Sermons
As A Fragrant Aroma
AS A FRAGRANT AROMA
Sermon Outline By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / May 07, 2017
I want to begin this morning with a note of clarification.
Today’s Think Tank is not to be interpreted as an s.o.s. for a sinking ship.
To the best of my knowledge our existence is neither being threaten nor in jeopardy.
Yet, while we are not “taking in water”, we do appear to be “treading water”.
While in some ways we are vibrant and healthy, in the area of numerical growth we are not what we can be.
No one in our leadership is in a panic mode. Not your preacher, not your elders, not your deacons.
But many of us yearn for a robust church, for today and tomorrow and for many, many years to come.
Church Growth seldom happens by accident. Occasionally a church grows in spite of itself, but this is rare.
Sometimes churches swell from transmigration - - members move to a new community because of job openings.
My family moved from Pensacola to Ashtabula (as did many others) in the mid 60s because jobs were plentiful.
Such was also the case for the Mahoning Valley and NE Ohio in general in days gone by.
Job openings were a magnate that drew Christians from near and far - - transplants from other congregations.
cf. Stark County Youth Rally in Canton Ohio - - Market Avenue…to Canton McKinley High School…to Malone College.
I want to speak briefly this morning about our aspirations for growth as a church.
It is not just our goal, but it is also our privilege and our responsibility as the Lord’s church. Cf. Rom.1:16
The gospel of Jesus Christ is too precious to hoard. It is God’s power for salvation that needs to be unleashed.
The synoptic gospel’s record stories of a woman anointing Jesus’ head and feet (Mt.26:6f & Mk.14:3f and Lk.7:36f).
In both Matthew and Mark this woman was criticized by the Lord’s disciples for being wasteful.
Why was this perfume not sold and the money given to the poor? Jesus disagree (Mt.26:13 & Mk.14:9) - -
“wherever the gospel is preached…that which this woman has done shall be spoken in memory of her.”
John records a similar story at Lazarus’ home, noting: the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (Jn.12:3).
Multiple images are employed by Jesus to speak of our responsibility as a church to share the gospel.
We are to be SALT (Mt.5:13) and we are to be LIGHT (Mt.5:14).
In 2Cor.2:14-15, Paul speaks of being a SWEET AROMA … being a FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST.
Let us think briefly on this particular image this morning.
In Eph.5:1-2 Paul writes: Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as
Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
In Philp.4:18, Paul speaks of the sacrifices of others on behalf of the gospel delivered by the hand of Epaphroditus.
I am amply supplied, having received…what you have sent, a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
These NT images are echoes of OT words:
Ex.29:18 (a ram on the altar) & Ezk.20:41 / a soothing aroma … Song of Sol.1:3 / your oils have a pleasing fragrance
As a church, if we are to grow, we must pass the smell test? (Please disregard any sauerkraut in today’s menu).
Does our “Body odor” turn others off, or does it draw them in? Is it malodorous or is it an attractive scent?
I have very fond memories of trips to both of my grandmother’s houses.
In Pensacola, at grandma Enfinger’s it was the aroma of fried, hot-water cornbread (and sometimes crab stew).
In Clymer Pa, at grandma Siverd’s it was the daily aroma of her freshly baked bread.
Now, as you surely know, I’m not talking literally. Although as dispensers of the bread of life, it might not be a bad
idea to pipe in the smell of home-made bread. Does the baking of unleavened bread produce the same aroma??
Being the fragrance of Christ has a great drawing power. We’ll discuss some specific fragrances in future sermons.
Let’s view today’s Think Tank as an exploration of how we might sweeten The Body and thereby enlarge our outreach.
