Sermon Central
-
Ambassadors Needed
Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Sep 5, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: "We are Christ’s ambassadors and God is using us to speak"
Ambassadors Needed
Text: 20 "We are Christ¡¦s ambassadors and God is using us to speak¡K"
March 2011, Gainsville, FL ¡V Clean Energy Logistics Lab Inc. established an online social network community of solar (photo vol-tey-ik) photovoltaics! Or better known as Solar Ambassadors! These PV enthusiasts have one job ¡V share their exciting stories about going solar!
June 2011, Toronto ON CA ¡V Toronto Transit Commission hired Student Ambassadors. These ambassadors stand in their appointed stations and help people find their way through the system.
Our formal association with Ambassador Profiles is the political arena ¡V definition: someone appointed by a Sovereign power to represent the Sovereign’s interests
From the hilarious to the practical or the essential, Ambassadors come in many forms and have many functions.
Common denominator ¡V Ambassadors represent another person¡¦s interests and agenda. An ambassador has to believe in what they represent if they will represent it well.
- Jesus God¡¦s Ambassador... None represents Ambassadorship better. Jesus said in JN14:7, ¡§If you really knew me, you would know my father as well. From now on, you do know him. You¡¦ve even seen him!¡¨
- Upon his return to the Father, Jesus appointed us as His Ambassadors!
The Greek word for ambassador is defined as ¡§one who spoke for the emperor¡¨ (Millie Stamm, Be still and Know). What a tremendous honour is bestowed on us by our Sovereign!
1. The Qualifications
Solemn fear (v11a)
- Do I fear God? What do we mean by fear? Surely God doesn¡¦t want us to ¡§be afraid¡¨ of Him. Certainly not. ILL: reaction to a police cruiser coming toward you? Foot off the pedal and on the break. Why? ¡§Fear¡¨; not ¡¥afraid¡¦ but RESPECT for his authority
- Do I RESPECT God¡¦s authority? When we respect an authority we pay attention to what they say and we carefully consider their instructions and preferences about things.
- FEAR ¡V RESPECT for God¡¦s authority inspires me, qualifies me, to be an Ambassador for Christ
Christ¡¦s love (v14)
- Hostage situation at a bank robbery. The bank robber learned the names of two or three people and during negotiations he released the people whose names he knew. First name basis raised the stakes and relationship was developed. They were not merely faces anymore. They were individuals.
- ¡¥Fear¡¦ or RESPECT for God¡¦s authority comes about as a result of relationship and that solidifies the qualification to be an Ambassador ¡V I am in a relationship with God. That raises the stakes; the investment is greater
It is a gift from God (18a)
- I did not bring anything to the situation that warranted or gave me the right to be an Ambassador for God. It¡¦s all his work. Christ¡¦s love compels me to be an effective Ambassador for Him and I understand that it¡¦s a gift God¡¦s given me! A generous person gave me two tickets last year for a round of golf at the Angus Glen Course in Markham! Angus Glen hosts PGA tours! One wouldn¡¦t expect me to throw the tickets in the draw and not respect or appreciate the gift enough to invite someone to go play a round and use the tickets.
- When I appreciate the gift God¡¦s given me, my only response could be to persuade others as best I can because it¡¦s God¡¦s gift to me and I want to share it!
God¡¦s choice (v19a)
- God designed it this way. He qualified us by the act of His will, to be His Ambassadors! It is His intent that we represent His interests in the work of helping people to be reunited to Him and one another.
2. The Skills
- Starting a new job or ministry and not having skills can be quite alarming, creating deep anxiety. We don¡¦t always bring a lot of skills but if we come to a job or ministry and have one skill that really makes a positive difference to that situation, we feel connected and we learn what else we need to know.
The skills that came out in this text that make us effective Ambassadors for Christ are very clear:
Accepts the potential of risking our reputation (v13)
- We want people to have certain perceptions of us (human nature). They don¡¦t have to be correct, as long as they¡¦re good!
There may be times when you¡¦ll act completely uncharacteristic to your natural bent and people will think you¡¦re crazy.
Exercising the ability to focus on Jesus (v15)
- The whole point to being an effective Ambassador is getting with the program which is focusing on the interests of the Sovereign! The struggle is often like asking someone to help you with something but instead of helping they decide how you want it done! ļ
- Can¡¦t decide we will determine how to represent Jesus or tell him what the focus needs to be. He¡¦s decided that! It¡¦s all about death, life and reconciliation; that¡¦s the message; that¡¦s the focus; that¡¦s the Ambassador platform!
