Reconciliation

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III
Synopsis of February 24, 2021

Psalm 133:1-3 NKJV 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

I. INTRODUCTION

1. What is reconciliation?  Allasso is a Greek word used for reconciliation and it means “to change or exchange. It can even be like the change between God and man.
2. To say something needs to be reconciled, we assume that something must be broken or fragmented. When fragmentation comes, it can be reconciled by intentional engagement.

II. BIBLICALLY, WHAT IS RECONCILIATION?

1. Romans 5:6-11 NKJV 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. – While we were sinners God saved us.
   1. We needed to be reconciled back to God. Someone had to initiate this.
2. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, – God reconciles the world to himself.
3. Romans 5:1 NKJV 5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, [a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, – Therefore we are no longer enemies of God. God loved us back to himself through His Spirit. God was always about reconciliation.
4. God gives us the ministry of reconciliation.

III. THE INITIATOR VS. THE AGITATOR

1. Initiator – The initiator wants to save the valued relationship. There is a reason reconciliation is important. God is trying to do something in the earth.
   1. We breakup and fracture relationships over the silliest things. The smallest of things cause breakdowns.
2. Agitator – The agitator stirs up public feeling. They try to aggravate you.

IV. FOUR TYPES OF RECONCILIATION

1. Deep Mutual Healing – This is when both parties come to an agreement that it is time to change.
2. Shifting Your Expectations – No matter how you deny it, it goes back to our expectations. Expectations is the belief that it is going to happen one way only to find out that it happens another way.
   1. If one person decides to change their expectations of the other and it can fracture relationships.
   2. Sometimes you have to treat things like you do fish; you chew the meat up and spit out the bones.
3. Agreeing to Disagree – This is agreeing to disagree, rather than trying to convince the other person that you are right. It’s not worth not being able to work together.
4. Inner Resolution – Choose when the reconciling is not possible. If they slam the door on you, that’s all you can do.

V. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

1. Micah – Leads Reconciliation to The Will of God
   1. During the 8^th century, it was a bad time full of corruption. Micah trying to get everyone back into the Will of God.
      1. Micah 7:1 NKJV  1 Woe is me! For I am like those who gather summer fruits, Like those who glean vintage grapes; There is no cluster to eat Of the first-ripe fruit which my soul desires. – There was no such harvest like this for Micah. Everyone was doing their own thing.
      1. Micah 3:8 NKJV 8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin. – Micah initiated counsel and testimony to help people where they were. Many learned to live a new life.
   1. No matter what happens around you, be who God called you to be.
      1. Micah 7:7-9 NKJV 7 Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me. 8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The LORD will be a light to me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case And executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness. – Micah’s ability to reconcile his will to the Will of God, made him effective in carrying out God’s will.
2. David And Saul – Resentment Leads to Death
3. Saul didn’t realize that the seeds he sowed, caused his own destruction. Jealousy grew up in Saul against David.
4. Saul neglected everything trying to kill David. Since Saul tried to kill David, he ran, and Saul spent all his time trying to hunt David down.
5. David could have killed Saul on 2 different occasions.  However, David would not draw his sword against one of the Lord’s anointed. He let God live with Saul.
6. Don’t come down to their level when you are anointed. Give it to God.
7. If you go after revenge, you will miss what God has for your life.
8. 1 Samuels 8:6-7 NKJV   6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. – God warned Samuel to let it go, because he did not want him to build up resentment against the people.
9. Jacob And Esau – Reconciliation Leads to Love
10. Esau was mad at Jacob for stealing his birth right.
    1. Genesis 33:4 NKJV 4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. – Even though his brother had stolen his birthright, Esau was willing to reconcile with Jacob.
11. When people see us reconcile, they will see the God in us. We must be willing to say, no matter what happened, I want to make this right. Are you willing to make it right?
12. If you don’t reconcile with each other, it can affect the way you worship God.
13. God makes the first move by reconciling us back to himself. God gave his only begotten son that we might have everlasting life.
14. If I am spiritual, I have to be the one that says, “I will be the one that makes this right”.
15. Everybody might not reconcile with you, but you have to be the one that doesn’t want to live with regrets.

VI. RECONCILIATION CAUSES CLEAN HANDS

1. Psalm 24:4-6 NKJV 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah – When the offended can reconcile to the offender, it speaks well of God.
2. We have to declare, “Lord order my steps where I need to be, to reconcile with whom I need to reconcile. Remove the chaos from my life and let me walk in peace with you and others, in Jesus’ name, Amen”.