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ROM 231 - Ambassadors For Christ - Pt 1 - Rom 10:14-15
 
Lst wk - we looked at that Very Clear msg - How To Be SAVED
 
& Now today - & Nxt week - we're going to talk about
WHAT to DO with that very clear Msg
 
Last wk's msg was a clear explanation of How to be SAVED
 
Today's Msg is a clear explanation
of the Primary Method of Introducing people to Salvation
 
God's Word is so REAL - & so Applicable
 
It was actually not written to be contemplated "Monk-Like"
on a Mountain Top somewhere
 
Jesus Christ came to Live with Real World People
 
& He wants to take people of this World
& TRANSFORM them - Making them NOT of this World
 
& He has Called us - & Equipped us
to Introduce people - of this World
to His Salvation - that is Not of this World
 
Today's Msg is about God's PRIMARY METHOD,
of introducing people to Salvation
 
Let's Pray
 
 
I'm going to ask you to turn to some of our scriptures today
so you can mark them - & remember them
 
Let's start by turning to Jn 4:35 - ESV
35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.
 
2000 yrs ago Jesus said
Lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest
 
& He says the exact same thing to US today
 
Lift up your eyes, (Right where you're AT) and see that the fields are white for harvest
 
Guys - there is an eternal harvest - that is ready to Reap
 
But the harvest will NOT Reap itself
AND - it will "Go Bad" if left un-harvested
 
We live in a farming community here
We know that at Harvest time - there is a window of opportunity
 
& there is an URGENCY to harvest the fields before
the crop "Goes Bad" - which it will do - if left unattended
 
So we MUST ask ourselves the question?
Do we sense an URGENCY
for the Harvest of Eternal Life - that is around us ?
 
Turn over to 2Pet CH 3 (after Hebrews & James)
 
 
2Pet 3:9-11 - ESV (talking about the Day God will judge the world)
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise (of returning) as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach (come to) repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
 
The Fields are White For Harvest
But there is a certain Window of Opportunity
 
& there is a day coming
when that Window of Opportunity WILL PASS
 
& God does not want ANY person in your life - to Perish
He wants each of them to BE SAVED
 
God's METHOD - of bringing the Good News of salvation
to the people in YOUR LIFE - - involves YOU
 
We get a glimpse of it here in 2Pet 3:11
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
 
That is NOT to EARN your Salvation (we've made that clear)
THAT is to make you part of God's Plan of Salvation
 
God has called the entire Body of Christ
into the Great Life or Death Eternal work of Salvation
 
 
You know - God's Sovereignty is an incredible thing
& have you ever thought about the fact . . .
 
that God could have had you born
at ANY time - in ANY place - with ANY Family & Friends He wanted
 
But God's Sovereign & Perfect Plan - was for you
to be born at this exact time - & in this exact place
 
You & I have been chosen by God - for such a time as this
 
Just jot down this vs. in your margin at 2 PET
Psa 139:16 - ESV
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
 
God has uniquely created each of us - & placed us
Right here - Right now - - to be part of His Eternal Plan
 
& His Eternal Plan for you
is NOT JUST - that you would be saved
 
Your salvation IS the CENTER of God's Plan for you
but it is not His COMPLETE Plan for you
 
If your salvation were God's COMPLETE Plan for you
then the moment you got saved - He would've KILLED you !!
 
Why not? - if your Salvation were His only purpose for you -
why not take you home the moment you got saved
 
But your Salvation is NOT His ONLY purpose for you
 
God has an incredible Eternal sized purpose for you,
that comes AFTER your salvation
 
& it has to do with the Exact TIME - & the Exact PLACE
that God has PLACED you - on the "TimeLine" of Eternity
 
 
Jas 4:14 says - Our life is a "Vapor"
(jot in the margin of 2Pet)
Psa 39:5 says - Our entire lifetime is but a "BREATH"
 
But - even tho that's true
God has still made us PART - of His "Eternal Sized Plan"
 
Let me try to put it in a picture I recently heard
from a Pastor named Wayne Cordeiro
 
If I were to drive a cable out that wall
& drive it all the way to the horizon - far past where you could see
 
& then I were to run that cable right thru this bldg
& run it out the other wall - all the way to the horizon
far past where you could see
 
& then I could say - OK - this cable represents eternity
far past where you can see in both directions
& stretching right across this stage
 
Now - how could I represent our lives here on earth
 
Well, I could take out a pen,
& I could make a single SCRATCH (right here) on that cable
 
 
A scratch on the cable of eternity
that stretches from horizon to horizon
 
& that little SCRATCH (1/32 inch) - THAT (at best)
would represent our lives - on the 'timeline' of eternity
 
But TODAY - if Jesus Christ is your Lord
then YOU have that entire Timeline of eternity
to live with God - in Peace & Joy
 
BUT also - there are SO MANY people around us
that all they have is the scratch
 
that's it - the scratch - that's all they have
 
& so they cling to the scratch
they love the scratch
they try to get everything out of the scratch that they can
they get scratch houses & scratch cars
scratch pleasures & scratch happiness
 
And all they have is the scratch
 
But Jesus Christ has died to offer them FREELY
the entire timeline of Eternity with Him - in Peace & Joy
 
But they're Clinging to the SCRATCH
because that's ALL they think there is
 
AND - HERE'S THE REAL POINT - - God has put US
ON that same scratch - with them
 
God SAVED US - & appointed us for this time - & Placed Us
right on the same scratch as them
 
WHY? - for our own good, - NO!
He placed us on the SCRATCH with them . . .
 
Because God so loved the scratch
 
He so loved the people, on the scratch
that He gave His only Son
 
that whosoever believes in Him will not perish on the scratch
but will have everlasting life - for the entire timeline of eternity
 
But Pls Lst carefully - God's METHOD
to reach those who are dying on The Scratch?
 
is to use - - FULL-TIME Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
 
 
Now - I believe we have some Full-Time Ministers
right here in the room with us
 
& so I'd just like to acknowledge you today
 
How many Full-Time ministers do we have with us today
would you raise your hands
 
OK - now - would all the believers in Jesus Christ
please raise their hand - & just keep it up
 
Now - keep your hand up
cause I'm going to ask you a question
 
& the RIGHT ANSWER - is for you to have your hand raised
so just keep your hand up
 
OK now - How many Full-Time Ministers do we have w/ us today ?
 
Guys - the Bible is very clear - If Jesus Christ is your Lord
Then you have been called into Full-Time Ministry
 
AAHHH - but you might say - I don’t get paid by the church
My income comes from the COMPANY I work for
 
REALLY ??
 
Let me ask you - what is the TRUE SOURCE of your income?
 
& if you would say "the company I work for"
I need you to trace that income back a little further
 
Because if you will trace the source of your income back far enough you will find - it's TRUE SOURCE - is GOD
 
When God reveals Himself to you as Jehovah Jireh
His name means - The Lord who PROVIDES
 
& so - whether your provision comes
from a construction co - a mortgage co - or a church
 
I promise you - it is Jehovah Jireh
who is the SOURCE of your Provision
 
& I need you to know - the Bible calls Every Disciple of Jesus Christ
into Full-Time Ministry
 
Full-Time Ministry - right where you're AT - on the SCRATCH
 
Whether you spend your time on the SCRATCH
in a Construction Co - A Mortgage Co - or a Church
 
When I first Truly gave my life to Christ
I became a fulltime minister - in the Construction business
 
then I became a fulltime minister
in the Real Estate & Mortgage business
 
then I became a fulltime minister - in Church Leadership business
 
God calls EVERY Christian - to be a Full-Time Minister
 
& "Minister" by the way - simply means SERVANT
 
AND - the Bible NEVER says that a Christian should be paid
for being a Full-Time Minister
 
Pastor Jeff & I cannot be paid - to be a Full-Time Ministers
because that would mean - you're paying us - to be Christians
 
You support us - Not to be Christians
You support us - to be LEADERS of the Church
 
& THAT is the very clear design - in God's Word
 
our JOB is actually - to lead YOU - into Full-Time ministry
it is NOT do your ministry for you
 
Turn over to Eph 4:11-12 - ESV
11 And he gave (to the church) the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
 
 
God gave - to the church - LEADERS
to EQUIP the Saints - to do the "work of the ministry"
 
AND (v.12) for BUILDING UP the Body of Christ
 
You support us financially - so that we can
LEAD - & EQUIP you - & BUILD YOU UP . . .
 
to BE - Full-Time Ministers - SO THAT . . .
 
that those around you on the SCRATCH
can have ETERNAL Life in Jesus Christ
 
 
WHY would God choose YOU - as His METHOD
to bring the Good News to those around you ?
 
Well, If God Sooo Loved
the people in your family, in your work, in your neighborhood
 
If He loved them Sooo much
that He just had to get the Good News to them
 
Would He say - OK - ALL paid Pastors must go to
all families, all work places, & all neighborhoods
to tell every person about Jesus ?
 
NO - God would never do that - for two reasons
#1) There aren't enough Paid Pastors as it is
#2) The people in your Family - your Workplace, your Neighborhood they don’t know us - they don’t trust us - &
they don’t want to hear what we have to say
 
 
So instead - God has raised up a Full-Time Minister
Right in the Midst of the people that are in YOUR life
 
& then - God has raised up a church
to Equip & Support YOU - for that Ministry
 
 
SEE - what God does (& this is good)
is say - I know - - I'll DISGUISE my Ministers
 
I'll make some look like Teachers,
& some Construction Workers,
& some Real Estate Agents
 
& I'll provide for them thru their profession
but really - they are ALL my Fulltime Ministers
 
It's almost like - an Eternal - COVERT - Operation
 
& so - if you are a Teacher today
 
then God has called you to be a full time minister
& disguised you as a teacher
 
& PLACED you - right into the school where you work
 
 
& WHY is it that God PLACES Full-Time Ministers in Every Different Profession
in Every different Place - & at Every Different Time
 
Because of what Jesus said in MAT CH 5 - turn there
 
 
Mat 5:13 - ESV
13 “You are the salt of the earth . . .
 
& God wants to spread the Salt around Evenly
to make people THIRSTY to know God - - that's your job as the salt
 
& then Jesus adds the WARNING;
. . . But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
 
so Be Careful not to lose your "Saltiness" - which means
NOT making people around you THIRSTY for God
 
 
& again - WHY did God make Fulltime Ministers
& then put them in 100 different jobs, in 100 different places
 
Again - because of the NEXT VERSE
 
Jesus says in MAT 5:14-16 - ESV
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
 
THAT - is being - in the Fulltime Ministry
 
 
YOU are the light of the world
 
So let your light Shine in YOUR HOME
so that they may see your good works
& give glory to God in heaven
 
Let your light Shine in YOUR WORKPLACE
so that they may see your good works
& give glory to God in heaven
 
God has called you to Let your Light Shine
RIGHT where he has put YOU - On the SCRATCH
 
Because God so loves the SCRATCH
That He raised up a Full-Time Minister
 
& then Disguised them - AS YOU
& then PLACED you - right where He has you today
 
& then - right in that place where you're at
He calls you to be an Ambassador for Jesus Christ
 
turn over to 2Cor 5:19-20 - ESV
19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
 
God's entrusting to US - the message of reconciliation
WE are Ambassadors for Christ
God is making His appeal - THRU US !!
 
RIGHT where you are at - On the SCRATCH
you are an Ambassador for Jesus Christ
 
& our job - as leaders of the church - is to EQUIP YOU
to do the job - God has given YOU
 
God's Primary METHOD - of Bringing Salvation
to those around you - on the Scratch
 
Is to make YOU - His Ambassador
Is to make YOU - the Light on the Scratch
Is to make YOU - the Salt of the Earth
 
BECAUSE - How will they be Saved - unless they HEAR
& How will they Hear - unless YOU tell them
 
 
Now - Finally - We can read our Text for today
 
Rom 10:14-15 - ESV
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
 
I know - some of you think you're off the hook now
 
you're thinking SEE - it says there PREACH & PREACHING
that's your job Dave
 
SORRY . . .
altho this text is often used to send off
Missionaries & Evangelists, etc
 
It is actually written - TO YOU !
right where you find yourself on the Scratch today
 
The word PREACH here simply means;"To publish, or proclaim openly: something which has been done"
 
Has something been done for YOU ?
Are you willing to PROCLAIM it openly ?
 
Let me re-read it from the NLT - to help "bring it home"
 
Rom 10:14-15 - NLT
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? (we might 'fit' that word better)15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
 
Those "Someone's" to tell them - THAT'S YOU!
The Salt of the earth
The Light of the world
The Ambassadors for Jesus Christ
 
& God says to YOU - "How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who bring good news"
 
 
 
It IS the Word of God that Sends you
But let me just PROCLAIM it for you
 
On the Authority of God's Word
 
I - NOW - SEND YOU - to the scratch !
 
GO - Be Messengers - Be Ambassadors
Be Light - Be Salt
 
 
Next week - we'll pick this text back up
 
& we'll make some practical suggestions
about HOW you can GO & DO this
 
But please, today - See yourself as a Fulltime Minister
An Ambassador of Jesus Christ
 
placed Uniquely & Specifically
ON the SCRATCH - RIGHT where you find yourself
 
This is your Place - This is your Time - This is your Calling
 
& God has entrusted the METHOD by which
those around you will hear about Jesus - TO YOU !
 
It is a Great & a Worthy Calling
for the entire time - that you are here - on the SCRATCH
 
Let's Pray