Reconciliation

Colossians Series #5

Reconciliation  (Col. 1:19-23)

By Bill Denton

Introduction

A.  An unfamiliar term

 1.  I'm referring to the term "reconciliation"

a.  it's another of those "Bible" words - a theological term not often used

b.  many people have no clue what it means or why it should be of interest

2.  Reconciliation is one of those powerful, beautiful ideas that is at the heart of all that

     God has done for us in Jesus Christ

B.  Reconciliation needed and defined

1.  Basically, reconciliation is the process by which God and people are brought

     together again - something we need because of the consequence of sin

a.  Isaiah 59:1-2

1Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. 2But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. NASB95

b.  all of the resulting consequences of sin - condemnation, punishment, death -

    are all a result of being separated from God

c.  in fact, it is separation from God that is the worst about the idea of hell and

    eternal punishment - can you imagine what it will be like to have no relation,

    or no connection to God at all, forever?

2.  I think we can say that one reason sin is so destructive is that it creates a separation

     between us and God - but this is also why reconciliation is so powerful, because it

     brings us back together again

C.  For the past few Sundays we have been working our way through Colossians

1.  We started by looking at two words, grace and peace, both at the heart of the gospel

2.  We then looked at faith, hope, love and truth

3.  Paul's prayer that the Colossians might know and do God's will

4.  The preeminent Christ - one who is to have first place in everything

D.  Today, I want to focus on Col 1:9-23

I.  Understanding Separation And Reconciliation

A.  We need to read four passages where reconciliation is addressed

1.  Romans 5:8-11

8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. NASB95

2.  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20Therefore, 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. 21He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NASB95

3.  Ephesians 2:11-22

11Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— 12remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; 18for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. NASB95

4.  Colossians 1:19-23

19For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister. NASB95

B.  Some important points about reconciliation

1.  Reconciliation isn't about just getting along well, it's about the doing away with some

     deep-seated problem that has created animosity and hostility

a.  we know from Isa 59:1-2 the problem between man and God is sin

b.  we do not always acknowledge how deep or how serious this problem is, but

     the consequences of sin, for us, are absolutely devastating

2.  The Bible tells us that sinners are enemies of God (a very strong term)

a.  James 4:4

4You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. NASB95

b.  Col 1:21 -- describes sinners as "alienated and hostile"

c.  New Bible Dictionary - "An enemy is not someone who comes a little short

     of being a friend.  He is in the other camp.  He is altogether opposed.

3.  The way to overcome an enemy is to remove the cause of the quarrel

a.  it is interesting how the Bible presents the removal of the cause of the problem

     that separates man from God

b.  God didn't create the problem, man did - by his sin

c.  yet God, in Christ, removes the problem of sin and reconciles us to God

d.  we caused the problem, it is our problem to bear, the consequences of the

     problem affect us, and yet we have no way to remove the offense

e.  What a powerful thing God's reconciliation in Christ is for us

II.  Let's Put Some Things Together

A.  If you're looking for something or someone able to fulfill everything we need, then you need

     look no further than Jesus Christ

1.  Jesus is the image of God (1:15)

a.  1:19 says that the fullness of God dwelled in him

b.  who would you turn to that we could say the same about?

c.  do you really understand who we're talking about when we speak of Jesus?

d.  the exact representation of God, in human form, describes Jesus

e.  before you allow yourself the thought than anyone is equal to Jesus, you need

     to consider who he is

2.  Jesus is the creator of all things (1:16)

a.  he created things in the heavens and on the earth

b.  he created things visible and things invisible

c.  thrones, dominions, rulers, authorities - all are subservient to Jesus

d.  who or what among the created things can threaten or offer more than the one

     who created them to start with?

3.  The reason Jesus rates first place in everything is because it was the Father's plan

     all along to reconcile all things in Jesus (1:18-20)

a.  the Colossians were tempted with what we might call "supplemental salvation

     plans" - philosophies, religions, etc., that argued either that Christ isn't

     enough, or isn't effective at all

b.  what would you replace Jesus with?

c.  nothing compares to him, and nothing nor anyone can solve our sin problem

     like he does

4.  Christ's preeminence and supremacy over all is most visible in the church (1:18)

a.  it will not be readily apparent to everyone that Jesus is the image of God, or

    that he is creator of all, or that he is the Father's plan to reconcile all things

b.  those things are a matter of revelation

c.  outsiders might not fully understand the place of Jesus in the church

d.  but, surely, Christians understand this - Christ is the head of the body

B.  Now, if we understand even a little about these things, as believers we can have the utmost

     confidence and assurance in the sufficiency of Jesus Christ

1.  When others challenge, deny, argue, ridicule, or persecute - do not doubt Jesus

2.  When others threaten, attack, or worse - do not give up

3.  The one who sustains the universe is the one who reconciles you to God through his

     own blood

Conclusion

A.  The reconciliation we have in Jesus does something unimaginable for us

1.  1:22 -- he presents us to the Father "holy, blameless and beyond reproach"

2.  In our sins, we were anything but holy, blameless and beyond reproach

3.  Jesus removes the cause of the problem and in doing so, returns us to standing with

     with God in which sin has no effect

4.  Do you have any idea what a wonderful thing that is?

B.  Since that's true, don't be moved away from the hope of the gospel (1:23)

1.  Remember the word of truth, the gospel that you heard (1:5)

2.  Don't be moved away from it by things that can't compare to it

3.  Be fully confident in all that Jesus has made possible by sacrificing himself for you

C.  Invitation