Message

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Good morning. I am John Buckles, the Connection Pastor, and it is so good to be back together this morning after so many of us have been gone here and there for the past month or so. We trust you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Me, I have to tell you, I had a highly unusual holiday experience. Have you heard about Halley’s Comet? Yeah, every 76 years, there is a weird space phenomenon where a certain comet passes close to earth, and the last time was 1986. I think on Christmas morning we had a Halley’s Comet experience in the Buckles household. You may be able to relate to this, especially if you’re from a larger or more diverse family. It seems that about every 76 years everybody in the family is healthy and in a good mood, at the same time, and glad to be together as a family. Yeah, and about every 76 years everybody is thankful and content and as interested in giving as receiving. And maybe, if pressed under oath every 76 years everybody might admit in that weak moment that they were actually part of the Buckles family, and we were their parents. Just sayin’, I am not totally sure it happened, but I think it did. You know, no matter in what emotional or spiritual condition you came today, psychologists widely acknowledge that emotionally this is an amazingly complex time of year, with all types of swirling thoughts in tension. Coming off the holidays alone can be both the best and worst of times. Maybe you, too had a Halley’s Comet Christmas or maybe you didn’t. And then, if you are like me, doesn’t the start of a New Year also bring its own set of dynamics? As a Connection Pastor, I get pretty fired up this time of year. As someone who really believes our Heritage key verse, 1 Corinthians 12:18, that God arranges the parts of the body and every one of you is here for a reason. To see so many of you back and ready to take steps deeper into worship, community, and mission this month. Like the Discovering Heritage or membership or filling out lots of steps cards. I can’t wait to partner with you to make this year one of the most meaningful you have ever experienced. And then for me personally, the New Year has always been one of the most “spiritual” times of the year, as I take inventory of my life and sense what God might want to do in me in 2016. And especially this year as I approach another milestone birthday; I’ll be 40 ☺.

Psychologists have indicated that there is actually a “high” of sorts that is often associated with a new beginning. It’s called the “Fresh Start Effect” and that might explain in part why so many people feel compelled to make new resolutions and try to set new patterns. But Christ followers know we have been wired by our Creator, so you might have a different explanation for that stirring inside of you this time of year. Some version of the word “new” is found in the bible several hundred times , at least one for every day of the year, and it’s typically seen as something God is engineering, and usually seen as a good thing. Here’s a sampling… He put a new song in my mouth… - Psalm 40:3 “See I am doing a new thing”, says the Lord... - Isaiah 43:19 His mercies are new every morning… Lamentations 3:18 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you… - Ezekiel 36:26 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17 Look for a minute at this last one, 2 Corinthians 5:17. A great one to quote and claim. Talk about an extreme makeover. But look at the context of it. If we are “out of our mind” as some say, it is for God; [but] if we are in our right mind it is for you. 14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, 13

that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore…if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! The Lord created us and He knows that what really gives us a buzz is not turning over a new leaf, or a new physique, a new relationship or a change in location, but a new purpose for living: (1) new spiritual life, and (2) spiritual service to others. Christians have seen the light, and it’s a green light. A life of Purpose!!

You know deep inside we all want to “count” don’t we? We want to know our life matters and that someone might actually miss us when we’re gone. Don’t you want to hear “well done” at the end? From the Lord or somebody? Have you ever experienced that moment when you really sensed God’s pleasure with you? Hopefully it’s more often than a Halley’s Comet. Chances are though you were doing something that honored Him and others. But I’m getting ahead of myself. So for now, can we all agree that we want to be happy and that we’d really like this year to be a sweet ’16? That we’d like to enjoy the benefits of a fresh start and a life that God is pleased with? What if scripture’s really true that God wants to work in you and through you according to His good purpose? And that He might even have a calling and plan for your life. And it could even involve giving you the desires of your heart?! Wow, wouldn’t that be cool?! Let me ask you another important question. And if you start to zone out while you’re thinking of your answer, I’ll give you, a “get out of sermon free” card. Ok, ready? If money and resources were not an obstacle and you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you begin to do for God this year? Really, if you could do anything. I want you to give you permission this morning to dream. Again, if money and resources were not a problem and you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you begin to do for God this year? No matter what else I say today, stew on that. And do me a favor, write your answer on the special section of the steps card today. I’d like to read responses from hundreds of you and start to pray for you. You know the meaning of the word “enthusiasm”? It’s comprised of two words “en” and “theos” literally “in…God”. So when we are “in God” in relationship with Him. He has this way of giving us a passion to do things that are not only (1) fulfilling and meaningful to us, but (2) bless others and (3) bring glory to Him. Now that’s a New Year trifecta. So if you knew you wouldn’t fail this year, and you could do anything for God, what would you be or do? Watch how one of my friends whose family

goes here is answering that question. (Watch the Warnky VIDEO on-line.) Yeah, that’s one of my training partners, Michelle. So I did some research on ninja warriors. Hundreds of years ago in Japan, they were originally recruited out of the middle class for secret infiltration missions. They were imbedded and dressed in a way that made them otherwise indistinguishable from other people, but they were trained for a specific purpose and/or multiple situations that could occur. Consequently, they had a different motive for living, even as they went through otherwise common routines. Later, many were also highly trained physically for special ops, and began to carry multiple weapons and tools to scale walls, enter buildings and surprise attack. At some point in key moments some of these feared and capable specialists dressed in attire that allowed them to move about easily with masks that helped them remain anonymous in battle - and that’s the image we have these days. Maybe the prospect of you being a ninja warrior is too much of a stretch for you. That’s OK, I couldn’t find the word “ninja” in the Bible anyhow. Although there are references to warriors. Well, hopefully though, as you do life this year, I want to help provoke a different motive for living, and maybe you’ll even consider adopting a little sanctified ninja mentality of your own. As Michelle said, “I want to live my life for God, and I know this is where God has me…”. Ok, before I lose you, the Bible has another word picture of who or what we can be for the Lord in this life, one that you might better be able to relate to. And it’s found as we continue the new creation passage in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself 17

through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 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. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. The word of God for the people of God

Did you see the word picture? Who or what does the Bible say we are? Ambassadors. Really?! So I’m calling the rest of this talk, “Ninjas and Ambassadors for Christ: A Life of Purpose”. The apostle Paul, the writer of this passage, says that as new creations in Jesus, we are born or reborn to be “ambassadors for Christ”. You may know what an ambassador is right? Every country has trained and capable “official” ambassadors, and so do many large organizations. They are appointed and serve at the pleasure of the president, and because of their privileged position, knowledge and skill, they are deputized with authority to speak on behalf of their leader and their country. They are “on mission” – maybe in a slightly different manner than a ninja – and they represent and promote their sovereign’s interests to a certain people in a credible way. What exactly are “Ambassadors for Christ” though? He uses a more general word “Presbeuo” that implies someone sent with an important position and appointed rank, like being the oldest or the first born. We might not be sent “officially” under the flag of a particular earthly commonwealth or group like Harlem Globetrotters’ Hall of Famer Meadowlark Lemon. I just read this past week that Meadowlark Lemon died, the Harlem Globetrotters’ Hall of Famer, and he was called “an Ambassador of Basketball and an Ambassador of Good Will”. But scripture indicates that for any Christian, our ultimate citizenship is in heaven and although we may often feel like aliens and strangers in some spaces that we step in, Paul wants us to see ourselves as esteemed by Him and stationed to serve as some type of special envoy somewhere in this world. No matter what the nature or jurisdiction of your potential ambassadorship, Paul mentions three “credentials” that we should travel with that characterize all of us. Ambassadors: What We ARE – Reconciled by Christ First we are “Reconciled”. V 18 and 19. Pastor Jim talked about being reconciled at length on Christmas Eve (listen to the message online). To “reconcile” means - at its root - to change, to restore. In this case to change or restore the relationship between us and God. We were at odds with him,

hostility and strife, but now through the death and resurrection of Christ, the Lord makes us new, restored creations. Ambassadors: What We ARE – Representatives for Christ Second, “Representatives”. V20 Because of this change of relationship with Jesus, wherever we are, in some way and in every way, we become His tangible boots on the ground. Ambassadors: What We ARE – Righteous in Christ Then “Righteous”. V 21 This is often a misunderstood term. It doesn’t mean we’re holier than thou. It means the condition of being “acceptable to God”. Not because of righteous things that we have done, only because Jesus paid the price and took our sin on himself. Not perfect, but forgiven. We can’t do anything to make Him love us more or less. Talk about citizen’s rights and privileges. Oh…I can hear the objections coming from you already…”But I can’t represent Christ, you don’t know me. I’m not spiritual enough…not qualified, not worthy. I got nuthin’.” How do I know you’re thinking that? Oh, I don’t know…do you think just maybe with the teaching that comes off this platform week after week I might have experienced in preparation for this weekend just a smidge of insecurity and self-contempt and opposition?. ..Oh yeah, I’ve got a whole list of reasons in my head why I shouldn’t be talking to you right now. But hold on, Paul is way ahead of all of us. He had his own occasional doubts since his credentials for ministry often seemed called into question. Maybe that’s why he wrote “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am in the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example to those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life. 1 Tim 1:12-16 Whenever Paul was faced with objections and opposition though, whether self-inflicted or from the peanut gallery, he never lost sight of the grace of

God, who had reconciled him. In Ephesians, he said “Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, grace was given me to preach… Here’s another Paul “counterpunch”. “For it is not the man who commends or condemns himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends…we do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves…they are not wise…we will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God Himself has assigned to us”. 2 Cor 10:18, 12-13 Paul encourages us that not only can we be useful in spite of our baggage; we can be especially useful in certain places with certain people – right here, right now. What is this “sphere of service” that Paul says an ambassador might be “assigned” to? The words he uses for “sphere of service” (“kanon”) and “assigned” (“metron”) are measuring terms. Other versions of scripture may call this sphere a “field” or “boundary” or “area of influence”… and the words suggest a predetermined, measured out portion or space. Acts 17 reminds us that God has marked out our appointed times in history and the boundaries of our lands, and He is not far from any one of us. So here’s some added confidence…where you are, God is in the details! Look at some of the divinely determined fields in your life. Assigned Spheres of Service are Family, Friends, Neighbors, Work/School, People of Affinity. Focus with “Ambassador eyes” on the people in these areas of influence. The Lord is in the people business, and He wants us to join Him in reaching for those people. Did you know that 80% of Christians report that they came to faith primarily because of the influence of some kind of personal relationship? God delights in opening doors for you as an ambassador, and your unique commissioning assignment entitles you to confidently enter these subcultures. -

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Family--despite all the challenges with family relationships, and even if you feel your home is dysfunction junction, it’s still the number one place people come to faith; running kids around in the car and caring for aging parents is not time on the shelf- it’s ministry. Friends--culturally powerful, not just with the youngest of us, second most impacting relationship mentioned where people really heard

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about Jesus; who and how are you impacting for Christ? listening to, giving to? Neighbors--believe it or not “a neighbor” was listed in the top 5 relationships that are instrumental in people coming to faith, when the last time you stepped out on the water and walked across the street, or the room to offer hospitality to a relative stranger? Or had them in your house?

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Work/School--quantity of hours a day with some people, deeper dive, tons of opportunities and inroads with your authorities, those under you, or your peers. People of Affinity--same hobbies, passions, team, club, group, lots of

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perceived common ground, “quality” hours with people running in the same direction. People in Proximity--because of the routines and patterns of life right

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now, only because you’re in the same vicinity, marketplace, keep bumping into them. People “in season”--right now ripe and you just happen to walk in their life and 3 in 10 refer to their conversion as a more instantaneous event.

Aren’t you glad you don’t have to get on a plane to be an Ambassador for Christ?! But You CAN! ☺ Quick commercial here – In three weeks we’ll have our annual short term mission team kickoff in the foyer, and you can interact with people who will be going around the globe this year. Lord willing, my wife and I are going to Honduras, and my kids to either Guatemala or Peru. Wherever you go, globally or locally, you don’t have to be perfect or even mostly together to make a difference for Christ, you just have to be called or sent. Then, you can expectantly and powerfully use your four “T Bills” of “foreign currency” to spend on any trip. 4 T’s You know, those resources that can be cashed in anywhere, don’t leave home without it?

1. Time - one of us who has a chronic illness and can’t predict when she can leave the house. She’s started an online prayer ministry. 2. Talents – what you can do, what you know; your experiences. 3. Treasure--money, possessions and other resources. 4. Ties to other people--your relationships – who you are connected with, and since you’re already part of the Rotary, the boosters club, MOPS, your child’s team anyway – what can you do or be with them while you’re there? I remember once Pastor Jim said, he wonders if when we get to heaven the Lord isn’t going to say “Why didn’t you just be ‘you’?!” So where could YOU be an ambassador this year or this day? The coffee shop in Uptown, the conference room downtown, from Maxtown to Johnstown. Again, remember the question on the table, if you had the resources and you knew you wouldn’t fail, is there something within one of these spheres or another people group or with one of these 4 T’s that you’d like to do or be for God? Ok, so I’m beginning to get the “what I Am”, as an Ambassador for Christ. Now HOW exactly do I do this assignment? Ambassadors: What We Do So here I am, sitting in this class or meeting with these people, or in a position at this place that I may or may not even want to be at…now what? Christ follower, with all my cracks, quirks, fears and limitations? Go back to our text, verse 18-19 8 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. What do we do? Ambassadors engage in the Ministry of Reconciliation as though were God making his appeal through us. What We Do -The Ministry of Reconciliation “Ministry” – not a super formal or spiritually elite activity, at its root it’s helping and serving people. Helping and serving people. To what end? Reconciliation.

“Reconciliation” – again is to change or exchange, in this case that relationship between God and people. Ambassadors do anything and everything to “help” ones in the exchanging of their old, empty, powerless life for a restored relationship with God. The love of God we have received can now pour through us in a myriad of ways to those we come in contact with. All this comes from God, but he chooses to deputize people like you and me. Practically speaking, what does that look like? Well, at Heritage we’ve sometimes used this definition of evangelism. Evangelism is cooperating with the Holy Spirit and others to bring a person one step closer to God. This perspective can be our part of our missional Ambassador handbook. Could you do that? Could you be used in your gifting in some subculture this year, to help someone take just one step toward Jesus? During some reflection time on New Year’s Day morning, the Lord took me back to my college days, yeah I know, World War II was a bummer at the time, but God reminded me of a fellow student named Dave Poland. Dave could have been the largest guy in the university, and probably one of the quirkiest. No money, no father figure, socially awkward, and seemingly not a great deal of talent. I was a new out of state broadcasting transfer student, and for weeks I was too scared to even go into the radio station. What a promising future broadcaster I was, huh? Dave though was the one who took the initiative to actually bring me into the station and introduce me to the leaders. No big deal, you could do that, right? But that small practical act of service was one of the turning points of my life. It got me started in a broadcasting career track. Which led a couple years later led to my conversion. Which led to a new communications education career and then Otterbein and then to Heritage. Later I found out Dave was a Christian. I reconnected with him years later and last year on facebook, when he posted that he was going through a real tough time, I expressed my deepest appreciation for his profound impact on my life. And I’m glad I did, because he died last month at age 57.

Maybe the Spirit of God is reminding you even now of a person whom He has uniquely positioned for you to help them take a step toward Jesus. Ambassador to whom? Ambassador to where? I also wonder if the Spirit of God is starting to stoke some embers of some “long pushed aside dreams” in you. What have you always wanted to do? Maybe the Lord is rebirthing or giving a fresh vision for your life. Let me throw gas on your fire. You’ve been “successful”, now you want to do something significant. Many seemingly irrational dreams and thoughts might actually be God-inspired. I’ve increasingly heard many of you say something like, “This might sound really weird, and of course it’s probably impossible, but what if I….” and then out of your mouth comes some out-of-the-box, in-the-Spirit nugget of divine inspiration for your life. Paul admits that happens. Remember how he began this whole discussion? Back to verse 13, If we are “out of our mind” as some say, it is for God; [but] if we are in our right mind it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us…” Ambassadors for Christ are often seen as fools for Christ, amen? It takes one to know one. So on that special section of the Steps Card this weekend I’d like to hear from hundreds of other fools. And see what God is already doing among us and what and where He might want to use us in the near future. This might be your time or your year. Here’s an example, for years we have wanted a DEAF MINISTRY here, and have stabbed at it from time to time and Christmas and Easter, now all of a sudden a couple people are coming forward. You write where you’d love to be an ambassador some day and I’ll start to pray. Heritage is already known as a church that mobilizes people into mission, and I DO believe He IS doing a new thing in many of us, even right this very minute. Have you ever heard about the 1000 Points of Light Foundation? Now, of course, Ambassadors of Christ know that Jesus is the true light of the world, and He encouraged us in the Sermon on the Mount to let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven”

Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could mobilize in grassroots ninja ambassador fashion this year and pray for 1000 of you in our Heritage family who are representing Jesus? Or pray for 1000 spaces and places that we are committing take a step to shine? Again, mark on your steps card where you currently sense you are an Ambassador, or where you might want to take a step in one of those spheres of influence. No pressure or obligation, but the next thing you know God has also given some others in this room or this church that same mission, and we will need to get a few of you in a room together We’ve looked at What Ambassadors ARE, and What Ambassadors DO, but if (or I should say when) God orchestrates some kind of encounter, what do ambassadors SAY? Like official ambassadors we might get to say something on behalf of our sovereign, we might end up at some occasion figuratively or literally being handed a microphone, and have the chance to promote our “country’s” interests. Ambassadors: What We Say Scripture says an apt word is like apples of gold, settings of silver, and has the power of life and death, but even well-meaning Christians can say a lot of…well less than effective things. Can you imagine a representative showing up at a designated function and the conversational lights come up on you and they say “Mr. Buckles…? And you say, “oh, I don’t know…’ I remember 20-something years ago, when I was trying to be an “ambassador” of sorts to my now wife Sally…I was smitten and didn’t know exactly how to express my interest in “converting” her (if you know what I mean☺). I think I said such classy, dignified things like, “Uhhh…What’s your name and number, I want to add you to my prayer list”…and “Duhh, What are you doing tonight? Feel like a Bible study?” And once I knew how well she knew her old testament, I tried this one: “Hey baby, how many times do I need to walk around you and blow my trumpet before you fall for me?” Admittedly, I wasn’t exactly the “Ambassador of Love”, but God was kind and still works miracles today.

But seriously, saying the wrong thing or a dumb thing, isn’t that a fear and a common barrier when we consider reaching out to people? Paul felt the same way, too. Pray for me also, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. - Ephesians 6:19-20 Elsewhere in 2 Corinthians he says things like “you say I’m unimpressive and person and my speaking amounts to nothing”…and “I’m not one of those super-apostles”, but ultimately he lands on God’s answer to his concerns. Look at 2 Cor 12:9 But He said to me “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. You’ll notice it’s a direct quote from “the president” capital P. By the way, you introverts…you “say” a lot too, with your presence and your listening ear. You say “I value what you have to say…you’re important to me”. Last spring when we did the 1 Peter series there was a key scriptural exhortation slide: Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect… - 1 Pet. 3:15-16 What really is our ultimate hope? What is our message? Look again at our key verse v 20. 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. 20

Our hope is in what He can do in and through anyone. So we “appeal” and “implore”. We plead, we beg you, be beseech you. “Come, make peace with God.” It isn’t “quit doing that pet sin”…or “come to Heritage” or some corny cliché or bumper sticker. And it’s not a super spiritual expounding of the deep truths of God. As God’s reconciling representatives, we say “he’s not mad at you, He misses you.” It’s about a new relationship. I like how the Message version has it in 2 Cor 5:20. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences

and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.

Hopefully, today you don’t feel as an Ambassador any “burden” has been being placed on you. Rather a “catalyst” to live a life worthy of the calling we have received, to live up to what we already have attained in Christ, and permission to dream a little. To BE more, and maybe even to do LESS, maybe RIGHT size your life to be more aligned with who and what you were created to be, and where you were created to do it.