Tuesday February 5, 2013

Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

 

The Romans were rather barbaric in many ways.  To show their superiority and to celebrate a decisive victory in battle, the conquering general would be marched into Rome or another important city with bands/musicians, dancers, fragrance throwers and finally, the last on display, the defeated soldiers. These soldiers were lead to the stadium to do ’mock’ battle (which often told the story of that present victory) only to die in the arena. It all added to the pleasure of the crowd and to the splendour of the conquering general.

 

Often the arena would be a blood bath. Dead corpses don’t take long to start rotting and smelling. The aroma spreaders covered the arena and crowds with aroma and perfume to cover the smell of flesh. To some, namely the vanquished, it was the smell of death because they knew that soon they would die in the arena. To the victorious it was the smell of life because the general had conquered the enemy and gained victory.

 

Christ Jesus is the conquering general who has defeated death. It’s interesting that Paul puts himself as the defeated soldier who is being lead to his death in his metaphor.  But the metaphor fits well because when we come to Christ we have died to self and have taken up our cross (another metaphor of death) to follow Jesus. We die when we come to Christ because he has conquered our hearts, the sin in our life and the mastery of all old habits and tendencies and desires.

 

Paul describes us Christians as the fragrance of Christ. To some we are the smell of death. Some people will always look at Christians and see death. They see a dead Saviour. They see a dead lifestyle where all the ‘fun’ things have to be given up for a boring lifestyle. They see a dead future.

 

But others, when we reveal Christ to them, see life. As the Lord opens people’s eyes they see the risen Lord Jesus Christ. They sense a fullness of life. They understand that to live you have to die to self and take up your cross to follow Jesus. To these people you are the fragrance of Christ. You are the smell of life.

 

Your job is not to determine what people’s reaction will be. You can’t actually determine whether you will be the fragrance of life or the stench of death. Your job is to let Christ pour out of you and to let others see, smell, taste etc etc Christ in you. How they react is out of your hands.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

 

Adoration:

 

 

Confession:

 

 

Thanks:

 

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray that the Holy Spirit would work powerfully in you and all the members in your church. Pray that all of your church would be a powerful fragrance for Christ and that many would come to Christ because of that fragrance.

¥ Pray for the students and pastors in Myanmar as they continue to serve Christ Jesus. Pray that the students would learn well, retain much information and be equipped to pastor and reach out to thousands. Pray that the pastors would persevere, endure hardship and willingly face opposition for Christ Jesus. Pray that they would bear much fruit for the kingdom.

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. List 3 people you would love to have see the fragrance of life in you. Pray for them by name and ask God to open doors for you to witness to them.