Ambassadors for Christ

[0:00] 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17.

[0:16] It says, Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.! Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.

[0:30] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to weep that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

[1:00] Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

[1:18] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

[1:30] ambassadors. Ambassadors. Verse 20. Now then, are we ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us.

[1:44] Paul says, we are ambassadors for Christ. What is an ambassador? An ambassador. An ambassador.

[1:55] A representative of a king or government. An official representative. An authorised representative. A minister of state.

[2:06] A representative from one country to another. A messenger. An envoy. A delegate. A diplomat of the highest rank.

[2:18] A diplomatic agent of the highest order. An ambassador. It's a very special office. It embodies the honour of a nation. Of his home country.

[2:30] An ambassador is the symbol of that nation that he represents. That nation that sends him. A personal representative. And as an ambassador of Christ, you, each one of you here today that love the Lord, are his representative.

[2:52] His personal representative. Representing your Lord. Representing your Lord. In everything that you do. In everything that you say. You are a representative.

[3:04] It reflects upon him. The one who has sent you. Every Christian is an authorised messenger.

[3:15] With an authorised message. Every Christian. Every Christian is an ambassador. We represent Christ. Sometimes we don't do it that well.

[3:28] Let's face it. As an ambassador. Each of us personally represent the Lord Jesus Christ. And his government.

[3:40] The kingdom of God. That's something special, isn't it? That should make us really sit up and take notice. Who you are. You're very important people.

[3:52] VIPs. Our king. Is risen. He's exalted. He's glorified. As we read in Ephesians 1. From verse 21.

[4:04] Where is he? He's far above all. Principality. And power. And might. And dominion. And every name. That is named.

[4:15] Not only in this world. But in. That which is to come. And he hath put all things under his feet. And gave him to be head over all things.

[4:28] To the church which is his body. The fullness of him that filleth all in all. That is our God. Your God.

[4:39] The one you are the representative of. On this planet. Our supreme sovereign. Christ and his kingdom. You represent that. You represent Christ.

[4:50] And you represent his kingdom. To this world. What a privilege. You have. Amen. Amen. You're privileged people this morning. Amen. I'm privileged to know you.

[5:02] I count it an honour. To know. Some ambassadors of the kingdom of God. Special people. Very special people. Peculiar people. Some of you. What a privilege to know you.

[5:15] I'm so glad. Much of the world knows nothing about God. Except what he sees through God's people. The lives of God's people. How well are you doing as an ambassador of Christ?

[5:29] How well are you doing that? Task that vital and important role that you have. What kind of an ambassador are you? Now sometimes you see it.

[5:42] I suppose in the gossip columns of the magazines or the newspapers. Where some ambassador has been caught in some scandal or other. And what a reflection on that nation.

[5:55] On that king. What of you? How are you faring as his ambassadors? The ambassador of Christ. Oughtn't we to show Christ's character?

[6:05] Oughtn't we to be showing? Oughtn't we to be sharing the gospel? We've been given a message. A message that we want to deliver well.

[6:19] The Bible shows us how to be those ambassadors that God has called us to be. Firstly, an authorised messenger. That's who you are. You've been authorised.

[6:30] You're accredited. You are officially stamped with God's stamp of approval. With a seal of his Holy Spirit. A messenger.

[6:42] An authorised messenger. An ambassador is a high ranking minister of state. In times past often the ambassador would be chosen from the royal family itself.

[6:55] And that is true for you. As sons and daughters of the living God. You are sent to represent that country. That better country. It's better than Spain.

[7:07] It's better than Australia. It's better than Scotland. It's better than England. It's a better country. Amen. And you are a representative of that country.

[7:19] On this planet. What a privilege. An authorised representative of that nation. The kingdom of God. The king of kings himself has picked you out.

[7:30] He's called you. He's delegated and authorised you to represent his kingdom on this planet. Ambassadors are not self-appointed. They are appointed by the king.

[7:42] The president. The government. The prime minister. Authorised by that nation to be a representative. And the Lord has chosen you.

[7:54] As a new creation. Made brand new. From the inside out. Given a high calling. The greatest privilege that we can ever know. To be saved.

[8:06] And he's given you the message of the gospel. He's put it in your hand to deliver that. That message that you must impart. In the power of his Holy Spirit. As he equips and empowers you for that task.

[8:18] We are authorised. We are his agents. We carry his authority. The one who is above all. Exalted. Above all principality and power.

[8:30] And you act as his agent. And an ambassador. In the worldly sense. Is given very clear instructions.

[8:42] As to how to carry out. His or her duties. An ambassador's instructions. Are always in written form. So there's no doubt. As to what. He has to do.

[8:53] We likewise. As ambassadors of Christ. Have clear. Written instructions. We have our king's written instructions. The word of God. And we need to study.

[9:05] His word. To learn. Daily. His instructions. His will. The 7,000 promises in here. I'm told.

[9:17] You know. That's amazing isn't it. How many do we reflect on. Sometimes we gloss over them. Don't we. We flip through it. Without taking it. Personally. But it's personal.

[9:28] It's his word to you. And we need to be. Listening. To his leading. Led by his spirit. We read in 2 Samuel. 5.24.

[9:39] The context was of. Warfare. David had to wait. Till he heard the. Mulberry trees. Moving. Had to wait. Before going to war. Until God told him.

[9:50] To go. When he heard. The moving about. In the mulberry trees. He. Had to hear. God's. Leading. And obey God's. Command. And act upon it.

[10:01] Likewise. We. As ambassadors of Christ. We need to listen. To the Holy Spirit. Listen. To the word of God. And take it. As rare. Please.

[10:12] Our commanding officer. You know. The head of state. Whether it's. In the US. Obama. Or. In our land. Prime Minister Gillard.

[10:22] They are. The commanding officer. Of the nation's military. And we need to pay attention. As ambassadors. Of our king. To our commanding officer.

[10:33] We want to please. Our commanding officer. The commander in chief. The Lord Jesus Christ. And listen. To his voices. To him. We have loyalty. We are foreigners. And strangers.

[10:44] In this world. As we read in 1 Peter. 2. Verse 11. We are in a temporary. Condition here. In temporary residence. Awaiting that country.

[10:55] To come. In a country. Other than. Our own. As much as. We might. Have citizenship. In this country. Our real citizenship. Is in. That one to come. The kingdom of God.

[11:07] And each of you. Here today. You are. God's ambassadors. Representing. To the world. What a Christian should be. Who your saviour is. Different kind of people.

[11:19] Living a different. Kind of lifestyle. An ambassador. Does not become. Entwined with. The citizenship. Of the world.

[11:30] As it were. But we remain. A citizen. Of the country. That we come from. Likewise. We are in the world. But not of it. Our conversation. Or our citizenship.

[11:42] Philippians 5. Verse 20. Is in. Heaven. That is. Our. Land. And when we are born again. Our citizenship. Changes.

[11:53] From this world. To heaven. Our business changes. Will be. As Christ. That his business. Was to be about. The father's business. What business.

[12:06] Are we in? You know. Some churches. Are very much. A business. Kind of model. But they sometimes. Miss. The point. I heard.

[12:16] Of a sign. On a church door. This church. Had closed. And someone. Had put this sign. On the church door. Gone. Out. Of business. Didn't know.

[12:27] What. Our business was. Someone. Might have been. Having a bit of a. A dig there. But that church. Went out of business. Because it didn't know. What business. It was in. What business.

[12:38] Are we in? We ought to be about. The father's business. And what is the father about? What is Christ about? He's come to seek. And to save. That which was lost. Let's not forget.

[12:49] What. Our business is. What. Our commission. Is. We are. Authorised. Messengers. And secondly. We are. Authorised. Messengers. We're. An authorised.

[13:00] Message. An authorised. Authoritative. Message. An ambassador. Is. A messenger. Or an official.

[13:11] Representing. A higher authority. An ambassador. Is not allowed. To speak. His own opinions. He is to speak. Only. What. The authority. Of his home country.

[13:22] Tells him to speak. What are we to speak? We are only to say. What God says. We are only to say. What God says. Just as our Lord Jesus.

[13:33] Showed us. We are chosen. To be. Spokespersons. Of. The King. Of Kings. And the Lord. Of Lords. To our world. For God himself. There's a message.

[13:44] He places in our hands. The message of the gospel. The message of reconciliation. The ministry. That service. Of reconciliation. Of God.

[13:55] Reconciling. The world. Unto himself. An authorised. Message. It's not a message. We pick and choose. For ourselves. It's the word.

[14:05] Of God. That is the authorised message. This is the final authority. The final authority. It is not flexible. It is inflexible.

[14:17] It is rock solid. Not a skerrick of it will change. Not a jot. Or a tittle. Not the least bit.

[14:29] But it will endure. Forever. The word of God. And it's the absolute standard. It's trustworthy. And it's authoritative. And it's authoritative for you.

[14:40] And for me. Just as our brother referred to. It's the instructions for life. Isn't it? I know someone has put. B-I-B-L-E. Basic instructions. Before leaving earth.

[14:51] That's what we need. The B-I-B-L-E. The perfect and enduring word of God. The trouble is that people have rejected that book. The world about us rejects the book.

[15:05] But this is the message that our world needs. This is the message that must be on our lips. That we must impart. That we must deliver as faithful ambassadors. To confront issues.

[15:17] To address the sin problem. To lift up the saviour of all men to our world. To speak up about the gospel.

[15:29] Let us declare it. Fearlessly. Boldly. As we ought. We read that it's the ministry of reconciliation. The ministry of reconciliation.

[15:40] Reconciliation. Will we impart that? God has reconciled us to himself. He's brought us back together.

[15:51] He's renewed that torn, divided relationship. He's joined us back. He's entwined us back. Taken us out of sin. And saved us.

[16:02] The ministry of reconciliation. And this word of reconciliation. This message of reconciliation. He's given for us to be the deliverers of. To our world.

[16:14] And verse 20 says. As ambassadors. We beseech you. As though God did beseech you. By us. We are the very voice of God.

[16:24] If we'll open our mouths. And let him fill. Our mouths with his words of witness. We are able to be the very mouthpiece of God.

[16:36] That's a telling thing isn't it? That is a dangerous thing. That is a scary thing. That God could speak through human vessels like you and me. As we go about witness in our lives.

[16:51] I pray that you can be such as can declare it. And declare it boldly. God has committed the word of reconciliation to us.

[17:12] We need to use our lips to witness. And also to exhort one another. As we read in Hebrews 3 verse 13. To one another also. We are to open our mouths and speak up.

[17:24] Not only to the lost but to the saved. In Hebrews 3 verse 13 it says. But exhort one another daily. While it is called today. Now is today today?

[17:36] It always is isn't it? So in other words all the time. You don't get any rest from this responsibility. While it is called today. Exhort one another daily. Lest any of you be hardened.

[17:49] Through the deceitfulness of sin. Now I was talking with a brother of late. And wanting to see repentance in the church.

[18:02] And I think that's a very important issue. That we. And this includes the saved tomb. And that was challenged earlier in what was said earlier. That we need to consider.

[18:13] Confess our sins. Not to some priest. Not to making some ceremony of men. But a repenting. A repenting of hearts.

[18:23] A reconciling of man to God. That God. Was in Christ. Reconciling the world to himself. Not. Imputing their trespasses.

[18:36] Unto them. And have committed unto us the word. Of reconciliation. We've all got to confront the sin issue. And mostly. In our own lives.

[18:47] Repentance. Is so critical. Lest any of you be hardened. Through the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is deceitful and tricky. It can weasel its way in.

[18:58] To all of our lives. In lots of ways. And we all need to be challenged. About our hearts. Condition. Is our heart hardened. Through the deceitfulness of sin.

[19:09] But thank God. The faithful messenger. Brings healing. Healing to the sin sick soul. As we read in. Proverbs 13. 17. It says.

[19:20] A wicked messenger. Fought into mischief. But a faithful ambassador. Is health. A faithful ambassador. Brings healing.

[19:32] You've got a word. Of reconciliation. It's a word of life. It's a word of hope. It's a word of joy. It's a word of salvation. That a man. In the muck.

[19:44] And mire. And mud. Can be taken out. And set. Upon a rock. That's a wonderful message. There's no greater message. There's no greater privilege.

[19:55] Than for any of us. To bring that word. That message of reconciliation. That message of healing. Are we faithful. Or are we hindered. As his messenger. What hinders you.

[20:06] From being. A messenger. What hinders you. What hinders you brother. What hinders you sister. Is it sin. Is it carnality. Is it fear.

[20:18] Is it pride. Is it cowardliness. I exhort you. To be a faithful ambassador. Be that one.

[20:30] Be that one. Who will be faithful. Let not fear. Be an obstacle to you. Let not doubt. Be an obstacle to you. How can you learn.

[20:40] To be. A better ambassador. An ambassador. Who does a good job. Has got good communication lines. With. HQ. Good communication lines.

[20:53] With the kingdom. That has sent. Him or her. To that other land. We need to. Ensure. Clear communication lines. With. The kingdom of God.

[21:05] With the king of kings. To know the mind and heart. Of our ruler. The plans and purposes. Of our king. A good ambassador. Is thoroughly acquainted. With who.

[21:16] And what. He represents. The intentions. Of his sovereign. The plans. Of his master. The purposes. Of his kingdom. You represent. Jesus. Christ.

[21:28] Amen. Get a load of that. This morning. That is an awesome privilege. Not only to be saved. But to be sent. To be a faithful. Messenger. To be an authorised.

[21:39] Representative. With an authorised. Message. You represent him. You represent him. How. Well. Are you doing that. 1 Corinthians 10.

[21:51] 31. It says. And it's a familiar one. Whether therefore you. Eat. Or drink. Or whatsoever. You do. Do all to.

[22:02] The glory. Of God. We are here. To promote. The glory. Of God. To glorify God. To glorify. Means. To make someone look good.

[22:13] In the eyes of others. It's to magnify. It's to exalt. It's to shine. The spotlight. Upon him. It's to make him shine. In the eyes of the world.

[22:25] In this darkened world. We want Jesus to shine. The light of the world. To glorify him. And he will be glorified. As people see.

[22:36] Our good works. They will glorify. Our father. Which is in heaven. Friends. We all need. To go back. To school. To learn. To be a good ambassador.

[22:48] Enter into the school. Of the spirit. Enter into the school. Of his word. To be that ambassador. That will reflect. Well. On your king.

[22:59] And his kingdom. How can we be. A better ambassador. How can we be. More effective. How can we gain. That credibility. In our words. And actions. To have that integrity.

[23:10] In our character. In our wisdom. In developing. Patience. And wisdom. And humility. Will there be. Clear fruit. And evidence. In our lives.

[23:21] That Christ. That Christ. Is the ultimate example. For us. Will we follow. That example. That model. Who was the absolute. Perfect example. Of the ambassador.

[23:32] Of the kingdom of God. Was the very king of kings. Wasn't it? He who came down. From heaven's glory. And robed himself. With human skin. Took upon him. Our very sin.

[23:43] And died. In our place. For he hath made him. To be sin. For us. Who knew. No sin. That we. Might be made. The righteousness.

[23:55] Of God. In him. A faithful ambassador. Our Lord Jesus Christ. There's no better. Example. No better model. And we can be faithful. Ambassadors.

[24:05] For his glory. That's our prayer. I trust. That's your prayer today. God was in Christ. Reconciling.

[24:16] The world. To himself. Not imputing. Our trespasses. Unto them. He's committed unto us. The word. Of his.

[24:27] Reconciliation. Now then. We are. Ambassadors. For Christ. As though God. Did besiege you. By us. We pray you.

[24:39] In Christ's stead. Be reconciled. To God. There may be some here. You're outside. Of Christ. You're outside. Of the kingdom.

[24:51] You can't be an ambassador. You're not saved. I urge you today. Be. Ye. Reconciled. To God. Don't leave it.

[25:02] Another moment. Without. Finding that peace. With God. Coming to the foot. Of the cross. There's still room.

[25:12] At the cross. There's still. An invitation. Extended. And I trust. You'll. Respond. To that.

[25:23] You will respond. One way. Or the other. And friends. If you respond. To rejected. There's great danger. And damnation. Awaiting you. As the help. Fire.

[25:33] Fire. And. I urge you today. Maybe you're not. There yet. Maybe you were there. And you need to get back there. Let's pray.

[25:45] Lord. We just pray. Dear Lord. For anyone that is here today. That is struggling. With their. Heart's condition. Their soul. Has not been reconciled.

[25:56] Unto you. There's some outside. Of Christ. Here today. Lord. We pray for them. We pray your Holy Spirit. Would. Prod. And stab their hearts. Smash.

[26:07] And break up. Those hardened hearts. That will resist. Lord. Break. Down their wills. Make them. Surrender. Lord. To your Holy Spirit. Today. Help them.

[26:18] Bow the knee. In brokenness. And repentance. This morning. That they might see. The wonderful. Reception. That comes to the one. Who will repent.

[26:29] And trust you. Lord. We thank you. For every soul. Here gathered. Lord. For the believers. Here today. For everyone. That is saved. Help us. To be faithful.

[26:39] With that message. To be messengers. That will be faithful. Lord. As you've sent us. Help us. To obey your calling. Help us. Lord. Not to resist. Your will.

[26:50] For our lives. Help us. Lord. That we might surrender. To your will. Lord. Help us. We pray. If there's any. That have been. Perhaps more fervent.

[27:05] And the light. Has grown dim. Perhaps for some. Their spiritual life. Is waning. We pray.

[27:16] Lord. That you fan into flame. Fan it into flame. Lord. That which was there. Lord. Renew that fire. Refresh that. Fire. Lord. Reignite that fire.

[27:28] That we might. Take very seriously. Your word unto us. Lord. That we might be. Ambassadors. Faithful unto you. In Jesus name.

[27:40] Amen.