Scroll down to see and play Audio.
Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Several days ago I challenged you to consider that the most powerful force in the world is the People of God, the global Church led by Jesus Christ. Jesus promised “…on this rock [truth of Jesus] I will build MY Church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18) In 2000 years which have passed since the day Jesus said this, it has proven to be powerfully true. No military, no terrorism, no politicians, no plagues, no social media…NOTHING has been able to destroy, to eliminate the people of God! In fact, statistically Jesus may be growing His Church faster per day in our time, than in any previous time in history. Globally accessible technology is the primary contributor to that statement, and on our resources page here on our “Walking with Jesus” website, you’ll see a remarkable, live, real-time link to something called “witnesstoall.com“ which will give you a glimpse of what Jesus is doing today, drawing thousands of people to Himself through the internet.
This week we’re looking closely at what the implications are for you and me when God calls us to consider this shocking statement about the people of God. It’s found in 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal [to the world] through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” I wonder if this past Saturday you watched EITHER of two remarkable, simultaneous SPIRITUAL events which were happening in Washington DC? Both were made available to the world through internet livestream. I believe both were recorded so you can go back and watch if you choose to. One was led by Franklin Graham and was called PrayerMarch2020. It was a gathering of many thousands of people, including US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife. It’s purpose was to call America to pray for God’s intervention in America in a time of great national chaos and political division.
Nearby, actually on the other end of the huge Washington Capital Mall, was another gathering called “The Return”, led by Jonathan Cahn and scores of other Christian leaders and musicians from all around the world. It began Friday evening and lasted most all day Saturday. It was a call to prayer and repentance based on 2 Chronicles 7:14. Millions of people participated globally through worship, repentance, prayer, and called upon God for His mercy upon sinful America and the nations of the world. I believe this was a unique spiritual moment for our world and I’d urge you to consider the possible implications of both these spiritual events happening simultaneously.
If you’ve ever lived in or traveled to a foreign country, perhaps you have some understanding of the role and importance of an ‘ambassador’? In these troubled global times, Ambassadors are vitally important as nations communicate and cooperate with each other in facing the COVID pandemic. American Ambassadors around the world represent the American President, the Congress, and the People of the United States of America. Perhaps you can imagine what an honor, but also what a responsibility it is to be a foreign Ambassador.
But as significant as an American Ambassador is, what does God have in mind when He says we, His people, “…are ambassadors of Jesus Christ as though God were making His appeal through us.”? Is God serious? Do we, His people, really represent Jesus Christ to our world like an international Ambassador? And what is the ‘appeal’ God desires to make through His people, and what response does God hope for? Do you see the next line: “We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” ‘Implore’ is a strong word of appeal isn’t it? Have you ever done that with someone whom you loved dearly and you begged them to do something, or to refrain from doing something, confident it would be very much in their best interests? Maybe you implored someone to stop drinking alcohol or ‘doing drugs’ as you watched them become addicted. Maybe you implored them to reconcile a broken relationship or stand by a promise they’d made.
Does God really care so deeply that He actually urges us, His Ambassadors, to ‘implore’ humanity to be reconciled to Him? Why? Well, if you are a parent or grandparent you probably understand the pain you have felt when your children or grandchildren make choices you know will cause them great regret, maybe great pain, possibly damage that may never be undone. Because you love them so much, you implore them… but perhaps you’ve experienced the deep pain of rejection, as they continue down their self-destructive path, despite your best efforts to help them? That, my friends, is God’s dilemma… generation after generation, with every society in the world, every person has been born in rebellion against God, and the vast majority of the human race will never respond to God’s appeal.
That breaks God’s heart, because they die in their sin and will spend the rest of eternity separated from God in a terrible place of suffering. May I ask. . .does that bother you, does it hurt your heart as you consider the tragedy of it? Does it even move you to tears? Now think about this… about every 3 seconds someone dies, somewhere on this planet. Most die in rebellion against God, never having accepted His offer of reconciliation. They will each and all, see God once, only once, after their death moment. It will be when they stand before Him in judgment and their eternal destiny is declared to be hell, and they are marched off into the ‘lake of fire’! (Rev. 20:15) Can you imagine the heartbreak of that…both for them and for Holy God, who created them lovingly in His image, and who reached to them all their lives, yet they refused?
And perhaps you say… “why doesn’t God do more? Why doesn’t He send Jesus for every generation of people? Or why doesn’t God send angels, millions of angels, to every people group in the world, to warn them and implore them?” Do you remember Jesus actually wept tears on the day of His Triumphal parade on a donkey, over the hill of the Mount of Olives, when the religious leaders and others rejected Him? (Luke 19:40-45) Do you remember Jesus told the story in Luke 16:19-31 about a wealthy man who died and ended up in hell. In his torment he appealed that someone would warn his family and friends, who were living as he did, about the destiny that awaited them? You might want to read that very powerful story my friends, for it is what motivates God, in His great compassion and mercy, to urge His Ambassadors, to implore the hell bound to consider God’s love.
So as we close today, I invite you to read 2 Corinthians 5:10-20 very slowly and let it’s agonizing truth penetrate deeply into your heart, as you look at our world from God’s perspective. Are you an Ambassador of Jesus Christ to our world? How would God like to work through you, as He appeals to and implores the endless flood of people walking away from Him to a tormenting eternity? How would God like to implore them to turn back to Him and experience His powerful, loving rescue! And what’s your role in that, my friends?
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Click to read today’s chapter: 2 Corinthians 5:10-20. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
Archived back issues of “Walking with Jesus” and other resources are available by clicking here to open our ‘home page’ (or go to HOME at upper right of this page).
Share with friends. Subscribe below for daily “Walking with Jesus”.