Why We’re Here: Ambassadors | Digging Deeper | Week of October 16th

Why We’re Here: Ambassadors
Pastor Tom Chism, Senior Associate Pastor

Matthew 21:12-14; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

1. Regard the world from a new point of view

2. The old creation has been replaced by the new

3. Reconciled to God

4. Our ambassadorship: the ministry of reconciliation

5. Mission over form

“Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.”
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 MSG

What Does it Mean to Be an ‘Ambassador of Christ’ in 2 Corinthians 5:20? 
by Jessica Brodie

1. What was your biggest take away from Pastor Tom’s message on being an
Ambassador?

2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Pastor Tom taught on seeing the world from a new point of view now that we are in Christ. How do you regard the world from a new point of view? How do you see the world differently? What does that mean to you?

3. Part of the passage in 2 Corinthians says, “Now we look inside, and what we see is
that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.” Is it easy for you to believe this truth? Do you struggle with believing this truth?

4. This passage in 2 Corinthians is so rich. It is full of foundational truth. Another part of this passage says, “We’re Christ’s representatives (another word is Ambassadors). God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” When you think about being on earth to be Christ’s ambassadors, his representatives, what emotions does this evoke in you? Does it excite you? Does it feel like pressure?

5. Read Something to Think About and discuss.

6. Reading scriptures and meditating on scriptures are two different practices. How do you meditate on scriptures? What are ways you dive deeper into them?

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 is full of life-changing truth. When I was reading this passage this week, it was like I was reading it for the first time. I love how God’s Word is like that. It is living and breathing and it ministers to us in new and fresh ways. I get to spend some time at Tahoe tomorrow. I am going to take my journal, and I am going to meditate on this passage. I am believing that God will show me deeper understanding as I take time to read this passage and ask the Holy Spirit to minister to my soul about the truth of these scriptures.

I encourage you all to meditate on this passage this week. There is so much depth in
these scriptures. A good way to really let a passage sink in is to read it in sections. Ask
the Holy Spirit to allow this passage to go deep into your soul and to give you a fresh
revelation and understanding of what it is to be Christ’s Ambassadors. You might want to journal to help process and digest these verses as well. I am believing God will give you all a new excitement for being Christ’s representatives as you meditate on this passage this week. Always cheering for you all! 
Blessings, 
Christie Braun