Reconciliation
Week 3, Day 1 of Choosing God Instead of the World, A Love God Greatly Study
Scripture Reading: Genesis 33 and 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (SOAP: 2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 NLT
Observation:
Reunited: A glimpse at Jacob and Esau
After twenty plus years and all of the fear and planning Jacob and Esau are finally reunited and reconciled to one another. No longer was there a fear of death or present anger over the other’s past deceit or threat of death. While the scene reveals more of Jacob’s careful, or what I like to call – “just in case” planning, it also reveals a beautiful reunion and open reconciliation.
New Testament Reconciliation
As our focus verse points out – without the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus we would have every reason to live in fear of death like Jacob did. We were God’s enemies according to Paul, in Romans 5:10, when we were restored/reconciled by the death of Jesus.
10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
Romans 5;10 NLT
Like Jacob, we have been given a new identity in Christ, the old character is gone and the new is here. It is a gift of God. Not only has He clothed us with the righteousness of Christ, no longer counting our sins against us, but the title ‘Ambassadors for Christ’. He has given us a purpose, a ministry of making His Son known so that others can be reconciled to Him. – Til the whole world knows.
Application: How then should we Live?
We have been made ambassadors for Christ and should live faithfully proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and what Christ has done for us. We should also faithfully praise Him for laying our sins on Christ and not counting them against us.
Prayer: Response to God’s Word
Father, as Jacob and Esau were reconciled to one another – so You have even more so – reconciled us to You – through Christ. And You no longer count our sins against us because we are new creations in Christ, the old has passed and the new has come! Glory to Your Holy Name!
Your Turn: Personal Reflections
- Is there a relationship in your life that needs reconciliation?
- What is God prompting you to do as you wait for His perfect timing for the reconciliation?
Me From the Inside Out 