We are Ambassadors!

Introduction

(next steps event right after service

baptism march 26. Sign up)

Have you ever been send with a message by someone for someone?

Work tells you that you need to get on a plane and talk a to a client face to face and deliver an important message.

Teacher calls you to the front, asks to to bring a note to the principal. It’s very important.

Parent asks you to go tell your sibling they it’s time to clean their room.

We all have something like that.

Did you know that as believers, Jesus has sent us with a message like that?!?

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.

Ambassador - Someone with lesser authority who speaks on behalf of someone with greater authority.

Going into the siblings room, Hey, clean your room. confident not because they said but because mom and dad said!

When world issues arise, the Unites States will often send an ambassador to represent the United States and the President. They don’t go to do and say just whatever they want, they speak on behalf of the authority of the country and the President.

They don’t just go in their own name and power, they walk in in the power and authority of someone greater than themselves.

That is our calling!!

God has left us as his followers here on the earth to be his AMBASSADORS for him to the world around us.

We have lesser authority, it’s not about my strength and who I am, but the one whom I represent!!

sent to represent

We are the sent ones to represent!!

As though God were making his appeal… through US!

For the extroverts in the room, that thought is exciting!!! Lez go.

But for the less-troverted ones, for honestly most of us, the though of us speaking on God’s behalf to the world can freak us out a little right!

Id love to speak for God, but what if they ask come theological question...

What about dinosaurs, or start a debate, what if they get offended

You don’t have to know everything to be an ambassador!

The secretary of commerce doesn’t need to know know literally everything about the government.

As a kid, you don’t have to know why the parents want them to clean the room, or whats in the note the teaching is sending you with.

You just have to bring the message they told you!

We have to realize I AM THE ONE GOD IS SENDING.

Sharing our faith doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming, it can be done in a natural way.

3 Ways for us to be Ambassadors for Christ

It is as simple as:

1. Sharing your Life

When we study the new testament, it’s very clear that “Preaching the Gospel” isn’t about bullhorns, “Preaching” at them, or coming out on top of some Theological debate.

IT’S ABOUT SHARING OUR LIVES

1 Thessalonians 2:8

so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Your life is a witness. It’s the person you are and others see it!

But our lives have to be different enough from the world that people notice.

It’s not about being weird...

I’m talking about being Christ like in the way we live.

IN how we act, in the things we say, how we treat others, in or attitudes and approach to life at work .

It the jokes we laugh at and everything we do is like non-christians, people won’t notice a difference!

It’s not about perfection, we are not perfect, but we are in progress, aimed to become more like Christ

Matthew 5:13

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

We are called to be salt to the world around us. to flavor the world with he taste of Jesus!!!

If you lose your saltiness, then the testimony of Jesus gets thrown out and trampled.

If we don’t live like it, others see it and say well Jesus must not do too much.

They do all of the same things as me, talk like me… what could Jesus offer, what’s different.

Isn’t it funny after someone has a newborn baby, when we first see it we typically say something like “wow, they look just like...”

Our lives are supposed to look like him!!!

We are Christ’s ambassadors to the world, when our lives point to Jesus while we live in it!

Where does your life point?!?

2. Sharing Your Story

You may have heard the word Evangelism, it’s just a big bible word for sharing the gospel, good news of Jesus, message.

The greatest tool we have to share, is our story.

We’ve been too quiet

isn’t it natural that if we see or do something impacting or interesting we talk about it

It’s not about theological debates or knowing all the things.

It’s not about standing up in the middle of the conference room to preach.

It’s our personal story about what jesus has done for us!

Our lives have been changed by Jesus, it’s not about convincing someone about a religion it’s about introducing someone to a relationship!!

Look what he’s done for me.

John 9, Story of a Blind man. (explain)

(disciples want to get theological, who sinner, him or his parents that he is blind…, this happened so the glory of God can be seen, jesus spits on the mud, clears it away, the man can see!!! Everyone one is asking all about what happened. are you the guy who has been blind, didn’t you know today is sabbath and you aren’t supposed to heal on sabbath, get your parents, we want proof you were blind, yes its him!)

The religious people are quizzing him all about Jesus, here is his response to them:

John 9:25

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

He couldn’t debate to the religious, all he knew was his story!!

Each one of us have a story like this if we have been saved, I ONCE WAS ________, BUT NOW I’M FREE!!

I once was caught in addiction, but God set me free.

I once was controlled by anger, but God set me free.

I once felt along like an orphan, but God game be a family

What is your I once was BUT story?!?

SHARE YOUR STORY!

You don’t have to defend every Christian that gave Christ a bad name, I’m so sorry that happened.

But what I do know is what Jesus has done for me, and if he can do it for me he can do it for you.

Share you story!!

Look for opportunities in your world to unashamedly tell what jesus has done for you.

We are Christ’s Ambassadors when we share our personal story.

3. Share an Invitation

Back to the story of the blind guy.

They just keep pestering him about it.

John 9:27

He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

Maybe a little sarcasm, but I love this, Do you want to follow him too??

An invite for them to follow too.

Jesus strategy wasn’t just to assemble this A team of the best of the best.

it was a rag tag crew of fisherman, tax collectors and outcasts.

Here was Jesus simple strategy, COME FOLLOW ME.

No quiz or test, no hurdle, no classes, just come and follow

And invite to come.

Because I’m just convinces that if you get around Jesus, your life will be changes.

Most of us are here today simply because the power of an invite.

This was my story, I’ve told it before, but I was a teenager and someone from the neighborhood just invited me.

The course of my life is different.

You don’t to have all of the answers to leverage the power of a simple invite.

you don’t have to have yoru life all together to offer an invitation.

What if someone is one invitation away.

OPPORTUNITY

Next week I am beginning a brand new series called What’s the Point, based off a book called Donkey Mission.

It was written by Matt Keller. A pastor who is near to mine and Christys heart.

It’s a story about Saul, in the 1 Samuel where he was sent by his father to go and find some donkeys in what seemed like a pointless mission.

He was sent out to find Donkeys but actually came home anointed as the first king of Israel.

Concept is that our seemingly pointless missions point and lead us to our greater mission in life.

it’s a message we all need.

You have an opportunity to invite someone to be here starting next week to hear a needed message.

All of you have a paper with cards in your seat.

Here’s your opportunity. Write down 3 names of people that you can begin to pray for and invite. Give them the card.

Let’s see what Jesus will do in their story!

We are Christ’s Ambassadors, he is making his appeal to the world, through us!

What could God do if we started Sharing our lives, sharing our stories and sharing an invite?

I believe were about to hear a whole lot more stories, of family members, co-workers, and people in your circle.

What could God do??

PRAY

Pray for some who need their lives to look more like Jesus, we repent.

Help us to live differently.

For a spirit of evangelism.

Pray for those who need a story change.