Week 1 | Day 2 (Retreat Recap)

A New Purpose

2 Corinthians 5:11–21

Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, 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.

Reflection

“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves.” The idea of being made new contradicts all of life. In this world, our bodies, our minds, and the things around us grow old, need to be replaced, and eventually die. Jesus is offering new life through his death and resurrection for all who believe and follow him. This new life is a gift from God that paves a way for us to have a restored relationship with him. But, in that new life, we no longer live for ourselves. Those who follow Jesus no longer look like the rest of the world. We are a people that are called to live holy lives, set apart from the rest of the world.

• In your own words, write out what reconciliation is. If you are unsure, look it up and write out the definition. Then, read verses 19–21 again and write out what it means for you.
• Verse 15 tells us that because of what Christ has done, we should no longer be living for ourselves.
  • How have you been living for yourself?
  • What changes do you need to make in order to live for Christ?