Living as Ambassadors: Embracing God's Relationship and Mission
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. It's wonderful to have you here, especially on this holiday weekend. We are not a perfect church, but we serve a perfect God, and our hope is that you will meet Jesus today. We have some exciting updates, including the hiring of Carly as our new Children's Ministry Administrator. Also, don't forget about our upcoming baptism service at Camden on July 28th.
Today, we are diving into 2 Corinthians 6, where Paul addresses the young church in Corinth. This church had started to stray, focusing more on their own status and success rather than on Christ. Paul reminds them that they are ambassadors for Christ, and God is making His appeal through them. This is a powerful reminder that our lives should be acts of living worship, not just in song but in every aspect of our lives.
We often get caught up in our own desires and plans, but God calls us to be His co-workers. He wants to work in us, through us, and with us. This is not about our efficiency or perfection but about growing relationally with Him. Our walk with God should not be about our performance but about His grace and love for us.
Paul emphasizes that our affections often restrict us from experiencing the fullness of God. We need to widen our hearts and focus on what truly matters—Christ and others. It's easy to get distracted by worldly pursuits, but true satisfaction comes from aligning our hearts with God's desires.
God's affection for us is immense. He was willing to die a torturous death to have a relationship with us. This should transform our lives and make us eager to share His love with others. We are called to be ambassadors, to make His appeal through us, and to focus on others rather than ourselves.
Let's pray and ask God to continue His good work in us, to remind us of His love, and to help us be effective ambassadors for His kingdom.
### Key Takeaways
1. God Desires a Relationship with Us: God doesn't just want us to check off church from our to-do list; He desires to be involved in every aspect of our lives. He loves spending time with us and wants to meet our needs, whether it's encouragement or conviction. This relationship is not about our performance but about His grace and love for us. [10:43]
2. Living a Life of Worship: Worship extends beyond songs and Sunday services. Our entire lives should be acts of living worship to God. This means that our daily actions, decisions, and interactions should reflect our devotion to Him. It's not about being perfect but about striving to live in a way that honors God. [20:36]
3. We Are Ambassadors for Christ: As Christians, we are called to be ambassadors for Christ, making His appeal through us. This means that our lives should point others to Jesus. It's not about our own success or status but about making Christ known. Our purpose is to serve Him and others, not ourselves. [33:15]
4. God Works Through Us: God invites us to be His co-workers, to work with Him in His mission. This is not because we are perfect or efficient but because it allows us to grow relationally with Him. Our walk with God should involve both internal transformation and external action, serving others and sharing His love. [35:26]
5. Widen Your Hearts: Our affections and pursuits often restrict us from experiencing the fullness of God. We need to widen our hearts and focus on what truly matters—Christ and others. True satisfaction comes from aligning our hearts with God's desires and being part of His mission. [45:24]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[09:23] - Announcements
[10:43] - Opening Prayer
[19:32] - Worship and Reflection
[28:47] - Introduction to 2 Corinthians 6
[33:15] - Ambassadors for Christ
[35:26] - Working Together with God
[45:24] - Widen Your Hearts
[52:14] - Closing Prayer and Offering
[01:04:43] - Prayer for Missionaries
[01:06:40] - Prayer for Departing Members
[01:08:08] - Communion and Lord's Prayer
[01:20:11] - Closing Song and Farewell
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
- 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul mean when he says, "We are ambassadors for Christ" in 2 Corinthians 5:20? How does this role impact our daily lives? [33:15]
2. According to 2 Corinthians 6:1, what does it mean to "not receive the grace of God in vain"? [33:45]
3. In 2 Corinthians 6:11-13, Paul talks about widening our hearts. What does he identify as the main restriction to experiencing the fullness of God? [45:24]
4. How does Paul describe the hardships and challenges faced by servants of God in 2 Corinthians 6:4-5? [34:19]
### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to live a life of worship beyond just singing songs on Sunday? How can our daily actions reflect our devotion to God? [20:36]
2. How can we understand the concept of being "co-workers with God"? What does this partnership look like in practical terms? [35:26]
3. Paul emphasizes that our affections can restrict us from experiencing the fullness of God. How can we identify and change these affections to align more with God's desires? [45:24]
4. What does it mean to be an ambassador for Christ in today's world? How can we effectively make His appeal through our lives? [33:15]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current relationship with God. Are there areas where you feel you are just "checking off church from your to-do list"? How can you deepen your relationship with Him? [10:43]
2. Think about your daily life. In what ways can you transform your routine actions into acts of living worship? Identify one specific change you can make this week. [20:36]
3. As an ambassador for Christ, how can you make His appeal through your actions and words? Identify one person in your life who needs to hear about Jesus and plan a way to share His love with them. [33:15]
4. Consider the concept of being a co-worker with God. What specific mission or service can you engage in to work alongside Him? How can this deepen your relationship with God? [35:26]
5. Reflect on your current affections and pursuits. Are there any that are restricting you from experiencing the fullness of God? What steps can you take to realign your heart with God's desires? [45:24]
6. God's immense affection for us was demonstrated through Jesus' sacrificial death. How does this truth impact your willingness to share His love with others? Identify one way you can demonstrate this love in your community. [48:37]
7. How can you remind yourself daily of God's grace and love, ensuring that your walk with Him is not about performance but about His grace? What practical steps can you take to keep this perspective? [23:52]
Devotional
### Day 1: God Desires a Deep Relationship with Us
God doesn't just want us to check off church from our to-do list; He desires to be involved in every aspect of our lives. He loves spending time with us and wants to meet our needs, whether it's encouragement or conviction. This relationship is not about our performance but about His grace and love for us. God’s love is immense, and He was willing to die a torturous death to have a relationship with us. This should transform our lives and make us eager to share His love with others. We are called to be ambassadors, to make His appeal through us, and to focus on others rather than ourselves. [10:43]
Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV): "The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."
Reflection: Think about your daily routine. How can you invite God into each part of your day, not just during prayer or church services?
### Day 2: Living a Life of Worship
Worship extends beyond songs and Sunday services. Our entire lives should be acts of living worship to God. This means that our daily actions, decisions, and interactions should reflect our devotion to Him. It's not about being perfect but about striving to live in a way that honors God. Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are ambassadors for Christ, and God is making His appeal through them. This is a powerful reminder that our lives should be acts of living worship, not just in song but in every aspect of our lives. [20:36]
Romans 12:1 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you can better reflect your devotion to God. What practical steps can you take to make this change today?
### Day 3: We Are Ambassadors for Christ
As Christians, we are called to be ambassadors for Christ, making His appeal through us. This means that our lives should point others to Jesus. It's not about our own success or status but about making Christ known. Our purpose is to serve Him and others, not ourselves. Paul addresses the young church in Corinth, reminding them that they are ambassadors for Christ. This is a powerful reminder that our lives should be acts of living worship, not just in song but in every aspect of our lives. [33:15]
2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV): "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
Reflection: Think of one person in your life who does not know Jesus. How can you be an ambassador for Christ to them this week?
### Day 4: God Works Through Us
God invites us to be His co-workers, to work with Him in His mission. This is not because we are perfect or efficient but because it allows us to grow relationally with Him. Our walk with God should involve both internal transformation and external action, serving others and sharing His love. Paul emphasizes that our affections often restrict us from experiencing the fullness of God. We need to widen our hearts and focus on what truly matters—Christ and others. [35:26]
1 Corinthians 3:9 (ESV): "For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building."
Reflection: Reflect on your current activities and commitments. How can you align them more closely with God's mission and purpose?
### Day 5: Widen Your Hearts
Our affections and pursuits often restrict us from experiencing the fullness of God. We need to widen our hearts and focus on what truly matters—Christ and others. True satisfaction comes from aligning our hearts with God's desires and being part of His mission. Paul reminds the Corinthians that their affections often restrict them from experiencing the fullness of God. We need to widen our hearts and focus on what truly matters—Christ and others. [45:24]
2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (ESV): "We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also."
Reflection: What are some worldly pursuits or affections that are restricting you from experiencing the fullness of God? How can you begin to let go of these and focus more on Christ and others?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "We don't claim to be a perfect church around here. My Uncle Roger is proof of that. But we just claim to have a perfect God, and we're excited that you're here to meet him today. That's our heart and our hope, is that you'll get to meet Jesus here today in one way, shape, or form." [09:23] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We can't exaggerate. No matter how hard we try to worship, there's nothing we can do that really gives him justice. He's bigger than it all. Bigger than our vocabulary. And then, God expands that idea of worship to well beyond just vocabulary or song. He says, I want you to live your life as an act of living worship." [20:06] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God desires to work in you, but then through you and with you. I'm going to keep coming back to that today. This first part of God desiring to work within us is very enjoyable and it's fun and I think it's where we try to spend so much of our time as Christians. We like to focus on that first part and our faith walks just become all about us." [40:03] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Christ being so in love with you, desires not to just work in you, but to work through you and with you so that there can be a relationship that has multi-facets, a relationship that be honest, I mean, sometimes when God works through you, as you step out it's scary, it's beyond you, it's hard." [49:08] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Church, we get to be co-workers with the God of the universe, Jesus Christ, who knows you and loves you and desires not just to save you, but then to use you in the lives of other people. I mean, this is the greatest privilege that so often gets so neglected." [50:41] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Paul's trying to get this train back on the track in the church. Reminding them what really matters. Christ and others. It's not about us. It's not about us. It's about Jesus Christ and others. And in today's world, and even at the time then, you know, we're saturated with kind of this idea of get what you can, why you can get it." [30:15] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "When the work of Jesus in your life never moves past just your life, then we start to step back into that verse one where it says, don't receive the grace of God in vain. I mean, when it doesn't bloom until all that it was meant for, when the gospel doesn't come and just transform your life and send you into the lives of others, I feel like it starts to be done in vain." [44:19] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Paul says, Corinthians, our hearts are wide open. We're laying it all out there for you. At this time, there has been a lot of hard conversations between Paul and the Corinthian church. We have two letters that we have here, but there was four letters that were written to this church and there was a visit that was painful." [45:24] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Paul, for the first five chapters, continues to just preach the gospel, preach the gospel, preach the gospel, and as you kind of finally feel like, okay, we get it, we get to move on now. Finally, okay, we understand, Jesus loves us, He saves us, all right, now what do we got to do? And He just says, the gospel is what you do." [51:12] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We love You, Lord, and continue to remind us of the Gospel, to remind us of Your love that You have for us, and would Your affection transform our life? Would You continue to make us brand new so that there can be less of us and more of You through us, not I, but Christ in me, as we sung this morning." [52:44] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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