VICTORY IN CHRIST ( II Corinthians
2:14-17)
Introduction: Alexander the Great was the King of
Macedonia from 336 to 323 B.C. By age thirty, he created one of the ancient
world's largest empires that stretched from Greece to northwest India. Most of
his ruling years were spent on an unrivaled military campaign through North
Africa and Asia. He remained undefeated and is remembered as one of the
greatest military commanders in history. Yet, he had nothing to display for the
world to see.
His after-death wish was very peculiar: "Bury my
body and don't build any monument. Keep my hands out so the people know the one
who won the world had nothing in hand when he died."[1] What is the most
significant victory of all in the history of humanity? Who won that greatest
victory, and how was that displayed to the world? Why does that matter to us
today?
Many centuries later, standing on Greek soil, on his
way to Macedonia, Paul unveiled the greatest conqueror of all time and a grand
display of the treasures of his conquest of the world. We will explore
his remarkable proclamations that have significant implications for us
today.
I.
Paul and his relationships Vs. 12-13
Some Christians find it hard to relate to Paul and his
writings, thinking he is hard-hitting, unsympathetic, and less relational. On
the contrary, the Apostle Paul was very loving and caring and cherished many
good relationships. Romans' 16th chapter explains his relationships.
In verses 12-13, Paul shares how he was restless and
lacked peace of mind because Titus did not show up in Troas. Who was Titus, and
what role did Titus play in the Apostle's life? Titus was probably a Gentile
from Antioch who was brought to Christ by Paul fourteen years after Paul
himself had been converted. Some dogmatic Jewish brethren insisted that Titus
be circumcised, but Paul did not allow it for the sake of principle.
To do otherwise would imply that all non-Jewish
Christians were second-class citizens in the Church. Over the years, Paul and
Titus developed a bond, and Paul addressed him as my true son (Titus 1:4), dear
brother (II Cor 2:12), and partner in Christ (II Cor 8:23). Since Titus didn't
show up as expected, he went on to Macedonia in search of him.
II.
Victory in Christ Vs. 14
Vs. 14, "But thank God! He has made
us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal
procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of
Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume." The Apostle Paul used a war
analogy when discussing Christ's victory.
Whether we realize it or not, an intense battle rages
in the spirit realm over the human soul that Satan has captured and enslaved
due to Adam's sin. II Timothy 2:26, "Then they will come to their senses
and escape from the devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do
whatever he wants." Timothy is talking about the status of unsaved people.
Romans 5:10, "For if, while we were God's enemies, we
were reconciled to him through the death of his son, how much more, having been
reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! You and I and every
non-Christian have been trapped and captured by Satan and lived like the
enemies of God by doing whatever Satan wanted us to do. In a way, Satan has
imprisoned us.
The Apostle Paul's imagery here was that of a Roman
conquering general who took his enemies from battle and displayed them as
captured slaves as he led them in a triumphal procession through Rome. During
the parade, the temples would open their doors and spread the fragrance of
incense. The captives would be presented as a sacrificial offering to the gods
as thanks for the victory. In applying the image, Paul presents himself as the
one led in the triumphal procession, not the leader. He is the captive, not the
captor. This concept of God's people being prisoners of Christ comes out
several times in the New Testament.
Ephesians
3:1-2, "When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for
the benefit of you Gentiles assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the
special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles." Philemon
1:1, "Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To
Philemon, our beloved fellow worker."
Ephesians
4: 1-1, "Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a
life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." Paul, in a
spiritual sense but also literally, was a prisoner of Christ. Every time a
sinner turns to God, Christ has won the spiritual battle and captured that soul
from the prison of Satan.
We are to be grateful to God that we have been set
free from Satan and became the prisoners of Christ. Let's ponder on this
thought. How do you look at yourself? How does God look at you and display you
to the world? Prophet Isaiah's prayer for Jerusalem is God's view of His people
both then and now. Isaiah
62:3-5, "The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see a splendid
crown in the hand of God. Never again will you be called "The Forsaken
City."
or "The Desolate Land." Your new name will
be "The City of God's Delight" and "The Bride of God," for
the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride. Your children will
commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem, just as a young man commits himself to
his bride.
Then
God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride."
The Church is the bride, and Jesus Christ is the
bridegroom. It is for another time, but for now, what an incredible privilege
it is for us to be the prisoners of Christ! We, the prisoners of Christ, partake
in God's victory parade; God wants to display his Church to the world in a
great way. Romans 8:19, "For all creation is waiting eagerly for that
future day when God will reveal who his children really are." One day, the
world will witness this grand display of God's sons and daughters. Meanwhile,
what are we to do as prisoners of Christ in day-to-day life?
III
The Fragrance of Christ Vs. 15-16
Vs.15-16, "Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance
rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are
being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are
a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a
life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?
Paul first gave thanks for being led by a sovereign
God in a triumphant procession. Secondly, for the promised victory in Christ
Jesus in the future. He was also grateful for the privilege of being used as an
influence for Christ wherever he went. The imagery comes from the strong, sweet
smell of incense from censers in the victory Parade, which along with the
fragrance of crushed flowers strew under horses' hooves, produced an aroma that
filled the city.
Every believer is transformed and called by the Lord
to be an influence for his Gospel throughout the world. As the prisoners of
Christ, we are to spread the knowledge of Christ like a sweet perfume. Paul
brings out the concept of the Law to explain people's reactions.
The Law simultaneously was life-giving and
death-dealing. When people accepted and obeyed the Law of God received life but
faced death when they rejected it. Similarly, the Gospel and its proclaimers
are a "life-giving perfume" to those who believe the Gospel and are
being saved and a "death-dealing drug" to those who repudiate it and
are perishing.
What does this all mean to us today? The victory of
Jesus Christ over sin, death, and Satan brought us salvation and freedom.
Because of Christ's victory, we, too, can overcome sin and Satan. Rom 16:20,
"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of
our Lord Jesus be with you." Christ's victory gives us the power to spread
the Good News like a fragrance. When one sinner turns to Christ through our
Gospel sharing, Satan is defeated, and Christ becomes their triumphant King and
joins His victory parade. The cycle continues.
