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. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The main thing the preacher kept repeating was BE RECONCILED. So I guess that part stuck with me the most. He gave the illustration of two friends. Say you owe a million dollars. Apparently you've been doing some blue collar crime for your bail to be that high, that's a totally different topic. :) So, I put the million dollars up for bail and get you out of jail. Maybe we were close friends, but now you know that you owe me a million bucks and you know there's no way to pay me back. You'll never see a million bucks in your lifetime and it's hopeless. Fortunately for both of us, I know it's impossible so I tell you "Don't worry about the money" I clear your debt and you don't owe me anything anymore. I'm hoping, you'll still come over for Thanksgiving. But, Thanksgiving rolls around and you cancel coming. I'm disappointed, because I really enjoy spending time with you. What's keeping you from coming I ask? Only to find out that you still feel bad about owing me the money. To which I'll desperately try and convince you that you don't owe me money. Unfortunately you won't accept the reconciliation I offer. I say your balance has been reconciled and you won't take it. I lose you.
Christians, your sins are forgiven, BE RECONCILED.
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