The Reconciling Church

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Efrem Smith - Superintendent/Bishop of 150 Churches in the U.S.
Book - Post Black Post White World

Appetizer - Bizarro World
2 Cor 5.14-21
the reconciling church
Love movies. Super hero
Went 3 times to see them. In childhood had Bizarro World comics. Superman sacrifices himself to save planet earth. We live in Bizarro World on planet earth with evil and brokenness. Someone came into this world to redeem us. Jesus.

Dine in - the big idea
Out of the overflow of God's love we are called to reconciliation
1. A Deeper Understanding of Culture and Context
Jesus is coming back. When? 2011?
How are we to live until Jesus returns. Justice will come but until it does it is just us. We need to make ourselves available to
We need to be connected to God. Paul wrote to a diverse church teaching them to live in reconciliation. Love is kind.
How to live as reconcilers.
1. Corinth was multicultural and an evil empire that was broken. We see more and more consolidation. GTA includes nearby cities. Growing diversity and disparity.
God is calling you to be a reconciler in your community. V15 live as Christ.

2. A Deeper Understanding of Christ
We see no one from a worldly point of view. See them through the eyes of Christ. Something happened to Paul so he saw Jesus differently. He used to see Jesus and his followers as a trouble maker group. Then he met Jesus. Now he saw everything differently. It opened up his eyes. Let God change you.

3. A Deeper Understanding of Change and Transformation
V17 God was reconciling the world. Understand change. You are new but the Christian life is a journey of change. You are changed and changing at the same time. I'm the same person and we need to purposefully change and transform.

TAKE OUT - Closing the Gap
No Christian should assimilate into the culture. Our citizenship in heaven should show through at all times. God blesses us with cultural diversity. We are tourists here on this earth.