The scripture reading comes from 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and 6.
Please follow along in your bulletins or on the screen.
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.
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.
For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God.
If we are in our right mind, it is for you.
For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this,
that one has died for all, therefore all have died.
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.
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.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away.
Behold, the new has come.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
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.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,
God making his appeal through us.
We implore you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Working together with him then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
This is the word of God.
Amen.
Great.
Good morning.
Oh, that's terrible.
Good morning.
Great.
That's much better.
My name's Chris.
I'm one of the leaders here in Watermark,
and it's...
I'm going to try and lower this.
I'm not that high.
Okay.
Great to see you this morning.
And if you don't know, we're continuing in a series that Kevin alluded to earlier,
where we're looking at mission in the church.
I don't know if any, how many of you know the story of Corrie Ten Boom.
She was imprisoned in a concentration camp in the Nazi occupation in the Second World War.
She saw her father and her sister die horrifically at the hands of the guards.
And after the war, she became this speaker who traveled the world,
telling people of the love of God and the forgiveness of God.
And she tells the story of one day when a man, after a talk, a man approached her.
And she recognized him.
And he was a former SS guard, one of the ones who had stood mocking
while her sister was led into the gas chambers to die.
And as he came up to her, he held out his hand and said,
thank you so much for your message.
It's amazing that even someone like me could be forgiven.
Corrie, at that moment,
even though she'd been speaking about God's reconciling love,
she says,
I now felt and realized the anger and the hatred that was in my heart.
Because at that moment, I couldn't forgive that guy.
I couldn't reach out my hand to him.
And she said,
at that point, she also realized her own sin in her heart.
And she cried out,
God, please forgive me.
Forgive me.
I can't forgive him.
Help me to forgive him.
And she says,
she reached out her hand to him.
And she says this.
She said,
from my shoulder along my arm,
through my hand,
a current seemed to pass from me to him,
while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger
that almost overwhelmed me.
She had discovered the power of reconciliation
that only comes from God.
Now, many of us may not have experienced
the horrors of a concentration camp.
But we live in a world,
you just look around on the news,
that is filled with division and hatred and tension.
Just look at it in politics.
Look at it in your office.
Look at it in your families.
Look at it.
Just go on the comment section in YouTube.
And you will see
the division and the hurt that there is in this world.
We live in a world that desperately needs reconciliation.
And yet we're incapable of creating it ourselves.
And so as a church,
we have our three banners,
our three values,
gospel, community, mission.
Because we believe that actually the starting point
of all reconciliation
is knowing Christ in the gospel.
And that flows out into us being a community,
who are then a community,
which then go out on mission
to the world around us.
And so that's why over these four weeks,
we're looking specifically at that last one,
the issue of mission.
And so a couple of weeks ago,
we talked about salt and light,
and how actually we're called to be light.
And light doesn't have to try and be light.
Light just is light.
But what helps us to shine that light
is if we have our hearts captured by who Jesus is.
And then we saw last week
that actually Jesus sends us out like sheep
because we have a shepherd
who is compassionate towards us.
So we can demonstrate
and have our eyes open
to see the harvest field around us
and see with his eyes.
But today we're looking at the idea
of being ambassadors of Jesus,
those who are ministers,
agents of reconciliation
in Hong Kong and the world around us.
So we're going to be looking at this passage
in 2 Corinthians.
And this passage is Paul writing
in a context of division.
because there have actually been
a whole lot of very impressive,
eloquent speakers who've come in.
And they have,
the Corinthian church there in Greece
has got captured by their message
because they think that godliness
seems to look like being very impressive.
And Paul doesn't look very impressive.
And so he and his message
have been looked down on by the Corinthians.
And so Paul is writing this letter
both to prove his credentials
but also to say to the people here,
don't get distracted
from the gospel of Christ
because this is the power
for you to change
and to be agents of change.
So we're going to have two points,
okay, today.
First point that I want to look at
is receiving reconciliation.
And then we're going to look
at ambassadors of reconciliation.
So if you've got your bulletin with you,
have it in your handout with you.
Just have a look
and we'll be going through that together.
So receiving reconciliation.
Verse 14 says this,
for the love of God controls us
because we have concluded this,
that one died for all
and therefore all died.
And then verse 18, he says,
all this is from God
who through Christ reconciled us
to himself.
Now if you need reconciling,
that tells you
that there is a serious
relational problem with someone.
Here it is God.
God doesn't think
that we're basically cute
and he just needs to knock off
a few kind of rough edges
on our sides.
The whole of the self-help industry
is based on the idea
that basically you're fundamentally good
with a few flaws.
That if you just work hard enough,
you can overcome.
The gospel says,
no, that's not the situation.
Paul says,
one has died for all
because therefore all have died.
He's saying the reason
that Jesus died for,
on behalf of,
in the place of,
as a substitute for,
or every person
is because all people
were dead to God.
We don't want God
to interfere in our lives.
We don't want God
to tell us
what to do in our lives.
We don't want him
to tell us to reconcile
with that annoying colleague
or spouse.
We don't naturally want
to follow his ways at all.
None of us do.
One commentator said this
about this passage.
He said,
the New Testament
never speaks of God
being reconciled
to men and women,
but always of men and women
being reconciled to God.
The whole process of salvation
takes its beginning from him.
It was because God
so loved the world
that he sent his son.
It is not that God
is estranged from human beings,
but that they are estranged
from him.
God's message,
the message which Paul brought,
is an appeal
from a loving father
to a wandering
and estranged children
to come home
where love is waiting for them.
Do you get what he's saying?
What he's saying is,
he's not saying
God doesn't mind
about our sin.
He's actually saying
God hates sin.
He will not tolerate sin.
Those who persistently
refuse him
will end up in a hell
apart from him forever.
There won't be second chances
after you die.
But God is not cold
and distant
with his kind of back turned
needing to be persuaded
to reach out to us.
He wants to reach out
to his estranged children,
alienated from him.
People like you and me.
You know,
I first met Jim.
He was a homeless guy
when I was at university
selling magazines
just to get by.
We chatted over
a period of weeks
and months.
I got to know him.
I heard his story.
I heard how he needed
an address
to find a home
to be able to get a job.
So a friend of mine
offered to have him
stay with him temporarily
until he could get a job
and afford to pay
the rent himself.
Two days after he arrived,
my friend came back home
to realize
that 500 pounds
was missing
from his new colleague's
coat pocket
who'd been staying with him.
Jim had disappeared.
We phoned the police.
They weren't very interested.
So I went to look for Jim.
I knew where to go,
so I went straight down
to this local
kind of homeless shelter
and there he was.
As I walked in,
you should have seen
the look on his face.
It was the ultimate look
of a guilty look.
He hung his head in shame.
I told him
that we'd call the police,
but I also told him
of the love of Christ
and the offer of forgiveness
and I invited him
to come back to our house
for a meal.
Two weeks went past.
Jim never showed up.
I was cycling through
a completely different
area of town.
I was taking a kind of shortcut
through a back alley,
completely off the beaten track.
when who was sitting there
on the bench?
But Jim,
you should have seen
the look on his face.
He said to me,
I've been trying
to get away from you
and this was the one place
in the whole city
of half a million people
that I thought
could have escaped from you.
I guess God is on my case.
That's what he said.
I invited him
to come to our place.
We studied some
scripture together.
I invited him
to stay a couple of days
while we fixed up
accommodation for him.
We found him a place
and while I was,
I ran out,
I had to run out the door
for an appointment
and a few hours later
I got a call
from my housemate
saying that his PSP
and his guitar pedals
had been stolen.
Eventually he got arrested.
He got to prison
for a short time.
He came out.
He stayed at my parents
for a night
and he stole some more money
from another friend.
And then he went out
and he robbed some people
on the streets.
He was an addict.
He got back in prison
for a while longer.
Every week I went
to visit him.
I talk of the love of Christ.
I tell him to go
and see the prison chaplain.
Every week he promised
he would.
Every time I went back
he never had.
Eventually he moved prison
and we saw each other
much less.
18 months went past.
I kind of gave up on Jim
because he never seemed
to change.
And then one day
I received a letter
from Jim.
He said,
it went something like this,
Chris,
I just wanted to tell you
I got baptized last week.
I'd been brewing some beer
in prison.
Yes, you do.
And I got caught.
And I got put
in solitary confinement.
And when I was there
I remembered all the grace
that had been shown to me
and all you had told me
about Christ.
And at that moment
I confessed my need
of Christ as my Savior
and I repented
of all that I'd done.
He said,
the next day
the prison chaplain
came around.
And he said,
it's Saturday.
Saturday you're going
to get baptized.
Jim was a little confused
because he hadn't talked
to the chaplain at all.
And so he said,
oh, okay.
Saturday morning came
the chaplain came around
and said,
hell, I'm really sorry
I got the wrong person
the other day.
It was another guy
who was meant
to be getting baptized,
not you.
But would you still
like to get baptized?
And he said,
yes.
And he said,
I shared my testimony
in front of all the inmates
of how God had chased after me
and he brought me home
to himself.
You see,
as I've thought about that,
I often wonder,
were we irresponsible
in the way that we kind of
kept inviting him back?
Was it stupid?
And I think there'd be
one or three things
I would change,
but I'd do it all again,
not because I'm great
or do anything like that
because I'm not.
I gave up on Jim,
but actually because I realized
that I am just like Jim
and so are you
and me.
You see,
how often
does God bless us
with so many things,
calling us to himself
and yet we steal from him
for ourselves?
We steal his glory
wanting it for ourselves.
And we run and hide
in hilt and shame.
And in chasing after Jim,
it cost us some money.
We had to compensate
the people who were robbed.
But when Christ
chased after us,
our sin and selfishness
cost Jesus
not just some money,
but his very life.
He died for all.
the one who had no sin,
completely blameless,
took the full cost
of all my running away
from God,
all my stealing his glory
for myself.
He took it on himself
so that my debt to God
may be paid.
How irresponsible,
knowing exactly what I'm like,
that I'm a sin addict,
self-glory addict,
who throws his kindness
back in his face
so often.
And yet,
at no point
did Jim ever take
the initiative
to walk in repentance
towards us.
In fact,
he was running away
from us.
At no point
have you and I
taken the initiative
to run towards God
because we were dead
to God.
But it's always God
who is reaching out
to us
who are like orphans,
homeless,
running away from him.
And he calls us back
again and again
and again.
This is the reconciling
love of God.
Do you see that?
That's what Paul's
talking about.
And reconciling
is not just about God
kind of wiping
our slate clean,
hoping we don't
mess up again.
Do you know
the word reconcile
originally means
to exchange?
Just as you know
when you go on holiday,
some of you have been
on holiday recently,
and you know
when you exchange
Hong Kong dollars
for Japanese yen.
You know,
Hong Kong dollars
don't have currency
in Japan.
So if you have come
to Christ,
you've come with
all your anger,
all your bitterness,
all your self-centeredness,
even the good deeds
that you think
make yourself feel
good about yourself,
you come to them
and you give them
to him because
they don't have
currency with him.
And God instead
gives you his currency.
He gives you
his righteousness.
That's what he says
in verse 21.
For our sake,
he made him
to be sin
who knew no sin.
The sinless one
became our substitute,
took our penalty,
so that in him
we might become
the righteousness of God.
Do you see
what he's saying?
He's saying
he gives us
his patience
for our anger.
He gives us
his mercy
for our unforgiveness.
He gives us
his selflessness
for our selfishness.
He gives us
his grace
for our judgmentalism.
He gives us
his right standing
with him
in close,
intimate relationship
with him.
His righteousness.
And Jesus
is the only currency
that God accepts.
Nothing you've ever done
unless it's done
through the trusting
work of Jesus
has currency
with God.
And if you're not
a believer
this morning,
this passage
has amazing urgency.
Paul is saying,
we implore you.
That's like,
we beg you.
We beseech you.
Urging you,
stop running away
from God
like a homeless orphan
relying on yourself.
Be reconciled.
Come back
to your father
who is reaching out
because eternity
is at stake.
Your life
is at stake.
And God's currency
is only Christ.
But if you are
a Christian,
Paul says this,
and this is just
very challenging.
He says,
the love of Christ
controls us
because we have
concluded,
we have come
to a place
of settled conviction
that this message
about God's
reconciling love
with the creator
of the universe
is true.
It is true.
And when we get that
and that sinks
into our hearts,
he says,
it means you no longer
live for yourself
but you live for Christ.
In other words,
Christ's love
now drives you
more than your GPA
drives you.
more than your grades
drive you.
More than your bonus
drives you.
Christ's love
is shaping
every single facet
of your life
as the gospel
goes deeper
into your heart.
I mean,
just think.
No longer live
for yourself
but for the one
who loved you
with my time.
What would it mean
for me to say
the love of Christ
is going to shape
the way I'm thinking
about my time?
What would it mean
as I look at the finances
and the resources
that I have
and I say
the love of Christ
is now going to shape
the way I view
every single penny,
every single cent
that I own
because it's his
and his love.
Now,
it's not for just myself.
It's going to shape
who you hang out with.
It's going to shape
your holidays.
It's going to shape
how you do your social media.
Every part of your life
shaped by the love of Christ
and where it's not doing that,
this is where the gospel
needs to go deeper into us
because this is why
the reconciliation of Christ
is something we need again
and again to go deeper.
That's the first point.
We are those
who have been reconciled
to Christ.
Secondly,
because of that,
we are ambassadors
of reconciliation.
He says this,
Jesus didn't just bring you
to yourself,
bring you to himself
just for yourself.
Did you know that?
Half a person knows that.
Okay.
Did you know that?
You were not saved
if you're a Christian
just for yourself.
Verse 18,
he says this,
he reconciled us
to himself
and gave us
the ministry
of reconciliation.
And then later on,
he says,
and he entrusted
to us
the message
of reconciliation.
Do you see what he's saying?
He's saying,
if you're a believer,
you've been reconciled,
brought close to Christ,
and you've been given
a ministry,
do you know you have
a ministry?
Do you know it doesn't matter
where you're serving,
you have a ministry
and your ministry
is the ministry
of reconciliation.
Did you know that?
Say,
I'm a minister
of reconciliation.
That's good.
Okay.
We're ministers of this
because we live
in an angry,
divided world.
And the privilege
that we spoke of last week
of being involved
in the harvest
is what chapter 6,
verse 1 says.
He says,
we work together
with God
in his work
of reconciling people
to himself.
And just think,
this is what we said
last week,
but it bears repeating.
Just think what an insane
idea it would be
if it's not in scripture.
That the God
of the universe
actually wants
to partner with you.
Have you ever thought
about how crazy
that is?
That God
has headhunted you
to be on his team
and he looked
at your CV
and it was bad.
And then he looked
at your references
and they were even worse.
And yet he still
chose you
to be on his team.
And he brought you
to himself
and he gave you
a ministry.
Because it's about him
and his glory,
it's not about you.
C.H. Spurgeon
once said,
without God
we can't.
Without us
he won't.
You hear that?
Without God
we can't.
We can't do his mission.
But without us
he won't.
He has chosen
to partner with us.
Which is why
Paul then says,
therefore
we are ambassadors
for Christ.
God making
his appeal
through us.
What is an ambassador?
Well in the Roman Empire
of the time
the emperor
was the supreme ruler
of the vast Roman Empire.
Because his empire
was so large
what he would do
he would send out
representatives
to deliver
his proclamations
to speak
and act
on behalf of him.
And here
Paul is saying
what is the message
that we have been
sent as his representatives
it's the message
that God is in
the reconciliation
business.
And he's saying
that to every believer
you've been entrusted
with this message
about a savior
who has died
as Colin was saying
earlier
you've been entrusted
with that
as his ambassadors.
What does that mean?
There's a few things
that I think
that means.
Firstly
it means
we speak
on behalf
of God.
That's a crazy idea.
It says
it is God
who is making
his appeal
through
us.
Do you see that?
That means
I don't need
to be embarrassed
by the message
because it's his message
it's not my message.
And it also means
I don't need
to make it
so that it never
I'm so worried
about what everyone
else is thinking
and I just don't
want to offend anyone
so I'm going to
change the message
to make it sound
alright for everybody
else
because it's not
my message to change
it's his message.
It also means
that if I'm lovingly
sharing the message
of reconciliation
with people
just like
Colin's friend did
if others reject it
they're not rejecting me
they're rejecting
God himself.
God doesn't need us
to make excuses
for his reconciliation
plan.
An ambassador
doesn't change
the message
to suit his hearers
because his message
comes direct
from the emperor
himself
from God himself.
So what does that mean?
That means
when you sit down
with your friends
and maybe the nature
of the conversation
turns to a spiritual topic
or you're talking about
something of
division that's going on
or there's tensions
and you can speak
there's an opportunity
to speak of God's
restoring love
into that.
There is a direct line
from the throne room
of heaven
right down to you
right there
for you to speak
with God's authority
into that situation
and represent
what he would want you
to say
at that moment.
Do you remember
when Jesus sent out
the twelve last week?
He said
I give you
authority
to preach
and to heal
and to drive out
unclean spirits.
I remember
the beginning
of the great commission
in Matthew 28
where he says
all authority
in heaven and earth
is given to me
therefore
you guys go.
You go in my authority
not in yours.
And so instead of going
when you're in those situations
I hope I can get away
without saying anything
right now.
We go
if you know
you're an ambassador
sent with his authority
you're going
thank you father
that you've entrusted me
with the privilege
right now
of being able
to speak
and to share
this incredible
good news
with my friends
and my colleagues.
God what do you
want me to say
right now
because I have no idea.
And maybe you just ask
have you ever thought
that God actually
wants a living
relationship with you?
You're an ambassador.
And ambassadors
don't just speak
his message
we speak on behalf
of him
but we don't just
speak it
we also embody
his message
intentionally.
That's the next thing
that an ambassador does.
You know
an ambassador
doesn't stay
in his home country.
An ambassador
always goes
to another place
another culture
where there's
another language
where there's
different customs
and different ways
of doing things
right?
If all the ambassadors
are in their home country
they're doing something wrong
right?
And so ambassadors
you have to
intentionally think
and Paul does this
all the time
through Acts
you have to
intentionally think
how to communicate
and how to represent
your nation's values
in this foreign environment
right?
That's why Paul says
in verse 16
verse 17
he says
we don't judge
people any longer
according to the flesh
everybody else judges
it according to
the world standards
according to race
according to
appearance
according to your intellect
according to how much
education you have
that's how everybody else
judges people
but he says
we have come to know Christ
we're seeing Christ
differently now
and if anyone
is in Christ
he's a new creation
the old has passed away
and the new has come
he's saying
he's saying you're part
of a different world
a different kingdom
that works
and is embodied
in a different way
and so as ambassadors
we're going to do
things differently
we're going to be
thinking intentionally
in a place
of division
a place where
people are so segregated
we're going to think
how can we embody
that message
of reconciliation
reconciliation
last week we talked
about praying
for God to open
our eyes
to see the people
around us
how many of us
have actually been
praying that this week
because God wants
us to start
all ambassadorship
starts in that prayer
it starts in the prayer
to God
knowing we cannot
do this by ourselves
but it's not just
that we pray
it's also
ambassadors
are putting
in the effort
just as Paul
has put in
all the effort
with reaching out
the gospel
to intentionally
think and plan
of how to represent
your king
and display his goodness
to the people
around you
you know
in my building
no one talks
to each other
maybe your building
is a friendly building
mine is not
so
here's a place
where people
are alienated
from each other
how can we bring
God's goodness
into that place
so I tried
taking around
chocolates
to my neighbours
didn't work
everyone's thinking
are you trying to
sell me something
or now I've got to
owe you something
so just shut the door
right
doesn't work
so then
instead of just
getting discouraged
you go
how can I
God show us
some ideas
of how we can
do this
so instead
my wife made
some dessert
one day
there was
some left
over
and so
we actually
ended up
just taking
it round
to the neighbours
it was amazing
everyone just
opened their door
and we started
chatting with them
and there was
this openness
because we were
trying to demonstrate
the restoring
power of God
and actually
was I sharing
the gospel
at that moment
no I didn't
but actually
what I was doing
we were providing
the context
we were setting
the table
of demonstrating
a glimpse
of the goodness
of God
and so
through that
actually
one guy
he said
oh come back
to my place
come and you can
have some dinner
with me
and so I came
back to his place
and then we had
a drink
and over that
that was the context
in which we were
able to talk about
how the gospels
at work in my life
and how it's shaping
just the way
do ordinary decisions
like speaking to
playing football
with a whole load
of Nepalese kids
on a Thursday night
and then from that
you're able to talk
about Jesus
do you see
ambassadors
embody
so that we might
be able to share
and I don't know
what your context
is
but how often
and I just thought
I was convicted
even about this
for myself
how often
in our CGs
or with your spouse
with your friends
do you ever
intentionally sit
planning
and thinking
and praying
about where do we
see alienation
in my office
in my family
in my neighborhood
and then thinking
how can we bring
the reconciling
love of God
into that context
how often
do we think
about that
and we're doing
it not as a project
but out of love
you know
this week
I want to challenge
us in your community
group
take 15 minutes
in your community
group
to actually
intentionally
think
and pray
and plan
and say
God
where are the places
that I'm rubbing
up against
where I see
alienation
and division
and how can I bring
how can we bring
your love
into that place
because if we're
doing that
as a community
I mean
just think
how much
how much time
do we spend
planning
and thinking
all the stuff
that we want
to do
for our kingdoms
and our work
and our careers
right
but he says
when the gospel
gets into you
we're not just
living for ourselves
we're living
for him
who loved us
what an amazing
community
it would be
if all of us
are thinking
like that
think how much
the light
would shine
in your office
in your workplace
wherever you go
as together
sometimes I don't
have ideas
I'm like
I have no idea
what to do
so you come together
and you talk about it
and God will use you
in amazing ways
because ambassadors
embody
their king
and their reconciliation
does that make sense
okay
we're nearly there
two other things
ambassadors
they don't just
speak on God's behalf
that message
of reconciliation
they don't just
embody the message
you know
ambassadors
are also held
accountable
Paul says
he says in verse 10
which is not in your passage
but it just comes before
he says
we will all appear
before the judgment seat
of Christ
so that each one
may receive
what is due
for what he's done
in the body
whether good or evil
and then he says
knowing the fear of God
we seek to persuade men
see Paul is saying
that the evaluation
of my life
is not based
on what everybody else
thinks this way
it's based on
what God thinks
this way
and he's saying
what God thinks
matters more to him
than what other people think
and that's what fear
means here
it's that sense of
his opinion of me
has so much more weight
than anybody else's
and he says
there's going to be
a judgment
at the end of the time
for some
that's going to be
a judgment
where salvation
is at stake
for believers
salvation is not at stake
but what's at stake
is the reward
of the joy
of pleasing our king
he's saying
if you're an ambassador
for China
in the US
and you spend
all of your days
in Florida
on a luxury yacht
fishing
others may look
at you in envy
and wish they had
your lifestyle
other people
may respect you
for having such
a place
that you can do that
but when Beijing
rings up
and says
how are diplomatic
relations going
with the Americans
and you say
well not so good
but I just caught
an amazing tuna
the other day
that's not going
to get you a bonus
right
because at the end
of the day
what God thinks
about us
is more important
than living
just for myself
or what anybody
else thinks
and he says
don't receive
the grace of God
in vain
that's 6 verse 1
you don't want
to get to the end
of your life
and see that the very
mission God
has called you to
you missed
because you were
so wrapped up
in your comforts
in your investments
in your kingdom
and he says
we have a judge
he's a loving judge
he's our savior
so we don't live
in crippling fear
wondering what
he's going to
think about us
but we don't want
to get to the end
of the lives
like a 70 year old
that I once taught
who came to me
and he said
I wasted it
I wasted my life
and we don't want
to get to God
and say
man
all I gave him
was a tuna fish
but instead
we say
the gift of God
that you entrusted me
this reconciliation
this grace
that you gave me
and it was meant
to be brought
to the people
around me
I don't want
to be more interested
in my computer games
or my retirement
than that
do you see
what he's saying
ambassadors
are evaluated
and judged
by him
not by
and appraised
not by just
what we want
or what other
people want
so we speak
on God's behalf
we embody
his message
we're evaluated
and appraised
by God himself
not what anyone
else thinks
our great savior
the last thing
ambassadors
need Christ
if you're a Christian
who here is an ambassador
every Christian
is an ambassador
that means
there's never a time
when you're not
an ambassador
when you're walking
down the street
you're an ambassador
when you're
playing football
you're an ambassador
when you're on the phone
you're an ambassador
ambassadorship
is a 24-7 thing
right
because
this is scary
actually
because that means
sometimes people
are watching you
right
and
if you act
unkindly
and harshly
and impatiently
what do people
think about
your king
and your country
you know
isn't the behavior
of Christians
sometimes the number
one reason
why many people
say they don't
believe
and that
puts a lot
of pressure
on
right
and sometimes
many of us
would prefer
not to share
the gospel
with people
not to
not to even
say that we're
a believer
because we don't
feel we're a very
good ambassador
anyone ever feel
like that
the problem
is
if you're a
Christian
you're always
an ambassador
so if you're
trying to pretend
that you're not
one
kind of
disguising
yourself
putting on
dark glasses
a false beard
whatever it is
and then somebody
finds out
that you actually
go to church
that's even worse
because you're
a true fraud
right
so instead
rather than
saying
oh I'm not
a very good
ambassador
therefore I'm
not going to
be an ambassador
can you not
see that when
people around
you
maybe point
out things
that you
are not
doing
as an
ambassador
should
that that
is grace
to you
it is grace
because people
are inadvertently
encouraging you
to grow
as an
ambassador
it is grace
to you
because they're
pushing you
back to
repentance
and to
come back
to your
savior
who has
loving arms
which are
welcoming you
opening his
heart to you
so you may
experience grace
just like
with Jim
God is
persistently
calling you
back to
himself
even
sometimes
through
other
people
so evangelism
and being an
ambassador
is a spur
to being
more godly
it will help
you to hold
your tongue
more
I can promise
you
but it's a spur
to see how much
more you need
the gospel
in your own
life
that you
need to see
this amazing
sense of
reconciliation
so that if a
colleague ever
points out
but I thought
you were a
Christian
you can go
without
defensiveness
without embarrassment
you can go
man yeah I
really did
mess up
I'm sorry
because I
didn't live out
who I should
be
but you know
I have an
amazing savior
who takes
even people
like me
and he
demonstrates
incredible
grace to
me
who is
walking
with me
and persistently
again and
again he
runs after
me
and God's
love for
you becomes
so much
more real
and that
then encourages
you to then
share the gospel
even more
because you see
how great a
savior we have
you know
Paul was
willing to
give his
life for
this mission
of evangelism
because he
knew he
was the
worst of
sinners
and yet
God had
made Christ
who knew
no sin
to be
sin for
him
so that
in him
he might
become the
righteousness
of God
and that's
the same
for every
single one
of us
let me
pray
father you
have called
us
you have
called us
first to
yourself
thank you
so much
for your
reconciling
love
I pray
right now
for those
of us
who are
here
who
don't
know
you
I pray
as
in
Colin's
testimony
for those
who maybe
have heard
this message
many many
times
but I
pray today
would be
the day
of salvation
I pray
today
that you
would speak
into their
hearts and
lives
and show
them
your
incredible
love
so they
turn in
repentance
and find
a God
who wants
to welcome
them home
I pray
for those
of us
who are
believers
I pray
for those
of us
who think
we're
inadequate
those
of us
who
even
the
thought
of doing
evangelism
and sharing
our faith
is something
that just
scares us
I pray
that you
would show
us
your
incredible
love
the
incredible
privilege
the
incredible
way that
you have
called us
together
to be
partners
with you
in this
I pray
right now
you would
be putting
on our
minds
people
that we
should be
reaching out
to
I pray
we'd be
a church
that
is not
just so
focused
on our
own
things
but we're
actually
taking
time
to think
about
the people
around us
in our
offices
in our
neighborhoods
and to
begin to
say
God
how can
we show
your amazing
reconciling
love to
them
change
us
we pray
in your
amazing
name
amen
love to
kind