In this article, we will be focusing on our reconciliation in Christ. To kind of give an idea of reconciliation, we need a working definition. According to Webster's Dictionary, reconciliation means "the act of restoring to friendship or harmony." In this case, we are being reconciled from our sin into harmony with God.

I've seen a vivid example of this. As when I shared the story with the youth last week, I will not name any names as to who this story refers. Throughout high school, I had a friend who was constantly getting in trouble. He was into drugs, and he had been expelled and even arrested. A couple years ago, he was arrested in Clay for a DUI. He served some time, and in that time, had found Christ.

About a year or so ago, I received a message from him. He said that he had given his life to God, and he told me that he had been led to me for spiritual guidance. I was so grateful to hear him say he had been saved because it had been something Shane, Spam (his name is actually Samuel, but we've called him Spam all his life), and I, along with many others, had prayed about for a long time. It was another example of God showing us He answers our prayers in His timing, and according to His will.

In 2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2, we see that Paul says that God calls us to three things: reconciliation through Christ, a ministry of reconciliation, and be an ambassador for Him. Each of these go hand in hand with one another.

It is worth noting that we see, in verse 17, we see how this reconciliation takes place. We are a new creation in Christ. In this verse, as well as verse 21, we see that God calls us to reconciliation to Him through Jesus's death and resurrection. In verse 21, we see that God made Jesus to be our mediator, who pleads on our behalf for this reconciliation.

Shane explained it to the youth like this. Being in law enforcement, he tends to be a part of many court cases, primarily those involving sexual abuse or homicide. So, he used this metaphor. When we sit in front of God on our day of judgment, it is very much like a court case. We will be found guilty of every sin that we have committed.

However, because Jesus paid the price for sins, we will be granted forgiveness and pardon for that sin if we believe in Him. In the case above, it would be similar to a murderer that Shane has all the evidence possible to convict, but someone else pays the due for him. That's exactly the way Christ did for us. Because of this, we see that our sins are not counted against us when we choose to follow Jesus. This is the ministry of reconciliation that Paul talks about in the passage.

Note that this ministry of reconciliation and being an ambassador for Christ go hand in hand. We become an ambassador for Christ when we tell of how He reconciled us. This is done by sharing our testimony. Recently, we have had several youth step up each Wednesday and share their testimony, and while it's great to practice and share with believers what God has done in our lives, we should seek to share our testimony with those who may be doubting or do not believe at all. I have had several opportunities to share what God has done in my life to others, and I pray those opportunities continue to come my way.

It is important to share our testimony because it can impact someone's life. In fact, it may be that spark that someone needs to come to Christ. It may be the opportunity God uses to call that person to Him before He calls them to their eternal home.

It is also worth noting that we experience the things we go through to testify to what God has done for us. We can also use these trials to help someone who may be going through something similar. We should consistently be seeking out opportunities to reach out and share the Gospel.

This message is so important because we have reconciliation through Christ, and that is something we need to share with others. If someone saved us from a burning building or one that has collapsed on us in the midst of a tornado, we would go around telling everybody what that person did for us. We should strive to be that way about Christ, because He saved us from eternal separation from God.