Representing the Kingdom of Jesus

The core value of love
Five Facts About an Ambassador of Jesus
2 Corinthians 5:14, 18-21

Ken spoke about Winston Churchill chastising the behavior of Princess Margaret that her behavior was not being representative of the English Crown and Monarchy. That her status meant she stood for something that was beyond herself and thus she needed to carry herself accordingly.

We are Ambassadors for Jesus, and this means that we are invested and designed to be Ambassadors for Christ.

1. What does it mean to be a nation’s ambassador?
2. How should we behave with the understanding that we are Ambassadors of Christ?
3. How do people in secular society look at the actions of Christians? How can our behavior either lead people to Christ or lead them astray?
4. What are consequences for a believer to not live as an Ambassador for Christ?
5. Being an ambassador means making our focus on God, but how do we sometimes twist that to make life all about us?

Disciplined (2 Corinthians 5:14)

1. “Disciplined” means exhibiting a controlled form of behavior or way of working. How does being disciplined take continued effort?
2. What are the benefits of being disciplined by the Holy Spirit?
3. Disciplined action speaks powerfully in outward appearance (actions speak louder than words). But humans are inconsistent. How can being disciplined still involve an internal struggle?
4. When one looks a secular activity and applies the word disciplined, a person must practice and work hard to reach the desired goal. A disciplined offensive line must put in hours of practice to move together as a team. A disciplined basketball player not only excels at the fundamentals of the game but must understand their position on the team. How does this apply to being disciplined as an Ambassador for Christ? What are things you can work on to become more disciplined, fruitful, and effective?
5. What are some ways that we can be more Christ-driven? Why do we sometimes want to “take the wheel” instead of letting Jesus direct our actions?
6. What are the benefits of being controlled by Christ?

Active (2 Corinthians 5:18)

The verb “reconciled” and the fact that we are “being given the ministry of reconciliation” implies that we are to be active.

1. There are two actions here, 1) the action by which we are reconciled through Christ and 2) the gift of the ministry of reconciliation. How should we view our ministry as a gift?
2. To “reconcile” means to “restore friendly relations,” and “cause to coexist in harmony.” How has Christ reconciled us to God?
3. We must be active as Christians, but how does being an active Christian refer to a way of life (rather than a simple concept of doing some work or behavior)?
4. In what ways does a person’s actions tell others about your character, commitments, or what is important to you?
5. What are the consequences of not being active? If we look at antonyms, they are not pretty. (i.e. inoperative, unworking, unmovable, dormant, idle, disinterested, indifferent, lazy, sluggish, etc.…) How can we connect this truth to our Christian walk?

Messenger (2 Corinthians 5:19)

1. God no longer holds our past sins against us after we are saved (justification). Why is it so important to share this good news with others? We share coupons, information on sales or discounts, reviews of movies or places to eat, but what about how to receive salvation? How can our priorities get out of whack?
2. Sometimes we make being a messenger overly complicated, but like a billboard on the highway, how can something so simple be so impactful?
3. How should we view the conviction of the Holy Spirit with our being a messenger? What role are we actually playing? Being a messenger puts us in the position of being a middle man. How is this significant? What is the message and how does this message make us “the middle man?”

Representative (2 Corinthians 5:20)

1. What is the difference between seeing yourself as a representative of God’s law versus a representative of God’s heart?
2. How can we mirror God’s heart to someone else? What are some real-life examples?
3. Look at the use of the word “beg.” How does this help show the urgency of the need to share the message of Jesus?
4. Ken said, “We have a burden for people who have not met Jesus.” How does that statement affect you?
5. A representative refers to speaking on behalf of someone else. In the time of Paul, to reject the envoy was simply to reject the one who sent him. How does this speak to the concept of success, failure, and simple obedience? (The representative delivers the message, but in the end, it is up to the receiver on how to respond).
6. Why do we feel pressure when being a representative? How can we relate this to obedience? How is it so much simpler to be obedient than making this about us being successful or worrying about failure? (There is a saying, “don’t shoot the messenger.” They are rejecting the message sender, not the message deliverer).

Approved (2 Corinthians 5:21)

1. How amazing does it feel to hear the words “approved” as we go through life? Who has a good “Atta-boy” story? How does this pale in comparison to the fact we are approved to God because of Jesus?
2. Righteousness is the opposite of condemnation. Why does this make approval so important? What happens to people without God’s approval?
3. When we reflect on what Christ has done for us and paving the way for our approval, why is it so significant to never lose the wonder of God and the desire to share this good news with others?