DISCIPLES: Christ’s Ambassadors
2 Corinthians 5:11–21 (NIV)
INTRODUCTION
ILLUSTRATION For the past few months, our news was bombarded with the investigation of the death of our ambassador and personnel in Benghazi, Libya.
We are aware that it has been politicized by some legislators but we cannot deny the fact that we should make sure that our ambassadors abroad is our government responsibility. They represent our nation to different parts of the world; we should give the support they need by all means and at all cost.
Our text this morning tells us that as followers of Christ, we are His ambassadors. DISCIPLES ARE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS.
What does it mean for us to Christ’s ambassadors and how did we become Christ’s ambassadors? Let us find out by reading 2 Corinthians 5:11-21.
This passage says that Christ’s followers are Christ’s ambassador. How did we become Christ’s ambassadors?
1. WE BECAME CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS WHEN GOD RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST (v. 18).
To reconcile means to reestablish proper friendly interpersonal relations after these have been disrupted or broken. The components of reconciliation are the following:
a. Disruption of friendly relations because of
b. Presumed or real provocation,
c. Explicit behavior designed to remove hostility,
d. Restoration of original friendly relations.
The basic meaning of the word “reconcile” is “to change thoroughly.” It refers to a changed relationship between God and the lost world.
Man’s greatest problem is his broken relationship with God because of his sinfulness.
Read Romans 3:23 (NIV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Because of his rebellion, man became the enemy of God and out of fellowship with Him. Through the work of the cross, Jesus Christ has brought man and God together again. Jesus mediated.
Read 1 Timothy 2:5–6 (NIV) 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
God took the initiative to reconcile us to Himself through Christ.
Read Romans 5:10 (NIV) 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (v. 21) This verse introduced to us the idea of “imputation.” This is a word borrowed from banking; it simply means “to put to one’s account.” When you deposit money in the bank, the computer (or the clerk) puts that amount to your account, or to your credit.
When Jesus died on the cross, all of our sins were imputed to Him—put to His account. He was treated by God as though He had actually committed those sins. When he died, he died for all and therefore all died (v. 14). When he resurrected, he rose for all. Therefore the death he died he did for all and his resurrection is the resurrection for all.
Read Romans 6:4 (NIV) 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
When we put our faith in Christ and embrace Him as our Savior and Lord, we appropriate his death and resurrection. That is why, it is important that we unite ourselves with Christ.
Read Romans 8:9 (NIV) 9You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
His death is being applied to us and crucified our sinful nature. His resurrection gave us new life to give us a fresh start.
Read Romans 6:5 (NIV) 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Therefore we need to count ourselves as dead to sin but alive to God.
Read Romans 6:11 (NIV) 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
As a result we became a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here (v. 17). As a new creation, we should no longer live for ourselves but for him who died for us and was raised again (v. 15).
Read Romans 14:7–9 (NIV) 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
That is why, Paul said that “from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view (v. 16),” since we became a new creation in Christ with a different point of view in life – heavenly.
Summary:
a. We are enemies of God because of sin.
b. God gave Jesus to die for our sin and rose again.
c. We need to put our faith in Christ and embrace him as Lord and Savior.
d. God applied Christ’s death and resurrection to us.
e. We became a new creation.
f. We start a new life style for Christ.
2. WE BECAME CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS WHEN GOD GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION (v. 18).
After reconciling us to himself through Christ, God gave us the ministry of reconciliation (v. 18). He made us Christ’s ambassadors and making his appeal to people through us (v. 20). We implore the world on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled to God (v. 20)
Ambassador is a messenger or envoy officially representing a higher authority. We are citizens of heaven and we are in this world to represent our Savior and Lord.
Read Philippians 3:20 (NIV) 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
As ambassadors, we represent God in this world. We should deliver his message to this world. We conduct our lives here on earth based on the lifestyles of citizens of heaven. We no longer live for ourselves for the Savior we represent here on earth. Paul said earlier that since he fears the Lord, he sincerely persuade others to put their faith in Christ who died for their sins (v. 11). He did it because they have experienced the love of Christ. He said Christ’s love compels us to deliver the message of reconciliation (v. 14).
Being reconciled to God gave us the ministry of reconciliation. We have the responsibility to implore others to be reconciled to God.
Christ’s love for us should compel to persuade others to be reconciled with God.
3. WE BECAME CHRIST’S AMBSSADORS WHEN GOD GAVE US THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION (v. 19).
What is the message of reconciliation? That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sin against them (v. 19).
Read Romans 4:8 (NIV) 8Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”
God is a loving and merciful God but he is also a righteous and holy God. Therefore God did not ignore the consequences of man’s sins. He simply did not count it against them. Instead God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (v. 21).
Read 1 Peter 2:22–24 (NIV) 22“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
The message of reconciliation reveals that it costs God His own Son so that we could be reconciled to Him. We hope that men and women would recognize the fact how much God loves us.
Read 1 John 2:2 (NIV) 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Just like what we did, we challenge people to entrust their lives to Christ and embrace Him as their Lord and Savior. We encourage them to leave their past life and a live a new life. When a person is reconciled to another, they leave the past behind and start all over again. It is same thing with our relationship with God. Once we are reconciled with Him, let us leave the past behind and start a new life for God.
CONCLUSION
1. Thank the Lord Jesus Christ for reconciling us to God (See John 14:6).
Thank Him for mediating between man and God. If not Him, no one else can.
2. If we are not reconciled yet with God, be reconciled with God.
We cannot afford to remain enemies of God.
3. Let us assume our role of being Christ’s ambassadors.
Let us help our loved ones, friends, relatives, and acquaintances to be reconciled with God.
