Characteristics of a Revived Church

Noah Madden

MERGE DNOW • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

2 Corinthians 5:11–21

Reconciliation

Revival

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Paul called the Corinthian church to live out their faith

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Revive Recap — Theme

Revive: being restored from death to life.

Revived life: loving Jesus more than yourself

Sometimes we need to be reignited in our faith before we can live a revived life

Living a revived life means that you live on mission

You can not have revival without resurrection

The Church is made up of people who have been revived, brought from death to life

Paul had relationships with many churches

The reason that we have much of the New Testament is because of Paul’s relationship with individual churches.

Many of them he planted himself

Specifically for us this morning, we are looking at a letter written by Paul to the church at Corinth.

One of many letters we know that we written back and forth between Paul and the Corinthians

Paul had an essential role in the start of the Corinthian church.

He visited Corinth the first time on his second missionary journey

Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians took many forms.

It is clear that Paul’s relationship with the Christians at Corinth was one of his greatest challenges.

He experienced opposition — people in the church did not like Paul

The Jews rejected his message and charged him with teaching people apart from the law

But Paul remained faithful — He cared for the Christians in Corinth and wanted them to live out their faith.

He wanted them to live a revived life.

In our passage we see Pauls instruction for a revived Church:

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A Revived Church:

1. Refuses to Separate New-Life from New-Mission (11-15)

5:11

“Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people.”

Paul builds on what he said in verse 10 — highlighting the reality of the judgement seat of Christ.

Paul has been greatly impacted by the reality of the coming Judgement

“Fear of the Lord”

Reverent faith

Paul’s reverent faith led him to action

Specifically it led him to evangelism

Paul had a dramatic salvation experience — Which led to dramatic obedience

Paul recognized that when someone experienced NEW LIFE in Jesus:

They are given a new mission — they have a new purpose

“Not only have we been saved from something, but we have been saved for something.”

Paul says — because of the truth of the gospel — we share the gospel.

In his mind there is no separation between experiencing the gospel and explaining the gospel

Those who place their faith in Jesus --- Share Jesus.

They do not separate their new life from their new mission

11b-13

“What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is plain to your consciences. We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than in the heart. For if we are out of our mind it is for you.”

Paul gives a response to some of the criticism he has likely received by people in the church.

They were concerned about his motives

Paul makes a defense of his integrity and methods

Those who were critical were more concerned with the outward appearance:

What appeared to be taking place in Paul’s ministry

Rather than the condition of a person’s heart — which is what God is concerned about.

Paul was commited to preaching the gospel message — to some that seemed [mad]

Paul knew that his methods were pure and that they ultimately were serving the people of Corinth

14-15

“For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If one died for all, then all died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.”

Paul felt “compelled” by the love of Christ

The word Paul uses to “compel” in the original language is comprised of two words — “to have” / “together/with”

Understanding of two things not separating

Used in Paul’s day to describe the tendons of the elbow holding the joint together

My wife, Tarin and I currently live in New Orleans. We both are study at NOBTS

I am actually a recruiter for the school --- shameless plug , come see me in the lobby

One of the things that we have realized is that New Orleanineans are passionate about football...

Like they are hosting a boycott bowl during the super bowl to protest the blown call a couple weeks ago...

They raise their children to love the Saints!

But they also raise their children to hate the falcons...

So funny to me...

Those two things go hand in hand..

New Orleanineans are compelled to hate the falcons

Paul says that the love of Christ compels us...

Our compulsion is rooted in our confession

“…since we have reached this conclusion: If one died for all, then all died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.”

Paul’s holy compulsion comes from his doctrinal confession

One died for all, then all died.

The death of Christ is emulated by the death of his followers

The Cross Symbol: Death of Jesus — Ethic of Christianity

Our action of dying to self lays the foundation for living for Christ

Do you want to live as Paul describes in , “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” -- (CSB)

You can not have compulsion without confession

Some of you want to live a life that looks like Jesus — where you love Jesus more than yourself — you want to live the revived life..

But you have not made the confession:

“Jesus you died — I am going to die to self.”

Second characteristic of a revived church...

2. Views the World Through the Eyes of Christ (16-17)

16-17

“From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” -- (CSB)

Paul says that from now on [time of confession / conversion] we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective.

Encountering Christ changes everything..

Life of Paul — What he thought was important is no longer important

Changes the way that you look at life

Changes your worldview

You are no longer living for your self — as you live you sacrifice self

Paul says that we do not know people from their worldly perspective:

Uses a word that is literally translated “flesh.” — outward appearance

Remember that those who criticized Paul focused on the outward experience

Paul says that those who have come to life in Christ do not “know” / “judge” people from their flesh or appearance.

Paul knew what this was like — he judged Jesus according to the flesh!

Was not until Jesus was revealed to him on the road to Damascus that he recognized the reality of who Jesus was.

There is a reason why we don’t focus on the flesh — outward experiences:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”

We do not judge people according to the flesh because Jesus didn’t judge people according to the flesh

PRAISE God he didn’t!!

Those who are a part of the revived church follow in the example of Christ!

They do not make judgements about someone because of their flesh

They do not focus on outward appearance / missing the heart

Those who have experienced redemption must be hopeful for redemption

IF you catch yourself looking at someone who is in a really tough situation — life decisions have had consequences — cycle or pattern

An you look at them as if there is no hope — you pretend that you have authority over the gospel

You pretend that you are the limiting factor of God’s grace!

God chose to be gracious and to redeem

You and I don’t get to make that decision — we just get to bring that message.

The revived church...

3. Adopts the Ministry of Reconciliation (18-21)

18-21

“Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” -- (CSB)

Reconciliation / to reconcile

What is the content / message of reconciliation?

GOSPEL

We are unable to know reconciliation apart from the reconciling work of God

God defined, illustrated, and proved reconciliation through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross

Reconciliation is a very current issue among the evangelical community

Racial - reconciliation / social justice

Gospel Issue — bringing those who are apart from you near

Look at how Paul defines reconciliation — “Everything is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ.”

God defined, illustrated, and proved reconciliation through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross

Where were we before the sacrifice of cross — dead in our trespasses and sins

Reconciliation is the unthinkable:

taking a sinful, wicked, selfish person — bringing them to a holy, righteous, just God

This could only happen because of the sacrifice of Jesus

Reconciliation says — God has brought you near when you didn’t deserve it

What is the purpose of reconciliation?

UNITY

The result of God’s reconciling work is that we become re-unified with God

We become intimate with Him again — like it was in the garden, walking in the cool of the day

We should be chasing unity

If your life created more disunity than unity, then you must not understand the gospel

God is a unifying God — he is a reconciling God

What is the means of reconciliation?

UNMERITED INITIATION

How was reconciliation accomplished by God? — did you and I finally do enough good to encourage God to send Jesus?

Did we have any good merits on our own? Was there any reason for God to reconcile us apart from his grace and mercy? NO

Reconciliation began with unmerited iniation

You and I did not deserve it

Sometimes we put limits on unity

I would try to be unified but this person — they just did this..

We make unity about the other party’s actions rather than our saviors actions

Reconciliation is not about you

It is about the savior — requires unmerited initiation

What is our role in reconciliation?

God makes His appeal through you

God stretches his hands of grace and mercy through your life

Paul calls those who participate in the reconciling work of God — Ambassadors

Ambassadors are representatives sent by an official to represent a foreign land

If Christians are ambassadors — that makes the church an embassy

Send out representatives to bring the message of recinciliation

God wants to use YOU to accomplish reconciliation

People being reconciled to God

People being reconciled to each other

Applicaion:

Does your confession lead to compulsion — Are you dying to self so that others may live?

Do you see people as Christ sees them or do you make judgements about their outward appearance?

Recognize your role — hold to hope and bring the message

Have you commited to be a part of God’s reconciling work?

Do you fight for unity?

Do you see yourself as an ambassador?

There are to many people who need to be reconciled to God for me to waste my life