The Messiah Promised

Assuring Hope
Jesus, the Promised Servant-leader

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (The Message)
 ^16-20Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.
 ²¹How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

For Reflection The decision to which is referred is one to use a Jesus-centered focus. Jesus died for all mankind.  It is about fresh starts. It is about what is at the core of our beings.  It is about the freeing of our souls to follow the paths which God intends for us.  Sin is in the past.  Each day, each hour, each second offers a new start.  This is the message of hope and the promise of reconciliation with God.  How does this promise free you?

Pray
that each of us believes this good news.  Pray for those who remain mired in past transgressions and who feel unworthy of the life affirming transformation offered by God.  Pray that all will embrace the gift of the resurrected Christ.