Because 50 Day 28
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Today’s Prayer:
God, help me play my part in your mission.
Going Deeper:
What is the good news that Paul shares with the church at Corinth in this passage? What does “reconciliation” mean? (If you don’t know, check out the Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology’s definition here.) Based upon knowing what reconciliation means, what would a ministry of reconciliation be?
Paul says that we are now Christ’s ambassadors. An ambassador is a diplomat that represents a kingdom or state to a foreign country. In the United States, our highest ranking diplomat is the Secretary of State. When Secretary John Kerry travels the world, the dignitaries he meets with understands that he represents the President of the United States. He has authority. He commands respect. He carries the message of the leader of our country. In the same way, Paul says we are now Christ’s ambassadors. We carry His message. We execute His plans. We have a mission.
In the video, Joey talked about how we can look to where God is at work and join Him. We can play our part in His mission. What part is God inviting you to play in His mission? How are you using the gifts and abilities He has given you to help people far from God experience Jesus? To learn more about how we can partner with God where He is already at work, you might want to read Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby.