“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:
1) Ambassadors for Christ (Connie W. Adams)
2) Let Us Not Grow Weary (Brian Cosner)
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Ambassadors for Christ
Connie W. Adams
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).
It is commonly taught that, since all Christians are the light of the world and we are to glorify God before men by our teaching and action, this passage applies with equal force to all of us. It is my conviction that the context of the passage refers to the apostles and not to all of us generally.
Who are these “ambassadors”? They are the same ones who had “the ministry of reconciliation” (v. 18) and the “word of reconciliation” (v. 19).
On the Sunday night following the resurrection, Jesus met with the apostles and said, “‘As my Father has sent me, even so send I you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and saith unto them, ‘Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained’” (John 20:21-23).
They were sent with a special task, to announce the conditions on which God would remit sins. All who would receive that message and act upon it would be forgiven. Those who rejected it would not be forgiven: their sins would be retained.
Their service in this regard was the “ministry of reconciliation.” They were special ambassadors entrusted with this assignment. The message itself was “the word of reconciliation.” As special “ambassadors” of heaven’s court, they were endowed with the necessary credentials to prove their ambassadorship. Paul said at Corinth, “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12: 12). Miraculous powers were their badges of authority.
To reject an ambassador is to reject the government which sent him. When Jesus sent them on the limited commission, He said, “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me” (Matt. 10:40).
To reject the Holy Spirit guided teaching of the Lord’s ambassadors is to insult the king who sent them. We hear it said that the words of the apostles are not as important as what Jesus said. After all, we have “red letter” editions of the New Testament with the words of Jesus clearly indicated. What Jesus said personally was important. But, He said to the apostles, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth . . .and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:12-14). On Pentecost, these ambassadors spoke “as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Paul said he received by “revelation” what he preached (Gal. 1:11-12; Eph. 3:2-4). This is the same message revealed to all these ambassadors. “But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10). Later in that same chapter he said, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (v. 13). Ambassador Paul wrote this to the Corinthians, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37). Whether the print is red or black ink, if an inspired apostle wrote it, then that is as much the word of Christ as what Jesus said Himself while here on earth.
Some preachers have been known to say, “We need to major in the gospels and minor in the epistles.” Such loose thinking came from the distinction drawn between gospel and doctrine, popularized by W. Carl Ketcherside and fellow travelers. The gospel is the doctrine and the doctrine is the gospel. These ambassadors went forth with divine credentials and presented heaven’s message so we could become reconciled to God and remain in that relationship. Jesus had said to them, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 18:18).
Now, do we have a responsibility to teach the truth and to exemplify it in our conduct? Absolutely. Paul said we are “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). Timothy was instructed to “preach the word,” but also to “be thou an example of the believers . . .” (2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Tim. 4:12). All who believe through the word of these ambassadors are to be “one,” “that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21). All of us are to “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10).
But don’t claim a role which was unique to the Lord’s apostles. They were His ambassadors in a sense that I cannot be, and neither can you. We do not have the special credentials they had. Their message was certified and we may, with all boldness and assurance, preach the same message which they long ago delivered by inspiration. When we do, we need to document what we preach by citing the place where inspired men said it, whether first spoken by the Lord or by His ambassadors.
— Via Truth Magazine, Volume LIV, No. 2, pp. 4-5, February 2010
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Let Us Not Grow Weary
Brian Cosner
“Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law” (Nehemiah 8:1-3).
It is remarkable to me how little attention Nehemiah gets in the scriptures. Nehemiah’s name does not occur anywhere in the New Testament, nor are there any quotations from his book, or even references. However, this does not diminish the outstanding character of the man or his place in Biblical history.
Nehemiah was a Jewish man who served as a cup bearer under Artaxerxes I in the Persian empire. A cup bearer was not a simple servant. They were trusted counselors to the king. They served refreshments to the king, taste-testing them before serving the king. They were highly trustworthy and thus Nehemiah had the confidence and favors of the king in his court.
Nehemiah was, therefore, a recipient of many comforts afforded by the king, but when he received a report about the desolate condition of Israel (Neh. 1:1-3), he was willing to surrender all these comforts and travel to the ruins of Jerusalem to serve the Lord (2:1-4).
Nehemiah was trusted by Artaxerxes enough to give him leave, supplies, and authority over the reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 2:8). This tells us Nehemiah was intelligent, industrious, and favored by the king. Without going into depth, his life also typifies the example of Jesus (Phil. 2:5-11).
Nehemiah was a model of Biblical leadership. He sacrificed for the work of the Lord (see above), he was trusted with the heritage of the Lord (the people, the city, the supplies for rebuilding). He carefully assessed the condition of the wall, set a vision and engaged the leaders for the work (Neh. 2:17-20). He made careful plans and motivated the citizens to work together (Neh. 3). He addressed challenges to the work and overcame opposition to the project (Neh. 4). When the wealthy citizens oppressed the weaker workers, he reacted quickly and decisively, using the full force of his position to correct their wrongdoing (Neh. 5:1-13). He even forfeited his rightful allowances as governor to relieve the people and promote the work (vs. 14-19). Thanks to the Lord’s blessings, and Nehemiah’s efforts, the walls which had been broken down for around 130 years were rebuilt in just 52 days.
Some look at tasks such as personal work, church growth, and edification as difficult or impossible, but the Lord has ordained men to lead us “in the way that we should go” (Eph. 4:11-15); and by God’s grace, and every member’s efforts, we can accomplish it and grow (v. 16)! Brethren, there are many things that can discourage us, and more than enough excuses to distract us from the work, but let us do our duty and get to work! “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9).
— Via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, October 2025
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).
2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes
First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)