By Megan Meier
The Word
“17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.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.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV)
Reflection
Jesus Christ took our punishment so we could have peace. Accepting Him and what He did makes you a new creation, untainted by evil. We have been made whole by the blood of Jesus and now have a right relationship with God. But we are not meant to keep this joy to ourselves, we are entrusted with the message of reconciliation and are to spread the Word to the world as ambassadors for Christ.
What is an ambassador? An ambassador represents their home country in a foreign one. They maintain their homeland’s customs and citizenship and are respectful of the foreign land’s customs, but they do not adopt them. And they certainly don’t take citizenship of that country while revoking the land they represent, otherwise they would be considered traitors.
“4 … Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
James 4:4 (ESV)
Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? Why can’t we all just be friends? Same reason our parents didn’t want us hanging out with certain kids when we were young, because we take on the personalities of those whom we associate with on a regular basis. Even Jesus said we cannot be devoted to both God and the world, it’s one or the other (Matthew 6:24).
Interestingly, after the Apostle Paul writes about the ambassadorship of Christ, he implores the readers to be reconciled to God and of who they are in Jesus Christ (v. 20-21), he knows it is too easy to adopt another world’s customs and even betray their original citizenship. Earlier in his letter to the Corinthians, he reminds them to focus not on the material, but on the spiritual, as this world is only temporary but the spiritual world is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Ambassadors for Christ know the foreign country they are in will fade away, but their home country will last forever.
“20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…”
Philippians 3:20 (ESV)
Application
Who do you hang out with on a regular basis? How do they influence you? Do they strengthen your walk with Christ, or not?
Prayer
Dear Jesus, thank You for saving me from death and giving me Life. Thank You for making me an ambassador for You. Help me to be wise in who I let into my life and who, and even what, influences me. In Your Name I pray, amen.
City Life Starter 
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