Sermon Tone Analysis

Identity Series

God has prompted me to focus on the area of discipleship

Part of this discipleship program is to identify who you are

This is the first of the series

Identity, who am I? Who am I in Christ

if you know your identity, then you know your

rights, privileges, authority

expectation, freedoms and boundaries

on top of that, since God is calling WMBC to be more about discipleship

and I don’t want anyone to thrown off by the discipleship process

if you know that you are a basketball player, won’t be surprised by the basketball player process

run those lines, shoot 100 free throws a day

if you know your identity in Christ, you won’t be surprised by the discipleship process

live according to the Bible, memorize scripture, hold each other accountable

Several words used in the Bible to help us comprehend our identity in Christ: children, servants, friend, overcomers, joint-heirs . . .

today we look at Ambassador

some background to this verse

There’s some history behind this letter

Paul established this church in Corinth (witnessed to people, organized the church)

4 letters written to this troubled church in Corinth, we have 2nd and 4th letters

Paul wrote a letter to them to correct some things, that we don’t have this letter

they responded not to favorably, and he learned of even more situations

So Paul wrote a second letter (1 Corinthians) to follow up (church divided, man having relations with step mom, people misusing Lord’s Supper, suing each other )

well . . . the christians at Corinth didn’t like this letter either, and then false preachers had shown up too

Paul went back in person - painful visit (probably kicked people out of the church)

Then Paul wrote another letter

This letter was better received, and now Paul writes again to try to bring full reconciliation

but there are still a few problems . .

.Many, but not all repented.

Some were still a little slow to acknowledge the truth, some are still hung up on those false teachers.

though Paul founded the church, but they came enamored with some of those false teachers: well dressed, prosperous, and fancy speakers (part of the city’s culture - you could move up in society by speaking well, and you always tried to connect to someone more prosperous than you)

But Paul was poor, always suffering, barely making it.

On top of that he didn’t talk fancy

So some did not want to listen to Paul, He’s not important enough

Some had even requested a letter of recommendation and his credentials to prove his importance

Paul says you all are my letter of recommendation, that fact that you are saved

Paul shows them that Jesus himself did not come in some impressive packaging . . .

but was rejected, suffered, and died.

Jesus suffered for all.

he tells them . . .

I have suffered, but I am still here . . .

this should tell you that I speak for Christ

back to

Paul is telling them . .

WE ARE ambassadors . . .

emphasis on the WE ARE . . .

so listen to us, not to the false teachers, WE are the ambassadors for Christ

So are you saying this only applies to Paul?

He had a special job as an ambassador for Christ

no, when you look at the qualities and duties of an ambassador, they fit what all Christians should be

I am saying, that YOU ARE an ambassador for Christ . . .

emphasis on the YOU ARE . . .

so accept the assignment/appointment, do your duty, do your job

Just like parents remind their children: YOU ARE a Caver, Phillips, Wallace

Ambassador: General Description

God is the king of kings, so I will use the word king as I describe our ambassador relationship

Ambassador is an important position, so they are often friends and strong supporters of the King

ambassadors are to represent their king in a foreign country’

Live in a foreign country but are citizens of their own co untry

live in a foreign country, but are responsible to their own country

they are the legal spokesperson for the king of country they represent

they have been given instructions and authority to operate in the name of their king

an ambassador might negotiate a trade agreement for his country

“If you supply the raw materials, my country will supply the technology”

they let the country they are staying in know how their home country will react to different situations

If you go to war with country X, my king will support you . . .

or

my country will then declare war on you

in this world, Christians are visitors/foreigners . . .

this world is not our home . . .

not our co untry

we are citizens of the kingdom of God

Paul said this, and he had all the rights and privleges of being a Roman citizen, but he knew his real citizenship came from above

and God desires that while you live in this foreign land, that you be an ambassador for HIm

a spokesperson for him

a representative for him

that you would speak for and represent the God of the Universe

God does not look at you first as a students, construction workers, sales person, janitor, social workers, teacher, travel agent, nor doctor . . . he sees a potential ambassador!

who also teaches, does social work, sales cars, goes to school . . .

The call today is that somebody get some urgency, sense of purpose, take this Christian walk more seriously than ever before

Your job as an ambassador for Christ

your job main job is let God speak through you in order that people get reconciled to God

bring people to God, get folk saved

convince people to become Christians

your mission is to tell them what’s up

Jesus was truly the son of God

he lived, suffered, bled, and died and rose again

He is the Lord of all

you want to be ready to meet him when you die

or if he comes back before you die

The great commission

you want them to switch citizenship, to defect from this world . . .

make disciples for Christ

if they are Christians who have messed up, like in this book of 2 Corinthians, you want them back on the right track

we have a ministry of reconciliation

So, some things you need to be aware of if you are going to take this job on

remember that this is not your home

so don’t you get too attached to this world

The Bible says we are in the world but not of the world

so easy to get caught up i try ing to make it, that you forget why you are here