Christ Ambassadors

INTRODUCTION:

There is a subtle but significant change that takes place in the life of a believer when he or she comes to Christ. It is a change of heart. With that change of heart comes a change in purpose.....

There are ways to categorize it. Some would call it a change of attitude, others a change of life. Theologians refer to the change in the will. It’s the result of what happens when you let go of your life and your agendas and your plans and you put your trust in Christ.

For some believers, it’s an instant change. For others, it takes a lifetime.

It’s biblical. Throughout the New Testament we read of believers, Jew and Gentile who encountered the love of God and it changed everything. Paul’s own testimony is one of dramatic change. He describes it this way in 1 Corinthians.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am

It’s also historic. For 2000 years, thousands of recorded testimonies of believers tell about the encounter with Christ changing their mind, heart, will and attitude.

I got to chapel late on Friday. I teach a class before chapel and after class, the student came up and said: I’m the one that sent you the email…(dramatically)…all your power points are “blackboard” and I’ve already looked through all of them.

Augustine was a vile hedonist who discovered the love of God

Luther cried out to God out of fear

C.S. Lewis responded to the love of God.

Early in life, and late in life. Believers know there is a switch. There is a decision. There is a moment….or many moments…..of turning everything to God.

In our tradition, we hear the phrase: “dont’ just make Jesus savior, but make Him Lord”.....

Even Billy Graham uses the term in his autobiography… “conversion to God” in which he describes an entry into Christianity where he accepted Christ when he received some instructions from an altar worker at a revival:

He prayed for me and guided me to pray. I had heard the message, and I had felt the inner compulsion to go forward. Now came the moment to commit myself to Christ. Intellectually, I accepted Christ to the extent that I acknowledged what I knew about Him to be true. That was mental assent. Emotionally, I felt that I wanted to love Him in return for His loving me. But the final issue was whether I would turn myself over to His rule in my life.

There is a close connection between WHO WE ARE as Christians, and WHAT WE DO.

The apostle Peter said:

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

In the passage we are looking at today, the apostle Paul uses the term Christ Ambassador. Now I know when I say it, some of you have started singing the tune...

I want to know more than that. I want to know what you know….(as flattered as I was by that statement, I was thinking to myself: (I have to take those power points down)…

Tell me how to get at all that information. I then took the time to tell him how to wrap his mind around the OT, (the answer involved making space in your mind for it the rest of your life)….I wondered….isn’t that how the world thinks of us?

I watched that TV program….I’ve read the end of the Bible….weird….

I know some Christians…..so what?

Today in the Middle east we discover that there is a cost to being a Christian.

Why are you a Christian? Don’t get me wrong…. I’m glad you are…but why are you?

Christians are Christians for many reasons.

Some are because of their heritage. They’ve grown up that way. Thank God for a godly heritage…..Paul said to Timothy:

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

Some for opportunity/networking. Jesus is good business….Some for pragmatic reasons. (they don’t want to go to hell). Some people are Christians because Jesus has done something great circumstantially As our grandparents know….the cool thing is when you do belong to Jesus forgiveness and miracles become a part of your life…..for all of your life.

The apostle Peter said:

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

When Paul was writing to the Corinthians, he began to reflect on these important questions. Locate …

Christ Ambassadors Are Encouraged with the Hope of Heaven

In this passage, we see Paul use the phrase “we know” several times.

“1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ()

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage.

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, (2nd time) and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Paul told Timothy

English Standard Version Chapter 3

5 he saved us, enot because of works done by us in righteousness, BUT FACCORDING TO HIS OWN MERCY, by gthe washing of regeneration and hrenewal of the Holy Spirit,

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Christ Ambassadors are Motivated by God to Persuade Others

2 Corinthians 5:11-16

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.

One of the Early Church fathers, Basil said:

THE MARK OF THE CHRISTIAN. BASIL: What is the mark of those who eat the bread and drink the cup of Christ? That they keep in perpetual remembrance him who died for us and rose again. What is the mark of those who keep such remembrance? That they live not for themselves but for him who died for them and rose again. What is the mark of a Christian? That his justice abound in all things more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, according to the rule of the doctrine which has been handed down in the Lord’s gospel. What is the mark of the Christian? That they love one another as Christ has loved us. What is the mark of the Christian? To set the Lord always in his sight. What is the mark of the Christian? To watch daily and hourly and stand prepared in that state of perfection which is pleasing to God...

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.

The apostle shows how he had to make a decision. Could he still hate Christians? yes. Could he have letters to arrest them and turn them into the Roman authorities? yes. Could he create a sect of Christianity that was only for Greeks and not for Jews? YES! Could he deny the authority of Peter, James, John and the Jewish church leadership and start his own group? YES.

But he decided not to.

He could have questioned the Ressurection of Christ, the end time prophecies, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the authority of the Old Testament.

But he chose not to

Before he encountered Christ… he had a history with Christians. He hated them and wanted them to go away.

He was brilliant. He had skill. He was articulate.

and he was unsaved.

Paul, had been at the stoning of Stephen. Holding the cloaks of the assassins and encouraging the brutal killing.

now he wasn’t

He had made a decision to give his life to Jesus. And it changed everything.

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

John Wesley said it best:

Only the power that makes a world can make a Christian. And when he is so created, the old things are passed away?

Christ Ambassadors Have a Ministry of Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:18-22

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.

Stanley Horton said:

Like Paul, we stand between God and all humankind with God-given authority to bring them the message of reconciliation. “This passage is . . . one of the charters of the Christian ministry in the New Testament”16 (cf. ; ; ).

Christ Ambassadors Are Committed to the Challenge

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”() Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;

NOTICE THE CONTRAST IN THE FOLLOWING VERSES

6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

It makes you wonder….it causes you to question: does that apply to me?

Have your affections been nailed to the cross? Is your heart right with God?

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.””

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eCited from ; See

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gEx. 6:7; ;

hCited from ; [ch. 7:1; , ; ; ]

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

ALTAR CALL

Is YOUR name in the book?

Oswald Chambers said:

I’ve been raised in church, I’ve put up with the Christian dysfunction and dos and don’ts?

“Humble yourself”—it is a humbling business to knock at God’s door—you have to knock with the crucified thief. “To him who knocks, it shall be opened.”

Are you going to miss His promise based on your anger at the Church?

(ESV) — 1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

(ESV)

Jesus said “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

( ESV)

Today there is hope in Christ.

Every man has a god—even the atheist—a “no-god.” The tragedy is that man becomes like his god—he grows into the image of what he worships and serves. That’s why we must be “In Jesus.”

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

author, athiest, society of free thinkers until he lay on deathbed wrote these words:

( ESV)

I’ve tried in vain a thousand ways my fears to quell, my hopes to raise; but what I need, the Bible says, is ever, only Jesus.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me

My soul is night, my heart is steel—I cannot see, I cannot feel; for light, for life I must appeal in simple faith to Jesus.

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

He died, He lives, He reigns, He pleads; there’s love in all His words and deeds; there’s all a guilty sinner needs forever more in Jesus.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Tho’ some should sneer, and some should blame, I’ll go with all my guilt and shame; I’ll go to Him because His name, above all names is Jesus.

( ESV)

“Humble yourself”—it is a humbling business to knock at God’s door—you have to knock with the crucified thief. “To him who knocks, it shall be opened.”

(ESV) — 1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

Jesus said “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

( ESV)

Today there is hope in Christ.

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

( ESV)

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

( ESV)