Ambassador for Christ
A Sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:20
Scripture
20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Sermon Description
Listen to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones as he preaches this sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:20 and the ease with which humanity drifts from the primary principles and why are they here on earth. Look at the picture of an ambassador – someone appointed and called by God to bring the news of the gospel. This is a person who has been given a brief and important message; they are not bringing their own opinion or ideas. What does the gospel say about this great responsibility? Learn of humanity’s exceeding need to be reconciled to God: “If One died for all, then all are dead.” All are in need of this reconciliation because of who humanity is and who God is. Learn that all humanity is spiritually dead under the wrath of God, and unless this is changed, they will not reap the blessings of God. There is hope and God offers this needed reconciliation through His only Son. The Lord’s Supper displays this incomprehensible sacrifice God made to satisfy His own wrath. Today is the day of salvation; nothing else is needed but to believe and accept. Sin is put on Christ and His righteousness imputed to those He calls, giving hope for reconciliation with God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is reviewing his ministry in 2 Corinthians 5.
- He wants to be clear that he is a minister sent by God, not self-appointed.
- It's easy for preachers and congregations to lose sight of the purpose and meaning of the church.
- The church is not a human institution or club. It was instituted by God for a purpose.
- Many people today think the church has nothing to say, but that is because they misunderstand its purpose.
- The church's purpose is to be an ambassadorship, representing God's message to the world.
- Preachers like Paul are ambassadors, sent with a message from God. They do not speak for themselves.
- As ambassadors, preachers have an immense responsibility to accurately represent God's message.
- God called Paul, like He calls all true preachers, to preach repentance and faith in Christ.
- Men need to repent because they are dead in sin, trespassers against God, and lack righteousness.
- Men also need to repent because God is holy, righteous, and just. He hates sin and will judge it.
- But God has provided the way of reconciliation through Christ. He was made sin for us, though He knew no sin.
- God put our sins upon Christ and punished them in Him so He could reconcile us to Himself.
- We must accept this reconciliation today because we do not know if we will have another chance.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones pleads with people to be reconciled to God through Christ without delay.
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Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.