This week’s sermon kicks off the 6-sermon series entitled Building Deep.
What A Marketplace Is
The sermon title is Impacting the Marketplace. Elder Andrew started by reminding us what a marketplace is. The Greek word for marketplace is agorah, which means “a place of public assembly”, such as a town square. In olden days, people would gather at the agorah to buy, sell and trade goods.
Where is our agorah (marketplace) today? Elder Andrew described it as “where you are, when you are not in church”. For most of us, that would be our homes, workplaces, schools, military camps, etc.
We All Serve God Full-time
Elder Andrew then addressed what he called a “false divide”. There is a prevalent view within the Christian community that only a chosen few are called to serve God full-time, while the rest of us carry on with life “as per normal”. Elder Andrew cautioned us that this line of thinking is untrue – the divide between “full-time” and “not full-time” is false. We are all called to serve God full-time. This does not mean that all of us are called to employment in the church, but we are to serve God all the time – this includes the times when we are in our marketplace. Pointing to Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Elder Andrew reminded us that our purpose – even in the marketplace – is to serve and glorify God.
Life In A Toxic Place
With that, Elder Andrew posed a question: How do we know that we are in the right marketplace? One way is to be guided what he terms as “Bible logic”: A doctor is meant to be amongst sick people (Mark 2:17). A light is meant to shine amidst darkness (Matthew 5:14). Salt is meant to bring taste to a bland meal, heal wounds, or to preserve food (Matthew 5:13). Fragrance is a sweet aroma in a stale room (2 Corinthians 2:15).
In short: Christians are meant to bring Christ’s life to a toxic place – and that is the right marketplace for you! You are called to be light. You are called to be salt. You are called to be a sweet fragrance in your marketplace. Ask God to give you the wisdom to see your circumstances through His eyes.
How To Be Effective Christ Ambassadors
In order to be effective ambassadors of Christ, we need to be intentional in our words and actions. Elder Andrew shares four “Vs” to guide us:
1. Verdict: Knowledge of God
The fact that we are believers of God is testament that someone spoke to us about God, and we believed. Elder Andrew exhorted that if we believe, we must speak up. If we are effective ambassadors of Christ, we will speak of Him in our marketplace and be a testament of Him.
2. Vista: Time & Eternity
As mortals, we live within time. We have a limited amount of time in our marketplace. But as Christians, we live for eternity. If we are effective ambassadors of Christ, we will create an impact in our marketplace that lasts for eternity.
3. Vocabulary: Speak Life
If we are effective ambassadors of Christ, we will speak life and encouragement at our marketplaces. Christ’s ambassadors should not speak draining, discouraging, idle words.
4. Values: There Is No Right Way to Do A Wrong Thing
If we are effective ambassadors of Christ, we will stand firm on our values even in the face of resistance. Our values are guided by Christ, not Culture.
How Not To Be Effective Christ Ambassadors
In contrast to what being an effective ambassador is, Elder Andrew illustrated what being an ineffective ambassador looks like. He compared this to being:
1) A mole (spy) – a Christian who blends so well into his/her environment that nobody even knows that they are Christians. Such a Christian has no impact in his/her marketplace.
2) Nominal – Christians who have only minimal influence on each other.
Conclusion – How To Be Fruitful In Our Daily Work
Elder Andrew concluded his sermon with this empowering exhortation: If we truly desire to grow deep and be fruitful in our daily work, we must intentionally live as God’s ambassadors in the marketplace and make Jesus known.
Discussion Questions
1. Read Mark 2:17. This week’s sermon is about being Christ’s ambassador in the marketplace. Where is your marketplace? [15 min]
2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:20. Elder Andrew shared four “Vs” to help us be effective ambassadors of Christ. Pick one of the “Vs” and share how you could live that out practically in your marketplace. [15 min]
3. Take a look again at the quote that Elder Andrew concluded with: “If we truly desire to grow deep and be fruitful in our daily work, we must intentionally live as God’s ambassadors in the marketplace and make Jesus known.”
How do we grow deep and be fruitful in our daily work?
[15 min]
