Flies in the Perfume
Intro: Perfume maker
Many years ago there was a perfume maker who made the best perfume. He had been working on his latest creation for over a month. All his work was beginning to pay off, this was the best perfume he had ever created. He couldn’t wait to show it to the queen, she would be impressed. In his hurry to go announce his latest discovery to the queen, he forgot to cover the perfume up. While he was away flies we drawn to the sweet aroma and some fell in the container and couldn’t escape. Soon their bodies began to deteriorate and soon they caused the perfume to stink. Can you imagine what the queen thought when she caught a whiff of the odor.
The moral of this story is to guard the fragrance, so that it won't be a stink in someone's nostrils
Sometimes we are a sweet smell (like a beautiful scented perfume) that rises up to the Lord; sometimes we stink like a perfume that was spoiled by flies getting into it.
Text: Eccl 10:1 -3 Dead flies can make even perfume stink.
In the same way, a little foolishness can spoil wisdom.
2 The heart of the wise leads to right, but the heart of a fool leads to wrong.3 Even in the way fools walk along the road, they show they are not wise; they show everyone how stupid they are.
Here are a few people that started out a sweet perfume but after they were spoiled by flies they became a stink to God
Reuben. (Slept with his father’s wife
Samson (Traded the glory of GOD for sexual pleasure )
Gideon
1). The fifth major Judge of Israel
2). Defeated the Midianites and Amalekites with 300 men
3). Refused to is King (said that God should be King)
4). Flies in his perfume
(1). Made an idol and caused the people to
Worship it
Saul : ( Disobeyed God to please men)
Demas:
(STORY) The young man was frustrated and irritable, he was tired of waiting on the old preacher. It wasn't that he didn't like the preacher, but the conditions in the prison were overwhelming. The lack of sanitary conditions and the darkness and dampness of the cell were getting to him. There was no more revival meetings, no more visitors other than gloom and despair. As the devil tempted him, he began to think "What about me", "What will I do after the execute the preacher". "I don't see any future in this; I'm out of here. So Demas slipped out in the darkness of the world, denying his obligation to God, and forever sealing his fate to the world of eternal darkness
Judas: (Betrayed the SON OF GOD)
Mary (of Bethany), the sister of Martha and Lazarus. In John 12, Mary anointed Jesus' feet with precious oil.
1). The sister of Martha and Lazarus
2). Had a box of perfume
(1). Kept it safe with the lid on (no flies)
(2). Used the perfume to anoint the feet of Jesus
Can you imagine the sweet aroma of this perfume as it was used to anoint the feet of Jesus. The sweet odor that filled Jesus' nostrils was not just the scent of an apothecary's mixture, but it was the perfume of Mary's sacrifice. A fragrance unpolluted and unspoiled by flies.
When we get saved we become a sweet smelling perfume for the Lord, but we must remain unspoiled by flies (SIN)
WE ALL ARE AN ODOR ASCENDING UP TO GOD, BUT ARE WE A SWEET SMELLING SAVOR OR ARE WE A STINK IN HIS NOSTRILS
HOW TO STAY UNSPOILED
Cover it to keep the flies out ( if we keep our vessels full of God there is no room for sin (flies )
Read the word
Pray
Guard it
Examine it
