Today’s Podcast

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1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
2. Do you know the difference between an emissary and an ambassador? Jesus calls us His emissaries and Paul identifies himself as an emissary in most of His letters. So what’s the difference?
3. Scripture
   1. John 7:28-29
   2. Jesus (speaking aloud as He teaches on the temple’s porch):  You think you know Me and where I have come from, but I have not come here on My own. I have been sent by the One who embodies truth. You do not know Him.  I know Him because I came from Him. He has sent Me.
4. Devotional
   1. So what is the difference between an ambassador and an emissary?
      1. Our government uses both as do most governments.
      2. Ambassador is an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country
      3. Emissary is a person sent on a special mission, usually as a diplomatic representative
      4. Did you notice the difference?
      5. General representative for a country versus a person sent on a special mission
   2. Emissary
      1. Can act like an ambassador when on a diplomatic mission in a foreign country
      2. Always given a specific mission to complete
         1. Message to carry
         2. Negotiation to broker or attend
         3. Expert representative on behalf of sender for meetings or project
      3. Carry the authority of the person who sends them
   3. Jesus sent the twelve out into towns and villages as His emissaries
      1. Specific tasks from Matt 10, Go … to find and heal the lost sheep of Israel. 7 …, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy. Drive out demons from the possessed.
      2. In the verses just before this, Matthew says Jesus endowed them with the power to do these things
      3. Jesus gave them the authority and responsibility to carry out the tasks He gave them to do
   4. We are His emissaries. He gave each of us the same command
      1. Go
      2. Make disciples
      3. Baptize them
      4. Teach them His practices
      5. Teach them to follow His commands
      6. Gives each of us tools, gifts to accomplish the tasks He gives us to do
   5. Didn’t make us ambassadors with no specific thing to do or mission to accomplish; made us emissaries with specific purpose and mission in mind
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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