God's Guerrillas

God’s guerrillas

You are on a mission for God!  Your aim?  Reconciliation of people; to each other and with God. It’s a dangerous calling, often putting you into the cross-fire.  It can be thankless and is best accomplished when you keep a low profile, gently moving others without attracting much attention to yourself.  Here’s how the Bible describes this mission: "We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21, The Message)  Jesus said that being a guerilla warrior who sabotages the Devil’s work of hate, death, and separation creates a reputation we desire. "God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!" (Matthew 5:9, CEV

The message of Christ was first adopted by Jews who accepted Jesus as their Messiah, but within a few years, first Peter, and then Paul, were directed by the Holy Spirit to take the Good News of Jesus to Gentiles, too.  Many Jewish Believers resisted that. They thought that as God’s chosen people, Christ belonged exclusively to them. If a person wanted to be a Christian, they insisted that he first become a Jew – keeping their religious laws (Sabbath rules, kosher dietary laws, and the rite of circumcision).   But Paul, inspired by the Spirit, said that Jesus had a new plan - a plan to include those who were once excluded.  Paul took up the mission of reconciliation! "Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away (Gentiles) have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, (Jew and Gentile) thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Ephesians 2:13-18, NIV)  Plainly stated, bcause God reached out to us and brought us 'in,' we reach out to others and bring them 'in.'   

Christians ought to be the most inclusive people in the world, inviting everyone into the same relationship with Christ and celebrating that we  " are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians—you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28, NLT) Do you see people who are estranged from God or others? Invite them in, extending a welcome, going the distance to bridge the gap. As you create trust and discover common ground, you will also create opportunities to share the love of Christ.

As a Christian, are you consciously focusing on the Cross and the Spirit that bind you to others who are in the family of God, or ... are you falling into the natural (and sinful!) pattern of playing up the differences, creating division and disunity in the world, or in the Church?  Be a peace-maker!  Build up the Body.  Create unity- for God's sake. And others will say, "I knew he was a real child of God!"