We Also Are Ambassadors

June 30, 1996

INTRODUCTION:

We call him Mr. Ambassador. He rides in his beautiful, elegant, black Cadillac. In front of his Cadillac are small, flying flags that symbolize the country he represents. He has dedicated guards that closely watch him in every move he makes. He has a personal secretary that is ready to record his orders. He owns one of the nicest, biggest houses across the street. When it’s time for his vacation he travels to some exotic parts of the world. His children are enrolled in exclusive universities. Whenever he makes his public appearance, the crowd and the media are drawn to him asking many questions regarding events that are going on in his country. Mr. Ambassador is a respected man. He is admired by many. And it is because of what he is and what he does, and what he possesses that sometimes we want to be like him. This morning I want to tell you from the sincerity of my heart that - We also are ambassadors.

Body:

A. We Also Are Ambassadors: THE CALLING

Open your Bible with me to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 28 and we start reading from verse 18 until verse 20. After reading this passage this morning we can go to the highest mountain, or stand on our chairs, and from the top of our voice we could shout: "Yes! We also are ambassadors." What an encouraging news for us today. But there is more. We also are ambassadors not because we are closest to the president, but because Christ is our friend. As John said " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)." " While we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)." We also are ambassadors not because of our eloquence, nor because of our influence, nor because of our degree, but because the Holy Spirit is able to transform this stuttering lips and our fear of being in front of people, mixed it with the righteousness of Christ, and it becomes a perfect, acceptable service before God. We also are ambassadors not because we are able to turn the world upside down with our strength and our resources, nor because we want to destroy the Devil, but because Christ has already turned the world upside down and has gained the victory for us. We also are ambassadors not because we want to serve this great country of Canada or any other nations, nor we want to serve our good Prime Minister of Canada, but because we want to serve a kingdom that is eternal, and to serve a KING who is truly a KING above all kings. Yes, we also are ambassadors. But to be an ambassador for God’s kingdom is more than a title that we use to impress ourselves. It is rather a great and most serious responsibility that we can ask for. What are these responsibilities?

B. We Also Are Ambassadors: THE RESPONSIBILITY

1. Willingness to GO

As ambassadors for God, we must be willing to go where He leads us. The passage that we read this morning tells us that the first and foremost responsibility of an ambassador is not to teach, nor to baptize, but to go. The hardest part of the great commission is not the responsibility of teaching, or preaching, or baptizing, but the responsibility of going. To go means that we have to leave and abandon the things that we have gathered, to leave the friends and family members that we love, to leave the comfortable environment of churches that we have nurtured and fed year after year. Part of the reason why our church is not growing as it should be is because we as ambassadors for God decided to stay in the comfort of our church rather than going to where God wants us to be. Our excellent teaching methods and our dynamic preaching will result to nothing unless we must be willing to go first.

2. Teaching and Preaching

As ambassadors for God it is also our responsibility to teach and preach the teachings of His kingdom, and to correct any misconceptions concerning His kingdom, if necessary. This means that we must teach and preach only what God had revealed to us. The problem that we have is we sometimes teach and preach the teachings of men rather than the teachings of God. Sometimes we spend to much time measuring and calculating God’s teachings rather than teaching it. When Christ commissioned his disciples to teach and preach his teachings, he meant plainly and simply--teach and preach my teachings. We must also realize that in order for us to teach and preach effectively we must be willing to be instructed and preached by Christ himself. We can never feed the sheep of the Great Shepherd until we have been fed by the Great Shepherd Himself. God’s teachings must first convict us through our actions, words, and lifestyles before we can teach and preach it to others.