Embassies are sovereign territory of their home nation. They represent the interests and values of their king in a foreign land. And the ambassadors who inhabit an embassy participate in society, but find their citizenship elsewhere.
This is how the Bible describes Christians. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
This is incredible: the call to believe the gospel is made through us. You are ambassadors of God’s Kingdom and the way you live in this world is the embodiment of the gospel of reconciliation. Your citizenship is in God’s Kingdom (Eph. 2:19) and you are now a foreigner and exile in this world (1 Pet. 1:1, 17; 2:11). How you choose to live as a representative of God’s Kingdom matters because you are the living witness of the truth of the gospel.
So, let me propose a new way of thinking about your home and your family: What if you began viewing your home as an embassy of God’s Kingdom and your family as ambassadors whose lives represent their King? As a Christian, you can literally claim your home as sovereign territory of the Kingdom of Heaven. You can decide that this place will embody the values and priorities of King Jesus. You can view your home as a place of refuge and peace where the love of Christ is on display and people can see the gospel in living reality.
Here’s an example. Over the last year, my neighbor’s son has been coming over to our house to play with my kids. This young boy’s mother died one week after he was born. He lives alone with his dad and he doesn’t have many positive influences in his life. We made a conscious decision to invite him into our home often to play with our kids so that he can experience what the Kingdom of God is like. We want him to know what a loving, supportive, generous, safe, and peaceful household feels like. We want him to feel like he is stepping into a different world when he enters our home.
So, what about you? Is your home an embassy of God’s Kingdom? When you step back and consider what it feels like for someone to enter your house, do they get the impression that this place is different? Would they know that you serve a different King? Would they see the gospel on display?
Christmas is right around the corner. Many of us will be having family, friends, and neighbors over to our homes for holiday celebrations. What impression will they have of your home and your family? Maybe your goal for 2020 will be to make your home an embassy of God’s Kingdom.