What is Friendship?

Friendship … true friendship … is something that people are searching for, and find themselves depleted without. All people are looking for three ingredients in life – acceptance, value and belonging. People want to be appreciated. These areas of life can only be addressed relationally. If people are to grow in a healthy way, friendships are indispensable.

We have been designed by God as relational beings. The Trinity (of Father, Son and Spirit) have always lived in eternal covenant friendship or communion with one another. This is the relational God in whose image we have been created.

The psalmist cries out (in Psalm 142:4), Look on my right hand and see – there is no one who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me.

The song by Casting Crowns, “If we are the body”, reminds us that followers of Jesus in the church should be well-placed to reach out their hands in friendship … representing the best friend a person can have … Jesus.

Describe friendship? Oxford = Mutual benevolence = mutual meeting of one another’s needs. What about this … people who share and care for one another; or … an expression of generous hospitality.

What is a friend? One who is on the same side; a regular contributor of help.

Proverbs 17:17 puts friendship on the same level as family relationships –

A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.

Ideally, the love and care of a friend never wavers or falters.

Proverbs 18:24 takes this further and lifts even higher the notion of friendship –

Some friends play at friendship, but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.

A friend will ‘stand in the gap’ for another, especially when family are either missing or unhelpful. Really tight friendships form when a person is there where they are needed in times of adversity (caused by incidences of illness, grief, unemployment, depression).

There is also the notion in the first part of Proverbs 18:24 of someone seemingly being a “friend”, but, through events that occur, it doesn’t turn out to be that way. This would usually be because the “friendship” is not really mutual, but actually unbalanced towards one person’s individual needs more so than the other's.

Close friendships need work to keep them active and in good repair; and friendships also need guarding from the negative power of misunderstandings and disputes.

The possibility of friendships having little depth or being broken is covered earlier in Proverbs 17:9 –

One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.

Conversely, forgiveness is such an important aspect of friendship. The existence of only partly healed wounds limits friendships, and retracing old issues can lead to aggravation. The breaking of trust or solemn confidences (through loose tongues) can dissolve friendships for ever.

A good example of a functioning friendship is Jonathan and David. Even though Jonathan was the son of the jealous King Saul who was trying to kill David, Jonathan initiated and maintained this friendship. Jonathan also tried to argue David’s case before his father Saul, to try to get him to accept that David had done nothing wrong, indeed quite the opposite. Friendship is often about addressing the injustice our friend is experiencing. Friendship is sometimes about ‘standing in the gap’ and seeking to bring reconciliation between warring parties. When David remained in danger and was hiding in the desert, Jonathan sought David out to encourage him, doing so at some personal risk! We read about two more important facets of friendship in 1 Samuel 23:15-18.

First, in verse 16, we read that Jonathan strengthened [David’s] hand through the Lord. This was like saying that Jonathan was helping David retain his ‘grip’ on God. Understanding the strain David was under, Jonathan brought words of encouragement that would serve to remind David of God’s faithfulness and the future plans that God would bring into being. David would also be strengthened through Jonathan’s presence with him in such tough times. We also see here what we might term a ‘friendship forged through God’, or nowadays a ‘Christian friendship’. This is because Jonathan and David were able to share in an acknowledgement of what God was doing in their lives, which would place them into particular God-ordained roles. There would be no second-guessing or complaint that David would be taking the position that by birth should have gone to Jonathan.

Second, in verse 18, we see Jonathan and David renewing their covenant of friendship – before the Lord they would seek each other’s welfare as much as their own. Earlier in 1 Samuel 18 (verse 1) we read, “… the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul”. Such a friendship would be able to survive distance, trouble, and also Saul’s attempts to turn Jonathan against David (19:1). Such a ‘covenant’ of friendship is not just an agreement in words, but more a God inspired heart-felt relational vow; and Jonathan and David felt accountable to God for maintaining their friendship. Being such a party to a ‘true’ and loyal friendship, makes one an indispensable contributor to the life of another!

Michael W. Smith captures all this beautifully in his song “Friends are friends forever”.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (the German theologian and martyr) said, “The aim of friendship is exclusively determined by what God’s will is for the other person”. Now this particular thought certainly takes friendship beyond simply making another happy or just functioning at a convenient non-threatening undisturbed low common denominator. Sometimes friendship has to be about saying the hard thing or sharing the tough word. The mutuality of friendship requires one to have the courage and the gentleness to say what is needed, while the other has the openness and trust to hear what is being said in love. This is where the rubber hits the road in a covenanted friendship of the type Jonathan and David had. This is a friendship based on making sure the other person reaches their full potential in God (irrespective of any short-term uneasiness). Such a friendship has spiritual growth and discipleship at its heart. So beyond good times, common interests, fun and laughter, is the higher goal of sowing into our friends lives the words of eternal life (David Roper, ODB, 2/4/13). Such words are reminders of God’s wisdom and refreshments in God’s love, which strengthen our friend’s grip on God.

Jesus himself had friends who he cared for deeply. One of these was Lazarus – we would remember Jesus weeping at the news of Lazarus’ death (John 11:11,35). Jesus selected twelve disciples who he would live with and travel with for the next three years. In John 15:15 we read that Jesus considers his disciples to be his “friends”.

Despite his natural affection for these friends, Jesus had to straighten them out at times with some tough love. When Peter sought to disrupt the path that Jesus was to take to the cross, Jesus said to him what may seem to us very harsh at first glance – “Get behind me Satan” (Mark 31-33). When James and John wanted to gain the key seats in heaven as a matter of status, they were given a very clear reality check concerning the sort of servanthood they were being called to (Mark 10:35-45).

Yet in friendship, Jesus did not demand anything he wasn’t prepared to give. Jesus gave up his whole life in the cause of friendship. Jesus sets the standard when it comes to loving others. We read earlier in John 15:13, No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. And this is precisely what Jesus did! Part of Jesus’ love for his friends was also revealing to them what God was like and what God required of them. The disciples would be in no doubt about the requirement to love others in response to Jesus’ love for them. This is part of the ‘new covenant in Jesus’ blood’ that is quoted when we share communion. We have seen that there is certainly a sacrificial element to friendship.

There’s another thing about Jesus’ friendship towards us … it persists through our rebellion, and also through our forgetfulness of our side of the covenant. Just like God kept giving ancient Israel another chance after another chance, Jesus remains solidly available to us as our friend. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (refer Romans 8:35-39).

This is perfectly demonstrated by Jesus’ habit of befriending outcasts … those generally termed “sinners” i.e. prostitutes and tax collectors. Sometimes friendship needs an initiator, and in the beginning the level of care is not mutual but a bit more one-way. But often, as was the case in many of the incidents we read in the gospels – when Jesus offered friendship … people responded in kind! For example, the prostitute who cleaned Jesus feet with her tears and hair, and Zacchaeus who threw a party for Jesus and also sought to rectify his injustices. Friendship brings practical evidence of the availability of the grace of God!

A Reflective Study of John 21:1-19

What do you notice about Peter here??? Where is he? What does he do? What does Jesus do??

(1)    Peter Went Back to Fishing (21:3)

It seems that Peter had returned to the fishing business after Jesus’ crucifixion (in a defeated frame of mind).

Why?

First, Jesus’ death had been such a disappointment for him, as against all the hope that he had felt over the previous three years. He had left everything, including the thriving fishing trade, to follow Jesus – and look how that had turned out in the end. Peter was thus confused and probably angry as well. This disappointment and confusion had of course developed because Peter had first misunderstood, then failed to adjust his thinking, to the whole concept of Jesus’ death. Jesus’ death would be the ultimate response to bringing people God’s mercy, but Peter couldn’t see things this way. Peter even resorted to violence at the time of Jesus’ arrest (18:10). Thus this misaligned thinking also had no space for Jesus’ resurrection, and subsequently Peter didn’t know how to handle this either.

Secondly, Peter had an acute sense of failure following his three-time denial of Jesus. Jesus had befriended Peter in so many ways, and in return, when he was most needed, Peter denied even knowing Jesus (18:15-27). What sort of a person would deny knowing their friend (and their leader)?!? This set Peter up for feelings of both guilt and shame. Guilt – because he had done the wrong thing. Shame – because he had proven himself to be a deficient person (in his own mind). When that “cock” crowed, as Jesus said it would (13:38), Peter was shattered. Peter would have remembered how confident, even cocky, he had been, when he had previously said that, if necessary, he would lay down his life for Jesus (13:37).

Peter thus went back to the safety of what he knew best (head down, tail between his legs). Yet we also see that, despite his failure, this is not what Jesus had in mind for Peter. This could not be how things would be left!

(2)    The Large Catch of Fish (21:6,11)

When Peter and the others went out fishing, they had no success … not until Jesus came on the scene anyway.

We could look at this scene and say … no wonder things didn’t go well back fishing, when Peter (and the others) were doing other than what they were supposed to be doing. Of course Peter caught nothing – he wasn’t meant to be a fisher of fish anymore!

Another truth can be seen here: if these disciples were going to be successful in what they were called to do, they would have to rely wholly on the resurrected Jesus. Jesus was able to change a totally hopeless situation (no fish), into a situation of unprecedented success – more fish than the boat could handle! And this huge catch of fish occurred when it would seem to any sane fisherman to be impossible – after daybreak (21:4)!

This ‘huge catch’ symbolises the great success the disciples would have on mission if they just focussed on Jesus. Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, would provide the opportunities … they would be everywhere – there would be well and truly enough people around willing to hear and respond. These disciples would just have to be prepared to relate to enough people to find those ones who will respond!

(3)    The Recommissioning (21:15-17)

Jesus would have always forgiven Peter for his denials … this had been a tough situation – how many of us would have stood up to it?

And Peter was ready for this encounter, as we read that he jumped out of the boat and swam excitedly to the shore (21:7). You could imagine Jesus looking at Peter with a face full of understanding and compassion as he spoke to him. What Jesus had to engage Peter with however, was whether Peter could move beyond his feelings of disappointment and failure, accept this forgiveness, and move forward. This was a matter of whether Peter could be re-focussed!

Jesus would therefore take Peter through this threefold process which matched Peter’s three-time denial. In this way Peter could be liberated from each of his specific failures, dealing with them once-and-for-all. As Peter would express his love three times, this would cancel, as it were, the negative effects on his spirit that his denials had imprinted. You would notice that Peter became a little frustrated when asked, “Do you love me …” for the third time (21:17). Jesus would take Peter to the very edge of his “hurt” in this effort to rehabilitate him.

I used to think this was about making Peter take responsibility for his actions (and that may be part of the truth), but I think this is far more pastoral and forward-thinking than just that. This is the ultimate repair job! Now, instead of his previous denials defining who Peter was for the rest of his life, Peter would, through taking up the God-given opportunity of confessing afresh what was most important to him, have a clear pathway forwards. Peter would be able to go out into the general community, not with a heart filled with regret, despair and defeat, but rather peace, hope and purpose.

Peter might have found it hard to look Jesus in the eye because of his feelings of shame. But he found it within himself to be able to do it. This seems to have been made possible by the power and sincerity of the forgiving love being expressed to him. It was Jesus’ thorough and unrelenting love of Peter, that allowed for Peter to love Jesus once again. Despite how Peter had behaved on occasions, the Jesus who knew everything, knew that, deep in his heart, Peter did love Jesus more than anything else … more than his friends and more than fishing! This love just had to be accessed again!!

What a powerful experience for Peter to take forward into his future ministry … such a personal knowledge of the transforming effectiveness of God’s forgiveness. As Peter responds three times, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you”, with growing intensity, his leadership in the future Christian movement is restored. Peter’s re-stated love of Jesus, leads into his responsibility of caring for all those Jesus loved. Peter would express and apply this love relationship with Jesus by tending and feeding the sheep and the lambs.

What do you make of the “these” in “do you love me more than these”? “Do you love me more than you love these”? The other disciples? The tools of the trade of fishing – the boats and the nets?? We know how attractions to certain ‘others’ – people or things, can distract us from what God wants us to do. Our love for God should supersede anything else. OR … “Do you love me more than these others love me”? Ultimately I think this about not limiting our love (of Jesus) in any way, but rather allowing our love for Jesus to reach the heights of its potential! For example, we might look up to a certain person and just be pleased to emulate their perceived level of love or commitment, when in reality we could go even further and deeper than this.

(4)    The Challenge of Following Jesus (21:18-19)

How hard is it to say publicly that we love Jesus? How hard does a modern bloke find it to even contemplate saying that they love Jesus?? It takes humility and courage! But following Jesus starts with a response to God’s love by us confessing that we love Jesus. Coming to that position where we can state that we love Jesus can put us on the path to transformation. Loving and following Jesus is the path to peace, patience, compassion, kindness and being (freshly) teachable.

Peter was informed that following Jesus would take you places that you wouldn’t necessarily choose for yourself. A follower of Jesus is no longer a law unto themselves, but rather in a leader/follower relationship … wherever that might lead. And when it comes to Jesus’ call to “Follow me”, the sense of the Greek text is continuing action i.e. “Follow me and keep following me”! This all sounds onerous and costly, except for the fact that once you’ve discovered this path, any other path would be completely unfulfilling!

Local News - asylum seekers

There were impacting articles in two local papers last week about the great demand on UnitingCare Werribee Support & Housing and the shortages they are experiencing in food vouchers and emergency relief items, due largely to an influx of asylum seekers now stripped by the government of the right to work. Hundreds of asylum seekers have become our neighbours since last August, having been moved into transitional housing in the Tarneit area. However, without the right to work, these people are becoming destitute. If interested you can read the Wyndham Weekly article here www.wyndhamweekly.com.au/story/1404172/asylum-surge-stretches-services/?cs=1553. This all causes me to ponder upon the wider church’s and general community’s responsibilities in this area. Although there will be various views on this, those who wish to join the Right to Work campaign on behalf of these refugees can do so at www.righttowork.com.au.

Reflection on John 20:19-31

Everyone was shocked and surprised about Jesus’ resurrection. There was wide-ranging disbelief; however things changed as the women and the disciples came into contact with Jesus. They came to recognise that the one who was before them was indeed their friend and leader Jesus, and they rejoiced appropriately.

One who had thus far missed out was Thomas. Where had he been? Maybe disappointment had taken him back to the life he had before he met Jesus. Thomas had shown courage before, previously being willing to accompany Jesus back to Judea even if that meant his death (John 11). Thomas might get a bad rap as a “doubter”, however he really was no more disbelieving about the resurrection than all the others.

Thomas becomes interested in the breaking news, and hopeful enough to re-join the others. Thomas had heard about the evidence of the hands and the side, but wanted to see and touch for himself. Jesus knew his man and where he was at, and gave Thomas the opportunity he needed. Probably the best translation of Jesus’ statement to Thomas would be: “Stop becoming an unbeliever and believe”.

Thomas is actually most singled out in John’s Gospel, as the one who made the most outstanding faith-filled identification of Jesus – “My Lord and my God”. Jesus offered himself to Thomas in the way that Thomas had desired and needed, yet the offer was enough – there is no mention any longer of Thomas needing to actually touch the scarred hands and side. Thomas just says, “My Lord and my God”, a most powerful confession of Jesus’ identity … as Thomas sees God fully revealed in Jesus. This is not some pre-rehearsed creed that might have been said glibly; but rather a sincere and personal commitment [outstanding for a Jew brought up ardently monotheistic].

John’s Gospel from the very beginning sought to identify Jesus as God incarnate. God took up residence in the midst of human society in Jesus. The signs Jesus gave e.g. healing a blind man, feeding the five thousand and all the others, showed that Jesus was God. The Book of Hebrews took up this theme by stating that Jesus, because of his incarnation in this world, understood all of what it is to be human including the struggles and weaknesses – in a way demonstrating the extent to which God would go to form relationship with his created beings. Yet even death on a cross could not dent God’s initiative, and in fact provided a pathway for us to receive God’s mercy. Then Jesus would return from the grave to lead a people embracing a resurrected life – the old life gone, a new life begun.

How did Jesus appear to these disciples? We can see that Jesus was physically resurrected in a human form, as he was able to point out the wounds he had suffered during his crucifixion. These wounds would be an important point of recognition for the disciples. But we can also see here a body somewhat different and difficult to recognise – a body already prepared for ascension and eternity, as Jesus was able to enter a locked room without even needing to knock on the door. This would be another important indication of the presence of God.

The first disciples were fortunate to have this personal assurance of Jesus’ resurrection. Paul was fortunate to be confronted so vividly by the resurrected (and ascended) Jesus on the Damascus Road. Those who came to faith later on, like those John was writing his Gospel to, would have to do without such physical evidence of the resurrection. They would have to just open themselves to belief in their heart, on the basis of what they had seen and heard from later disciples, and also on the basis of what they read in the New Testament documents.

In fact this verse 29 is a deliberate encouragement to those who have joined the faith in the generations after Jesus – they have joined a good team! They can rely completely on the revelation of truth contained in this Gospel record!! The text reads in verse 31, “But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name”. [Jewish people would have also had the advantage of noticing the many references in the scriptures of the Hebrew Old Testament that they could now apply to Jesus.] We are part of this blessing, of those who have opened their hearts and minds to God on the basis of the witness of other Jesus-followers and the scriptures that speak of him. We join with Thomas and say to Jesus, in faith and adoration, “My Lord and my God”.

There are many though who seek hard evidence, and cannot sufficiently open their hearts and minds to the witness to God already available. Atheists are people who are not able, for whatever reason, to open their hearts to possibilities that their intellect is not ready for. Such a person is to be pitied, and to be loved, and to be prayed for!

Faith is only truly faith if it takes a leap beyond the provable to possess it. Hebrews 11 defines “faith” as “the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen”. Such faith was in evidence many times through the Old Testament. Certain famous people like Abraham and Moses believed that God was behind their calls to action, even though they hadn’t physically faced off. The beauty of faith is that it is a choice, rather than being pre-determined. God knows we respond to him purely voluntarily! Have we moved from ‘unbelief’ to ‘belief’?

Let us return to what Jesus brought to his disciples after his resurrection. When he came into this house, Jesus said, “Peace be with you”. After the disciples came to recognise that this was Jesus and they rejoiced, Jesus repeated “Peace be with you”, and then added, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you”. So the incarnation of Jesus is to be replicated by our being sent to the same world Jesus was. There was a little time for celebration, but Jesus quickly commissions the faith community to continue the work God sent him to do.

And the disciples would be so sent with everything they needed to be effective in this, exactly like Jesus was. And to put the icing on the cake, they would be breathed upon with the Holy Spirit, given various gifts, that when they joined together and were used cooperatively, they would create a sign of God’s presence. [John didn’t have the luxury of a second book like Luke did, so included the Holy Spirit here, at the end of his Gospel narrative, to show how resurrected life would carry on.]

So we also live with this blessing of peace over us. And this “peace” was mentioned earlier by Jesus in chapter 14 of John (verses 25-27). This particular passage later concludes at verse 31 with Jesus’ comment … Rise, let us be on our way.

This “peace” (and “Spirit”) that Jesus “leaves” us is at least twofold in significance. First, it allows us to not get all anxious and troubled about life, especially in terms of witnessing about Jesus (v.27). The “world” sows disaster, but Jesus sows “peace” that transcends trouble and worry. This “peace” means that we will not let fear get in the way of our faith! I mean, what can they do to us – nothing can separate us from the love of God, says Paul in Romans. Note the context of the peace gift, given in verse 19 – the disciples were quaking behind locked doors in fear.

Secondly, if we are attentive enough, we will receive all the teaching we need, especially in regards to the attitudes and actions of Jesus (v.26b). The “Holy Spirit” would serve to remind the first disciples of all they had been trained and guided to do. This peace will be enough for them (and for us) to ‘rise and be on our way’ i.e. on Jesus’ way! Would they, and would we, ‘rise up and be on our way’? People discovering forgiveness for their sins depends upon it!!

Real estate agents try to present the home they are selling in the best possible light to potential buyers. Such agents promote the house and show people right through it. Jesus’ disciples, as agents of God, must also seek to present the God of our salvation to the community around us in the most credible way. Real estate agents succeed when a contract is signed; we pray that the people who recognise God’s presence will sign a different sort of contract – one that commits them to the Jesus way of life.

Twitter

You can now follow my thoughts on different matters, mainly things missional and political, on twitter: @warrenhodge4

Easter Sunday message from Luke 24

Why do you look for the living among the dead? Good question! The women who came to Jesus’ tomb had no expectation of anything other than anointing Jesus’ dead body. Strange that the stone covering the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away, but this would actually be helpful to them. But they were completely perplexed when Jesus’ body was not there. One could imagine them frantically asking each other about what had happened, where was Jesus and who moved the body! These women had not understood, and neither had all the disciples, what Jesus had told them would happen after his death. They had to be confronted by angelic beings and reminded of Jesus’ words (v.7) before being propelled into action.

Had these women not been listening when Jesus was talking to them about this! Was it just too ‘out there’ to contemplate? Weren’t they able to connect Jesus’ healing miracles to the power of God! Could not the Creator of the whole universe recreate life at will! In their defence, it is very possible that the notion and reality of Jesus’ death, and the loss of their beloved friend, had completely clouded their vision of anything beyond. Also, it would not be easy to understand how God could possibly have allowed events to take this course.  We might see the visit of the angel as reassuring and encouraging, but how else might we interpret this angelic appearance?

Might we also sense some measure of rebuke! Also do we detect some level of urgency here in the angel’s appearance! Why do you look for the living among the dead? Jesus was alive … it was already time to celebrate and share this magnificent news with everyone!! No point hanging around in yesterday’s place of death, when there is new life to be lived in other places! All Jesus’ followers would soon form themselves around a new kingdom vision and be empowered by the Holy Spirit in sharing the Gospel. But I guess they could have alternatively run for the hills. The conclusion of Mark’s Gospel states that there was an ongoing state of fear among the disciples for some period following the resurrection. Adjusting to new and different outcomes than we expected, or are used to, can be rather daunting.

Why do you look for the living among the dead? Still a good question!! Don't we still tend to do this … not that we visit too many old tombs, but that we too often visit dead places from the past.  This - even though we have received a completely new nature through Christ Jesus! Old habits die hard! Old attitudes feel very comfortable!! Certain trends seem too tough to halt! We just can’t let certain bitterness go!! We can still so easily look for the answers to life's questions down dead paths. A lot of the world's wisdom and a lot of its cultural norms are derived from now dead places. Jesus actually changed everything on the cross, and now with his resurrection leads us to think and to act in totally new ways. This is the dynamic of forgiveness leading to eternal life.

The repentant criminal on the nearby cross to Jesus embraced the forgiveness that he heard being offered to even those who put Jesus on the cross, with the result that he experienced salvation and even today enjoys eternal life. This is the new and living replacing the old and dead. Do we still though think more about sustaining the old life than advancing the new? Are we fearful about where Jesus will lead us? Do we miss the most important while still clinging to the safe? Is this why we down deep still feel unsatisfied? I say this primarily to myself, because I still lack the joy and peace that I should reveal in being God's child and Jesus' friend. I should have a natural love for others and a deep concern for their well-being.

Do we live like we believe in the resurrection of Jesus? Does Jesus’ resurrection still fire us up?? Do we still feel the energy of Spirit-filled new life??? Do our lives reflect to others the reality of Jesus’ resurrection?? The apostle Paul was completely turned around when he met the resurrected Jesus on the Damascus road. He went from persecuting Jesus-followers to being the greatest ever missionary for the Gospel. Paul was then able to write to the Corinthians these words: So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!  ²¹For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:17,21). To “become the righteousness of God” is to take on God’s character attributes and to act as God would act. And we can tell what God is like by getting to know Jesus.

To act according to God’s character is often very different to the way the world acts … which is often found living a perpetual death. Paul himself moved from dwelling down the proverbial dead-end street to a fulfilling life on the Jesus road. Part of this – I would say central to this – is Paul’s emphasis on our role as those who help to connect others to God. This is brought out in the in-between verses of those we just considered: ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. ²⁰ So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:18-20).

An ambassador is one who represents a nation or a cause to the outside world. We are then God’s representatives. We can only truly be this though, through the work of Jesus on the cross, the power of Jesus’ resurrection, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit … all having their proper impact on our daily lives – through thick and thin. Once the penny dropped for the women at the tomb, and for the disciples as they made their discovery, and as soon as they drew together their faith and courage and dedicated everything they had to the cause, then the Jesus-following movement didn’t look back.