SERMON DATE AND TITLE: 2010-05-16: "Jesus' Triumphal Procession"
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JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION
SERMON STARTER
I smell a sweet wholesome fragrance
Eg. Two Hanging Baskets of Flowering Petunias
Hawthorne, CA – Two bushes of Gardenias
Bouquet Canyon Road branches of Blooming Lilacs
Small trees of Night Blooming Jasmine
He produces His fragrance in us
Sometimes it smells like freshly ripened fruit: Love Joy Peace Patience Gentleness
May 16, 2010 – Sheepfold Ministries
Pastor Phil Roland
JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION
The aroma of Christ
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
“The Presence of Christ in a believer’s life is described by the Apostle Paul as a Roman parade of victory. To some you will remind of life and they will be drawn to you; and to others you will remind of death, and they will be repelled.”Pastor Phil
I. TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION OF JESUS
A. Roman TRIUMPHUS
1. Victorious Troops led conquered enemy in procession
2. Destination was the Temple Jupiter
3. Processional Order
a. City magistrates, state officials, Roman senate, and then the trumpeters
b. Soldiers with their polished armor and oiled leather
c. Wagons of spoils to be divided and shared
d. Pictures and models of conquered citadels and ships
e. White Bull for sacrifice
f. Captive rulers, leaders / captured generals in chains
g. Following them came the musicians and priests swinging their censers with sweet-smelling incense burning in them. All along the parade route you could
smell the sweet aroma of the spices people were burning.
h. Conquering general rode in a chariot drawn by four white horses
i. His decorated family followed, shouting,
“Lo triumphe! Lo triumphe!”
B. Christ’s Triumphant Procession – v. 14a
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ,”
1. Jesus is the Universal Conqueror of Human Hearts
2. He has Himself has led all Believer’s Triumphal March
3. You and I as His Warriors follow His lead
4. Together, we enjoy the fruits of His conquest
5. Irony: We are both Conqueroring Warriors / Captive Slaves
a. Jesus always causes us to conquer in life
b. We were formerly the Enemies of Christ
c. We are His captive Bondslaves, openly displayed
d. Conquered Slaves by His Saving Grace- Eph. 2:5
“even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”
Bound to Him by Love and displayed to the world
JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION, p.2
II. THE AROMA OF CHRIST
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and
through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
A. The Fragrance of His Knowledge
1. Knowledge that comes by experience
2. Not the kind purchased for inspiration in a Bookstore
3. Born from lifetimes of experience of being with Jesus
a. A personal relationship with Jesus
b. A faith born of Suffering, Pain and Endurance
B. The Triumphal Procession has Two Kinds of Odors
1. Odor in v.14 – General word in Greek for smells
a. The word applies to pleasant odors
b. It also applies to unpleasant odors
2. “Fragrance” in v. 15 – Only applies to pleasant smells
“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”
a. Greek = “E-u-edia”
b. “Pleasing aroma to God” - Lev 23:18; Num 28:2-6
c. Gentile Euedia is fragrant Incense offering to the gods
d. Triumphant Procession w/ burning incense on route
3. To Conquered Victims the incense smelled of Death
4. To the Victorious Army the fragrance was Victory
C. We who march in Christ’s Triumphal Procession have a Quality
1. We emit everywhere Christ’s Sweet Fragrance
2. We do it unconsciously, but it will happen
3. We are mostly unaware of the Presence of His Fragrance
4. Eg. Woman in Todd’s Children’s Hospital
D. Jesus has Triumphed over the hostile supernatural powers
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ,”
- Give thanks to God in all circumstances – 1 Thess. 5:18
“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you.”
- God is leading us in His Triumph over Sin and Death
3. We Triumph as we abide in Christ
III. THE AROMA OF DEATH – v. 16a
“To the one we are the smell of death. . .”
- People shudder at the prospect of Smelling Death
1. Decomposition
2. Rotting Meat – Eg. Bad Freezer / Vacation
B. Death Avoidant Culture
1. May not mention death to some: Fear is too great
2. Synonyms for Death – Dearly Departed” “Past” “Gone”
C. To the dying we carry the scent of giving it all up in this life
JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION, p.3
D. To those who are perishing we smell of Pain and Suffering
1. Terrified of Pain – We consume billions of pills to avoid it
2. Pain is a reality of this life
E. The world shudders at Self-Denial: Opposite of Consumerism
1. Hedonism
2. Self-Indulgence
3. Self-Gratification
F. A.W. Tozer Quote on God and pain:
"It is doubtful God can bless any man greatly until He has hurt him deeply."
G. Jim Elliot, One of Ecuador’s Martyrs Quote:
"He is no fool who gives what hecannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION, Text:
2 Corinthians 2:14-16
14 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.
15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?
http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/claypots.html