Note: I lit a piece of incense at the beginning of my sermon...also this has some Christmas references, but is not a Christmas sermon per se.
Some of you may be familiar with the Grand March from Verdi's opera Aida. In the first act there is an elaborate, triumphant procession to mark the victory of the Egyptian army over the Ethiopians. I saw a staged production and it appeared that hundreds of people were marching past Pharaoh's reviewing stand...that is, until I realized they were going behind the stage and coming back around!
The Romans also held lavish victory parades, which were major events. A triumphant arch would be constructed, and the Roman Legion would march through the Imperial City with all the theatric pomp and circumstance Rome could muster. There were wagons laden with the spoils of war. Marching with the conquerors would be musicians, singers, incense bearers, and slaves scattering flowers. There'd be a massive victory banquet. The highest honor a Roman General could receive was to lead one of these parades, dressed in a regal purple robe with gold embroidery. There were also scenes of utmost despair and dishonor, as the conquered army, now prisoners, were paraded before the people, bound in chains, behind the chariots of the conquerors. This is likely the image Paul had in mind when he wrote to Corinth.
Christmas is a time of triumph, yet Jesus certainly didn't appear like a conquering king...because His kingdom wasn't of this world. But one day,m when He returns, it will be in triumph. Every knee will bow before Him, and the King of kings will reign forever.
Who are we in this imagery? Paul is either describing us as the victors or the ones conquered. In a way, both images are true.
We come to Christ as prisoners, vs 14...
I used to serve as prisoner escort for soldiers headed to the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. We took commercial aircraft to get there. On one flight, a civilian woman sat next to one of our prisoners and, not knowing he was incarcarated (we kept a low profile; we were in uniform but he wasn't cuffed), she tried to engage him in conversation: “So where are you headed? How long will you be there?” His vague and evasive answer were pretty comical. He was politely trying not to reveal his true status.
What's our status? We think of ourselves as followers, not prisoners. Yet when we come to Christ, we come surrendering. We yield to Him, because He has conquered our hearts. Paul describes unbelievers as enemies of God, which we were. Those being led in triumphant procession in Rome were being led to their death. At the end of the parade, Romans executed their conquered foes as a sacrifice to the gods. Their death was to reveal the glory of the one who conquered them. Bonhoeffer says, “When Christ calls us, He bids us to 'come and die'.” We die to sin and self and are born-again. Paul declared, “I die every day” (I Cor 15:31). We who were God's enemies have been happily defeated, overcome by grace. Our defeat magnifies the majesty and sovereignty of God.
Paul tells the Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ, and yet I live” (2:20). We put to death our plans and desires. We are living sacrifices; we are born anew from Above and live, serving a new Commander. We surrender our self-centered plans, we give up our counterfeit gods, we denounce all God-substitutes and swear allegiance to God alone. The Spirit raises us from the deadness of our sinful lives by His transforming grace. Our defeat results in our salvation. Those who claim to be followers of Christ who live for self, who give no thought to what God wants for them, may look alive--but are spiritually dead.
We were prisoners but we become conquerors, vs 14...
Do we lack victory in life? Do we feel defeated by life's trials? Do we feel like we're not on the winning side? Much depends on perspective. When we enlist in the Lord's Army, we may not find success as the world defines it, but we're living for God, doing His will. And in His will comes victory. “We are more than conquerors though Christ who loves us,” Romans 8:37. We overwhelmingly triumph through Christ, our conquering King. And so we can face the world with confidence, knowing we're on the winning side. Triumph is guaranteed.
It's halftime at a pivotal football game, and our team is down by 7. In the locker room there's a lot of frustration. The team's not happy with the situation, and determined to play harder in the second half. If somehow they knew they would win the game, they'd start the 3rd quarter with confidence. We can have confidence that as Christians we're on the winning team, and will be part of a great victory.
We're prisoners, conquerors, and we are a fragrant aroma, vs 15-16...
What is your favorite smell? Burning leaves, evergreen, bacon, new-car smell? Amid the victory procession arises a heavenly aroma: the scent of incense is carried through the streets as part of the celebration. Incense is a common/traditional part of worship, somewhat lacking in Protestant churches. Jews, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox use incense to represent prayers, and the scented smoke is regarded in the Hebrew Scriptures as an odor pleasing to God.
God gave Israel instructions for constructing an altar of incense for the Temple, which was set in the Holy Place in front of the veil before the Holy of Holies. Every day, a priest burned incense on that altar. David said, “May my prayer be set before you like incense” (Psalm 141:2).
When the Magi visited the newborn Jesus, they brought frankenscense and myrrh. Both have a pleasing aroma. The Magi knew what we too easily forget--that Jesus is ever deserving of our highest exaltation. Jesus came in meekness and majesty.
When we're doing what we're supposed to be doing as Christians--living as Scripture dictates--our behavior then produces, in effect, a pleasing aroma, because it “spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ.” This is our task--to convey the Good News. We mustn't keep silent. We have the best news the world has ever had.
Glory awaits us...but the defeated forces of evil will be utterly humbled and dishonored. The sweet fragrance--this heavenly aroma--is life to the living conquerors and death to the conquered. For those who reject God, the aroma of the Gospel is a stench. For believers, our sweet fragrance comes from God, while all who reject Him stink to high heaven!
Paul then asks a rhetorical question: “Who is equal to such a task?” (16) He answers this in the next chapter, 3:5, “our sufficiency (competence) is of God.” It is all of grace.
An unusual Christmas card captures the contrast between earthly conquerors and Christ. On the front of the card appeared images of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Mussolini, Lenin...with these words: “History is crowded with men who would be gods.” Then inside the card it said: “But only one God who would be man.” We follow after a Servant who became our Savior. The manger led to a cross and an empty tomb. He is the conquering Hero who gained victory over the grave. Jesus leads us to die to self and serve the needs of others. That's what true victory looks and smells like!
