BRETT J. ANDERSON
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2019

Lenten Reflection Series

Ambassadors for Christ

3/31/2019

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2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NRSVCE)
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Christ came to reconcile the world to God. That is, Christ, in whom we find a perfect unity between human and divine nature, calls us to unite with him so that we might also be joined with God. He has made it possible for us to become members of the one Body, with Christ at its head. And in so reconciling ourselves with the Body of Christ, we become reconciled to God. We become a new people, a new creation, shedding what is old (namely, our sin and vice) and being made anew.

But note what Paul says here, specifically. God entrusted the message of reconciliation to us, to His people. He has made us ambassadors for Christ, in this mission of reconciliation. The Good News we are to spread is not only that Christ has died and risen, but also that God is reconciling the world. God is calling all the world back to Himself. As ambassadors in this mission, we are to call others to be reconciled to God as well, just as Paul does here with the Corinthians.

Entreating others to reconcile themselves with God ends up ringing hollow, though, if we are unable to reconcile with each other. It rather comes off as condemnatory, hostile, and particularly condescending. There’s probably someone in your life you disagree with all the time, vigorously even. You probably don’t get on very well. What would your response be if that person were to tell you that you need to get right with God? What would their response be if you told them the same? Surely not positive! I imagine the response would be one of anger, frustration, perhaps even outrage! How dare you presume to know my relationship with God! YOU are the one who needs reconciliation!

That’s the trouble about being an ambassador. There’s a reason political ambassadors live in the nations they are ambassadors to, and it’s not simple logistics. You cannot succeed in an ambassador’s mission, indeed you cannot even really participate in it, unless you are willing to empathize, establish relationships, and truly try to reach people. Simply shouting “Get right with God!” at people is probably not going to help anyone. But in reconciling with those around you, you begin to fulfill that role as an ambassador for Christ. You who are reconciled with Christ, you who are a member of His Body, are their life raft. By reconciling with you, they will then begin to be able to reconcile with the whole Body, and thus become ambassadors themselves. This is not merely their business to take care of, and I think that’s the problem most street preachers can’t seem to overcome. This is your task, for you are already an ambassador and they are not. You are the one who must establish that relationship. You are the one who must introduce them to Christ. You are the one who must reconcile with them. Only then will you be able to say:

“We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
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    Day 10: It's Not Fair!
    Day 11: Today Is The Day
    Day 12: Imitation & Humiliation
    Day 13: Daniel's Prayer
    Day 14: Faith Of Abraham
    Day 15: Enemy Of The People
    Day 16: Faith In Action
    Day 17: Son Of His Old Age
    Day 18: A Routine Faith
    Day 19: The Barren Fig Tree
    Day 1: You're So Vain
    Day 20: The Annunciation
    Day 21: Prayer Of Azariah
    Day 22: The Law
    Day 23: Stubborn Wanderers
    Day 24: The Greatest Commandment
    Day 25: Line In The Sand
    Day 26: Ambassadors For Christ
    Day 27: Signs & Wonders
    Day 28: A Helping Hand
    Day 29: In God's Memory
    Day 2: Choose Life
    Day 30: God Changed His Mind
    Day 31: Would I Recognize Jesus?
    Day 32: Vengeance
    Day 33: Go And Sin No More
    Day 34: Susanna
    Day 35: Christ The Serpent
    Day 36: Out Of Order
    Day 37: What's In A Name?
    Day 38: Lament Of Jeremiah
    Day 39: Imitation
    Day 3: Jesus The Bridegroom
    Day 40: Kenosis
    Day 41: Isaiah's Cave
    Day 42: Light To The Nations
    Day 43: In Times Of Trouble
    Day 44: Handed Over
    Day 45: The Humanity Of Christ
    Day 46: Harrowing Of Hell
    Day 47: Peter's Vocation
    Day 4: Trampling The Sabbath
    Day 5: The Temptation Of Christ
    Day 6: Laws And Signposts
    Day 7: The Life-Giving Word
    Day 8: The First Ninevite
    Day 9: Three Keys To Prayer

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