- Sermon Notes
- Scripture
Be a Triumphant Believer
2 Corinthians 2:14-3:5
February 16, 2025
As we continue in the book of 2 Corinthians, you’ll remember that last week we saw in the introduction that there were some who were opposing the leadership of Paul. He had written them letters of correction, which some received with an open heart, but some opposed.
In the section we are in tonight, we see Paul continuing to address this topic, reflecting on his life and ministry, giving us an insight into his faith.
Paul shows us a faith that is victorious. It’s here we understand how Paul thinks; how he processes life. It’s a great opportunity for our faith to be strengthened as well.
Importantly though, he reiterates what the source of his power, and focus, of a victorious life is.
These are critically important principles for us to hold on to as well. Many want to live lives of triumph, victory, and want to be overcomers. That is the whole premise of success from a worldly perspective.
But here, Paul is addressing being a triumphant believer. What is a triumphant believer? Someone that never sins? Someone that reads the bible a couple of hours every day? Someone that volunteers 20 hours a week? Someone that knows all the rules, abides by them, and enforces them on everyone? Someone who never goes through trouble and difficulty? Or is it something simpler, yet much more powerful and freeing?
We will see that the key to being a triumphant believer is to not try and be one, but to stop trying and just be one. That you can be a triumphant believer even in the midst of trouble and difficulty.
I. God Always Leads Us in His Triumph
- What does it mean to always be led in God’s triumph? Notice that he says, “God’s triumph.” In other words, Paul is not suggesting that the Christian is filled with personal triumphs so that he can boast in his personal accomplishments.
- In fact, we know from Romans 6 that we have died, and now live for Christ. A corpse cannot triumph. A corpse cannot win at any game.
- It also doesn’t mean that the Christian is free from trouble or difficulty. Paul encountered more difficulty and trouble than just about anyone I know.
- We need to understand this because it has everything to do with how we live out our faith.
A. God is the One who is leading
- This is a work that God does. Give thanks to God because He always leads us in His triumph in Christ.
- There are two parts to this. First, that God leads; and secondly, God leads in His triumph.
- There is an aspect of God’s sovereign hand at work as He orders the steps of our lives.
Psalm 37:23-24, The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he will not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
- And this is not based on your works and trying to be righteous. We have been made righteous through the finished work of Christ on the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:21, He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- Mature faith believes that God orders our steps and looks for those divine appointments that He arranges for us.
Illus – I remember when I was called to the second church that I pastored in…
B. God gives His triumph
- He leads us in His triumph. This does not mean that He leads us in such a way that we never encounter trouble. Paul encountered many troubles.
- Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
- “Take courage,” Jesus said. In other words, have faith in the midst of your troubles. Faith is your victory because your eyes are always looking to Him to order your steps and bring you through the trouble into His victory.
1 John 5:4, Whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that is overcome the world – our faith.
- What triumph was Paul taking about? It was the triumph of the gospel. No matter what they went through, what adversities they faced, the gospel, the good news of the redeeming power of Christ, and all that that entails, always triumphed.
- It triumphed by bringing hope to people as they spread the good news. It triumphed into eternity because the greatest adversaries, sin and death has been conquered.
- It triumphed because there is a promise that Jesus is coming back and we have surety of eternity in Him.
Illus – Sometimes when I drive to church and have many ‘troubles’ or challenges that I think of, the Holy Spirit reminds me to look up at the clouds…. Jesus is coming back.
- Ultimately, our triumph is in knowing that He triumphed, and we are already more than conquerors in Him.
Hebrews 11:32-40 – The Hall of faith; not all lived, but all were victorious.
- We are victorious when we understand by faith that God is for us and that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
Romans 8:31, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- The question in many people’s minds, however, is why God, in His great love, doesn’t keep us from troubles. For many, it seems inconsistent, “You say you love me, and yet I go through troubles and trials and difficulties.”
- They are convinced that a God that is good should not allow evil to exist. There is such a place and it’s called heaven, but this is earth where God has made man with a will to freely choose to follow Him or reject Him.
Illus – Jesus gave a parable that the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat… the wheat and the tares will grow up together until the harvest…
- God did not promise to keep us from troubles, but He did promise to be with us in them.
Hebrews 13:5-6, He Himself has said, “I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you.” So that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
II. We are the Fragrance of Christ
- God manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place, Paul said.
- In other words, people should smell something in our character that is sweet and pleasant.
- Does character have a smell? Sure. There’s an old southern expression that captures the opposite of this; “There’s a skunk in the wood pile somewhere.” In other words, you may not be able to put your finger on it, but you just know there’s something wrong about that person’s character.
- The opposite should be true in our lives. There should be something that people can smell in our character that’s good and right. “There’s something very pleasant about your character, I like being with you,” should be what people think about you.
- This is what attracted people to Jesus.
A. How you smell matters
- Smell is a very powerful sense. We often associate memories and important events with those smells that were part of them.
Illus – The other day my wife put on a perfume that she wore on our honeymoon. It immediately transported me back many years.
- Having the aroma of Christ comes from the transformation of character that comes from His presence in your life.
Acts 4:13, Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
- That is the key. The aroma of your character comes from what happens in the inner man. That’s where Christ transforms death into life.
- It is an infusion of aroma.
- The letter brings death, the Spirit brings life.
Illus – Have you ever had a freezer or a fridge loose power, maybe when you are away on vacation? When you come back, it is a mess. Meat rotting, maybe maggots everywhere if the blood has seeped out. How do you fix this? Air freshener won’t help. You need to clean it out. Wash it clean. Plug it in.
- You can’t just add air freshener to the smell of death. That is what trying to uphold the letter of the law tries to do.
- You need to be washed clean. Be renewed. Be plugged in to the power of His spirit that brings life.
- Trust Him; He is the resurrection and the life. He transforms that which is dead into life.
B. Be a fragrance to God
- We are the fragrance of Christ to God, Paul said. In the Old Testament fragrant offerings were given to the Lord to represent the love, the worship, and the prayers of the people.
Ephesians 5:1-2, Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Hebrews 13:15, Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
- Paul also points out, however, that not everyone appreciates the aroma of Christ. To them it’s a reminder of their death which they would prefer to ignore. In fact, your life can be a conviction to them pointing out the death they are in.
- Some might be kicking against the goads, and as a result might not treat you well. It is a sign that they are actually experiencing the conviction of God through your life as they are seeing the clear contrast.
- To others, when they see your life, they recognize that God is doing something in you, and they want it too.
Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
- A great question to ask: When last did someone not praise you, but praise God for you?
- When you experience fresh air, you never want to go back to that smelly place. You want to be in the fresh wind. You want to agree with God that the stinking thing in your life needs to be cleaned out. That is repentance.
C. Our sufficiency is from God
- Verse 16 – who is adequate for these things?
- Paul goes on to say that his confidence is in Christ. The pride of the American culture is to be self-sufficient, but the person who is self-sufficient has cut themselves off from the help God provides.
- Paul has learned that there is no value in being self-sufficient, he needs God and so do we.
- Ultimately, what makes you impactful and triumphant is recognizing that you cannot do it. It is the Spirit that gives life.
- It is not about trying harder to be triumphant, but to rest in His triumph. He leads you into triumph where it is needed for His glory.
Illus – Have you ever tried to swim against a strong current….
Illus – Flow with the stream of God’s Spirit. The current of His Spirit is not aimed at taking you over the cliffs of destruction.
- We can rest in the knowledge that His thoughts towards us are good and that He loves us.
Romans 8:37-39, In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced… that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- We can stand in that truth by thanking Him and worshipping Him for who He is, what He has done and will do.
1 Thessalonians 5:18, in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- Why was David such a mighty overcomer? He was a worshiper.
- As a young man David worshiped as he watched the sheep. He played his harp, he wrote Psalms and he did it because of his heart after God. It was not about how many people would hear his songs or sing them. It was just a heart loving God and surrendering to Him.
Psalm 71:5, For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.
Psalm 37:30-31, The mouth of the righteous proclaims wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice and truth. The law of his God is in his heart; Not one of his steps will slip.
- There is one thing that no one can take from you: your choice. Who you choose to worship. who you choose to believe, who you choose to put your faith in.
- This is how we overcome:
Revelation 12:1, By the blood of the lamb, and by the word of our testimony.
- What is your testimony? It is testifying, agreeing, speaking of, being aligned with the truth of God’s word and who He is.
- In Him we are already triumphant. Walk in it in faith.
2 Corinthians 2:14-3:5 NASB
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing: 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 17 For we are not like the many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? 2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, 3 revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,
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