Representing God (Our Daily Bread)

We are ambassadors for Christ,as though God were pleading through us.-2Corinthians5:20(Our Daily Bread)

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2 Corinthians 5:11-20

The Ministry of Reconciliation

¹¹ Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. ¹² We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. ¹³ If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
 

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Because Of Love
December 9, 2012 — by Anne Cetas

from: http://odb.org/ 

I received some nice Christmas gifts last year—ski pants, a bracelet, and a Kindle reader. But what I enjoyed the most were the gifts of time with people: playing with nine grandnephews and grandnieces from out of state; having a niece and her husband and their 18-month-old daughter attend our church’s Christmas Eve service with us; visiting with a retired co-worker and his wife who are suffering with some health issues; celebrating the season with long-time friends; reading the Christmas story with loved ones. These were all special gifts because of the love we share. 

God the Father, because of love, sent a gift to this world 2,000 years ago. Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger (Luke 2:7). The shepherds knew He was an amazing gift because an angel announced His birth to them in the middle of the night while they were in their fields (vv.8-14). They rushed to see Him and then couldn’t help but share the news of this Gift with others (vv.16-17). Yet many later rejected Him, and He was crucified for our sins and buried. But He rose from the tomb and now offers salvation to all who receive Him.
Thank You, God, for the Gift You gave—because of love.

Because of love God sent His Son
From heaven’s throne to earth
To rescue us from sin and death—
A Gift of priceless worth! —Sper

God’s gift to the world is the life-giving Savior.