Choose Your Own Adventure
“Be an Ambassador!”
Today we conclude our series with the Adventure “Be an Ambassador!” This calling is exactly how it sounds; we are all ambassadors. An ambassador is simply one who represents someone or something else.
Whether we mean to or not, we will all “represent” something:
- by the way we talk
- how we dress
- the actions we take
- where we invest our time and efforts
As believers, we are supposed to represent Christ! I want to show you a cause and effect passage of scripture:
2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NIV)
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Cause: Christ reconciled us to God
20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Effect: We are now representatives or ambassadors for Christ so that others may come to know God’s love for them as well.
If you have acknowledged Jesus and your Lord and Savior, the title of “Ambassador” is unavoidable. You now represent Jesus Christ, for better or worse.
I say this because I think many Christians flat out forget this. We get so caught up in campaigning against sin, cultural deviance or for moral high ground that we have completely forgotten the grace, mercy and love Jesus originally gave us.
The Ambassadors of Christ are no longer seen as representatives of these things, but rather as hateful, judgmental jerks, or overbearing hypocrites. That is not the Christ I want to represent.
The question we want to answer is: What is required of an Ambassador of Christ?
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NLT)
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. 13 And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.
Let’s Highlight the requirements of a TRUE Ambassador of Christ:
1. Fear the Lord your God
Deuteronomy 10:12a
“…He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him…”
A. Fear equals Revere
Fear: yare’ – (yah-ray) to stand in awe of, be awed or to fear, reverence, honor, respect
The LORD: Y?hovah (yeh·h?·vä) - “the existing One” the proper name of the one true God
your God: ‘elohiym (el·?·heem) (plural) rulers, judges, divine ones or gods
Sum: Stand in awe of the One true God over all other gods!
In this light, living in “Fear” of God is not trying to dodge lightening bolts by keeping your nose clean.
It is living a life that stands in awe of how mighty and powerful our God is. It means God is bigger to us than any other thing in our lives!
B. Reverence Obeys the Commands of God
Deuteronomy 10:13 (NLT)
“And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees…”
Think about this verse in light of an awe of the “One True God”. Obeying God’s commands are now the natural next step.
Ill: If I set a boundary within the church walls with one rule: “You can’t wear the color red.” I am the leader, so I set that rule. Your response to this “command” is going to stem from your perception of me: respect, indifference or complete disregard.
Our response to God’s commands are no different. The way we see God is the way we see His commands.
If we see God’s commands as relative (different for every person or situation) than we don’t see God as the “One True God”. God is not supreme—He is simply a consultant…
God wants us to stop seeing his commands as the rulebook. God wants us to follow his commands because we revere him so highly that we will surrender our very way of living for Him.
2. Seek Daily Communion with God
Deuteronomy 10:12b
“…and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul…”
com·mun·ion n
1. a feeling of emotional or spiritual closeness
2. an association or relationship
God does not want us to Revere him as this big something off in the distance orchestrating life around us. He wants to have a daily, close relationship with Him.
Celebrity Worship: we love and respect them; we can know everything there is to know about them, but they are still far off and most of us will never have a relationship with them. If we try to force a relationship, it’s called stalking!
God doesn’t want stalkers, God wants communion with us.
James 4:8 (NASB)
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Drawing near to God means daily purifying ourselves (obedience), and seeking God’s heart in everything.
As God Breathes, I breathe.
As God moves, I move.
As God loves, I love.
Reverence and Communion takes the focus off of everything but God. Now I am motivated to…
3. Follow Christ’s Lead
As an Ambassador for Christ, I must Revere God, Seek Communion with Him, and finally follow Christ’s Lead…
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
A representative by definition is an example. I believe this is the point most Christians can easily neglect.
They may revere God, and may even experience a communion with God on a daily basis,
but as soon as “life” happens, or we are confronted with something contrary to what we believe, we forget we are supposed to be an example of Christ.
It is by Christ’s lead that I have my example—and therefore the example to others of what being a disciple of Christ truly is!
A. An Example in Morality
James 1:22 (NKJV)
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
I love this verse because it challenges me to stop “playing church” and simply BE THE CHURCH.
We’ve become so set on enforcing the “correct” ways of moral living, that we’ve alienated the very people we are supposed to reach!
We’ve developed a mentality that “Being Doers of the Word” means keeping clean, and doing what we can to make the world just as clean.
We have forgotten, LOVE.
“Focus on morality does not produce morality. Show them the heart of Christ first!”
– Chris Seay paraphrased from a Catalyst video
Think about it, why would anyone want to be a part of something if they don’t feel accepted by it?
If Jesus were here on earth today, I don’t think he’d be hanging out in the churches of America. I think he’d be where those who need Him are.
What if instead of championing causes against sin of the world, we simply followed Christ’s commands and showed the same mercy and grace to others, which were afforded us?
What if our actions spoke for us instead?
What if instead of just going to church, we went out and became the church?
The Cause of Christ is a Lifeboat: We’re here to pull as many off the sinking ship as we can. This won’t happen through:
- fear tactics
- personal judgment (guilt)
- enforcing your will
Salvation through Christ will only come through your…
B. An Example in Love
Show Video “Your Mission: A Lifestyle of Evangelism”
http://www.vimeo.com/8678194
1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
Evangelism is simply showing others an example of Christ’s Love through your actions. Notice I didn’t say words. There are no special skills or training required.
It is simply answering the questions:
How has Jesus changed you?
Why do I live differently now?
What am I now purposed in doing?
If you can show the answers by your actions in love, you are excelling in Being an Ambassador of Christ.
Does your life represent:
- Your Fear of the Lord your God
- A Communion with God
- An Example of Christ
Prayer
Go Deeper! — Personal Study Questions
1. What does it mean to “fear God” to you? How does this affect the way you live your life?
2. How do you strive to “live in communion” with God daily?
3. Read Daniel 5:12. Daniel is said to have possessed an “extraordinary spirit.” Some translations call it a “spirit of excellence.” Name some characteristics of this kind spirit.
