'But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ. ... who is equal to such a task?' (2:15-16).
So the apostle Paul and his co-workers emitted the aroma of Christ to God in the presence of the world. Some people will smell this fragrance and be drawn to Christ, others will respond with hostility. Then he asks, 'who is equal to such a task?' The obvious answer is that none of us is equal to this task. It is beyond us. But look down to chapter 3, verse 5, 'we are not competent in ourselves, our competence comes from God.'
So how do we go from 'not competent' to 'competent' in serving as an ambassador of Christ?
I suggest that we become competent ambassadors of Christ when we are enabled by the Spirit and preach the gospel of grace. More precisely we:
1. We become competent when we focus of Christ not ourselves.
2. We become competent when we are motivated by love.
3. We become competent when our message is grace.
1. We become competent when the focus is not on us.
I will tell you who thought that they were competent to be ambassadors of Christ: Paul's opponents!
These guys had come from out of town. They were Jewish teachers who emphasised obedience to the Law of Moses. But they didn't even understand the Law of Moses. They saw it as a means of salvation. But becoming one of God's people has always been an act of His grace.
These guys were gifted. They could command big fees for their services.
These guys were trained in the best communication techniques.
They boasted of great spiritual experiences.
Paul's opponents were impressed with themselves!
In fact, they looked down of Paul, because he relied on a manual task to fund his ministry, he didn't charge the Corinthians a fee for his services, he was not an impressive personality and he didn't use all the rhetorical styles of the time.
What you win people with, you will keep them with. If people are simply drawn to a gifted preacher, an impressive band, a vibrant program or great buildings then you will have to try to keep them in the faith with these things.
If you present them simply with Christ crucified and seek for the Holy Spirit to bring life, then you can be sure that the Spirit will keep and grow that which He won.
2. We become competent when we are motivated by love.
Paul's opponents came to Corinth with letters of commendation to show off their credentials. There is nothing wrong with such letters. This letter will seek to commend Titus to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:22). But Paul has something better than a letter of commendation. He has them. He planted that church. He had spent a year and a half in Corinth church planting. He shared the gospel and people came to Jesus.
They are a letter from Christ, delivered by us'. Those church planters had a duty to share Jesus with them. 'They are a letter not written in ink, but by the Spirit of the living God. Everything in planting and growing a church depends on the Word and the Spirit. That is why prayer and evangelism are inseparable. We are not about a human business.
Notice that this is a letter of commendation 'written on our hearts' (3;2). One of Paul's great motivations was that he loved people. How can you share the gospel without love? In fact, love should compel us to speak about Jesus.
3. We become competent when our message is grace
Paul's opponents emphasised obedience to the ten commandments - 'tablets of stone.' But laws can't give life. It is not that laws are bad, it is just that they cannot save you. They can't change your heart. The kill!
I remember hearing Don Carson speaking about this. He pointed out that when times seem slack and the church seems weak the temptation is to get strict. To add laws, and even become legalistic. The New Testament does not measure holiness in terms of strictness, it measures maturity in terms of love. Love that wants to obey God and bless people. Love fueled by the gospel and the Holy Spirit.
By the way, our world is very law-driven. It might seem that everything goes out there. but that is not true. It's just that the laws have changed. Ask someone why they think that they should go to heaven and they might say, 'because I am a good person.' But you have to have a measure for goodness. In the past being good might have meant reluctantly turning up at church and giving to charity. Now being good means being tolerant, non-judgemental and accepting. These are not necessarily bad rules, but no laws can earn the favour of God.
What we need is to look at the face of Jesus through the preaching of the gospel being brought home to us through the work of the Holy Spirit. What we need is the new heart promised in places like Ezekiel (36:26-27). What we need is for God to transform us from the inside out!
Conclusion
John Bunyan was criticised for his preaching. He loved to talk about the love of God. But people told him that if he only spoke of God's love they would think that they can simply do as they want. He replied that if he tells people of the great love of God they will do what God wants.
Good works and other laws can't save us. That is not our message. We are not some moral majority trying to make people clean living. We are proclaimers of the cross. We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. We emphasise the love and grace of God.
We are not competant for such a task in ourselves.
We become competent to be ambassadors of Christ only as
1. When the focus is on Jesus not us.
2. When we are motivated by love.
3. When our message is grace.
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