For whatever the reason I have very strong memories of a band trip I took to Mobile, AL, while in high school. We were quite "jazzed" (yes, it WAS an intentional pun!) to be marching in the Mardi Gras parade that year. I think it was 1974. At any rate, we had these uniforms which were designed for guys. I looked like a total heifer in them. And, our shoes had to be "whitewashed" on a regular basis with shoe polish. The thing I remember about the parade, other than my total revulsion over the shenanigans I saw was that, along the route, I stepped in a huge pile of horse manure. Needless to say, I was quite disgusted; the situation distracted me for the rest of the parade. I can still remember trying to clean that stuff off those white shoes. It was impossible for me to get off!
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 describes "the resplendent walk", which inspired the title of this blog. An alternate title could have been "triumphal march" or "victory parade"!
14-16 In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
16-17 This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No—but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can.
The Message
What does this mean, then - - - to march in victory? Does it mean we never step in the poo? Does it mean that things are "happy, happy, happy all the time"? Of course not. I'll be honest. I've been struggling lately. Since the beginning of September, I've spent more time than I would like in hospitals and funeral homes. People I know and love (8 different families) have experienced a tragic loss since the beginning of September. It has been heartbreaking and frankly, smelled a whole lot like "the poody-poo" (as Turtleman calls it). I know in my head and in my heart that we have the victory in Jesus; I've just not so much been "feeling it" lately.
So, this morning, I am consoling myself with the truths of this passage.
1. Victory begins by accepting Jesus as Savior (vs. 14). This does not mean going through the machinations of this or that church, per se. Machinations and spiritual gymnastics (aka "works") do not save you or put you on the parade route. No, there must be an intentional, heartfelt decision, a willful turning to Christ as Lord and Savior. You must "put on Christ", as it says in Galatians 3:27 and Romans 13:14. This clothing of ourselves in Jesus is like putting on our band uniform; you can't get into the victory parade without it. As vs. 14 says above, it is only in Christ that God leads us from place to place in one, perpetual victory parade.
2. Then, God leads us. When you march in a parade, you must follow your designated leader. To continue with this (somewhat flawed) analogy, God is our divine Drum Major. Victory is only possible if we keep our eyes on Him and follow. Sometimes, He leads us where we don't want to go. But, that is not up to us. We used to blithely (or at least I did it blithely) sing in church, "Where He Leads Me I Will Follow" years ago. Not as easy as the song says, is it?
3. Victory walk is "redolent with life"! Christ in us gives us a distinct "smell of victory". If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you know this. Other believers will often recognize that "signature scent", and it is a sweet aroma to them. On the contrary, to unbelievers, we stink. The odor of salvation is so offensive to them that, often, they seek to smear us with poody-poo in order to cover the scent. The degree of offense here is staggering. The Bible says that the aroma of salvation stinks like a "rotting corpse" to the unsaved. Now, I've never smelled a rotting corpse; I hope to never have that experience. This degree of revulsion on the part of unbelievers (many of them at least) explains why only the Holy Spirit can draw a person to salvation (John 6:44). This is why we must pray earnestly for our lost friends, acquaintances and loved ones.
4. Walking in victory means taking God's message, His undiluted words of salvation, and sharing them with a lost world. Oh y'all, I am so convicted by this command from our Savior (Matthew 28:18-20)! Refusing to tell the good news, ignoring "The Great Commission" is NOT an option for the Christian. "Is anyone capable of this in him- or herself", Paul asks (vs. 16)? No. It is only Christ in us who gives us the power to accomplish His commission to us. We don't have that power in or of ourselves.
So, what about that poo? Well, we go to the Lord for cleansing, because we are incapable of cleaning ourselves up, just as I was unable to get all that horse poo off my white shoes. He scrapes the filth off of our souls, pats us on the butt and sends us back out into the parade. There is no poo He cannot handle. You know, I can't think of much worse than sitting around, covered in filth. On a recent mission trip, one of our team members fell into a ditch of nastiness....while trying to help someone else! He had great intentions and wonderful motives! Yet, he became covered in poo. What was his response? To sit around in it and say, "Woe is me. I am done for. I am useless. I might as well give up. God can't use me - - - I'm covered in poo." ?? Of course not! He immediately went to the place of cleansing and got cleaned up. In no time, he was back in the victory parade. God is always SO good, Y'all!
This is a particular peril for unbelievers. Some of them actually want to come to Jesus for salvation, but the enemy has convinced them that they are covered in so much poo that not even Jesus can clean them up. Nonsense! Jesus is the One who "makes all things new" (Revelation 21:5)! One of these days, He will completely re-create the heavens and the earth. He can certainly transform completely your soul, whether you are covered in the poo of addiction, sexual enslavement, lying, cheating stealing, killing...He is greater than all that! His grace is far greater than all our sin.
My Christian brother, Chuck Colson, knew this. He knew about that supernatural grace that is greater than all our sin. If you have 9 more minutes, watch and listen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eO19Tdjl5w
Dear Father, I thank you with my whole heart that Your grace is greater than any poo the devil can sling, smear or place in our paths. You are so glorious, so far beyond our wildest imaginations. I praise You for taking us from the deepest pits of sin and transforming us forever, then continually molding us into a more recognizable likeness of Your Son. Thank you for giving us eternal victory and for leading us in Your victory parade, that resplendent walk. In Jesus' name, amen.
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