Ambassadors of Reconciliation: Our Divine Commission

 

Summary

In Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 20, we find a profound declaration: "We are ambassadors for Christ." This statement encapsulates the essence of the Christian ministry and the purpose of the church. As ambassadors, we are not self-appointed; we are called and commissioned by God to deliver His message. This calling is not about personal opinions or ideas but about faithfully conveying the message of reconciliation that God has entrusted to us.

The role of an ambassador is marked by a deep sense of responsibility. We represent God, and our message is not our own. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this seriousness, aware of the weight of his responsibility to both God and the people he addresses. He knows that he must give an account of his stewardship and is driven by a love for the people he serves, desiring that they understand and receive the message of reconciliation.

Reconciliation is necessary because humanity is estranged from God due to sin. We are spiritually dead, trespassers, and lacking righteousness. The world is in its current state because of this estrangement. However, the message of reconciliation is one of hope. God, in His love, has provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. Christ, who knew no sin, was made sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

This message is urgent. The way to reconciliation is open now, and we must not delay. Today is the day of salvation. We are called to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and took our punishment, so that we might be reconciled to God and enjoy the blessings of this new life.

Key Takeaways:

- Ambassadors for Christ: As ambassadors, we are called and appointed by God, not self-appointed. Our role is to faithfully deliver the message of reconciliation, not our own opinions or ideas. This calling is a divine commission, and we must approach it with the seriousness it deserves. [09:03]

- The Responsibility of Representation: Being an ambassador for Christ carries a tremendous weight of responsibility. We represent God, and our message is delivered in His stead. This awareness should fill us with a sense of urgency and love for those we address, ensuring that we accurately convey the message of reconciliation. [15:12]

- The Need for Reconciliation: Humanity is estranged from God due to sin, resulting in spiritual death, trespasses, and a lack of righteousness. This estrangement is the root cause of the world's problems, and reconciliation is necessary to restore our relationship with God. [24:12]

- God's Provision for Reconciliation: God, in His love, has provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. Christ, who knew no sin, was made sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. This divine transaction is the heart of the Gospel message. [39:26]

- The Urgency of the Message: The way to reconciliation is open now, and we must not delay. Today is the day of salvation. We are called to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and took our punishment, so that we might be reconciled to God and enjoy the blessings of this new life. [46:32]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to the Text
- [01:39] - The Purpose of the Christian Church
- [03:41] - The Modern Misunderstanding of the Church
- [06:24] - The Seriousness of the Church's Mission
- [08:45] - The Role of an Ambassador
- [11:39] - The Church as a Divine Institution
- [14:28] - The Responsibility of the Ambassador
- [17:24] - The Ambassador's Concern for the People
- [19:04] - The Ambassador's Message
- [24:12] - The Need for Reconciliation
- [31:13] - The Nature of God and the Need for Reconciliation
- [37:36] - The Way of Reconciliation
- [46:32] - The Urgency of Reconciliation
- [50:54] - Conclusion and Call to Action

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- 2 Corinthians 5:20
- Romans 3:23-24
- Isaiah 53:5-6

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Observation Questions:

1. What does it mean to be an "ambassador for Christ" according to 2 Corinthians 5:20, and how does this role relate to the message of reconciliation? [00:11]

2. In the sermon, how does the pastor describe the seriousness and responsibility of being an ambassador for Christ? [14:28]

3. What are the key reasons given in the sermon for why humanity needs reconciliation with God? [24:12]

4. How does the sermon explain the urgency of the message of reconciliation? [46:32]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of being an ambassador for Christ challenge the way Christians view their daily interactions with others? [09:03]

2. What implications does the sermon suggest about the nature of God and His holiness in relation to the need for reconciliation? [31:13]

3. How does the sermon interpret the role of Jesus Christ in the process of reconciliation, and what does this mean for believers? [39:26]

4. Why does the pastor emphasize the urgency of accepting the message of reconciliation today, and how does this urgency affect the way Christians should live? [46:32]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: In what ways do you see yourself acting as an ambassador for Christ in your community? Are there areas where you feel you could improve? [09:03]

2. The sermon highlights the seriousness of representing God. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of responsibility in sharing the message of reconciliation with others? [14:28]

3. Consider the estrangement from God due to sin. How does this understanding impact your view of the world's problems and your role in addressing them? [24:12]

4. The pastor speaks about the urgency of the message. What steps can you take this week to share the message of reconciliation with someone who may not know it? [46:32]

5. How does understanding the provision of reconciliation through Jesus Christ change your perspective on forgiveness and grace in your own life? [39:26]

6. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel spiritually dead or estranged from God. What practical steps can you take to seek reconciliation and renewal in that area? [25:03]

7. The sermon calls for immediate action in accepting reconciliation. What is one thing you can do today to deepen your relationship with God and live out the message of reconciliation? [47:18]

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Commission as Ambassadors
As ambassadors for Christ, believers are divinely appointed to deliver God's message of reconciliation, not their own opinions. This role is a sacred calling, emphasizing the importance of faithfully representing God's will and purpose. The responsibility is not self-assumed but given by God, requiring a deep commitment to convey His message with integrity and truth. The essence of this calling is to act as a bridge between God and humanity, sharing the hope and love found in the Gospel. [09:03]

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively represent Christ in your daily interactions, ensuring that your actions and words align with the message of reconciliation you are called to share?


Day 2: The Weight of Representation
Being an ambassador for Christ carries a significant responsibility, as believers represent God and deliver His message to the world. This role requires a profound sense of urgency and love for those who are addressed, ensuring that the message of reconciliation is conveyed accurately and effectively. The awareness of this responsibility should drive believers to act with compassion and dedication, knowing that they are accountable to God for their stewardship. [15:12]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper sense of responsibility and urgency in sharing the message of reconciliation with those around you today?


Day 3: Humanity's Need for Reconciliation
Humanity is estranged from God due to sin, resulting in spiritual death and a lack of righteousness. This estrangement is the root cause of the world's problems, highlighting the necessity of reconciliation to restore the relationship with God. The message of reconciliation offers hope, as it provides a way for humanity to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, who took on sin to grant us righteousness. [24:12]

Ephesians 2:12-13 (ESV): "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to address areas of estrangement in your relationship with God, seeking His reconciliation and peace?


Day 4: God's Provision Through Christ
God, in His love, has provided a way for reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Christ, who was sinless, became sin for humanity so that believers might become the righteousness of God in Him. This divine transaction is central to the Gospel message, offering a path to restored relationship with God and the promise of new life. Understanding this provision is crucial for embracing the fullness of God's grace and love. [39:26]

Colossians 1:21-22 (ESV): "And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him."

Reflection: How does understanding Christ's sacrifice and God's provision for reconciliation impact your view of God's love and grace in your life today?


Day 5: The Urgency of Reconciliation
The message of reconciliation is urgent, as the opportunity for salvation is available now. Believers are called to respond without delay, embracing the salvation offered through Jesus Christ, who bore humanity's sins and punishment. This urgency emphasizes the importance of seizing the present moment to be reconciled to God and to enjoy the blessings of a new life in Him. [46:32]

Hebrews 3:13-14 (ESV): "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end."

Reflection: What immediate steps can you take to embrace the urgency of reconciliation, ensuring that you and those around you do not miss the opportunity for salvation today?

Quotes



The Apostle says that he is an ambassador. That's his picture, and that immediately reminds us of certain vital and essential things. What is an ambassador? Well, the first thing about an ambassador is this: that he is a man who hasn't appointed himself. An ambassador is somebody who's been called and has been appointed by somebody else. [00:08:47]

The Christian church is not a human society. She's not a human institution. This meeting, I said tonight, is not like so many meetings that are being held in this world. It's unlike every political meeting, every social gathering, every artistic gathering of people, every concert, all these things. [00:11:36]

An ambassador is a man who has been given the message. You notice how Paul says that quite explicitly. He says that all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. [00:19:10]

The first thing that I'm commissioned to tell you, my dear friend, is that you need to be reconciled to God. What is reconciliation? Well, it's this: it's bringing people together. People have had a quarrel, and because of that, they don't speak to one another. They don't look at one another. [00:24:20]

The world is as it is this evening because of this very thing. The world was never meant to be like this. The world is as it is because men and God are at enmity. There are no dealings between them, and God isn't blessing men. God isn't smiling upon men. [00:25:00]

The first business of the ambassador is to tell men and women that they are dead, trespassers, lacking in righteousness, without holy, without truth within, twisted and perverted. That's why the world is as it is. I say that is why our individual lives are so often miserable and wretched and unhappy. [00:30:15]

There is a way of reconciliation. He has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. We are ambassadors, he says, for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. [00:37:36]

God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. It is the God whom we have offended who reconciles us. It is his action. How has he done it? Well, here it is: God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. [00:39:26]

He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. By which he means this: before you and I can stand in the presence of God and be blessed of God and have God to smile upon us, oh, we must be fit to stand there. [00:29:41]

The way is open. God has made it open. He's removed the barrier. He's taken away the obstacle. The way from man to God is open. Yes, and he says it's open now. Today, everything that is necessary for you to be reconciled to God has been done. [00:46:32]

Today is the day of salvation. The day is open. The gate is open. You have nothing to do, and if you try to do anything, you haven't understood it. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. You but believe it and accept it, and you do so now. [00:47:38]

I beseech you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God so that whatever may happen to you, whether it be life or death or war or peace, whether the whole world vanishes or whether it remains, whatever happens, you will be right with God, and you'll have nothing to fear. [00:48:32]

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Transcript
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