Most countries have embassies in other countries all around the world. The presidents, prime ministers, kings, or queens will appoint their ambassadors to represent them and their government to these foreign countries. They will do their best to appoint good and reputable men and women, as these ambassadors will reflect their country. No one would want their ambassador to be a disreputable type of person, one who is a drunk, disrespectful to others, a lawbreaker of any sort. God also has His ambassadors. In our Scripture passage today we will read about God’s ambassadors.
One of the things an ambassador might have to do is to try and reconcile his country and ruler with the country he is appointed to and their ruler. Some words or actions on one side might have angered the other, and now there is a disruption of communication, maybe a stop in trade or travel. The ambassador must try and straighten things out before things get worse. As our passage opens, God's Word tells us that we are ambassadors for Jesus (vs. 20). How is that? Why would God need an ambassador? When God created the world, everything was fine between God and man. However, that all changed when mankind fell into sin. Communication and fellowship was disrupted, and our relationship with Him was destroyed. God did not want to leave the situation like that, and He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty that our sins required (vs. 21).
Jesus is the sinless Son of God. He took our sins upon Himself. God the Father treated Jesus as if He were the sinner, though He was not. God had Him die as a substitute to pay the penalty for the sins of those who believe on Him. Jesus did not become a sinner. He always remained holy and sinless, but He was treated on the cross as if He were the sinner, so that we could be treated as if we were righteous, though we aren’t. Jesus bore our sins so we could bear His righteousness. Our sin was poured onto Jesus at His crucifixion. His righteousness is poured into us when we get saved.
When we become a believer and follower of Jesus, He wishes us to bring His message of reconciliation with God to others, to be His ambassadors to the rest of the world (vs. 20). We represent the King of Heaven with the Gospel. We plead with the world to be reconciled to Him who is the rightful King. A faithful ambassador does nothing to discredit his king or country. He shows integrity, and we must do the same to protect God and the Gospel (vs. 3).
As the Apostle Paul continues here, he describes how we, as ambassadors of Jesus, should act, despite the circumstances we might find ourselves in. Paul endured much to be a faithful ambassador of Jesus Christ (vs. 4-6). He faced a lot of tribulations and distresses. Paul was caught in riots, he was imprisoned several times. In all of this he was upheld by the Holy Spirit (vs. 6), and by the word of truth, which is the Word of God (vs. 7). Paul did not depend upon his own power to work his ministry, but instead he depended on the power of God, and also by putting on his spiritual armor, which we need to do, as well (Ephesians 6:10-18).
As an ambassador for Jesus, Paul followed the example of the Savior, just as we should (vs. 8-10). Paul lived with honor, yet he was treated with dishonor. He showed a good report in all he did, yet was given a bad report. Paul was true, yet was deceived by others. His enemies spoke a lot about him, but didn’t truly know him. Paul was frequently beaten, but not yet killed. He had plenty to be sorrowful about, but instead, he rejoiced. He was poor, but rich in the Lord.
Today, Jesus continues to offer forgiveness and salvation to all who come to Him (vs. 2). However, the day is going to come when the doors of heaven are shut, and it will be too late, just like the day came when it was too late to get on the Ark with Noah when the rain began to fall. Don’t put off salvation for a “better time”. That time may very well never come. Now is the day of salvation!
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