The WE in our text should be applied LITERALLY.
● The need for SOUND Bible teaching is critical-
○ The BIBLICAL approach to searching and studying and understanding the scripture IS TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE the word of truth…
● All the Bible is written FOR us, but not all of the Bible is written TO us or ABOUT us… ○ Yes, like us, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord —but he also prepared an ark to the “saving of 8 souls” (1Pet.3:20)
○ We believe Ez.18:4 where it says, The soul that sinneth it shall surely die — but fundamental baptist theology falls apart 23 verses later (vs.27) GOD says, “When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and DOETH that which is lawful and right, he shall SAVE HIS SOUL alive.” ○ I’m personally not too excited about the prospect of taking an untested vaccine made with the help of aborted cell tissue — but I’m not worried about “drinking the wine of the wrath of God and being cast into a lake of fire and brimstone” if I DID take it because I can rightly divide the word of truth & I know that #1) the vaccine is NOT the mark of the beast and #2) I AIN’T GONNA BE HERE when men are being forced to take the mark — and I don’t care what Dr. so-and-so says about or what you heard on Your favorite YouTube Theology channel!
● It is more CRITICAL than ever to know how to understand and interpret the Scriptures… But having said that, I will ADD THIS — God can do more with any man, woman, or child who SIMPLY believes in a BIG God and takes His words to heart and tries to obey them BY FAITH— God will do more with such a one than a rightly-dividing, doctrinally- correct, Bible “scholar” who only wants to argue theory and theology instead of APPLYING what he knows for the salvation of souls to the glory of Jesus Christ!!
The verse tells us that WE — that’s US, ME, YOU, YA’LL, Y’uns, us’ns, and for any Yankees here —YOU GUYS — we have ALL received MERCY and along with that mercy we have received a MINISTRY.
That ministry, according to the next chapter, is the Ministry of Reconciliation: (turn the page to ch.5)
● And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ [there’s the
mercy], and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation: 2 Cor. 5:18. He goes on to say that as recipients of mercy and having been given the ministry, we are ALL now AMBASSADORS for Christ… we are to go forth in Christ’s stead… we are all mini-popes :-). STOP: the word “missionary” isn’t in the Bible (but neither is Trinity or Rapture so we’re okay) but the word ambassador IS and the scripture tells us that if you’ve received his mercy, then WE ARE ALL AMBASSADORS for Christ.
AMBAS’SADOR, noun

1. A minister of the highest rank employed by one prince or state, at the court of another, to manage the public concerns of his own prince or state, and representing the power and dignity of his sovereign.
   ● Ambassadors are ordinary, when they reside permanently at a foreign court;
   ● or extraordinary, when they are sent on a special occasion.
   They are also called ministers, or in common terminology, they are referred to as messengers. My Christian friend, THAT is your job description. For the point of clarity and the message, I will say that we are ALL missionaries.
   Now going back to chapter 4, I want you to see that AS AMBASSADORS or MISSIONARIES, there are a few ABSOLUTES for our ministry — these are our MUST HAVES.
   MUST HAVE #1:
   Your Possession — The Word of God
   Committed unto us: the WORD of reconciliation
   You must be SAVED and you must understand that the scripture is the most important thing you
   have. We know by the word of God that we are saved by Grace through faith, and that faith cometh by
   hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We know by the word of God that man’s greatest need is reconciliation to God, and it is only through believing the word of God that reconciliation can take place.
   ● This means that all of man’s efforts to solve man’s problems by any other scriptural prescription are VAIN.
   ● When I say that the word of God is a MUST HAVE possession what I mean is that it MUST POSSESS YOU.
   ● L.R. Akers There are 10 men who will fight for the Bible to every 1 man who will read and obey it.
   Our salvation begins with conviction,
   It is your PRIMARY POSSESSION.
   There are all kinds of things that the modern missionary can employ:
   ● Travel by air
   ● Technology: such changes in the 12 years since David & Jennie went to Malawi, cell &
   Zoom calls
   MUST HAVE #2:
   Your Purpose — To Glorify Jesus Christ
   If you’re not doing this, then what are you doing? Pastor Rick DeMichele says, “The biggest room in the house is the room for improvement.” The light of the glorious gospel of Christ must shine in us. He is worthy.
   MUST HAVE #3:
   Your Power — God’s Greatness “that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” It’s not our ability. If the first and second point of this message are true, God’s power will be behind you. Our power to be ambassadors is not about our ability, or our plans; it’s about His power.