Ideal Life?
Describe your perfect dream life ...
His.
Not mine.
Service.
Not self.
Others.
Not wealth.
Eternity.
Not temporary.
Gospel.
Not frivolity.
Focus.
Not fluff.
World.
Not small.
Sober.
Not inebriated.
One action matters 100 years from now.
Gospel » world.
Maximizing the elevation and evaluation of the simple yet glorious gospel.
This matters.
For through the gospel, helpless humans become united with the Eternal God as their Refuge and shortly exit this temporal state into the bliss of enjoying the presence of God in all His glory, world without end. Amen.
Through the presentation of the Gospel of Christ souls are warned and condemned for rejecting the obvious truth, the pleading, bleeding Truth Himself, Christ with outstretched arms ready and offering to pay the complete penalty. Yet some reject Him.
GO-spel everywhere to everyone.
All platforms.
All people.
All nations.
All languages.
All means and methods.
All streets and alleys.
All airwaves.
All smartphones.
All power is given unto those who partner with Christ for the purposeful distribution of His gospel.
What is this ultimate good news?
Rescue.
God’s rescue plan.
Total transformation.
Makes everything make sense eventually.
Pain now has a purpose.
Suffering is endurable when seen as temporary.
God lives a Gospel-centric lifestyle.
Jesus devoted a lot of His life to promoting the message of reconciliation.
“Now then we are ambassadors FOR Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
Let’s savor the flavor of a few words in that verse.
Back it up for a running-start in context.
Second Corinthians 5 Verse 18: “… behold, all things are become new. And all things [new things] are of God, [one evidence of salvation is all things become new AND all things become from a new Source, even from God Himself] … And all things are of God, Who hath reconciled us [that’s new!] to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Commissioned, gifted, made a partner in the same ministry.
The ministry of reconciliation.
Who needs reconciled?
Mortal enemies.
Try not being God’s enemy. How can that end well?
“To wit, that God was in Christ, [doing what? What was God doing in Christ?] reconciling the world unto Himself, [how so?] not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
We newborn believers have received:
all things NEW,
all things are OF God and from God now.
Specifically we are given directly, the ministry of reconciliation.
Again, God commits to our hands and our charge the word of reconciliation. A word must be shared … spoken … delivered. “I have a word from the LORD. Tuning into the heartbeat of Heaven Himself, and that heartbeat says, ‘Reconciliation!’” The word … and the ministry effort is singularly distilled into one simple concept, “Be ye reconciled to God.” Bumpersticker that. Billboard that. Broadcast TV that. Boost that social post. “Be ye reconciled to God!”
When does this ministry begin? Verse 20:
“Now then [immediately beginning NOW then] we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” Please. We beseech you in the person and Spirit of God. God was in Christ reconciling the world, and now God & Christ are in us, begging you and praying you on our knees in the very place of Christ, as though the crucified Christ looks you squarely in the eyeball and sees your soul and pleads with you, “Be Ye Reconciled to God!” Pathos in His voice. Blood on His hands. Crown of thorns piercing His pure forehead.
Why?
Why all the hype about this Gospel?
Why?
You want to know why?
“For He [God the Father, the Righteous Judge] hath made Him [Christ the suffering Servant Lamb] to be sin … for us, [breathe in] Who knew no sin; [Why??? Why would God make His Son God become sin for us? here’s why:] that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
Reconciled through righteousness.
Transfer of guilt away from me, onto Christ.
Reciprocal transfer of righteousness from Christ, onto me.
Reconciled by receiving righteousness.
Exchange my record for His record.
Let’s simmer and settle-in and smell the sweetness of verse 20 afresh now:
Word by word:
“Now then”: means certainly, … accordingly, consequently, these things being so … it naturally follows that NOW THEN …
“we are ambassadors”: act as a representative, preacher, proclaimer of a message on behalf of Royalty.
Carrying a precious and pure message of urgent nature, directly from the heart and voice of the King Himself. Speaking on behalf of someone so far superior as to warrant extreme attention! Thus sayeth the King!
“Now then, we are ambassadors … we ARE ambassadors for Christ”
“For Christ” (title mentioned 569 times in divine Scripture) adjective, denoting Anointed, fulfilling the definition of Messiah, the Son of God come down to dwell amongst mere mortal men.
Anointed for a purpose of leading a nation and the world.
Anointed with oil for the purpose of dying as a lamb for His nation and the world.
Anointed to fill-up the foretold coming One.
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though [meaning, in that same manner, according to the set pattern]
“God [Supreme Divinity. The One unavoidable, only true, self-sourcing, self-sufficient, self-sustaining, never-diminishing, always awesome! God]
How do we approach people with the gospel?
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did BESEECH”:
“Beseech” in Greek sounds like this: par-ak-al-eh’-o: definition reveals: a call to one's side, gently invite one to come-on-over and be close. Addressed to an individual … in the tone of Christ, which may be done in the way of exhortation (uplift!), entreaty, comfort, helpful instruction.
Also beseech means to BEG, strive to see the value of taking action with strong entreaty! Adding passion to persuasion.
“I beg you and God Himself begs you to see the value of taking action!”
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray … “
“Pray” meaning: experience lack. We beg you to see your situation as LACKING. Earnest petition to consider a matter. See yourself how God sees you, we ask you sincerely!
“… We pray you in Christ’s stead”.
Christ Himself would say the exact same thing, we are come to you in His position, from His posture, with His urgency. Imaging what God’s Anointed, Crucified Son would say to you to persuade you to see your need for salvation and reconciliation. What would be His tone? Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is pleading, pleading, O sinner, come home.
We come to you wearing Christ’s shoes, speaking from His perspective.
With this message.
Be ye reconciled:
kat-al-las’-so
definition: exchanged as coins for other of equivalent or superior value!
Trade in your junk for treasure!
Reconcile those who are at variance.
To receive one into favor.
Stop fighting the Ultimate Enemy and instead, … become the friend of God on His terms, as explained in the gospel.
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled”
WHY be reconciled? Here’s why:
“For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
Try it.
You might like it.
Exchange your sinful state for His righteousness.
Turn in your junk coins for pure gold coins.
Exchange your spirit of animosity and enemy mindset for the peace of being united with God through Christ.