A Fragrant Offering
Notes
Transcript
Prayer
A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death’s doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.
With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death’s agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven. There, spread out on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies.
Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man? Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife.
“Stay out of those,” she said. “They’re for the funeral.
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
Do we imitate our Father?
1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
We are to imitate Christ…and we know that.
If you are a born again believer in Christ, if you have confessed with your mouth and believe in your heart then We are his children and as his children we imitate our Father.
Amy and I often joke about our kids, when we notice something that they have done that reminds us of ourselves or our spouse. Because of our environment and their DNA…they will undoubtedly imitate us at times.
So we are to be sure that we are showing them something good to imitate.
Walk in Love… but what does that mean?
What does it mean to walk in love?
Because our culture will tell us that unless we affirm the actions of others then we do not love them.
In our culture, love = affirmation or approval of others and their behaviors…
Love is love, right…
Wrong… not all love is love.
In fact there are 4 different Greek words that are used in Scripture to describe love…
Eros- pleasure…erotic
Storge- Familial love
Phileo- Brotherly Love
Agape…God’s love.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
Love isn’t self seeking…it’s sacrificial.
Love doesn’t delight in evil…
What God says is evil…but often we shy away from those difficult conversations
Love always protects
Love stands in the gap.
30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
If God would have found someone to stand in the gap and protect the people he would have relented, but there was no one in all of Israel who was bold enough to stand in the gap of the wall. To protect…to be a watchman. But the good news for us is that is exactly what Jesus did for us…
Jesus stood in the gap between God and humanity by:
Interceding: Jesus prayed for people, including those who transgressed against God. In Luke 23:34, Jesus prayed from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing".
Sacrificing himself: Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for humanity, taking on the punishment for their disobedience.
Obedience: Jesus obeyed God perfectly.
In the New Testament, people are encouraged to pray for others. God continues to look for people to stand in the gap for friends, family, nations, and people groups.
Love…the love of God is a love that is sacrificial.
2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
It’s sacrificing our self for the benefit of others…
Let me show you an example of this…
Love, true love, agape love, standing in the gap love is telling someone a hard truth for their benefit.
It’s not telling people what they want to hear to appease them.
When we fail to speak up for someone who is doing something that we know will ultimately hurt them, possibly even destroy them we sacrifice them for our benefit. For the perceieved peace that it brings.
Don’t say anything to him, it won’t end well. Don’t tell him that it’s sin. Don’t tell him that that way of life leads to death and eternal seperation from God.
It’s focusing too much on grace and no truth.
But Jesus was full of grace and truth.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
When we fail to stand in the gap and be love…we will love others right into hell.
The Prince of Peace brings division…
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
The prince of peace will ultiumately bring peace to your soul. Will bring peace and unity to the church but to this world…no.
But for those who are willing to stand in the gap and to walk in love…to follow Christ’s example…we will gain our inheritance…
Our lives will be that sweet smelling aroma…
When we are full of both grace and truth.
Too much truth and you become a pharisee
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
