In January I began our journey into 2016 with an introduction to 2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV) “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Here is a reminder of my first paragraph.

Ambassadors for Christ is our theme for 2016.  A dictionary defines an ambassador as: “an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country:” Let us work backwards through the definition.

We began our Ambassador considerations in February with  “a foreign country,” and followed in March with “its official representative.” April saw us consider the “sent by a country.” For May we moved to what is meant by an accredited diplomat, and in June we continue to explore that phrase.

Easton Bible Dictionary has this to say about an “ambassador”  —In the Old Testament the Hebrew word tsir, meaning “one who goes on an errand,” is rendered thus (Josh. 9:4; Prov. 13:17; Isa. 18:2; Jer. 49:14; Obad. 1:1). This is also the rendering of melits, meaning “an interpreter,” in 2 Chr. 32:31; and of malak, a “messenger,” in 2 Chr. 35:21; Isa. 30:4; 33:7; Ezek. 17:15. This is the name used by the apostle as designating those who are appointed by God to declare his will (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:20).

Have you ever thought about the possibility that God has sent you on an errand? We focus so intently on what Christ has done for us that we frequently miss the essential truth that God has a purpose beyond me or you. He blessed Abram in Genesis 12:2 so that he might be a blessing to others. Jesus sent his disciples as witnesses in Acts1:8. So God has an errand for YOU! A task for you to accomplish on a continual basis. That errand is that He has “entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:19–20 (ESV) God wants you to share the news that Christ is the reconciler between God and man and He wants you invite everyone to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

So the errand God has for each of us is to love, teach, encourage, and preach that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life so that no one comes to the Father except through him. John 14:6. Or as Peter proclaimed, in Acts 4:12 (ESV) “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

About this errand, it is personal between you and God. No one can do it for you because God has entrusted it to you directly. It is an integral part of your relationship to Him. Because you love Him the desire to fulfill His errand becomes powerful. It is a joy not a duty.

It is also continual, until He calls you home. It is not a “once and done” or “I did that for many years” type of assignment. This errand is part of God’s eternal plan for humanity so that until there are no longer human beings in rebellion against Him the initiative remains in effect.

It is exciting because through your obedience the Holy Spirit brings life to the dead. If you prefer alternative motifs, the Holy Spirit gives sight to the blind or freedom to the captive or purpose to the aimless. All of these work because at the center of reconciliation in Christ is life. Life in the fullness of God’s creative intent in Eden. Life experienced in all the magnificence as was before the fall. We become errand boys and girls so that the Holy Spirit can bless the estranged, the lost, the sinner and the rebel.

Our incredible errand is that God makes His appeal though us to the world. He invites them to be reconciled and live, to love and enjoy all that they were created to be. Will you ?