A. God calls His people to Him. Seek ye the LORD while he may be
found, call ye upon him while he is near: (Isaiah 55:6)
1. The burdens, pains and sorrows of life
are official summons to appear at the throne of God. Come unto me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
2. Come to God and keep coming to Him. And having an high priest over
the house of God; Let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our
faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:21-23)
3. God is not far away or hard to find. Thou art near, O LORD; and
all thy commandments are truth. (Psalm
119:151)
B. Everything else in life depends on first
restoring the relationship with God – Reconciliation. But seek ye first the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
C. God isn’t interested in peace until a
person gets spiritual priorities in order.
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be
reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Matthew 5:24)
D. Expect reconciliation to produce results. For if, when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)
A. Peace with God calms the heart and brings
peace to the mind. And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he
reconciled (Colossians
1:21)
C. Study Providence. A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner
heareth not rebuke. (Proverbs
13:1)
D. God does not call people to do what only
He can do. For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast. (Ephesians
2:8-9)
E. However, people are called to what God
will do through them. For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
A. Practice reconciliation with other
reconciled people in the school of Christ. And
let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
B.
The church is a community of experienced sinners – You Didn’t Invent Pain, Frustration and Disappointment and You Don’t
Have to Face it Alone For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans
3:23)
C. The reconciled to become reconcilers. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new. And all
things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath
given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto
us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians
5:17-19)
1. God’s love leads to life. For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
2. God is entirely reliable. Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom
is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17)
3. Reconciliation leads to more than
restoration. For if, when we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)
D. Become an ambassador for Christ. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye
reconciled to God. For he hath
made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians
5:20-21)
E. The assignment is not optional. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be
unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (John 20:21)
F. If people do not like the message, do not
take it personally, it wasn’t about you anyway. He that heareth you heareth me; and he
that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that
sent me. (Luke 10:16)
G. Do what ever it takes to reconcile others
to Christ. And the lord said
unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to
come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23)