The Ministry of Reconciliation part 4-Ambassadors of Christ

Prepare Your Heart:  Read 1 Corinthians 1:17- 1:31 and pray about how often you rely on your own wisdom and worldly status to feel secure, valuable, and accepted.  When does the good news of God’s grace enter in the deep places of your heart?

Today we are going to be putting our entire focus on verse 20 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5.   Hopefully by now you’ve picked up on the fact that the theme of this chapter is reconciliation.  Our ministry ordained by God.  The more I’ve studied this chapter, the more I see the importance of another word: ambassador.  Without a clear understanding of this role we have, we can’t minister the way God intends us to.  So let’s take pause and reflect on the term itself.  What is an ambassador and what does he/she do?  They live in a foreign land.  They are a physical reminder of the people and culture that they came from.  They speak the words the ruler calls them to speak, not their own personal agenda.  The position is one of honor as they have access to the ruling authority and he or she represents someone far greater than oneself.  I love this quote about the worthiness of out commission as Christians by John McArthur.  It is not our own dignity that lends weight to our ambassadorship; it is the dignity of the one we represent.  Sister, it is not because of who you are, it is because of who He is.  Don’t let your feelings about yourself stop you from telling other’s about Him.    Let’s study together about our role, this great message, and how to share it.

1.        There is a therefore that begins verse 20.  Review what it is there for…

2.       Who are you an ambassador for?

3.       Recall the specific roles an ambassador has from the introduction.  How does that apply to your faith?

4.       Read Hebrews 11:13-16 and John 14:2-3, 15:19, and 18:36.  How do these passages relate to our outlook as God’s ambassadors?

5.       Look within the greater context of the verses this verse is embedded in.  An ambassador’s job is to represent the county he comes from, and speak for the ruler of that country.  What message does God want you to tell?    

6.       So know we know that this is not our home, but we are here to tell others the word of reconciliation (v. 18).  What is that?  What is that specifically?  Write down clearly what you think the good news is that God wants you to tell others.  If you can’t, maybe you don’t know what the gospel is.   Here are some verses to use to have a clear picture of the gospel.  There are so many!  The Bible is His love story of Him bringing us back to Himself so here is just a sampling of many to be found: Isaiah 53:4-6, 9-12; Romans 4:5, 8:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (if you want your head to spin a little keep reading to verse 28); Ephesians 1:3-14, and 1 Peter 3:18. 

The One Thing:  Ladies, I hope by His grace that these verses have led you to see your role in His kingdom.  That you are here for a reason greater than anything on your calendar or to-do list.  You have been given a mission.  This world is not your home.  That’s why life is hard.  There is something grander out there; a world we are waiting for without sorrow, pain, or illness (Revelation 21:4).  Paul describes this yearning at the beginning of chapter 5.  We aren’t meant to be comfortable yet--we are megaphones in skin.  Though are calling is to share we should do it gently, with consideration and compassion.  Colossians 4:6 says Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.   When I was in college student at Western, there was a preacher called Bible Jim who used to stand in Red Square and shout at everyone about how they were sinners and they were going to hell.  It was hard to be a Christian on those days.  Hell is a real place and he was sharing truth.  If you die apart from Christ, the Bible is clear you will live apart from God and our lives here is our time to make that decision.  But the delivery turned so many people off to listen as he didn’t preach the whole gospel, he didn’t share the way out.  Jesus compared himself to a gate and the only way to the Father (Matthew 7:13-14; John 14:6).  The good news is through Christ there is a way and that’s what we want people to know.  There is a parable pretty familiar to most believers in Luke 15: 11-32.  Most focus on the younger, wayward brother.  But what about the older brother?  He responded to the forgiving grace of the father in a different way.  Read that parable in light of someone know God wants you to share His good news with.  Does your friend/co-worker/family member respond like the younger brother (how could the father love me, I’ve done so many things wrong, I’m almost without hope that He’ll forgive me) or the oldest (I’m good, I’ve been faithful, I’ve never left and kept all the rules, why is he treating my brother so well when he hasn’t earned it).  The question at the heart of every soul’s response to God is how the non-believer sees sin.  They may either think they are too bad to be forgiven or that they are too good to need a Savior.    God has placed you in your circumstances, with your skills and talents to minister where you are today!  Remember who you represent, remember your message, and pray that God would open hearts through your words of grace and truth for that person He has meant for you to tell.    There is no formula to memorize or litany of verses needed, just share simply what God has done in your life.  Be authentic and real.  There is nothing He needs to work than our hearts humbled before Him.  For Christ send me to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.  For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:17-18).