I believe one of the many wonderful gifts God offers us—is diversity. I’m not speaking here of the diversity found within the melting-pot of nationalities, though beautiful. Nor of cultures, though certainly diverse.
I’m speaking directly—specifically of diversity found within experiences— our varied yet collective flawed pasts.
Those universal hurts, mistakes, betrayals, and, tragic-regrets we’ve shared or witnessed. Those life-events survived. The events that didn’t kill us, but rather strengthened us. The experiences we might offer each other as balm to sooth, as encouragement to keep going, as a proof-of-life that helps to build up, that unites rather than divides.
Those very things that shamed us, ripped lives apart. Ours and theirs…
Those things that made us drop to our knees and cry out—in loneliness, desperation, pain, and regret. Like a wounded animal bellowing from places of deep brokenness. From almost-fatal wounds.
Painful scars, cruel slashes, some raw still…staring at us from just over there.
Reminders.
Paul carries them too, these scars. Thorns in our flesh. Dare I say they compel him? Us…?
Listen as he pours himself out in this Fifth Chapter. Read it, Dig into it. See for yourself how he understands—firsthand, what being saved from sin, his sin, truly means… as best one can this side of glory.
He understands that no man’s promised tomorrow— that the light which emanates from a life can, and, often is, snuffed out without warning—zero regard for station.
Beggars and kings, young, old, rich and poor alike—will each will face the Throne of God’s Judgement… ready or not.
Paul knows this like you know water is wet.
And so we witness him defending himself, his knowing, before those who think him arrogant, superior even.
Why?
Because they’ve mistake his heart of compassion, his certain knowledge of God’s mercy, his unmerited, unwarranted internalized forgiveness as arrogance, insolence.
Yet he is trying to persuade men still, to seek salvation in the Lord. Be ye reconciled! And those that do not find him arrogant or superior, those that know him, his sincerity, that know the Truth, will most certainly view him as hypocritical, unreliable, untrustworthy even, should he not boldly speak out, should he back down—from defending this Truth.
Everyone is watching…
Yet despite their fierce scrutiny, he has great love for these Corinthians—so he does all he’s able to remind them, encourage them—of who they are.
Our charge..
There are times in our walk when competing voices will try to put their distracting hands of confusion over others ears. Attempting to block out the deep Truth that lives within us all. But thankfully, mercifully, we serve a God whose will won’t be blocked—His will—will be done in the lives of His children. Those He’s called…
His strength, not ours.
That’s where Paul finds himself today. Convicted. Fiercely. Determined. We’ll all stand in his shoes one day, if we’re truly called as Ambassadors of God…
In his opening verses Paul’s doing his best to say, “Hey, listen to me please. I’m not trying to indoctrinate you into some cult. I’m not bullying or threatening you. I’m not using cheap scare tactics or throwing around disheartening words merely as frightful rhetoric—just because. I’m trying to tell you I’ve been where you are, and by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ I’ve been saved, restored in Him. It’s only now, as a result of His mercy, that I understand just how far my sinned stained soul was from God—please listen, you’re making an eternal choice.”
Paul is telling us that God’s judgement is coming to each of us—to the whole of the world. There is no escaping.
In the closing lines of the previous chapter he states that all men will appear before the Throne of God, judged for the deeds done while in the body.
Paul has tasted the goodness of Jesus, His saving grace. Remember he was once among the greatest of those who not only persecuted Christians—he stood as a witness and championed Stephan’s death… stoned for his witness of Christ—of the Truth.
He, Paul, possibly, threw stones himself. Maybe the fatal blow. He stood among the mob gathered…Stephan’s accusers. The first verse of Acts Eight tells us plainly that Paul stood there, “giving approval to his (Stephan’s) death.”
Stephen, God’s servant, operated in signs and wonders. Unheard of…
Recall that at this time in biblical history only the Apostles had been known to move in signs and wonders…
We never know who we may be standing before. Judge not, least…
Yet Paul hated him—as he did all Christians. He rejected everything and anything that smacked of it—Christianity that is. Paul was relentless in his pursuit and elimination of Christians…Think today. Think Isis. That type of determined righteous erroneous hate.
Deeper, more personal. Have you hated or rejected someone for their faith in Christ?
Acts Eight states that Paul, “began to destroy the church. Going from house to house. He dragged off men and women and put them in prison.”
It becomes plain to see why, at this place in his life Paul is so convicted—so concerned about people being reconciled to Jesus. It’s plain to see how well acquainted he is with the weight of sins, his, theirs and ours—and their eternal reach.
Now freed himself through God’s mercy and grace, that freedom drives him to pour out his life in service to the One He had persecuted. Now he lays down his life so that some would know—be reconciled to—find—his Jesus.
Rejection by the world is an oddly a unifying thread among Christians…
We each own a piece of it…this rejection.
It’s an ever present—however silent—tie that binds us all to Jesus. After all, who more than He knew rejection, persecution, and the need for man’s salvation?
And we, His children are commanded to go out into that world that wants little to do with us, often despises us, and daily, faithfully, in-spite-of, carry-out His directive? Go ye therefore unto all the world…
Paul didn’t care what these Corinthians, or anyone else for that matter, thought of him—how they perceived him—so long as his God was honored.
He stood as naked as one may stand fully clothed…our example. Bold.
Naked—in his removal of self-will.
Naked, because he had stripped off his care for the opinions of the world—standing, he was clothed only in the pure love of Christ. Confident that he might reach those he’d been sent to reap—to bring in to the Kingdom. Listen to his plea in verse 20: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
And there it is. The heart-cry of Paul and Peter, of James and John and the remaining Eight. Of every Christian Martyr that shared in their same faith, their same certainty. The point of this message…
It’s the heart-cry of every Pastor, every minister and evangelist. The song of every worshiper and the prayer of every warrior who storms the gates of Heaven— violently, for the sake of salvation of souls.
Be reconciled to Christ Jesus!
We are Ambassadors of Reconciliation. Marked by God. Chosen…
We must wear that mark soberly into each encounter, before each new soul presented in Christ.
Not as one still in bondage, God forbid!
Rather as a Holy fuel!
Being ministers who live in a state of such relentless remembrance of Gods mercy towards us, allowing that to spur us on, to pour out our lives for each other, and the whole world.
We must never forget our past sin-stained state—more, we mustn’t care for the opinions of others towards it, that in that caring we may be deterred—save the opinion of Christ alone. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are.”
We must keep in the forefront of our minds that we, and those that have yet to know our Father, are not promised tomorrow. And while it is today labor tirelessly for the reconciliation of souls.
In closing, listen to our brother Paul’s heart…“If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”
Receive this word as a charge. Wrap yourself in it. Arm yourself with it because; “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
I’ve been where you are, dear heart, precious soul, please, hear my plea that you too be reconciled to the Father. Cry out to Jesus for forgiveness of your sins.
Until next time…
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