Who are you living for?Who are you living for?

2 Corinthians 5:11-212 Corinthians 5:11-21

Lewis WinklerLewis Winkler

AccountableAccountable to God (11-13)to God (11-13)

The “fear of the Lord” should motivate The “fear of the Lord” should motivate us to share our faith.us to share our faith.

As Christians, we will be judged and As Christians, we will be judged and rewarded for the way we live our lives.rewarded for the way we live our lives.

Non-Christians will also be judged for Non-Christians will also be judged for where they stand as sinners before a where they stand as sinners before a holy and righteous God.holy and righteous God.

AccountableAccountable to God (11-13)to God (11-13)

Some in Corinth were questioning Paul’s Some in Corinth were questioning Paul’s credentials as a minister of the gospel.credentials as a minister of the gospel.

They were taking “pride in what is seen They were taking “pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.”rather than in what is in the heart.”

Christians who share the gospel may seem Christians who share the gospel may seem crazy (“out of their minds”) in the world’s crazy (“out of their minds”) in the world’s eyes, but the gospel is God’s wise means of eyes, but the gospel is God’s wise means of salvation.salvation.

1 Corinthians 2:1-61 Corinthians 2:1-6““When I came to you, brothers, I did not When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. We do, however, speak a message of power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom on this age or of the rulers of this wisdom on this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.”age, who are coming to nothing.”

AccountableAccountable to God (11-13)to God (11-13)

This should be a source of confidence and This should be a source of confidence and encouragement to every Christian.encouragement to every Christian.

We need not be polished, good-looking, or We need not be polished, good-looking, or exceptionally articulate to be powerfully used exceptionally articulate to be powerfully used by God.by God.

Rather than what others think of us, our Rather than what others think of us, our primary concern need only be what primary concern need only be what GodGod thinks of us.thinks of us.

AccountableAccountable to God (11-13)to God (11-13)

Do you see yourself as accountable to Do you see yourself as accountable to God?God?

Do you see others around you as also Do you see others around you as also accountable to Him?accountable to Him?

Is it your greatest desire to please Him Is it your greatest desire to please Him and persuade others to know Him as and persuade others to know Him as well?well?

CompelledCompelled by Christ (14-17)by Christ (14-17)

Since Christ gave His life for us, we ought to Since Christ gave His life for us, we ought to live our lives for Him.live our lives for Him.

While it is tempting to see people—including While it is tempting to see people—including Jesus—through our fleshly eyes, our Jesus—through our fleshly eyes, our Christian faith gives us a whole new way of Christian faith gives us a whole new way of seeing people in general and Jesus in seeing people in general and Jesus in particular.particular.

Contemporary Views of JesusContemporary Views of Jesus

Jesus was a mythical figure.Jesus was a mythical figure.

Jesus was a charlatan who deceived Jesus was a charlatan who deceived people with pseudo wisdom and magic people with pseudo wisdom and magic tricks.tricks.

Jesus was an alien.Jesus was an alien.

Contemporary Views of JesusContemporary Views of Jesus

Jesus was a prophet but nothing more.Jesus was a prophet but nothing more.

Jesus was a bodhisattva.Jesus was a bodhisattva.

Jesus was a concrete manifestation of Jesus was a concrete manifestation of the divine concept of Brahman.the divine concept of Brahman.

Contemporary Views of JesusContemporary Views of JesusJesus was the highest created being, Jesus was the highest created being,

but not equal with God.but not equal with God.

Jesus was an exceptionally God-Jesus was an exceptionally God-conscious person, but not equal with conscious person, but not equal with God.God.

Jesus was a wise rabbi and good moral Jesus was a wise rabbi and good moral teacher who was later deified by his teacher who was later deified by his followers.followers.

C. S. Lewis on JesusC. S. Lewis on Jesus““I am here trying to prevent anyone saying the really I am here trying to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a lunatic—on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

CompelledCompelled by Christ (14-17) by Christ (14-17)

When we open ourselves up to God’s When we open ourselves up to God’s revelation in Christ and we are able to revelation in Christ and we are able to see and know Jesus as He really issee and know Jesus as He really is..

CompelledCompelled by Christ (14-17) by Christ (14-17)

We are also able to see people as they We are also able to see people as they really are, persons in desperate need of really are, persons in desperate need of salvation through Jesus Christ.salvation through Jesus Christ.

CompelledCompelled by Christ (14-17)by Christ (14-17)

When we place our trust in Jesus When we place our trust in Jesus Christ, we become a radically new Christ, we become a radically new person.person.

As a result, our lives should now be As a result, our lives should now be characterized by the righteousness of characterized by the righteousness of Christ.Christ.

ReconciledReconciled to Reconcile (18-21)to Reconcile (18-21)

We were once enemies of God, but now We were once enemies of God, but now through Christ’s sacrifice, we have through Christ’s sacrifice, we have been reconciled to Him.been reconciled to Him.

More than this, we now have “special More than this, we now have “special clearance” to come to God, the Master clearance” to come to God, the Master of the universe, at any time.of the universe, at any time.

ReconciledReconciled to Reconcile (18-21)to Reconcile (18-21)

Even more amazingly, God has chosen Even more amazingly, God has chosen us to represent Him on earth as His us to represent Him on earth as His special envoys and ambassadors.special envoys and ambassadors.

We are therefore called by God to plead We are therefore called by God to plead with everyone who will listen so that with everyone who will listen so that they can also know the eternal joy and they can also know the eternal joy and privilege of being reconciled to Him.privilege of being reconciled to Him.

Conclusion and ApplicationConclusion and Application

Who am I really living my life for?Who am I really living my life for?

Am I genuinely living my life for God as Am I genuinely living my life for God as His special representative on earth?His special representative on earth?

Does my life reflect His heart and His Does my life reflect His heart and His priority to seek and save the lost?priority to seek and save the lost?

Tim and LewisTim and Lewis

Stanford UniversityStanford University

Although from a non-Although from a non-Christian family, Tim had Christian family, Tim had

become a Christian in become a Christian in high school.high school.

Urbana Missions Conference 1990Urbana Missions Conference 1990

A Few Barriers to A Few Barriers to OvercomeOvercome

He had a highly desirable job.He had a highly desirable job.

His non-Christian parents His non-Christian parents would not approve of or would not approve of or understand his change of understand his change of occupation.occupation.

He would have to raise his He would have to raise his own financial support.own financial support.

Tribes of the Cameron HighlandsTribes of the Cameron Highlands

Tim, R’deen, Laura, and KristianaTim, R’deen, Laura, and Kristiana