THE AROMA OF CHRIST

SERMON STARTER

 

          It doesn’t take much of something that gives off an odor to have an effect on you. When I was a kid, Saturday night baths were the ordinary procedure. Naturally, Saturday mornings we didn't smell too nice.

          My paternal grandmother lived on the edge of town in a semi-rural environment. She had cows, pigs and chickens. Needless to say, there was always a mixture of barnyard smells coming from her back yard. Adding to those farm-like odors, was an outhouse which was only 60 feet from the house. I don't have to mention what those odors were like.

          Not, all the aromas at my grandma's house were repugnant. There was the honey suckle that grew over her back door. I loved pulling the stamen off the honeysuckle flower and putting the small drop of sweet nectar on my tongue. That was a sweetness for your tongue and your nose to enjoy.

          Locally, the Sheepfold has been a meeting place for skunks for hundreds of years. I know because they leave their calling card when they come for courtship. I've caught them more than once in my live traps I set for groundhogs. The first skunk I caught, I attempted to release without learning HOW to do it. I had to take a shower in tomato juice. The smell lingered for days! I got too close to that skunk and later I smelled just like him.  Hmmm. . .I think there's a lesson here about aromas.

          Aromas, even disgusting ones can be tolerated within certain limits. Aromas, whether good or bad can be overwhelming when they are too strong. For example perfume when applied too liberally can be overpowering. You know that's true when you remember the strong odor long after the person has moved on. The same can be said for after-shave with men.

          I have a new anointing oil I'm considering using at the Sheepfold. (Pass it around.) It is virgin olive oil mixed with Frankincense and Myrrh. Now that's a sweet-smelling odor.

My sermon this morning is a reminder that we are to be the fragrance of Jesus wherever we go.         Pastor Phil  <><<

          April 28, 2019 - Sheepfold Ministries

Pastor Phil Roland

 

THE AROMA OF CHRIST

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

"You may not be aware of it, but everywhere you go you leave an aroma. Our bodies are almost 100 F. and whether it is sweat or deodorant, we will leave an aroma. Your spiritual being leaves an aroma of whatever you are "spiritually in tune with behind you. May it be Jesus."     Phil Roland  <><<

 

The word, "Perfume" only occurs 3X in the Bible, all in the OT.

 

BACKGROUND:

Fragrant aromatic substances, including ointments, anointing oils, and incense are mentioned in quite a few places in the Bible. They were used for religious (rituals, etc.), health (medicinal), personal (pleasure, cosmetic), and funeral purposes. When a useful substance (like olive oil for anointing or to protect the skin in the hot, dry climate) didn't smell particularly good by itself, adding a fragrance added pleasure, a sense of significance, and a distinctive association.

 

15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.   2 Corinthians 2:15

9 Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel.    Proverbs 27:9

 

To Have The Aroma of Christ We Need:

I.  A PLEASING AROMA TO MEN - Luke 2:52

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

 

          A. Notice that Jesus had favor with God and with Men

                    1. Gaining favor with mankind

                    2. Integrity - "Are you for real?"

                                                "Do you say what you mean and mean what you say?"

3. Wisdom - Solomon put it this way:

                                        5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from

                          the words of my mouth.   Proverbs 4:5 (KJV)

                      James reminded us:

                        5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all

                        liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  James 1:5

          B. Jesus met men where they were, accepted and blest them

                    1. People we meet need Acceptance

                       Eg. Elderly sightless bus rider waiting for the bus each Friday.

                              Every time I see him I call out loudly, "Praise the Lord, brother!"

                              I use my preacher voice when I talk with him. He's hard of                                             hearing. He comes over to my scooter where I'm sitting and                                          begins a series of memorized slogans and stories. I've heard

                            them before but patiently listen to him. He is accepted.

                    2. People we meet need Love - Eg. People need the Lord

THE AROMA OF CHRIST, cont. p. 2

 

    a. Loving the unlovely is a mark of Jesus

                            b. Robert Schuller - Find a need a fill it - Find a hurt and heal it         

 

To Have The Aroma of Christ We Need:

II.  A PLEASING AROMA TO GOD -  2 Corinthians 2:15a

15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ. . .

 

          A. By Listening to God with your Heart - 2 Corinthians 2:14

                    14 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.

                    1. The Essence we leave behind us is from what we listen to

                    2. What are you listening to? Political divisiveness, Revenge, Hate

3. The World's call is to lure us away from God and His Word

                    4. God's Word will always lead us to triumph - 2 Cor. 12:14a

                                        14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ,

                    5. Listen to the Guidance of God's Holy Spirit within you

                                a. His Spirit within you seals and leads you - Eph. 1:13

                                                            13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth,

                                      the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed,

                                      you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

                                b. We who believe on Jesus are led by His Spirit - Rom. 8:14

                                        14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

          B. By Loving Others with a Pure Heart - 1 Peter 1:22,23

                    22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit

              in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure

              heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,

              through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

                    1. It doesn't matter if they were saved or unsaved

                        Eg. I served a large church for more than two years that had an                                   auditorium that seated 4,000 people. I was serving as usher and

                            guide to an elderly couple that had served their mission field more

                            than 30 years. The elderly pastor asked me as he looked over the

                            crowd, "How many of these people speak in tongues?" My reply

                            was, "I haven't a clue." There are no conditions to loving people.

                            Jesus loves Saint and Sinner equally, accepting, loving and

                            healing them.

                    2. Jesus loved all men and women equally

                    3. His love for us challenges us to love others unselfishly

                                        16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,

                          that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have

                          everlasting life.   John 3:16
                    4. Love is a character-trait of the Lord Himself - 1 John 4:7-9

                                        7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone

                          who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love

                          does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was

                          manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son

                          into the world, that we might live through Him.

 

THE AROMA OF CHRIST, cont. p. 3

 

                    5. Man is created in God's Image which is love, we are to love  

                    27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He

                          created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

 

CLOSING. . .

Two of my aroma experiences of living in Southern California eighteen years.

1. We lived in Orange County the city of Orange. On my way home from a long day's work in the Springtime I'd roll my car windows down and let the sweetness of Orange blossoms fill my car. It was an incredible mood-lift.

2. In our children's early years we belonged to the Lake Elizabeth Ranch Club. It was just a 2 hour drive North of Southern California. When we got close to our destination we drove up a narrow canyon road, Bouquet Canyon Drive. The road was lined with Lilac trees in front of almost every yard. In Springtime driving up that road was a little piece of heaven. We'd roll the windows down and allow the sweet aroma to fill the car. . .

Read slowly. . .

14 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. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Let us pray. . .

LORD. . .

Teach us to be where our shoes are. . .to be aware of who were are in Christ. . .To stop ignoring the environment we live and walk in. . .To stop being up in our heads weighing and measuring everything and everybody by our own standards of acceptance. . .To love ourselves. . .To allow the sweet aroma of Jesus to fill the atmosphere around us with His Love. . .

We pray in Jesus' Name. . .

 

 

 

THE AROMA OF CHRIST

2 Corinthians 2:14-16
14 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.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

 

                      8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Matthew 5:8