November 18, 2016 (Friday)
The Apostle Paul switched metaphors in his letter to the Corinthian Christians. In chapter 4 (source of yesterday’s blog), he said we believers are like jars of clay that contain a treasure (the gospel of Christ), but in chapter 5, he declared that we are “ambassadors for Christ.” Well, what are we? Clay jars or Ambassadors? I’m sure you know the answer: we are both.
Billy Joe Shaver wrote a song with these words: “I’m just an old chunk of coal, but I’m gonna be a diamond someday.” Like jars of clay, we are frail human beings; we are also so important to the Lord that He has appointed us as His ambassadors.
Jesus Christ makes diamonds from coal, ambassadors from clay. Here’s what the Apostle Paul said about our being ambassadors for Christ:
“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!'” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT).
I knew a dear deacon in Rockport who became concerned about the soul of his neighbor. He made an appointment with him and visited him, telling him about Jesus. The man demanded that he leave his house. My friend replied, “I am here as an ambassador for Christ, and I cannot leave until I have given you His message.” The man then allowed the deacon to share Christ with him. The deacon was a real ambassador for Christ. His name was Wilson Dedmon; his wife was Beulah. As His ambassadors, he and his wife won many people to Christ.
We have been commissioned by the Lord to take the gospel message to the entire world, beginning where we are (Matthew 28:19-20).
