The Aroma Of Christ
Lessons From 2 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
We have been studying our way through the great letters Paul wrote to the church in Corinth.
We find ourselves recently, the last month or so, in the book of 2 Corinthians.
The church, for the most part had correct what was necessary, but there still remained a loud minority that were shouting at the top of their lungs to anyone that would listen.
Last week we examined 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 where Paul after chastising the “Loud Minority” he turned his attention to the faithful majority who in particular had repented and needed the love of the congregation again.
It takes a lot of powerful spiritual godly grief or sorrow to repent properly and Paul wanted to make sure the church was encouraging, loving, and not causing them anymore pain.
6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
That means today we find ourselves in 2 Corinthians 2:12-17.
Paul begins this by pointing out why he was unable to come to Corinth as he had hoped.
12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.
Paul knew he was unable to make it to Corinth as he had hoped so he was wanting to know how the church was through Titus who was in Corinth.
Unfortunately, Paul was unable to meet up with Titus so left those in Troas looking for him in Macedonia.
It is here Paul gives us one of his infamous “parenthetical” statements.
In the rest of our text Paul compares our work for God in teaching the lost as “an aroma.”
2 Corinthians 2:14–15 (ESV)
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing
With that in mind let’s get into our lesson this evening.
To those that are perishing we are…
The Scent Of Death
The Scent Of Death
Death To Death.
Death To Death.
Notice what Paul writes.
2 Corinthians 2:15–16 (ESV)
15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death…
God is very clear, some people just love darkness.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Isaiah 30:10–11 (ESV)
10 who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”
These, which are the majority of people in the world…
God’s word is a message of death to those that love darkness.
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
23 For the wages of sin is death…
God’s word is a message of condemnation to those that love darkness.
48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
Summary
Summary
When we teach the truth of God’s word about those that that “know not God” or about those “that follow not God’s will” we are the sent or aroma of death to them.
It is no wonder the godly will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
The Scent Of Life
The Scent Of Life
Life To Life.
Life To Life.
To those that “love God” and “want to seek his favor” God’s word is the sweet aroma or sent of life.
15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
To the faithful minority in the world…
God’s word is a light to the one and only path to God.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
2 Peter 1:19 (ESV)
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts
God’s word is the message of how one can have their sins washed away.
Acts 11:14 (ESV)
14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.
Acts 22:16 (NKJV)
16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
God’s word is the message of life out of death.
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Proverbs 6:23 (ESV)
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life
Summary
Summary
…
The Scent Of Sincerity
The Scent Of Sincerity
Not Peddlers Of God’s Word.
Not Peddlers Of God’s Word.
Paul makes it a point to make known that those that those that are “the aroma of Christ” are not peddlers of God’s word but a sent or aroma of sincerity.
17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
It appears Paul was being accused by this loud minority to be one who preached for “profit” and not for “sincerity in Christ.”
17 For we do not market the word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.
Now, we are not “unfamiliar” with those who would do the same.
The likes of Benny Hinn, Oral Roberts, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, and others, far too many to list are not the “sent of sincerity” but the “aroma of atrocity.”
Also, when we teach God’s word, the one actually seeking truth will know if “we sincerely believe what we are teaching.”
They will be able to see right through anything we are not fully committed to believing in ourselves.
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
I’ve seen too many would be listeners to God’s word turn because they see the hypocrisy in the one trying to teach them.
That doesn’t mean they won’t answer for it, but it does mean the one living a life of hypocrisy will as well.
We preach God’s word out of a sincere heart for truth and a loving desire for everyone to hear the truth.
We are not teaching God’s word in “part” or by “hedging the truth” we teach the truth with sincerity and love.
Summary
Summary
We cannot be peddlers of God’s word but rather must be proclaimers of our love for his word and others to hear that precious and saving word.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We, those of us that have had our sins washed away and have taken the free gift of God, are “The Aroma of Christ.”
To the lost an aroma of death to death and to those that want the truth an aroma of life to life as ones sincere in presenting God’s word.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.