03/30/2022
What A Privilege
2 Corinthians 5:19-20
God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us.
That’s the picture Paul uses, that of an ambassador. Listen to verse 20: “We 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’” (v. 20). If we really get what happened at the cross, and how it has changed our lives forever, making us no longer God’s enemy but his friend, then we would be so excited about it to share with everyone we could. We would implore them. The word “implore” in Greek means practically to beg. We would beg them, “Be reconciled to God!” Accept this God who loves you more than you will ever know, who is prepared to erase all your sins, who reconciles you to him in a relationship that will remain for the rest of your life, and into the life to come.
An ambassador speaks on behalf of their government, with all the authority of that government behind them. We speak with God’s authority. When we speak, looking to the Holy Spirit to guide us, and always full of grace (Colossians 4:6), we speak for God. We share God’s love and God’s call to repentance and salvation just as certainly as if God was speaking to the person himself. You don’t have to be a great theologian to share your faith with others. You just have to be excited enough about your faith to want to share it. And once you really get the great exchange, you will be.
The transition from “student of religion” to “ambassador for Christ” requires a significant shift in attitude. We’ve thought, “Other people do that—people with a different kind of commitment—people with a job in ministry. I just want to study the Bible and go to church.” Imagine that the appeal for Christ in your area was to come through you. Imagine that you took it seriously as if God really meant what He said. What would you do? You would have to break your holy huddle, stop studying, and take your faith into the world. Just as you have been reconciled to God, you have been given the ministry of reconciliation. You’ve been appointed an ambassador to represent God’s eternal Kingdom in this generation. That assignment isn’t given just to pastors or evangelists; if you are a new creation in Christ, God has given you that assignment, too.
THINK ABOUT IT
What a privilege that, through us, the God of the universe makes His appeal to the world with His message of redemption. God is reconciling the world to Himself. Hold that assignment closely as you walk through your day.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for entrusting me with being Your ambassador, representing Your ministry of redemption and reconciliation to the world around me. Lord, help me fulfill Your assignment faithfully and fruitfully. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings For Today
