Christ's Ambassadors

It was a treat and a blessing to have Pastor Eliona Bernard from Cap Haitian, Haiti with us last Sunday.  Missouri Synod Lutherans are not known for our ecumenical efforts – in fact it’s generally said we don’t do anything ecumenical, which isn’t really true – but we have many partner churches around the world, and a couple here in the U.S., too.  The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH) is one of those partner churches, and it is encouraging to see brothers and sisters in Christ active in the mission of God who have the same doctrine and values as we do.  (To be sure, we rejoice to see what the Spirit does throughout the body of Christ, but in a sinfully divided world it is especially encouraging to experience the unity in Word and Sacrament ministry we have with the ELCH and others.)

Pastor Bernard preached about 2 Corinthians 5:20:  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  He also reminded us that, in Christ, we are a new creation, and that we are deeply loved by God.  Those things go hand-in-hand!  As redeemed Children of God (new creatures) we have become ambassadors (those sent to represent a kingdom).  We represent the Kingdom of God in this word so others may know the love and salvation of Jesus!

What a great message for us as we think about our mission of Gathering People to Christ, Building Believers in Christ and Serving the World as Christ.  In all these things we are first-and-foremost recipients:  those who have been loved by God and made new creations by the death and resurrection of Jesus!  But now we also represent the God who has loved us and God uses us to gather people to Him, build believers in their faith and walk with Himself, and serve the world because Jesus, our savior and lord, came to serve. 

Pastor Bernard’s presence among us, however, raises a question we have not yet answered.  It is this:  What is next for our work with Haiti? 

To listen to all the good Pastor Bernard and his congregation is doing in Haiti captures one’s imagination.  Their ministry to children through their schools – feeding, teaching, and evangelizing them – is compelling.  Their efforts at providing indigenous funding by selling chickens and urging giving from the people of the congregation are highly commendable.  (I was impressed that Pastor Bernard made it clear that they had need, while he also showed us they were working hard to provide for themselves!)  Seeing pictures of the construction financed by donations of fifty-cents to twenty-dollars was inspirational. 

During our mission trip to Haiti we went to the beach one day.  It was between Leogane, where we were helping to build houses, and Port au Prince.  The coast runs east/west there, but one can see the coast make an almost ninety degree turn to head north.  I remember sitting and wondering about that part of Haiti, and a strong desire to see that part of Haiti filled my heart.  Perhaps our next step is to go to Cap Haitian.  That being said, once you’ve been to Haiti, the need and opportunity in that land is evident wherever you go, and perhaps the work we did in May is intended to be a starting place for future work.  I don’t know, and I commend this to us all to pray about. 

The one thing that is clear to me in this situation is that we cannot turn away from our brothers and sisters in the ELCH any more than we can turn away from Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry or Hope in the City.  I am convinced that these are organizations that give us the opportunity to be Christ’s ambassadors; even as we are His ambassadors our neighborhoods in the Hudson, Stow, Twinsburg Corridor. 

Please join me in praying about God’s vision for Gloria Dei and asking Him to lead us in His mission to gather people, build believers, and serve the world…

  

Some Questions to Ponder

-          Look at 2 Corinthians 5:14-21.  What is the driving force behind Paul’s desire to proclaim the Gospel?  How does that apply to us?

-          As God reconciles people to Himself, what does He not count?  What does that mean in regard to being a new creation?

-          Verse 21 is a powerful statement of Gospel.  Who is “him who had no sin”?  What is the promise of this passage in regard to our sin? 

-          As Christians we are dual citizens.  We are citizens of the United States (or some other nation) and of the Kingdom of God.  If we are Christ’s ambassadors, as 2 Corinthians 5 says, what are the implications for our interactions with our neighbors and fellow (earthly) citizens? 

-          It is easy to see need in a place like Haiti.  What are the needs of Twinsburg, Hudson, and Stow that we can meet with Jesus’ love?  (I would love to hear your thoughts on this.)

-          Have you ever prayed about the amazing message that Jesus took your sin and gave you His righteousness?  What are the sins you are most ashamed of?  What guilty thought bothers you?  This verse tells us that Jesus has borne all of that sin, and it is atoned for.  Pray a prayer of confession, thanks and praise for the salvation Jesus won for you.