30th Mar 26 | 13:54
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LUKE 19 1-10 SEEKING TO SAVE THE LOST 22 Ministry of reconciliation
📖 Luke 19:1-10
06Dec2020 - *Ministry of reconciliation* - _Luke 19:1-10_ - SEEKING TO SAVE THE LOST 22 – Bible reading: _Colossians 1:19-21_
_Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."_
The reconciliation of Zacchaeus with the Lord was now complete. The Lord is now giving us the overarching theme for this encounter, which is, to seek and save the lost.
The Lord's concern is for the lost. He is in the process of reconciling man back to Himself, for man to come back to the habitat of God, the kingdom rule of God. This is where man will enjoy the Shalom of God.
This was what man and all of creation had, in the beginning. We were in the habitat of God, under the rule of God over us, we were vice-regents of God, having dominion over all of creation in the image of God.
_Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; *let them have dominion* over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."_
Our sustenance was God, not matter or the material things of life.
We were to reign and care for the material, in the image of God, which would be to live out a God culture. This is how we enjoyed the Shalom of God, but in sinning and rebelling against God, we have come to the place where we are in today, where we are lost.
Creation too is languishing and is in a state of chaos because, man, who was to be responsible over creation has now lost his very purpose to life. Creation is therefore rebelling against man and causing all the disasters and pandemics that we are experiencing.
All of humanity, without coming back to the lordship of Christ, is lost.
This is the alienation of man and God is seeking to save the lost or He is reconciling alienated man back to Himself.
This work of reconciliation, Jesus is doing for man, through His work on the cross.
_Romans 5:10 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._
As said earlier, if we are not reconciled with God, what awaits us is the wrath of God. _Romans 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him._
God's plan is to reconcile man and the whole of creation back to Himself.
_Ephesians 1:9-10 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, (10) that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him._
God’s overarching purpose is made known to us, which is a mystery. God is gathering together in one, things which are in heaven and which are on earth, in Christ.
As His people, we need to see our lives in the light of God’s purpose. Our task here on earth is to seek and to save the Zacchaeuses of our world, to the lordship of Christ, and be a part of the all-encompassing plan of gathering together in one, all things in Christ.
_Colossians 1:19-21 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, (20) 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. (21) And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled_
Not only has He made the way for man's reconciliation. He has entrusted to us, those who have been reconciled with Him, the ministry of reconciliation.
_II Corinthians 5:18-20 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God._
We, therefore, carry on our shoulders the passion and the responsibility of being Ambassadors of Christ to bring people back into the habitat, into the kingdom of God.
*Thought to ponder*
```Has the purpose of God taken hold of you?```