It is because we know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we trying to pat ourselves on the back again? No, are we giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart before God. If it seems that we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Whatever we do, it is because Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live to please themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised for them.
So we have stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though He were merely a human being. How differently I think about Him now! What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to Himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ Himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!” 2 Corinthians 5:11-20
I’ve been reading Frederick Douglass’ narrative on his life. One of the things he talks about is how cruel religious people were, even to the point of using the Scriptures to harm them. He said it was such a stark comparison to those who knew the Lord and were Christ followers. How horrible to think we use our precious Jesus as religion and then use the very One who laid His life down for us as an excuse to harm others! This should not be so people.
Jesus was present. He saw people, and they mattered to Him. Every single person mattered to Him, even the ones that were harming Him.
I saw a young Turkish barber on a YouTube video seeking out homeless men and giving them haircuts for free. He would then buy them new clothes and take them to the Turkish baths so they could clean the street grime off of themselves. He had to wash one man’s hair at least a dozen times to get the grime off his head. The man was so relaxed that he kept falling asleep during the washes and his haircut. Someone asked the young man why he did that, and he said that everyone needs a hand of love. The young man then said, “If you want to do something important, look in the eyes, and don’t look away.” What a beautiful expression of Christ this young man is!
I think, to a certain extent, that we have taken ourselves out of the equation of being present. Let me explain. There is a pronoun that seems to have disappeared. It is ‘I’. We say, “Love you!” There are other examples, but, to me, this one is the saddest one. ‘I’ is subjective and is used by a speaker or writer to denote him or her self. It’s me, I love you. I see you.
Jesus said, “I AM THE ONE, WHO ALWAYS IS.” He said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega-the beginning and the end.” And, “I am the first and the last.” “I am the light of the world, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” “I lay down My life voluntarily.” “I am the good shepherd.”
I remember having to go to briefings when I was in the ,military and getting sent overseas. We were told to remember that we were representing the United States of America while we were overseas. We were expected to present ourselves as honorable ambassadors and honor that countries customs. For example, in South Korea, you don’t eat or pass something to another person with the left hand. In the Philippines, it’s rude to call someone to you by crooking your finger and motioning ‘come’ because that is how they call dogs.
As ambassadors of Jesus, we are to be light and love, not darkness and hate. We are called to be kind and generous, not cruel and tightwads. Jesus died and rose to send His Spirit to live in humans so we could live His life, so He could be everywhere in human form through us to love people. Stand up people! I AM lives in you and you are His ambassador. Let Him love others through you. Let them see His kindness in your eyes, and His generosity by your hand. Look in the eyes of others and don’t look away from a hurting soul. I want to encourage you to start taking ownership. I. I love you, it’s me, and I love you.
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love.” John 15:9
Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts. We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. He is the one who has enabled us to represent his new covenant. This is a covenant, not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old way ends in death; the new way, the Holy Spirit gives Life. 2 Corinthians 3:3-6
Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the Light that leads to Life.” John 8:12
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made us understand that this light is the brightness of the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. But this precious treasure-this light and power that now shine within us-is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own. But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, and so I speak.” 2 Corinthians 4:6, 7 and 13
Through you I am saying to the prisoners of darkness, ‘Come out! I am giving you your freedom!’ They will be My sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare. Isaiah 49:9
All praise to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us. He has made us His Kingdom and His priests who serve before God His Father. Give to Him everlasting glory! He rules forever and ever! Amen! Revelation 1:8
