By Chalcedony Williams
All of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ.
And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NLT
When I think of ambassadors, I think of pristine houses lined up in Kensington, London, proudly displaying the colourful flags of their nations. I think of glamorous events with the top flight of society. I think of access, influence, privilege, and power. To be an ambassador is to have all these things, but an interesting caveat is that none of them is their own.
An ambassador is a representative of the sovereign ruler of their home nation in another country. A monarch or president refrains from regularly speaking face-to-face with another. But he or she will appoint an ambassador, someone who will be their hands, feet, and, most importantly, their voice. Someone who will carry out their interests and communicate their wishes to the government of the nation where they are sent.
In his letter to the Corinthians, it is interesting that Paul calls them ambassadors. But they are not representing any earthly power. They bear the power and authority of the true king, the One who has all other rulers and authorities placed under His feet, the One to whom the whole earth and everything in it belongs: King Jesus. Imagine representing that level of power. If you belong to Jesus, then you, too, are His ambassador. But, in His wisdom, our King does not allow any of us to bear this weight alone. We are part of an ever-increasing network of representatives – the church.
Paul also says the church is part of a chain of command. God the Father initiated His ministry in the world through His Son, who now continues and completes work through us by His Spirit. Our power and influence are not our own but given to us as a gift by God’s grace in the measure that we need to carry out His mission. But the first and greatest gift is not our mission. Because before God commissioned us as ambassadors, He reconciled us to Himself. And that is the message we carry from our King to the ends of the earth, “come back to God”.
Since the fall in Eden, God has been appealing with every human being to return to Him. He made the way for our return possible by paying for our sins through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. So we not only represent the greatest King in the world, but we represent the most gracious. His desire is for all to be reconciled to Him and to return to His loving arms, which are still outstretched, welcoming sinners home. Maybe it is time for you to come home.
For those who follow Jesus, as ambassadors for Christ, your role is not about the glamour, riches or power. Your role is to represent Christ well so that others will hear His voice as He makes His appeal of reconciliation through you. Be His hands and His feet, go where He sends and speak when He speaks. Our King will one day come to reclaim His Kingdom. And on that day, His arms will no longer be outstretched to welcome those who still refuse Him. So whilst it is today, let us submit to His authority, carry out our role with urgency and fly our King’s flag everywhere He sends us.
Ask: What is the role of an ambassador?
Seek: In what ways do you represent Christ well? In what ways do you fall short?
Knock: If you are not yet a follower of Christ, His message to you is “Come back to God”. What is your response?
If you are following Jesus, consider all your areas of influence: at home, in your wider family, at work, and with your friends. Pray for God to help you fly the flag for Jesus and share your faith.
