1 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,560 Today we are continuing our series in the book of Two 2 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:16,200 Corinthians. And if you remember last time I 3 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,920 I spoke, we were talking about one of the things I mentioned. 4 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:23,160 It is that we have in our Bibles 1 Corinthians and Two 5 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,080 Corinthians, but there are other letters we know of that Paul 6 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,520 wrote to the church in Corinth which aren't in our Scriptures. 7 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:35,360 And we alluded to one of those letters and we're going to again 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,400 today because Paul's going to allude to in these first few 9 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:44,040 lines in two Corinthians 2, verse 12 about a letter that he 10 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,080 had written to them. And now he writes this letter. 11 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,160 And I mentioned this last time that it was probably a very 12 00:00:49,160 --> 00:00:53,680 strongly worded letter. He, he wanted to, he wanted to 13 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,040 correct them. He wanted to stop them from 14 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,960 doing something that was stupid. He wanted to, he wanted to, to, 15 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:03,640 to bring them back into relationship. 16 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,640 And so he writes this really strongly worded letter and then 17 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,920 he gives it to his friend Titus. And Titus takes it to the 18 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:14,080 church. And I don't know if you've ever 19 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,440 had to do that, whether you, we've had to where you've had a 20 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,840 problem between you and someone or you, you see someone's just 21 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,360 headed to destruction, headed to doing something really stupid. 22 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:28,600 And so you decide that you're going to probably not write them 23 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,800 a letter, maybe write them a message, maybe, maybe send them 24 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:37,360 a voice note. And you write it, or you say it 25 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,720 and then you delete it. And then you write it and you 26 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,760 say it again, and then you delete it. 27 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:44,920 And then you write it and say it again. 28 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:50,080 And finally you shut your eyes and you push send and you're 29 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,240 like, once it's gone, it's gone. And you're like, I hope that is 30 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,560 received in the way that I meant it to. 31 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:01,560 And then you watch, don't you? You watch those grey lines turn 32 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,920 to blue ticks. Are they going to read it? 33 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,400 Are they going to get get blue, 2 blue ticks? 34 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,400 And then you might get those 3 little dots that pop up. 35 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,120 Oh, they're responding. What are they going to say? 36 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:13,720 The dots move away. The dots come back. 37 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:15,720 What they're going to say, what they're going to say. 38 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,600 You're there in agony, waiting for them to respond because you 39 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,680 want to know, did they take it how you meant it to? 40 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:24,480 Did what you say worked? Or has it? 41 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,640 Has it ended up making the problem even worse? 42 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,720 And this is exactly how Paul is now, how he's feeling. 43 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,360 This is what he's going to describe that feeling to them in 44 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,720 a second, because he has sent this letter and he is now 45 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:44,280 desperately waiting for, for, for Titus, sorry to come back 46 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,960 and tell him the news of how the Corinthian church received it. 47 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,840 We read verse 12 in chapter 2, verse 12 and 13. 48 00:02:52,840 --> 00:03:00,480 It says now when I went to Charaz to preach the gospel of 49 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:05,240 Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I 50 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,880 still had no Peace of Mind because I did not find my 51 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,640 brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and 52 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:14,920 went to Macedonia. I'm just going to pause that 53 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:17,160 now. There's a whole sermon that I 54 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,560 could write on those couple of lines alone, but I'm not. 55 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:22,480 But I just want to acknowledge them. 56 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:24,640 See, Paul, he's written this letter. 57 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,200 He's anxious about how the Corinthian church are going to 58 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,560 respond, but he continues, he, he's in the business of 59 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,680 preaching, of teaching, of planting churches, of seeing 60 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,320 people saved. So as Timothy's gone to Corinth, 61 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:43,520 he goes to Troas, this this city on what is now the West Coast of 62 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,760 Turkey. And he said he starts preaching 63 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:48,520 and there's an open door. Now. 64 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,000 Open door means gods at work. People are getting saved. 65 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:53,920 People are responding to the gospel. 66 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,560 A church, it has potential to grow and succeed there. 67 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:02,040 But it says, I couldn't do it. I couldn't be part of it. 68 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,040 All I could think of is people are asking me questions about 69 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:10,720 Jesus's what is going on in Corinth, what is going on there? 70 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,480 And so it says he leaves, he leaves Troas where there's an 71 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,760 open door, and he goes to Macedonia in search of Timothy, 72 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,760 because, sorry, in search of Titus, who is desperate to find, 73 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,520 to tell him about the church in Corinth. 74 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,760 Now, I'm not one to question Paul, but do you think he was 75 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:35,680 right when he's in a city where God's at work? 76 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:40,160 God's working through him, but he's so preoccupied. 77 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,520 He says I can't be here anymore. There might be an open door for 78 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:48,120 the gospel, but I'm going to leave now. 79 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,480 I'm not going to say whether he was right or wrong, but what I 80 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:56,520 will say is the harvest is plentiful. 81 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:02,800 There are many people who are longing to hear the gospel of 82 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,400 Jesus Christ, who need the gospel of Jesus Christ right 83 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,920 where you live. Now, my little challenge to 84 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,360 start us off with is are you going to take those 85 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,360 opportunities to share the gospel where you are to see if 86 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:23,560 God might open a door and use you, or are you going to be held 87 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:27,560 back by worry? You're going to be held back by 88 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,400 what would they think? I wish I was somewhere else 89 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:38,120 because even the apostle Paul missed opportunities to share 90 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,560 the gospel, the great apostle Paul. 91 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,040 So when you miss opportunities, OK, feel feel like you're in 92 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,040 good company because he did as well. 93 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,400 But I don't know about you, but I want to be someone who takes 94 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,240 those opportunities when God opens the door rather than be 95 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,160 absent minded and thinking of other things and worrying. 96 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,160 Amen. Yeah, right. 97 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:04,680 So let's continue, he says. But thanks be to God, who always 98 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:10,040 leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal possession and uses us 99 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:17,960 to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere now. 100 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,960 So Paul is, he's worried about Corinth, he's worried about 101 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:26,920 these Corinthians, but he says thanks be to God, then actually, 102 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:32,920 no matter what I do, the truth is he says I'm a captive of 103 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,840 Jesus. I'm a captive of King Jesus. 104 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:40,240 And, and the word he uses here is the word of, of a, of a Roman 105 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,120 general who goes out to war. He wins a mighty battle against 106 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:49,440 the enemy and then he brings back the enemy, the enemy, the 107 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,320 surviving enemy troops and kings or whoever. 108 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:57,960 And he then chained them and they lead them as a procession, 109 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:02,920 humiliated, completely defeated through the streets of Rome. 110 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,040 They were completely defeated, completely humiliated. 111 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,160 And they would be LED. The general would walk or ride 112 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,600 through the streets of Rome and he'd lead his captives behind 113 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,600 for the whole of Rome to be able to cheer, cheer of the triumph 114 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,320 of the general and jeer at those who are being held captive. 115 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:27,640 And that's what Paul says he is like, I mean, that's so weird. 116 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,440 It's so weird. I mean, we're, we're I like 117 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,080 more. He uses the same phrase in 118 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,080 Colossians 2. He says this in Colossians 2. 119 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,840 He says when you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision 120 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,840 of the flesh, God made you alive with Christ. 121 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:48,360 He forgave us of our sins. Having cancelled the charge of 122 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:53,280 our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned 123 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,040 us, He has taken it away. And nailing it to the cross, 124 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,640 He's taken away everything that stood against us. 125 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,960 He's taken away our sin. He's taken away our shame, and 126 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:07,360 it's been nailed upon the cross. And having disarmed the powers 127 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:11,520 and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them 128 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,440 triumphing, triumphanting over them by the Cross. 129 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,400 So what he's saying in Colossians is that that Jesus, 130 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,440 through the power of the cross, has made a spectacle of the 131 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:29,080 spiritual powers and authorities that he has completely defeated, 132 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,360 completely disarmed Satan and the gods of this world. 133 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:36,360 And we say that's good, that is good news. 134 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:40,360 That is brilliant news. But in, in, in, in two, in Two 135 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,280 Corinthians, he seems to be saying that he has disarmed us 136 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:47,160 as well. So has Jesus defeated us or has 137 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,600 Jesus defeated the powers and authorities, the gods of this 138 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,520 world? It's both. 139 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:59,160 It's both actually. You see, Paul himself and Paul 140 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,200 describes himself just like you and me. 141 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:07,800 He was once an enemy of gods. He was once an enemy of gods. 142 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:15,800 He was once an enemy of Jesus. But one day on the road to 143 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:21,600 Damascus, Jesus appeared to him and says, Saul, Saul, Paul had 144 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:24,360 two names, a Roman name, Paul, and a Hebrew name Saul. 145 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,960 And he came to him and he said, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute 146 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:33,120 me? He's saying, Paul, Saul, I'm the 147 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,080 king of kings. You can't beat me. 148 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:41,000 I always win. And in that very moment, Paul 149 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,320 says I was taken captive by the king of kings. 150 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,960 I was taken captive by the Lord of glory, and he brought me into 151 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,520 faith. He justified me. 152 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:57,240 He adopted me into his family and I became a glad and willing 153 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:00,960 servant, a slave to the king of Kings. 154 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:07,680 Paul is saying, I am so glad that no matter whether I make a 155 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:13,440 good decision or a bad decision, Jesus has victory over my life. 156 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,600 Jesus has victory over my old self. 157 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,520 My old sinful self has been defeated. 158 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,920 And I joyfully therefore surrender my all, surrender my 159 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,760 life to King Jesus. The image that he gives him is 160 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:37,560 is of a slave who is weak, a slave who is foolish. 161 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:43,760 But amazingly he writes in the in one Corinthians he says this, 162 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:49,080 but Jesus, he chose the lowly things of this world and the 163 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:54,960 death despise things, the things that are not to nullify the 164 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:58,280 things that are he chose. You want to describe a servant, 165 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,440 you want to describe a slave. That's how you describe them, 166 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:06,840 someone who is lowly, who is despised, who is not. 167 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:13,960 He says He chose us to nullify the things that are, those who 168 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,400 look powerful, those that look impressive, so that no one may 169 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:22,560 boast before him. It is because of Him that you 170 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:28,200 are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us with the wisdom of 171 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,720 gods, that is, our righteousness, holiness and 172 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,360 redemption. Therefore, as it is written, let 173 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:39,080 the one who boasts boast in the Lords. 174 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:44,480 You see, Jesus has the victory. Jesus is victorious over Satan 175 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,160 and all the gods of this world, but He is also He also has the 176 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,480 victory over us. And if we choose to bow our 177 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:58,120 knees, to bend our knees before Him, He saves us. 178 00:11:58,680 --> 00:12:02,000 He brings us into his glorious Kingdom. 179 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,160 See, the truth is, we have two choices. 180 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:08,040 Jesus King, regardless of how we respond. 181 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:13,280 But we either humbly submit ourselves to the authority of 182 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:18,800 Christ, where we find forgiveness, where we find joy, 183 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:23,920 where we find peace, where we find life, or we run. 184 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:33,120 We rebel and eventually our king will say that's enough and hand 185 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:42,040 us over to death. Do you know, do you know that 186 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:48,200 Jesus is completely victorious? Do you know that the cross was 187 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:53,320 sufficient? Do you know that we serve a 188 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:59,080 risen, ruling, reigning king over all things, That nothing is 189 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,680 more powerful than him, that nothing can live, nothing can 190 00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:05,960 survive outside his rule and reign in his dominion? 191 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,120 And my question to you is, have you surrendered? 192 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,040 Have you submitted yourself to his will? 193 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,520 Have you submitted yourself to King Jesus? 194 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,560 Because I want you to know. I want you to know, church, that 195 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,960 whether you've chosen to follow him or not, Jesus loves you. 196 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,120 Actually, the Bible tells us that He fought to have you. 197 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:40,280 Actually, the Bible tells us in Hebrews 12 that He endured the 198 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:46,760 pain, the anguish, the scorn of crucifixion to have you. 199 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,480 He said the most painful thing that any person could ever go 200 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,920 through was a joy to Him. Why? 201 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,280 Because through it he could have you. 202 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:05,480 Through it, he could have us. He has defeated your old self if 203 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,320 you were a Christian. He has defeated your old self 204 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,680 and you are no longer yours, but you have been bought by the 205 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:14,400 power of Jesus Christ. Death on the cross. 206 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:17,760 See, that's what we celebrated last week as we as as that pool 207 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:22,000 was filled out of water and we baptised Izzy and Karina and 208 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:23,320 Brian. That's that's what we 209 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,480 celebrated. We celebrated the fact that 210 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:31,200 Jesus is the ruling reigning king, that they're the old them 211 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,080 is dead. The old them is now at the 212 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:36,120 bottom of that pool. It's dead. 213 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,480 It's no longer. And they have been risen. 214 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:41,560 They have been risen to new life. 215 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,520 They are a new creation in Christ Jesus. 216 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:50,480 Actually one of the reasons why baptism, why, why, why baptism 217 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,560 was chosen as, as a symbol of what Christ has done for us. 218 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,000 Actually it was seen as in the very early centuries, it was 219 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,760 seen as a way of saying this is now my new allegiance. 220 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,080 I'm, I'm, I don't just say, yeah, I believe in Jesus and I 221 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,200 do nothing about it. Actually, I believe in Jesus. 222 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,360 I'm going to get baptised. And that was a physical sign of 223 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:11,120 my Allegiant. You know, everyone's flying 224 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:15,000 flags at the moment. My flag is Jesus, My flag is 225 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,360 King Jesus. That is who I hoist my flag for. 226 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,160 King Jesus. He is my risen ruling King of 227 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,440 kings, and I submit to him. The old me is dead. 228 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,440 I am now submitted to him and him alone. 229 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:34,840 See Jesus Jesus church. The truth is that Jesus can be 230 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:39,880 King, but he allows us to disobey Him. 231 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,640 I'm not going to ask for a raise of hands because we're all going 232 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:46,160 to raise our hands if you've disobeyed him this week, if 233 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,920 you've chosen to, if you've chosen to rebel against his 234 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,240 kingship this week. We all do. 235 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:55,000 I do it far more than I'd like to admit, and I probably say 236 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:58,800 sorry less than I should. But we all disobey God. 237 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,960 We all Every time we refuse to forgive, every time we give in 238 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,600 to anger or lust, we give in to self. 239 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:08,120 When we say I'm not going to, I'm not going to serve, I'm not 240 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,320 going to give. I want some me time. 241 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,880 When we when we say when we say these things, we're saying 242 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:17,520 Jesus, that crown upon your head, I want it. 243 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:22,880 I want it for myself. When we put ourselves before 244 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:29,400 others, we are denying the victory of Christ in our lives. 245 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:35,440 But church, do not be fooled by saying that we are now captives 246 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,680 of Christ Jesus. That does not mean that Once 247 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,280 Upon a time you were free as you Paul writes to the Romans in 248 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,800 Romans 6. He says Once Upon a time you 249 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:49,600 were slaves to sin. You were LED about by your 250 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,120 sinful desires. You couldn't help but displease 251 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,480 God. You couldn't help but do what 252 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:57,760 displeased Him. You couldn't help but rebel 253 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,760 against him. But the blood of Jesus Christ 254 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:07,160 has broken the chains as his body was broken for those who 255 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:11,160 have faith in Him. Our chains to sin are broken. 256 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:15,079 Sin that leads to death, sin that leads to separation was 257 00:17:15,079 --> 00:17:18,440 broken. But now we have a new mastery, 258 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,960 says in Romans 6. We are now slaves to 259 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,560 righteousness. Church, you are a slave to 260 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,079 righteous. That means you have a new 261 00:17:27,079 --> 00:17:31,280 desire, you have a new heart. Where once you all you wanted to 262 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:34,200 do was displease God, you didn't even care if he existed. 263 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:38,880 Now you have a new nature and you fail every single day. 264 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:44,760 But your nature is to obey God, is to recognise him as king over 265 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:52,160 your life. You see we are slaves now to 266 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:56,320 righteousness. We are slaves to the king who 267 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:01,160 gives us peace, joy and life and he continues. 268 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:06,280 He says thanks be to God who always leads us as captives, the 269 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:08,640 great. This is good news if you're a 270 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:10,560 Christian. It is good news that you are a 271 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:15,160 captive to Christ who leads us in triumphal possession, using 272 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:21,360 us to spread the aroma of his knowledge of of him everywhere. 273 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:27,200 For we are to God the pleasant aroma of Christ to those who are 274 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,520 being saved and and to those who are perishing. 275 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:38,600 You see through the cross if you humbly submit yourself to his 276 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:40,360 rule and reign. We all have a choice. 277 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:47,360 If you choose to submit yourself to his reign, Jesus doesn't say, 278 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:57,920 oh, I'm not sure I wanted you. He doesn't say, oh, right before 279 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:00,400 you come with me, go and sit in the naughty corner for a few 100 280 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,320 years, you know, go and go and live out purgatory for a bit. 281 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:07,200 And then when, when I feel like you've done you're a, you can 282 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,160 come, you can come and be with me. 283 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:11,320 He doesn't say you're a disappointment. 284 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:13,800 He doesn't say that you're a let down. 285 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,880 He doesn't say that you are worthless. 286 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:24,960 Instead, Jesus says that you are the apple of my eye, that you 287 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:30,640 are beautiful, that you are the most precious possession in the 288 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:33,600 world. And you might fight back and go, 289 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,440 yeah, but Jesus, you don't know what I've said, you know what 290 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,160 I've done. You don't know what I'm thinking 291 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,040 right now. If you knew all of these things, 292 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:44,240 Jesus, you would not say that I was beautiful. 293 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:51,040 You would not desire me. Ephesians 5 says. 294 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:57,080 Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering 295 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:04,400 and a sacrifice to God. You see on the cross, as Jesus 296 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:10,840 allowed himself to be nailed to that wooden cross, as he was 297 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:18,200 enduring it's pain, as he willingly took the sin, the 298 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:25,960 disappointment. The the the wrong of us or 299 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:31,720 himself. And he gladly said not my will, 300 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:37,440 but your will be done, Father. As that, as that happened, the 301 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:42,680 Father poured out the wrath that was deserving for me, the wrath 302 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:46,920 that was deserving for you upon Jesus on the cross. 303 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:53,920 And as he took it, as he allowed himself to be punished for us, 304 00:20:55,880 --> 00:21:01,920 the Father looks at this wonderful sacrifice. 305 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:06,160 And Paul is saying that as as the Father looks at this 306 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,320 wonderful sacrifice, he breathes it in. 307 00:21:10,120 --> 00:21:12,560 He breathes in the obedience of Christ. 308 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:16,960 He breathes in the sacrifice of Christ, he breathes in him dying 309 00:21:17,040 --> 00:21:22,600 for you and me. And the Father says, wow, that 310 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:27,320 is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. 311 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,720 That is the most amazing smell I have ever smelt. 312 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,960 You see, in the Old Testament, the Old Testament Saints were 313 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,680 told that they were to come and bring their best debris. 314 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,000 And most of them were farmers. So that meant they'd bring their 315 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,280 best lamb or best goat or breast cow or best best grain or 316 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,560 whatever. And the priest would burn it 317 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:54,240 upon the altar. And God said as the as their 318 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:58,320 best, as they surrendered themselves to him and gave their 319 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:03,720 best as it was burnt that smoke that rose up to heaven, the 320 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:09,840 Father would say, wow, that is a beautiful, a beautiful smell. 321 00:22:11,360 --> 00:22:15,520 But sadly, the people, they drifted, they lived selfish 322 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:17,120 lives. They might bring their offerings 323 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,440 to God, but they disobeyed him the rest of the week. 324 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,800 They would they would they would they would they would not love 325 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,360 the poor. They would go to the altars of 326 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:31,040 other gods, and eventually the prophets would come to them and 327 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:37,920 say your offerings, your lambs and your goats, they stink. 328 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:40,920 They stink. They are meant to be a beautiful 329 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,400 offering, but they stink to me. You oppress the poor. 330 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:52,080 You worship other gods, obey me, love with all your heart, 331 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,040 sacrifice your own needs for the lowly, for the outcast. 332 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:05,840 That is what smells good to me. God says sitting on the cross, 333 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:09,840 Christ became that perfect sacrifice. 334 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:13,120 He lived a life perfect. He lived a life loving and 335 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:16,920 caring for the outcast of the down and trodden. 336 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:23,080 And on the cross as he died, the Father smells that wonderful 337 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:26,640 offering and he says nothing has ever been so beautiful and 338 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:29,000 nothing will be so ever so amazing again. 339 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:33,440 This is a pure, perfect sacrifice and it smells 340 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:41,760 magnificent beyond words in Paul. 341 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:50,280 Paul says that once he, once you and me, we were separated from 342 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:56,560 Christ. We lived on our own, we lived 343 00:23:56,560 --> 00:24:02,880 apart from him. We were kind of like this, this 344 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,840 container. We were lifeless, dull. 345 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,520 Actually, I wasn't going to extend the metaphor as far as 346 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:15,560 this, but he he says that even his best before he knew Jesus. 347 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,560 Well, it smelt a bit like spiritual dog poo. 348 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:21,560 It wasn't great. I mean, I wasn't going to put 349 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,120 some dog poo on that and then wipe it off, but you get my own 350 00:24:24,120 --> 00:24:27,200 metaphor. He says we were lifeless and 351 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:34,920 dull, but then God through his Holy Spirit poured his life into 352 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:41,360 us and we became filled with the same presence. 353 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:47,200 We became filled with the love of Jesus Christ. 354 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:52,080 That same aroma that God smelt with Jesus on the cross was 355 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:56,800 poured into us. That same aroma of Christ was 356 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:58,760 poured into us. Not because we have done 357 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,440 anything special. All we've done is accepted him 358 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:07,760 as our Lord and King. But here is here is the thing 359 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:13,800 church Paul says, we are not designed to keep that aroma 360 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,360 locked up inside. You see, we are meant to let the 361 00:25:18,360 --> 00:25:26,720 whole world smell that aroma of Christ that is within us. 362 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,480 We are designed to smell of Christ. 363 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:36,920 We're designed to have him in US and let him out, you see. 364 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,680 And Paul says that through hunger, through beatings, 365 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,080 through imprisonment, through shipwrecks, through name 366 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,280 calling, through sickness, through poverty, through 367 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:53,360 threats, all in the advancement of the Kingdom of God, Jesus 368 00:25:53,360 --> 00:26:00,760 Christ was releasing the sweet aroma of the cross through Paul. 369 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:08,760 You see, when we do what Christ asks us to do, when you are 370 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:15,600 obedient to him, Christ says his aroma, the aroma of the cross, 371 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:21,520 that wonderful beautiful smell gets released from us. 372 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,120 When you, it doesn't matter whether you're sick or whether 373 00:26:26,120 --> 00:26:29,600 you're poor or whether you're you're rich or whether you're 374 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:35,600 healthy. When you do what you can, when 375 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:41,480 you are obedient to Christ, when you love the world around you, 376 00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:45,160 when you take those opportunities, when God opens a 377 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,480 door for you to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. 378 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:56,320 Paul says we are releasing that amazing aroma. 379 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:01,160 It's not our aroma, it's Christ's aroma within us. 380 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:07,080 We are releasing it. And the Father says that's 381 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:10,760 amazing. I smell my son in you. 382 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:20,440 I smell my son in you. For we are to God the pleasant 383 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:27,720 aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who 384 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:31,280 are perishing. To the one we are the aroma that 385 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,560 brings death, to the other the aroma that brings life. 386 00:27:35,120 --> 00:27:39,960 And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle 387 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,960 the Word of God for prophet. On the contrary, in Christ we 388 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:52,360 speak before God with sincerity as those set for sent from gods. 389 00:27:54,320 --> 00:28:02,080 See, Christ's life of perfect obedience was a wonderful aroma 390 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:07,320 to the Father. And every time a spirit filled 391 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:14,680 believer acts in faith, someone asks you about Jesus and you 392 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,080 respond. Every time you show love to 393 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:22,760 someone, every time you serve, every time you give, the Father 394 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:29,120 says I'm smelling Christ in you. He says, actually he says the 395 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:32,800 first thing that when we start to act like Jesus, it's the 396 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:34,920 Father who's the first one who smells it. 397 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:37,880 He's the first one to acknowledge it. 398 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:41,440 So let me tell you, church, it doesn't matter whether anyone 399 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:44,960 else notices you or not. I gave and no one said thank 400 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:46,800 you. I served and no one said thank 401 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:48,160 you. Well, I'm sorry if that 402 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:51,440 happened, but do you know what the Father is going? 403 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:55,960 Wow, wow. The smell of what you just did 404 00:28:55,960 --> 00:29:01,040 is amazing, is amazing. But then Paul goes on to say 405 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:05,840 that actually, when we love, when we act like Christ, the 406 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:11,240 world will smell Jesus. He doesn't say such. 407 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:14,360 To some he will smell, will smell Jesus, and to some they 408 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:17,800 will smell something awful. No, no, they will all smell 409 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,880 Jesus. But he says for some they won't 410 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:26,240 like it, but for others they will be drawn in. 411 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:32,560 They'll be drawn in to him. So here's the point, Christian, 412 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:35,080 you are not meant to smell of nothing. 413 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:39,200 You are meant to reek of Jesus Christ. 414 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:43,800 You are meant to spiritually reap of Jesus Christ. 415 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:48,360 And so whoever you pass, whether it's for 30 seconds or whether 416 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:52,600 it's a good conversation with a friend, you are meant to reap of 417 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:54,480 Christ. Just like you know when you, if 418 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:58,960 you pass, pass a woman on the street who's wearing perfume as 419 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:00,520 she walks past, you can smell it. 420 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,640 You barely, you may have not even spoke to her, but you can 421 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:07,280 smell the scent that's left behind. 422 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,440 That's what the world is meant to do for you As you leave 423 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:16,040 people, they are meant to be filled with the smell of Jesus 424 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:20,920 Christ. But Paul says, Paul says this is 425 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:26,000 amazing, but he also says, wow, OK, this feels like such a task. 426 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:30,600 Who, who's worthy of this? How, how can I do this better? 427 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:36,080 Where he gives three things at the end end of this end of this 428 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:40,000 short passage. There's three practical ways 429 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:44,480 that you and I can reek of Jesus because I want to reek of Jesus. 430 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,880 I hope you do too. Actually, first thing he says is 431 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:53,240 we do not peddle his words for profit. 432 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:59,400 What we're saying is, is we reek of Christ when we love him more 433 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:03,800 than money. We reek of Him when we are 434 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:10,120 generous, when we use our money to bless others, when we are 435 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:14,160 less concerned of how much we've got for ourselves and more 436 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:17,000 concerned of how we confer the God's Kingdom. 437 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:23,240 And now he says, actually, some people will be put off by that. 438 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,040 You know, I don't know if any of you have had that conversation 439 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:30,240 with someone. You know, how, how do you pay 440 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:33,120 for the stuff in your church? Look, New Day. 441 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,160 No, my, my mother-in-law asked us this this week, you know, new 442 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:38,120 day. She's very aware that things 443 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:39,760 cost money. She's not a Christian. 444 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:42,240 And she said, you know, new day, how many people go? 445 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:45,280 So there's about 10,000 kids plus adults and servers. 446 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,720 There's big tops and they, they rent this, this showground. 447 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:53,040 She's like, who pays for that? I was like, the church does. 448 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:55,440 Money doesn't just magically appear. 449 00:31:55,800 --> 00:32:00,000 People generously give their own money to give. 450 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:05,480 And at the moment, sadly, she's like, oh, oh, I'm not, I'm not 451 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:13,920 sure about that. But to others, that'll be a That 452 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:17,440 smells amazing. Why would you do that? 453 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,720 Something's different when I come here. 454 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:24,520 So we love Christ more than money. 455 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:29,520 Secondly, he says we speak before God sincerely. 456 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,720 That means that we're real, that we're honest, we're open. 457 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,760 When we fail, we say, I'm really sorry. 458 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:43,800 I'm really sorry I messed up. Jesus never had to say sorry. 459 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,560 Jesus never had to admit that he was. 460 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:48,560 He did wrong because he never did wrong. 461 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:52,080 And even when the disciples were like, oh Jesus, I think you've 462 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:53,880 got a bit far here. When he starts throwing over 463 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:56,520 temples and letting goats and sheep run through the temple 464 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:59,840 courts, he didn't say sorry because he didn't do anything 465 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:03,280 wrong. But you and I, we're not Jesus, 466 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,280 we do stuff wrong all the time. And do you know what though? 467 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:15,240 When we are humble and we admit that we are flawed, when we 468 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,920 share who we really are. Like not to be a Christian, you 469 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,240 need to be a picture perfect human being. 470 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,360 No, to be a Christian you need to be a flawed human who 471 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:26,640 realises that they're saved by Christ. 472 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:32,280 When we realise, when we show, when we tell the world that we 473 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:37,360 are flawed, when we apologise, when we repent, when we turn 474 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:43,440 from what's bad to what is good, Paul tells us what some people 475 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:44,720 are going to be repulsed by that. 476 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:51,000 They're not going to like it, but some are going to breathe in 477 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:57,400 the aroma of Christ that you leave behind and be drawn in. 478 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:04,920 And finally, he says as those sent by God, What it means is 479 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:13,560 that we rely on Him. We rely on His strength, on who 480 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:21,159 He says that you are. We fear ultimately God more than 481 00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:26,280 we do man. And when you place your identity 482 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:30,600 in Christ, when you say he tells me who I am, I'm sent by him, 483 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:36,080 not human beings, I'm going to do what he says, not what man 484 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:39,440 says. I'm going to obey his law above 485 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:42,760 man's law. Or to some they're going to be 486 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:50,639 put off, but to others they are going to be drawn in and we will 487 00:34:50,639 --> 00:34:58,320 reek of Christ. You see, you are designed to 488 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:01,440 reek of Christ. And do you know what? 489 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:06,320 Some people may not like it, but I'd rather take the risk of some 490 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:09,480 people not liking it so that I can draw others in so that 491 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:13,080 others may be saved rather than be worried that some people may 492 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:15,760 not like what they smell. And see no one saved. 493 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:23,640 See no one's life transformed. And just to close, Paul, 494 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:29,280 wonderful Paul, he was just one we're going to talk about in a 495 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:31,280 few weeks. He was just one. 496 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:35,800 He describes himself as one pot, one clay pot. 497 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:44,360 He is just one smelling pot. And he is probably the best 498 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:47,560 evangelist, best church planter that the world has ever seen. 499 00:35:48,720 --> 00:35:54,160 But he knew to reach the ends of the world, he needed other clay 500 00:35:54,160 --> 00:36:00,600 pots, other smelly people around him to admit the aroma of 501 00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:04,760 Christ. You see, he, we, we read in his 502 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:07,480 letters, we've read at the start of this one and we read at the 503 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:10,080 end of other letters. He needed people. 504 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,840 And just to mention a few, he needed people like Timothy, 505 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:17,640 Titus, Silas, Phoebe, Sostenes, Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos, 506 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,920 Mark, Luke, Barnabas, and many others. 507 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:25,040 Paul was very aware if he was going to reach this lost and 508 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:30,560 broken world, he needed men and women surrounding him who all 509 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:33,280 were emitting the fragrance of Christ. 510 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:40,480 Now just a minute ago I put, I turned on this diffuser and 511 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:43,880 poured in to illustrate the presence of God. 512 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:49,640 Some some oil, some oil from this, this, this jug. 513 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:52,600 And I turned it on and it's been on for a while now. 514 00:36:53,240 --> 00:36:55,760 Can anyone smell it? No. 515 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:57,080 Do you know what? That's OK. 516 00:36:57,280 --> 00:36:59,880 I can smell it. You're not meant to be able to 517 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:03,160 smell it because this is not designed to fill a hole this 518 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,360 big. It can't. 519 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:09,280 It cannot fill this hole with the aroma of Christ on its own. 520 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:11,640 But imagine if there were ten of them. 521 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:14,920 You might start to smell the aroma of Christ. 522 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:22,200 What if there was 100, 1000 of them working together, obeying 523 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:24,080 Jesus? And I'm not talking about the 524 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:27,520 diffuser anymore. OK, what if there was a hundred, 525 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:32,840 a thousand of them working together, obeying Jesus, looking 526 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:35,160 for open doors to share the gospel? 527 00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:41,400 They would fill this room with the aroma of Christ and more. 528 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:47,480 The aroma would flood out into the streets so that all who 529 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:57,120 passed by would breathe in the scent of Christ Church. 530 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:02,400 The aroma of Christ, if you are a Christian, lives in you. 531 00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:10,240 Paul is challenging us. We are to take opportunities to 532 00:38:10,240 --> 00:38:16,920 look for open doors, to serve, to give, to be obedient to Him. 533 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:23,040 And as we do, we will leave those around us with that 534 00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:28,120 fragrance and they may not know what they're smelling to start 535 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:33,000 with. Some of them may be put off, but 536 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:41,760 some will be drawn in and repent and be filled with His presence 537 00:38:42,080 --> 00:38:46,640 and become another pot full of the realm of Christ. 538 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:50,440 I just want you as we end right now. 539 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:55,160 I'm going to pray, but I'm going to ask if you're on the front 540 00:38:55,160 --> 00:38:58,000 row, you're not going to get up, just turn round and clock who's 541 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:00,800 at the back row. OK, Because I'm going to ask 542 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:05,080 everyone to pray for the for the row in front of you. 543 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:08,000 So obviously the front row, you pray for the people at the very 544 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:08,960 back. All right? 545 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:12,720 And we're going to pray that those people who are in front of 546 00:39:12,720 --> 00:39:19,840 you, that God would make them reek of the presence of Christ, 547 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:24,600 that everyone they come into contact with today, this week, 548 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:28,680 would breathe in the presence of Christ. 549 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:33,840 And yes, some will be put off, but actually God would give us 550 00:39:33,840 --> 00:39:38,360 opportunities as people go. What do you smell of? 551 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:45,000 What is that about you? And he'd give us opportunities 552 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:50,400 to move them closer, even across the line of faith, from 553 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:53,920 disobedience to allegiance to Jesus Christ. 554 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:58,440 So I'm going to pray. And as I do pray for the people 555 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:00,360 in front of you and you on the front, Pray for the back. 556 00:40:00,680 --> 00:40:08,520 So, Lord Jesus, God, we thank you, God, that before we knew 557 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:12,120 you, the best of our works, the best that we had. 558 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:18,440 Was like spiritual dog poo. It stank for God in accepting 559 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:22,160 you, in saying Jesus. You are the one who I am, a 560 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:24,760 lead, who I pledge my allegiance to. 561 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:29,960 We are filled with your spirits and I pray for every single 562 00:40:29,960 --> 00:40:34,080 brother and sister in this room who knows you God, that they 563 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:38,400 would not keep that that spirit locked up inside them, but Lord 564 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:43,160 Jesus that they would emanate that they would reek of Christ. 565 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:47,800 God, I pray that you would be you would be prompted them right 566 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:51,960 now of more things, more ways right now that they could do 567 00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:54,000 today. They could do this week that 568 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:59,120 displays your amazing aroma. God ways to give ways to 569 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:03,920 sacrifice, ways to love that displays the love, the aroma of 570 00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:07,760 Christ to those around them. Lord Jesus, can we admit not 571 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:09,400 everyone's going to like that smell? 572 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:12,280 But Lord God, we don't want to stop because of that. 573 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:16,400 But Lord Jesus, I pray that we would take opportunities. 574 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,800 We'd take open doors like there was introas. 575 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:22,040 And Lord Jesus, you'd give us opportunities to answer 576 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:23,480 questions. God, even this week, you'd give 577 00:41:23,480 --> 00:41:26,240 us people who ask us what's different about you? 578 00:41:27,440 --> 00:41:31,800 What must I do to have what you have, God? 579 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:34,400 And you'd give us the privilege of leading others across the 580 00:41:34,400 --> 00:41:36,800 line from rebellion to allegiance to you. 581 00:41:37,480 --> 00:41:41,480 And there would be more and more people filling this hall, 582 00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,240 filling this town with the aroma. 583 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:46,160 Priest. Amen. 584 00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:47,880 Amen.