Characteristics of an Ambassador of Christ Part 1: An ambassador is one who knows God well

Establishing the need: Do you realized that if you are a Christian you are called by God to be an ambassador of Christ?  What does that mean and what does God require of you?

We will be looking at 2 Corinthians 5:20=

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. 

Purpose of Series: Over the next few weeks on Sunday we will see four characteristics of an ambassador of Christ are so that you will faithfully represent Christ to other.

Our first one for today: An ambassador is one who knows God well.

1. An ambassador is one who knows God well
   1. Point: If we are going to be ambassadors we need to know God and know Him well.
   2. Passage: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,”
   3. Proof
      1. “ambassadors”—Before technology its important to know what the leaders really want otherwise an ambassador might make a decision that is unfaithful and bad for the country/state/leaders.
      2. Who do we represent as ambassadors? “Christ”
      3. Know Christ in various ways, such as in the following:
         1. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
            1. Notice this passage here Paul says that Christians are to know what the will of God is.
            2. Specifically knowing God’s will involves knowing that “which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
            3. Notice here that knowing God also will transform us.
            4. Where do we turn to know God’s will and also for that knowledge to transform us? The Bible!
         2. “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and [a]the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;” (Philippians 3:10)
            1. We are not just to be familiar with rules of God but also knowing Christ and what He has done:
               1. “the power of His resurrection”
               2. “the fellowship of His sufferings,”
               3. “His death;”
            2. We also must get a taste of suffering if we are going to have “fellowship of His sufferings”
   4. Practice
      1. Do you know God’s laws and rules? How can you represent Him if you do not?
      2. If possible ambassadors would read letters from their leader. Do you read regularly the Bible and vow to learn it more deeply so you know whom you represent and what His will is for all circumstances?
      3. A good ambassador who knows the will of the one who sent Him would also act with integrity so as to not undermine his representation of the one who sent Him. How much more so, does our knowledge of God lead us to act in such a way that presents a good testimony to people around us?