“Overflowing Reconciliation In Brokenness”
Sermon Title: Overflowing Reconciliation In Brokenness
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-24 ESV
Introduction
We’re continuing through the book of 2 Corinthians, which is a wonderful book to go through in the season of Lent as Easter approaches—a time when we remember the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians is saturated with the gospel, but more than that, it shows us how to live the gospel out in our lives.
Last week in chapter 4, we saw the glory of the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Today in chapter 5, we see what God is doing and what He calls us to do with that light.
(2 Cor. 5:18–21) The Ministry of Reconciliation
Paul tells us what God has done and what He calls us to be:
God has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ (v. 18).
God has given us the ministry of reconciliation (vv. 18–19).
God has entrusted this message to us, making us ambassadors for Christ (v. 20).
In Christ, we become the righteousness of God (v. 21).
All of this comes through reconciliation in Christ. We often define reconciliation as restoring a broken relationship. While true, the biblical meaning is deeper. Reconciliation is not simply making peace—it is a complete relational transformation: from hostility to peace, from alienation to acceptance, from enemy to friend.
Reconciliation is the redemptive work of God that restores sinners to Himself through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, bringing us into a relationship of love, peace, and covenant fellowship with Him.
This means reconciliation is not just about evangelism—it is about transformation. It transforms our relationship with God, our relationships with others, and our identity as God’s people.
(2 Cor. 5:14–17) Our New Identity Through Reconciliation
Paul explains that our new identity flows from Christ’s love:
Christ died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him (vv. 14–15).
We no longer regard people according to the flesh (v. 16).
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation (v. 17).
Our identity is rooted in what Christ has done. His death is the ultimate expression of God’s love, and our response is to live for Him. It becomes our privilege, joy, and purpose.
This identity makes us ambassadors of Christ—ambassadors of reconciliation.
Naturally, this is difficult for us. We tend to tolerate brokenness and conflict as long as it does not disrupt our comfort. We judge by outward appearances and human standards. But in Christ, our perspective changes.
Just as Paul once saw Christ wrongly but was transformed, we are now given new eyes. We begin to see people through the lens of reconciliation—not as irrelevant or distant, but as those who need to be reconciled to God.
(2 Cor. 5:11–13) Our Motivation
Paul shows us the seriousness of this calling:
We persuade others, knowing the fear of the Lord (v. 11).
We do not seek human approval but what is in the heart (v. 12).
We live for God, not for people’s opinions (v. 13).
The fear of the Lord is not terror, but reverent awe rooted in love. It is the awareness that we stand before a holy God and will give an account of our lives (v. 10). This kind of fear gives weight to the gospel. It keeps us from taking grace lightly. It produces urgency, intentionality, and a desire to live in a way that pleases God. It may also make us look different to others. Some may say we are too serious or too extreme. But Paul reminds us that we do not live for human approval—we live for God.
Even then, this does not mean we become perfect. We still struggle with sin and brokenness. But being a new creation means we are now able to live for Christ. It is a completed work with ongoing results—an identity that is already true, yet still being worked out in our lives. However, the discrepancy we feel between God saying we are a new creation and us not feeling like one points to something very important.
(2 Cor. 5:1–2, 6–9) Reconciliation In and Through Brokenness
Paul describes our present reality of our existence as God’s people: We live in a temporary “tent,” longing for our eternal home (vv. 1–2). We walk by faith, not by sight (v. 7). Our aim is to please the Lord (v. 9). We live in the tension of the “already and not yet.” We belong to the Kingdom of God, yet we still live in this broken world. We are both temporal and eternal.
Because of this, we groan—not in complaint, but with longing for God’s presence and our eternal home in heaven (Rom. 8:22). Creation itself groans under the weight of sin, and so do we, longing for the fullness of God’s presence. Sin has wreaked havoc upon the world and upon our life. It is in here that we experience this broken world and our own brokenness. This reality points to something very important about the ministry of reconciliation.
Reconciliation in Suffering
1. God makes us ambassadors in our brokenness
The church is often messy because we are a broken people living in a broken world. This was true for the Corinthian church—relationships were strained, trust was broken, and people were hurting.
Yet Paul reminds them that their identity is not defined by their brokenness, but by their reconciliation in Christ.
God calls us to be ambassadors not after we are fixed, but in the midst of our brokenness. Our confidence is not in ourselves, but in Christ and in our eternal hope.
2. God calls us to be a reconciling people in our brokenness
God entrusts the ministry of reconciliation and sends us out as ambassadors
When Paul says, “be reconciled to God” (v. 20), he is calling believers to restore their relationship with God—not initial salvation, but ongoing reconciliation in their walk with Him.
The Corinthians were broken, yet they were still called and sent out as ambassadors.
Why? Because those who experience reconciliation become people who practice reconciliation.
God does not wait until we are perfect, healthy, or ready or successful. He sends us as we are—reconciled, yet still broken.
Who better to demonstrate the power of the gospel than those who are being transformed by it?
A broken church is not disqualified—it is precisely the kind of church God uses. Our brokenness is not the end; it is the beginning of Christ’s work being displayed in us.
Reflection
Brothers and sisters, has your brokenness discouraged you from living out the Lord’s calling to be an ambassador of Christ who ministers reconciliation to those around you? Have you been so lost in your brokenness that you’ve been wondering who you are? Remember that you are reconciled to Christ as a child of God, as a ambassador of Christ who participates in reconciling others to God. May you witness the power of God that works in and through your brokenness.
