Keeping It Simple!

Reflection:  One of the things Paul is so good at is giving a simple summary of the Gospel, and then giving us texture for our response to it! He doesn’t complicate things. You can see why he is such an effective teacher, because he is able to translate the message for the culture and the churches he planted. This helps them to stay on solid theological ground, and keep their focus on what God has done for them in Christ. 

Today we hear the Good News that, “If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation; the old has gone and the new is here!”  And notice it says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 

Notice who is doing the work here.  “In Christ”, we are a new creation! God has reconciled us, and given us the ministry of reconciliation.  Then he uses this fantastic word, “ambassadors”.  What does an ambassador do?  He represents his country and brings good will, so that all will have good relations with that country and know why it is so fantastic.  He does the will of the one he is representing.  And then he says, “It is as if God were making His appeal through us!”  Wow!  What a privilege to be able to be used by God in this way!  Do you hear all the Good News here!

Notice as well, the urgency in Paul’s message.  We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God!  Paul was so sure of God’s promises he could be bold in asking people to be reconciled to God.  He knew there would be passivity. He knew people would resist God’s grace.  He knew they would try to use God’s grace in vain.  We see these forces at work in our culture today as well.  

So I would end today’s reflection by reminding you if you are in Christ, you are a new creation! The old has gone and the new has come!  Live in the new reality of your position in Christ, as a child of God, and someone who can participate in God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven.  Are you unsure whether you are in Christ?  Be reconciled to God through Christ!  God has already accomplished this on the cross for you by not counting your sins against you. He made him who had no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us, so we could become right with Him.  As you receive this promise and what has already been done for you, you are a New Creation!  And then as we have been reconciled to God, let us be God’s ambassadors spreading the Good News in our everyday lives! This is the natural, organic response to what has been given to us in Christ! Sometimes we make complicated that which is very simple.    

Psalm 70

For the director of music. Of David. A petition.

¹ Hasten, O God, to save me;
    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

² May those who want to take my life
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.
³ May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
    turn back because of their shame.
⁴ But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”

⁵ But as for me, I am poor and needy;
    come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    Lord, do not delay.

Proverbs 23

When you sit to dine with a ruler,
    note well what is before you,
² and put a knife to your throat
    if you are given to gluttony.
³ Do not crave his delicacies,
    for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

⁴ Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
    do not trust your own cleverness.
⁵ Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
    for they will surely sprout wings
    and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Saying 9

⁶ Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
    do not crave his delicacies;
⁷ for he is the kind of person
    who is always thinking about the cost.
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
    but his heart is not with you.
⁸ You will vomit up the little you have eaten
    and will have wasted your compliments.

Saying 10

⁹ Do not speak to fools,
    for they will scorn your prudent words.

Saying 11

¹⁰ Do not move an ancient boundary stone
    or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
¹¹ for their Defender is strong;
    he will take up their case against you.

Saying 12

¹² Apply your heart to instruction
    and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

¹³ Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
¹⁴ Punish them with the rod
    and save them from death.

Saying 14

¹⁵ My son, if your heart is wise,
    then my heart will be glad indeed;
¹⁶ my inmost being will rejoice
    when your lips speak what is right.

Saying 15

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners,
    but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
¹⁸ There is surely a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 16

¹⁹ Listen, my son, and be wise,
    and set your heart on the right path:
²⁰ Do not join those who drink too much wine
    or gorge themselves on meat,
²¹ for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
    and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Saying 17

²² Listen to your father, who gave you life,
    and do not despise your mother when she is old.
²³ Buy the truth and do not sell it—
    wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
²⁴ The father of a righteous child has great joy;
    a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
²⁵ May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Saying 18

²⁶ My son, give me your heart
    and let your eyes delight in my ways,
²⁷ for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,
    and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
²⁸ Like a bandit she lies in wait
    and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
    Who has strife? Who has complaints?
    Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
³⁰ Those who linger over wine,
    who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
³¹ Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
    when it sparkles in the cup,
    when it goes down smoothly!
³² In the end it bites like a snake
    and poisons like a viper.
³³ Your eyes will see strange sights,
    and your mind will imagine confusing things.
³⁴ You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
    lying on top of the rigging.
³⁵ “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
    They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
    so I can find another drink?”

2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2

¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ² For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:13

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him. Colossians 2:6

We thank you, gracious God, for the joy of receiving Christ Jesus as our savior. If his message lives in our hearts, everything we do or say will be done in his name as we give thanks through him to you. Let our churches, our homes, and our lives be living alleluias! Amen.