Bold Declarations Series

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2) An Ambassador in Chains (v. 20)

Ephesians 6:20 ESV

for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

2) An Ambassador in Chains (v. 20)

Explanation: Paul asks for grace to be given to him to speak boldly as he ought to. Interesting that he doesn’t pray for deliverance from prison, assuming that he is in one when this letter is written. Paul’s point that I want to draw out is that he thinks of himself as an authorized representative of Christ (wherever he is) to speak the gospel.

2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Illustration: Les Cox’s passion for lostness erupted to indignation at a church who would be a stumbling block. Now, if a church could be a stumbling block, how much so can individual believers become stones upon which unbelievers trip over.

Application: Simple app: we are those who are called to represent Jesus and proclaim people’s need and God’s provision of salvation through Christ. Our behavior and our intentional sharing of the gospel are key.

There are many epidemics among Christians, Baptists, churches, and WHBC. We have lives that don’t align with our testimony in Jesus. False salvation is sometimes at fault. Secondly, we simply just don’t share the gospel. In the case of global mission, which is given to the church, hopefully it’s that we don’t know.

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My fear is that we don’t care enough to do it. We won’t place ourselves under the Lordship of Jesus. We won’t make ourselves uncomfortable. We won’t learn a technique. We won’t love our neighbors, and the poor, and the orphan, and the strangers and foreigners among us.

Do we love Jesus, and do we love people? Do you love Jesus enough to die to self, enough to tell a waitress, your coworker, your family member. We have serious soul searching to do as ambassadors

Closing illustration: Lottie Moon -

“When asked later in life about having had a love affair, she responded, “Yes, but God had first claim on my life, and since the two conflicted, there could be no question about the result.”

“I am more and more impressed by the belief that to win these people to God, we must first win them to ourselves. We need to go out and live among them...We need to make friends before we can make converts.”

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