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Celebrate Recovery is a safe place with kind people who are working together to deal with hurts, habits, and hangups. Have questions? Contact our CR Leader - Tim Hughey
Check our website for upcoming events and over lots of past teachings on many different topics.
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TODAY'S TEACHING
Over the last 4 weeks we have discovered the importance of...
The Ambassador’s Message - Warns of God’s Wrath & Offers God’s Peace.
The Ambassador’s Knowledge - an Accurately Informed Mind Knowing Who God is and What God says.
The Ambassador’s Wisdom - an Artful Method - Preparing to Share with Clarity & Kindness - deploying knowledge in a skillful way.
The Ambassador’s Character - an Aligned Life - not who he SAYS he is, but who he REALLY is.
- Greg Koukl: “Because an ambassador brings himself along in everything he does, his personal maturity
- and individual virtue will either make or break the message.”
In other words, your Character is the foundation on which your Message, Knowledge, Wisdom stands or falls.
Our CHARACTER Communicates Our CLAIMS are TRUE. And nothing destroys the credibility of our MESSAGE like a hypocritical life, where our LIFE doesn’t match what our LIPS are saying.
Some people will respond to the message of Jesus quickly, some people will take time win over, but others might never respond to the message. In fact, they might treat you pretty bad - at least that’s what happened to many in the 1st century. That’s the context in which Peter writes these words.
That’s not a message you’ll hear from prosperity preachers. “Want to be blessed? Suffer for doing what is right.” God SEES when we suffer for doing what is RIGHT. Jesus taught:
Matthew 5:10–12 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
According to the Jesus, those who are persecuted for doing what is right have a heavenly reward! So, while the earthly suffering is difficult, the eternal blessing is worth it!
George Orwell "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those that speak it."
The day is likely coming when our free speech will be removed & sharing Christ will become illegal. And if many of us choose NOT to share Jesus while we have this freedom, what will we do when we NO LONGER have this freedom in our country?
What are we to do when faced with persecution?
To regard Christ as the Lord is to recognize HIM as the primary Authority of your life, holy - set apart from anyone else - different than anyone else in your life. When faced with the possibility of suffering for doing what is right, it’s the affirmation of Jesus that we long for above all others. No other person holds the position of Lord in our lives, because we regard Christ alone as the Lord - the ultimate Authority of our lives.
Peter is quoting from Isaiah 8:12-13.
When we regard Christ as the Lord, as holy, this means that we are regarding the LORD - Yahweh - as holy! When we are fearful & intimidated, we must remember that Jesus, is Yahweh God, Lord of all. We recognize that HE is the One who is holy - the One whom we set apart and recognize as the authority of our lives - NOT those who are trying to intimidate us into being silent about our faith.
Taking the Opportunity to Share Why We Have Hope
WHY would they ask us to give a reason for the hope that is in us? Because they see a difference in our lives - a different attitude, a different purpose - a willingness to sacrifice and even suffer to share this hope with others.
In the 1st century some Christians were being dragged into COURT to give an answer for their actions. This was the case in Acts 4:1-22 when Peter & John were brought before religious leaders, and these men did NOT back down as they pointed to the reason for the hope they had - the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:10).
Whether in a courtroom or a living room, the person who has set Christ apart as Lord is to be ready to share WHY he/she lives the way they do.
Thought they might accuse you of wrong, they are put to shame when they SEE your good conduct (that’s Character!).
- WHY do some WANT Christians to fail? It gives credibility to the excuse: “Everyone makes mistakes & I can’t help myself.”
When a Christian controls their language, tells the truth, & lives in purity...they are confronted with the reality of their immorality. That’s when people consider the significance of their sin, their desperate need for a Savior Who can forgive them, and see a living example that all these things are true, because…
Our Character Communicates that Our Claims are TRUE.
When your LIFESTYLE matches your LIPS, they have no excuse. This person has 2 options: 1) trust Jesus 2) refuse to bow the knee & turn from sin - and they slander your good conduct.
Our LACK of character causes others to QUESTION our claims. Sadly, we have heard from many who point to hypocritical Christians as the reason for their unwillingness to participate in church. When our LIFESTYLE doesn’t match our LIPS it is more than enough reason for the others to be repulsed. Hypocritical LIVES dilute what comes from Christian LIPS.
Those who regard Christ as the Lord are to be people whose Behavior syncs with Belief. It is the Ambassador’s Character that might win over the skeptics.
Why would they glorify God on the day He visits? Could it be because Our Character Communicates that Our Claims are TRUE?When our LIVES align with what our LIPS are saying, those who once viewed us as enemies might one day call us brothers & sisters, and glorify God when He appears!
- Can you imagine standing in eternity and someone taps you on the shoulder - a person who you only knew as a non-believer
- ...coming to thank you for being faithful to live what you believe?
Will you regard Christ as Lord? Are you an Ambassador with character, where your LIFE aligns to what your LIPS say?
Will you care enough about others to Share Jesus with them?
Have questions and need some help? …real soon…how about now? Please call or text us soon!
These open-ended questions are designed to help you LIVE what you LEARN with your Family, Friends, or Small Group.
🧠 Reflecting on the Role of the Ambassador
- Why do you think some people assume that those who’ve never heard about Jesus will be excused from God’s judgment? If that’s true, why did followers of Jesus, like the apostle, Paul risk their lives to carry the message of Jesus to people who had never heard it?
- Read 2 Cor 5:18-20. Why is reconciliation with God necessary? How does this passage emphasize the seriousness of our sin and our need for salvation? What does it mean that God makes His appeal through us? How should this affect our interactions with others?
- Talk about why the Ambassador’s Knowledge, Wisdom, Character are so important in taking the message of Jesus to our lost culture.
💎 Examining Our Character
- How does our Character communicate whether or not our Claims are True?
- Share some of the characteristics you’ve seen from a believer whose lifestyle reinforced the gospel message.
- Why do you think hypocrisy is so damaging to the Christian witness?
🔥 Responding to Suffering, Persecution, & Questions
- Read 1 Peter 3:13–15. How should we respond when we face mistreatment for doing what is right?
- What are some modern forms of persecution you’ve seen or experienced for following Jesus?
- How does “regarding Christ as holy” change the way we face fear, pressure, or intimidation?
- How would you respond if someone asked, “What gives you hope?” Are you ready to give that answer?
- Where in your life do your lips (what you say) and your life (how you live) need better alignment?
🙏 Next Steps
- Who in your life right now needs to see the truth of the gospel through your life before they ever hear it from your lips?
- What’s one spiritual discipline or habit that could help align your life more closely with your message?
- If Jesus is Lord, how should that change the way you handle your time, money, relationships, or future plans?
- Share prayer needs and lift each other UP!
