So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards.  Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know Him now.  So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation.  The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!  All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation.  In other words, God was reconciling the world to Himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them.  He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.  So, we are ambassadors who represent Christ.  God is negotiating with you through us.  We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!”  God caused the One who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through Him we could become the righteousness of God.

Of all the wonderful gifts I have received from God two stand out to me.  First, being clothed in the righteousness of Christ.  I’ve been made right with God – not because I deserved it or somehow earned it, but – because Jesus declared me righteous when I believed.  At that moment, the Holy Spirit applied the suffering and death of Jesus to my account and my accounts were settled.  Second, the ministry.  Through my baptism, I have – like Jesus – been anointed for ministry.  In Paul’s words, I have been given the ministry of reconciling the world to its Creator.

In this way, God has provided for me.  He provided a propitiation, a covering so that God no longer looked upon me without seeing the righteousness of His Son, Jesus.  And He provided a purpose – I have a ministry.  Even before my call to minister through music or to lead youth and especially before my call to ordained ministry, I was called and appointed as an Ambassador of Christ in the world.  My life means something.  

O thanks be to God for His abundant provision!