- The U.S. Government maintains an elite corp of men to represent this great nation in other countries. We call them Ambassadors.
– They are vested with full power and clout.
– They are personal spokesmen of all Americans.
– They are called “representatives extraordinary.”
– They are the best qualified for the position.
– They honorably and uncompromisingly protect the interests of our nation and people in the foreign courts.
– They negotiate treaties of possession, commerce and peace.
– It’s a privilege and honor to be an ambassador representing the United States.
- It is a great honor and privilege to be an Ambassador for Christ and the overall Kingdom of God (2 Cor. 5:20; Phil. 3:20).
– The citizenship and politics of believers are in Heaven,
– BUT, while on earth, we are ambassadors for Christ.
– It is a difficult task to be pleasant among sinners like the Galatians and still speak for God (Gal. 1:10).
– An Ambassador is similar to a disciple (Jn. 17:16 — “not of the world”).
- An Ambassador must be qualified for the job: “made meet.” They MUST BE:
– delivered and redeemed (Col. 1:22-23);
– a “new creature” (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:10);
– not dead in sin but dead to sin (Gal. 2:20);
– Not in the flesh but in the Spirit;
– complete in Christ;
– awaiting to be recalled to Glory;
– in the world, but not of the world.
– Now he is ready for his new assignment—given the WORD and MINISTRY of reconciliation.
- God is seeking the sinner through the Ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:21).
– God is seeking reconciliation! “It is finished….”
– A distinctively Pauline Ministry—Reconciliation.
– An Apostle—of the Gentiles
– A Preacher—of the Gentiles
– A Teacher—of the Gentiles
– In contrast to Peter:
– An Apostle of the Circumcision (Gal. 2:8)
– Given the keys to the Kingdom for the Jews, the Great Commission for the Jews, the ministry of Repentance and restitution for the Jews, and the Gospel of the Kingdom for the Jews.
– NEVER preached reconciliation to the Gentiles.
– the old man and the new man;
– the old creation and with the new creation;
– believer’s union with the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ;
– believer’s Spiritual blessings in Heaven;
– Of uncircumcised Abraham concerning the Body of Christ.
– The WORD and MINISTRY of reconciliation given to Paul for us is always linked to:
– The Gospel of Uncircumcision;
– The Mystery concerning the Body of Christ;
– The mystical Christ;
– The believer’s identification “in Christ” and not in Adam;
– The believer’s Heavenly Hope and Rapture.
– Our Mission as Ambassadors is to beg sinners to believe the Word of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:20).
– The peace treaty from the Throne in Heaven has been signed and sealed in Christ’s blood, and delivered to earth by an Ambassador.
Believer, How anxious WE should be to deliver that document!
Sinner, How anxious YOU should be to receive that document!
- Paul was the first to be commissioned as an Ambassador of Reconciliation (Gal. 1:12; 2:7; Eph. 3:1-2; Rom. 11:15; 15:16, 20; This message COULD NOT have been preached until Israel’s “casting away.”
– Matthew 28:19-20 COULD NOT be preached after Israel’s “casting away.”
– Called for Christ to be preached Prince and Savior to give repentance to Israel.