"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Himself who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:20-21
Every believer is called to represent Christ to others as though God Himself is making an appeal on behalf of Christ through them. And what is the appeal we are to be making? The baby who came in the manger and walked on this earth who knew no sin, became our sin; so we might become all He was–the righteousness of our Holy God Almighty!
It is often referred to as the "Great Exchange" with good reason. It is the most powerful exchange to ever take place in the history of mankind. There has never been a greater sacrifice of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness than what took place on the hill of Golgotha. However there was no greater victory won on mankind’s behalf when God raised the Sacrificial Lamb He chose in order to reconcile His depraved children back to a holy, righteous, just, Creator of mankind.
Our God is a good God, perfect in all His ways. We can not pull Him down to our level that we might understand Him. He is God, and much bigger than ourselves. We must choose to believe and trust in His love for us, unconditionally by faith. He came down as a babe in a manger, because there was no way we could get up to Him. He left us to return to His Father as the Sacrificial Lamb for every tribe, tongue, and nation.
In Philippians 2:1-11 we read:
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death; even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Most of my readers I am assuming are professing Christians. So Iet us ask ourselves, as we are reading these scriptures, are we ambassadors for Christ? What a responsibility we carry if we truly are His disciples! We represent Him in our daily lives to those who do not know Him, and there is no greater opportunity than Christmas time to allow the Light of the World to shine through us! There should be nativity scenes displayed all over this nation proclaiming the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! My question is where are they? Our children should be filled with the wonder of the story of Christmas from the Bible. There is no story that can create more wonder and hope in a child’s life than the birth of our Savior, and how God chose to send His Son to us. What are we teaching our children at Christmas? How can we allow the true meaning of Christmas to be replaced with narcissism on steroids? Why do we lie to our children with fiction when the true meaning of Christmas is the foundation for their eternal life? The true Christmas story will introduce your children to a depth of love they must have in order to truly learn to give and receive gifts. They will learn true happiness and fulfillment that last and is achieved by getting outside of themselves and investing in other’s lives. Gifts were God’s idea, but the emphasis was on giving rather than receiving. His ways are always much higher than our own. Jesus left us the perfect example of giving we read about in Philippians 2:1-11 that was far beyond monetary value. When we give we are to follow His example.
The joy of Christmas should be in giving, not receiving. We should be getting our children excited about reaching out to the lonely in our neighborhoods with cookies they bake themselves and deliver themselves. It helps them become wonderful, caring adults. We should make them aware of the many needs that they can meet. Encourage gifts for children whose parents are in jail. Help them consider the elderly who are forsaken by children who can’t get outside of themselves to see the needs of the aging. Jesus told us it is more blessed to give than receive. Let us take an honest evaluation of what kind of ambassador we are being to each other starting withnin our own homes.
More importantly what kind of ambassador are we being with the eternal truth we hold inside of us? Do we really think we can purchase with money something more valuable than what has so freely been given to us? Remember the One we are to be celebrating paid the price in full for all to be reconciled to our Heavenly Father. Jesus told His disciples as He sent them out freely you have received, now you must freely give.
I beg you this Christmas to join me in taking back what we have allowed to be stolen from our children, the true meaning of Christmas, and the true meaning of life. I grew up singing the traditional Christmas carols that made homes happy without expensive gifts. I was in multiple plays at school and in church that were all about the birth of our Savior. Children are so much happier when they are allowed to live the truth of Christmas.
Scripture tells us satan came to steal, kill, and destroy. He does so with lies and deception. He offers counterfeits for the truth. Only the truth of God’s Word at Christmas and all year long can set you and your children free from the chains we cannot see.
Because Baby Jesus chose as a young man to humble himself and become obedient to death on a cross for you and me and our children, God has chosen to highly exalt Him and bestow on Him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord, to the glory of God the Father. There will come a time when those unwilling will bow who choose not to now. It is clear in scripture.
Let us, dear brothers and sisters, choose to be true ambassadors for Christ, begging all to be reconciled to God through our Savior, Jesus Christ, and give all glory and honor, not only this Christmas season, but daily, before our family and the world, to Him alone who is truly worthy of all glory, honor, power and praises! What a Merry Christmas we shall have no matter our circumstances or our bank accounts!
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
Masterpiece Fitness spent a merry Thanksgiving morning participating in the Stuffed Strut 5k Run in Wytheville, Virginia. All proceeds go to the Open Doors Cafe to help with their fight against hunger. Their cafe allows folks to pay what they can afford to dine there. We were all winners celebrating with hearts full of gratitude!
