2 Corinthians 2 - Triumphant

Triumphant

Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Pray

Procession - a number of people or vehicles moving forward in an orderly fashion, especially as part of a ceremony or festival

A lot of us may be thinking about a funeral procession, but the term doesn’t have to refer to something so dark and gloomy

In these scriptures, we are a part of Christ’s triumphal procession

Who went to the parade about a week ago?

A parade is a festive, upbeat procession

Tell story about being a little kid who had parents and grandma enter me into local parades (parents and grandma were business owners)

I rode around on this little red toy International Harvester tractor

Instead of wide combine wheels, it had little training wheels

I would pedal, pedal, pedal!

My mom, dad, or grandma led me through

We are told that God leads us in this procession

Verse 15-16 talks about aromas

Historical context: In a Roman triumphal procession, the Roman general would display his treasures and captives amidst a cloud of incense burned for the gods.

The parade had musicians with lyres playing and priests who swung censers with sweet-smelling incense burning in them.

The sweet smell of victory!

Sweet, sweet victory

The procession would march through the streets of Rome to the Capitol. To the victors, the aroma was sweet; to the captives in the parade, it was the smell of slavery and death.

Here’s the aroma connection: When Christians preach the Gospel, it is good news to some and repulsive news to others

First question today for you: is the aroma of the Gospel preached sweet to you or repulsive to you today?