I have just committed to start preaching regularly at Two Rivers Church. Starting next week, I will post my message here at the blog-- the video and also the outline from the notes.

In the meantime, here is my message from last week at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It is an hour long (yikes), but that is how long they do the message there! So, be sure you have a snack and beverage before you get settled in to watch. ;-)

My messages at Two Rivers will be between 35 and 40 minutes, in case that hour-long message dissuaded you!

You can also get a review of the message here from Jamie Munson.

Here is the outline:

Representing Jesus and His Kingdom 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him like that. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. Now everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God." He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1. We Get a New Perspective (16-17)

From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him like that. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

2. Sent on a Mission of Reconciliation (18-19)

Now everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

To join in Jesus' reconciliation mission, we need to join Jesus in doing what Jesus came to do:

a. Serve

"The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19).

b. Save

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

3. Representing Jesus and His Kingdom (20)

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God."

4. Because of the Work of the Cross (21)

He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.