Cor 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.
Eph 6:20 I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming the kingdom I may speak boldly.
Phil 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven
Col 1:13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
We are citizens of a heavenly supernatural kingdom.
In the home, workplace, marketplace, neighborhood, school, college, Day Centre, Therapeutic Community, Retirement. Everywhere to be an influence & make a difference in every arena: Family, Marriage, Politics, Education, Finance, Health, Media, Sport, Recreation & entertainment,
What are the characteristics of the kingdom? What makes us distinctive? Do people notice that we have supernatural abilities, a different outlook, attitude and approach to life? Do we do what Jesus would do?
Ambassadors of Heaven are Under kingdom authority. A new health service– healing. New Economy & Financial services. New Society – paradise restored. New speech. New attitudes. New lifestyle.
Ambassadors of Heaven have Higher standards of behavior –love. Representing heavens’ superior authority, values, ideals, principles, power, wisdom, Golden rule. Releasing Forgiveness. Not Judging. Going the Extra mile
Attitudes of the kingdom. Attitude determines altitude. A settled way of thinking or feeling, typically reflected in a person’s behavior. How we think, mind-set, viewpoint, how we act and react. Positive or negative attitude to life? Matt 5:1-12 beautiful attitudes
Results of kingdom attitudes. Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous–with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s Favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions). Blessed (with a happiness produced by the experience of God’s Favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace)
Blessed (happy, joyous, spiritually prosperous–with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s Favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) .Blessed (fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation)
Manifesto of the kingdom Matt 5 -7
Matt 5: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:3″You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 4″You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 5″You’re blessed when your content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 6″You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 7″You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 8″You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 9″You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. 10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 10″You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone 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 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matt 5:13″Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavor’s of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. 14-16″Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.
Matt 5:17 We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand – shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Salt – meanings, purposes. Costly – wages (salary) – health Flavour – Christian life observed – appetizing and appealing Job 6:6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? God flavor’s – love, joy, peace, mercy, grace, faith, humility, power
Examples of covenant life
Lev 2:13 you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
Mark 9:50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.”
Dominion – kingdom authority
2Chron 13:5 Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? We are the head not tail – over not under circumstances of life
Wisdom
Col 4: 5 Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Preservation from corruption. Disinfectant from disease. Fertilizer for fruitfulness. Salt has to be applied to be useful. We have to be applied to the world to influence & transform it as ambassadors.
Light – physical, spiritual, moral.
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Light – so people can see God & their need of Him.
1 Thes 5:5-8 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others…
Prov 4:18-19 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Illuminate
Psa 18:28 For You light my lamp; The LORD my God illumines my darkness.
Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psa 43:3 O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me;
Expose things hidden in darkness
Ps 90:8 You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Mark 4:22 “For there is nothing hidden but it must be disclosed, nothing kept secret except to be brought to light. “
1 Cor 4:5 He will bring into the light of day all that at present is hidden in darkness, and he will expose the secret motives of men’s hearts
2 Cor 4:2 6 We have renounced secret and shameful ways…in the sight of God For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Judgment – right & wrong
John 3:19-21 “This is the judgment: that light has entered the world, and men have preferred darkness to light because their deeds were evil. Everybody who does wrong hates the light and keeps away from it, for fear his deeds may be exposed. But everybody who is living by the truth will come to the light to make it plain that all he has done has been done through God.”
Dispels darkness
John 1:5 The light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness will never put it out.
Matt 17:2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
Isa 60:1 “Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2 “For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you. 3 “Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
Are you willing to be salt? Are you willing to light? Are you willing to be an ambassador? Are you willing to seek & live for God’s kingdom & righteousness first?