​This Changes Everything!
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Pastor Luke Tanis
“Christ is the divider of History”. This is how one author describes Christ.
An event that changed the course of history.
The world would never be the same
An event much more than just a historical moment in time.
This changes everything.
There are Moments in life, when you look at life before and after that event.
The death, burial and resurrection, the cross and tomb bring about that change for every sinner who has responded by repenting and believing. Faith in Christ alone.
Nothing will ever be the same.
For every believer their new life in Christ begins the moment they cry out in saving faith.
But it is not just a one time, one moment change. The ripple effects of the cross, the resurrection are daily worked out in the life of the believer.
Danger: looking at the cross and walking away unchanged.
What changes does the death and resurrection bring about?
Here in 2 Corinthians 5, Paul gives 5 changes that the death and resurrection of Christ bring.
1. Believers have a New Purpose. (vs 15)
5:14 For the love of Christ compels us,
A.The giver of our purpose: Christ’s love for us
“narrows”
Paul points back to the cross, and shows that Christ’s love has completely transformed him.
so much so that he has a new purpose.
After all that christ has done and loved him, how could he not give his life?
Christ’s love urges him to action
John Calvin puts it: “Every one who truly considers and ponders the wonderful love that Christ has shown us in His death, cannot but be bound to Him by the tightest chain so as to devote himself to His service.”50
C. The aim of our purpose.
5:15…that those who live should live no longer for themselves,
but for Him who died for them and rose again.
No longer living for and serving self.
EXAMPLE: the world today is obsessed with self.
self-interest, look in your self, pamper your self, self-care,
you become the center of your world. Everything revolves around you. What do I want, What makes me happy?
Your time, money, revolves around you.
The Ironic but tragic thing is this obsession with self is not bringing the results you would expect.
You would think the rates of happiness would rise, mental health would be decreasing yet it’s the opposite. Look around mental health disorders are never ending, depression grows worse and worse. Why?
serving self is not the answer.
“Self is a terrible master” Martin Lloyd Jones
There has to be something more! something bigger than ourselves.
The death and resurrection of Christ rescue us from living for ourselves!
Listen to the words of Paul.
Text: “those who live should live…..for him…how died for them and rose again”
Christ’s death and resurrection frees us from living for our self. You are no longer a slave to your self. to your passions and desires
When you think of the love of Christ more and more you will find that you think of yourself less and less.
as you dwell on Christ’s love it moves you to love others. to love them like Christ did.
From ego being at the center to Christ being at the center
What decides what I should do. What is the center? Christ’s love for me.
This Pushes you forward (motivate) and narrow’s your direction (control).
Both the Energy and aim.
“Live for Him”. Part of living for Him means inviting, persuading others to respond.
The death of Jesus is not just a historic event that we talk about once a year. this is the turning point of history. This changes everything! We take this news and make it our message!
The death and resurrection bring new life to us and we proclaim that to others.
2. Believers have New Outlook (vs 16)
“Therefore, from now on”. “This changes everything”
“Old age”. The flesh, The world. Done away with.
The world looks at the outside, the external. This is the flesh.
TEXT: “we regard no one according to the flesh”
The world, their values are completely different than the values of the kingdom
This is how the world’s operates. They do not prioritize the spirit, the unseen. The rich are elevated, the poor forgotten, contrasts. Opposite of Christ’s values.
this value system continually pulls us in, tempts us, mold us.
This is how Paul operated.
TEXT: “even though we have known Christ according to the flesh”
Paul: Old age, flesh. completely misjudged Christians, and Christ. persecuted them. Why? Flesh, old age
from the view of the flesh, Christ death on the cross meant he died a cursed death. “Christ got it wrong”. This is how the flesh, the world views Christ.
But when you encounter Christ, experience the life giving power of the death and resurrection……. everything changes.
Once you look at the cross and see the shameful death that christ died and realize He died in your place, you no longer will view people the same way. the standards of measuring people, performance all disappear at the cross.
how you relate to the world, how you see others. A completely new outlook.
the old way of doing things is nailed to the cross. Good as dead.
In Christ, You realize that people are spiritual beings.
Our eyes can only see the flesh. But we know Life is more complex than what the eye can see.We all have spiritual needs.
you look at people knowing there is a spiritual side to them, you understand their deepest needs are spiritual. you understand what Christ accomplished on the cross was spiritual. and you need it. and others need it.
In order to truly help someone you have to point them to Christ.
Do you have compassion on people? Knowing their spiritual needs are their most important needs?
What frustrates you? with a new outlook it should not be the same things as the world
What delights? What concerns you? Their is a deeper level that what the eye can see and our hearts should be burdened for what Christ was burdened for. Seeing peoples hearts transformed by the living power of the gospel.
Seeing the good news that Christ has died and risen again worked out in the lives of those around us.
This is the power of a new outlook.
Desire the mind of Christ. look on others with compassion.
Desire to serve them, not because of how it will look but out of a love for Christ.
The death and resurrection of Christ revealed the powers of this world are not the strongest forces at work. Christ is greater and his work transforms our outlook, how we see the world, how we relate to the world and to others.
The 3rd change that the death and resurrection bring is that
3. Believers become a New Creation. (vs 17)
TEXT: “if, anyone is “in Christ”” (found 200 times in NT)
Christian. In Christ.
Phrase used all throughout the New Testament. The benefits of salvation. everything that belongs to you
Warning: Category. You are either in Christ or you are not.
TEXT:“he is a new creation”
God transforms us. Makes us new.
Hope. sin, addictions, the past, those are gone.
New creature. New heart.
New way of fighting sin.
This is foundational to your identity as a Christian.
The resurrection of Christ brought about the beginning, the taste of what is to come. Imagine it being a commercial advertising what the future in God’s plan looks like.
The future is guaranteed. we know because of the power displayed at the resurrection. Death itself has been defeated.
We see the first part of God’s final redemption. The resurrection began that and gave us a powerful taste of what redemption will look like. A peak into the future.
New creation now, just wait, it gets better. The inheritance reserved in heaven.
The resurrection is working out Gods plan. We are a New creation
“old things have passed away”. new
the world, the old age still operates around us. the way of doing things, valuing things still fights against. Its hard. Auto-pilot in life pulls you to the old age. Our hearts, the worlds values pull us that way.
Caution: If you go 1 month without church, without reading your bible, the old age will work it’s way back in. start winning
The “In christ” life” means you do not live like the old creation. You don’t celebrate what the world celebrates, you don’t participate in what the old creature delights in.
Your world changes the day you follow Christ, placed in Christ. Upside down.
Your very nature changes. This comes with a change of values.
“new creation”. hope for battling sin, fighting the old man. the new heart,. Our fight with sin remains hard but not impossible anymore.
believer living like the old creation goes against the very nature of the new creation
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4. Believers have a New relationship with God (vs 18)
“All things are of God” Phrase: “the new changes” are all form God.
“reconciled us to himself” Barrier. Removed sin.
“impute” “not counting their trespasses against them” (ESV)
Because of this, the door is open to have relationship with God. The obstacle has been removed.
It was dealt with on the cross but it does not mean everyone received salvation.
The forgiveness of sins can only be applied to those who ask for it.
The Free offer of forgiveness, the reconciliation God provides is offered.
you can enter into a relationship with God not because of anything you do.
GOSPEL CALL: All you have to do is humble yourself, recognize that you have sinned, that Christ died for you sin and you want to put your trust in Him alone for your salvation. You want to follow Him.
This is the reconciliation offered on the cross.
The cross and resurrection give us our task: “ministry of reconciliation”
one way of saying it: “the task of making others his friends”
Our message: “be reconciled” “message of reconciliation
Our urgency: “we implore you”
Our Purpose. Persuade people to experience this.
This is our task. Urgent appeal. The God of love wants to have a relationship with you.
Ambassadors: “represent the one for whom we speak”
God pleading:
we implore you: “be reconciled to God”
Look what Christ did. Look what the death and resurrection accomplished
When we proclaim the message of the gospel. When we urge people to be reconciled to God there is nothing to be ashamed of.
The God of this universe has a message for all people and he uses us as His mouthpiece. That message remains the most important message we can ever share.
We take people to the cross. Look at the reconciliation, sin removed, look at forgiveness offered. It can be yours if you would believe. If you do not turn from your sin, if you do not ask God to forgive you. You will miss out on the greatest blessing. To say no to the offer of salvation is to to say no God himself and his free offer salvation .
5. Believers have a New standing before God (vs 21)
“The great exchange.”
knew no sin. be sin. Take our punishment.
that we “might become the righteousness of God in Him”
Marvel at God’s grace. God’s grace and God’s grace alone brings about new life. new standing before God.
Every salvation comes about because of God’s saving grace. Do you marvel at God’s grace in your life.
This is good news not just at salvation.
“Made him to be sin”
No exceptions. Imagine: “That one sin you really struggle with? that one isn’t covered.”
That sounds crazy but how many times do we act like that? Do we act like that mistake we made in the past, that addiction of our remain uncovered by Christ?
Christ died for ALL sins. every one of them.
When he said “it is finished” he meant it.
Now, we work out the life changing nature of what happened.
We cling to our new standing before God, we watch the change brought about in our fight with sin.
We look at the cross, knowing our sin, the horrific things we’ve done were nailed to that cross. and now whenever you think of your sin, what you’ve done the only theme that stands out now is the “exceeding abundant” grace of God!
Praise, not depression should flow when your sin comes to mind.
Satan would love to keep you depressed when you think of your sin.
Christ wants you to rejoice in the forgiveness that flows from the cross.
Do you believe that your sins were forgiven at the cross?
“we might become the righteousness of God”
Here is how God looks at us in Christ.
This is our new standing before God.
No amount of riches, works, performance could ever achieve this.
Yet here it is, offered freely because Christ became sin for us.
He took our place.
Fighting sin. behavior. caring for others. Flow from your identity.
Do you view yourself like God views you?
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When you look at the cross and resurrection. let it remind you of what changed
Summary: New purpose, outlook, creation, relationship with God, standing before God.
Looking at the cross must lead to action. to a changed life.
Christ’s love is so comprehensive it flows out into love for others. If you have truly grasped Christ’s love for you, you cannot remain silent and inactive.
Christ’s love compels us. pushes us into the world . vs 14
and it does so with a message. Be reconciled to God. become a friend of God because of what Christ did.
you no longer live for yourself. Your life is Christ’s. your life is shaped more and more by the death and the resurrection of Christ. by your new identity.
New behavior will flow from your new identity.
You now live for Christ because you are loved by Christ
As you look at your life, can you see new behavior, being motived Christ’s love, desiring to implore others to be reconciled to God?
Showing Christ’s love to others.
These all flow out of our understanding of what Christ has done for us.
This week Look to Christ, Love christ , Live for christ!