Become a Transformative Ambassador
If I had to define the central mission of God’s kingdom on earth in a single word, I would choose the word transformation.
Consider 2 Corinthians 5:15 – “And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”
And two verses later, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
That certainly depicts transformation! Not only for eternal salvation and right standing with God, but for our right here, right now everyday life.
How does God accomplish this mission of transformation on earth? Again, if limited to a single word, I would choose ambassadors.
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (vv. 20-21).
What a plan! To accomplish the central mission of his kingdom, God chooses to use people, who are themselves in need of transformation, as ambassadors to represent and communicate that message of transforming grace to those in need of ongoing transformation.
Over the next few months, we will consider what it looks like to live as an ambassador for Christ, specifically within the body of Christ, as you “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:15).
Living this ambassadorial lifestyle can be summarized by three points of focus:
1. The message of the King: What does my King want to communicate to this person in this situation? What truth do they need to hear?
2. The methods of the King: How does my King bring about transformation in the life of others? How did he engage with people during his earthly ministry?
3. The character of the King: How can I faithfully represent the heart of my King? What selfish, sinful motives in my own heart could hinder what the Lord wants to do in this relationship?
Message. Methods. Character. At the bottom of this devotional, I provide multiple passages for further reading that capture each of these three points of focus.
To conclude, let’s return to 2 Corinthians 5: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (vv. 18-19).
God is intent on owning our hearts unchallenged. He is not satisfied with a bit of theological knowledge or participation in church activity. His goal is that our lives would be shaped by our worship of him and nothing else.
And he has sent us, as his ambassadors, to make that appeal for spiritual life transformation.
Are you living as a transformative ambassador?
A Prayer for Today: Lord God, would you work in my heart to make me an ambassador for your Kingdom? God, I admit that I am tempted to live for only my own interests and desires. I’m prone to focus on what is most comfortable and beneficial to me, but Lord would you change my heart? Would you transform me into the kind of person who rightly reflects you and represents you to a world in desperate need of you? I myself am in desperate need of you…would you help me to see my need and then proclaim your goodness to others in need around me? I need your transforming power in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
God bless,
Paul David Tripp
For Further Reading:
The message, methods, and character of the King permeate the pages of Scripture. Here are just a few samples:
Message of the King:
- Matthew 5–7
- Luke 15–18
Method of the King:
- John 3:1–21
- John 4:1–26
- Luke 9:18–27
- Luke 10:25–37
Character of the King:
- Philippians 2:1–12
- Ephesians 4:29–5:2
- 1 Peter 2:23
Discussion Prompt for Children
If one person represents another person, what do you think that means? What would the representative look like each day? What would he or she say? How would he or she act? How would he or she communicate? How are you and I representatives of Jesus here on the earth? What should our lives look like then?
Reflection Questions
1. As you sincerely examine your day-to-day life, in what areas would you say that you are in need of God’s transformation? Reflect on how God has transformed you in the past and think about who you were before in comparison to who you are now. As you think about that transformation in your heart, thank God for who he has shaped you into being. Now ask God to do it again in the areas you currently need to be transformed.
2. As someone who is being transformed, how can God use you to help transform others? Who are the people you are surrounded by that God wants you to communicate with about the transforming grace you yourself have experienced? What would it look like for you to be an ambassador of Christ in your natural circles of influence (job, neighborhood, family, friend groups, strangers, food service employees you often see, people you manage, fellow church members, etc.)?
3. What do you think the King wants to communicate to others through you? How might the King want to bring about transformation in the lives of those around you? How can you faithfully represent the heart of King Jesus to those you are in relationship with?