Daily Guide grow. pray. study. from The Resurrection United Methodist Church of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Friday, 29 May 2015 - “We are ambassadors who represent Christ”
Daily Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:14 For the Messiah’s love has hold of us, because we are convinced that one man died on behalf of all mankind (which implies that all mankind was already dead), 15 and that he died on behalf of all in order that those who live should not live any longer for themselves but for the one who on their behalf died and was raised. 16 So from now on, we do not look at anyone from a worldly viewpoint. Even if we once regarded the Messiah from a worldly viewpoint, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new! 18 And it is all from God, who through the Messiah has reconciled us to himself and has given us the work of that reconciliation, 19 which is that God in the Messiah was reconciling mankind to himself, not counting their sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore we are ambassadors of the Messiah; in effect, God is making his appeal through us. What we do is appeal on behalf of the Messiah, “Be reconciled to God! 21 God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.”
Reflection Questions:
The Apostle Paul, great missionary, author of roughly half of the New Testament, was a vivid model of a “new creation.” Called Saul at first, he fought the early Christians fiercely. But he wrote today’s passage to a church he himself started in the city of Corinth. He said Jesus didn’t have to persuade a reluctant God to love us—“God was in Christ, reconciling.” And once reconciled, all of us, like Paul, help carry God’s call—“we are ambassadors who represent Christ.”
- Lord Jesus, thanks to you I at times experience restored harmony in my life and relationships. Help me share your message of reconciliation with a friend, neighbor, or loved one today. Amen.Most Roman, Greek and Canaanite religions offered gifts and sacrifices to try to get their angry, displeased god or gods to be reconciled to them. But Paul said that was backward. We were the alienated ones. God came in Jesus seeking to draw us back into the circle of heaven’s love. Are you reconciled with God? Are you open for God to work through you to reconcile others–sharing the good news of freedom in Christ?
- You can read the story of the encounter with Jesus that transformed Saul’s life in Acts 9:1-20. He went from being a person “spewing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples” to being the man who wrote, “The love of Christ controls us….All of these new things are from God….If anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation." In what ways is Christ shaping you into part of the "new creation"?
Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thanks to you I at times experience restored harmony in my life and relationships. Help me share your message of reconciliation with a friend, neighbor, or loved one today. Amen.
Today’s text tells us that we are to be “ambassadors” of Christ. However, what really stands out to me is the word “reconciliation.” In just three verses (vv.18-20) this word is used five times! It should be clear that the author wants us to understand that our work as ambassadors has a specific purpose.
Think about the work of a political ambassador between countries. Their job is to communicate on the behalf of a country. However, the ambassador does not set the agenda. Instead, they submit themselves to the purpose and the mission of their country.
When we speak about being representatives of Christ, we are often think of being the “hands and feet” of Jesus, or perhaps the “reflection” of God. This is true–we always reflect the image of God, wherever we go! But our work as ambassadors goes far beyond just reflecting or representing God. As ambassadors, we are called to actively get involved in God’s mission and agenda in this world–and this is the ministry of reconciliation.
In Greek, the word “reconciliation” literally means, “to decisively change to an exact point.”
Is there someone in your life who you need to be reconciled to? Maybe an old friend? Maybe a child? Perhaps even your spouse?
Or maybe there are some things about you that need to be reconciled. Is there an aspect of your life that you know needs to be changed?
It may seem challenging, or even impossible to imagine that these relationships or habits or wounds could ever be reconciled, but Paul tells us that if Christ was able to reconcile humanity to God, then surely we can be reconciled to each other and to ourselves.
Every day we have the opportunity to decisively change, or reconcile, things in our life that have driven us far apart from family, friends, loved ones, and even God.
In Christ, all things are possible, and whether you recognize it or not, the work of reconciliation has already begun. As Paul says, “Everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”
Thanks be to God.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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