(Further reflections on “Embassage”—Sunday 31-Jan-2021)
Among other wild animals (i.e. lion, tiger, hyena, grizzly bear, gorilla, jaguar, hippo, fresh/salt water crocodile), the Nile crocodile with a bite force of around 5,000 psi (pound per square inch) posseses the world’s deadliest jaw-locking bite in the animal kingdom. Although this world’s deadliest bite can crush any human flesh/bones, it cannot be compared with the creation’s deadliest bite of all time in God’s creation—the eternal soul-crushing, broken relationship between God and human due to sin.
There will be no reconciliation if there is no forgiveness. Now even when forgiveness is available, reconciliation is not an absolute guarantee. Why? Well, although God made forgiveness available to the whole world through Jesus, not everyone would admit their sins, receive His forgiveness, and believe in Jesus who is the truth, the way, and the life. Thus, not all human will be reconciled with God. Now even those who believe in Jesus Christ, not all believers believe and live out a reconciled relationship with God due to most likely the hardening (process) of their heart. Of course, a million reasons will be rationalized. Again the stubbornness or stiffneckedness or ‘fossilization’ of our heart is likely to be the ultimate cause. When Christians feel hurt or offended, they tend to drop “Christ” and only “ians” are dealing with other “ians” and their reconciliation is not possible without Christ.
Christians forgive each another, because Christ forgave each of them. Christians forgive others (non/believers) who hurt them, because Christ died for others’ sins, too. All they need is to get to know Jesus. But how do they know, see, and taste God’s goodness through Christ Jesus? Unless they get to know and hear your testimony on how have you been reconciled with God? How do they know you and hear your testimonies? Unless you reach out to them and tell them about Jesus. Now it is very difficult to tell someone about Jesus if you yourself have not yet fully experienced how sweet it is to be in a reconciled relationship with God through Jesus. If Christians cannot forgive others, it’s likely they have not forgiven themselves in the light of Christ’s work on the cross. In other words, they refuse to be forgiven. So they don’t want to be reconciled with Christ. As a result, they cave in to their own hurts, chew their own wounds, and shut the door of their “Embassy”—where they are called to be “Ambassadors” for Christ. They no longer build bridges by making/renewing “passports” for the lost or other citizen of heaven who might have un/intentionally hurt or offended them. They no longer grant the “visa” of God’s acceptance/approval through Jesus for those who want to reconcile with them. They are no longer interested in “God’s business/trade” that brings people to Christ who can trade their sorrows/hurts/pain/suffering/unforgiving/bitterness/hopelessness/eternal death for God’s love, joy, peace, and eternal life, because of His forgiveness and reconciliatory works of Jesus Christ. All they seem to care about is their hurts or offenses others did to them. Since they have rejected God’s reconciliation through Christ, they are on a “self-harm” path which will be a downward spiral!
Christians, Christ’s followers, are called to be Christ’s ambassadors who are on missions (1) to bring the world to Christ by not counting sinners’ trespasses against them and (2) become the righteousness of God by imploring themselves and others to be first reconciled with God through Jesus Christ. Now have you responded to the call of the great Ambassador of the whole creation, Jesus Christ, to be His ambassadors to this fallen and broken world? Yes/No. The answer is yours. Remember there will be no neutral ground nor delayed responses. In fact, staying neutral or delaying responses is simply disobedience in disguise and the “hardening” heart process kicks in. Destruction (from the inside out) is inevitable! May the fear of the Lord grant us wisdom to stay obedient and responsive to God’s call to be Christ’s ambassadors. Amen.
By His grace,
—
Pastor Lap
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