So on Thursday evening Derek Tidball spoke on 2 Cor 5:11-6:2
The only sensible way to live is to live wholly for Christ.
1) Motivation - vv. 11-14
v. 11 - the knowledge of the fear of the Lord motivates us.
Derek refered to v. 10, the judgment throne of God, as the source of this fear. In the context that may be right, however, in a wider biblical context I tend to think that 'the fear of the Lord' functions like a kind of technical term meaning something like 'knowing how to live properly the life God has given us to life in his presence under the sun'. Let me know what you think?
Once we have been saved we are accountable for our works, our acts of service and love as Christians.
v. 14 - the love of Christ constrains us. So it is not only 'the fear of the Lord' but Christ's love which motivates our action.
2) Transformation - vv. 15-17.
A life is turned around, see Acts 9.
If only our desires and ambitions were changed like Paul's!
What does our church live for? - A good question we should answer.
v. 15 - a new direction.
v. 17 - if transformed then we should live 'new creation', into which Christ has made us.
3) Reconciliation - vv. 18-21
This is the great message.
"Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe - people and things, animals and atoms - get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the Cross." [Colossians 1:20, The Message, E H Peterson]
God has taken the initiative in reconciliation. The appeal which is made by the ambassador is God's appeal.
4) Application - 6:1-2
is a challenge to us all.
This day needs to be seized.
Consider a packet of processed sugar, all the work that has gone into this product. If it sits on a cafe table and is played with but never used, that whole process is wasted.
What are we doing since God is achieving reconciliation for us in the death of Christ?
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