Get "The Weekly" In Your Inbox
Stay in the loop about all things Hope Church by subscribing to our Weekly email!
Scott Worthington
Reached People Reach People
Hope for the World 2024
Nov 17, 20242 Corinthians 5:17-21
We are in a 2-week series called “Hope for the World” where we take the time to celebrate what God is doing in Las Vegas, the West, and the World.
In week 1 of this series, Pastor Scott preached from 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 and we learned that if you are in Christ, you are an ambassador of Christ; an authorized representative or messenger of Him. How can you represent Christ as an ambassador? Check out this sermon to learn more!
Sermon Notes
Hope for the World
Week 1: Reached People Reach People
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 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. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” Revelation 7:9-10
1. We Are Reached People
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“From my perspective, ‘in Christ’ far outstrips the term ‘Christian’ in describing Christianity. Aside from the fact that "Christian" is only used three times in the New Testament, it allows for an ambiguous interpretation. But ‘in Christ’ demands reflection on a dynamic, living relationship.” Kent Hughes
“Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:10
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…” 2 Corinthians 5:19
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation...” 2 Corinthians 5:18
2. Reached People Reach People
“…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.” 2 Corinthians 5:19
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20
What is an ambassador?
An authorized representative or messenger
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Why does all this really matter?
Seeing the world come to know Christ matters because sin is real and the wages of sin is death.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
"Every sin will be punished. It will either be punished in hell, or it was punished on the cross." John Piper
“I cannot preach on hell unless I preach with tears.” D.L. Moody
As ambassadors for Christ, we need:
1. Spiritual Appetites
“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.’” John 4:34
As ambassadors for Christ, we need:
1. Spiritual Appetites
2. Spiritual Awareness
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36
As ambassadors for Christ, we need:
1. Spiritual Appetites
2. Spiritual Awareness
3. Spiritual Action
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on __________ behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)
Sermon Notes
New Here?
Request Prayer
Follow Jesus
