Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
What it means to be initiated into the secret of the mystery. Part 105. The antagonism of the world system toward believers and Bible doctrine, Part 8. Royal Ambassadorship.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
1. Verse 18 - because the kosmos system hates Christ.
LUK 14:16-20 Jesus said, “For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food’s on the table. Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets. Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets. And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’”
2. Because once a person is in the plan of God, as a believer priest, they no longer belong to the world.
3. Verse 20 - the slave is not greater than his master.
The Doctrine of Ambassadorship.
Point 1. Definition and Description.
An ambassador is a high ranking minister of state or of royalty sent to another state to represent his sovereign or country.
By analogy we are spiritual aristocracy as members of the Royal Family of God, and Christ is the King who has sent us into a foreign country, the cosmic world.
Point 2. The Profile of the Ambassador.
a. An ambassador does not appoint himself.
b. The ambassador does not support himself.
The Church-age believer, as an ambassador for Christ, is provided for by logistical grace.
PHI 4:19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
c. The ambassador’s instructions are always in written form, so he has no doubt as to what he should do.
ROM 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
d. The ambassador does not belong to the country to which he is sent.
e. The ambassador does not live in the foreign country for his own personal interest.
f. The ambassador does not treat any insult to himself as personal.
MAT 5:11 “Blessed are you when {men} cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me.”
LUK 6:22 “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.”
2CO 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
g. When an ambassador is recalled, his recall is tantamount to a declaration of war.
Point 3. The Royal Ambassadorship is Specialized and Intensified in the Gift of Pastor-teacher.
There is a special need for those who communicate doctrine to do so with confidence.
Point 4. The Royal Ambassadorship is also Related to Your Personal Evangelism, 2CO 5:20.
Occupation with TLJC is one of the first giant steps for the Christian way of life.
Without this giant step there is no way we are going to advance to maturity and receive the distribution of those fantastic blessings from your escrow account.
One of the first signs that you are getting somewhere in your spiritual life is the complete change in your spiritual motivation.
REV 3:11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, in order that no one take your crown.
EPH 6:13 Because of this, pick up and put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day,
“To resist” - aor-act-inf - antistenai - a*ntisth’nai
= to hold your ground against, to resist, or to take defensive action against.
2CO 2:11 “That no advantage be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his strategies.”
EPH 6:11 Pick up and put on the full armor from God, that you may be able to hold your ground against the schemes or the strategies of the devil.
EPH 4:27 do not give an opportunity to the devil.
1PE 5:8-9 Attain spiritual self-esteem, be alert, your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for some believer to devour; therefore, hold your ground against him standing firm in doctrine.
When you take defensive action by the utilization of this equipment, Satan will flee from you.