Getting back into teaching.

Well, last week Bobby let me teach the Wednesday night service. I felt I bombed but I had good feedback. I think I mostly over planned. This past Sunday I got to teach Sunday School and it went much better. I felt like I was more comfortable but I will have to be careful about getting to carried away with the soap box.

Ambassadors for Christ

I recently hear of a survey that asked what people thought of when they heard the title "Christian".

The results were staggering. Among the answers were; hypocrite, cruel, judgmental, & fake. Amazingly enough I was shocked. I say amazingly because that those are some of the same things I thought when visiting some churches before I was saved. How many of you have known someone who claimed to be a Christian but you would never know it to observe them closely?

When I went with Bobby to visit Fruitland I had a bit of a dilemma. I am a pretty laid back guy when it comes to dress standards. Most of you have seen me come to church for years in jeans, a button down shirt and my cowboy boots. I have always felt that we come to church to worship God and he really does not care what we wear. Not everyone feels the same and since Bobby was bringing me down there I did not want to embarrass him. So I called Bobby the night before to ask his opinion on what I should wear. You see, it's not that I cared what they thought of me or thought Bobby cared how I dressed, but I respect Bobby and I was there in Bobby's name representing him, so I did not want to make him look bad. How many "Christians" don't give God that kind of respect?

I am not saying that when you walk down the street people who don't know you should or will be able to tell you're a Christian or even if they start to get to know you a little….what I am saying is that when you tell someone you're a Christian, they should not be surprised.

Before we all start looking around us and scrutinizing our neighbors, let's take a long hard look at ourselves first. What kind of god is each one of us representing?

Luke 6:12-13 ( NIV ) ¹²One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
13When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:

The English word "Apostles" comes from the Greek word "Apostolos". This is similar to the word "Apostello" which means "sent out" or messenger. The Apostles were so much more than mere messengers; they were Apostolos, which is more along the lines of an ambassador, delegate, or official representative. This actually had an exact parallel in Aramaic that the Apostles would be familiar with since it was common since before the days of Abraham;" shaliah".

The Shaliah was an official representative of the Sanhedrin, the ruling counsel of the Jewish Culture. He was sent to act on their behalf. They acted with the complete and total authority of the Sanhedrin. So when Jesus called them "Apostles", they knew that He was saying they were His official representatives to the world, acting on His behalf with His complete authority.

"This still applies to us today."

When you meet someone that claims to represent another party, their actions and words reflect on that party.

"How many of you here tonight work for a company that places a high importance on you behavior and actions while at work, and in some cases even when you're not?" -usually explained in an employee handbook, right?

"I got news for you, we have one too."

Colossians 3:1-17 ( NIV ) 1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is your^£ life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.^£
7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

"This is what an Ambassador to Christ looks like.

How do you demonstrate yourself to be a Christian?

• Do you regularly attend church?
  
• Do you give regularly?
  
• Are you serving on various committees for the church?
  
• Do you greet people, smile, and shake hands on Sunday?
  
• Are you involved in many different church activities?
  
• Are you able to give eloquent and confident public prayers?
  

These are some of the things that can make us look like we are Christians.

Isn't this what many people would consider a model Christian?

Unfortunately, this is all many people do. How many times is this all mask……..or a charade as to who they really are.

John 15:1-2 ( NIV ) ¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^£ so that it will be even more fruitful.

"Is this fruit? It depends on how the rest of your life looks…..and what is in your heart. "

What is your week from Monday to Saturday like? How do you represent Christ? Do you honor him with your speech and actions? Or do you bring shame to His name by telling people that you are a Christian as you use His name in vain……get drunk Friday night at the bar…..share in the inappropriate jokes at work……or just treat those around you just plain bad.

What are you business practices like? How many of you would feel comfortable with having the IRS scrutinize your books? Well, God looks much closer.

"The Pharisees of Jesus' day were like this. They appeared righteous and followed the rules and rituals but they lost the essence of what it was all about.
Their hearts were not right with God. It was all for show. Many people today claim to be Christians, but if you really examine the fruit of their lives you will find that it is rotten and sour."

James 2:17 ( NIV ) ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2:26 ( NIV ) 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

"Now don't confuse what myself or James is saying. James is not contradicting Paul who said that" it is by grace that we are saved," what he is saying is that if you're saved and you are a follower of Christ that your faith will become evident by your actions." This can work both ways. You may do all these things we talked about earlier when you're at church………but what do you do the rest of the time?"

You see….deeds can go both ways; "faith without deeds is dead"……some deeds can show your faith to be dead.

"I am not trying to tell you that you will be perfect or that I am perfect (believe me, my wife would be the first one laughing if I did). If we could, we would not need Christ. But you should be inspecting your life daily and asking God to do the same."

Psalms 139:23-24 ( NIV ) 23Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ( NIV ) ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

"if the old has not gone...why not? Are you a new creation?"

Matthew 10:32-33 ( NIV ) 32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.

33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

"do your deeds acknowledge Him…or disown him."

If you are sitting in here congregation today, and you have not decided who you are going to follow, I urge you not to wait. We have a bad tendency as people to procrastinate. We tend to think that we have all the time in the world and that tomorrow is another day. Today is the day of your salvation! "Choose for yourselves this day who you will serve" If you choose to serve GOD and our Lord Jesus Christ, don't look back. Don't dwell in your old life; instead rejoice in your new life in Christ. Come forward today and don't wait another moment. Serve Him with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul."