Ambassadors For Christ II Cor. 5:20
INTRO. Bible scholar and author William Barclay wrote of an ambassador in Roman times and noted two things about the office. 1. He was an administrator sent by the Emperor to a conquered land. His commission was from the Emperor and he reported directly to him, and 2. He was the one responsible for establishing rules and boundaries, etc. when it was decided a conquered people should become part of the empire. Essentially, for bringing people into the family of the empire
what a beautiful picture of the Christian’s role and the church’s role in God’s scheme of things.
Consider the Christian as an ambassador:
I. He has a special motive: the love of Christ. 14
A. Jesus expressed love in many ways:
1. He loved the lost. Mark 10:21
2. He wept over the lost: Mt. 23:37
3. He loved the outcast: Illus.: Luke 19:1-10
4. Lack of love angered Him. Mk. 3:5
5. Proved His love for all on Calvary.
B. He died for us, so we live for Him. 15
1. Because He loved us, we must love Him and others. I Jn. 4:20, 21
2. Love is a compelling motive. We will do almost anything for love.
II. The ambassador of Christ has a message: 20
A. "Be reconciled to God."
1. As the Roman ambassador brought people into the empire.
2. Includes pardon for sin.
3. Jesus bore our sins so we could share His righteousness. 21
B. A powerful message: Rom. 1:16
1. Only message with power to destroy sin, give life.
2. It turned the world of its day upside down and penetrated the emperor’s palace.
3. A compelling message. The Christian must share it. I Cor. 6:19
III. The ambassador of Christ has a mission: 19
A. Illus.: Joseph was on a mission for God even though he didn’t choose to be. Gen. 50:20
1. Joseph didn’t enjoy diplomatic immunity, just God’s victory.
2. Lived in a foreign land but never surrendered his citizenship or forgot God.
3. We are also in this world to fulfill God’s purpose.
B. Our task is to persuade others. 20
1. Our goal is to please God. 9
2. We are "in the body" with a task to perform. To share God’s urgent message.
3. Our mission is to all people. The mission of the apostles is now the church’s mission. Acts 1:8
IV. The Christian ambassador has a motherland:
A. Paul, an example. Lived in the Jewish nation.
1. He viewed Jesus as a man and enemy.
2. Like most Jews, he was seeking a worldly Messiah.
3. When he met Jesus on the Damascus Road, his entire outlook changed. V. 16
4. Now he knows the Messiah must suffer.
5. He sees all men as objects of God’s love.
B. God calls us to take the same point of view: Col. 3:1-3
1. Our citizenship is in Heaven. Phil. 3:20
2. We are new creatures, with a new allegiance.
3. We will answer to a heavenly King. V. 10
CONC.: the Apostle Paul had a strong desire to be with the Lord and lived to please Him. V. 8. He continued to live in the body because of his position as an ambassador.
Every Christians should feel that way. We anxiously await the coming of the Lord, but, in the meantime, we have a message, "be reconciled to God," a mission to the entire world, and the motivating love of Christ to compel us.
As the old Gospel song says, "I’m here on business for my King."
060803 Forest Grove CC
