When our son came home from school one day and announced to us that he wants to join the Foreign Service when he grows up and represent Singapore in a foreign land, we were pretty excited about it. Imagine all the resources of the Singapore Government behind him when he goes abroad to work. He will not suffer any lack because that would reflect badly on the country he represents. Whatever he commits to do in the name of the Singapore Government, that will have to be carried out otherwise the international body of nations will lose its respect for Singapore.

The apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5: 17 - 21, declares
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

When we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and received Him into our hearts, there was a change of status. Our sins were transferred to Jesus on the cross while His righteousness is imputed to us and we now stand before God the Father as righteous. That is a very powerful transformation. We are no more our old selves but we take on a new nature - the nature of Jesus the Righteous One of Heaven ( verse 17 ).

Every ambassador has a message to deliver to the people of the country where he has been sent. His task is to stand for the country he represents no matter what the issues are. And because of that position, the country that sends him will stand behind his every commitment. Christians are ambassadors for Christ and we have been entrusted with a message - "God loves us and is no longer angry with man; all His anger had been poured out and exhausted on Jesus Christ on the cross when He hung there taking our punishment on Himself." That is the message of reconciliation that Paul talked about in verse 18. It is a very simple message but a powerful one indeed. Last month, in the city of Lagos in Nigeria, Africa, an evangelistic meeting was held over five evenings and over a million people came to hear this message and hundreds of thousands received the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gladly. They experienced the same transformation as we did and it is this same message of love that is still being shared around the world. Christians, don't think it is a new message. No, indeed the message has been around for a long time. You have your commission; your message is from the highest authority, God Himself.

The ambassador gets diplomatic immunity whenever he goes in that foreign land not because of his personal character but his position as an ambassador warrants that the host country protect him from danger and from harm. The ambassador rides in a car with the license plates bearing the suffix "CD" or "Corps Diplomatic" and the traffic police cannot issue the driver of the car any traffic summon even though the car had committed any crime. Christians too enjoy immunity in the spiritual realm while he is in this world. When we received the Lord Jesus into our lives, He gives us His Holy Spirit. When the Spirit lives within us, we will be protected from all danger. The devil recognizes all those who are children of God because of the Presence in their lives. He knows that he has no power over them. Now that does not mean he does not try. Indeed he tries all kinds of tactics to get our attention, to scare us but when we know our position and our standing, he cannot prevail and soon he leaves us alone.

The ambassador has all the resources of the country he represents at his disposal. He suffers no lack. Even though the host country is suffering from a recession, the ambassador will not suffer lack. He continues to live the life-style of his status. Nothing is compromised in terms of benefits. Children of the Heavenly Father have all the treasures of Heaven at his disposal and I must admit it is limitless. The treasure house of Heaven is so huge that the walls stretch form eternity to eternity and the treasures are stacked as high as our eyes can behold and beyond. The streets in Heaven are of gold ( Revelations 21: 21 ). Now the Bible did not say that the streets were 'paved with gold'. It is of gold. Now we have a rich Father in Heaven. Don't ever forget that.

The ambassador communicates with his prime minister on a regular basis, giving detailed accounts of what is taking place in the host country and at the same time, receiving instructions on specific issues relating to bi-lateral relationships. We too communicate with the Father through Jesus Christ on a regular basis. There is no set pattern as to how often or how regularly we need to communicate with the Father. In fact, we can talk with the Father any time in any place under any circumstance. No earthly father will turn away his child when he talks to the father. The problem in today's environment seems to be the exact opposite - lack of communication and we brand that as 'generation gap'.

God so loved the world that He gave up His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we can be forgiven and be granted life, even eternal life, a life with the Father for eternity; never to be condemned but to enjoy His Presence forever. That is the wonderful message of Christmas and it is the blessed message of the Cross. Let us go forth and share this message of reconciliation with those around us who may not have heard of this wonderful love of the Father shared abroad through His Son.

The Lord blesses you and keeps you,
The Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and all your loved ones,
The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you and gives you His shalom peace.
Numbers 6: 24 - 26

Shavrou-tof Shalom,
Andrew L W Lee

dated : 18th March 2002