Summary
The offerings that were presented to the Lord, the burnt offerings of the fatted calf, the burnt offerings of the grain offerings, the food offerings, the oil and frankincense that was continually before the Lord was always there as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. We come before the Lord with a contrite heart, a broken spirit knowing that everything that we place upon the altar of sacrifice is nothing. Jesus Christ laid himself as the sacrificial lamb upon the altar before the Lord, the altar that was the cross of Calvary, where he hung dying for your sins, for my sin to take the stench of our sin, and remove it from us, and instead lay before the altar of the Lord himself, the sacrificial lamb, the aroma that is pleasing to the Lord, to be there eternally in our place, eternally lifting the aroma of sacrifice before the Lord, in his death, Christ conquered death, and in conquering death, he has the eternal victory over sin. The difference doesn't lie in the different person, smelling something separate, but it has to do with how each person smells, and for those that are outside of the Lord, those that are outside and closed to hearing the word of God and his grace and his mercy, the aroma of Christ is repugnant, but praise be to God, that for those of us who have heard his word, praise be to God, for those who are yet to hear his word, and yet the seeds are being planted, praise be to God that the aroma of Christ is an aroma of life that leads to further life. And when you think of the people that God has called to be his own, that he has called, to go forth as a pleasing aroma, an aroma of Christ in the world about us, the billions of people, this side of heaven with the myriad notes of gifts and talents and interests, all combined in different ways that make up his body, that make up the church. By his grace, by his grace and mercy Christ took upon himself, the stench of our sin, by his grace and mercy he washed us clean in the waters of baptism, by his grace and mercy he has filled us with his own, holy spirit and sent us forth in the triumphal procession, conquered in him to spread the scent of his love, the scent of his compassion, the scent of his mercy everywhere we go.
Video citations
- "Fragrant" 11-10-24 — Okay, everyone close your eyes. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose. You smell the church. Keep your eyes closed for a moment. And imagine the smell of freshly baked bread.…