WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.660 My name is Jeremy, one of the pastoral staff here, and it's great to be with you this morning. 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:14.500 And as Chris was saying, we wrap up this series on identity this morning. 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:22.179 And if you've been tracking with us, you'll see that on the screen behind me in a second, 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:25.420 there's a few different identities that we've looked at. 00:00:26.060 --> 00:00:27.859 And the series has been called, What's Your ID? 00:00:27.859 --> 00:00:33.640 You know, what's that thing you flash up to show people, to prove to people who you are? 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:39.420 We started with this idea of a disciple, a disciple of Jesus. 00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:46.939 And we gave this definition that a disciple is someone who is growing in trusting Jesus as Savior 00:00:46.939 --> 00:00:52.039 and growing in lovingly obeying him as Lord. 00:00:52.120 --> 00:00:55.039 So there's that twofold nature of being a disciple. 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:59.339 And we kind of reflected on that just now when we were observing communion. 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:04.120 What does it mean to actually recognize that Jesus is our Savior? 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:07.359 And what does it mean to actually follow him? 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:11.159 Not just say, Lord, I believe you, but actually, I believe in what you say. 00:01:11.500 --> 00:01:12.799 I believe in your commandments. 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:15.879 And now I want to follow you as a disciple. 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:20.819 And then over the last month or so, we've looked at, can you go back for a second, 00:01:21.199 --> 00:01:30.739 a saint, family, servant, three kind of key identities that we've sort of unpacked for us. 00:01:30.819 --> 00:01:37.199 And I encourage you guys, go back onto our website and take a look at the sermons if you haven't listened. 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.700 But today we reach sort of the end of this little series. 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:43.299 And we look at ambassador. 00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:47.420 And we just read that passage where God is speaking through Paul. 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:51.079 And he's talking about armor and warfare and all these things. 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:55.400 But at the end, Paul is saying that I am now an ambassador in chains. 00:01:55.460 --> 00:01:59.159 And we're going to take a look a little bit about what that means. 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:03.899 And so Paul's writing to the Ephesians. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:09.800 And he says that he is an ambassador, but not just any ambassador. 00:02:09.979 --> 00:02:14.460 He says he's an ambassador for the mystery of the gospel. 00:02:16.219 --> 00:02:19.680 And I want us to really kind of start just remembering that. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:22.979 He's an ambassador for the mystery of the gospel. 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:27.840 But I want to actually start with that word ambassador. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:33.759 And I don't know about you guys, but that word can kind of seem kind of lofty out there. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:38.640 Like, you know, who has actually been an ambassador or a consul general here? 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:39.719 Anybody? 00:02:41.620 --> 00:02:44.680 I'm getting some pointers behind Aniko. 00:02:45.140 --> 00:02:49.840 And so we do have, or any kind of diplomatic staff. 00:02:50.480 --> 00:02:50.719 Anybody? 00:02:50.900 --> 00:02:52.300 So I think we have one person. 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:53.620 There were a couple before. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:56.060 They've left now, as naturally happens. 00:02:56.060 --> 00:02:58.180 Has anyone actually, maybe quick poll. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:06.240 Has anyone actually met, other than Thomas and Aniko, met an ambassador or a consul general and interacted with them? 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:06.599 Anybody? 00:03:07.939 --> 00:03:08.420 Okay. 00:03:08.640 --> 00:03:09.379 There's a few of us. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:09.879 That's good. 00:03:10.580 --> 00:03:11.020 That's good. 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:14.099 But it's not kind of a typical thing you do day to day. 00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:17.980 Now, I've never really spoken to any ambassador. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:21.699 I don't know what you guys think about when you hear the words ambassador. 00:03:21.699 --> 00:03:36.799 I kind of imagine some kind of fancy, pomp and circumstance, high-level meeting between, you know, two superpowers, you know, maybe the U.S. and China or something, or some kind of secret backroom deal. 00:03:37.619 --> 00:03:43.839 And I think it can seem like a distant concept to most of us that we don't really relate with. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:50.860 But recently I had the opportunity to attend an event that the U.S. consul general in Hong Kong hosted. 00:03:51.640 --> 00:03:59.640 And you might have heard in the news or whatnot that they had one of their aircraft carriers dock in Victoria Harbor. 00:03:59.639 --> 00:04:15.059 And the consul general and the rear admiral of the command, they hosted a reception on that ship, not just for the sailors, but also for just a variety of people in Hong Kong. 00:04:15.939 --> 00:04:29.159 And the consul general and the rear admiral, they kind of stood up and they gave a speech and they shared about how they hoped that this would be an event that fosters good relations between the U.S. and Hong Kong. 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:35.519 And they also just gave thanks for the hospitality and just the beauty and splendor of our city. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:42.060 And as I, well, and also they gave us food and drinks, which was very, really, really important. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:48.539 And as I reflect on that kind of, it's a special event, but it was also an event for many different people to come together. 00:04:48.539 --> 00:04:59.519 I reflected on that and I realized, you know, to be an ambassador, a lot of things just happen in the regular course of life that bring them into the spheres of the population. 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:08.039 And I realized that the consul general, if you just really look at him, he's just a man or woman who represents his country. 00:05:08.040 --> 00:05:11.840 This man represented the United States. 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:16.780 And he didn't just represent his country in the comfort of his own country. 00:05:17.100 --> 00:05:20.260 He actually moved to Hong Kong. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:25.600 And he didn't just stay in his posh or, I don't know, never been to his residence. 00:05:25.700 --> 00:05:30.360 But he didn't just stay there, but he came out into the masses. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:31.640 He came to meet us. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.740 He came to talk to us. 00:05:33.740 --> 00:05:44.199 And he didn't just talk with just kind of gibberish or just small talk, although I'm sure he did talk to people casually. 00:05:44.300 --> 00:05:46.420 But he actually had a message. 00:05:46.840 --> 00:05:53.120 He proclaimed a message for Thanksgiving, for good relations between two peoples. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:06:01.600 And so I looked at that and I'm like, okay, I can kind of wrap my head around that. 00:06:02.040 --> 00:06:12.459 And when I look at that passage of what Paul is doing and what he's saying this morning, I can kind of see those three rhythms, those three dimensions in a simple way. 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:18.100 And that's represents and move and proclaim. 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:23.340 And that's the three kind of ways I want us to look at the passage today. 00:06:23.400 --> 00:06:34.320 And my hope is that by the end, we'll have a better understanding of what Paul really meant when he was saying that he was an ambassador for the mystery of the gospel. 00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:40.360 Let's start with represents, representative. 00:06:40.360 --> 00:06:47.939 The root word for ambassador only occurs four times in all of the New Testament. 00:06:49.060 --> 00:06:56.639 And when Paul used it in the passage we just read, he certainly carried this sense of being a representative. 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:10.579 And he might even have known that if you've read in the gospel that Jesus once told a parable about a king, a king who underestimated his enemy before he was going to war. 00:07:11.419 --> 00:07:19.879 And so the king sends a delegation, a delegation to ask for the terms of peace because he realizes he's going to lose. 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:23.959 And that word delegation actually means embassy. 00:07:23.959 --> 00:07:30.759 So the king literally sent an embassy to represent him in the peace talks. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:35.719 And that ambassador spoke for the king. 00:07:37.060 --> 00:07:46.839 Anything that would have been done to that ambassador, to that delegation, would have been treated as the same as if it was done to the king himself. 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:54.839 And as the king's representative, that ambassador would have followed the king's word, followed the king's standard. 00:07:55.859 --> 00:07:59.839 Because he's not, you know, he's not a member of the new country. 00:08:00.739 --> 00:08:03.599 He is a member of his king's country. 00:08:04.599 --> 00:08:11.179 We often think about the word diplomatic immunity, right, when we think about ambassadors and consul generals. 00:08:11.180 --> 00:08:24.060 And really the idea behind that is that the ambassador is ultimately operating under the home country's laws and regulations and standards so that he's immune. 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:28.100 He's free from being prosecuted in the host country. 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:32.799 He's accountable to his home, not to his host. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:42.740 And I don't know how many of us have really thought of ourselves as being ambassadors or representatives. 00:08:42.740 --> 00:08:49.059 But if we think, if we try and put ourselves in the shoes of a representative, 00:08:50.139 --> 00:09:01.759 I think the reality is that every single one of us is representing someone or something in some kind of way. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:04.759 Sometimes it's quite obvious. 00:09:05.719 --> 00:09:10.159 In many of your jobs, you have clients that you represent, right? 00:09:11.339 --> 00:09:20.399 Perhaps the most kind of explicit example is those of you who are barristers or know barristers or have worked with barristers. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:25.379 Because the barrister literally represents a party in the court. 00:09:25.379 --> 00:09:34.200 He or she speaks to the judge on behalf of a person, you know, a defendant or a plaintiff or whoever. 00:09:34.820 --> 00:09:37.980 He actually speaks on behalf of that person. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:44.740 And that's an obvious answer, but there's also more subtle examples. 00:09:44.740 --> 00:09:58.379 I wonder how many of us are feeling these days or have been feeling our whole life that we are representatives of our family, of our parents. 00:09:58.379 --> 00:10:09.500 And we feel that burden of trying to represent them to the world, to society, trying to live up to their expectations, their standards, 00:10:10.220 --> 00:10:14.600 so that we can bring honor and glory to the family name. 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:22.120 I wonder how many of us feel that burden subconsciously or consciously on a day-to-day basis. 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:28.860 And some of you may be thinking, well, Jeremy, I'm not a representative of anyone. 00:10:29.060 --> 00:10:29.980 I'm my own master. 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:33.100 And that makes sense. 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:33.799 That's okay. 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:38.679 And I think if you come from a background of just independence and self-reliance, that's true. 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:48.080 But even you, the self-reliant person who represents no one, you still represent someone really important. 00:10:49.100 --> 00:10:50.120 That's yourself. 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:52.679 And we all do that, right? 00:10:52.779 --> 00:10:58.860 We all subconsciously or consciously kind of project versions of ourself. 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:03.159 We try and put our best foot forward on a day-to-day basis. 00:11:04.460 --> 00:11:09.080 We kind of act a little bit differently, even if it's subtle, with different people. 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:19.080 And so you shape sort of ambassadors for yourself to your bosses or to your parents or to your friends or even to your spouse. 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:23.340 It might be subtle, but we all do that if we're honest. 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:37.379 We're very sensitive to the people around us and how maybe they perceive us and how to project a way, create an ambassador, a representative, a representation of ourselves to those people. 00:11:37.379 --> 00:11:41.679 And behind, you know, we know that there is the good. 00:11:42.100 --> 00:11:43.620 The true self has the good. 00:11:43.899 --> 00:11:44.799 It has the bad. 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:45.600 It has the ugly. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:54.379 But we create, we fashion these ambassadors for ourselves to represent ourselves in the best possible way. 00:11:54.379 --> 00:12:03.100 So the question for us, I think, and for me is not whether you're a representative, but rather who. 00:12:03.899 --> 00:12:07.480 Who or what are you representing? 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:16.480 And when Paul says in this passage that he is an ambassador, he means that he is a representative of God. 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:27.200 And it's not just Paul talking about himself, because the other time that he uses the word in the New Testament, it's in 2 Corinthians 5 where Paul writes, 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:31.660 We are ambassadors for Christ. 00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:34.980 We are ambassadors for Christ. 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:40.240 So if you're a Christian today, you are a representative of God. 00:12:41.520 --> 00:12:43.640 That's built into your identity. 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:49.500 You are a representative of God above all other things. 00:12:50.819 --> 00:12:57.019 And there's nothing inherently bad about representing other people or other things or yourself. 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:58.220 Don't get me wrong here. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:02.879 There's nothing bad about those things, but they cannot be the ultimate. 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:20.939 Because if an ambassador disregards his ultimate authority, if he disregards the king's policies and the king's word and the king's standard, the king who sent him, then he's basically failed as an ambassador. 00:13:21.580 --> 00:13:21.740 Right? 00:13:23.139 --> 00:13:31.179 So we represent God even if it brings us into direct opposition with other people we're representing. 00:13:31.179 --> 00:13:40.959 You know, maybe we feel that pull, that pressure from our clients or your parents or even your own expectations. 00:13:43.219 --> 00:13:50.319 But what Paul is saying that as an ambassador for Christ, his identity is that. 00:13:50.439 --> 00:13:52.359 His ultimate identity is that. 00:13:53.179 --> 00:14:01.159 And so the first point we need to wrestle with today is whether we understand that as Christians, we represent God. 00:14:01.179 --> 00:14:01.699 God. 00:14:04.179 --> 00:14:07.539 The second aspect I want to take a look at is move. 00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:14.979 And we're going to spend a little more time on this because I think this is hard and this is deep and this is challenging, but it's good. 00:14:16.299 --> 00:14:24.339 Because by definition, you cannot be an ambassador if you just stay in the comfort of your own country or your own home. 00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:30.200 By definition, the ambassador moves to a new place. 00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:33.340 The ambassadors go into foreign countries. 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:38.420 They may need to learn new languages and new customs and cultures. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:43.460 And so ambassadors for Christ are no different. 00:14:43.460 --> 00:14:47.680 When you're born again into God's family. 00:14:47.680 --> 00:14:50.639 Like that song Leo taught us this morning. 00:14:51.540 --> 00:14:55.400 As we reflected on baptism a couple weeks ago. 00:14:55.580 --> 00:14:58.980 When you're born again into God's family. 00:14:59.139 --> 00:15:02.820 God says you are now a citizen of God's kingdom. 00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:04.920 Not this world. 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:14.099 And scripture actually says that we are now foreigners and exiles in this world. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.339 We don't belong here. 00:15:17.339 --> 00:15:22.279 So if you're Hong Kong, you're Hong Konger, you're from Hong Kong. 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:26.519 The word says ultimately you don't belong here. 00:15:27.179 --> 00:15:29.259 You know, if you're an expat here this morning. 00:15:29.980 --> 00:15:32.659 And you're from your home country, your home city. 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:36.740 You're also not truly belonging there. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:40.319 Our home as Christians is heaven. 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:42.360 In God's new creation. 00:15:43.579 --> 00:15:51.279 And the challenge is for us to wrap our minds and our hearts around this idea that we have figuratively or metaphorically moved. 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:55.559 From heaven into this world. 00:15:56.439 --> 00:16:02.120 This lifetime is only a temporary residence for us as ambassadors. 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:06.059 And guys, I know this is hard. 00:16:06.199 --> 00:16:08.539 This is really hard in reality. 00:16:08.539 --> 00:16:15.139 Because I wonder how many of us are comfortable with our lives right now. 00:16:16.100 --> 00:16:22.120 Or if you're not really comfortable right now, your implicit goal in life is to be comfortable. 00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:25.319 To get to that place of comfort. 00:16:25.500 --> 00:16:31.879 And we're putting just so much time and energy and resources into securing our lives. 00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:33.659 Accumulating wealth. 00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:36.500 Advancing our social standing. 00:16:37.659 --> 00:16:39.819 And running that rat race. 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:43.620 And I struggle with that, you know. 00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:45.419 I like my creature comforts. 00:16:45.459 --> 00:16:46.579 I like my technology. 00:16:46.580 --> 00:16:47.860 I like my air con. 00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:49.600 I like my gourmet food. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.460 We think we belong here. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:01.440 And I was thinking, it's maybe like if you were that U.S. consul general. 00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:03.620 And you move to the U.S. 00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:05.960 I mean, you move to Hong Kong from your home in the U.S. 00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:12.400 And over time, you forget that you're actually not from Hong Kong. 00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:14.400 You think you belong here. 00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:19.660 And you get so wrapped up in your identity of Hong Kong. 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:23.819 And now you're just living like any local Hong Konger. 00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:26.840 You're applying for local jobs. 00:17:27.740 --> 00:17:27.980 You know. 00:17:28.140 --> 00:17:29.720 You love stinky tofu. 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.839 You know, you've forgotten that, you know, the glory of cheeseburgers exists. 00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:37.539 And whatever it is that you love from your homeland. 00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:41.740 Now, how crazy would that be if that actually happened? 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:44.740 And I know that's a silly example. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:48.460 But spiritually, we do that all the time. 00:17:49.740 --> 00:17:53.579 You've heard the term that we are spiritual amnesiacs. 00:17:53.579 --> 00:17:55.860 You know, if you've been in Watermark for a while. 00:17:55.859 --> 00:18:00.439 We forget that we actually came from another place. 00:18:00.539 --> 00:18:02.959 We have a home in heaven. 00:18:03.379 --> 00:18:06.039 And we think that we belong here. 00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:10.679 We forget that the call of the ambassador is to move. 00:18:11.979 --> 00:18:14.459 You moved into this world when you were born again. 00:18:14.459 --> 00:18:17.139 And you don't belong here. 00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:29.660 Now, if we're attentive, if we're attentive to that, one of the things that can remind us of this reality is warfare and suffering. 00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:34.860 And I'm not just talking about physical warfare, even though that happens. 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:36.580 But I'm talking about the spiritual. 00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:45.039 Because when we look at this passage about the whole armor of God, we see that we are actually ambassadors. 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:49.579 Not in a vacuum, but we are actually ambassadors in a time of warfare. 00:18:50.859 --> 00:18:52.259 A time of warfare. 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:55.759 And there are these two kingdoms who are in conflict. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:57.480 Verse 12. 00:18:57.480 --> 00:19:02.620 Paul says we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:04.660 But against rulers. 00:19:04.940 --> 00:19:06.039 Against the authorities. 00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:11.940 Against the cosmic powers over this present darkness. 00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:17.019 Against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 00:19:18.819 --> 00:19:21.700 We are in warfare today. 00:19:22.339 --> 00:19:23.079 Right here. 00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:24.220 Right now. 00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:29.140 And for those of you who are really struggling these days. 00:19:29.360 --> 00:19:31.259 Struggling to live as a Christian. 00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:33.740 Don't be alarmed. 00:19:35.100 --> 00:19:36.559 Don't be discouraged. 00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:44.200 Because we're in the midst of a massive cosmic battle over the hearts of mankind. 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:48.160 And that's why we need that armor. 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:51.480 We need, as ambassadors, we need God's truth. 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:54.200 We need God's righteousness. 00:19:54.539 --> 00:19:56.140 His peace. 00:19:56.620 --> 00:19:57.400 His faith. 00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:58.680 And his word. 00:19:58.819 --> 00:20:02.980 We need all those things if we're going to win the battle. 00:20:03.579 --> 00:20:07.860 Every time you feel tempted to get angry at your child. 00:20:08.860 --> 00:20:11.420 Or you're tempted to take shortcuts at work. 00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:16.059 Or you're tempted to indulge in sexual sin. 00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:17.779 And that's warfare. 00:20:18.859 --> 00:20:27.039 You know, every time you wrestle with that desire to disobey your heavenly father who loves you and created you. 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:29.379 That's warfare. 00:20:30.819 --> 00:20:33.720 You're engaging in warfare. 00:20:34.879 --> 00:20:39.419 So as ambassadors, the reality is that we are foreigners. 00:20:40.619 --> 00:20:42.980 In enemy territory. 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:46.740 But here's my fear. 00:20:47.360 --> 00:20:49.059 For myself and for us. 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:53.839 My fear is that on a regular basis. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.860 On a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly basis. 00:20:56.860 --> 00:21:00.620 I don't know how many of us really under. 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:06.059 How many of us really understand the warfare that we're in. 00:21:06.059 --> 00:21:11.779 I wonder how many of us actually have a deficient understanding of the war. 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.460 And this is what I mean. 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:18.940 I had a friend who works for the U.S. Foreign Service. 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:30.359 And what I found out from him is that diplomats typically move, or at least in common practice, they move between easy and hard assignments. 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:46.119 So if you're a diplomat and you've been assigned to a cush, you know, relaxing, so to speak, first world city like Hong Kong, there might be a high chance that your next assignment will be in Afghanistan. 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:56.599 You know, somewhere that's not nearly as relaxing and not as nice with not as much food or whatnot. 00:21:56.799 --> 00:22:03.239 And what he was saying is that the essence of diplomatic work is that it has to happen everywhere. 00:22:03.979 --> 00:22:05.419 Not just in the nice places. 00:22:05.539 --> 00:22:07.579 Not just in Asia's world city. 00:22:07.579 --> 00:22:08.579 Not just in Asia's world city. 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:16.500 And I wonder, as Christians, how many of us say to God, you know, implicitly, yes, God. 00:22:17.899 --> 00:22:19.980 I know I'm a foreigner in this world. 00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:21.339 I know I'm an exile. 00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:23.779 I know my home is in heaven. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:26.799 Thank you for saving me. 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:28.279 I want to represent you. 00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:29.220 Hallelujah. 00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:30.899 I want to represent you. 00:22:32.439 --> 00:22:34.199 But only where it's comfortable. 00:22:35.779 --> 00:22:37.559 Only in the world-class city. 00:22:37.579 --> 00:22:41.740 Only in the safety of our comfort zones. 00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:44.619 Far from the front lines. 00:22:46.099 --> 00:22:47.819 Yes, Lord, we'll fight for you. 00:22:48.679 --> 00:22:54.220 But we'll fight for you in the comfort of our little middle-class bubble here in Hong Kong. 00:22:57.019 --> 00:23:00.279 But to be an ambassador is to move. 00:23:00.399 --> 00:23:07.279 And it's not just this idea of spiritual movements from your heavenly home to this worldly battleground. 00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:12.199 But it's actually also a literal movement in this world. 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:14.939 As Jesus commanded his disciples, 00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:20.019 Be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria. 00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.259 And what? 00:23:21.939 --> 00:23:23.759 To the ends of the earth. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:30.379 The apostle Paul in this passage, he wasn't just an ambassador. 00:23:31.379 --> 00:23:32.319 Verse 20. 00:23:33.539 --> 00:23:36.700 I am an ambassador in chains. 00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:43.500 And scholars think that it's most likely that Paul was in Rome when he wrote this letter. 00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:48.380 Far away from his home, languishing in a Roman prison. 00:23:48.380 --> 00:23:54.560 And he wasn't there just because he was stupid and did some silly acts. 00:23:54.760 --> 00:23:58.680 He was there because he took a stand for Jesus Christ. 00:23:58.680 --> 00:24:05.060 And as I think about myself and about us as a people of God, 00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:11.980 I wonder how many of us have truly battled and suffered as ambassadors of Christ. 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:20.539 I thought back, way back earlier in my career when I was still a lawyer, 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:28.980 and I spent a year in Calcutta, India, volunteering in human rights work. 00:24:29.339 --> 00:24:34.220 And I obviously didn't run around saying that, but I mean, I felt good about myself. 00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:34.620 Right? 00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:40.740 You know, the story is the young lawyer moves from the comfort of Canada 00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:49.299 into the chaos and confusion and the pollution and crowds of Calcutta, India. 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:52.100 And people patted me on the back. 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:54.519 They said I was doing good work. 00:24:56.079 --> 00:25:01.640 And I knew Calcutta was famous because Mother Teresa had moved there, 00:25:01.640 --> 00:25:03.600 and she lived and died there. 00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:09.819 And I had the opportunity when I was there to go to Mother House, 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:14.480 which is a shrine to her, her burial place in Calcutta. 00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:18.620 And aside from being in the presence of, I guess, 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:22.160 the figurative presence of such an amazing, godly woman, 00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:25.600 there was also a room in Mother House that documented it. 00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:29.079 It just kind of gave you this tapestry of her life's journey. 00:25:29.079 --> 00:25:34.819 And what I learned was that back in 1928, 00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:42.139 almost a century ago, before the advent of smartphones and email 00:25:42.139 --> 00:25:45.139 and even commercial plane travel, 00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:51.579 Mother Teresa decided to leave her homeland in Macedonia, 00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:53.119 in southeastern Europe, 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:56.239 and she moved to Ireland to study English 00:25:56.239 --> 00:26:00.319 so that she could ultimately serve in India. 00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:06.199 The tapestry said that her father had died when she was a child. 00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:10.279 And when she had reached the age of 18, 00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:13.139 that's when she decided to leave. 00:26:13.199 --> 00:26:16.179 And she never saw the rest of her family again. 00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:19.459 She never saw her mother or her sister again. 00:26:19.460 --> 00:26:22.299 And the rest is history. 00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:26.400 I don't know if you've heard or read anything about this amazing woman of God, 00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:29.400 but she went to South Asia, she went to India, 00:26:29.559 --> 00:26:35.299 and she had left an immeasurable impact on that society. 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:41.059 But when I read that fact on that tapestry, 00:26:41.840 --> 00:26:44.460 the fact that she never saw her family 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:47.600 for the rest of her time in this world, 00:26:47.600 --> 00:26:49.160 she never saw her mom again, 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:52.539 she never saw her sister again. 00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:57.279 When I read that fact, it just sunk into my heart. 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:58.360 It just hit me. 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:01.079 Gosh, I have no idea 00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:05.480 what it really means to be an ambassador for Christ 00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:07.880 and move for Him. 00:27:08.920 --> 00:27:11.240 You know, here I was, committed for a year. 00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:15.440 You know, I could FaceTime or email my family or friends 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:16.779 any time I want. 00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:19.059 You know, Canada was just a 20-hour flight. 00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:19.900 Away. 00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:22.160 And I went back to visit 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:24.799 and go back for a wedding even during that year. 00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:27.039 And don't get me wrong, 00:27:27.120 --> 00:27:28.720 India was a great experience, 00:27:28.860 --> 00:27:30.240 but I just share that story 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:31.779 because it's what I thought about 00:27:31.779 --> 00:27:32.620 when I thought 00:27:32.620 --> 00:27:34.079 about 00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:35.660 All in Chains. 00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:38.200 I share that story 00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:41.779 because I realize I can get so comfortable in this world 00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:45.360 even when I'm supposedly doing great things for God. 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:51.560 I realize that I have never been an ambassador 00:27:51.560 --> 00:27:53.360 the way that Paul was. 00:27:54.060 --> 00:27:57.320 I've never moved in the way that Mother Teresa moved. 00:27:57.319 --> 00:28:02.259 And so I wonder how many of us have really even fathomed 00:28:02.259 --> 00:28:06.759 battling and suffering as ambassadors of Christ. 00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:10.179 You know, I have my comfortable home here in Kennedy Town. 00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:12.439 I have my jobs, my routines. 00:28:12.639 --> 00:28:15.059 I have my wife, my family, my friends. 00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:20.359 I've done some radical or more radical things in my past 00:28:20.359 --> 00:28:22.039 so I can rest on those laurels. 00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:27.139 And I don't have to really do or risk anything anymore. 00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:30.540 And I think what God is saying to me 00:28:30.540 --> 00:28:32.420 as I even prepared this 00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:34.660 and to us this morning 00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:36.920 is that some of us, a lot of us 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:39.680 just need to take that first step out of our comfort zone. 00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:41.220 You know, maybe God 00:28:41.220 --> 00:28:44.840 is asking you to move to Africa right now. 00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:45.240 I don't know. 00:28:45.300 --> 00:28:47.500 Maybe that's between you and Him. 00:28:49.120 --> 00:28:51.200 But maybe He's just asking you to step 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:53.300 outside that comfort zone. 00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:54.700 That first little step 00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:57.580 outside of the routines of your life. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:01.160 A place that you don't normally go. 00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:04.480 A neighborhood that seems foreign to you. 00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:07.580 Maybe it's a mission trip 00:29:07.580 --> 00:29:10.220 that you can go on this year to get out. 00:29:10.840 --> 00:29:11.400 To go. 00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:15.140 Maybe your lease is coming up for renewal 00:29:15.140 --> 00:29:17.559 and maybe God wants you to move 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:19.440 to a place that's just less comfortable. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:20.900 There's less English. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:23.000 You know, there's no Jasons 00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:24.640 or International or Fusion. 00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:30.519 And all of that connects to 00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:34.860 the final aspect of being an ambassador for Christ. 00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:36.400 And that's to proclaim. 00:29:37.420 --> 00:29:38.120 To proclaim. 00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:41.000 So we represent our King 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:43.559 by moving into foreign lands 00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:47.480 and making proclamations on His behalf. 00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:50.799 Because Paul says in Ephesians, 00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:53.660 he says to them in the passage, 00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:54.980 he wants prayer. 00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:58.980 He wants prayer that words may be given to me. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:03.360 Given to me in opening my mouth 00:30:03.360 --> 00:30:04.279 to what? 00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:08.860 To boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel. 00:30:08.859 --> 00:30:13.179 To proclaim the mystery of the gospel. 00:30:14.679 --> 00:30:18.019 So the ambassador for Christ has to understand. 00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:20.899 He's not just proclaiming whatever the heck he wants. 00:30:21.740 --> 00:30:23.899 Even though we do that sometimes, you know. 00:30:24.599 --> 00:30:26.000 You know, brain fart. 00:30:26.099 --> 00:30:27.779 The words just come out. 00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:31.399 But that's not the message that God gives us. 00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:33.839 He's given us a message to proclaim. 00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:36.720 And Paul says it's the mystery of the gospel. 00:30:36.859 --> 00:30:37.480 So what is that? 00:30:38.879 --> 00:30:39.960 And if you've noticed, 00:30:40.059 --> 00:30:42.259 as we've gone through Ephesians, 00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:43.139 when you read through it, 00:30:43.160 --> 00:30:44.559 you see this word come up a lot 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:46.240 in chapters 1 and 3. 00:30:46.759 --> 00:30:47.720 And that's in your bulletins 00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:48.879 if you want to look at it later. 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:51.280 But basically, to summarize, 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:54.360 the mystery of the gospel is this. 00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:59.240 It's that it's not only that Jesus saves sinners. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:03.540 As powerful and as true as that is. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:07.900 But the mystery is that Jesus saves sinners equally. 00:31:08.820 --> 00:31:11.520 That all sinners can be equally saved. 00:31:11.600 --> 00:31:14.940 And that's what Paul says in chapter 3, verse 6. 00:31:15.020 --> 00:31:16.000 Let me just read it for us. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:16.340 He says, 00:31:16.339 --> 00:31:20.559 This mystery is that through the gospel, 00:31:21.419 --> 00:31:24.079 the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, 00:31:24.399 --> 00:31:26.139 members together of one body, 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:30.399 and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus. 00:31:31.119 --> 00:31:34.139 Together, together, together. 00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:40.119 And church, this was a radical reconciliation. 00:31:41.179 --> 00:31:42.639 Because as you may know, 00:31:42.699 --> 00:31:43.399 historically, 00:31:43.400 --> 00:31:47.220 God chose the people of Israel to be his people. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:50.100 And even Jesus was a Jew, right? 00:31:51.320 --> 00:31:53.380 But even though God had always said 00:31:53.380 --> 00:31:55.120 that he was going to use Israel 00:31:55.120 --> 00:31:58.400 as a means of blessing the entire world, 00:31:58.500 --> 00:32:00.519 you know, the people of God over time, 00:32:00.580 --> 00:32:01.840 they'd gotten to this place. 00:32:02.500 --> 00:32:04.820 And this place was that they saw Gentiles 00:32:04.820 --> 00:32:08.080 or non-Jews as spiritually unclean. 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:13.279 Or even second-class citizens in God's master plan. 00:32:14.419 --> 00:32:16.599 You know, they were the chosen ones. 00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:19.460 And everyone else was more or less heathen. 00:32:20.919 --> 00:32:23.460 Their prejudice and their discrimination 00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:25.960 was even justified somehow. 00:32:25.960 --> 00:32:29.920 But here's what Paul's saying. 00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:32.299 A big part of the mystery of the gospel 00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:36.299 is that the gospel is truly for everyone. 00:32:37.880 --> 00:32:40.019 And as an ambassador for Christ, 00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:43.960 Paul wasn't just called to move outside of his comfort zones. 00:32:44.440 --> 00:32:48.019 He was to move to a people that were different from him, 00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:50.460 a people that even made him uncomfortable. 00:32:50.460 --> 00:32:54.100 And he was to proclaim a message of love 00:32:54.100 --> 00:32:56.259 and reconciliation to them. 00:32:58.980 --> 00:33:00.539 And I know that, you know, 00:33:00.620 --> 00:33:03.360 we don't really have a huge Jew-Gentile dynamic 00:33:03.360 --> 00:33:05.460 in Watermark or maybe even Hong Kong. 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:09.059 But if we think at the essence of what that means, 00:33:09.700 --> 00:33:12.120 of the us versus them mentality, 00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:14.579 the haves and the have-nots, 00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:17.960 I think we see that dynamic play out 00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:20.380 every day in Hong Kong. 00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:21.220 And globally. 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:23.400 And sometimes we do this. 00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:26.279 We see a person over there and we say, 00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:29.200 yes, I know you're saved. 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:30.920 I know Jesus loves you. 00:33:31.340 --> 00:33:34.740 I know that I want you to be reconciled with God. 00:33:36.600 --> 00:33:39.200 But maybe it's best if you do that over there 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:40.559 with your community, 00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:42.779 with people who are like you. 00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:47.819 You know, who maybe you can be more comfortable with. 00:33:47.819 --> 00:33:52.859 And even worse, sometimes we won't even go to that person 00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:55.379 because we have these obstacles in front of us. 00:33:55.559 --> 00:33:56.819 We've written them off. 00:33:57.379 --> 00:33:58.319 Or we're discomfort. 00:33:59.220 --> 00:34:01.599 They bring kind of discomfort into our lives 00:34:01.599 --> 00:34:02.240 for whatever reason. 00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:03.980 We won't even go to them. 00:34:03.980 --> 00:34:08.000 So if we look at the essence of this dynamic, 00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:11.300 I wonder, who is a Gentile to you? 00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:15.699 I was thinking for myself, 00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:18.280 and I know I wrestle with judgments 00:34:18.280 --> 00:34:21.019 towards people who maybe don't see 00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:23.320 social justice the way I do. 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:24.780 They're the other. 00:34:26.420 --> 00:34:27.460 They don't get it. 00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:29.619 And if I'm honest, 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:31.159 I do get a little discomfort 00:34:31.159 --> 00:34:34.679 with people who are just dirty and unkempt 00:34:34.679 --> 00:34:38.000 when I interact with beggars 00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:40.760 or people when I was in Calcutta. 00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:42.679 It actually makes me uncomfortable. 00:34:44.659 --> 00:34:45.659 What about you? 00:34:47.720 --> 00:34:49.679 Who is a Gentile to you? 00:34:49.800 --> 00:34:52.720 Maybe it's that colleague or family member 00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:54.299 that just, you know, 00:34:54.539 --> 00:34:57.079 annoys the mm out of you. 00:34:59.599 --> 00:35:01.639 But that's the mystery of the gospel. 00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:04.019 It's for them equally. 00:35:05.699 --> 00:35:06.719 You know, maybe it's a person 00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:09.219 with just radically different views from you 00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:11.739 about the relationship between Hong Kong 00:35:11.739 --> 00:35:14.000 and how it fits into mainland China. 00:35:15.099 --> 00:35:16.659 That's the mystery of the gospel. 00:35:18.619 --> 00:35:20.899 And maybe it's someone who voted for Donald Trump 00:35:20.899 --> 00:35:21.859 and you're American. 00:35:22.719 --> 00:35:24.359 That's a huge mystery of the gospel. 00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:28.539 But it's serious, right? 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:30.259 We look at those people, 00:35:30.419 --> 00:35:32.799 red, blue, them, us. 00:35:34.739 --> 00:35:35.939 They're Gentiles. 00:35:37.459 --> 00:35:38.819 I can't go to them, Lord. 00:35:39.459 --> 00:35:40.359 They're so different. 00:35:41.419 --> 00:35:42.579 Maybe closer to home. 00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:46.279 Maybe it's just the secretaries in your office. 00:35:46.980 --> 00:35:48.399 The mystery of the gospel. 00:35:49.879 --> 00:35:52.199 Maybe it's the domestic helpers in your community. 00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:54.959 Mystery of the gospel. 00:35:58.399 --> 00:35:59.559 And here's the thing. 00:35:59.699 --> 00:36:02.219 God doesn't want us to just be comfortable 00:36:02.219 --> 00:36:04.319 even with the Gentiles 00:36:04.319 --> 00:36:06.639 that are around in our immediate circles. 00:36:07.259 --> 00:36:08.579 That's the first step. 00:36:08.579 --> 00:36:12.779 I wonder how many people in Hong Kong 00:36:12.779 --> 00:36:14.119 that we don't even see 00:36:14.119 --> 00:36:17.619 who are Gentiles in our society 00:36:17.619 --> 00:36:20.380 because they're outside of our comfort zones, 00:36:20.460 --> 00:36:22.940 they're outside of our routines, 00:36:23.460 --> 00:36:25.019 and they're invisible to us. 00:36:25.019 --> 00:36:27.679 And that's why we spend so much time 00:36:27.679 --> 00:36:28.739 looking on that point 00:36:28.739 --> 00:36:32.079 that ambassadors have to move to see things. 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:34.259 And I think the challenge for us is 00:36:34.259 --> 00:36:36.840 when was the last time you really looked 00:36:36.840 --> 00:36:39.980 even beyond your routines and your comfort zone? 00:36:39.980 --> 00:36:42.820 I think if we did that, 00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:44.639 we would see the people 00:36:44.639 --> 00:36:46.440 who are marginalized in this city. 00:36:47.300 --> 00:36:50.860 The poor, the voiceless, the forgotten. 00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:56.160 There's a large Nepali population in Hong Kong. 00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:57.720 You may know of them. 00:36:58.240 --> 00:36:59.579 They're fully Hong Kongers, 00:36:59.720 --> 00:37:02.559 but as a minority group over the decades, 00:37:02.680 --> 00:37:06.539 they have just been sucked into systemic poverty, 00:37:07.700 --> 00:37:10.099 drug abuse, broken families. 00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:13.199 You'll see teenage girls 00:37:13.199 --> 00:37:14.920 who go through the shame and trauma 00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:17.279 in this society of being single mothers. 00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:20.480 You'll see elderly home 00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:23.679 who are simply languishing in loneliness, 00:37:24.339 --> 00:37:26.679 elderly people languishing in elderly homes. 00:37:27.779 --> 00:37:29.480 You might see young women 00:37:29.480 --> 00:37:31.059 who come here from abroad 00:37:31.059 --> 00:37:33.400 selling their bodies for sex 00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:35.179 because they need to provide 00:37:35.179 --> 00:37:36.339 for their family's home. 00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:39.880 You might see asylum seekers 00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:43.039 who come here from Africa and South Asia 00:37:43.039 --> 00:37:45.800 fleeing poverty and danger. 00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:47.760 And that's just a snapshot 00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:49.660 of some major groups 00:37:49.660 --> 00:37:53.300 that are really treated as Gentiles in Hong Kong. 00:37:53.400 --> 00:37:54.280 I'm sure there's more. 00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:57.119 And we even have to remember 00:37:57.119 --> 00:37:58.960 that in each and every one of these groups, 00:37:59.059 --> 00:38:00.980 there are individual men and women 00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:02.880 and children with actual names 00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:05.240 and stories and triumphs and tragedies. 00:38:06.240 --> 00:38:09.280 And therein lies the mystery of the gospel. 00:38:09.880 --> 00:38:12.880 That we are ambassadors to all of them. 00:38:13.519 --> 00:38:14.720 And God loves them 00:38:14.720 --> 00:38:15.780 and he loves them enough 00:38:15.780 --> 00:38:19.660 that he wants us to represent him to them. 00:38:23.119 --> 00:38:24.260 So we represent, 00:38:24.840 --> 00:38:26.280 we move and we proclaim. 00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:27.760 And maybe some of you look at that 00:38:27.760 --> 00:38:29.240 with passion and vigor 00:38:29.240 --> 00:38:29.800 and you're like, 00:38:29.960 --> 00:38:31.440 yes, sign me up. 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:33.539 I'm there. 00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.519 And that's amazing. 00:38:35.659 --> 00:38:38.159 Hold on to that conviction right now. 00:38:40.039 --> 00:38:41.940 But some of you have been striving 00:38:41.940 --> 00:38:43.780 as ambassadors for a while now. 00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:45.960 And you get it. 00:38:46.700 --> 00:38:47.659 Everything I've said, 00:38:47.720 --> 00:38:50.039 you've heard it in some shape or form before. 00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:52.320 But you're burning out. 00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:53.780 You're tired. 00:38:53.780 --> 00:38:55.760 You want to give up. 00:38:56.900 --> 00:38:57.880 And the comfort 00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:00.400 that comes from this challenge 00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:03.080 in today's passage 00:39:03.080 --> 00:39:05.200 is that Paul got it too. 00:39:06.180 --> 00:39:07.720 He was also imperfect. 00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:09.160 He was also sinful. 00:39:10.100 --> 00:39:11.180 You'll notice in that passage 00:39:11.180 --> 00:39:13.060 that Paul asked for boldness. 00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:15.019 Not just once, but twice. 00:39:16.120 --> 00:39:16.840 And I can imagine 00:39:16.840 --> 00:39:18.340 the heaviness and tiredness 00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:19.440 he may have felt 00:39:19.440 --> 00:39:21.280 when he was in that prison. 00:39:21.280 --> 00:39:24.460 Maybe he even wanted to give up. 00:39:25.200 --> 00:39:26.200 To throw in the towel. 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:28.900 But Paul knew that he had 00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:31.220 the people of God supporting him. 00:39:32.060 --> 00:39:33.420 Praying him for him. 00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:35.200 And that's what the church needs to be. 00:39:37.360 --> 00:39:37.940 And ultimately, 00:39:38.060 --> 00:39:39.040 he would have understood 00:39:39.040 --> 00:39:41.920 that Christ was the ultimate ambassador. 00:39:42.860 --> 00:39:44.880 He would have looked to his example 00:39:44.880 --> 00:39:47.980 because Jesus was not just God's representative. 00:39:48.260 --> 00:39:49.700 He was God. 00:39:49.699 --> 00:39:53.539 He didn't just kind of metaphorically 00:39:53.539 --> 00:39:54.399 come to earth. 00:39:54.980 --> 00:39:59.059 He literally incarnated God in flesh. 00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:02.879 He didn't just proclaim the gospel. 00:40:03.059 --> 00:40:05.439 Jesus was the gospel. 00:40:08.039 --> 00:40:09.579 And so he would have known, 00:40:09.739 --> 00:40:10.619 Paul would have known, 00:40:10.719 --> 00:40:13.599 that my job is to be an ambassador, 00:40:14.099 --> 00:40:15.319 not to be the king. 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:18.300 My job is to faithfully represent, 00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:20.340 trusting that God, 00:40:20.660 --> 00:40:21.120 the king, 00:40:21.280 --> 00:40:22.320 is in control. 00:40:22.640 --> 00:40:24.380 His policies are good. 00:40:28.059 --> 00:40:30.200 But I think there's a third group of us in here, 00:40:30.240 --> 00:40:31.539 and I think that's most of us. 00:40:32.420 --> 00:40:33.539 I think many of us, 00:40:33.640 --> 00:40:34.220 including me, 00:40:34.300 --> 00:40:35.120 there's a big part of me, 00:40:35.200 --> 00:40:35.980 is look at that and say, 00:40:36.080 --> 00:40:37.400 gosh, I cannot do that. 00:40:38.640 --> 00:40:39.680 I can't be Paul. 00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:43.119 I can't be an ambassador in chains in a foreign land, 00:40:43.779 --> 00:40:46.919 proclaiming the gospel to people who are nothing like me, 00:40:47.000 --> 00:40:48.919 people who make my skin crawl 00:40:48.919 --> 00:40:50.579 or make my blood boil. 00:40:53.219 --> 00:40:54.259 And guys, hear me. 00:40:54.359 --> 00:40:57.199 The last thing I want for us to feel 00:40:57.199 --> 00:40:58.119 when we leave today 00:40:58.119 --> 00:40:59.980 is that we just need to suck it up, 00:41:00.339 --> 00:41:02.179 pull ourselves up by the bootstraps, 00:41:02.299 --> 00:41:04.199 and put on our ambassador hats, 00:41:04.319 --> 00:41:06.519 and just go and do stuff. 00:41:06.519 --> 00:41:08.860 That's not what we want. 00:41:11.460 --> 00:41:15.239 If we don't see Christ for who he is 00:41:15.239 --> 00:41:16.440 and what he did for us, 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:20.259 if we don't see the gospel applying to our own lives, 00:41:20.860 --> 00:41:24.259 if that is not our motivation as ambassadors, 00:41:24.500 --> 00:41:28.000 our efforts would be futile and counterproductive. 00:41:28.259 --> 00:41:29.059 We will fail, 00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.579 and we will burn out. 00:41:30.579 --> 00:41:37.900 The big idea in this entire series 00:41:37.900 --> 00:41:41.400 is that all those identities we talked about, 00:41:41.639 --> 00:41:44.059 disciple, saint, servant, 00:41:45.380 --> 00:41:48.159 family member, ambassador, 00:41:48.759 --> 00:41:50.159 they're not something we earn. 00:41:51.539 --> 00:41:53.380 Those identities are given to us 00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:56.319 when we are born again as children of God. 00:41:56.639 --> 00:41:58.779 And when you look at the pattern of Ephesians, 00:41:58.779 --> 00:42:00.219 it's very simple. 00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:02.239 God is telling us, 00:42:03.099 --> 00:42:04.539 this is who you are. 00:42:05.519 --> 00:42:07.079 This is who you are. 00:42:07.799 --> 00:42:09.400 Now learn to live it out. 00:42:10.059 --> 00:42:11.519 It's not the other way around. 00:42:11.599 --> 00:42:12.719 It's not do, do, do, 00:42:12.779 --> 00:42:15.340 so that you can be someone better. 00:42:17.719 --> 00:42:22.179 What you do is always shaped by who you are. 00:42:23.400 --> 00:42:25.639 And God is saying to us this morning, 00:42:25.819 --> 00:42:28.900 who you are is that you are unconditionally loved, 00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:31.119 unconditionally accepted. 00:42:31.900 --> 00:42:34.440 God's saying you have eternal life. 00:42:34.900 --> 00:42:38.380 God is saying that you are an heir to his kingdom. 00:42:40.119 --> 00:42:43.200 God is saying that you have eternal riches today 00:42:43.200 --> 00:42:46.960 so that you don't have nothing to lose in this lifetime. 00:42:46.960 --> 00:42:51.139 God is saying that he will win the war. 00:42:51.139 --> 00:42:52.960 He will win the battle. 00:42:52.960 --> 00:42:55.139 And he will make things well. 00:42:55.340 --> 00:42:57.460 He will make things right again in eternity. 00:42:58.900 --> 00:43:01.119 That you have nothing to fear today. 00:43:02.460 --> 00:43:05.420 This is what it means to be a Christian. 00:43:06.840 --> 00:43:07.900 A child, 00:43:08.619 --> 00:43:10.599 an ambassador of the greatest king 00:43:10.599 --> 00:43:11.900 in all of history. 00:43:11.900 --> 00:43:15.660 So as we grasp with that truth, 00:43:16.420 --> 00:43:17.039 my hope, 00:43:17.180 --> 00:43:19.380 my prayer is that we'll think less 00:43:19.380 --> 00:43:21.039 that we have to be ambassadors 00:43:21.039 --> 00:43:24.920 and more that we get to be an ambassador 00:43:24.920 --> 00:43:26.920 of the king of kings. 00:43:29.400 --> 00:43:31.780 Before we rush into singing again, 00:43:31.780 --> 00:43:33.880 I just want us to take a moment. 00:43:34.300 --> 00:43:35.720 I'm going to invite the band to come up, 00:43:35.780 --> 00:43:37.920 but just pray now. 00:43:37.920 --> 00:43:40.180 If you want to close your eyes 00:43:40.180 --> 00:43:40.960 and bow your heads, 00:43:41.059 --> 00:43:41.960 feel free to do that. 00:43:42.960 --> 00:43:44.920 If you want to just stand 00:43:45.599 --> 00:43:47.440 and look out into the skies, 00:43:47.539 --> 00:43:48.360 you can do that. 00:43:50.079 --> 00:43:52.460 But what is God saying to you right now 00:43:52.460 --> 00:43:53.480 as the next step? 00:43:56.059 --> 00:43:57.860 Because as I was thinking about this 00:43:57.860 --> 00:43:58.320 and praying, 00:43:58.480 --> 00:43:59.700 I don't think God, 00:43:59.980 --> 00:44:02.220 I don't think God is saying, 00:44:02.380 --> 00:44:02.619 Jeremy, 00:44:02.720 --> 00:44:03.780 I want you to wake up tomorrow 00:44:03.780 --> 00:44:04.680 and be Paul. 00:44:04.679 --> 00:44:08.539 I think he's saying, 00:44:09.219 --> 00:44:11.039 wake up tomorrow 00:44:11.039 --> 00:44:13.759 and be who I created you to be. 00:44:14.819 --> 00:44:16.079 To take the next step 00:44:16.079 --> 00:44:17.359 that I have given you. 00:44:20.440 --> 00:44:20.659 You know, 00:44:20.699 --> 00:44:21.899 maybe for some of you, 00:44:22.539 --> 00:44:24.819 it's just to see that person 00:44:24.819 --> 00:44:27.299 in your office that is unseen. 00:44:29.239 --> 00:44:30.839 To talk to that person 00:44:30.839 --> 00:44:32.039 who's different. 00:44:32.039 --> 00:44:36.719 Maybe for some of you, 00:44:37.099 --> 00:44:37.840 it's to, 00:44:37.960 --> 00:44:40.460 it's to just go somewhere, 00:44:40.559 --> 00:44:41.840 to walk into Hong Kong 00:44:41.840 --> 00:44:42.920 and walk the streets 00:44:42.920 --> 00:44:44.340 and see what's out there. 00:44:45.500 --> 00:44:46.360 Maybe for some of you, 00:44:46.440 --> 00:44:47.920 it's just to start praying 00:44:47.920 --> 00:44:49.079 for that someone 00:44:49.079 --> 00:44:50.940 that God has impressed on your heart 00:44:50.940 --> 00:44:52.480 that you've been avoiding 00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:54.279 for weeks and months, 00:44:54.739 --> 00:44:55.820 maybe your whole life. 00:44:59.259 --> 00:45:00.579 Maybe for some of you, 00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:01.440 you're in a season 00:45:01.440 --> 00:45:03.019 where you just can't go 00:45:03.019 --> 00:45:04.400 and be mobile, 00:45:05.179 --> 00:45:07.099 but you can speak to someone 00:45:07.099 --> 00:45:08.639 who's on the front lines. 00:45:09.059 --> 00:45:10.260 You can find out more. 00:45:10.360 --> 00:45:11.200 You can find out about 00:45:11.200 --> 00:45:12.579 how you can pray for them 00:45:12.579 --> 00:45:14.500 and support their ministry. 00:45:17.500 --> 00:45:18.980 Maybe there's some of us 00:45:18.980 --> 00:45:19.960 in here this morning 00:45:19.960 --> 00:45:21.039 that long ago, 00:45:21.139 --> 00:45:22.880 God put that flame in our heart, 00:45:23.039 --> 00:45:23.800 that vision, 00:45:23.940 --> 00:45:25.639 that calling to do something, 00:45:25.780 --> 00:45:27.380 that divine burden, 00:45:27.380 --> 00:45:29.920 that holy burden, 00:45:30.539 --> 00:45:32.640 that holy discontent, 00:45:32.860 --> 00:45:33.840 but over the years, 00:45:33.940 --> 00:45:34.980 you forgot about it. 00:45:36.420 --> 00:45:37.920 And maybe today's the day 00:45:37.920 --> 00:45:39.700 to just seize that again 00:45:39.700 --> 00:45:41.160 and not let it go 00:45:41.160 --> 00:45:42.300 and say, 00:45:42.340 --> 00:45:42.559 God, 00:45:42.640 --> 00:45:43.700 what is the next step 00:45:43.700 --> 00:45:44.660 you want for me 00:45:44.660 --> 00:45:46.320 to pursue that vision 00:45:46.320 --> 00:45:47.780 that you gave me in my youth? 00:45:47.780 --> 00:45:51.660 And maybe some of us 00:45:51.660 --> 00:45:53.260 have no idea 00:45:53.260 --> 00:45:53.860 what it means 00:45:53.860 --> 00:45:54.660 to be a Christian. 00:45:55.620 --> 00:45:56.120 And today, 00:45:56.200 --> 00:45:57.440 our step is just to say, 00:45:57.500 --> 00:45:57.760 God, 00:45:57.920 --> 00:45:59.280 I want that. 00:45:59.960 --> 00:46:01.180 I want to be a child 00:46:01.180 --> 00:46:02.140 of the King of Kings. 00:46:03.380 --> 00:46:04.700 I want to represent 00:46:04.700 --> 00:46:06.880 the greatest nation 00:46:06.880 --> 00:46:07.800 that ever existed, 00:46:07.940 --> 00:46:08.980 the kingdom of God. 00:46:10.740 --> 00:46:12.060 Would you accept me? 00:46:12.640 --> 00:46:13.660 Would you forgive me? 00:46:13.660 --> 00:46:13.680 Would you forgive me? 00:46:13.679 --> 00:46:19.419 Take a minute now 00:46:19.419 --> 00:46:21.919 and listen to the word, 00:46:22.480 --> 00:46:23.759 listen to the voice of God.