AMBASSADOR'S BUSINESS
Monday, August 23, 2010
Verse for Today
2 Corinthians 5:20a - We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.
It takes a lot of holy boldness for any one to claim that he is an ambassador of Christ here in this world. But it also shows the confidence and conviction Paul had when he wrote these lines. It shows the extent of responsibility Paul felt about his role in the propagation of gospel. It indicates his concern and burden about doing what he was supposed to do with the certainty that he was entrusted with this great task by the Lord Jesus Himself. He felt the need to live like the ambassador of Heaven on earth and undertake what he was supposed to do. It was Paul's privilege to be an ambassador because some years before writing these lines, Paul was an enemy of gospel. But it pleased the Lord Jesus to make him an ambassador. Paul was chosen and given the strength and power through the Holy Spirit to be an ambassador. It meant that he was to live with the characteristics which personified gospel. It presupposes a life style with special goals. It meant that he was to live totally for the mission for which he was appointed and that he had to keep the decorum, dignity and status of the appointing authority. In other words Paul was to live for Heaven and not for himself. The old Paul could not be made visible in any thing that he did, but in every thing he had to promote Heaven and his new Master. These convictions changed the entire personality, goals, beliefs, attitudes, preferences, priorities, desires, likes, dislikes, aspirations, dreams, visions, appreciation and esteem of Paul as a brand new person. His speech, thinking, expressions and behavior had to be corresponding to the role as Christ's ambassador. He knew very well about the high calling and requirement for him to demonstrate the part he had to play in God's new dispensation of things.
Coming to think about this, it would be interesting to realize that all the children of God have this high calling and no one is exempt. All the resources of Heaven are made available for us to play the role of Christ's ambassadors while in this world. In fact, it would be important to remind ourselves that the appointing authority is keenly watching to see if we truly represent the interests of Heaven or are discarding the privileges and responsibilities and living the way we want. If we do not live up to the expectations of the role that is given to us by grace, we are guilty of not taking the appointment seriously. If we are not using the resources of Heaven to live and work as ambassadors of Christ, we are guilty of wasting away these resources and not utilizing the opportunity to use these resources. But if we use these Heavenly resources of the Spirit, Word and the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we would be sufficiently equipped to represent Heaven on earth. We would then live to demonstrate the quality of a life that is empowered by Heaven. This life style itself is a demonstration of the position of Christ's ambassador. As ambassadors, we can live as princes and princesses because we are children of the King of Kings. Our lives will then become reasonable worship and service for Heaven because we are royal priesthood. Our lives would then become rich in grace, love, mercy, patience, faith and contentment. We would carry the seal of Heaven in what we do and live at the 'Christ level' and not at the world's level. Let this rich life be ours even today as we represent Christ and His cause here on earth. We should not be seen tossed around, searching for the perishable things of this world and wasting away all our opportunities to live for eternity.
Ephesians 6:19 & 20 - Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.
Thought for Today
Christ's ambassadors have no business in this world except that of Heaven.
Verse for Today
2 Corinthians 5:20a - We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.
It takes a lot of holy boldness for any one to claim that he is an ambassador of Christ here in this world. But it also shows the confidence and conviction Paul had when he wrote these lines. It shows the extent of responsibility Paul felt about his role in the propagation of gospel. It indicates his concern and burden about doing what he was supposed to do with the certainty that he was entrusted with this great task by the Lord Jesus Himself. He felt the need to live like the ambassador of Heaven on earth and undertake what he was supposed to do. It was Paul's privilege to be an ambassador because some years before writing these lines, Paul was an enemy of gospel. But it pleased the Lord Jesus to make him an ambassador. Paul was chosen and given the strength and power through the Holy Spirit to be an ambassador. It meant that he was to live with the characteristics which personified gospel. It presupposes a life style with special goals. It meant that he was to live totally for the mission for which he was appointed and that he had to keep the decorum, dignity and status of the appointing authority. In other words Paul was to live for Heaven and not for himself. The old Paul could not be made visible in any thing that he did, but in every thing he had to promote Heaven and his new Master. These convictions changed the entire personality, goals, beliefs, attitudes, preferences, priorities, desires, likes, dislikes, aspirations, dreams, visions, appreciation and esteem of Paul as a brand new person. His speech, thinking, expressions and behavior had to be corresponding to the role as Christ's ambassador. He knew very well about the high calling and requirement for him to demonstrate the part he had to play in God's new dispensation of things.
Coming to think about this, it would be interesting to realize that all the children of God have this high calling and no one is exempt. All the resources of Heaven are made available for us to play the role of Christ's ambassadors while in this world. In fact, it would be important to remind ourselves that the appointing authority is keenly watching to see if we truly represent the interests of Heaven or are discarding the privileges and responsibilities and living the way we want. If we do not live up to the expectations of the role that is given to us by grace, we are guilty of not taking the appointment seriously. If we are not using the resources of Heaven to live and work as ambassadors of Christ, we are guilty of wasting away these resources and not utilizing the opportunity to use these resources. But if we use these Heavenly resources of the Spirit, Word and the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we would be sufficiently equipped to represent Heaven on earth. We would then live to demonstrate the quality of a life that is empowered by Heaven. This life style itself is a demonstration of the position of Christ's ambassador. As ambassadors, we can live as princes and princesses because we are children of the King of Kings. Our lives will then become reasonable worship and service for Heaven because we are royal priesthood. Our lives would then become rich in grace, love, mercy, patience, faith and contentment. We would carry the seal of Heaven in what we do and live at the 'Christ level' and not at the world's level. Let this rich life be ours even today as we represent Christ and His cause here on earth. We should not be seen tossed around, searching for the perishable things of this world and wasting away all our opportunities to live for eternity.
Ephesians 6:19 & 20 - Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.
Thought for Today
Christ's ambassadors have no business in this world except that of Heaven.
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