McAvoy: We are AMBASSADORS of Christ
Our former Pastor, and the current Superintendent of the Southeast Region of the Free Methodist Church Mike McAvoy, wrote a fantastic article in Light and Life Magazine!
The article, entitled:
Kingdom Ambassadors
is available now online.
Here’s an excerpt:
“We find most American Christians have divided loyalties that lead us to live out half-truths and experience far less of the kingdom life described in Scripture and seen in the lives of the many devoted followers throughout history to the present. As Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both…” (Matthew 6:24).
We know Jesus ended saying “God and money,” but the principle holds true about anything. We cannot serve both God and fill in your competing idol (money, possessions, pleasure, comfort, image, fame, power, success, career, status, ego, independence, rights, preservation, nationalism, politics, family, friends, etc.). As citizens of God’s kingdom, we are not part of a democracy, and we are not living life on our own terms, in this world or the next. Now we are foreigners and live as ambassadors for the kingdom of God wherever we live, work, and play.
I’m not an expert on foreign relations, but these things seem obvious. An ambassador is an officially authorized representative or messenger to a foreign/different culture or country. They are foreigners who are in that specific place on official business to represent another kingdom and its interests. They may enjoy some of the amenities, but they can never forget why they are there. Typically, they have certain diplomatic privileges and rights and delegated authority to act in the interests and work of their kingdom. An ambassador is a temporary assignment.
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“Jesus made it clear that the words He proclaimed and the works He performed were from the Father to accomplish His plan.”
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We see these truths taught throughout the New Testament and modeled by Jesus.”
