Beloved Ambassadors

Gospel Priorities Series

2 Corinthians 5:11–21 ESV

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The grass withers and the flower fades; but the Word of our God lasts forever!!

I am certainly appreciative of our commitment of starting the year with Gospel priorities. This morning our brother Vermon Pierre challenged us to see how we are Beloved to one another.

Tonight, I want to look at this from our position as Beloved Ambassadors.

Opening Illustration (remember the titans)

maybe

Controlled by Love 11-15

Clear Vision 16-17

isn’t that what we want? we need clear vision.

Before Paul was captivated by the Cross of Jesus, he saw him from a worldly sense. He was not convinced Jesus was the messiah. Paul did not believe the death and resurrection of Jesus was significant. Paul was not overcome with awe and amazement. It wasn’t until God closed the eyes of Paul and then opened them on Damascus road; that Paul realized who Christ truly was. He had philosophical knowledge of God, now he was able of experience the power of the savior of the universe. This Damascus road encounter transformed Paul to see Christ differently; he saw him no longer in the flesh. No longer did he see a Christ reduced to his standard. He did make Christ conform to a comfortable ideology; no, he saw The Christ high and lifted up seated at the right hand of the Father.

so much so that he counted all of his accomplishments, all of his accolades, all of his family traditions as rubbish compare to knowing Christ.

Philippians 3:7–12 “7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

Paul has new sight!

I have this experience every time i see my Optometrist.

I have love hate relationship with my Optometrist. I go for the yearly examination hoping my vision is getting better and keep the same glasses from the year before. Every year there is a slight change, allowing me to see clearer than the year before.

its a tough road to get there.

Cover your eye. .

which one is better 1 or 2?

2

ok. . now 3 or 4?

4

ok now a b or c

we go through test after test to get my sight just right.

Similarly, God has given us the the vision test. We have been embraced by God’s love; now we are controlled by Love. Since we are controlled by His love, we now have new vision.

we no longer regard anyone in the flesh. we don’t see them as we once did; before being under the control of God’s love.

I realize this is strange; but its true. One of the ways we display our commitment to God is how we view other people.

Our conversation, evaluations, judgements are different . . should be different.

In someway, we must begin to see people the way God sees them. And be moved with compassion to draw near to them, their situation…… and Act.

How can we look at those around us and see the best in them; when everything and everyone around only sees the worst?

Never forget, Christ died for us at our worst! He died seeing the possibilities in all who would believe In him for salvation.

Can we make it a priority to see with Godly lenses?

Tonight, I believe we can have better deeper relationships- stronger community with others if we see people no longer according to the flesh.

The husband and wife who knew how to fake it. They had it all together publicly but the house was in disarray.

Let’s see the best in others, so they can be

Committed to Reconciliation 18-21

John M. Perkins My argument is that friendship is the way across and through the lines that have separated us for so long. Friendship is discipleship in action. God calls us into a deep friendship with Himself and with all His children that is in sharp contrast to how we talk about “friends” today. He Calls Me Friend: The Healing Power of Friendship in a Lonely World, Moody, 2019.

Brenda Salter McNeil Reconciliation is an ongoing spiritual process involving forgiveness, repentance and justice that restores broken relationships and systems to reflect God’s original intention for all creation to flourish. Taken from Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0: Moving Communities into Unity, Wholeness and Justice by Brenda Salter McNeil (c) 2020 by Brenda Salter McNeil. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com