Two words…liquid manure. Before I moved to Lancaster County I didn’t even know it existed. Shortly after moving to Lititz, the fields by the church got their fall spraying of this liquid gold. You don’t realize how close I came to packing my bags and heading back to Indiana. To me (and most normal people) these smells are horrible. But talk to a farmer and you’ll hear a totally different story. To them it is the smell of life! One smell…two reactions. The same is true with being a follower of Jesus Christ as we learn in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17. Paul states three facts about we who are followers of Jesus.
First, we are in a processional fanfare (2:14a). Paul states, “But thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ.” Historically, Paul had in mind a Roman Triumph which was a march of victory that honored the conquering general through the streets of Rome up to the capitol. Sometimes this parade would go long into the night.
Theologically, we are to give thanks to God that Christ is our conquering leader. We are His army who experiences the triumph of His victory over sin, death and hell. This is a victory we experience “always,” regardless of when problems arise and in “every place,” regardless of where problems arise. We are part of a processional fanfare!
Second, followers of Jesus are a penetrating fragrance (2:14b-16). Let’s go back to the Roman Triumph I described earlier. Historically, the priests in the parade waved censors filled with incense that gave off a very strong and sweet aroma. This aroma was in honor of their gods who they believed had given them victory. The thickness of this incense often obscured people’s vision. To those who were the victors, this was a delightful aroma of life. To those who had been taken captive, this same exact smell was the smell of death as most faced imminent execution.
Theologically, Paul says that we as Christians are that sweet smelling aroma of the knowledge of God to those around us. To those who will receive Christ, we are the aroma of life. To those who will reject Christ we are the aroma of death. Author and speaker, Charles Swindol, said it this way, “Christ has an unmistakable fragrance, and you can smell it on someone who is genuinely Christlike.”
Finally, we are also privileged Followers (2:16b-17). Paul asks, “Who is adequate for these things?” The answer is simple…no one is. As a result, we do not peddle the Word of God. The word “peddle” described a street salesman desiring only to make a sale (like a wine merchant who often sold watered down wine because their only goal was their own profit and not the benefit of their customer). Instead, we represent God out of “sincerity’ which is a compound word made up of the words “sunlight” and “to judge.” It is the idea of someone holding something up to the sunlight for careful inspection. Because he was part of a processional fanfare…because he was a penetrating fragrance of both life and death…because he was a privileged follower of Jesus Christ, Paul made sure that his life and his message stood up to the closest of scrutiny. So should we!
First, we are in a processional fanfare (2:14a). Paul states, “But thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ.” Historically, Paul had in mind a Roman Triumph which was a march of victory that honored the conquering general through the streets of Rome up to the capitol. Sometimes this parade would go long into the night.
Theologically, we are to give thanks to God that Christ is our conquering leader. We are His army who experiences the triumph of His victory over sin, death and hell. This is a victory we experience “always,” regardless of when problems arise and in “every place,” regardless of where problems arise. We are part of a processional fanfare!
Second, followers of Jesus are a penetrating fragrance (2:14b-16). Let’s go back to the Roman Triumph I described earlier. Historically, the priests in the parade waved censors filled with incense that gave off a very strong and sweet aroma. This aroma was in honor of their gods who they believed had given them victory. The thickness of this incense often obscured people’s vision. To those who were the victors, this was a delightful aroma of life. To those who had been taken captive, this same exact smell was the smell of death as most faced imminent execution.
Theologically, Paul says that we as Christians are that sweet smelling aroma of the knowledge of God to those around us. To those who will receive Christ, we are the aroma of life. To those who will reject Christ we are the aroma of death. Author and speaker, Charles Swindol, said it this way, “Christ has an unmistakable fragrance, and you can smell it on someone who is genuinely Christlike.”
Finally, we are also privileged Followers (2:16b-17). Paul asks, “Who is adequate for these things?” The answer is simple…no one is. As a result, we do not peddle the Word of God. The word “peddle” described a street salesman desiring only to make a sale (like a wine merchant who often sold watered down wine because their only goal was their own profit and not the benefit of their customer). Instead, we represent God out of “sincerity’ which is a compound word made up of the words “sunlight” and “to judge.” It is the idea of someone holding something up to the sunlight for careful inspection. Because he was part of a processional fanfare…because he was a penetrating fragrance of both life and death…because he was a privileged follower of Jesus Christ, Paul made sure that his life and his message stood up to the closest of scrutiny. So should we!
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