THANKING GOD FOR HIS TRIUMPHANT LEADERSHIP IN OUR LIVES

2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-17

          But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in    Christ, and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

         For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as   from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God (NASB).

INTRODUCTION

          While on a short-term missionary trip, Pastor Jack Hinton was leading worship at a leper colony on the island of Tobago. A woman who had been facing away from the pulpit turned around.

          “It was the most hideous face I had ever seen,” Hinton said. “The woman’s nose and ears were entirely gone. She lifted a fingerless hand in the air and asked, ‘Can we sing Count Your Many Blessings?’”

          Overcome with emotion, Hinton left the service. He was followed by a team member who said, “I guess you’ll never be able to sing that song again.” “Yes I will,” he replied, “but I‘ll never sing it the same way.”

I.                  THANKING GOD FOR VICTORY IN CHRIST

          IN SPITE OF DIFFICULTIES VV. 14-16

          From chapters 1 to 2:13, the apostle Paul presents to us a rather depressing account of his ministry. He speaks of his affliction in Asia, criticisms of his integrity, the pain he experienced in Corinth because of the offender, and his inability to settle to missionary work in Troas. The Christian life is the victorious life, but it is not an easy life. The Christian life and ministry is bitter sweet. It involves trials, opposition, and temptations, but if you stay closer to Jesus Christ, victory will eventually become your portion, because Jesus has already won the victory for us. I can understand Jesus and Paul and identify with them. The call to follow Jesus is the noblest thing that can happen to anybody, but it involves endurance and suffering. That is why I always have a problem with those who preach prosperity and good health gospel. This year some of you have gone through afflictions. Some of you have lost loved ones, children, parents, a brother or sister, a son or daughter. Christina and I have had our share of trials, loss, and difficulties but God has proven to be faithful every step of the way. When I reflect on the Lord’s call upon my life in Munich, Germany in 1986, I can say without any regret that my surrender to His call and direction for our lives has been the best thing that has ever happened to us. There have been some bumps on the road (the loss of a daughter after a time of a successful revival in Oklahoma, and the encouraging tape that I received from my wife, Christina). I may not be able to understand what each Christian has gone through, but Christina and I have experienced similar losses in our lives. Therefore, I know how to minister to those who suffer because I have been there.

          Now reflecting on all the drawbacks of life, the apostle Paul could still praise and give thanks to the Lord. The genuineness of your Christian life is not dependent on whether you are exempted from suffering and problems in life. The testing of the authenticity of your Christian life is determined by how you respond to pain and suffering when they come. Therefore, in verse 14, the Apostle Paul makes a transition from troubles and trials to triumph in Christ. He makes the transition from sorrow to joy and from sullenness to sweetness in Christ. He is saying that in spite of these setbacks thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. Do you understand what Paul is saying here? Let me give you an illustration. When I was in College in Kentucky, I had a friend called Dennis Thomas, his family was among the first that I met when I arrived in the United States in 1987. That man wears a certain perfume or cologne. Therefore, if I went to the grocery store and he came to look for me and did not leave any note, the moment I returned I knew that Dennis had been in my room because of the aroma of the perfume. I would call him later and he would tell me that he came by but I wasn’t there. I know the smell of the perfume my wife wears. She has several. The truth is that every Christian wears an aroma. The question is, “What kind of aroma are you wearing?” Is it a sweet smelling aroma or a sour aroma? Is it a sweet smelling fragrance, or one that is repulsive to smell? When you visit people and leave do you leave them with the knowledge of Christ, or do you make them twice as hardened to the gospel? When people get closer to you do they smell the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ? What Paul is saying is that in spite of the trials, criticism, opposition, and suffering he experienced wherever he went he left the people with the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ. That is my ambition and goal in the ministry to which the Lord has called my wife and me. Wherever we go I want people to remember us that we left them with the knowledge of Christ. That is why I don’t major in Satan and demons. Don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that they don’t exist. I am not saying that they don’t have power to harm and afflict people. What I am saying is that I am called to make Jesus known and glorify Him in my life. And when I do that He has me covered because Satan and his cohorts are defeated enemies. Some preachers put their emphasis on the teaching of Satan but I put my emphasis on the teaching of Christ. For He has said when I am lifted up I will draw all people unto Myself. Some preachers put more emphasis on Satan that they cannot thank God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph.

          The apostle Paul uses several word pictures in these verses. The phrase leads us in triumph carries the idea of soldiers in a triumphal procession. In a Roman triumphal procession, the Roman general would display his treasure and captives amidst a cloud of incense burned for the gods. To the victors, the aroma was sweet, but to the captives in the parade, it was a smell of slavery and death. This brings me to verse 15.

The apostle Paul gives us the reason for the aroma that we wear (v. 15). For the apostle Paul and those of us who preach the gospel without any embellishment and deceit, we are the fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. When the Lord was calling me to preach I never resisted the call but I wanted to be sure that it was He who was calling me to preach and teach His word. The reason is that I know the awesome responsibility of the word of God. I know what the word of God can do to people. You see any time we preach the word of God, God expects you to make a response. We preach the word of God, the Bible for a verdict. The gospel of God when preached in truth has ramifications and demands response. Whenever a Christian shares the gospel with an unbeliever, that person has a choice to make. The choices are just two, either to receive Christ, or to reject Him. There is no middle ground or indecision. Therefore, it is better not to hear the preaching or witnessing of Christ than to hear and remain the same way you are. When we preach the word of God or witness to others concerning Christ, we are spreading the aroma, or the fragrance of Christ. Therefore, the preaching of the gospel of Christ is the aroma from life to life for those who believe, but an aroma from death to death for those who refuse to believe and obey. When we preach or share our faith in Christ with you, the message of Christ is good news to some of you, but repulsive news to others. We recognize the life-giving aroma of the message. To those who have hardened their hearts, however, the gospel smells foul, like death, their own death. That is why I don’t take preaching or witnessing lightly, because it carries life and death consequences.

          The apostle Paul then asks a rhetorical question: And who is adequate for these things? Knowing the eternal implications of the preaching or teaching of the word of God, who is qualified for the task? The apostle answers the question in chapter 3:5. When I was saved I did not dream of becoming a preacher of the word of God. It is not a profession that I took upon myself. It is the Lord who called me and He used other believers to confirm it in my life. There are several ways of viewing the circumstances of life, but one thing I know is that in the African context when there is failure or reversal in our lives we begin to look for a scapegoat. But I want to challenge that premise, which many African Christians have embraced. Sometimes God allows failure or problems in your life to get your attention. Maybe you may be going in a wrong direction, but He wants you to follow His leading in your life. Maybe, you are just rebellious and He uses the circumstances to cause you to become obedient and submissive to Him. One of the best decisions I made was when I sought the counsel of my pastor in Munich when I was refused a visa and entry into London, England. But if it were some of you, you would have concluded that the witches and wizards of your family have followed you to Germany. That is why false prophets and prophetesses are deceiving many Africans today. They say things that your itching ears want to hear and not what God wants you to hear.

II. TRUTHFUL AND SINCERE PREACHING OF CHRIST V. 17

          In verse 17 the apostle Paul makes a scathing remark against his opponents, the false teachers and prophets. During the days of Paul there were many who were peddling the word of God. The word peddler means a hawker, trader. It carries the idea of someone who is corrupt in his dealings with others. Literally, it means to trade in or peddle. In those days some of the traders would adulterate their wine with water, others would use false scale to weigh their goods. For example, in Ghana some of those who sell palm wine would adulterate the wine with water so that they could make more money. Those who used to buy cocoa or grain from farmers would use false scale to cheat the farmers of their produce. Those who sold fruits such as oranges, pear and others would put the delicious one on top of the basket and put the bad and sour ones underneath. What was their intention? They did that to make more money at the expense of customers. Paul says there are many who do that with the word of God. They prey on vulnerable and naïve Christians. They tamper with and embellish the word of God for personal gain. Apostle Paul says that he refused to tamper with God’s word (4:2). Unlike those who peddle the word of God for personal gain, the apostle Paul refused to remove the offense of the word of God. Do you know what some of the offenses of the gospel are? One of them is the cross of Christ. Today there are many preachers and teachers who don’t preach and teach about the cross, because they say that it is offensive to the Jews and others. There are some who don’t want us to preach about the sufficiency and the finality of Christ. There are some who do not preach about the resurrection of Jesus Christ because they want to avoid persecution.

          There are some who preach an impotent gospel and because of that they have raised up Christians with a “victim mentality.” By victim mentality I mean Christians who cannot claim the victory of Christ for their lives, but think that someone is always after them. If she went to bed and dreamed about you she would go to see that prophet and the prophet would come up with a make-believe story and take money from her. That fabrication would strain or ruin your relationship with the person you saw in your dream. I pity such Christians. I like what George Whitefield said, “I am immortal until my work on earth is finished.” Many Christians are not doing anything that will last for eternity, because of that they are afraid that someone can harm, hurt, or kill them spiritually. However, if you are serving God with all your heart and you are doing what He has called you and chosen you to do His anointing and protection are over you (Romans 8:26-39). That is why I am not worried about Satan, demons, witches and wizards. I know the blood of Christ covers me and nothing can hurt me unless He allows it.

          Let me give you some biblical truths. If you are a true Christian you are adequate because your adequacy is from God in Christ. Christ has already commissioned and sent you (Matt. 28:18-20). He has given you the Holy Spirit to enable you to minister with the power of Christ. He keeps His eye on you, protecting as you work for Him. If you realize that God makes you competent and useful you can overcome your feelings of inadequacy. Here now is the secret I want you to know: Your service for Christ, therefore, requires that you focus on what Christ can do through you, not on what you can’t do by yourself.

          Finally, the Apostle states, "For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God." The word sincere has an interesting word picture. In the days of Paul there were many who were insincere in their trade. A typical example was the potters. When some of them worked on pottery and they noticed some cracks, they filled the cracked pot with wax and smoothed it over by applying the heat of the fire. But merchants who knew the deception of these potters would pick up the pot and expose it to the ray of the sun and the sun would reveal the wax and the deceit would be detected. So Paul unlike those who peddled or commercialized the gospel preached and taught the word of God with sincerity. I would like to be known as a person who preaches and teaches the word of God from a sincere heart. I don’t want to be identified with those who peddle, who commercialize, or wax the word of God for selfish gain. The Lord has promised to meet all our needs if we serve Him faithfully. I saw that in Paul’s life. I have seen that in the life of Dr. Billy Graham, Dr. Tony Evans, Chuck Swindoll, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, Dr. Russ Barksdale (my lead Pastor), and many others. The Lord has promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. King David said, I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his children begging bread (Psalm 37:25). The Lord has you covered therefore enjoy your Christian life and serve Him sincerely and faithfully. And even as you join your family and reflect on the year 2014, approach God with an attitude of gratitude. Look at the positive side. Happy Thanksgiving.