DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 – “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”   Key Themes: 1. Reconciliation Begins in Christ ◦ True transformation happens in Christ—not through good works or self-effort. ◦ God reconciled us to Himself through Jesus and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 2. You Belong to God ◦ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." ◦ Many people try to add Jesus to their lives rather than fully surrendering to Him. ◦ God doesn’t do "timeshares" with our lives—He wants everything, not just a portion. 3. God Provides What He Requires ◦ Everything God asks of us, He also provides the grace to fulfill. ◦ Just as in education or training, high expectations come with high investment. ◦ Salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing (Ephesians 2:8-9). 4. With Reconciliation Comes with Responsibility ◦ Reconciliation not just a personal benefit; it’s a calling to extend it to others. ◦ We are reassigned after being reconciled—called to help restore others. ◦ The message must be shared, not just received. 5. Seeing People as God Sees Them ◦ Don't look away from the broken, hurting, or lost—see them, engage with them. ◦ True reconciliation requires recognition: ▪ Recognizing God's nature and human nature. ▪ Understanding that all people are created in God’s image (Imago Dei), even if they don’t yet reflect it. 6. Conciliation Before Reconciliation ◦ Reconciliation requires addressing what caused the division. ◦ No reconciliation without recognition and repentance. ◦ Applies to racial issues, family conflicts, and most importantly, our relationship with God. 7. Understand Human Nature ◦ The human heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). ◦ People want a god that serves them, but the true God is the one they must serve. 8. Indicators of the true God: • Is from everlasting to everlasting • Known to Adam, Abraham, Moses and the even the pagans of every generation • Has the power to create, destroy, heal and reform • Passes final judgment • Knows the motivations of the heart • Has purpose that transcends self-serving interests of people • Manifests His presence in the earth through the Holy Spirit • Has a son name Jesus Christ, who is God the Son 9. The Power of the Gospel ◦Salvation only comes through the message of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). ◦The gospel itself is the power of God