A Sweet Aroma

Clap your hands, move your feet, GET UNDIGNIFIED

I wanted to take a minute to talk about getting undignified.

We can get undignified and still be in reverence to and in awe of, our God!

Here’s the best definition I have found for undignified:

• Having your composure disturbed (repeat)

• Excuse me while I have my composure disturbed (take off my boots)

2020 during worship right here @ CPC, God spoke to me “your move”. I knew immediately…

2022 @ Men’s Summit during worship, God spoke “quit making excuses”. Again, I knew

2023 @ Men’s Summit during worship “Get undignified”.

Here’s my point: We usher in the Holy Spirit during worship!

With that in mind, next week you may notice a couple of minor changes in the order of service here @ CPC.

10:15 fellowship- we’re going to talk about fellowship in just a few minutes

10:30 service begins

BODY

I am awakening by the smell of bacon and eggs frying in the skillet, on a Saturday morning.

In my youth, there were many Saturday mornings that the sweet aroma of bacon roused my senses, to start my day.

Title of today’s message: A Sweet Aroma

There are other aromas that I love:

• Honeysuckle

• Cedar wood burning

• Smell of a new car

• Smell of the ocean

• How about this one?

o The smell of a newborn baby

? I did some research on why newborns smell the way they do.

• Although nothing scientifically did I find that explains it, I did read that mothers can identify their newborn solely by its’ aroma.

• As I was reading that research study, almost immediately, a commercial from years ago came to mind.

• Pepsi, RC Cola, Coca-cola taste test.

• Of course, they could always taste which one was Coca-Cola.

• I thought of these blind-folded mommas, picking up a baby and smelling it…nope, nope, NOPE, ahhh, that’s mine!

• Our sense of smell can produce some amazing results!

Today, I’d like us to look how we can be a sweet aroma to God, just as a newborn is to his mother.

Let’s consider 5 ways:

A couple of weeks ago, we examined 5 ways of equipping of the saints.

They were:

• Through fellowship

• Worship

• Discipleship

• Ministry

• Missions

Let’s look at these 5 and see how they are a sweet aroma to our Lord.

The phrase “A sweet aroma” is found many places in the OT and NT.

Let’s begin in Ezekiel.

God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel with:

• A message of doom

• A message to other nations

• A message of hope- God always has a message of hope for His people.

In that message of doom in the first 24 chapters, we get a glimpse of hope, found in 20:41.

Let’s begin in v39 (read 39-42)

Key word: serve (What is ministry about? Service)

Who are the ministers? 1 Peter 2:5, 9

• v5:You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

• v9: You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Therefore, one way we bring a sweet aroma to God, is through service to Him.

Let’s consider a second way we bring a sweet aroma to God:

Numbers 15:14

• and if a stranger dwells with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord, just as you do, so shall he do.

• I believe scripture is teaching us here, the importance of fellowship.

o Yes, it is speaking of an offering by fire, but it also is telling us to bring others along with us. Teach them how to be a sweet aroma to God.

Fellowship is a way to bring a sweet aroma to God.

Another means is through missions. I love how Paul puts it in Philippians 4.

Let’s start in v15. Read 15-18 from bible, then wrap up with v19.

The Sweet Aroma here is being obedient and sharing the Gospel.

We can also be a Sweet Aroma through discipleship.

Ephesians 5:1-2

• v1Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.

• v2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling aroma.

o Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk

o Discipleship is about DOING!

I want to wrap this up today, with another way to bring a sweet aroma to God and that is through worship.