Ambassadors

Today’s message is deeply personal and full of conviction. It came from a sermon I delivered back in April—but I believe its message is timeless. I pray it ministers to you, wakes you up, strengthens you, and reminds you who you are and whose you are. Because the truth is—if you belong to Jesus—you’re not just a believer, you are an ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let’s dive in.

4/24/2025

After last week…I feel like we were all hurt.  We were all very protective, protective of our church, protective of our peace and both of those are good things.

But this week God began to reveal more to me… opportunities where we can do better.

Because that’s one of the reasons we are here.  Right?  To grow closer to Him, to worship Him and to live life in a way that is pleasing to Him. 

But last week, one of my knee jerk reactions was to establish boundaries, again He confirmed that boundaries are a biblical thing.  He is a God of order, not chaos or confusion.  But even though He too, is a God with rules, boundaries and order, that is not His focus.  His rules are meant to sanctify us, to set us apart and allow us to be closer to Him.  In other words, his rules are meant to empower us.

Then He took me back to the concept of the Kingdom.  So I want to read some scriptures:

1 Chronicles 29 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,    for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head overall.

Luke 17:20-21 20 Some of the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the kingdom of God come?” Jesus answered, “God’s kingdom is coming, but not in a way that you will be able to see with your eyes. 21 People will not say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ because God’s kingdom is within you.

I Cor 4:19-20 Then I will know what the proud ones do, not what they say, 20 because the kingdom of God is present not in talk but in power.

Matthew 4:23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

So far what this means to me is that the Kingdom of God isn’t a tangible thing we can point to, but it is inside of us.  What does that mean?  The principles and authority are operating inside of us if we will yield to it and walk it in.  In other words, we are ambassadors of His Kingdom.

Which is funny He brought me here.  A month ago, I was appointed a Communications Ambassador for Remote Workers for my very large international flooring company.  In other words, anytime I come across information that is critical for all employees to know, I have to make every effort to ensure that each remote worker is aware of that information.

And that’s just one way that God spoke to me about this topic this week.  In this same manner, the information in this book, the information we have from God, that we know about God and Jesus and the Spirit, we much make every effort to make sure the people around us, in which we are planted or where we are sent, are made aware of this same information.  It is critical.  My employer had entrusted me with the authority and the power to speak on their behalf.  In this exact same way, we have the authority of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Not to bring us glory.  What we have to say may bring us persecution. (Matt 5:10)

And the power doesn’t belong to us, but His power has been entrusted to us.  We alone are nothing.

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Mark 3:14-15 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils

Mark 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

Mark 16: 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

 Luke 9: 9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 10: 1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves-----17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

In addition to power, he reminded me of purpose.  Which He ever so gently reminded me that before we start making our rules, we need to establish our purpose.

It’s hard for us in modern day times in America to understand Kingdom principles.  But we have all probably watched some medieval movies with kingdoms, and knights, ranks.  But before He spoke to me about ranks.  He spoke to me about territory.   I would nearly bet money that any of those old kingdom movies we’ve watched in the past had some element of expanding their territory.  I know there is a popular iPhone game right now called Rise of Kingdoms that is entirely based on this concept.  In this game, you may be King or you may be a kingdom citizen or ranked.  If you’re king, you appoint your guards and sent out your spies, ambassadors, your infantry, etc  all with the purpose of expanding your territory…. Growing your kingdom, adopting more citizens.  (Mind-blowing if you think of that from the church’s perspective)

It IS a war.  It is a Kingdom. 

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[b] of flour until it worked all through the dough.” and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

This is about expanding territory.

We have two enemies, our flesh and the devil.  And we have been sent out to war, to gather, grow the Kingdom, to harvest the fields……. if we will go. 

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We are called to be lights to the world, to introduce people to Jesus, and show them the way, to prepare the way.  Not to beat people down, but to pull people out of the pit.  We should be storming to gates of hell to bring back our loved ones and to bring back our neighbors.

Last night we went to see the Chosen Part 2.  In fact, we’ve been to the movies several times lately to watch movies about Jesus.  And when we arrive, we are either the only ones, or at most, including us there are 6 people.

I told Chad last night that we are literally seeing the words of Jesus come alive when He says. “’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  Matthew 15:8

I know if my husband, or my father was on the big screen, I’d be there because I love Him. 

The call on our lives has never been more important than right now.

So how: 

The Choosing of the Seven:  Acts 6

6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

It was shared responsibility. It was commissioning.

Which brings me to this: last week, God reminded me of my friend Makayla. She’s a walking miracle—radically changed by Jesus. I’ve prayed over her. Anointed her home. And now I watch her do the same for others.

It’s disciples making disciples. It’s what happened with Elijah and Elisha. With Stephen. It’s still happening today.

So today, I want to say to you—you are an ambassador. You’ve been called. Empowered. Commissioned.

And while we may not be in the same room to lay hands and pray, I still want to speak this over you:

Be bold. Be humble. Be set apart. Be the light.

Expand the territory. Grow the Kingdom. Live as an ambassador of the Most High.

🎙️ Melissa (Closing):

If this message stirred something in you, don’t let it fade. Go read Matthew 28 again. Read Acts 6. Ask God, “Where are you sending me? Who are you sending me to?” And then go.

Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone you love. Let’s keep growing the Kingdom—together.

Until next time, stay rooted in the Word, and walk in the Spirit.