DEATH OF THE SALESMAN

For Paul, the gospel always seems to be communicated on 2 fronts: the "talk" and the "walk". Clearly, Paul was radically opposed to a false gospel message, but today's texts of 2 Cor 2:12-17 shows us his burden for HOW that pure gospel message is communicated. There's lots for us to learn from him, so let's open 2 Cor 2 and study Paul's example ... 

2 COR 2:12-14

12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession ...

• "WHEN I CAME TO TROAS" - You know ... Troas ... right? (OK - if not, check out the map here.) Paul is referring to what we think of today as Greece and Turkey. What does it say about Paul that he moves from a known opportunity for perhaps "easy" ministry (Troas) and returns to the spot of real turmoil (Philippi and then Corinth)?

• "CHRIST ALWAYS LEADS" - After all that travel and all the back and forth correspondence, it might easy to feel pulled in too many directions. But instead Paul still turns his focus to Christ in verse 14. Why does it seem significant that he credits Jesus as the leader of his travelling party? How does Paul seem to feel about Jesus' leading? (see the beginning of v 14)

• "TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION" - Many commentators see a deliberate tie between this statement and Psalm 68 - where God is shown to be a conquering king bringing a parade of captives back to his home city. Read Psalm 68:1-18 ... notice the tone of the psalm? Now ask - is Paul using a reference to this psalm to indicate he is a member of the parade as a victor or as a captive? (or ... both?) What would be the implications of either of those conclusions?

2 COR 2:14-16

14 But thanks be to God, who ... through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

• "GOD WHO SPREADS ..." - Paul's sentence in verse 14 reads "Thanks be to God who ... spreads the fragrance of Christ." There are other words in there, but in short that's what we might expect from God. Why do you think he uses such a sensory word such as "fragrance" here? What Old Testament imagery does this bring to mind?

• "WHO SPREADS THROUGH US" - You probably noticed that the quoted portion of verse 14 above skipped a key prepositional phrase: "through us". Do you catch that? God does his work of making Jesus known as a fragrance in the world THROUGH US! And Paul doubles down in verse 15 saying, "WE are the aroma of Christ!" How does that statement (about the importance of both Paul's role and our role in the world) affect you? Is it encouraging? Intimidating? Convicting? Something else? And why does it impact you that way?

• "SAVED vs PERISHING" - Read the 2nd half of 15 and verse 16 a few times again. Notice Paul's parallelism here? We are one aroma with 2 very different effects on others. What seems to be the difference in how we impact others? What difference would this simple truth make on how you live as a believer or share the truth about Jesus with others?

2 COR 2:16-17

16 Who is sufficient for these things? 17 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.

• "WHO IS SUFFICIENT" - Paul asks the kind of question we should all be asking. Remember the context so far: we are those who share Christ's victory and are conscripted into His service. He has freed and captured us to make us part of His program for making Jesus known: a fragrant aroma to those who belong to Christ, but a noxious odor to those still in rebellion. How often do you ponder all that God is planning to do in the world through His church? In what ways does this seem overwhelming to you?

• "NOT PEDDLERS" - The traveling salesman has apparently been the standard of duplicity -saying whatever is needed to "make the sale". But Paul says he wasn't and we shouldn't be like that. Why is it so easy for us to try to soften or alter the gospel?

• "MEN OF SINCERITY" - This little phrase is the first of 3 that describe why Paul "spoke in Christ." First, they were "men of sincerity"; second, they were "commissioned by God"; third, they spoke "in the sight of God."  Consider the weight of those three phrases (in fact, maybe even re-write them as opposites to describe why we might be tempted to tweak the message). Which of these three phrases impacts and motivates you the most as you consider your role as an ambassador of the gospel message?

• LOOKING AHEAD ... Paul ends this verse saying that "we speak in Christ"... take a minute to read chapter 3 and 4. What is Paul going to make as his main point over these 2 chapters? How does his commissioning from God propel him in his love for and leadership of the Corinthian church?

Looking forward to Sunday with you,

Pastor Darren