Ambassadors For Christ.

Ambassadors For Christ.

Call To Worship

Law and Grace Reading  Ezekiel 3:1-21

Bible readings 2 Corinthians 5:6 -21

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight.⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

¹¹              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.¹² 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.¹³ For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.¹⁴ For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶              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.¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;¹⁹ 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.²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

Ephesians 6: 18-20

To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

In Proverbs 13:17, Isaiah 18:2, 30:4; 33:7 and Jeremiah 49:14 we find the word ''envoy', meaning an ambassador. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul speaks of himself as Christ's ambassador (Ephesians 6:20), and of all Christians as the ambassadors of the Lord (2Corinthians 5:20).

I.              The Ambassadors Commission

Did you see these amazing words in Ephesians 6. I want to tell you, understanding this word "Ambassador" changed my life.

What is an ambassador? In 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul says, ""We are therefore Christ's ambassadors…"…" An ambassador is a REPRESENTATIVE –- one who represents another. He goes to a foreign country and represents the Throne and the Government of his own people. Now this is true of ambassadors for Christ representatives of the King of heaven and of heaven itself in a foreign country –- this world.

The Ambassador's commission. You see, we've been commissioned. Look, if you will in verse 18, "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ…" Thank God we're saved. "…And hath commiteth unto us the ministry of reconciliation." Now, look up here and let me tell you something. If you're saved, you're called into the ministry. If you are saved, if you are reconciled to God, you have been called into the ministry.

You have been given a ministry by God. Your ministry is the ministry of reconciliation. "To wit, 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." Just as God was in Christ, Christ is in us. "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we beg you in Christ's stead…" or "we pray you…" or "we beseech you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Now, we had an important person in the eyes of the world in our services this morning, but I want to say something, folks, any child of God, any twice-born child of God is somebody because you are an ambassador to the King. (amen) Now, don't forget that. You are an ambassador to Heaven's King. You don't have to be a doormat, like you're not important; I don't care if you work in the stock market or the stockyard. It makes no difference. Friend, if you know the Lord Jesus Christ, you are a minister, you are an ambassador!

An ambassador is the person who represents the person of a king in the court of another. And I am still an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ. And, and not to share the message, not to share the message of reconciliation is not only to miss a blessing, it is not merely to be ineffective, it is to be in revolt.  And the same thing is true about a church. Any church that is not engaged in evangelism is guilty of apostasy.  We need to be soul winners and all of us live in a world that's going to hell and its time we told this world to go to heaven. And told them how to go to heaven. And, ah, I know of no greater thrill, I've preached in many places, I've preached around the world. I've had some experiences. I've been in what some people would call some interesting places. The greatest thrill of my life still today is to personally lead a soul to Jesus Christ more than preaching before crowds, more than meeting important people, is to win a soul to Jesus Christ. I'm going to let you in on a secret. I get a bigger thrill out of leading someone to Jesus Christ than the thrill I got when I got saved. Why? Because I know a whole lot more about what's happening to them then I knew what was happening to me when I got saved. And you can let Federal Parliament make the laws and let the PM try to run the nation, let the Reserve Bank handle the finances, let the media take care of the entertainment, let the athletes have the Olympics, you let me be an Ambassador for Christ. I'm telling you, when all the dust is settled, when it's all over, and when God has put the last full stop upon the last sentence, upon the last paragraph, upon the last page, upon the last chapter, upon the last Book of Life, when it's all said and done, when all the dust is settled, you're going to understand what the Bible means when it says, "He that wins souls is wise."

What is an ambassador? In 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul says, ""We are therefore Christ's ambassadors…"…" An ambassador is a REPRESENTATIVE –- one who represents another. He goes to a foreign country and represents the Throne and the Government of his own people. Now this is true of ambassadors for Christ representatives of the King of heaven and of heaven itself in a foreign country –- this world.

 The Ambassador must be a citizen of heaven. No alien can ever represent our Queen or her Government in a foreign Court. Now look at 2 Corinthians 5:17, because a true ambassador must be ""in Christ…"…", ""a new creation…"…" and ""redeemed……with the precious blood of Christ…"…" (1 Peter 1:18-19).

 The Ambassador must be above reproach. Our Queen would never send out a man of doubtful character; and the Lord requires that His ambassadors should live lives that are above suspicion. Notice again in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "…"…the old has gone, the new has come…"…", and compare Philippians 2:15. He is the object of the closest scrutiny, and in every relationship he must be blameless.

The Ambassador's position is one of great RESPONSIBILITY, so think of this in its spiritual significance. Christ is our representative in heaven (Hebrews 9:24) and we are His personal representatives on the earth (2 Corinthians 5:20).

 The Ambassador must be selfless. He must be willing to put aside completely his own interests so that he might do the will of his king. Is the whole determined attitude of our lives, 'Not I, but Christ''? Do we ""die every day""? –- look up 1 Corinthians 15:31. Have we entered, by faith, into the experience of John 12:24 and Galatians 2:20?  Our ambition is to please Him!

 The Ambassador must be in constant contact with the Throne. He will make use of every modern method of communication. In the same way, by prayer we can be in constant contact with the Throne of God –- how necessary for a true ambassador!  And that is why this role follows upon Paul's desire for us to be a people of prayer.  We are in the enemy's territory.  We are in Spiritual warfare. And very much some of us will suffer indignities  by the emissaries of Satan.  So you need that constant contact with the Lord Jesus through prayer.

 

II. The Ambassadors Conviction 

that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

 The Ambassador must be steadfast and loyal. Look up Ephesians 6:20. The Apostle Paul is in prison, but how willingly he suffered these "chains" for Christ's sake! How faithful and how utterly loyal he was to his King!

 The Ambassador must be diplomatic. Diplomacy is the art of negotiation. We have no wisdom of our own and we certainly do not have the wisdom needed to win souls and to represent the Lord before men; but we have a great promise that God will fulfil in us if we ask Him (James 1:5).

 The Ambassador must know the language of the people among whom he lives. How important it is for the ambassador to be able to communicate in a foreign country. The language that we, as ambassadors, need to learn is the language of love. Look up Luke 10:33-35.

This is clearly defined in 2 Corinthians 5:19-21. We are to proclaim the fact that at infinite cost to Himself God has made a way of reconciliation possible; that He has done this by sending His own Son to die for sin; and that through His sacrifice the barrier of sin has been removed and God and man have been brought together in Christ, by His at-one-ment. The ambassador is to proclaim this message and to tell men and women that these are God's terms for reconciliation, and he is to press them to accept these terms and to be reconciled to God. The ambassador's message is therefore one of absolute certainty; it is one of great heavenly and spiritual authority –- for it has been "committed to us" (verse 19), and we proclaim it "on Christ's behalf" (verse 20); and its proclamation calls for great loyalty on the part of the ambassador. Philip was a good ambassador - look up and compare Acts 8:5 and 35.

that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

The twenty-first century in Australia will look more like the first century than any in between.

In the first century, the Christian movement had no buildings or denominations; in twenty-first century Australia, our buildings are less populated and our denominations are less trusted than ever before in living memory. Look at the Uniting Church - abandoning biblical Christianity they have become merely a faint echo of the societies values. 

In the first century, Christians were considered irrelevant and even dangerous to secular society. In twenty-first-century Australia , it is the same.

In the first century, Christian Scripture was largely unknown to the larger culture; in twenty-first-century Australia , its truths are known but its morality is rejected.

In the first century, Christians were increasingly reviled and persecuted by the culture and its authorities; in twenty-first-century, it will be the same.

And yet, by Acts 17:6 this new Christian movement had "turned the world upside down." By the end of the book of Acts, the gospel was being proclaimed in the capital of the Roman Empire "with all boldness and without hindrance" (Acts 28:31).
And by the end of the first century, the Christian movement was on its way to becoming the most powerful and transformational spiritual movement in human history.
What were their secrets? What did they know and do that we can know and do today? If we want to impact our culture as they impacted theirs, what best practices can we identify and follow?  If we can embrace first-century faith, I am convinced that we will have a first-century impact on our world. May it then be said of us that we "turned the world upside down" to the glory of God.

III. The Ambassadors Compulsion

An Ambassador in Chains. The chains of love towards Christ. Do you think Paul didn't like being in chains? Who likes being in chains or in prison?   Our prisons are pretty good.  When Lorelle and I were in Glen Innes and our kids were under three years  old, three prisoners who had only weeks before their release walked 50 km's to come to our house to give themselves up so that they could continue in prison a few more years. They had become Christians there and dried out from drugs and booze, and life was relatively better in prison, so they wanted to be able to stay. So they broke out!  

Paul is chained not to guards, but to the Lord Jesus whom he loved. We similarly should be chained to the Lord Jesus because of the experience we have of His great love towards us.

The love of Christ (verse 14). His great love for us, and in us (Romans 5:8) compels us to go out with His message of reconciliation.

I cannot work my soul to save, that work my Lord has done;

But I will work like any slave for the love of God's dear Son!

IV. The Ambassadors Compensation

The Judgment Seat of Christ (verses 9-10). One day our King will recall us, then –- Romans 14:12; 1 Corinthians 3:13.          An Ambassador in Chains.

Now, you make think this is a little sentimental, and maybe it is, maybe it won't happen this way, but you know what I want? I want to get up to heaven and I want somebody to take me by the hand and say you told me of the Saviour!

Must I go in empty handed? Must I meet my Saviour so without one soul with which to greet Him? Must I empty handed go? Some of you have never won a soul to Jesus Christ. But that's not the worst thing. The worst thing is some have never tried. You've never tried

V. The Ambassadors Compassion   An Ambassador in Chains –the chains of love.

The dire need of the lost (verse 11). The fact that men are lost and bound for a Christ-less eternity should stir us, not only to live so that we truly represent our Lord, but to proclaim with passion the message that He has committed to us. This passion was in the heart of the Prophet when he wrote –- Isaiah 62:1, and it was certainly in the heart of the great Apostle himself when he wrote –- Romans 9:2-3. It is the passion of our beseeching God that burns within us, that becomes a part of us and that finds its expression as we pray for men and women ""on Christ''s behalf"" that they will be reconciled to God.

Bill Gaither was asked, "What are the greatest song lyrics ever written?"

Beyond any shadow of a doubt, these are the greatest lyrics ever written:

Could we with ink the ocean fill,     And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,    And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,     Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky. (Frederick M. Lehman)

VI. The Ambassadors Confidence

However, none of us can truly represent the Lord in our own strength, but when He sends us out we go with all the RESOURCES of heaven behind us. He is our sufficiency, and we go in His Name. Compare 2 Corinthians 6:1.

October 16, this call is amplified for me today as I remember the significance of this day in Christian history.

Lighting "a candle in England"

The Martyr's Memorial in Oxford University in England was erected in 1843 to commemorate events that occurred three centuries earlier. The memorial includes statues of Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Nicholas Ridley, the bishop of London, and Hugh Latimer, the bishop of Worcester. All three were sentenced to death for their Reformed Protestant convictions; Ridley and Latimer were burned at the stake on this day in 1555. Cranmer was forced to watch, then he was burned to death the next year. Latimer's last words have echoed across the centuries since: "Be of good cheer, Master Ridley, and play the man, for we shall this day light such a candle in England as I trust by God's grace shall never be put out."

The candle of Reformation lit by Ridley and Latimer soon burned bright across the nation and much of the world. However, it is in greater danger today than at any time since it was "lit" by these courageous martyrs.

Less than half the population of England or Australia even claims to be Christian. Less than 5 percent attend church services on any given Sunday. The stark decline of religion is public knowledge often mocked by the radical left of our society.  A growing consensus considers evangelical Christian faith and morality to be outdated, irrelevant, and even dangerous to society.

However, none of this changes our calling to preach God's word. Like Nathan courageously confronting David with his manifold sins (2 Samuel 12) and Isaiah speaking God's word to Hezekiah in the face of Assyrian aggression (2 Kings 19), you and I are commissioned to seek and speak God's word to the crises and leaders of our day.

Here's how I know this calling is especially urgent in our post-Christian culture: the more people reject God's word, the more they need to hear it. The sicker the patient, the more urgent the physician.

 

that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.