Sometimes a very visual demonstration drives home the reality of scripture so much better than just talking about it.
Scriptures:
2 Corinthians 2:14 - The Aroma of the Knowledge of Christ
John 16:33 - What Floats Your Boat?
2 Corinthians 5:17 - A New Creation
Mark 4:24 - Pay Attention to What You Hear
2 Corinthians 2:14 - The Aroma of the Knowledge of Christ
John 16:33 - What Floats Your Boat?
2 Corinthians 5:17 - A New Creation
Mark 4:24 - Pay Attention to What You Hear
The Aroma of the Knowledge of Christ
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. 2 Corinthians 2:14
Materials: cedar blocks
What are some of your most favorite scents? Cinnamon, dill, bacon, BBQ, fried onions, spaghetti sauce, tacos. How about the freshness of the air after a spring rain storm? There are scents which bring memories immediately to mind. Sitting here, I can almost smell walking into Grandma’s house. Or the barn!
We in our society tend to emphasize visual and indeed, we do have lots of images and video clips running through our heads. But that’s only one of our senses. Isn’t it interesting then, that the apostle Paul gives thanks to God for leading us, in Christ, and spreading the fragrance of Christ everywhere?
O.K. So what does Christ smell like?
I don’t know that I can give you a definitive answer. But I do know that in order to smell something, you have to get close to it. And you have to not hold your breath. That sounds silly to say, but if you don’t want to smell something, you hold your breath. So in order to smell something, you have to want to smell it. And the scent has to be strong enough. Have you ever caught just a whiff of something, but couldn’t quite figure out what it was because it wasn’t strong enough? But at the same time, you don’t want to walk into an overpowering smell. I usually turn around and escape those as soon as possible.
So if you’re going to spread the aroma, the fragrance, of the knowledge of Christ, it’s going to be to someone close to you. It’s going to be someone who wants to smell that scent. It has to be strong enough, but not a sledge hammer of a smell.
Are your actions like that? Do the people closest to you “smell” the knowledge of Christ in your life? Are you aware of when they are hungry for the things of God? Are you strong and confident without being overpowering?
Sometimes people get used to us as Christians. In effect, our fragrance isn’t as obvious. But life has a way of revealing what’s truly inside a person. If the scent on the cedar grows faint, you can always scuff it with a piece of sandpaper to renew the scent. So when life throws trouble at you, do people smell the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ more clearly again? That is, when you experience trouble, do people see you relying on God?
I pray that as we each are scuffed by life, people are able to smell Jesus in our lives more clearly.
What Floats Your Boat
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Container large enough to float a lid, small boat, small container, water, towels
Suppose I float a lid, small boat, or container in water. Does it matter whether there’s lot of water or a little water? Not really. It floats the same in two inches and in four inches.
Suppose I make some waves, does it matter whether it’s a big boat or a small boat. Not really.
What causes the boat to sink? It only sinks when water gets in the boat. It really doesn’t matter how crazy the waves get as long as the water stays out of the boat.
So, let’s say that you are the boat. The water is the world around you. Sometimes the water is calm and peaceful. It’s not hard to keep the water out of the boat and stay afloat - aka when nothing bad is happening in your world, it’s easy to get along with your family and friends, work seems easier, you are pretty happy and calm.
But when the world around you is crazy - a hurricane, a locust plague, a world pandemic, a flood, a tornado, a hail storm - when the world around you is crazy, it’s harder to keep the trouble from the world from weighing you down - aka getting water in your boat and sinking.
How do you keep the water out of your boat?
Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
When the waves in your world get high and you’re thinking it might be enough to sink your boat (aka upset the peace and joy you have), remember to look to Jesus. He can save you from the waves and keep your boat from sinking. He is the One who will float your boat.
A New Creation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Materials: conditioner, corn starch, plastic sandwich bags, measuring cup, spoon.
There’s a huge change from before you were a Christian to after you become a Christian. It is a change of heart, of attitude, of agenda, of allegiance. It is a change of nature. It is imperative to each of us who would see God’s kingdom and eternal life. (1 Corinthians 15:50)
If I mix a cup of corn starch with a cup of conditioner, the result is play dough. Now I can extend the analogy a little more clearly. The dough is not the same nature as the corn starch. The corn starch can be used in many ways, like making gravy or meatballs, but it’s a powder. It can be blown away. It cannot stand. The dough, on the other hand, can be molded into any shape.
Think of the aptness of the analogy in a Christian sense: I can be useful in many ways before I become a Christian. I can do what people think of as good things. But I have no real strength on my own. I can be blown around by thoughts and events. I cannot stand. But once I accept Jesus as my Savior and the Holy Spirit comes into my life, I become a new creation. I become a moldable person to be used by my God to fulfill His purposes. The potential of how I can be used of God is limitless. Thus, in becoming a servant of the Most High, He gives solidity and purpose to my life even as He molds me and changes me into a useful vessel for His glory.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Pay Attention to What You Hear
Pay attention to what you hear: . . . Mark 4:24
Materials: ear muffs, ear plugs, whistles, bells, alarms, good/bad books
Why should you pay attention to what you hear?
* It could be harmful.
Protect yourself from loud noises that can damage your ear drum. Use ear protection whenever you’re going to encounter loud noises. The alarm clock and Mom’s voice do NOT fall into this category.
Protect yourself from ungodly sounds, noises, messages which can
damage you emotionally and spiritually. Carefully consider what you watch on tv, what music you listen to, what friends you choose to be around, people who habitually swear and take God’s name in vain . . .
Protect yourself from liars and mischief-makers by carefully considering and verifying what someone tells you. You can’t always believe what other people say. If you believe a false report, you can ruin a friendship. You can find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. You could find yourself out of God’s will.
It could be very important to your life and prosperity.
Listen to the warnings that people give you (but check them out thoroughly). If you don’t believe the road is out ahead, you can find yourself in the crick without a paddle.
Listen to fire alarms, alarm clocks, and oven timers. Those sounds are there for your good.
*Whether you hear to avoid something bad or to get a blessing, it’s not enough to just hear! The wise person acts on what he has heard! Think about it! If the alarm goes off, it’s a sound that means you need to do something - like get out of bed. If you hear a tornado siren going off, you should take cover. If you hear God’s word telling you to act in a certain way, you must adjust your actions accordingly.
To recap: Choose carefully what you listen to - eschew the harmful and choose the good. Once you’ve determined which it is, do something about it. Don’t be foolish; pay attention to what you hear.
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. 2 Corinthians 2:14
Materials: cedar blocks
What are some of your most favorite scents? Cinnamon, dill, bacon, BBQ, fried onions, spaghetti sauce, tacos. How about the freshness of the air after a spring rain storm? There are scents which bring memories immediately to mind. Sitting here, I can almost smell walking into Grandma’s house. Or the barn!
We in our society tend to emphasize visual and indeed, we do have lots of images and video clips running through our heads. But that’s only one of our senses. Isn’t it interesting then, that the apostle Paul gives thanks to God for leading us, in Christ, and spreading the fragrance of Christ everywhere?
O.K. So what does Christ smell like?
I don’t know that I can give you a definitive answer. But I do know that in order to smell something, you have to get close to it. And you have to not hold your breath. That sounds silly to say, but if you don’t want to smell something, you hold your breath. So in order to smell something, you have to want to smell it. And the scent has to be strong enough. Have you ever caught just a whiff of something, but couldn’t quite figure out what it was because it wasn’t strong enough? But at the same time, you don’t want to walk into an overpowering smell. I usually turn around and escape those as soon as possible.
So if you’re going to spread the aroma, the fragrance, of the knowledge of Christ, it’s going to be to someone close to you. It’s going to be someone who wants to smell that scent. It has to be strong enough, but not a sledge hammer of a smell.
Are your actions like that? Do the people closest to you “smell” the knowledge of Christ in your life? Are you aware of when they are hungry for the things of God? Are you strong and confident without being overpowering?
Sometimes people get used to us as Christians. In effect, our fragrance isn’t as obvious. But life has a way of revealing what’s truly inside a person. If the scent on the cedar grows faint, you can always scuff it with a piece of sandpaper to renew the scent. So when life throws trouble at you, do people smell the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ more clearly again? That is, when you experience trouble, do people see you relying on God?
I pray that as we each are scuffed by life, people are able to smell Jesus in our lives more clearly.
What Floats Your Boat
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Container large enough to float a lid, small boat, small container, water, towels
Suppose I float a lid, small boat, or container in water. Does it matter whether there’s lot of water or a little water? Not really. It floats the same in two inches and in four inches.
Suppose I make some waves, does it matter whether it’s a big boat or a small boat. Not really.
What causes the boat to sink? It only sinks when water gets in the boat. It really doesn’t matter how crazy the waves get as long as the water stays out of the boat.
So, let’s say that you are the boat. The water is the world around you. Sometimes the water is calm and peaceful. It’s not hard to keep the water out of the boat and stay afloat - aka when nothing bad is happening in your world, it’s easy to get along with your family and friends, work seems easier, you are pretty happy and calm.
But when the world around you is crazy - a hurricane, a locust plague, a world pandemic, a flood, a tornado, a hail storm - when the world around you is crazy, it’s harder to keep the trouble from the world from weighing you down - aka getting water in your boat and sinking.
How do you keep the water out of your boat?
Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
When the waves in your world get high and you’re thinking it might be enough to sink your boat (aka upset the peace and joy you have), remember to look to Jesus. He can save you from the waves and keep your boat from sinking. He is the One who will float your boat.
A New Creation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Materials: conditioner, corn starch, plastic sandwich bags, measuring cup, spoon.
There’s a huge change from before you were a Christian to after you become a Christian. It is a change of heart, of attitude, of agenda, of allegiance. It is a change of nature. It is imperative to each of us who would see God’s kingdom and eternal life. (1 Corinthians 15:50)
If I mix a cup of corn starch with a cup of conditioner, the result is play dough. Now I can extend the analogy a little more clearly. The dough is not the same nature as the corn starch. The corn starch can be used in many ways, like making gravy or meatballs, but it’s a powder. It can be blown away. It cannot stand. The dough, on the other hand, can be molded into any shape.
Think of the aptness of the analogy in a Christian sense: I can be useful in many ways before I become a Christian. I can do what people think of as good things. But I have no real strength on my own. I can be blown around by thoughts and events. I cannot stand. But once I accept Jesus as my Savior and the Holy Spirit comes into my life, I become a new creation. I become a moldable person to be used by my God to fulfill His purposes. The potential of how I can be used of God is limitless. Thus, in becoming a servant of the Most High, He gives solidity and purpose to my life even as He molds me and changes me into a useful vessel for His glory.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Pay Attention to What You Hear
Pay attention to what you hear: . . . Mark 4:24
Materials: ear muffs, ear plugs, whistles, bells, alarms, good/bad books
Why should you pay attention to what you hear?
* It could be harmful.
Protect yourself from loud noises that can damage your ear drum. Use ear protection whenever you’re going to encounter loud noises. The alarm clock and Mom’s voice do NOT fall into this category.
Protect yourself from ungodly sounds, noises, messages which can
damage you emotionally and spiritually. Carefully consider what you watch on tv, what music you listen to, what friends you choose to be around, people who habitually swear and take God’s name in vain . . .
Protect yourself from liars and mischief-makers by carefully considering and verifying what someone tells you. You can’t always believe what other people say. If you believe a false report, you can ruin a friendship. You can find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. You could find yourself out of God’s will.
It could be very important to your life and prosperity.
Listen to the warnings that people give you (but check them out thoroughly). If you don’t believe the road is out ahead, you can find yourself in the crick without a paddle.
Listen to fire alarms, alarm clocks, and oven timers. Those sounds are there for your good.
*Whether you hear to avoid something bad or to get a blessing, it’s not enough to just hear! The wise person acts on what he has heard! Think about it! If the alarm goes off, it’s a sound that means you need to do something - like get out of bed. If you hear a tornado siren going off, you should take cover. If you hear God’s word telling you to act in a certain way, you must adjust your actions accordingly.
To recap: Choose carefully what you listen to - eschew the harmful and choose the good. Once you’ve determined which it is, do something about it. Don’t be foolish; pay attention to what you hear.
