Sermon Synopsis
This sermon proclaims the biblical truth of reconciliation with God through “the great exchange” in Christ. Because sin separated humanity from a holy God, reconciliation was necessary—and God Himself initiated it through Jesus, who bore our sin so that we might receive His righteousness. Through the parable of the lost son, we see both human repentance and the Father’s unconditional love. The call is clear: recognize our sin, repent, and be reconciled to God, receiving new life in Christ and eternal hope.
Please note: This transcript is provided as close to verbatim record of the sermon.
The Great Exchange
2 Corinthians 5:17–21
Good evening, everyone. Have a blessed Lunar New Year. Thank you for taking the time to attend this February Gospel Service.
Joel read for us five verses earlier, and as he mentioned, I chose the hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” I remember when I was 13 years old—I’m a Malaysian. I came from Alor Setar in Kedah. I came to Singapore to study at the age of 13. At that age, when you come to a country where you know nobody, it can be quite scary.
When my dad first asked me whether I wanted to come to Singapore, of course I wanted to. At that age, if you can go to Singapore and be away from your parents, maybe that seems like the best thing to do. So I went. But then I realized it was tough because you are so lonely.
I was in a mission school, and I heard this hymn:
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear.
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer.
Everything that we have, everything that we suffer, we can take to God in prayer. We always find comfort in a friend—and this Friend is there forever. His name is Jesus.
2 Corinthians 5:18–19
Let us look more closely at the verses Joel read for us.
Verse 18 says:
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Verse 19 continues:
“That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
We have to ask the question: Why was God reconciling the world to Himself?
We must go back to the beginning. The Bible, which is the Book of Truth, the Word of God, tells us that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God created humans in His image, in His likeness. And God said that His creation was very good.
Adam and Eve were living happily with God in the Garden of Eden. However, the serpent came, tempted them, and led them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—the one tree they were not supposed to eat from. They disobeyed God. Because of that disobedience, sin entered the world. And because of sin, we are separated from God.
Once the relationship is broken, it cannot simply be ignored. God is holy. We are sinful. We cannot be with God because the relationship has already been broken. Therefore, we need reconciliation.
God, in Christ, sent His Son so that we sinners can be reconciled back to Him. And in that reconciliation process, it says God does not count our trespasses against us anymore. Whatever sins we have committed—whether in the past, in the present, or in the future—God will remember them no more.
This is important. God wanted to reconcile the world back to Himself, and that is through Christ Jesus the Son, so that we can be restored to Him.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Verse 20 says:
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
This relates to us who are Christians, who have believed in God as our Savior. We are ambassadors for Christ. Ambassadors represent someone else. We represent Christ.
Because of God’s love for us, we have been saved. We have experienced His goodness and His blessings. We have experienced trials and temptations in our lives, but we have God who helps us through difficult times. And we know that at the end of the day, when we pass on from this life, we will be in heaven.
Therefore, we want our beloved family members, our relatives, our friends—those who are dear to us—to be reunited with us when we pass from this earth. We implore the people we love who are still unbelievers: please be reconciled to God. God has provided the way. We need to reach out and be reconciled to Him.
If you look at verses 18 to 20 together, you will see the words reconcile, reconciliation, and reconciling appearing five times in three verses. This emphasizes the importance of reconciliation. It is a step that God initiated, and a step that unbelievers need to take in order to return to Him.
III. What Is Reconciliation?
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines reconciliation as the end of a disagreement and the start of a good relationship again. It means a relationship was once good, it was broken, and now it is restored.
I remember when I became a Christian. I come from a Buddhist family. As I said earlier, I came to Singapore at 13, but before that I was very close to my mother. I was a “mummy’s boy,” so to speak. I followed her to the temples. I did whatever she asked me to do. I was quite connected to temple worship.
When I wanted to become a Christian, I could sense a strain in my relationship with my mother. It was not broken, but there was tension. She was worried she would lose her son—perhaps her favorite son. There are five brothers, and I am the middle one.
She was also concerned about ancestor worship. In Chinese custom, ancestor worship is very strong. She worried that if I did not perform the rituals, I would be an unfilial son.
I reassured her. I told her the Bible teaches us to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. She would not lose me. I would love her even more. As for remembering our ancestors, we can still remember them in our hearts. Instead of offering incense, we can offer flowers. It is still remembrance, just in a different form.
Through explanation and communication, that strained relationship was restored. I was thankful for that.
Many of us have strained or broken relationships. Often, within families, the strain can be the hardest. Sometimes we take family members for granted. We think they have a great capacity to absorb whatever hurtful words we say. But even as Christians, though we try to absorb hurt, there is always a limit.
James reminds us that the tongue can be dangerous. It can destroy and hurt many people. We must think before we speak. Let God help us love those around us, especially in reconciliation.
Luke 15:11–32
The Bible shows us a beautiful picture of reconciliation in the parable of the lost son.
The younger son asked for his inheritance. His father gave it to him. The son went to a far country and spent everything in reckless living. Then famine struck. He found himself hungry and in need.
Verse 17 says, “When he came to himself…”
He realized his condition. He said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father…”
He admitted, “I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
He realized his sin. He repented. He sought reconciliation.
We must ask ourselves:
Have we realized that we are sinners?
Have we repented of our sins?
Have we sought reconciliation with our Heavenly Father?
The father must have been waiting every day. When he saw his son from afar, he felt compassion. He ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him.
The son confessed his sin. But before he could even finish asking to be a hired servant, the father said, “Bring quickly the best robe… put a ring on his hand… shoes on his feet… bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate.”
“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”
The father demonstrated unconditional love. He did not focus on what the son had wasted. He focused on the son who had returned.
This is like our Heavenly Father. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we can be restored to Him. That is the great exchange.
When I was a young Christian, I struggled with this parable. I was like the older brother. I wondered, why treat this son so well? But as I grew in my faith and read the Bible more, I realized that God’s love is indeed magnificent.
We are the lost sons. God is our Heavenly Father.
2 Corinthians 5:21
Verse 21 says:
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
We are sinners. God is holy. We cannot reconcile ourselves to Him. We need Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the substitutionary sacrifice. He sacrificed His life once and for all. He died for our sins. He rose again on the third day. He is seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us.
On our own, no matter how hard we try, we can never be reconciled to God. It is only through Christ.
Verse 17 says:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
When we are in Christ, we become new. Our old self dies. The new self lives, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. We are enabled to love—even those who are difficult to love. Even our enemies.
When people look at us, they should see Christ in us. That newness is controlled by the Holy Spirit. God the Father blesses us and walks with us. Our Lord Jesus Christ intercedes for us. And so we can walk through life with a Friend in Jesus.
God initiated the reconciliation plan. Jesus became the great exchange for us. We did not have to suffer for our sins in that way. Though we will die physically one day, we will live eternally with Him.
God forgives our sins—past, present, and future. God renews us daily as we read His Word and grow in Him.
So what will be your response?
Do you want to be reconciled to God?
Do you want to be restored to Him?
This is an important decision. It affects not only your life now, but your eternal life.
If you have decided that you want to be reconciled to God, let us pray together:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness.
I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead.
I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and my life.
I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Messages: 5
