More Than a Messenger

Moments after the championship game ends—before the celebration begins to die down or the trophy is awarded; a message comes on the screen telling you how you can own your own championship shirt or hat. The next morning—sometimes even that very evening—people line up to purchase commemorative merchandise proclaiming, “We’re #1!” They may not own anything else that indicates their affection for the winning team, or they may have a closet full of clothes in their team’s colors. Nevertheless, they want show other people they are part of the victory.

The Olympic Games will open in London in less than three weeks. You may have already seen people wearing shirts, hats or jerseys announcing their support for Team USA. The sale of officially licensed merchandise is one of the ways the U.S. Olympic Team helps cover the cost of sending athletes to the games. You have to admit that it stirs your heart when you see crowds of folks dressed in red, white and blue cheering for the men and women who are representing our country.

People make the choice to show their support for teams at every level. You’ll see parents and grandparents at the Little League field wearing shirts and hats that match those of the kids playing on the field. It is not hard to tell who is pulling for which team as you walk from the parking lot into the stadium at most high school football games.

Even if your alma mater has never played for a national championship, let me remind you that every person who accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is already part of a winning team. God is currently at work in your life through the power of the Holy Spirit. God is committed to transforming you so that when people look at you they will see a representative of Jesus Christ.

While that is great good news, it is also pretty intimidating. Most of the time I feel woefully inadequate to represent the Savior of the world; and yet, that is precisely the task that Jesus has assigned to the community of believers. When I recall that Jesus prayed for all who believe in him because of the message of other believers, it reminds me that the world will be convinced not by one person’s eloquence; but by the love that marks the life of this peculiar community.

So as Paul reminds the Colossians, let me encourage you: “Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him” (3:10); then our community will truly be acceptable ambassadors of Jesus Christ.