What's That Smell?

What’s That Smell?

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

November 11, 2002

Introduction

What are some of your favorite smells? Maybe it’s a favorite cologne or perfume. Maybe it’s the smell of your home – especially after you have been gone awhile and you walk in the door and that smell just hits you and you go, “Ahh. I’m home.”

Some of you are farmers, and the smells of the barnyard are attractive to you. You take a deep breath and just go, “Ahhh.”

I did not grow up on a farm, so when I’m at a barnyard, I take a deep breath and go, “COUGH!!!”

One of my favorites smells is food – especially pizza and pumpkin pie.

But here’s the point: we are attracted by pleasant smells.

Did you know that God wants us to smell good? And I don’t mean in the physical sense. He wants us to smell good spiritually so others will want to know about the new life in Jesus.

Today we are going to talk about smelling good in the eyes (or nose, if you will) of God and the world.

I have our Scripture passage printed at the top of your bulletin. I would like us to read it together, okay? Let’s do it.

2CO 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?

If we expect to become the aroma of Christ, if we desire to become someone God can use to spread the pleasant aroma of a relationship with God, if we want to become people who can be instrumental in others knowing their sins are forgiven so they can go to heaven, then we need to let God do some things in our lives.

So today I want to show you how you can pray for God to work in you. I want to show you three requests of God, and also a request you can make of others.

And I pray that you will walk out of here today determined to be a person who just overflows with a sweet fragrance that attracts people to Christ.

The first request is to…

I. Ask God to give you a “spiritual shower.”

We all know what it’s like to go without a shower for very many days. People start to avoid us, flowers wilt when we walk by a garden, and even dogs cross the street when we approach them.

Ask God to give you a spiritual shower. It’s a prayer to God, but it is also an act on your part. That act has two parts to it:

A. Surrender your life to Christ completely.

The Bible says that you are not your own. God created you and has the right to full ownership.

If you are a Christian, than not only were you created, you were bought by the blood of Christ.

In light of that, you need to tell God that at last, you are finally, completely, and totally His, with no looking back.

Romans 12:1 says this:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

Sacrifice your agenda for your life on the altar of God’s agenda. It’s tough – but it’s so worth it.

A verse I have memorized lately is 2 Chronicles 16:9 –

For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

Becoming sold out to God opens the door to His power to strengthen you in whatever situation you find yourself.

So surrender yourself completely to Christ, and then…

B. Be intentional about the Bible and prayer.

What do I mean by the word, “intentional?”

I mean don’t live a life of default. We are going to spend a number of weeks on areas of intentionality at the beginning of the new year.

It’s more than just deciding to read and pray more. You make the time and you make it a priority.

Romans 21:2 –

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Hey, guess what? This takes work. And if you are not intentional about it, you will have an extremely hard time making it have any sort of lasting impact.