Wist ye not?

Wist ye not?

Evangelism Series

Friendship Baptist Church

Sunday October 15, 2023

Luke 2:49

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

PRAY

Message:

“Wist or know ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” That is the question Jesus presented to Joseph and Mary when He was found in the temple.

Q:What is His Fathers business?

A: John 3:17 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

God the father sent Jesus so that the world through him might be saved and how does the world get saved?

By us going out into the world, our neighborhoods, our jobs, and our areas doing what Jesus instructed His disciples in Mark:

Mark 16:15 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Jesus sent His disciples out to preach and tech the name of Jesus to all. That was their charge going forward until the Lord took them home. They continued in that work, and we read about some of their encounters in the New Testament.

You and I are reminded of that same charge found in 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 5:20 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray youin Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Paul simply tells the church at Corinth this straight forward statement “Now then we ARE ambassadors for Christ”.

Ambassador- A representative of a king or government. The Christian stands with the very authority of Jesus Christ Himself when he proclaims the Gospel. As we see in Matthew 28:16-20.

The truth is church if you are saved here this morning you and I are personal representatives for our Heavenly King.

Let that sink in for a moment.

What does that make you think about?

Our speech?

Our actions?

How we treat our neighbors?

What are we doing?

Ect…

Dear friends, we are not an ambassador by this world’s definition, but we are ambassadors as Paul states in the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians 6:20

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

We are in tough times, and being an ambassador today is a difficult appointment. But my dear brothers and sisters in Christ this world our families and our neighbors need us to be ambassadors who are up for their Heavenly appointment.

As we open the Word of God this morning, we will look at three different ambassadors and how they took their responsibilities as an ambassador evangelizing to those set before them.

1. Noah

Genesis 6:6–7

6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

What do we know of Noah?

We know that he was the sole light in a very dark time of the world.

Noah was a lone ambassador, in a land that was so bad that as we have read here this morning grieved the heart of God that he had made man.

But this is the example set forth by the ambassador Noah,

Genesis 6:8-9

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

A. Just Man

- Just or Righteous. One thing we see here about Noah was that he was righteous, meaning that he wholeheartedly loved and obeyed God.

I find it interesting as I study week in and week out how God’s word gives me example after example of men who achieve “perfectness” as Noah is described in verse 9, “and perfect in his generation” but I make the excuse that such things can not be done. I believe it is that type of thinking which prevents God’s people today from being the Noah’s of our generations.

B. Noah walked with God

- Isn’t it amazing that Noah lived through and in a time that was so terrible that it repentethed God, and yet though all the temptations, trials, and flesh, Noah still waled with God and as stated earlier was just and perfect.

Church we are in desperate times and over the last week we have seen those time get even more desperate. But can we be described as Noah was just and perfec?

How does one accomplish such a feet?

We are told in the book of Colossians:

Colossians 3:23–24

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

This is not a simple task but neither was it for Noah but that is exactly what he did.

Some may say that Noah was not a good ambassador, nor a good example of one that evangelized to those around him.

I would beg to differ.

I am not sure at which point in history numbers became the measuring stick of evangelical success.

But I read in my bible in Luke that there is “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luke 15:10”

We need to remember that this is what it is like for Noah:

Genesis 6:11–12

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

and it was his family who heard and seen the evangelistic message and followed his example as we see in Genesis 7:1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Oh, friends we must take the opportunities given to us. The only ones that would listen to the message or see the example Noha had was his home.

Are we even reaching our homes today?

2. Jonah

Jonah 1:1–2

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

What do we know about Jonah?

Jonah 1:3

3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

A. We know that Jonah had no desire to be an ambassador to the land God commanded him to go as we just read.

B. We also know that Jonah had no desire to evangelize to the Ninevites

Jonah 3:10–4:3

10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.

It is amazing to me that despite me God can still be honored and glorified through HISmessage.

Why didn’t Jonah want to go and evangelize? He felt that the people were so bad that they deserved the destruction God was going to pour down on them.

We too can become short sighted by our feelings and stands that we lose sight of who we are ambassadors for. Paul did not say to the church of Corinth we are ambassadors for the church of Corinth, or we are ambassadors for our-selves, but he said that we are ambassadors for Christ.

Unfortunately, Jonah never got that message and that is all we hear of him. We never read where Jonah sees the big picture and comes to God with a submissive heart. What we see is a man that refuses to submit to God and takes the attitude of “I shall not be moved”.

All we see here is that God can even use us to complete His plan even though we do not do it with the right heart or spirit.

Some may ask why would I use Jonah as an example of an ambassador for God that evangelizes.

There are many that are sitting in churches across this Great County that have the same attitude and heart as Jonah, but God’s message is greater than our loss of vision and urgency to spread the Gospel of Christ.

3. You and I

Luke 2:49

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

This statement Jesus makes to Mary and Joseph has been in my heart and mind all week. “Wist ye not that I MUST be about my Fathers business”. Jesus is saying he MUST be about.

Church this morning us being ambassadors for Christ and evangelizing to those around us is not a preference or a choice Jesus tells us the He MUST be about His Fathers business.

Paul tells us in that for him to be an ambassador and to evangelize he is crucified with Christ:

Galatians 2:20

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Not only should we be crucified with Christ that he may live and not our flesh but when we see Jesus giving the sermon on the mount He clearly states that we are the salt of the earth and that we are to let our light shine before men, and point those around us to the glory of God.

Matthew 5:13–16

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Closing:

My questions in closing

1. Do you know Jesus as you Lord and Savoir?

a. That you may have the privilege to be an ambassador for Christ?

2. How is your ambassadorship?

a. Are you today in communication daily with your King? Are you representing Him according to His standards and ways?

3. Is your light shining?

a. Have you lost your savour? Is your candle hid or are you presenting it so that all can see the light?