Most of us are blessed with differing gifts and talents. We have also been blessed with different jobs, abilities, etc. Pick any two people and you will have different opinions, likes, and dreams in life. While it is true we all have these differing leanings and we are diverse as diverse can be, if we are followers of Jesus Christ, we have only one ministry: the ministry of reconciliation.
For some reason in His infinite wisdom, God has provided a way of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. And, in turn, He has entrusted to us the job as His ambassadors to the rest of the world.
"Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, 'Be reconciled to God.' He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
So, you may be a plumber or a preacher. You might be a school teacher or a street sweeper. You might be employed or unemployed. You might like vanilla ice cream or chocolate. As co-followers of Jesus, you and I can be and are different in so many ways with the exception of one: We are called to be His ambassadors with the ministry of reconciliation proclaiming, "be reconciled (right) with God", in all that we say or do.
There are things I "do" for a living. There are things I "do" because I enjoy them. There are things I "do" because honestly my mind is in neutral and I "do" them. In the ultimate reality of God's Kingdom, all that I "do" should be about making Him known and leading people to see their status with God and the need to be reconciled to Him now and forever.
Thus, why do I choose to live a life (as best as possible) according to Biblical truths and standards? It is not only for my benefit but also a way to have a chance to say to those watching, "be reconciled to God!"
Why do I choose to care for the poor and needy? It is not only because God commands it and the compassion of Christ that drives me, but it is also an opportunity to speak truth into their lives and say, "be reconciled to God!"
Why do love my wife and children according to Biblical standards and live a lifestyle that our culture may or may not understand? Again, it's all about saying to a world in need of a right relationship to its Creator, "be reconciled to God!"
Whatever we do, we are to do it all to God's glory, to make His glory known and to say to a world so desperately searching for meaning, "be reconciled to God!"
And here's the kicker. We're not doing it on our behalf. We do it and we literally plead on behalf of Christ...
"Be reconciled to God!"
For some reason in His infinite wisdom, God has provided a way of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. And, in turn, He has entrusted to us the job as His ambassadors to the rest of the world.
"Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, 'Be reconciled to God.' He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
So, you may be a plumber or a preacher. You might be a school teacher or a street sweeper. You might be employed or unemployed. You might like vanilla ice cream or chocolate. As co-followers of Jesus, you and I can be and are different in so many ways with the exception of one: We are called to be His ambassadors with the ministry of reconciliation proclaiming, "be reconciled (right) with God", in all that we say or do.There are things I "do" for a living. There are things I "do" because I enjoy them. There are things I "do" because honestly my mind is in neutral and I "do" them. In the ultimate reality of God's Kingdom, all that I "do" should be about making Him known and leading people to see their status with God and the need to be reconciled to Him now and forever.
Thus, why do I choose to live a life (as best as possible) according to Biblical truths and standards? It is not only for my benefit but also a way to have a chance to say to those watching, "be reconciled to God!"
Why do I choose to care for the poor and needy? It is not only because God commands it and the compassion of Christ that drives me, but it is also an opportunity to speak truth into their lives and say, "be reconciled to God!"
Why do love my wife and children according to Biblical standards and live a lifestyle that our culture may or may not understand? Again, it's all about saying to a world in need of a right relationship to its Creator, "be reconciled to God!"
Whatever we do, we are to do it all to God's glory, to make His glory known and to say to a world so desperately searching for meaning, "be reconciled to God!"
And here's the kicker. We're not doing it on our behalf. We do it and we literally plead on behalf of Christ...
"Be reconciled to God!"
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