Vision
Where We Are / 2 Corinthians 5:11–21
Give all for all to find and follow JEsus.
• The good news finding hope is easy. Having enough hope is not a problem. We can’t run out of it.
And it turns out that the best way to do that is by living out a faithful life in Christ enough so that your neighbor can see it.
We reflect Christ as a witness in our own lives and do so in a way people know it.
• how have you seen the hope of Christ reflected in someone else’s life?
• How do you hope to see the hope of Christ reflected in your own life?
• Take the time to pray for one person who you would want to experience the hope of Christ.
Give All For All to Find and Follow Jesus
But we have a God who has given everything. He is our means for ministry. And our source for hope
All of ourselves for all of God
2 Corinthians 5:11–15 ESV
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
We know God and are known by God. Relationship is reciprocated
• Our vision is that we would give all of ourselves to God and to others. However it assumes something. It assumes that God done something first. God has invited us into relationship and we are known by God first.
• An introduction shifted everything we know.
• Talk about a time in your life when you know you were known by God. Where you realized that the God in Heaven has secured your name in the Lamb’s book of life and that He knows who you are. That may be during your conversion in trusting Him, it may have been understood more deeply at a different time in your life. Share about that experience.
In that relationship we are occupied (controlled) by the love of Christ.
• The love of Christ, His work, comes first.
• It is His great love that occupies us.
• Because of that we can give ourselves over to Him. If He gave all for us, our lives can go back to Him
• His love compels us, occupies us, changes us.
• Where do you think the next place God’s love desires to occupy in your life? Where does God want to show His love for you?
• How does knowing His love is the thing that allows us to give ourselves to Him change our ability to let go in areas in our lives that are often hard to do?
All of God given for all of us
2 Corinthians 5:16–18 ESV
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;
New Creation is not upcycling, it is original. God Remakes us.
• When we see that we are made a new creation. God renews us in Himself. He awakens our spirit to know Him and relate to Him. When we trust Christ there is renewal. It is the raising of life from the dead.
• All of God was given for our new life.
• Read Philippians 2:6-11 and talk about what God gave in order for us to have life in Him
IT is an ushering in a new kingdom. Not just that we act differently but we are communicating that new life is happening. New life and a new creation is on the horizon. Our lives are communications of a new kingdom.
• After a long and difficult winter, people need to know something can change
• Our lives communicate the turning point of hope for people.
All of God for everyone else.
• All the resources, ideas, people, that we need is given from God. God already showed us what reconciliation is. Now we get to be a part of that in inviting other people into it.
• We get to use His idea, His model, His resources to invite others to experience the hope of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:19–21 ESV
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. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
We don’t just speak what we know, we speak what God knows. Our role is to be faithful.
• An ambassador is someone who speaks on behalf of the country they are representing.
• The ambassador reminds us that no matter where we are or who we are with, we have a God who backs up His promises. He reconciled so we can. God works in and through us because His promises are good.
It is always more than enough for all of us that Christ gave all for us.
-Talk in your groups about where you are personally. Are you in need of hope or a neighbor? Pray for each other.
What are we proclaiming and to whom?