SET FREE TO SHARE
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NLT)
When we’re set free in Christ, we become a new person. This is a wonderful and miraculous gift from God. But the gift is not given to be hoarded. The gift is meant to be displayed to bring glory to the One who gave the gift in the first place. We are to share the Good News of the Gospel.
When was the last time you shared the Gospel? You may want to give yourself a pass because you’re not a pastor, missionary or some other type of vocational minister of the Gospel. But you are a recipient of the Gospel, and this is enough. All of us, introverts and extroverts alike, are called to share the Good News.
Paul says in the above passage that we have been tasked with reconciling people to God. We act as His ambassadors here in the world. Why does He choose to use us? He could write the story of His love in the heavens. He could speak audibly to every person on earth. He could use any means we could imagine and many more that we could not. And yet He chooses to make His appeal through us. He has set us free so that we might speak through us to others who also desperately long for that freedom.
An old saying goes like this: Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words. I understand what someone who was probably well-intentioned was trying to communicate. But the truth is, this statement isn’t particularly helpful. We must use our words, of course, in conjunction with our actions to point people to Jesus.
APPLICATION: Who do you know that doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus? What obstacles stand in the way of you sharing the Gospel with them? Would you commit to praying for that person today? Pray that God would use you to be His voice in their life. Ask Him to give you courage and clarity as you seek to be His ambassador. Then reach out to them and set up a time to have an intentional, Jesus-centric conversation!
PRAYER: God, You have chosen to make me Your ambassador. Thank You for Your promise to equip me with the proper words at the proper moment. Help me to live with boldness for You, proclaiming Your goodness not just with my actions but with my words. Please help me as I seek to share the Good News this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?