pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: ambassador


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The Gospel of Reconciliation

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 5:14-20

2nd Corinthians 5:18 – “God… reconciled us to himself through Christ and… gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Our passage today sums up the heart of Paul’s gospel of reconciliation. Through his life on earth, experiencing our sinfulness and his own death, Jesus can identify with us and with our struggles. And through his death and resurrection, Jesus transformed our reality. Through Jesus Christ we are made part of the “new creation.” In this new reality we live no longer for self but for Christ.

Paul recalls a time when Jesus was known by “human standards.” He was a good teacher, maybe even a prophet of God. He could do some amazing things – but so could Moses, Elijah, Elisha… But because of Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, believers know Jesus as God in the flesh. Through this understanding and through belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that person is part of the “new creation.” Being made new, the old self dies, along with its sins. In this way we are made new and are reconciled to God.

For Paul though, and really for all true followers, there is a recognition that one is not “done” once one professes faith in Christ. Instead, our salvation leads to this understanding: “God… reconciled us to himself through Christ and… gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” We, like Paul, become “ambassadors” who represent Christ, sharing our faith so that others can also experience salvation and new life. God continues building the kingdom here on earth, “negotiating” through us for the salvation of lost souls. May we ever be ministers of the gospel of reconciliation and salvation!

Prayer: Lord God, we thank you for the gift given by the one who bled and died for our sins, opening the way for mercy and grace and love to reconcile us back to you. May our gratitude for this gift be expressed in how we share it with others. Amen.


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Inviting Others Along

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 5:20-21 and 6:1-10

Verse 20: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”

On this first Sunday in Lent, as we take this mostly personal journey of faith, today’s reading brings this question to my mind: Who are we inviting along in this journey? In today’s passage, Paul describes his journey and this can serve as a model for us as we seek to share Christ with others. In the first verse Paul states: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” Friends, we are all Christ’s ambassadors.

In verses 2 Paul writes of the imperative nature of this role: “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” For every lost soul that crossed paths with Paul and for every wayward person that crosses our path, this statement remains true. Today is the day to meet the Savior. In the rest of the passage Paul speaks mostly of his hardships, not as a way to brag or as a means to show how faithful he was, but as a way to show how God has always been with him. Paul is modeling how his faith was not a “stumbling block” to others but was instead what allowed him to live “having nothing, yet possessing everything.”

In each of these hardships Paul sought to and invites us to be servants who “commends ourselves in every way.” In other words, his faith and trust in Jesus is what he relied on and is what carried him through. In our lives, our actions usually speak louder than our words. So the question for us is this: In our times of hardship, how is the power of Jesus Christ revealed in and through us? That is how we invite others into relationship with Jesus Christ and onto this journey of faith.

Prayer: Lord God, in the good and in the bad, but especially in the hardships, may I reveal you in me to the world. Guide me to turn to you first and always, relying not on my own ability or efforts. Lead me to trust fully in you. Amen.


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Christ’s Ambassadors

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 5:16-21

Verse 20: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making the appeal through us.”

Photo credit: Ruthson Zimmerman

In our 2nd Corinthians 5 passage, Paul says we are Christ’s ambassador. To understand what Paul is saying, we need to know what an ambassador is. In a general sense, an ambassador is an envoy or a representative. We have government ambassadors who work in embassies all around the world. When two cities form a sister-city relationship, an ambassador goes to represent their city to the other. Sports leagues and all sorts of other organizations have ambassadors too. Ambassadors strive to represent the best that their country, city, sport, organization… has to offer. They share all the good that can be had or found in that connection or relationship. If something bad happens, the ambassador does everything they can to make it right again.

What does it then mean to be an ambassador for Christ? It first means that we share the very best that Christ has to offer to the world. This begins by doing everything in love. We do this by lifting others over self. We’re talking humble service here. It is continued by being merciful and gracious to all. It is practiced with generosity and through radical hospitality. And when we err, when we mess up, when we are less than Christlike, the love is demonstrated by seeking forgiveness and by working towards reconciliation to restore any damage to the relationship.

Living and acting as Christ’s ambassador, God is making “the appeal” through us. The appeal is to live and love this way too. The joy and hope, the peace and contentment, the genuine love for others – these draw people to Christ. A good ambassador represents the best of what Christ has to offer. May we live each moment cognizant of our call to be Christ to the world.

Prayer: Lord God, may all I meet experience the love of Christ. Pour it out of me, into the lives of others, drawing them towards Christ. May my joy and hope be appealing to those without. Amen.


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Ambassadors

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 5: 16-21

Verse 20: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us”.

Today many will gather in churches and homes to worship. We will sing, pray, read scripture, hear a message,… An outside observer could probably identify us as Christians. Then we will leave our places of worship and enter the world. When observed there will we still easily be identified as Christians?

Paul encourages us to not see people as the world sees them. He reminds us that once we are “in Christ” we are a new creation. We no longer see as a person of the world but now see as Jesus Christ saw the world. As such, we are called to first reconcile ourselves and then the world to Christ. We confess and repent and seek to live like Jesus. In turn we are called to help others do the same. Paul writes, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us”. As ambassadors we should represent Christ well and should help others to know the One that we know.

In a general sense, folks should see Christ in us. This emerges in how we treat others, in the ways that we live with integrity and honesty and love and compassion and mercy… People should notice that we are different from the world. But being “in Christ” also calls us to go a step further. We should also see and act as Jesus did. That means noticing the one who feels unlovable and then loving them as Jesus does. It means noticing the one that feels trapped in their sin or the guilt and shame and then helping them to be freed. It means seeing the one in need and then meeting their needs as we are able. It means seeing oppression and injustice in our community and addressing it. In living out our faith in real and practical ways we serve as good ambassadors for Jesus Christ. In this process, we also become more and more “the righteousness of God”.

This day and every day, may we not only live as good examples of Christ, but may we also be Christ’s love.

Prayer: Lord, help me to not only see as you saw and to not only love you, but also to see and love my neighbors in both word and deed. Amen.


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The True Light

One cannot read passages such as today’s and not think that, yes, the world is in pretty bad shape.  One can look at all of the disasters and evil befalling the world and think maybe the end is drawing near.  Maybe it is drawing near.  As we look at our world it can be easy to feel powerless and maybe even a little hopeless.  Some of the issues are so big and we are so small.  Indeed, if it were up to just us to save the world, we would be in trouble.  But it is not up to us.  It is up to God and He calls on us to help.

At the end of today’s passage, Jesus tells us where to start: with ourselves.  He warns us to be careful, to be ready, and to be on watch.  In Christmas terms we are to prepare our hearts and to call out ‘O come, O come, Emmanuel.’  As we enter Advent today we do so with the feeling that something is coming.  We prepare ourselves to celebrate Christ’s birth and to anticipate His return.  We also prepare ourselves to be His light and love in our world each and every day.

Christ’s love must shine brightly in our hearts.  It must be brighter and more joyful than all the Christmas lights, fancy jingles, and hoopla.  As Christ’s ambassadors we must joyfully share the hope and love we find in Jesus Christ.  In our dark world, hope and love will go a long way.  The world is broken and needs to be reconciled to Jesus.  This Advent season may we play our role in helping God’s love and hope shine in the darkness.  May we help reveal the true Light of Christmas to the world.

Scripture reference: Luke 21: 25-36