July 4, 2019

So as way of an update: there was no Michael Scott or Dwight Schrute sighting, as I passed through Scranton twice this past week… However, I did get a couple cool Dunder Mifflin t-shirts and a surprise for our staff at Grace!

Anyways, as I mentioned in my sermon, passing through Pennsylvania on the way to New York was just as pleasing to my senses as I had expected. I loved taking in the sights and smells of the countryside and it reminded me of the closing question I posed to you all on Sunday: What is the aroma that we are spreading?

As we seek to not only obey the third commandment of not taking the LORD’s name in vain, we should—in the positive—seek to spread the aroma of Christ wherever God directs us in life (Exodus 20:7; cf. 2 Corinthians 2:15).

When we think of spreading a fragrance of grace—or, really, a fragrance of any kind—there is an aspect of intentionality and “unintentionality,” if you will. When you get ready in the morning for the day ahead of you, you probably spend a fair amount of time preparing your appearance for those with whom you will interact. It’s perfectly normal to prepare yourself differently for a trip to, let’s say, Walmart, as opposed to a dinner date with your significant other, right?

In the same way, we ought to “work out our salvation” in the sense that the fruit of the Spirit will naturally abound in our life. Love, joy, peace, patience, etc. should be the accents of our lives, or the cologne or perfume that we spread as we go about our days. Like a little kid running around outside with a full cup of cool-aid on a hot summer day, accidentally splashing his drink all about, the overflow of God’s grace in our lives should water the lives of others where we least expect it.

But congruently, spreading an aroma of grace is not only unintentional, but also intentional. Like plugging in an airwick into a room that would otherwise smell a bit funky, when we intentionally devote ourselves to the wellbeing of others, we leave a lasting aroma in their lives.

So how do we represent Christ before others? Simply put, by making much of him with how we live our lives. In the day to day, it’s helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

- How do I speak of Christ before others? With reverence, awe, wonder?

- How do I treat others as someone who bears his name, a Christian?

- How do I conduct my business, run my errands, engage in my friendships, and love my family as Christ would love them?

See, when our hearts are first saturated by his love, we will then be compelled to love him and others and so obey—out of great joy—his law of love!