Be Reconciled

The Statue of Reconciliation - Coventry Cathedral

.. Christ’s love controls us.Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
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. 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. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

from 2 Corinthians 5

Last week, on Thursday, I attended my first seminary chapel. The text above provided our topic - Reconciliation. It was a memorable message.

The speaker was passionate about the gospel being a gospel of reconciliation. First between people and God, and then between individuals. He had an emphatic way of speaking; every few sentences punctuated with a reminder to BE RECONCILED!

I'll try to summarize some of his thoughts here, although of course my 'interpretation' is factored in. I heard this message as we all hear things - with most of my 'hearing' filtered as a result of things I've learned, my experiences, what I believe, value.... isn't that always how we all interpret? Each person's lens is unique, and it affects how and what we hear - whether in face to face conversation, hearing a message in chapel, or reading scripture. There is not only one way to understand most things, for example, I'm thankful that David's prayers were recorded all those years ago to comfort and encourage us today... I'm so glad those recorded intimacies have gone on to bear fruit and sow seeds of faith over and over and over.

It is also true that we need to not only internalize, but also externalize. Anytime I share my understanding of a thing with others, I learn more and the result is an 'enhanced' version of what I had concluded on my own. (See how I can work my value of community into everything?!) We need each other!

Anyway, back to the message of reconciliation. The speaker started off by referring to the God we worship - the God of reconciliation. The One who initiated reconciliation. The One who had a plan from the very beginning to facilitate a reconciled people - to Himself and amongst themselves. That sunk deep into my heart as I contemplated it. Reconciliation is not only possible - its happening - everywhere. Are you working towards it or against it? Opportunities for reconciliation are everywhere, daily... they have been woven by the Spirit into the fabric of our relationships, our days, our rhythms, our churches. He said that the reconciliation message was TRUE, even though its not always APPARENT. (That fits much some of what I've seen - how about you?)

After spending some time talking about the gospel of reconciliation as it pertains to individuals, he broadened it and spoke about the message of reconciliation as it relates to the community. (Again, the emphatic statement; BE RECONCILED!) He shared some struggles with lack of reconciliation and how the body suffers as much as the individual when this is the reality. For me sitting there, the sense of the importance of reconciliation grew as I listened... then another emphatic statement from our charismatic speaker; WAKE UP CHURCH! I was jarred by this. Have I been asleep in the light? Have we been asleep in the light?

He closed by saying that perhaps we don't really know how to live as reconciled people. We aren't really committed to embracing it - how can we be ambassadors for it? And how can that honor the God of Reconciliation?

Here is the hope he offered: the more we are reconciled, the more we practice reconciliation, the greater will be our burden and desire for reconciliation in all the places we go. The evidence and practice of reconciliation will be greater and deeper in our communities. Be assured that the Lord of Reconciliation will put to good use those who 'get' this. (Sadly, the reverse is true, too - the more we resist reconciliation, the more we will continue to resist it.)

The thing that is most prevalent in my mind as I write this is the debate I've heard whispers of in the larger church - emerging thoughts/concepts vs. maintaining traditional expressions. My prayer is that we would all appreciate the beauty and diversity of other expressions of faith, realizing that one creative God made all of us, and He clearly loves diversity! Shouldn't we?

I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!

From 1 Corinthians 1