2 Corinthians 2:14,15 NIV – 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. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
I am overwhelmed by the beautiful expressions from these scriptures. They are words of living encouragement and are designed for our good and our Lord’s glory.
Question – Have you ever been in a place in life where it just does not seem to work? Have you ever had a season of life that you wished was over? I believe we all have and what is written here is a refreshing reminder of who we are in Jesus the Christ. If you will, it awakens the soul to freshness again.
Here we are reminded that who we are in Christ is pleasing to God and is meant to fill our soul with joy, thanksgiving and praise.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV – Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Thanksgiving washes the soul, refreshes the mind and rekindles the spirit. It is like taking a deep breath again, it lightens the load and lets us enjoy the grace and love of Jesus the Christ around us.
Several years before his death the Swiss Theologian Karl Barth came to the United States for a series of lectures. At one the these after a very impressive lecture, a student asked a typically American question. He said “Dr. Barth, what is the greatest thought that has ever passed through your mind? The aging professor paused for a long time as he obviously thought about his answer. Then he said with great simplicity: Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
But thanks be to God, who always leads us … For we are to God the aroma of Christ. Wherever you find yourself, give thanks and enjoy the aroma of being overwhelmed by grace.
1 Corinthians 15:20 NIV – But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
NASA says the final frontier is space. A couple of years ago on national news a man said the ocean is the final frontier. But I would like to suggest that the final frontier for every one of us is when death cmes to our door and we are going to have to deal with God. We will no longer be able to ignore the subject or ignore who he is.
The whole foundation of the gospel of Jesus the Christ is found in the resurrection. Acts 4:1,2 NIV – The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
Dead people being dead, have no power to do anything. Jesus’ resurrection was the evidence of both his humanity and his deity. John 10:17,18 NIV – The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
Apart from the resurrection Jesus could not have conquered sin, death or hell and those three would have forever been the conquerors of man. Without the resurrection good news would be bad news. Without the resurrection faith in Jesus the Christ is useless. We would have no Savior, no gospel, no forgiveness, no power over sin, no life and no hope
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20 NIV.
For only a risen and living Lord could take the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, make & female prostitutes, homosexual offenders, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, liars, slanders, gossipers, swindlers and the like and transform them into the community of the redeemed. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Enjoy being overwhelmed by grace.
Luke 19:37-40 NIV – When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in Loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Praise and worship come from a heart that has been refreshed, renewed and rekindled with the grace, love and hope of God. Revelation 14:3 NIV – And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders… Isn’t that exactly what we want to do? All who are the living description of 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
The gospel of Jesus the Christ is the clearest revelation of God himself. Our salvation outshines creation! Oh let us praise him. We cannot praise him too much or too often or too zealously or too joyfully. He deserves that nothing in his worship should be little.
Hebrews 12:28,29 NIV – Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe for our God is a consuming fire.
All honor that is conceivable belongs to him. it is not enough to feel that the Lord reigns, it must be said and said by a life that demonstrates it as the truth.
Since stones could cry out and the whole universe is to be glad, should we not live a life that becomes the song, proclaiming his grace and great glory to his name? He calls out to all mankind, come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and Iwill give you rest. Our lives should be the music that all men can hear and see. Enjoy being overwhelmed by grace.
Luke 10:38-42
Worship is the one thing that is needed to live our journey overwhelmed by grace. It is the essential activity that must take precedence over every thing else, but for most of us, we are preoccupied, distracted and too busy serving the Lord, to sit at his feet and enjoy him.
Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.” Luke 10:41 NIV.
Joseph S. Carroll (How to Worship Jesus Christ – page 9) – “Worship is ultimately our first priority. Nothing on any-one’s agenda is more important. In fact, the hectic pace of modern life only elevates the importance of active, deliberate, purposeful, daily worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
C. S. Lewis – “It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men.”
David wrote in Psalm 27:4 NIV – One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. This is the one thing he desired and because of this one thing, all things became possible and everything else fell into place.
When we become more preoccupied with the work of the ministry than the One who called us into ministry, we have lost our intimacy and our worship. For Martha, what was it that caused her attention to be distracted away from the Lord? It was serving him and then an attitude showed itself – Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Luke 10:40 NIV.
The difference between a Martha and a Mary is choice. Worship is a word that means we enjoy the Lord. May you enjoy your journey as you enjoy our Lord.