Paul begins by explaining that his ministry is driven by his understanding of the awesome responsibility he has to Christ. This is partly in response to his opponents who questioned his motives, capabilities and even sanity.
But Paul asserts that he is neither self-seeking nor insane. Instead, he is driven by a new way of living. He owes a life-debt to Christ, one that gives him both the privilege and responsibility to know, serve and spread the news of God.
It changes his entire worldview, not just of Christ but also of humanity as a whole. He had seen Jesus as a false messiah, but now sees him as the savior of humanity. That understanding changes his view of humanity as a whole – and of himself in particular.
That change is an understanding of the gospel, an understanding of our creation, fall, redemption and restoration. We ourselves are a part of this plan, even though we ourselves are the offenders.
The gospel means that God is not out there tallying up good things and bad things and weighing them together. Instead, he simply removes the bad things and sends us off as ambassadors to tell others about the opportunity. There is an intensity to this, a desire to see others redeemed and restored as we have been.
There should also be an intensity within our own life to live for Christ. Often, we see Christ like an expansion for the video game of life, where we can choose to play the base game when we don’t feel like tacking on the Jesus DLC.
The death of Christ opens a way for us to see others differently. No one, however horrible they have been to us, however awful they may be, however broken, is irredeemable. And we, with Paul, are called to communicate this to them. Are we motivated to participate in this mission of reconciliation?
This message has changed our lives, and we should be honored to share it with others. If we do not feel the same urgency that Paul does, the first step is to ask God to give us that desire and those opportunities.
– Sermon Notes, Jeff Krabach, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, March 11
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Something went wrong with the bible. Please make sure that you are requesting a valid passage! If this problem presits please contact joshuawiecorek@outlook.com