Ambassadors
Notes
Transcript
Reading:
19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Introduction:
We all have heard the word ambassador many different times throughout our lives; but what is it?
“A minister of the highest rank employed by one prince or state, at the court of another, to manage the public concerns of his own prince or state, and representing the power and dignity of his sovereign.” - Noah Webster
That’s a fancy way to say “representative with authority”.
To be an ambassador of the United States there are 7 different criteria to become one.
College degree in politics/foreign language.
An undergrad fellowship with the council on American Ambassadors.
A post graduate fellowship or degree in international relations.
Continue to develop linguistic skills, learn as many languages as you can.
Climb the corporate ladder.
Be active in a political party and donate a lot of money.
What are some of the things they do?
Ambassadors advise their sending governments about their local area, and also their local area about their government. (A Liaison)
Essentially an Ambassador is:
A voice
A face
An attitude
A personification of their area which has the authority to speak on behalf of.
Have we ever seen an ambassador?
Often the way we think of a certain area is because of it’s ambassadors.
The southerner
The northerner
A Democrat
A Republican
Maybe someone from:
California
Maine
Florida
Wisconsin
We could go through all different states or even countries with what we believe about it because of it’s ambassadors.
What happens if the ambassador is not accurately representing their area?
We get a stereotype that maybe isn’t true.
Then our belief is wrong about a group.
It is important for an ambassador to accurately portray their area.
An Ambassador has an high calling to uphold.
As an ambassador for Christ how are we to live up to this job?
How are we supposed to do this job?
Glad you asked so we can find the biblical answer for that.
Part of the job description can be found in 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
We have to evaluate! (14-16)
We have to evaluate! (14-16)
Are we qualified to evaluate someone else?
No, because we are in danger of being Hippocrates.
When evaluating the only way to look at something obstructively is to have a firm grip on truth.
We cannot be controlled by our fleshly desires and worldly understanding.
What should be leading us?
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
The first part of that verse reveals to us what needs to guide our choices.
The Love of Christ!
Dig in and find out more about Christ’s love.
What can we know about it can all be observed in scripture.
We can see that it is sacrificial.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Ephesians is another spot we see how Christ loved:
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
Sacrifice is a giving of preference to another over self.
We are to follow sacrificing of ourselves in preference to others.
A sacrifice could be that we don’t have to be right.
Instead protect the relationship you have so you can still have a voice.
Another aspect to Christ’s love we read is that it isn’t conditional.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
He didn’t require that we make it right between us and Him before He gave us grace and mercy.
He gave it anyway!
Because His love is sacrificial and preferential to the other person.
He showed His love.
9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God’s love is what verse 14 is asking us to be controlled by as His ambassador.
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;
We are bound to love as Christ did.
Sacrificially
UN-Conditionally
And to show it
The love guides helps us focus on others instead of our self; we have new purpose.
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.
Our life isn’t for our own.
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
God’s leads us by His love and His love; which is exactly what we need to reciprocate it to everyone else.
Reach those around us with the gospel.
By representing Him to them.
There is something that we may find difficult in this process.
It is easier to care for someone’s soul when they are strangers.
When we know a person, often times we see their faults before we see their dead soul that Christ died for.
Christ knew this would be a hurdle for us.
He provided scripture to help us avoid that hurdle.
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.
We are to see people from God’s point of view.
Illustration:
If we see a child crying and walking around the playground looking intently at each person.
Would any of you ignore ignore it and walk away?
Probably not, why?
Because of a need that a little person has which sparks something inside of us: Empathy.
Would any background about that child make any difference to whether or not you would help them?
Probably not, Why?
Because they are an innocent child and they don’t know any better.
Verse 16 is reminding us this truth about those who don’t know Christ.
We cannot regard them according to their flesh any longer.
Meaning: that their sins we know of haven’t disqualified their possibility of redemption.
We must see them as a soul who is dead and cannot respond to spiritual things.
This is called “spiritually compromised”.
So they do wrong things because they don’t know how to do right things.
They are children who need love, wisdom and teaching.
Transition:
We are asked by our leader to evaluate each soul that we come into contact with.
Whether or not they are dead or alive.
Our Lord directs us by expecting us to spread His love to each soul, A love that is sacrificial, unconditional, and reveals itself through actions.
Ambassadors for Christ are to express His saving love that is wandering the playground looking to be saved.
As an ambassador we are tasked with a specific job.
Reconcile The Souls back to God. (17-19)
Reconcile The Souls back to God. (17-19)
To be able to do the job.
God changed and re-made us at salvation.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Every ambassador must be re-made.
Being re-born gives us a new point of view to see the world from.
A re-birth provides the testimony that being born again is possible for anyone.
Being re-born allows each individual an foundation of hope.
Because there will be times no matter how long you have been a believer that you will question who Jesus is and if you are really saved.
Don’t be discouraged by that thought, even John questioned if Jesus was actually who He said He was.
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples
3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
Connection:
When we find ourselves in those moments:
Cling to your faith.
Remember that moment when your eyes were opened and you accepted His gift of grace.
We need that mental assurance sometimes.
Being re-made gives us this new perspective of the world.
We can see how desperately others need the truth to set them free.
Illustration:
It’s like a little kid who went with mom to the store to buy a gift for dad’s birthday.
The kid was so excited about what he and mom picked out, he didn’t want to wait for dad to know what it was.
That kid had truth that the dad didn’t know and his excitement for dad to enjoy it was overwhelming.
That is what having the gospel is like when you see those who don’t.
God gives us a desire for their souls to know the truth that we know, thus the ministry that every believer is called into.
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.
Because of Jesus we:
Know what reconciliation is.
Reconciliation is:
“The act of reconciling parties at variance; renewal of friendship after disagreement or enmity.” - Noah Webster
We are an example of God’s reconciliation.
Which now burdens us with the task of telling the truth to people about their present spiritual position.
After we evaluate their spiritual position we can see if we are enjoying fellowship or extending the gift of grace that was shared with us!
People can find a lot of excuses to not extend that gift, even when they are 100% positive the other person needs it.
Do you know what one of the biggest reasons are for why people don’t share the gospel with others.
Fear!
Fear of not presenting it correctly.
Fear of how it would change relationships.
Fear of being put into a “religious” category.
Satan wants you to be crippled by fear.
He doesn’t want you to be bold in your faith.
How do we fight those fears?
Keep your focus on the correct target: The soul standing in front of you is going to take their punishment onto themselves when they die.
There will be no chances to be reconciled after death, right now; You are their only chance.
Focus on the truth that God placed you in their life on purpose!
If they died before you give them the truth of the gospel would you feel bad knowing you had opportunities but didn’t take them?
They need to hear the gospel from you because you know it and love them enough to tell them.
Transition:
Reconciliation of a soul back to it’s creator is amazing.
Because everything is new and exciting.
The joy that comes because of the relationship they have with their father is beautiful.
Each and every believer is that representation to the world on behalf of Jesus.
We are Jesus’
Ambassadors. (20-21)
Ambassadors. (20-21)
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Every ambassador will have an itinerary to stick to.
Not much different with a believer.
First thing is that we ourselves have a faith in Christ.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
God saved you, You didn’t do anything to merit His favor.
He extended Grace
You accepted by faith
Our only role is that we believe what He claims.
An ambassador must have faith in Christ themselves.
An ambassador must understand their job.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Have a firm grasp of who your reaching, so you can meet them where they are with what they don’t know they are missing.
Follow Christ’s example of life and desire the lost.
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Fishermen know how to catch what they are fishing for.
It wasn’t something they could do right away.
It cam through much study of the fish and also trial and error of different baits.
Know the correct things to say to the different types of people.
If someone is combative and argumentative, simply listen and pray as you listen.
Your not going to be the one that penetrates that shell; God must do that.
Something that I’ve found helps also with people like this: Ask questions.
How have you come to believe this?
What have you read or who have you listened to about this? (don’t be smug be generally curious)
Engage their brain instead of allowing their emotions to run the show.
Ambassadors always have an agenda in each encounter.
We have to present Christ’s authority.
How are we supposed to present that?
Tell them with the most powerful thing you have to reveal the truth:
Your salvation testimony.
By doing this you are placing the authority on Jesus instead of on you.
A testimony is something more powerful than you may ever realize.
There are a few different types of testimonies that we can share from our lives.
The one is obviously our salvation testimony.
Another is moments where we can clearly and distinctly show how God was in control of a situation and scenario.
Then there are personal testimonies on how God has revealed Himself or worked amazing things in our lives.
Those we talk to hopefully don’t get the impression that we consider ourselves better than them.
We are told in verse 21 that people may see a reflection of that on our lives.
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.
We have not arrived; but in our testimonies we are revealing God’s righteousness or perfection.
We aren’t fixing ourselves, God fixes us through the Holy Spirit revealing to us the flaws in our lives.
Then each time we choose to allow God to fix those areas people see someone who is being changed and made whole.
Transition:
An ambassador has no authority of their own it is only the emulated or reflected authority of their Lord.
Conclusion:
As ambassadors we are to evaluate the souls around us.
Whether or not the person is a brother in Christ or an Soul in need of salvation.
We must remember that we represent the one who brought salvation to all mankind.
Our job is to reconcile souls back into a relationship with their creator.
The job is a high calling.
You represent Jesus to all of His enemies!
all the while working out your own salvation as well.
Don’t allow fear to stop you, God has equipped you perfectly and has given you other helps for the task.
Represent Him boldly and faithfully.
- Pray.