The Gift: Regift it!

The Gift: Regift It

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Watch the sermon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7bzYdDSicw

Listen to the full sermon here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2iXqq80OeRMylnLVe87jZS?si=2dcce8843355401a

The Gift You're Not Meant to Keep

Why God's Greatest Present Comes with Instructions to Pass It On

You know that feeling when you receive a gift so perfect, so exactly what you needed, that you can't help but tell everyone about it? Maybe it was a life-changing book, a recipe that finally worked, or advice that turned everything around. The joy doesn't feel complete until you've shared it with someone else. That's exactly how God designed His greatest gift to work—not as something to hoard in your heart, but as something that multiplies when you give it away.

Can I be honest with you? For the longest time, I thought salvation was just about me—my ticket to heaven, my personal relationship with God, my spiritual insurance policy. And while it's definitely personal, I completely missed that it was never meant to stop with me.

We live in a world that teaches us to acquire and protect what's ours. Keep your cards close. Guard your advantages. Build your own kingdom. So, when we receive God's grace, we sometimes unconsciously treat it the same way—as something to keep safe, to treasure privately, to hold onto tightly.

But here's what I'm learning: the gift of grace isn't like that at all. It's more like a flame that's meant to light other candles. The more you share it, the brighter it gets. And when you really understand what God has done for you, keeping it to yourself starts to feel impossible—even selfish.

Let's talk about this gift, what it actually means for your life, and why sharing it might be the most natural (and terrifying) thing you'll ever do.

The Gift That Cost Everything But Costs You Nothing

Let's start with the hard truth: we were in real trouble. The penalty for sin is death—separation from God, broken beyond our ability to fix. I know that sounds heavy, but stay with me, because this is where the story gets beautiful.

"For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17 CSB).

I've read that verse a thousand times, but do you ever really stop and think about what it's saying? God didn't send Jesus to point out everything wrong with us—trust me, we already knew deep down. He didn't send Him to make us feel worse about our mess-ups or to set impossibly high standards we could never reach. He sent Jesus to save us.

Think about that word. Save. Rescue. Pull us out of something we couldn't escape on our own.

This gift cost God everything—His own Son. But it costs you nothing except the willingness to receive it. And honestly? That's sometimes the hardest part. We want to earn it; to prove we deserve it, to clean ourselves up first. But grace doesn't work that way. You didn't earn it. You can't maintain it through good behavior. You certainly don't deserve it. But it's yours, completely, the moment you believe.

That still messes with my head sometimes. Something so valuable, so life-changing, and all I had to do was accept it?

Everything Old Becomes New

Here's where it gets really good. When you accept this gift, something fundamental shifts. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB).

I used to think this meant I'd wake up one morning and suddenly be a completely different person—no more struggles, no more old habits, just instant transformation. That's not quite how it works. But what does change is how God sees you.

He stops looking at you through the lens of your past failures, your current struggles, your résumé, or your bank account. "From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective" (2 Corinthians 5:16 CSB). All those measurements we use to rank and compare ourselves? God doesn't use them.

You have a fresh start. Not just a polished-up version of your old life, but an entirely new identity. That shame you've been dragging around? God says it's gone. That mistake that keeps replaying in your mind at 2 a.m.? He's erased it. "For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins" (Hebrews 8:12 CSB).

Can I tell you how hard this is to believe on some days? Especially when you still feel like the same person making the same mistakes. But this isn't about your feelings—it's about God's promise. He doesn't just overlook your sin; He removes it so completely that He chooses not to remember it.

That's the fresh start you've been given. Even when you can't feel it.

The Peace That No One Can Take Away

One of the things that keeps me going on hard days is this: the peace I have with God doesn't depend on me having a good day, saying the right prayers, or feeling particularly spiritual.

"He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB). It's the ultimate exchange—Jesus took your sin; you get His righteousness. And because of that, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1 CSB).

Peace with God. Not peace when I perform well. Not peace if I maintain a perfect prayer life. Not peace depending on my spiritual mood swings. Just... peace.

And here's what I'm still learning to trust: no one can take that away. Not your worst day. Not your biggest relapse into old patterns. Not the people who've written you off or the inner voice that tells you you're not enough. Not even death itself can separate you from this peace.

You're reconciled to God, and that reconciliation is permanent. I know there are days when you feel distant from Him—I have those days too. But the truth remains: He's not distant from you. The relationship has been restored, and nothing can undo it.

You can breathe. You can rest. You're secure.

From Adopted Children to Ambassadors

But God doesn't stop at just forgiving you and giving you peace. He goes further—almost uncomfortably further if I'm being honest.

"When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!' So, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir" (Galatians 4:4-7 CSB).

You're not just forgiven. You're family. You're an heir. And with that comes responsibilities that sometimes make me want to hide under the covers.

Because here's what Paul says: "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us" (2 Corinthians 5:20 CSB).

Can we just sit with that for a second? God is making His appeal through you. Through me. Through imperfect, still-struggling, sometimes-doubting us. He trusts us to carry His message into the rooms He wants to reach. To represent His heart to people who desperately need to see it.

That feels like a lot some days, doesn't it? But here's what I'm discovering: He doesn't leave you unprepared. He's equipped you with specific gifts, unique experiences, and a story that only you can tell. You're not saved from something and then left to figure it out on your own. You're saved for something, and He's been preparing you for it all along.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

This is where everything comes together, and honestly, where it gets most real for me.

"All this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18 CSB).

Notice the pattern? First, you're reconciled to God—that broken relationship is healed. Then you're handed the ministry of reconciliation. You become part of how God restores broken things in this world.

I've found this plays out in two ways, and both are harder than they sound.

First, you help reconcile people to God. You share what He's done for you. You live out your transformation authentically—struggles and all. You create space for others to encounter the same grace that saved you. And let me tell you, this is terrifying. What if they reject it? What if I say the wrong thing? What if my life doesn't look "Christian enough" to be convincing?

But I'm learning that people don't need perfection—they need authenticity. They need to see that God works in real, messy lives. Maybe especially in messy lives.

Second, you work toward reconciliation in your human relationships. Because you've experienced God's forgiveness, you extend it to others. Because you've been given grace, you offer it freely. You become someone who builds bridges instead of walls, who seeks understanding instead of being right, who pursues peace even when it costs you something.

And can I just say? This is where it gets really hard for me. Forgiving people who hurt you deeply. Releasing grudges you've held onto for years. Pursuing reconciliation with people who may not even want it.

But here's what I keep coming back to: I've been forgiven for so much. How can I not extend that same grace to others?

(This doesn't mean tolerating abuse or staying in harmful situations—please hear me on that. It means approaching relationships with the generous spirit God showed you, seeking restoration where it's healthy and possible.)

I'll be honest with you—writing this has convicted me as much as I hope it encourages you. Because I'm realizing how often I've treated God's gift like a personal treasure to guard rather than a message to share.

But the gift of salvation was never meant to end with us. It's too good to keep to ourselves, too powerful to hide, too transformative not to pass on. God gave you this gift knowing that you would become a gift to others—carrying His message of hope, reconciliation, and new life to people who are desperate to hear it, even if they don't know it yet.

You've been given a fresh start. Permanent peace. Adoption into God's family. A purpose that outlasts your lifetime. That's incredible. That's worth celebrating.

And now comes the invitation—not the obligation, but the invitation—to participate in God's ongoing work of reconciliation. To regift the gift. To pass on what you've received.

This isn't another burden to carry. It's the overflow of a grateful heart. It's the natural response to amazing grace. It's how the gift multiplies—not by hoarding it, but by giving it away freely, generously, just as God gave it to you.

Are you ready? Because I'm trying to be ready too. We can do this together.

Your Action Plan

1. Reflect on what you've received. I know this sounds basic, but stay with me. Take some real time this week—maybe with your journal, maybe on a walk, maybe in the quiet before anyone else wakes up—and think about your own story. What was your life like before you accepted God's gift? What has genuinely changed since then? Get specific. Write it down. Because remembering your own transformation is what fuels your ability to share it with others. We forget so easily. Don't let yourself forget.

2. Identify someone who needs to hear about this gift. This isn't about creating a target list or pressuring anyone. It's about paying attention. Who in your life doesn't yet know the peace and forgiveness you've found? Ask God to bring someone specific to mind, then simply start praying for them. Be ready for when natural opportunities arise to share your story—not a rehearsed speech, just your honest experience. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is, "Can I tell you what God has done for me?"

3. Practice reconciliation in your relationships. Okay, this one might sting a little. Is there someone you need to forgive? Someone you've been avoiding because of past hurt? Someone you cut off rather than working through conflict? Take one small step toward reconciliation this week. Just one. Send a text. Make a call. Release a grudge you've been nurturing. Let God's gift of reconciliation to you overflow into reconciliation with others. I'm not saying it will be easy—reconciliation rarely is. But it's worth it.

4. Share your story in a safe setting. You don't have to preach on a street corner or post a testimony on social media. Start small and safe. Share with a trusted friend how God has worked in your life recently. Be honest about your journey—the struggles and the breakthroughs. I've found that authenticity about my struggles and God's faithfulness is way more powerful than trying to present a polished, perfect version of faith. People connect with real, not perfect.

5. Look for your unique gifting in the ministry of reconciliation. Here's what I know: God didn't wire us all the same way, and He doesn't expect us all to share His message the same way. Maybe you're an amazing listener, and you can help people feel truly heard and valued. Maybe you're naturally hospitable, and you create spaces where people encounter God's love without even realizing it. Maybe you're a bridge-builder who helps others resolve conflicts. Maybe you tell stories that help people see truth in new ways. Ask God to show you how He's uniquely designed you for this ministry, then take one step to use that gift this week. Just one step. See what happens.

The gift is yours. It's secure. It's permanent. Nothing can take it away from you.

Now it's time to regift it—not because you have to, not out of guilt or obligation, but because you get to. Because grace received becomes grace shared. Because you've been changed, and that change is meant to ripple outward.

And in the sharing, the gift multiplies beyond anything you could imagine.

Let's do this together. One conversation, one act of reconciliation, one honest story at a time.

Blessings in the New Year!

Donna