Reconciliation and Hope - 260109

SPEAKER A Hello, I'm Kaysie Vokurka. Welcome to Let God Speak. Christ's death on the cross had cosmic significance for all created beings, whether on earth or in heaven. It brought reconciliation to our world lost in sin. Yet that amazing act of love by Christ is personal. Stay with us as we discuss how Christ has brought reconciliation to God for you and me. On our panel today, we have Corinne Knopper and Harold Harker. Welcome to the program. SPEAKER B Hello, thank you. SPEAKER A Before we begin, we are going to have a prayer to invite the Holy Spirit to be with us. Gracious Father, we give thanks to you once again for the opportunity to study your Word together, and we want your presence to be here with us. May your Holy Spirit teach us the important truths of salvation that you want us to learn from this program. So we pray for your guidance now In Jesus' name, amen. SPEAKER B Amen. SPEAKER A Amen. Colossians 1:19-20 reveals that God was pleased that in Jesus all his fullness should dwell, and through Jesus all things should be reconciled to him. Jesus' divine status and his work of reconciliation are inseparable. Today we are going to discuss how God takes the first step in reconciling us to himself and what this means, for reconciliation for our lives. So what exactly is reconciliation, Corinne? SPEAKER B Oh, there's so many different aspects to it for a definition to be very clear for reconciliation, but the general meaning would be it's restoration for family, for your relationships with them, for that period of enmity that you may have had or estrangement or conflict. And it can be applied to lots of other things— our finances, our social, our political, and even our spiritual aspects, just to name a few of those. Yes, it can affect all of those. SPEAKER A Okay, so the reconciliation has, in and of itself, can have a lot of. SPEAKER B Applications in different settings. Yes, yes, absolutely. SPEAKER A Okay, so let's have a look at Colossians and we'll read a couple of texts there, we'll look at verses 21 and 22. So if you have a look there, it says, and you who were once— sorry, and you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight. Now this, of course, is talking about how we were reconciled. It says about how that Christ made peace through the blood of His cross. But I'm wondering, Harold, why is this reconciliation actually needed? SPEAKER C Well, humanity sinned and was separated from God. You use the word estranged there. And humanity was powerless. It had no way to save itself. And so the answer comes. Paul wrote it in Romans chapter 6, and I'm reading verse 23. "For the wages of sin is death," and we'd all sinned. "But the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." And so without reconciliation, everyone is doomed to eternal death, and it's waiting for everyone unless we're. SPEAKER A Reconciled. Yes. Okay. Thank you for Pointing that out. So let's have a look at one more verse. This was just the one prior to what I read before, uh, verse 20. And it says, and by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross. Corinne, can you tell us a bit more about who initiated this reconciliation for humanity? SPEAKER B Oh, God himself did that. Because when you look at verse 20, it says, "By Him," the capital H, "to reconcile the things to Himself." So that was very important. It was God and He did that. But I can find another verse too, and I'm going to see if I can find Romans 5, and we'll go to verse 8. Where have I got that one? Romans 5:8, and it says, but God demonstrates his own love toward us, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So he really made the first move for us to make sure that we could see his love, we could feel it, we could understand it. He does love us, and that's very important too. And again, in Romans, it tells us just a little bit more in verse 10, because it goes on to say, "For if when 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." So beautiful. SPEAKER A Yes. [Speaker:JH] Mm-hmm. So that, that really makes it quite clear that God went out of His way to reconcile humanity even before humanity she even was inclined towards him. He made those first moves. So, yeah, very, very interesting text. So do we see in the Bible any other stories where God makes the first move to restore a relationship? Have you got some examples? SPEAKER C Well, we go back to the very beginning in Genesis. It was the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve. The first parents were there and they had sinned. And they hid themselves from God. You know, sin always brings separation from God. And it was God who called them out and He wanted to have a relationship with them. Let me read for you what Genesis says, Chapter 3, and I'm reading from verse 8 to 10. "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." 'And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees in the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said, 'Where are you?' So he said, 'I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.' He'd sinned and broken the relationship. Right there in the beginning. SPEAKER A Yes, and God did make the first move. He was going looking for him, wasn't He? He did. Yeah, so that was a really good example right from the beginning of what happened with the human race. So obviously this, this whole reconciliation process is quite, quite a big thing for humanity. And what would you say, Corinne, is the natural response that we should have in response to and toward the initiator of this reconciliation? SPEAKER B Oh, with true reconciliation, I think it's a natural reaction to respond with real appreciation and thanks. It is something very special to have that reconciliation. And when we understand what that involved back here in the Bible, that how it's reconciling us It really does have a powerful effect. And there are some effects that are written in the Bible. And I'd like to go to 1 John 4:19 and see what he has said there. And it's only a short verse and it says, "We love Him because He first loved us." It was just that simple. He first loved us. And I want to love Him for that. SPEAKER A Yeah, I think even in our human relationships when there's been a breach and it's restored, we just feel that sense of communion and love between us again, which is so special. And of course, God has restored that for us with Him when there was that separation. So that's a beautiful, a beautiful text. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER A All right, well, let's have a look at some of the process of reconciliation that God initiated. And I'm wondering, Harold, if you could tell us what is this first step? What is the first step that God has in this process of reconciliation? SPEAKER C Well, let's look at the very first. We've got to recognize that we are helpless. We can't save ourselves. But Jesus is the only one, and we must want to be saved by Him. And so that's our choice because He came, He died for us, and He paid the price by His death that we can live. And so I choose Him. Let me read what, how Paul put it in great words. Romans, it's chapter 7, and I'm reading verse 24 and 25. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. I thank God Jesus is the answer. And so I recognize my situation. And I choose him. SPEAKER A Beautiful. Perfect. So it's really an awareness of our need, isn't it? That is the first step, and then recognizing Christ's adequacy in fulfilling that need that we have. So Corinne, tell us, what is the second step in this process of reconciliation? SPEAKER B Second step, I think by accepting his death as ours, we have to have the faith to accept that. If we don't have the faith, it's not going to be enough. And with that special faith, we then go on and we repent for the things that we've done wrong. We really want to because that is something special that God has given us too. And then we want that baptism of faith too. Absolutely. And then we can be justified and set free from all the condemnation of sin. And we're reminded of that. There are so many Bible verses that can help us with this, and there's only one that's been chosen here that I like, and that's 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and we're going to go to verse 17 for this one. And there it says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. And that's very special. So it's very cleansed. SPEAKER A Yeah. So our response to what God has done really starts to make us new people, doesn't it? SPEAKER B Very much. Yeah. SPEAKER A Yes. SPEAKER B Beautifully new. SPEAKER A God's creative power in our hearts. Harold, what is the last step in this process? SPEAKER C The last step. Well, you know, We've been, we recognize who the answer is. And then we want to be with Jesus and be close to Him and have His life with us. You know, as a result of being united with Him, we experience His presence and His power. And He really then lives His life again through us because we become like Him. You know, Paul wrote the message to the Galatians, and he wrote it so well in chapter 2 and verse 20. Here it is: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. Wow. The last step is to be with Him as close as I can. SPEAKER A Living every day with Christ in our lives. Yes. And He can then, as it said, live, live His life in us. That's right. That's what it's all about, isn't it? The Christian life in union with Christ and having Him dwell in us. Thank you for explaining that process. And so once we've been reconciled to God through these steps, there's a real question here. Does that mean that despite what we do from then on, we are always saved? SPEAKER B Oh, I think I have to ask the Bible this question. SPEAKER A Sounds like a good plan. SPEAKER B I think it's a really good one. And if I can tell you to go to Colossians 1:23, and we'll see See what that one says. "If indeed you continue in the faith grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister." So when you look at that, if we continue on We have to be able to continue. And we're saved only if we want to continue in that special faith that we've been given and that we grasp hold of. If we go back to breaking God's law and do not continue, we're going to be lost. And I remember a little thing happening years ago when my dear father-in-law, just before he passed away, hadn't spoken for a couple of weeks. He was so weak. And yet we had a lovely time singing together with a whole group of people. And there was one of his pastor friends there. And as his pastor friend said goodbye to leave with his wife, my dear father-in-law got his beautiful preaching voice and he says, "Brother, keep the faith. Keep the faith, brother." And something the family has never forgotten. So we can do that right here according to what is in the Bible. SPEAKER A 'Keep the faith.' Yeah, continuing it, not letting it go. We have to stay on the journey, don't we? SPEAKER B That is it. SPEAKER A Yeah, yes, very good to point that out. So Harold, it's interesting what it says in, in this next section here. It talks about being steadfast and grounded in Corinthians— sorry, in Colossians. Can you explain what that means? SPEAKER C Well, those words We don't use too much today. Steadfast and grounded. You know, if you're grounded, we normally talk of kids that have done something wrong and they're grounded. But it's not that at all. Being grounded means having a great foundation. You're strong. You put your roots down and your solid foundation of your faith in Jesus and your love for Him. And it's based on how I want to obey Him and be with Him. And the other word, steadfast. You know, if you're steadfast, you can't be moved. You keep the faith. You're steadfast in it. And then you have that hope that Jesus has. But let me read what Paul wrote. 1 Corinthians, and it's chapter 15 and verse 58. Therefore, "My beloved brethren, be steadfast." Be strong. And then it says, "Immovable." Wow. "Immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." You know, if we do make mistakes, we just confess our sins. Our relationship stays with Jesus. And so, grounded, steadfast, we're in Jesus every day. SPEAKER A Fantastic. Thank you for that. Is it hard to actually continue to be steadfast and grounded in the faith? SPEAKER B Oh, I don't think we are the only ones who struggle with that. I think there were so many writings in the Bible saying people were struggling, and Paul did write about this struggle with his self and the right choices we can all make and what is the best way forward. And he does tell us about it in Romans chapter 7 and verses 18 and 19. He tells us, and he says, for I know that in me, that is in my flesh, nothing good dwells, for to will is present with me. But how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do I do not do, but the evil I will not to do that I practice. So he was stumbling too, and I think it's, it's a human thing. We can stumble and fall, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can be Christlike because that's what Christian means, to be Christlike at all times. And we can keep asking for the Holy Spirit to lead and to guide us and entrust us with that special faith that we can have. Yes, it is very precious and special. SPEAKER A Yes. Right. So the, the, the human nature with selfishness is what is like a a barrier. It's like going up the stream in our lives, but we still can hold on to that faith in the midst of that. God has promised that we can be successful in this journey of faith, doesn't He? Thank you, Lord. Yeah, okay, thank you for that. So when Paul was writing Colossians, he was actually in prison in Rome, right? And he received the news of the faith of the Colossians, and so he was inspired to write them the letter which we have recorded in the Bible today. So what does Paul say about his ministry while he is in bonds or in bondage in prison? SPEAKER C Well, you know, he wrote a bit about it in this letter to the Colossians in chapter 1 and verse 24 and 25. He said, I now rejoice in my sufferings for you "And fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, which is the church." And then he says, "Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God, which was given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God." Paul was called to be the one who would preach. And share the message around the world. He was the gospel person for them. And when he's now in prison, but he hears how they are. So how does he really encourage them? He writes. And while he's in prison, you know, we have 4 different letters that he wrote. He wrote to the Colossians. He wrote to the Philippians in Philippi. He wrote to the Ephesians, the church in Ephesus. And he wrote to one person, Philemon. And so these letters we have as Paul was able to keep ministering and sharing how you can come to Jesus with all those churches and strengthen them. You know, those letters would not have been possible if he had been there. But he says, my sufferings are for the glory of Christ. SPEAKER A What a blessing that he had that approach in his situation to make the best of it, and God used that. Can you give another example, Corinne, of God's work being progressed even in the midst of unfortunate circumstances? SPEAKER B Oh, in unfortunate ones, yes. I look at the very beginning of the Bible, very close to the beginning of the Bible, and I think the first one one was Joseph. He was torn away from his family and his brother's family sold him into slavery, which was horrendous. When, if we were to think about it, how terrible it would be. But then he stays so faithful to God. And when you look at his life and what actually happens there, he's in slavery, but God makes him the prime minister. —how amazing is that—of Egypt, a big country at that time. And he didn't just go forward and save Egypt as a nation, but also his own family who all came down there in the end, didn't they? And afterwards, he does tell us that it was God's plan that all this would happen. And we can find that written in the Bible. And that We can find in Genesis chapter 50 and it's verse 20. And it says, "But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day to save many people alive.". SPEAKER A What a blessing. SPEAKER B You know, so that's in the beginning of our Bible and all the way through there are so many more more stories, just so many beautiful stories. SPEAKER A Yes. Great examples. Yes. Yeah. Is that, is that a lesson for us today there, Harold? SPEAKER C Sure it is. You know, different things happen to us. But Paul put it this way: Our light afflictions, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. We've got to keep focusing focusing on staying with Jesus, doing what we can to share His love, and then do it. SPEAKER A Great story. Absolutely. I'm just going to read a couple more texts here from Colossians. So, Colossians 1:26-27 says, "The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed," to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Now, this is a very important text, and, um, in the past the gospel was made known to the people through the sanctuary services. Yes. But now we understand it in the light of Jesus' ministry and death on the cross. Why does this verse in 27 say the mystery will be made known to the Gentiles. SPEAKER B Oh, it reminds me, going back towards Joseph, the Jews and the people then, it wasn't just them that God gave all this beautiful faith and a reminder of— it was all nationalities. It's everybody. It's you. It's me. And we may be mixed nationalities from where our heritage comes. So, His grace and His mercy is universal. It's for everybody, not just us, not just the Jews from way back. And it's for all of us who accept Jesus as the Messiah and our Redeemer. SPEAKER A Hmm. Okay, excellent. So, tell me, Harold, what actually is this mystery? SPEAKER C Well, the mystery of Christ is God, the hope that you have in you. It's the This hope that Jesus gives us. You know, Philippians said, "Being confident of this very thing, He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus." What He started, He's going to finish. So, stay close to Him and He'll be with you. SPEAKER A Excellent. Yes. How God can make this change in our hearts, can't He? Which is a real blessing. So there's just another verse here where it says in verse 28 and 29, says of Colossians 1, Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. And what is the aim of preaching? Paul's preaching here, Corinne? SPEAKER B He wants it to be present in everybody, everyone to mature in Christ, to understand a lot more. And he does it by teaching and preaching and going out to others, as gives them warnings as well, to be able to grow even more. And he boldly taught the Christian doctrine, something with that beautiful faith and how to practice it. And he does write in Titus a little bit more help for us. Titus 1:9, and he says there, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who contradict it. So he can Our gracious God can do that for every one of us. SPEAKER A That is, that is a blessing, how He can work in us for good and make us complete in Him. That's it. Thank you for sharing with us today on this topic. Left to ourselves, we would hide from God in our sins, just like Adam and Eve did. Without His outreach to each one of us through the Holy Spirit, we would not approach Him on our own. It's incredibly encouraging to to know that God loves us so much that he takes the initiative in our salvation. We praise God for Luke 19:10, which says, for the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus has paid the price for our sins and reconciled us with God. We have the hope of eternal life. We're glad you joined us today on Let God Speak. Remember, all past programs and all of our resources plus teacher's helps are available on our website 3abnaustralia.org.au. Email us on [email protected]. Join us next time. SPEAKER B You have been listening to let God speak, a production of 3ABN Australia television. To catch up on past programmes, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456. Or email [email protected]. we'd love to hear from you.