Communion Message
The Ministry of Reconciliation
January 15, 2006
Pastor Leighton Sheley

Reading today from 2 Corinthians: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come! 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 men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

The ministry of reconciliation is God's call to lost men and women and children everywhere. Inviting them to come as they are with their sin, their burden, their problems, their difficulties and be reconciled to God. Now reconciliation is not exactly the same as salvation; it goes a step further. Reconciliation involves a changed relationship, and because of what Christ has done we are seen as brand new creations as we stand before God. The old, the sin, is gone, covered by the blood of Christ on Calvary's cross.

Now reconciliation is the ministry of changing, but God is the same yesterday today and forever so it is not God who is reconciled, it is we who are reconciled to God. The position of the world has changed because of what Christ did. Today God has His arms outstretched saying come, come unto Me, come to Me. The worst sinner can come just as you are to the Lord because of what Christ has accomplished.

We are called ambassadors. Webster says an ambassador is a minister of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the official representative of his own government or sovereign. We are ambassadors for Christ. Peter says that we are pilgrims and strangers on this earth, and Paul says our citizenship is in heaven; and therefore as citizens of heaven we are ambassadors here in earth on behalf of Christ.

Now when one government sends an ambassador to another government it is an indication that they are pursuing friendly relations, and God is still being friendly towards this world for He still sends His ambassadors. But we know that, when we watch the conflicts of the day, the media has a great deal of attention that they put to an ambassador, because if an ambassador is recalled it may be the prelude to war. The opportunity for peace has passed. And someday folks, we as ambassadors are going to be recalled from this world. We are going to meet the Lord in the air. It's described in 1 Thessalonians, but until that time we are given the ministry of reconciliation; proclaiming, be reconciled to God through Christ Jesus.

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God. I'm going to invite you, if you are physically able, to join with me now as we kneel in the presence of our Lord and Savior. The Scriptures say at times like this we should examine our self.

Lord we thank you for how good You have been to us in time and eternity. And Lord we have to confess we are not very good ambassadors for each and every one of us sin against You each and every day in thought, word or deed. Thank you for Your word that says if we confess our sin You are faithful and just and will forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lord we ask Your forgiveness and Your cleansing this day in Jesus' name, in whose remembrance we now partake of these sacred elements. Let's partake of the bread, and also the cup.

Thank you Lord. You are all we want. You are all we need for time and eternity. In Jesus' name we pray, and all God's people said, amen.