It's Complicated - Reconciliation & Restoration

“IT’S COMPLICATED” Reconciliation & Restoration
2 Corinthians 4:1-18, 5:14-21, 6:3-10

Equally valid observations from differing perspectives can appear to be contradictory. 

2 Corinthians 5:14-20 

14 For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. 15 And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised. 16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way,  yet now we no longer know Him in this way.  17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. 18 Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 

We no longer see people as just humans, but as souls with infinite, eternal worth.  

RESTORATION is “dealing with the OUTWARD,” RECONCILIATION is “dealing with the INWARD.”

Reconciliation is putting out the fire; Restoration is rebuilding the bridge. 

2 Corinthians 4:1-181 “Therefore, since we have this ministry because we were shown mercy, we do not give up. 2 Instead, we have renounced shameful secret things, not

walking in deceit or distorting God’s message, but commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in God’s sight by an open display of the truth. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. 8 We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; 

9 We are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 15 Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory. 16 Therefore, we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is Eternal.

The road of reconciliation and restoration is not an easy one, but one that is worth it.

2 Corinthians 6:3-103 “ We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed. 4 But as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardship, by difficulties, 5 by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the message of truth, by the power of God; through weapons of righteousness on the right hand and the left, 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; as deceivers yet true; 9 as unknown yet recognized; as dying and look—we live; as being disciplined yet not killed; 10 as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing yet possessing everything.”

Bridges require work to rebuild, hurts must heal, and trust takes time to regain once lost.

Take a bent-knee approach instead of bringing a bat to the conversation.

Forgiveness- It’s not for them, it’s for you, and it does not excuse their behavior. It simply prevents their behavior from destroying your heart..

Resolution- It focuses on solving the immediate problem at hand and addresses the 'what' of the situation. 

Reconciliation- It addresses the 'how' and 'why' the situation happened.

Restoration- Is the process of repairing a relationship to a healthy state, which usually involves significant change and time to make it happen.