrected.

5. Over time a renewal of hope & respect give birth to a renewed love.

6. Alienation ended.

C. Consider Jesus as the means of our reconciliation to God.

1. We must realize we created the problem through rebellion. We are the problem.

a) God did not create the problem & is not the problem.

2. Reconciliation occurs because God welcomes back humans.

3. Through it we can be forgiven & born again.

4. This is all possible because of what God did in the life/death/resurrection of Jesus.

II. Rom. 5:8-11 – God wanted reconciliation before we did.

A. While we were enemies – God through Jesus’ death paid the price to make reconciliation possible.

1. Jesus paid full price for the consequences of human rebellion.

2. He satisfied justice so He could extend the healing of salvation.

3. As much as God hated evil, He never hated us.

B. Jesus death destroyed the hostility.

1. His resurrection empowered the reconciliation to give life.

2. Jesus resurrected life is the source of Christian spiritual life!

C. Think about this:

1. God will do even more for those who accept reconciliation than those who were His enemies.

2. If God was this good to us when we hated Him, He is even better to us when we accept reconciliation.

3. God can do far more for us when we respond to His efforts.

4. Our reconciliation is merely the beginning of what He can do for us.

5. The end result of reconciliation in human life is a joy that cannot be described & must express itself in praising God.

III. 2 Cor. 5:17-21 – reconciliation produces a new life.

A. Christians are new creatures motivated by a new understanding of future things.

1. Reconciliation produces a new life & the new life produces a new being.

2. Our trust in God produces a different behavior; different character; and a different definition of human integrity.

3. This new life is not possible apart from the strength that Jesus supplies.

B. We must have the courage/trust to allow God to transform us into different persons and become living examples of God’s power in human life.

1. Reconciliation allows God to work w/o restriction in the life of Christians.

2. Those who respond to God’s reconciliation obey Him – but do not place their trust in their obedient deeds.

3. Trust placed in Jesus death & resurrection.

IV. Eph. 2:13-18 – Jesus’ blood destroyed all alienation.

A. Under Christ, one’s heritage is not significant to God.

1. God used Jesus’ blood to destroy the separation/enmity between Jews & non-Jews.

2. Jesus came to declare peace could exist between all people & God.

3. In reconciling people to Himself, God does not care who you are, your background, how much you’ve sinned.

a) Don’t believe devil’s lie that you’re not good enough for salvation.

b) 1 Tim. 1:12-16

B. God does not care who you are & what your problems are.

1. He asks: do you trust me enough to respond to my conditions of grace?

2. God can make something out of nothing.

a) He can take something horribly dead & make it beautifully alive.

C. Imagine what He can do with your life!

1. Christians: imagine what you can do because of God.

2. Non Christians: you can access hope through responding to God’s terms of grace.

V. Col. 1:19-23 – reconciliation is a journey.

A. 1:22-23 – God intends for the reconciled to be God’s obvious presence in an evil world.

1. People who stand out like lights in darkness.

2. This can/will happen when the reconciled firmly root their trust in God.

B. As we grow toward God I believe we become more humbled by the concept of reconciliation.

1. Grow older – we grow in understanding to be awed by the vastness/the hugeness of reconciliation.

C. When we begin to realize this…it should create a joy w/in us that cannot be described!

1. Happy/optimistic/full of faith!

2. this hope/assurance is what is behind Paul’s statements:

a) Phil 1:6-9; 4:13

b) 1 John 2:1-6; 5:13-14

Conclusion:

A. Have you begun the journey?

B. Can/have you experienced the joy that cannot be described?

C. Why not obey the gospel today?

D. I N V I T A T I O N



A Joy That Cannot Be Described 2005020 Topic # 0480 (reconciliation) Introduction: A. God is the ultimate form of good. 1. There is no evil in Him. 2. While God seeks & produces only good, Satan seeks & produces only evil. 3. God functions in light & offers the openness of understanding. 4. Satan functions in darkness & offers the deception of manipulation. B. There was a time when people belongs exclusively to God’s goodness. 1. Before Adam/Eve rebelled against God, they belonged exclusively to God. 2. Holy people who associated w/the holy God. 3. In their state of purity, they had never experienced evil, never rebelled. 4. As holy people, fear, guilt, shame, and blame were unknown. C. But they were deceived. 1. Enticed to think that knowing evil was a virtue. 2. Suddenly fear, guilt, shame, and blame became a part of human reality. 3. After becoming Satan’s slaves – you know for sure that Adam/Eve had a new appreciation & understanding of God’s holiness. 4. But it was not in their power to undo what they did in their rebellion against God. a) No matter how much they wanted to return to their previous condition – it was not an option. D. How can people enslaved w/evil again connect w/God? 1. How can the pure, holy God reestablish a connection between impure/holy people/ 2. How could/can a God of no evil reveal himself to a people controlled by evil? 3. The chasm between the holy God and unholy people was/is enormous! E. Unholy, impure people of themselves can not produce a viable connection between themselves & the God of absolute purity. 1. God produced the connection. 2. God gave a gift to evil people. 3. Through God’s gift, people can choose to come to God. 4. Jesus is the gift God gave us. I. 1 Tim. 2:5-6 – reconciliation is a difficult concept to grasp. A. Sin alienates man from God. 1. Jesus ended alienation from God for all who trust his mediation. 2. Ending alienation produces reconciliation. B. But...this can be a hard concept for humans to grasp. 1. Consider marriage. 2. Man/woman commit to marriage – bounded by their love for each other. a) One rebels – breaks his commitment & b/c of unfaithfulness forces a separation. b) One side is content to rebel – the other side wants things worked out. c) This separation brings alienation – and leads to feelings of injustice & hostility. d) He took her back after she did that to him? 3. Mediator is brought in. 4. Through the counselors guidance – new relationship skills are learned; old relationship skills are resurrected. 5. Over time a renewal of hope & respect give birth to a renewed love. 6. Alienation ended. C. Consider Jesus as the means of our reconciliation to God. 1. We must realize we created the problem through rebellion. We are the problem. a) God did not create the problem & is not the problem. 2. Reconciliation occurs because God welcomes back humans. 3. Through it we can be forgiven & born again. 4. This is all possible because of what God did in the life/death/resurrection of Jesus. II. Rom. 5:8-11 – God wanted reconciliation before we did. A. While we were enemies – God through Jesus’ death paid the price to make reconciliation possible. 1. Jesus paid full price for the consequences of human rebellion. 2. He satisfied justice so He could extend the healing of salvation. 3. As much as God hated evil, He never hated us. B. Jesus death destroyed the hostility. 1. His resurrection empowered the reconciliation to give life. 2. Jesus resurrected life is the source of Christian spiritual life! C. Think about this: 1. God will do even more for those who accept reconciliation than those who were His enemies. 2. If God was this good to us when we hated Him, He is even better to us when we accept reconciliation. 3. God can do far more for us when we respond to His efforts. 4. Our reconciliation is merely the beginning of what He can do for us. 5. The end result of reconciliation in human life is a joy that cannot be described & must express itself in praising God. III. 2 Cor. 5:17-21 – reconciliation produces a new life. A. Christians are new creatures motivated by a new understanding of future things. 1. Reconciliation produces a new life & the new life produces a new being. 2. Our trust in God produces a different behavior; different character; and a different definition of human integrity. 3. This new life is not possible apart from the strength that Jesus supplies. B. We must have the courage/trust to allow God to transform us into different persons and become living examples of God’s power in human life. 1. Reconciliation allows God to work w/o restriction in the life of Christians. 2. Those who respond to God’s reconciliation obey Him – but do not place their trust in their obedient deeds. 3. Trust placed in Jesus death & resurrection. IV. Eph. 2:13-18 – Jesus’ blood destroyed all alienation. A. Under Christ, one’s heritage is not significant to God. 1. God used Jesus’ blood to destroy the separation/enmity between Jews & non-Jews. 2. Jesus came to declare peace could exist between all people & God. 3. In reconciling people to Himself, God does not care who you are, your background, how much you’ve sinned. a) Don’t believe devil’s lie that you’re not good enough for salvation. b) 1 Tim. 1:12-16 B. God does not care who you are & what your problems are. 1. He asks: do you trust me enough to respond to my conditions of grace? 2. God can make something out of nothing. a) He can take something horribly dead & make it beautifully alive. C. Imagine what He can do with your life! 1. Christians: imagine what you can do because of God. 2. Non Christians: you can access hope through responding to God’s terms of grace. V. Col. 1:19-23 – reconciliation is a journey. A. 1:22-23 – God intends for the reconciled to be God’s obvious presence in an evil world. 1. People who stand out like lights in darkness. 2. This can/will happen when the reconciled firmly root their trust in God. B. As we grow toward God I believe we become more humbled by the concept of reconciliation. 1. Grow older – we grow in understanding to be awed by the vastness/the hugeness of reconciliation. C. When we begin to realize this…it should create a joy w/in us that cannot be described! 1. Happy/optimistic/full of faith! 2. this hope/assurance is what is behind Paul’s statements: a) Phil 1:6-9; 4:13 b) 1 John 2:1-6; 5:13-14 Conclusion: A. Have you begun the journey? B. Can/have you experienced the joy that cannot be described? C. Why not obey the gospel today? D. I N V I T A T I O N