Ambassadors For Christ

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 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. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Because Christ has reconciled us to God, we have now become ambassadors for Christ. We ARE ambassadors. We represent the Lord and His glorious gospel. We speak His message and bear His name wherever we go. It's what we have been called to.

I thought about this truth heavily the other night when I was treated rudely by a person who walked onto our car lot. This lady and her husband militantly walked onto our lot. I approached them and greeted them curtiously. "Hi folks. Welcome. My name is Josh and you are?" My greeting was met with nothing but silence. I didn't get a look in my direction. They continued militantly walking through our lot...at a fast pace, too. So I hurried alongside them and said, "Hello folks, is there something I can help you with?" This time I got a glance, but no verbal communication. The body language said, "Leave me alone!" But it's kind of hard to do that. That's like somebody walking around on your front lawn at home...it's only right to say, "Can I help you?" I asked her another question, "Can I point you to a certain vehicle?" And finally I got some response! She said, "Where are your PT Cruisers?" The conversation had started. Whew! They weren't deaf! I was beginning to think so. I smiled and said, "Oh, they're over this way. Let me show you to them." Boy, I hate sales sometimes.

So anyway, she was walking so fast that I couldn't pass her up and lead her to some cars. I almost had to do the Olympic speed walk that somewhat resembles the Ace Ventura stroll. You know what I mean? But my hips can't move that fast so I followed behind, somewhat trotting along to keep up. But in trailing behind her I noticed that her windbreaker said on the back, "Harbor Welcome Team!" It took about 5 seconds to register in my head that she was probably the member of the greeting team at her church. Ouch! Just got dirted by what seemed to be a Christian. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was a pastor, so I asked her what her jacket meant. She retorted, "That's my church," and she kept going.

Anyway, I have to say that this was probably one of the rudest guests I've had in a long time. I'm so glad that she didn't run into an unbeliever that night. What a bad ambassador that would have been! How credible does the gospel appear to be from kingdom representatives like that. Yet, I must stop and look at my own life and say, "Is there anything that misrepresents my Lord and Savior?" And the answer is "yes." I, too, fall short of Christ's glory and that is why I need His salvation. And though I sin greatly, my Savior is greater and I am therefore compelled to be an ambassador for Him. The greater I understand my sin to be, the greater my Savior appears to me, the better ambassador I will be for Him.

Christ has reconciled us to God, not counting our sin against us. Now be an ambassador to the world and ask the Lord for the ability to represent and speak for Him well. Help bring people to the one who can save them. And for the sake of God's glory, be nice to unbelievers...even if they are in sales.

By the way, your prayers would be appreciated. The Lord has shown great favor to me at work. I was recently promoted and passed up some senior associates that were next in line for promotion (ahead of me). Consequently, there are some people that are hateful towards me and doing what they can to speak evil of me. I really don't care what people think of me as long as I am rightly representing Christ. If they hate me for that, it's ok. And that's why I am asking for your prayers. It's easy to get caught up in the scuttle, so pray that the Lord helps me to live for Him amongst the hostility. Pray that His glory is displayed through my words and actions. Thanks!