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Fragrance of A Christian Introduction: We are in the spring with all of its pluses and minuses. The smell of flowers, trees, honeysuckles, etc. can be good or bad. Smells are powerful for they can bring up memories. Smelling something your mother used to cook, or a favorite meal can bring up memories. Popcorn reminds me of my dad because he used to pop up a big bowl of popcorn and we would eat it together. I) Christians Are The Aroma of Jesus, 2 Corinthians 2.12-17 A) Other passages which speaks of aromas and fragrances 1. Noah made a sacrifice after the flood, Genesis 8.21 2. Burnt offers made to God under the law of Moses, Exodus 29.18, "it is a sweet aroma" also, verse 25 and 41. 3. About 4 dozen such references made to sacrifices as a "sweet aroma." It means the sacrifice was pleasing to God. 4. Ephesians 5.2 the sacrifice of Jesus was a sweet smelling aroma. 5. Phil. 4. 18 the church sent money to help Paul and it was a sweet aroma offered up to God. B) 2 Corinthians 2 is the same idea. 1. But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. NIV 2. 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. ESV 3. But thanks be to God, who made us his captives and leads us along in Christ's triumphal procession. Now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Good News like a sweet perfume. NLT C) We are 1. The salt and light of the world. 2. We are the fragrance of Christ, God is spreading through us. a. Some smells are sharp and harsh, which others are pleasant and easy. I grew up with a bad connotation of cut flowers. The only time I was around cut flowers was as funeral homes. I associated the smell of flowers to death. b. This is sweet but different. D) The passage 1. We are -- this is us, who we are, our identify, our purpose in life. 2. To God -- for His pleasure, we are pleasing to God 3. Among those - among people, we are to emitting this aroma to people. 5. Those who are being saved -- those who are embracing the Gospel, the preaching of the Gospel. Those who are obeying the Gospel will think of us kindly. 6. Those who are perishing -- the Gospel is not sweet but the smell of death. The Gospel condemns the non-believer. E) The emit what is in us 1. Eat something and it comes out of the body. 2. Are we emitting Christ? If not it is because He is not in us! 3. The greatest aroma is that of Jesus Christ. 4. Do we understand the effect we have on others. i. Perhaps people don't ask you to be a part of the office pool because they know you don't believe in gambling. ii. Recently I was approached to be on the board of the local right to life group. One problem, they have raffles. I told them I could not be a part of gambling and could be on their board of directors. They called and decided to stop the raffles in order to get me to join. II) How to be the fragrance of Christ A) 2 Corinthians 1.17; 2.17 having a sincere faith 1. Be real in your beliefs. 2. Have honorable motives -- unselfish motives, to help people to be saved. i. Insincerity comes across, people see it and it turns them off. ii. Moral consistency is important -- profanity, gossip, slander, immoral conduct, laziness, untrustworthy, bitterness, anger, ungrateful. B) Communicate the Gospel 1. We speak, 2 Corinthians 4.2-6 2. We need to teach, recommend and point people toward the Bible. Not enough to live it we must also speak it. 3. Be consistent -- little puffs of smoke will have an effect, puffs of the Gospel. C) 2 Corinthians 4.16-17 maintain eternal perspective 1. The here and now needs to be used to serve God so we can go and be with Him. 2. 2 Corinthians 5.10-11, 14-16 what matters is the soul. We know people are more than flesh, a bank account, title, etc. they are a soul before God. 3. The flesh and a lot of what matters to us now will not matter at all when we die. 4. We are like children in so many ways. A child has a limited perspective. Tomorrow means forever; a little while means forever, etc. 5. Christians realize tomorrow means soon; a little while means get ready. Christians realize something big is coming and we need to get ready. Conclusion: Do you smell like Christ? Don't be prideful, don't be overwhelmed by the task. Who is sufficient? None of us, 2 Cor. 2.16; 4.6-7. (Adapted from a lesson by Philip Mullins.)
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