The Ministry of Reconciliation
What comes to mind when you hear the word ministry? For many, they think of a missionary in a foreign land. For others, maybe a pastor, bible teacher, or evangelist. Did you know that scripture teaches that everyone who has been born again by faith in Christ is in ministry? Somewhere along the way, we have made ministry the responsibility of ministers. This way of thinking is having a profoundly negative impact on both the Kingdom of Christ and those who are still under the power of the evil one. Listen to the words of Christ to his disciples in Matthew 9:35–38 “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The problem we are facing is not a lack of fields in need of harvesting, but rather a lack of harvesters willing to work in the fields. The field here is referring to people, those who are harassed and helpless, still living in slavery to sin, under the power of the evil one. The world is full of such people. You and I were among these at one time in our lives, but thank God, we heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed in Christ, and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
Did you know that all of us who are in Christ have the ministry of reconciliation? That’s right, you and I have been given this ministry. Look with me at the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16–20 “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. There it is, this is our ministry, everyone who is in Christ, no exceptions. We have been entrusted. Think about that, you and I have been entrusted by God with the message of how man can be reconciled to God through faith in the Gospel of Christ. What a great responsibility we all have been given. You and I are the workers who are called into the fields of our homes, places of work, and communities to share with the field, that is, the people we encounter every day. When was the last time you shared the gospel message of reconciliation with someone? Have you ever seen a crop harvest itself? No, it requires the labor of workers to bring in the harvest. We are ambassadors for Christ, that is, God, making His appeal through us. I challenge you to take this ministry calling serious in 2026.
2 Corinthians 6:2, "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
May we live for the glory of our great King and for His Kingdom.
In Christ,
Pastor John
The problem we are facing is not a lack of fields in need of harvesting, but rather a lack of harvesters willing to work in the fields. The field here is referring to people, those who are harassed and helpless, still living in slavery to sin, under the power of the evil one. The world is full of such people. You and I were among these at one time in our lives, but thank God, we heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed in Christ, and were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
Did you know that all of us who are in Christ have the ministry of reconciliation? That’s right, you and I have been given this ministry. Look with me at the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16–20 “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. There it is, this is our ministry, everyone who is in Christ, no exceptions. We have been entrusted. Think about that, you and I have been entrusted by God with the message of how man can be reconciled to God through faith in the Gospel of Christ. What a great responsibility we all have been given. You and I are the workers who are called into the fields of our homes, places of work, and communities to share with the field, that is, the people we encounter every day. When was the last time you shared the gospel message of reconciliation with someone? Have you ever seen a crop harvest itself? No, it requires the labor of workers to bring in the harvest. We are ambassadors for Christ, that is, God, making His appeal through us. I challenge you to take this ministry calling serious in 2026.
2 Corinthians 6:2, "Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
May we live for the glory of our great King and for His Kingdom.
In Christ,
Pastor John