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2 CORINTHIANS 5:11-21 (ESV)
11Therefore, 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. 12We 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. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15and 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. 16From 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. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
I. DEFINING MULTIPLICATION
A. Multiplication happens when disciples multiply themselves by making disciples, who multiply themselves by making disciples.
B. Multiplication is the end goal of discipling.
C. Multiplication is the way Jesus intended the church to be formed and grown.
II. MOTIVATION TO MULTIPLY (11-15)
A. The coming judgment of Jesus on all mankind. (10-11)
B. A sincere love for others. (12-13)
C. To bring glory to Jesus by following His footsteps through dying to our selfish desires and living to love others. (14-15)
III. MULTIPLICATION: REPPING RECONCILIATION (16-21)
A. Because of Jesus, we are not who we used to be. We may look the same, but everything has changed and we are new.
B. God, who was our enemy, became our friend by punishing our sin in Jesus.
C. The work of God in reconciliation does not eliminate the necessity of human response.
D. As God sent Jesus He sends us to be ambassadors of reconciliation telling the world they can now be friends with God instead of enemies.
APPLICATION
1. God does not just make us new but brings us into a new story so we can invite others out of their old stories & into a new story as well.
2. Reconciliation is more than a beautiful doctrine God does in us. It is a beautiful work God does through us to others.