Shine a Light on the Situation
Part 2 of the "Haunted House" message series
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;15 and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their wrongdoings against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. – II Corinthians 5:14-21 (NASB)
The BIG Idea:
God has given followers of Jesus a call to be God’s ambassadors, carrying the Gospel message of reconciliation to the world. Followers of Jesus are to no longer consider other people by a worldly standard, but instead be motivated by the love and the grace of Christ Jesus to give away what we have found to be truly life giving – faith in Jesus as the Son of God. We can overcome the fear of the unknown and reconcile a lost world to God as an Ambassador for Christ!
Ambassador = “An official envoy; especially: a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative.” (MW, 2024)
“A representative skilled in negotiation and has a patient tenacity to accomplish the nation’s goals through a spirit of reconciliation.” (Discover Diplomacy, US State Department; 2017)
We become Christ’s ambassadors when God reconciles us to God’s Self through Christ Jesus.
Humankind’s greatest challenge is our broken relationship with God because of sin.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23 (NASB)
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. – Romans 5:10 (NASB)
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. – I Timothy 2:5-6 (NASB)
When Jesus died on the cross, all our sins were imputed to Jesus – put to His “account.”
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. – Romans 6:4 (NASB)
When we place our faith in Christ and embrace Him as Savior and Lord, we appropriate His death and resurrection.
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. – Romans 8:9 (NASB)
So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:11 (NASB)
When we become a “New Creation,” we then become God’s ambassador.
7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. – Romans 14:7-9 (NASB)
God’s ambassadors are messengers who represent God. We are citizens of Heaven and we are in this world to represent our Savior and Lord as a part of the Kingdom of God.
For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 3:20 (NASB)
As God’s representatives on earth as followers of Jesus, we are sent with a mission to see God’s purposes carried out in our world. We do so most effectively from a stance of reconciliation, not retaliation.
22 He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed. – I Peter 2:22-24 (NASB)
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account. – Romans 4:8 (NASB)
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. – I John 2:2 (NASB)
Fear shuts us off from engaging in God’s mission and loving our neighbor.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16 (NASB)
Fear divides people into two categories: “us” and “them.”
Illustration: The Spider-Hole
Opportunities to reach those who have never heard or experienced the Gospel of Jesus are all around us, but if we are afraid of the unknown, afraid of people who are different from us, we will miss those opportunities.
How we interact with the world tells others something about Jesus – good, bad, or indifferent.
God has placed you in a unique spot to make an impact on someone in a way that no one else can do.
Two important questions:
Think of at least three names.
Questions for Reflection:
What was your first job? What was the goal and mission of that job?
Have you ever been a part of a team or group that had a common goal that everyone believed in and wanted to ultimately reach that goal?
What is an “ambassador?”
In what ways are followers of Jesus like “ambassadors?”
How could fear of the unknown hinder an ambassador from the mission?
How would you explain to someone that God wants to be reconciled with him or her?
Who is around you? Do you know anyone who needs to be reconciled to God?
What do they need that you can provide? How might you cooperate with God to bring that about?
The BIG Idea:
God has given followers of Jesus a call to be God’s ambassadors, carrying the Gospel message of reconciliation to the world. Followers of Jesus are to no longer consider other people by a worldly standard, but instead be motivated by the love and the grace of Christ Jesus to give away what we have found to be truly life giving – faith in Jesus as the Son of God. We can overcome the fear of the unknown and reconcile a lost world to God as an Ambassador for Christ!
Ambassador = “An official envoy; especially: a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative.” (MW, 2024)
“A representative skilled in negotiation and has a patient tenacity to accomplish the nation’s goals through a spirit of reconciliation.” (Discover Diplomacy, US State Department; 2017)
We become Christ’s ambassadors when God reconciles us to God’s Self through Christ Jesus.
Humankind’s greatest challenge is our broken relationship with God because of sin.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23 (NASB)
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. – Romans 5:10 (NASB)
5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. – I Timothy 2:5-6 (NASB)
When Jesus died on the cross, all our sins were imputed to Jesus – put to His “account.”
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. – Romans 6:4 (NASB)
When we place our faith in Christ and embrace Him as Savior and Lord, we appropriate His death and resurrection.
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. – Romans 8:9 (NASB)
So you too, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:11 (NASB)
When we become a “New Creation,” we then become God’s ambassador.
7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. – Romans 14:7-9 (NASB)
God’s ambassadors are messengers who represent God. We are citizens of Heaven and we are in this world to represent our Savior and Lord as a part of the Kingdom of God.
For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. – Philippians 3:20 (NASB)
As God’s representatives on earth as followers of Jesus, we are sent with a mission to see God’s purposes carried out in our world. We do so most effectively from a stance of reconciliation, not retaliation.
22 He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed. – I Peter 2:22-24 (NASB)
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account. – Romans 4:8 (NASB)
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. – I John 2:2 (NASB)
Fear shuts us off from engaging in God’s mission and loving our neighbor.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16 (NASB)
Fear divides people into two categories: “us” and “them.”
Illustration: The Spider-Hole
Opportunities to reach those who have never heard or experienced the Gospel of Jesus are all around us, but if we are afraid of the unknown, afraid of people who are different from us, we will miss those opportunities.
How we interact with the world tells others something about Jesus – good, bad, or indifferent.
God has placed you in a unique spot to make an impact on someone in a way that no one else can do.
Two important questions:
- Who is around me?
- What do they need that I can provide?
Think of at least three names.
- Pray for them by name and that God would be working in their lives.
- Pray that God would give you the opportunities to share the love of God with them.
- Pray for boldness when those opportunities present themselves.
Questions for Reflection:
What was your first job? What was the goal and mission of that job?
Have you ever been a part of a team or group that had a common goal that everyone believed in and wanted to ultimately reach that goal?
What is an “ambassador?”
In what ways are followers of Jesus like “ambassadors?”
How could fear of the unknown hinder an ambassador from the mission?
How would you explain to someone that God wants to be reconciled with him or her?
Who is around you? Do you know anyone who needs to be reconciled to God?
What do they need that you can provide? How might you cooperate with God to bring that about?