Beyond the Weekend: GOD IS...
People have a lot of thoughts about God. Some say he is angry and vengeful. Some say he is a buddy or best friend. But what does Scripture tell us about God?
Understanding the character of God matters. It changes how we meet him in our everyday lives. It changes how we understand the world around us, and his work in it. And it changes our prayer life and how we talk and hear from him. Understanding the character of God leads us to living lives of obedience and worship.
Join Pastors Aaron Buer, Jeff Manion and Brad Holmes in our 10-week series GOD IS ..., a study on the identity and character of God, and learn how your faith can grow as you know God better.
God Sends Us
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Listen: 2 Corinthians 5
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20
Throughout Scripture, God sends individuals to share his words with people. After declaring Isaiah clean, God asks who will go for him, and Isaiah volunteers (Isaiah 6:8). Later in the New Testament, Jesus calls Peter and declares he will "fish for people" (Luke 5:10-11). The Apostle Paul tells the early church they are called to be God's ambassadors. God sends his people to deliver his message of forgiveness and restoration to others.
The same is true for us today. God gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation to tell others so they can accept Jesus through faith and be reconciled to God and made holy. We are made new in Christ, and he has given us a new purpose. Whoever we are and whatever we do, we are sent with this message. We represent Jesus through our godly character and words of truth. God is sending us to be ambassadors wherever we are. The people around us should notice something good and different about us. We are called to be set apart, live differently and share the message of Jesus with others.
TODAY:Where has God placed you to be an ambassador? Think through your spheres of influence: immediate family, extended family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, neighbors and people you encounter in the community. Write down the names of those who may not know Jesus yet on a sticky note or your mobile device. Pray for them each day and ask God to use you to share Jesus's message with them.
JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:
Read Isaiah 48-50. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Consider how his people despised and rejected Jesus, yet ultimately, he will be honored by kings.
