Ambassadors
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view;[a] even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view,[b] we no longer know him in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there[c] is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being![d] 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,[e] not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ: be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake God made the one who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 (NRSV)
STORY
John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, was an enthusiastic swimmer. Before starting each day’s work, he would swim and bathe naked in the Potomac River. There was a newspaper woman, Anne Royall, who tried for weeks to get an interview with the President, but she was always rebuffed. One day she followed Adams to his watering hole. After he disrobed and got into the river, she promptly sat down on his clothes. Recognizing who she was, Adams pleaded, “Let me get out and dress, and I swear you shall have your interview.” Royall was unconvinced of the sincerity behind this remark and remained seated. While President Adams remained discreetly submerged in the water, Anne Royall got her exclusive interview.
DEVOTION
We are the newspaper reporters of this day and we have a remarkable story of Good News to share with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and anyone whom we may encounter that may be receptive to listening. It is the story of Jesus the Christ and his message of forgiveness, healing, and equality. Sometimes people will patiently listen to us and other times we may just have to sit on their clothes to get them to pause long enough to listen; though, in either case with determination and sincerity we will be able to share the Gospel message.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and specifically referred to himself in the letter as an ambassador for Christ. The Corinthian Christians were under the domain of the Roman Empire so they were well aware of the implications of Paul calling himself an ambassador. In Roman provinces the emperor would appoint a legate, an ambassador, to represent him. This is a very powerful and influential position for a legate spoke “on behalf of” or “in place of” the emperor himself. The legate spoke with the authority of the emperor himself.
In using this analogy Paul is professing that he is an ambassador for Jesus. Paul in his message to the Corinthians is speaking “on behalf of” or “in place of” Jesus. It is Paul’s intent that his message is to be taken seriously.
Since Paul’s last visit to the church a number of problems arose. Some of the Christians began to worship the foreign god Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Some of the Christians began to live a life of debauchery. And within the church itself there were factions that were causing disruptions. So, Paul’s message of reconciliation is very understandable, clear, and forthright. The Corinthian Christians must return to the devout and holy life that once prevailed among them. The Corinthian Christians must reconcile themselves to both God and each other.
Paul then writes about his own life as a way to demonstrate and encourage the Corinthians to return to righteous living. Paul does not pen these words out of arrogance or egocentricity, but he writes them as an ambassador. He writes them as one who wants to demonstrate what it means to live as a representative of Jesus. Paul writes about how he has endured undue hardships and sacrifices for the sake of proclaiming the Gospel message.
As we bear the crucified marks of Jesus – stigmata – we are ambassadors of our crucified and risen Lord. The English word origin for ambassador comes from the Medieval Latin word ambasiātor, which means “to communicate, send a message, send an envoy.” As messengers we must share what Christ has done for us personally as our sins have been forgiven and we have been transformed into the image of Jesus. We have been called to be ambassadors – envoys – of the Good News of Jesus the Christ to others.