Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

Pastor/Teacher - Jim RickardPastor/Teacher - Jim Rickard

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Thursday, March 13, 2014Thursday, March 13, 2014

1 John 1:9-10,1 John 1:9-10,“If we confess our sins, He is “If we confess our sins, He is

faithful and righteous to forgive us faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. unrighteousness. 1010If we say that If we say that

we have not sinned, we make Him we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”a liar and His word is not in us.”

DoxologyDoxologyPraise Jehovah, all ye nations,Praise Jehovah, all ye nations,

All… ye people, praise proclaim; All… ye people, praise proclaim; For His grace and lovingkindness, For His grace and lovingkindness,

O… sing praises to His Name. O… sing praises to His Name.

Great to us hath been His mercy,Great to us hath been His mercy, E…ver faithful is His Word; E…ver faithful is His Word; Through all ages it endureth, Through all ages it endureth,

Hal…lelujah, praise the Lord! Hal…lelujah, praise the Lord!

Prov 3:5,Prov 3:5,“Trust in the LORD with all “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your heart and do not lean on

your own understanding.”your own understanding.”

Proverbs Chapter 13Proverbs Chapter 13

Vs. 17Vs. 17Contrasts in Ambassadorship!Contrasts in Ambassadorship!

Prov 13:17aProv 13:17a

The Negative!The Negative!

“Wicked Ambassadors”“Wicked Ambassadors”

““Wicked Messenger” Wicked Messenger” RASHA, RASHA, ע ָׁש= עָר= ָׁש= .evil.evil – – ָר=

MALAK, MALAK, ְך ָא= Cְל Eְךַמ ָא= Cְל Eַמ – – Messenger Messenger or angel.or angel.

Prov 16:14,Prov 16:14,“The wrath of a king is “The wrath of a king is asas messengers of death, but a messengers of death, but a wise man will appease it.”wise man will appease it.”

Prov 17:11,Prov 17:11,“A rebellious man seeks only “A rebellious man seeks only evil, so a cruel messenger will evil, so a cruel messenger will

be sent against him.” be sent against him.”

This is a reversionistic This is a reversionistic believer or evil unbeliever believer or evil unbeliever

who is sent by another, who is sent by another, (Satan, his cosmic system or (Satan, his cosmic system or

their own Sin Nature), to their own Sin Nature), to deliver evil to others in their deliver evil to others in their

words or deeds.words or deeds.

Yet, the evil this wicked Yet, the evil this wicked messenger is sent to deliver to messenger is sent to deliver to

others actually comes back others actually comes back around onto himself, as he around onto himself, as he

“falls into adversity.”“falls into adversity.”

““Falls into adversity”Falls into adversity”NAPHAL, NAPHAL, ַפ�ל� �ַפ�לָנ – – ָנ

““to fall, to lie, to prostrate to fall, to lie, to prostrate oneself, to overthrow.” oneself, to overthrow.”

RA, RA, ַר�עַר�ע - “evil, bad.”- “evil, bad.”

This is the principle of The This is the principle of The Law of Volitional Law of Volitional

Responsibility. The wicked Responsibility. The wicked messenger actually causes messenger actually causes

evil upon his own life as he evil upon his own life as he plunges himself into ruin, plunges himself into ruin,

(self-induced misery). (self-induced misery).

This will also come upon the This will also come upon the one(s) who sent him, and one(s) who sent him, and

potentially the community, potentially the community, state, nation or kingdom they state, nation or kingdom they

represent.represent.

Prov 10:26,Prov 10:26,“Like vinegar to the teeth and “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy one to those who send lazy one to those who send

him.”him.”

Prov 26:6,Prov 26:6,“He cuts off “He cuts off his ownhis own feet feet andand drinks violence who sends a drinks violence who sends a

message by the hand of a message by the hand of a fool.”fool.”

The Contrast!The Contrast!

The Contrast!The Contrast!“But a faithful envoy “But a faithful envoy bringsbrings

healing.”healing.”

““Envoy” - TSIYR, Envoy” - TSIYR, יַריַרִצִצ, , “An ambassador, an envoy, or “An ambassador, an envoy, or

a messenger.” a messenger.”

It is a person appointed to It is a person appointed to represent someone else or his represent someone else or his nation faithfully, Prov 25:13; nation faithfully, Prov 25:13;

Isa 18:2; 57:9; Jer 49:14; Isa 18:2; 57:9; Jer 49:14; Obadiah 1:1.Obadiah 1:1.

This Ambassador is “faithful”, This Ambassador is “faithful”, EMUN, EMUN, ן ןֵא�ֻמ� ,trustworthy, , “trustworthy“ ,ֵא�ֻמ�faithful, or dependable.” faithful, or dependable.” Prov 14:5; 20:6; Isa 26:2.Prov 14:5; 20:6; Isa 26:2.

It is also used for It is also used for “Unfaithful” in Deut 32:20. “Unfaithful” in Deut 32:20.

The faithful ambassador is the The faithful ambassador is the one who is an effective one who is an effective

witness for Christ, as he is witness for Christ, as he is said to bring “said to bring “healinghealing” - ” - MARPE, MARPE, ֵא� �ֵאֻמ�ַר�ַפ� ,health, , “health“ ,ֻמ�ַר�ַפ�

healing, or a remedy.”healing, or a remedy.”

It refers to the restoration, It refers to the restoration, cure, or renewal from an cure, or renewal from an

illness or sickness. illness or sickness. Cf. Prov 4:22; 6:15; 12:18. Cf. Prov 4:22; 6:15; 12:18.

Prov 25:13,Prov 25:13,“Like the cold of snow in the “Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful time of harvest is a faithful

messenger to those who send messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul him, for he refreshes the soul

of his masters.”of his masters.”

The righteous ambassador The righteous ambassador will be a blessing to those that will be a blessing to those that sent him whom he represents. sent him whom he represents. The wicked ambassador will The wicked ambassador will fall himself into the evil that fall himself into the evil that

he lives, along with those who he lives, along with those who sent him which he represents.sent him which he represents.

The believer priest, 1 Peter 2:9, The believer priest, 1 Peter 2:9, is also a royal ambassador for is also a royal ambassador for Christ, Eph 6:20, who must Christ, Eph 6:20, who must have integrity, honor, inner have integrity, honor, inner

stability and conscientiousness stability and conscientiousness in order to rightly serve our in order to rightly serve our Lord, as well as mankind.Lord, as well as mankind.

Eph 6:19, Eph 6:19, “And “And praypray on my behalf, that utterance on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of may be given to me in the opening of

my mouth, to make known with my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, boldness the mystery of the gospel, 2020for which I am an ambassador in for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in chains; that in proclaimingproclaiming it I may it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Doctrine of Doctrine of AmbassadorshipAmbassadorship

Church Age believers have a Church Age believers have a key position with great key position with great

responsibility to represent responsibility to represent God and our Lord Jesus God and our Lord Jesus

Christ to our fellow members Christ to our fellow members of the human race.of the human race.

2 Cor 5:20,2 Cor 5:20,“Therefore, we are “Therefore, we are

ambassadors for Christ, as ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an though God were making an appeal through us; we beg appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be you on behalf of Christ, be

reconciled to God.”reconciled to God.”

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchThursday March 13, 2014Thursday March 13, 2014

Tape # 14-024Tape # 14-024

Proverbs Chapter 13Proverbs Chapter 13

The Contrast Between Good and Evil AmbassadorsThe Contrast Between Good and Evil Ambassadors

Prov 13:17; 10:26; 16:14; 17:11; 25:13; 26:6; Eph 6:19-20; 2 Cor 5:20

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2014James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2014