“Ambassadors for Christ”


BIBLE READING: 2 Corinthians 5-9
DISCUSSION                                                                          
            An “ambassador”, as we understand it in the English language, means “an authorized representative or messenger”.  That makes perfectly good sense when we look at what Paul says to the church at Corinth, “we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5.20).   However, when we look at the original word that Paul uses in his letter it adds a different dimension to that concept.  According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, the word was also used to mean “"to be elder or eldest, prior in birth or age".  That doesn’t mean that we are not representatives for Jesus while we are here on this earth, because the New Testament echoes that concept in several other places.  What is does add is a certain responsibility to those who have been Christians for a long period of time.  It means that those who have been Christians for a long period of time understand the importance of being more active in the role in imploring people to become reconciled to God.  Sadly, in many of our churches those that are older are not as involved as they should be in helping people understand what Jesus offers.  In many cases they are not as involved because they feel left out in the work of church.  This group of Christians (in my experience) seem to be the most neglected group in our churches.  However, the “elderly, the aged or the older” are to be the ones with the most experience making them the most appreciated source of believers we have at our disposal.  I want to encourage you, if you are younger, to appeal to those who have more experience and understanding than you do.  If you are older, don’t wait for someone to include you in the work of the church, be assertive, take the initiative and insert yourself into doing what God expects of you; be an “ambassador for Christ”.
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