14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.
1Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. 3You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
There is a small British firm that specializes in “themed aromas”. Some of the company’s most popular “Granny’s Kitchen” and “Burnt Wood” are meant to enhance museum visits or call up long-lost memories. The most challenging fragrance ‘Dale Air’ had to recreate was the breath of Tyrannosaurus Rex. They talked to paleontologists to find out what the authentic aroma would smell like. Not good. Imagine rotting meat stuck in their giant incisors and open sores from fighting. Genuine T-Rex breath was so bad the museum opted for simulated swamp smell so visitors weren’t revolted. Smell is the least developed and most mysterious of all of our senses. Fragrances affect our mood considerably and are an almost infallible trigger for memory. The ability of pleasant aromas to elevate moods & enhance creativity has been scientifically proven. Think of types of tea.
Chamomile to relax. Lavender to relieve stress. Peppermint to stimulate. Studies confirm aromacology is becoming more common in the workplace, homeplace, & beyond. We have come a long way from smell-o-vision. Hollywood put machines in theaters that released aromas to coincide with movie plots. The Home Fragrance industry is $1 billion per year. Disney uses aromas on rides. Crayons are scented.
Paul writes, “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death and to the other the fragrance of life”. Scripture is permeated by the metaphor of fragrance and sense of smell. The ancient Israelites believed they could smell God’s presence in incense. By the way, the Mexicans called incense the “cigarettes of the gods”. In Exodus, the priests were instructed to keep the incense burning in the temple night and day. In contrast to the pleasing fragrance of incense, Isaiah explicitly says that there is a stench or stink to a proud person. Is it possible different spirits have different smells? Does mercy smell sweet and pleasing while arrogance is odious and offensive? In John’s Gospel, the sinful woman anoints Jesus with expensive perfume, thereby preparing the “Anointed One” for his pending crucifixion. In today’s terms that love gift would cost $30,000. Revelation appeals to our sense of smell & emphasizes the pungent incense that pervades worship of the Almighty.
This passage from Paul is rich with images. The triumphal procession in Christ is appropriated from the ancient world. To celebrate a military conquest, the Roman general would lead his soldiers in a massive parade. Captives in chain & spoils on display marched as people cheered and sweet perfume was in the air to celebrate.
So the total triumph of Christ is visualized here. By the death and resurrection of Christ, the victory has been won. So Jesus is triumphant leading the procession throughout the world. The church/the saints are the fragrant offering accompanying the march. To those who are being saved we’re “the fragrance of life”. To those who are perishing “the stench of death”. Paul asks, “Who is equal to such a task?”
While the triumphal procession was a rare, grand spectacle in Rome, Paul captures an ordinary slice of life comparing the church and the saints to fragrances. Salves, perfumes, ointments, and scents pervaded every area of ancient life. For healing and medicinal purposes, cosmetic and beautification, for food preparation and hospitality, and for precious anointing oils and incense. So these fragrances were present in the marketplace, homeplace, workplace, healthplace, and religiousplace. Of course, not all the smells were so pretty. The aromatic industry was needed because there was disease, slavery, rotting food, death, sewage, animal sacrifices, people who seldom bathed everywhere. They needed pretty perfumes to cover up.
This translates to this time and place. We work hard to cover-up smells and repress scents that expose our mortality, lack of control, and sinfulness. Our funeral homes and the whole death industry is sterilized. The aged and disabled are cordoned off in institutions. We are very reluctant to be honest about our own inadequacies and personal fears so we cover them up with a smile. I appreciate that individuals have allergies and reaction to certain odors, but I confess I miss real pungent incense in worship. There is something about our sense of smell and its capacity to so directly connect with our memories. Like ancient Israel, it reminds us we are in the Holy of Holies, among God’s people, and this is sacred space. Each person has an odor-print that’s as characteristic as a thumbprint or voiceprint. Living Bible translates “wherever we go God uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume”. Everywhere-marketplace, workplace, homeplace, schoolplace.
In a world that is dealing with death but remains in staunch denial what the odor print of the body of Christ? That is a huge responsibility. Who is equal to this task?
The Holy Sepulchre is an old Crusader church located in Jerusalem. Built on the site of where Christ was crucified/resurrected it is the holiest site in the Christian Church. Today the church is shared by six different Christian denominations. Wandering through this place of worship is holy chaos. Walking these hallowed halls are tourists taking photos, congregations at worship, pilgrims kneeling before shrines, processionals with incense & spectacle. The congregations within the Holy Sepulchre are infamous for not getting along, guarding their physical turf jealously. I gravitate to this holy site that also disheartens me. It embodies the saint/sinner, holy/human, grace/death contradiction of the Christian Church. So they don’t get along. Jesus death/resurrection happened here. The gospel procession is still on. In 1808 there was a fire that damaged much the outer structure. It took them 50 years to decide who will fix and pay for what. When repairs finally got underway in 1858, they utilized a ladder to repair the roof. Attempts at renovation have done more harm than good so they argued over that. Anyway, that old ladder is still on the roof because they cannot decide who’s really responsible for putting it away.
The Holy Sepulchre is still the holiest site in Christendom because of Jesus. The final victory over sin, death, and evil happened in that physical space. It is not any less holy because of the occasional lack of fellowship. However, the witness is probably tainted, mixed bouquet. Hospitality to pilgrims is fragrant. The incapacity to cooperate at times reeks like rotten T-Rex breath.
Today in our series on the stewardships of Vinland we are talking about property. We are looking for handy and/or willing volunteers who can help Don Cole , John Rova, and Good Ole men that care and maintain our property including the cemetery and Camp Lutherhaven. I am constantly amazed at the mileage and ministry we have exacted from this modest and mortgage-free facility. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t remodel or expand when the time is right. This stewardship is about hospitality and witness, ultimately about the fragrance of faith. How we open our doors, how we care for our space, how we share our space, and how we love those who God has entrusted to us. Property is not glamorous like worship but so very necessary. Our facility is a fishing boat. Sacred space, yes. But, for function, for faith, for ministry, for God.
Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “In an age of information overload, when a vast variety of media deliver news faster than we can digest it- when many of us have at least two email addresses, two telephone numbers, and a fax number- the last thing we need is more information about God. We need to meet God as person not topic, as Savior not subject, encounter the Merciful One not in our head but in our heart. Where God saves the lives of those whose faith has long since faded with time and suffering. The Lord who resurrects and embraces those who are afraid and tired preparing to meet eternity. The Hound of Heaven who relentlessly keeps coming to those who have forgotten his name and have run so low on the bread of life and daily bread in these harsh economic times. It is not more about God. More God.
Earlier this week I was in a bit of ministerial malaise. Stopped in to see a few of our homebound and was stunned by the depth of our conversation. One was coming thru a time of physical distress. They said this has been the hardest time in life, accepting limitations and dealing with such pain. Yet, a time of surprising blessing, finding joy in grandchildren and watching them play. I accept my suffering and I have learned a lot. Another was pretty cranky and had a right to be. Not really having all their faculties, especially memory. Though, they told me to tell his children to get their butt over to see them. The third was way beyond accepting, letting go, and being at peace with God. We recounted the blessings of a blessed life. They said, “Good family”. I added, “Its okay. Blessed family, vocation, faith”.
Faith and life happens in-depth and in-person. God speaks more through these saints. More God would refresh and revive a hurting world thru the church, thru his people. Fragrance of faith; a potent combination of smelling salts and sweet incense.
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