Fruit of the Spirit – Ambassador for Christ
Pastor Tan Thai · May 1, 2016
This sermon teaches that believers are placed by God in their current city not by accident, but to serve as ambassadors for Christ. Drawing from Jeremiah's letter to the exiles in Babylon, it calls the congregation to avoid two wrong attitudes—isolation and assimilation—and instead to live as positive witnesses in the world.
The sermon opens by reviewing a series on the Fruit of the Spirit, emphasizing that this fruit must be expressed through concrete actions, words, and lifestyle. The pastor cites 2 Corinthians 5:20 to introduce the central theme: every believer is called to serve as an ambassador for Christ, representing the King of heaven in the midst of the world.
The contextual section analyzes Jeremiah 29, in which God commands the exiles in Babylon not to isolate themselves from society, but to build houses, plant gardens, raise families, and pray for the peace and prosperity of the city where they live. The pastor draws a direct parallel between that historical context and the situation of millions of Vietnamese living in the United States, Australia, and Canada, affirming through Acts 17:26-27 that God has sovereignly placed them there according to His predetermined plan.
The sermon warns against two common errors among believers. The first is isolation: avoiding contact with unbelievers out of fear of moral contamination, which leads to contempt and distance from those who need to hear the gospel. The second is assimilation: allowing the world to reshape one's values, thinking, and lifestyle according to its selfish and materialistic standards. The pastor quotes Romans 12:2-3 to urge the congregation not to be conformed to this age but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.
The final section focuses on the responsibility of serving as Christ's ambassador. The pastor explains that a true ambassador must be faithful, knowledgeable, tactful in speech and conduct, and willing to yield personal rights for the sake of the mission. He cites 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 as the example of Paul, who became all things to all people in order to save some. The closing call is for every believer to recognize their mission in the place where they live and to actively build relationships and witness to those around them who do not yet know Christ.