Ambassadors for Christ

 

Scripture

 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

 ¹⁶From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. ¹⁷So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. ²⁰So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Devotion

The word ambassador has an official ring to it...as well it should.  Ambassadors are, by definition, those who are authorize to be someone's official representative with someone else.  Usually, we think of them in regards to political ambassadors that travel the world in order to promote their nation's interests and build relationships with other nations.  There are, though, other forms of ambassadors.  Ambassadors of certain industries.  Good will ambassadors for certain charities.  Ambassadors for schools. Ambassadors for Christ.

The apostle Paul tells the Corinthians that anyone who has come to faith in Christ has become one of his many ambassadors.  As Christ's living representatives on Earth, we are the ones called to speak and act on his behalf--to carry the Good News of humanity's reconciliation with God and one another out into the world.  What's more, because everyone who is in Christ is a new creation, we can trust that the Holy Spirit has given us all the understanding, tools, and skills we need to successfully share God's appeals with others.

I'll admit that the I find Paul's claim that I've been authorized to speak and act on God's behalf to be mildly terrifying.  That's all well and good for other Christians, but where do I even begin with promoting Jesus's interests to others?  What if I'm bad at it?  I worry that if God is personally relying on me to be his ambassador, then Jesus has set the Almighty up for failure.

The Good News is that none of are called to be ambassadors by ourselves.  We have the Holy Spirit to guide us in the right direction and Scripture to back up the Spirit's claims.  What's more, we are not the none of us has to every worry that we are the only ones out there speaking on Jesus's behalf.  Each one of us is a member of a huge diplomatic corps that spans the globe.   Because we are working together as a team, the success of Jesus's plans for the world do not solely rely upon our individual endeavors.  When we falter for the right words or stumble in some way, another one of Christ's representatives will rise to the occasion.  And when they need help, the Holy Spirit will make sure that we are there for them.     

We may feel like the role Jesus asks us to play as part of his ministry of reconciliation isn't all that big...but I promise you it is vital to God's plans and interests.  When I think of a true ambassador for Christ, my heart flies to my friend and seminary classmate Nancy, who died 4 years ago today.  Nancy was a church musician who felt God calling her to become a hospital chaplain.  In particular, she wanted to work in hospice ministry, so that she reflect Christ's  love for the world by helping people die well.  God had given Nancy had every mental and spiritual gift one would need for that kind of ministry.  She had a keen mind, a compassionate heart, a no-nonsense sense personality, and a phenomenal ability to help find just the right scripture, song, poem, pillow, etc. to bring people hope and comfort in times of distress.  Above all, Nancy had a quiet, Spirit-filled joy that clung to her in even the saddest and worst of situations.  You couldn't help but feel God's love for you when you were around Nancy.

Cancer took Nancy from this world before she could graduate seminary, but that did not stop her from  accomplishing her God-given mission of helping people die well.  You see, Nancy's gifts had a tendency to "rub off" on the people who spent time with her.  And as her disease progressed, she helped the students who were closest to her learn how to care for dying people and their loved ones by teaching us how to be there for her...and for one another.  And though she never became a hospice chaplain herself, the Holy Spirit made sure that her influence on us continues to help people from Indiana to North Carolina die well.  And I have no doubt that through the people whose lives she touched, Nancy will continue to successfully promote God's care for the ill and the bereaved for years to come.

  Whatever God is calling you to do--whatever mission you are being sent on--you can trust that the Holy Spirit has given everything you need in order to be a successful Ambassador for Christ.  Things may not turn out exactly as you expect.  The part you have been given to play may not feel like it accomplishes all that much.  Still, you can have faith that through the work of the Holy Spirit, what you do will be enough to promote Jesus's world-changing message of reconciliation.   And through the your words and actions of ambassadors like yourself, God's aims are being carried out around the world. 

 

 

Prayer

 Jesus, I believe in the Good News you came to share.  Help me be your faithful ambassador to others.  May my words and actions be inspired by your Spirit; and may they promote your message of love and reconciliation throughout the world.   Amen.