What are you known for? What do we represent? (Hospitality? Service? Kindness? Peace? Justice? Forgiveness? Gossip? Envy? Strife? Distrust? Arrogance? Ignorance?)

In Paul’s time, an ambassador was a representative of a community commissioned to carry out a task with an appeal in a foreign place, and only returned to the community when they finished the task.

Ambassadors:

  • had a task to accomplish (endowed with a responsibility)
  • sent to a foreign place
  • dedicated to the mission with allegiance to the King
  • didn’t return until they completed the job

Representatives on the other hand are people chosen to speak a message for another, but not make any decisions on their behalf. (Read Colossians 3:17)

Ambassadors are more than messengers. Read: Ephesians 6:20 and 2 Corinthians 5:20. An ambassador is a representative, but not all representatives are ambassadors. The title of ambassador is a specific calling with intentional purpose.

So when it comes to Christianity, which one are you? Are you representing Jesus Christ poorly or well? Are you choosing to answer the call to live as an ambassador?

As human beings, made in the image of God, every single person in some way, shape or form, represents his/her Creator. Whether a person believes in God or not, they relate to Him. All humans are automatically representatives of God because He created them in His image and His likeness. (Genesis 2) We are all like canvases that the Great artist is working on. Even though we all relate to God, not all people are children of God.

As children of God, we are in a more senior relationship with God. As such, we are now called to be ambassadors. It’s almost like we have moved from being a canvas to a paintbrush. We still need Him, but now He wants to use us for His glory in ways greater than just a canvas. As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we have roles to step into and responsibilities to fulfill.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Our Task and Allegiance:

  • (2 Corinthians 4:5) As Christ’s ambassadors, the way we prioritize our relationship with God shows the world our allegiance to Him. Do you care more about yourself or the One you represent? When you realize what the King did for you (Ephesians 2:4-10), no one could ever cause you to break your allegiance to Him. Lamar knows his father loves him and knows his father is for him. He would never betray his father to do something that only benefits him or someone else.
  • (2 Corinthians 4:6) As dedicated ambassadors, our primary task is to tell others about the opportunity to be with their Creator forever through a relationship with Jesus.

We know that if Christ saved us, it is for a purpose. There is a reason God has you alive here today. There is a reason God continues to give you grace on top of grace when you sin. He loves you and has a very important purpose for your life. He wants you to live that life with purpose.

The WAY you represent God matters. What kind of ambassador are you?

  • Humble Ambassadors: (2 Corinthians 4:7) – As Christ’s ambassadors, it’s important to remember that this knowledge we have of Jesus is being held in fragile beings who cannot ever fully understand God. We will fail.
    • Paul reminds us that only through God’s power alone can someone fully come to relationship with Jesus. Nothing you do can make Him save or love you any more or any less. So we don’t go to those who are not-yet Christians first with a message of all their doing wrong, but instead we humbly share where we went wrong.
  • Sacrificial Ambassadors: (2 Corinthians 4:11-12) – As Christ’s ambassadors we are called to regularly KILL our desires to do our own thing our own way so that Christ might live through us. A good ambassador doesn’t do ANYTHING because it will benefit them individually. Everything they say and do is for the One they represent.
    • This is significantly difficult because of the sin we so often desire to return to. “A living sacrifice is the most annoying because it’s constantly moving off the alter.”

As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we have a variety of responsibilities to live out in light of this great task to share His story:

  1. Communicators: (2 Corinthians 4:13-15) As Christ ambassadors, we have a responsibility to speak what we believe and what we know about who Jesus is. Ambassadors don’t keep quiet.
    1. Encourage Others - Cast Vision: (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:6) As Christ’s ambassadors, we have a responsibility to encourage one another with the good news of Jesus, with the good news that this pain is momentary. Ambassadors remind their fellow citizens that there is a greater glory to come.
  2. Guides: (2 Corinthians 5:7-8) As Christ’s ambassadors, part of our task is the responsibility to help guide others in how to live a Christian life if they so choose to do. We don’t just tell them Jesus loves them and walk away. New believers are called born again Christians and we all know that a newborn left on its own will die.
    1. Practice what we preach - To live worthy (2 Corinthians 5:9) As Christ’s ambassadors, we make it our aim to please God. In everything we do, not just what we don’t do. The Pharisees got this wrong so poorly that Jesus called them White-washed tombs (Matthew 23:27-28). So it is our responsibility to teach the newborns how to grow up in the faith, to please God so that they do not displease God with their lukewarm Christianity, pretending to be something they are not (Revelation 3:15-16).
    2. Direction Setters: (2 Corinthians 5:10) As Christ’s ambassadors, one of the ways we guide others, is to clearly to set direction. We remind them of the things that are above - that one day we will appear before the judgement seat of Christ and receive what is due to us based on what we did while in these bodies.
  3. Ministers of Love: (2 Corinthians 5:11-21) As Christ’s ambassadors, we use our knowledge to teach others, (12) not telling them to do what we do on the outside, but showing them our hearts, our lives, and the love that God has for us.
    1. (13-15) Speak from experience. God’s love is better than anything you can imagine. He started the work, is doing the work, and has finished the work. Ephesians 2:1 reminds us that while we were dead in our trespasses and sin, Christ died to reconcile us! Your task is to speak. Speak about what you know about Jesus and if you feel like you don’t know enough, read to learn more.
    2. (16-17) Live differently. Let His love toward you control how you live. God’s love should compel you to do things unlike the world does. (Hosea and Gomer) Only when you fully understand this, will things change. Only when you understand this will you understand why Jesus hasn’t yet returned.
    3. (18-21) Represent well. As ambassadors, know the message that God has given you thoroughly and live it honestly. Don’t “play” Christianity. No one want to be a Judas or a Benedict Arnold who betrays the One they were called to be an ambassador for.

Ambassadors of Christ in the Age of Outrage

  • Sent with allegiance to the King.
  • Sent with a message of reconciliation.
  • Sent to a foreign land with a mission to complete.