Christ's love compels us

2 Corinthians 5:14-20 (NIV)


14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.



1. Contemplate the Love of Christ for you v.14

Does Christ's love compel you? Are you convinced that He died for you? For all? Are there some people you feel are beyond redemption? That you cannot forgive? Then contemplate the love of Christ. He died for you. Think about it. Even if you were the only sinner in the world Jesus would have come to die for you. Does that love compel you? We have a stockpile of God's blessings that have been poured into our lives. When we live in the awareness of all God has given us, it spills over to others. Never forget the magnitude of the transformation God has begun in you to take you from a stranger and an enemy into his family as an adopted child. Live with profound thankfulness for the stockpile of God's blessings.

 2. Commit Yourself to Live for Christ v.15

The word 'compel' in verse 14 means to 'constrain' us, to 'hem us in' and 'push us out', Jesus leaves us no choice. That is grace. If Jesus died for us we no longer live for ourselves making our own choices living independently of Him. How does the love of Christ compel us? The plain truth is that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. Hell is a reality and real people go there for eternity. It is, as C.S. Lewis has said, "God's very best for those that reject His Son." There are people who will indeed face a Christ-less eternity if they don't find forgiveness in Jesus Christ. The love of Christ compels us to make Him known. If people see that we live for Christ, they will see Christ in us. So contemplate the love of Christ and commit yourself to live for Christ.


3. Become an Ambassador of Reconciliation vs. 16-20

When you look at other people what do you see? Someone who is a pain to live with? Or someone for whom Christ died? Someone who is just a prayer away from an eternity as your brother or sister? Contemplate the love of Christ for you and it will change the way you view other people. Realize that if lost people matter to God so much that He sent Jesus to die for them, and then perhaps they should matter to us also. What is our highest calling, our greatest honor and privilege? Our highest calling as Christians is to serve as His messengers, His ambassador. The Church is the hope of the world. You are plan 'A' in God's strategy to save the world. God has no plan 'B'. He uses individuals like you and me as His spokespeople. He has placed the message of salvation in our hands and you have the high honor of delivering that Good News to the world. So contemplate the love of Christ and commit yourself to live for Christ. Become an Ambassador of Reconciliation. Then you will become highly infectious, you will become incredibly contagious. Think of the people that mean the most to you. Reflect upon them. Make an Impact List of people with whom you are in close proximity who are seekers and pray for them.





Yes Lord I will follow you, help me to feel as you feel, to see as you see and the love as you love, help me to become contagious in my love for you that others may come to know and love you also through me. In Jesus name Amen