Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

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Word Pictures in the New Testament: v29: corrupt (sapros): rotten, putrid, like fruit (Matthew 7:17f), fish (Matthew 13:48); here the opposite of agathos (good); for edifying as the need may be (pros oikodomeôn teôs chreias); for the build-up of the need, for supplying help when there is need. Let no other words come out. V30: Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God (meô lupeite to pneuma to hagion tou theou); "cease grieving" or "do not have the habit of grieving." V31: bitterness (pikria); old word from pikros (bitter), in NT only here and Acts 8:23; Rom 3:14; Heb 12:15; clamour (kraugeô): old word for outcry (Matthew 25:6; Luke 1:42); see Colossians 3:8. Be put away (artheôtoô): first aorist passive imperative of airoô, old verb, to pick up and carry away, to make a clean sweep.

Word Pictures in the New Testament: Be kind to one another (ginesthe eis alleôlous chreôstoi); present middle imperative of ginomai, "keep on becoming kind (chreôstos, used of God in Romans 2:4) toward one another." See Colossians 3:12f. Tenderhearted (eusplagchnoi): late word (eu, splagchna) once in Hippocrates, in LXX, here and 1 Peter 3:8 in NT. 5:1: Imitators of God (mimeôtai tou theou): this old word from mimeomai Paul boldly uses. If we are to be like God, we must imitate him.

Word Pictures in the New Testament: An offering and a sacrifice to God (prosphoran kai thusian toôi theoôi). Accusative in apposition with heauton (himself): Christ’s death was an offering to God "in our behalf" (huper heômoôn), not an offering to the devil (Anselm), a ransom (lutron) as Christ himself said (Matthew 20:28), Christ’s own view of his atoning death. For an odor of a sweet smell (eis osmeôn euoôdias): same words in Philippians 4:18 from Leviticus 4:31; Paul often presents Christ’s death as a propitiation (Romans 3:25), as in 1 John 2:2

Barnes Notes on the New Testament on Ephesians 4:32: As God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you--as God, on account of what Christ has suffered and done, has pardoned you. This is to be the rule which we are to observe in forgiving others. We are to do it "freely, fully, liberally." The forgiveness is to be entire, cordial, constant. We are not to "rake up" old offences and charge them again upon them; we are to treat them as though they had not offended, for so God treats us

2) The peace and happiness of the church depend on it. All are liable to offend their brethren, as all are liable to offend God; all need forgiveness of one another, as we all need it of God.

3) There is no danger of carrying it too far. Let the rule be observed, "As God has forgiven you, so do you forgive others." Let a man recollect his own sins and follies; let him look over his life and see how often he has offended God; let him remember that all has been forgiven; and then, fresh with this feeling, let him go and meet an offending brother and say, "My brother, I forgive you. I do it frankly, fully, wholly. So Christ has forgiven me; so I forgive you. The offence shall be no more remembered. It shall not be referred to in our contact to harrow up your feelings; it shall not diminish my love for you; it shall not prevent my uniting with you in doing good. Christ treats me, a poor sinner, as a friend; and so I will treat you."

This is the time of the year when we ride bicycles, motorcycles, convertibles, and in all kinds of cars and trucks with the windows rolled down. The other night two trucks passed me and there were young people riding on the back of the trucks.

With all that fresh air blowing at us in this warm weather, sometimes we have to smell things we’d rather not smell. There’s a skunk that someone ran over; here’s a raccoon on the highway that decided to run right under the wheels. That was last Tuesday, and he’s still there. You can imagine what he smells like by now.

I bring this up because the Bible describes our sin this way. Right before the flood, the Bible says: "Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways" (Genesis 6:11-12). When Moses was on the mountain with God, the people started worshiping other gods. The Lord told Moses: "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt" (Exodus 32:7). God says that we are CORRUPT with sin. That means "Sin stinks!"

He has a remedy. Your mom buys air freshener to deal with the problem of odors in your home. God has his own air freshener. Paul says in today’s text: "Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

When Noah came out of the ark, he offered up a burnt offering. Then the Bible says: The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done" (Genesis 8:21). Animals were killed and their bodies burned on an altar to cover up the corrupt odor of sin. It smelled like steak on the grill. Paul says that Christ died for us and his sacrifice covers over our sin. (SPRAY AIR FRESHENER)

God will never condemn anyone who has faith in Jesus, because Jesus’ death covers over the bad odor of sin. Jesus is our Savior and the world’s air freshener. (SPRAY AIR FRESHENER) Now He wants us to live His life of love in our lives. So do your part about sin’s air pollution. Live a life of love and let's freshen up this sinful old world. (SPRAY AGAIN)

1. pikria {pik-ree'-ah}, v31: bitter gall; extreme wickedness; a bitter root, and so producing a bitter fruit; metaphorically, bitterness, bitter hatred. (Strong's)

2. thumos {thoo-mos'}, v31: passion, angry, heat, anger forthwith boiling up and soon subsiding again; glow, ardour, the wine of passion, inflaming wine (which either drives the drinker mad or kills him with its strength). (Strong's)

3. orge {or-gay'}, v31: anger, the natural disposition, temper, character; movement or agitation of the soul, impulse, desire, any violent emotion, but especially anger; anger, wrath, indignation; anger exhibited in punishment, hence used for punishment itself; of punishments inflicted by magistrates. (Strong's)

5. blasphemia {blas-fay-me'-ah}, v31: slander, detraction, speech injurious to another's good name; impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine majesty. (Strong's)

6. kakia {kak-ee'-ah}, v31: malignity, malice, ill-will, desire to injure; wickedness, depravity; wickedness that is not ashamed to break laws; evil, trouble. (Strong's)

7. chrestos {khrase-tos'}, v32: fit, fit for use, useful; virtuous, good; manageable; mild, pleasant (as opposed to harsh, hard sharp, bitter); of things: more pleasant, of people, kind, benevolent. (Strong's)

9. charizomai {khar-id'-zom-ahee}, v32: to do something pleasant or agreeable (to one), to do a favour to, gratify; to show one's self gracious, kind, benevolent; to grant forgiveness, to pardon; to give graciously, give freely, bestow; to forgive; graciously to restore one to another; to preserve for one a person in peril. (Strong's)