Represent Christ By Going

Represent Christ   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  1:01:53
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2 Corinthians 5:16–21 NKJV
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

TITLE: REPRESENT CHRIST BY GOING

it is now possible for every Christian to operate in Christ’s command to make disciples of all people groups. Because believers are now followers of Christ, His mission is now our mission. Our new life has an added twist. Instead of looking out for ourselves, we are now looking for those ready to become a part of God’s family.
Introduction: After His resurrection from the dead, Christ met with His disciples to give them final inspiration and instruction. In MATTHEW 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
, the Son of God told them that all authority has been given to Him. Having expressed His credentials, the Lord passed the spiritual torch to the disciples. He tasked them with making disciple of all nations? How? Making disciples is to be done as one is going along his or her way. Where the disciple eats, works, and plays, he or she must represent Christ by demonstrating that he or she is a new person, who has a new purpose, and a new position.

I. SAINTS, You are a New Person

2 Corinthians 5:16 NKJV
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
EXPLAIN: Paul recognized the change in his own life. He evaluates or as verse 15 says “we regard no one according to the flesh” or by worldly standards. He is testifying that he is a NEW PERSON because he has moved from looking or evaluating men, women, boys, and girls by their
Outward appearance
Social status
Ethnicity
Wealth
Paul confessed in this verse that before his conversion, he had known Christ according to the standards of the men of his time, the Sanhedrin and other Jewish leaders. They saw Christ as a lunatic, a blasphemer, a devil, a man who was threatening their way of life.
Yet, “now we know Him thus or this way no longer.” Paul is saying that after coming to be saved that he and every other saint cannot see or think about the Savior the same way.
Before salvation, Jesus was just Mary’s son but now He is the Son of God.
Before redemption, He was just a good teacher but now He is the Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep.
And now the way he sees all people has moved into two categories
Saved or Unsaved
Sinner or Saint
Righteous or Wicked
Believer or Unbeliever
In Christ or Out of Christ
Not only does one’s perspective change, but his or her thoughts, feelings, and desires become new. Look at verse 17
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ. Paul is talking about salvation HERE.
You are in Christ Jesus for there is
Romans 8:39 Love of God
2 Timothy 1:1 NKJV
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,
Promise of Life
2 Timothy 2:1 Grace
2 Timothy 3:15 Faith
2 Timothy 2:10 NKJV
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Salvation
2 Corinthians 5:17 A New Creature
Romans 3:24 NKJV
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Redemption
Romans 8:2 NKJV
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Freedom
1 Corinthians 1:2 NKJV
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
Sanctified
Galatians 3:28 Oneness
Galatians 2:4 Liberty
Ephesians 1:3 All Spiritual Blessings
So what happens is the liar, the fornicator, the drunkard, the homosexual, the thief, sinners comes to God because they realize that their sins have offended God and their offense can only be forgiven by putting their faith in Christ’s sacrifice,. Once this happens the text says
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Brian became a new creation, a new person
The old status has passed; I was a sinner. The new status has come; I am a saint.
The old status has passed; I was a child of the Devil. The new status has come; I am a child of the King!
The old attitudes or ways are gone, but now the new way has come.
What are you trying to say
I was indifference towards Him but now I love Him
I resisted Him but now I’ve surrendered to Him.
I worked against Him but now I work for Him
So now Christians see differently
We don’t look at people the way the world does Or according to the world’s standard.
We don’t live the way the people in the world live. What do you mean?
2 Corinthians 5:15 NKJV
and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
is seen differently And they see differently As we are going, represent Christ as a new person.
You go to school, work, store, park, salon, or barber shop with a New walk
2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
You go to New talk
Your yes means yes and your no means no (Matthew 5:37)
Colossians 4:6 NKJV
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
New outlook
New attitude
New motivation
New heart
New spirit New family

II. SAINTS, You have a New Purpose

After showing that Christians are now new people, Paul moves on to demonstrate the new purpose every saint should have.
2 Corinthians 5:18 NKJV
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
EXPLAIN: Paul avoids the excuses up front by communicating that “everything is of God.” Everything a saint is of God. In him I live and move and have my being. Justified, Sanctified, Glorified.
Look at Romans 11:36
Romans 11:36 NKJV
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Ezekiel wrote, “I (Yahweh) will give them integrity of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone from their bodies and give them a heart of flesh”
Ezekiel 11:19 NKJV
Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,
As Paul and the prophet proclaimed that this new life, new name, new walk, and new talk is from Him. Look at the text
2 Corinthians 5:18 NKJV
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
Furthermore, this God has “reconciled us to Himself through Christ.” God sent His Son to repair our broken relationship with Himself. Now believers are tasked with the same job or purpose.
We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. We serve to reconcile sinners to God.
Now, Look at verse 19
2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJV
that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
and have committed to us the message of reconciliation. As Jesus taught, He did not come for the righteous but sinners.
Now Christ’s mission is now the saint’s mission. We must make disciples by going, baptizing, teaching, and knowing (Mat. 28:19-20).

III. SAINTS, You have a New Position

2 Corinthians 5:20 NKJV
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
EXPLAIN: The Apostle PAUL, specifies our new position as Christians. DISCIPLES are NOW ambassadors or representatives for Christ. An ambassador is one who is living in a foreign country, who is representing his or her country of origin. Therefore, a saint is representing the affairs of Heaven while residing here on earth. SAINTS want His will or desires to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. CHRISTIANS also speak for our King.
BELIEVERS plead on Christ’s behalf, as one who has God pleading through us calling men, women, boys, and girls to be reconciled to God.
With this new position, our job is also to testify of the greatness of our God. Paul declared that God made Christ, who did not know sin, to be sin for us. Isaiah proclaimed it in the Old Testament that God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all (53:6). Christ took the blame for our sins, the pain for our sins, and bared the shame for our sins “so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Conclusion: As representatives of Christ, we must let our lights shine before those in this world by living as a new person. As this new person, we cannot operate by the old agenda, which is according to the course of this world. The saint’s agenda is for the glory of God. So as we are going our new position is seen in how we talk and walk.
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