The Promise
When I was still in college, God began to call me to church
planting. A few years later in seminary, I tried to get prepared with a research
project in which I surveyed all the church planters in our denomination. I
asked them various questions about methods they used. The last question was
open-ended. What advice would they give
me, a future church planter?
One veteran church planter’s only advice was to claim the
promise of 2 Corinthians 2:14. But thanks be to God, who always
leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. (NASB)
At the time I wasn’t familiar with the passage, but I began
to study it. Now, all these years later, the truth of this wonderful passage
has been an encouragement to me for over 35 years. I'm hoping you might be encouraged, too, through a short series of posts.
Here’s the background: Paul, traveling from Ephesus, came to
the port city of Troas, a place he sensed was ripe for the gospel. But his
plans had included meeting his colleague and protégé Titus, who was returning
from a trip to Corinth.
Titus failed to appear and Paul was filled with concern,
both for his young disciple and for the Corinthian church, which had been
dealing with many problems.
Life is like that. Your best plans may be interrupted.
People may disappoint or worry you. Challenges you never anticipated change
everything.
All these things were heavy upon the Apostle Paul. But that’s
when he burst forth in confidence: But thanks be to God, who always
leads us in triumph in Christ!
This is both Paul's testimony as well as a promise for you and
me. Despite sin, setbacks, stalls, and even spiritual warfare, God leads
us in triumph. But the most important thing to know about this promise is that it's Christ’s triumph,
not ours.
For next time: The Hero of the Story
