Sermon Tone Analysis

Kingdom Ambassadors

Introduction:

The job of a pastor is never easy.

No matter how good of a speaker you are, chances are most would prefer to be somewhere else.

The following are remarks that have been made to pastors following the morning sermon.

• “You always manage to find something to fill up the time.”

Parishioners hard pressed for something to say to the clergy after the service have, according to one minister’s friend said to him,

• “You always manage to find something to fill up the time.”

• “I don’t care what they say, I like your sermons.”

• “If I’d known you were going to be good today I’d have brought a neighbor.”

• “Did you know there are 243 panes of glass in the windows?”

• “We shouldn’t make you preach so often.”

Arthur Myers in Berkshi

We are currently looking at the Life and Teachings of Jesus from the book of Luke.

The book of Luke is too large for me to preach every scripture.

The selections I am using come from the Lectionary.

If you are unfamiliar with what the Lectionary is, It is “a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion.”

The advantage of the Lectionary is to help pastors to preach from the entirety of the Bible.

The downside is it jumps around a lot.

However, this spring & summer it seemed to remain in the book of Luke and I felt God directing me to preach from there up until Advent.

The teachings of Jesus seemed to fit well as a follow up to what we had been in.

However, we started in it a bit late and I have been skipping some that I know we have already touched on in the past couple years.

Last week we were in and today we are looking at , but only the first part.

Allow me to give you a quick recap of chapter 10 as the other two stories are ones we have discussed in the past.

No really, I

A Recap of

A Recap of

The Ministry of Christ Followers:

10:1-24 Ambassadors sent to represent Christ in this world

10:25-34 (Good Samaritan) Neighbors showing mercy in the name of Christ

10:35-42 (Martha & Mary) Worshipers listening & communing with Christ

I. Kingdom Ambassadors

Ambassador

Paul

Paul considered himself Christ’s ambassador.

What is an ambassador?

He is an authorized representative of a sovereign.

He speaks not in his own name but on behalf of the ruler whose deputy he is, and his whole duty and responsibility is to interpret that ruler’s mind faithfully to those to whom he is sent.

Paul used this “ambassador” image twice -- both in connection with his evangelistic work.

Pray for me, he wrote from prison, “that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph.

6:18–20).

He wrote also that God “gave us the ministry of reconciliation…So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor.

5:18–20).

Paul called himself an ambassador because he knew that when he proclaimed the gospel facts and promises and urged sinners to receive the reconciliation effected at Calvary, he was declaring Christ’s message to the world.

The figure of ambassadorship highlights the authority Paul had, as representing his Lord, as long as he remained faithful to the terms of his commission and said neither less nor more than he had been given to say.

Your Father Loves You, by James Packer, (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986), page for July 24

Ambassador

Paul

Paul considered himself Christ’s ambassador.

What is an ambassador?

He is an authorized representative of a sovereign.

He speaks not in his own name but on behalf of the ruler whose deputy he is, and his whole duty and responsibility is to interpret that ruler’s mind faithfully to those to whom he is sent.

Paul used this “ambassador” image twice -- both in connection with his evangelistic work.

Pray for me, he wrote from prison, “that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph.

6:18–20).

He wrote also that God “gave us the ministry of reconciliation…So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Cor.

5:18–20).

Paul called himself an ambassador because he knew that when he proclaimed the gospel facts and promises and urged sinners to receive the reconciliation effected at Calvary, he was declaring Christ’s message to the world.

The figure of ambassadorship highlights the authority Paul had, as representing his Lord, as long as he remained faithful to the terms of his commission and said neither less nor more than he had been given to say.

Your Father Loves You, by James Packer, (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986), page for July 24

Paul

Paul considered himself Christ’s ambassador.

What is an ambassador?

He is an authorized representative of a sovereign.

He speaks not in his own name but on behalf of the ruler whose deputy he is, and his whole duty and responsibility is to interpret that ruler’s mind faithfully to those to whom he is sent.

Paul used this “ambassador” image twice -- both in connection with his evangelistic work.

Pray for me, he wrote from prison, “that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” ().

He wrote also that God “gave us the ministry of reconciliation…So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” ().

Paul called himself an ambassador because he knew that when he proclaimed the gospel facts and promises and urged sinners to receive the reconciliation effected at Calvary, he was declaring Christ’s message to the world.

The figure of ambassadorship highlights the authority Paul had, as representing his Lord, as long as he remained faithful to the terms of his commission and said neither less nor more than he had been given to say.

Your Father Loves You, by James Packer, (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986), page for July 24

The truth is, we are all called to be ambassadors of Christ.

Today we will look at occasions when Jesus sent out ambassadors, most specifically, the commissioning that occurred in and see how it relates to our commission.

A. Ambassadors Commissioned (v 1)

Purpose

Purpose

1. Preparation

(Share, witness, help draw crowd, make ready the people for Jesus coming)

John the Baptist

The sending of 12

Billy Graham & Luis Palau

Commissions

- Sending of 12 Disciples/to Galilee/Preparing for Jesus coming

- Sending of 72 anonymous disciples/Judea/Preparing for Jesus coming

- Sending of 72 anonymous disciples/Judea/Preparing for Jesus coming

- Sending of 72 anonymous disciples/Judea/Preparing for Jesus coming

- Sending us/to the whole world/making disciples, baptizing in the name of God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, and preparing for Jesus second coming

(Demonstrates the expansion of the Good News)

(Demonstrates the expansion of the Good News)

Commissioners of...

1. Peace (5-6)

2. Healing (9)

3. Deliverance (17)

4. Good News (9, 11)

(The Messiah has arrived)

Today, our job has changed.

Jesus has come and gone.

We are now the messengers of the Good News that the Messiah came and died for our sins.

We are now called to make disciples, to baptize the saved, and to prepare for Jesus 2nd coming.

Warnings & Expectations for an Ambassador of the Kingdom

This is where we will spend the bulk of our time this morning.