Sermon Central
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A Sweet Aroma
Contributed by Delray Lentz on Nov 15, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: • Happy Mothers’ Day Several men have brought food for the ladies today • Been around long enough, you know that God doesn’t put traditional messages on my heart. Today is no exception!
Clap your hands, move your feet, GET UNDIGNIFIED
I wanted to take a minute to talk about getting undignified.
We can get undignified and still be in reverence to and in awe of, our God!
Here’s the best definition I have found for undignified:
• Having your composure disturbed (repeat)
• Excuse me while I have my composure disturbed (take off my boots)
2020 during worship right here @ CPC, God spoke to me “your move”. I knew immediately…
2022 @ Men’s Summit during worship, God spoke “quit making excuses”. Again, I knew
2023 @ Men’s Summit during worship “Get undignified”.
Here’s my point: We usher in the Holy Spirit during worship!
With that in mind, next week you may notice a couple of minor changes in the order of service here @ CPC.
10:15 fellowship- we’re going to talk about fellowship in just a few minutes
10:30 service begins
BODY
I am awakening by the smell of bacon and eggs frying in the skillet, on a Saturday morning.
In my youth, there were many Saturday mornings that the sweet aroma of bacon roused my senses, to start my day.
Title of today’s message: A Sweet Aroma
There are other aromas that I love:
• Honeysuckle
• Cedar wood burning
• Smell of a new car
• Smell of the ocean
• How about this one?
o The smell of a newborn baby
? I did some research on why newborns smell the way they do.
• Although nothing scientifically did I find that explains it, I did read that mothers can identify their newborn solely by its’ aroma.
• As I was reading that research study, almost immediately, a commercial from years ago came to mind.
• Pepsi, RC Cola, Coca-cola taste test.
• Of course, they could always taste which one was Coca-Cola.
• I thought of these blind-folded mommas, picking up a baby and smelling it…nope, nope, NOPE, ahhh, that’s mine!
• Our sense of smell can produce some amazing results!
Today, I’d like us to look how we can be a sweet aroma to God, just as a newborn is to his mother.
Let’s consider 5 ways:
A couple of weeks ago, we examined 5 ways of equipping of the saints.
They were:
• Through fellowship
• Worship
• Discipleship
• Ministry
• Missions
Let’s look at these 5 and see how they are a sweet aroma to our Lord.
The phrase “A sweet aroma” is found many places in the OT and NT.
Let’s begin in Ezekiel.
God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel with:
• A message of doom
• A message to other nations
• A message of hope- God always has a message of hope for His people.
In that message of doom in the first 24 chapters, we get a glimpse of hope, found in 20:41.
Let’s begin in v39 (read 39-42)
Key word: serve (What is ministry about? Service)
Who are the ministers? 1 Peter 2:5, 9
• v5:You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
• v9: You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Therefore, one way we bring a sweet aroma to God, is through service to Him.
Let’s consider a second way we bring a sweet aroma to God:
• and if a stranger dwells with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord, just as you do, so shall he do.
• I believe scripture is teaching us here, the importance of fellowship.
o Yes, it is speaking of an offering by fire, but it also is telling us to bring others along with us. Teach them how to be a sweet aroma to God.
Fellowship is a way to bring a sweet aroma to God.
Another means is through missions. I love how Paul puts it in Philippians 4.
Let’s start in v15. Read 15-18 from bible, then wrap up with v19.
The Sweet Aroma here is being obedient and sharing the Gospel.
We can also be a Sweet Aroma through discipleship.
• v1Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.
• v2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling aroma.
o Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk
o Discipleship is about DOING!
I want to wrap this up today, with another way to bring a sweet aroma to God and that is through worship.
