Unafraid Witness

Going Vertical Series

Preaching Portion: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Subject: Triumph In Christ

Theme: Unashamed Witness for Christ

INTRO: Clear, direct witness to others about my own relationship with Jesus Christ brings the glory down.

·      One of the treatments strategies for ending the “Black Plague” in the 1600’s in which 100 million people died was to give them ashes to induce coughing in hopes of spewing the secret source of the disease out of the person.

·      A lasting relic from this time of terror is the macabre children’s rhyme detailing the remedies that did not work: “Ring around the roses, a pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down.”

·      This sermon series has dealt with the longing for eternity in the hearts of men and women. This experience that is longed for is outside the normal boundaries of life’s experiences and knowledge. What we have attempted is not working and it has utterly failed to satisfy.

·      The aroma of human experiences will not satisfy the intensity of this hunger. Spoonful’s of status quo or acquiring stuff to satiate the hunger will ultimately lead us to vomit up what we have ingested in search for fulfillment.

·      All around us people are searching but their inability to find it and the spewing that follows every failed attempt until one day “we all fall down!”

Explanation

·      I believe the single word that best describes the way that God wants His gospel given to searching men and women is “BOLDNESS!”

·      The idea of boldness is implicit in our text scriptures – “…leads us in triumphal procession…” implies that we walk tall and proud as conquerors returning from the battlefield with the spoils of war.

·      Boldness is not being obnoxious! It is not rude and demanding. It is not in your face, “You are going to hell” confrontational evangelism.  Rather boldness is clear, direct communication in the face of potential opposition.

·      Specifically, our text discusses the idea of becoming fragrant/aromatic!  Unless you and I are willing to become the aroma of death to those who are perishing, you will never become the aroma of life to those who are being saved!

·      How much of our evangelism has been programed to avoid what cannot be avoided?

PROP: Every believer is to boldly, clearly articulate the message of Christ to a perishing world.

T.S: Every believer can articulate the message of Christ boldly and clearly by gleaning the insights of 2 Corinthians 2:14-17.

1.     The Fragrance of the Gospel Message– vv.14-16

a.     “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance of life to life. Who is sufficient for all things? For we are not like so many peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity as commissioned by God in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

b.     To the saved our aroma is the aroma of life! How are we to apply this to ministry, to the work of Church?

                                               i.     First let us say regarding those who are genuinely looking for lasting answers to life’s difficulties, the Holy Spirit is working in those lives preparing the gospel message to come.

                                              ii.     Secondly, as proclaimers and places of worship let understand our commission clearly – we need to boldly and with clarity proclaim the way of Christ.

                                            iii.     Thirdly lest us understand the Holy Spirit’s work of taking a hungry heart and a clear presentation of the gospel and draws men and women into that moment as a breath of life that is sweet to inhale.

c.      To the lost and perishing our presentation of the gospel has the smell of death to that individual. Why? These individuals are frustrated that their self-autonomy is not leading them to the place they hoped for and your presentation of the gospel is the last thing they want to hear and believe.

                                               i.     Let us understand that our gospel will be offensive to some. We will be ridiculed and rejected.

                                              ii.     We stink to these people. They are perishing and yet our clear message of hope stinks to them.

d.     Simply because we will stink to some and become offensive to them, we are not excused from becoming an “Unafraid Witness” for Christ.

                                               i.     We are not place fear of rejection over an authentic passion for Christ burning in our hearts.

                                              ii.     This burning passion for Christ is what will bring the glory of God into our midst.

                                            iii.     Unless we are willing to become the aroma of death we will never become the aroma of life to those who are being saved.

2.     The Faithfulness of The Gospel Messenger – v.17

a.     “For we are not like so many, peddler’s of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

b.     The term “peddler” in context of this verse indicates an individual who manipulates the gospel story for personal gain.

                                               i.     Paul just admitted to us that in the first century there were hucksters of the gospel that was preying in the emotions of people to manipulate them for personal gain.

                                              ii.     Paul declares that he and other disciples were not like that. They were in contrast men of sincerity realizing their commission is from God they preach Christ.

c.      As a church, let us be reminded of some key thoughts we cannot afford to overlook:

                                               i.     We are under commission by God. “GO” is presumed as an appropriate activity resulting from a salvation experience.

                                              ii.     In the going we are to become witnesses – telling the message of Christ until the trumpet sounds.

                                            iii.     God is observing our effort – “…in the sight of God we speak Christ” should cause us to become motivated. Passivity is unacceptable!

Conclusion

Each One – Reach One has never been more urgent than now!