Pondering our ‘triumphal procession,’ seeing the work of God

By Dean Collins

Occasionally someone might ask you, as they have asked me, what is your favorite verse or passage of Scripture. I suspect your answer might be like mine, that it is hard to pick just one because we have found over and over again how the Word of God is active and living and speaks to us each day. Choosing a favorite Scripture might be similar to trying to answer, “Who is your favorite child?” or “Who is your favorite grandchild?” We love them all.

So I can’t say it is my favorite, but I will confess that I am often encouraged, comforted, and challenged by 2 Corinthians 2:14-17:

“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. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

I thought about this passage again this week as I watched a parade of sorts the morning of Point University’s convocation.

Small town, long parade

Our campus is basically the downtown area of West Point Georgia. We occupy several buildings that once were all a part of the textile industry. When textile left the town and the area, many buildings were left with not enough businesses and people to occupy them. Many sat abandoned while others were sparsely used.

Point University moved from East Point, Georgia to West Point, Georgia in the summer of 2012 shortly after Kia had built their large assembly plant just inside the edge of the city. We love our new home, and the city has welcomed us and would say our presence has brought new life to this little town and to the area. When students go home for the summer, they are truly missed by the local community. They are also eagerly welcomed back each August when the fall term begins.

We do not have a chapel building with an auditorium large enough to host our events and chapel services, so we partner with local churches for concerts, chapels, and gatherings like convocation. Spring Road Christian Church is a mile down the road from where our administrative and academic buildings are located.

Whenever we have chapel or convocation, it is somewhat of a parade as our entire campus community of students, staff, and faculty travel to the church, which hosts us. It is enough of an event that we must have security and even local police along the way as hundreds of cars travel to and back from chapel. Traffic, if there is such a thing in our little town, is halted during this parade of cars all going to hear God’s Word preached and Christ proclaimed.

For the last 18 years I have preached at Convocation. I welcome the students and introduce our spiritual theme for the semester. While I didn’t preach from the 2 Corinthians passage, I thought a lot about it as I watched the parade of cars arriving and leaving the service.

Important service, high stress

The two verses before this well-loved passage give important context to the verses and are a big reminder that when serving Christ we do so with stress and difficulty around us. Early in 2 Corinthians the apostle Paul spoke of his stressors and discomfort and how God delivered him and calls us to provide comfort to others. Paul spoke of tensions and challenges within the church of Corinth. He was aware of differences of opinion concerning his letters and frustrations over his not coming to see them as he had indicated.

Paul was transparent when he confessed that he had traveled to Troas to preach because God had opened the door for him to do so. But he felt restless and distracted because he wanted to see and hear from Titus about how the church at Corinth was doing. He went on to Macedonia hoping to find Titus there. Paul was restless not knowing how the church was doing in Corinth, so restless that he had trouble embracing opportunities.

I am often living in that same moment. I am aware of great opportunity to witness for Christ as I lead a Christ-centered university. And at the same time, I am bombarded by challenges and difficulties that threaten to rob me of joy and keep me from seeing God’s work right in front of me. I imagine you realize as I do that service to Christ will always have distractions and difficulties stirred up by the enemy.

Triumphal procession, sweet aroma

In the midst of Paul’s confession of being distracted, he is fortified by the truth that God always leads us in triumphal procession and brings a sweet aroma all around as we follow him and share his gospel with others.  

The recipients of Paul’s letter would have easily called to mind the celebratory parade of a Roman general marching into the city after a victory. The parade would include some carrying incense in the front, followed by the victorious general and the army, and finally the captured army in chains awaiting further suffering and possible death. 

Paul reminds us that, led by our victorious Savior, we can bring hope, life, and the sweetness of forgiveness to others. And even as we do so there will be some around us who are still in chains that lead to death because they have yet to hear and receive Christ’s gospel.

The enemy will trouble, but God will lead

When convocation was over, I watched for 15 or 20 minutes as cars exited the parking lot and drove the mile back to classes and professors who waited to begin teaching and serving our students.  Some students come to us deeply committed to Jesus; some come with only a slight awareness of what Christ has done for them. As I preached the message at convocation and watched as the students left, my heart was at peace because I know that no matter how much stress and difficulty the enemy may stir up this year, one thing is true. God will lead us in a triumphal procession. He will do what only God can do; he will bring a fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus to our students, to our community, and even beyond until he returns.

Lord, as we go out today to do your will, remind us that even as there may be challenges and difficulties around us, you are already victorious. Give us eyes to see what you are doing in us and through us each day. Calm our anxiety and fill us with great confidence in you and the plans you have for us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your time with God’s Word
2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV

Photo by chris-mueller at istockphoto.com.
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