ONE: A New Generation of Unity Sample

# One Mission ### By Josh Lane from First Priority of South Florida Did you know that you were made on purpose and for a purpose? God made you! Let that sink in for a moment. Now, the beauty of being a Christ-follower is that you know that you are one-of-a-kind. Yet, at the same time, you become a part of the body of Christ. It’s just like being in one big family! Paul made this point in 1 Corinthians 12:27 when he wrote, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” This amazing privilege of being a part of the body of Christ comes with a responsibility. Our responsibility as Christ-followers is to unite together to accomplish the mission that God has given us. Have you ever seen a good spy or secret agent movie? In these movies or shows, there is one agent or spy that the organization can always count on to get the job done. This person has a huge responsibility, but they are prepared and equipped to complete the mission. It is the same way for Christ-followers. God’s plan for the world is us . In 2 Corinthians 5:20, we’re told, “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” What does that mean? What’s an ambassador? The dictionary defines ambassador as “an official representative.” But you probably knew that. For most of us, when we hear the word ambassador , we think of the government, of the United Nations, of an embassy. We think of people from all these different countries and parts of the world coming together to represent their country, to make sure that their leader and their people are being represented the right way. Being an ambassador is a huge responsibility. There is a ton of expectation that comes along with it. But there’s also a huge demonstration of trust and belief in it, too. Imagine if the president of the United States said to you, “I’m going to send you to this meeting where every country in the world is going to be there, and you need to show them why our country is great, you need to be this example of hope, freedom, and opportunity, this example of truth and justice.” It’s a huge responsibility, right? But the very fact that he’s asking you shows that he trusts you, out of everyone in the country, to be able and equipped to do the job. He believes in you that you can represent him and our country the best way possible. This is the role and responsibility God has given to each of us. Being Christ’s ambassador means we are official representatives of heaven and her King, the Lord God. Did you catch that? God’s plan to reach the world today is through His people--you and me! Our responsibility is to live on mission . The best part is that we do not need to earn God’s love by living on mission. We get to respond to the love that God has shown us by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die for us. So, we get to pass along the message that has changed our life. And that’s the other thing about being an ambassador . . . In addition to being an official representative, an ambassador is also defined as “a person who can deal with people in a sensitive and effective way.” The greatest part of your story is that Jesus changed your life. Now, your mission is to share the story of Jesus with your friends, family, classmates, neighbors, and co-workers in the most compassionate, effective, Christ-like way possible, “ as though God were making his appeal through us. ” God’s people become one by the power of Jesus. Now, let the words of Jesus unite us to live for one mission and represent Him before the world.