Journey to Jerusalem Day 3

Friday, February 28 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10

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.
1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

When you think of an ambassador you likely think of a high-ranking, respected government official representing the United States in a foreign country. They are sent out to reflect and promote the official position of the United States in that foreign assignment.
Now consider that you too are an ambassador, an ambassador for Christ. Maybe you think you do not “have it all together” yet and so could not possibly be an ambassador for Christ.
My dear friends, the power of the gospel is not in our mighty and eloquent words. Remember this: God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Why? So that no human being might boast in the presence of God (1 Corinthians 1:29). Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners (Matthew 9:13). In our weakness we show the world the strength of God. We acknowledge to the world that we cannot be righteous on our own accord but need a Savior, Jesus Christ, to save us and redeem us.
You are sent out into the world – into your families, your circle of friends, your school or workplace, your neighborhoods – to represent the “official position” of the Kingdom of God to them. God makes His appeal to the world through us. He has entrusted His message of the gospel to us (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Lord Jesus Christ, You stretched out Your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of Your saving embrace: So clothe us in Your Spirit, that we, Your ambassadors, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know You to the knowledge and love of You for the honor of Your Name. Amen.