Episode 24: How Are We to Be the Pleasing Aroma of Christ?

In the name of the Glorious Trinity.

Father and Son and Holy Spirit forever.

Amen. Glory be to the Everlasting

mercies which sent you to us. Oh, Christ the light of the

world and the life of all give us wisdom by a law and Enlighten

our impulses, by your knowledge sanctify, our souls by your

truth and Grant that we may be obedient to your words and may

fulfill your Commandments at every hour.

O you who enlightens the rationale with the knowledge of

your greatness? He's doin light O My Lord.

Our thoughts that we made meditate upon your holy and

divine scriptures at all times. Oh Lord of all Father and Son

and Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Double-edged sword. A Christian podcast Ministry

presented by father, jonard Lazar father.

Jernard is a parish priest of the mud edit Parish of the

Assyrian Church of the East and Turlock California.

Here's father jernard. Sometimes when I finish

showering and I put on my cologne, normal teen and I come

out and Melissa my oldest daughter asks me dad, what is

that? What have you got on so when

she's frowning, I know it doesn't smell nice but when

she's got the inquisitive for facial expression, I know that

it smells nice and I say to her, it's more teen either the green

can or the Blue kitten or the red can't, you know?

And it's fiscal ology. Isn't it a drainer?

What I'd like to talk about today, the sweet fragrance to

God, you know, the scriptures, tell us and give us an

indication that let's, let's imagine it.

You know, when God's take takes a Sniff and he smells that sweet

fragrance coming or Wharf Ting forth from us.

All right it's in the passage. I'd like to share his second

2 Corinthians 2:15

Corinthians 2:15 st. Paul writes for we he's talking

about himself in a third-person term which is a Sexual way of

speaking in the Middle Eastern culture, but we also have a part

in this because we are the Disciples of the Apostles of the

Lord Jesus Christ. So we are a sweet fragrance to

God. In Christ amongst those who have

life and among those who perish. Let's, let's picture this way

when God takes a sniff or breathe.

You know. The question is, what smell does

he smell? What is the fragrance?

Is it sweet? Or is it a dreadful stench that

we confess in the Holy Liturgy of Holy Eucharist?

So we we being himself and us Now, Saint Paul is referring to

the fragrance or the aroma of the Holy gospels or the

scriptures which wafts forth from us.

When we believe when we accept, when we honor, when we obey and

we live the holy scriptures, according to the interpretation

of the church, that is the power of the scriptures paired up with

the interpretations of the church and the church fathers.

Venus is a sweet fragrance to God, the father of Christ.

Everything By the father to the father with the father through

his son Jesus Christ praise and glory be to his name.

So the activeness the liveliness of the Holy scriptures within

us, maybe dorky nerdy geeky unconventional.

To the world to men but to God. It is a sweet fragrance in

Christ. That is the Gospel of Jesus

Christ, someone being loving and forgiving at all times.

Again, may be seen as a dorky and nerdy a geeky and

conventional person, someone who is always ready to forgive and

pray for his his, or her hand enemies.

He's seen and portrayed that way with the world but for God it is

the sweet fragrance because the Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches

us the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The holy scriptures is a love. Sty, spiritual Love Story.

It's all about love and from Love Comes disciplined outcomes

punishment but it's all in love and through God's love st.

John chrysostom. And I'm going to quote a lot of

Saint, John chrysostom Saint, John chrysostom comments that

The gospel has a sweet savour. Whether a person is living in

Christ, all lost the gospel continues to have its own power.

So whether it's geeky, nerdy, unconventional dorky.

But the gospel has the power. When we live and portray the

gospels, we have the power It continues to say the light, even

when it blinds, someone is still light honey though.

It's bitter to those who are sick is still sweet.

You know, when I feel sick and your taste buds are yucky even

water that you drink is tastes yucky, but it's still water.

It's still refreshing. Same John.

Goes on to say so also the gospel has a sweet savior to all

even if those who do not believe it, Lost.

So we are a sweet savior to God. Savor flavor to God, fragrance

to God when we live and obey the scriptures.

We may be a sweet fragrance to others who believe in the

scriptures. But to those who do not believe

we still are a sweet fragrance because we are portraying living

the scriptures the holy Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

So How do here it is Adrena. How do we begin to smell sweet

to God through the Sacred Scriptures?

Each time. I mention my topic that I'm

going to speak about and a brief outline, adrenal Shana, which is

the mouth of your says. But how do I say, just relax.

We'll come to it. So here it is in my notes.

Audrina, I promise you. How do we begin to smell sweet

to God? And she is absolutely right.

A message without A a hint of application becomes just

information. And I brought that example, if

you go to the physician and he write you a prescription and

says I'm trying to think of some some medications, some medical

term and I'll make someone something up like this is called

a practical operation, some mitigation, right?

And if it's only prescribed with the word but there is no

indication of how you you are to apply the medication.

The medication will be of no use so Audrina.

Even though I always, you know, mention you and use you as a

whipping girl or the sacrificial lamb, you're absolutely right

application. How do we become a sweet

fragrance to God through the Sacred Scriptures?

First and foremost, we must study the scriptures.

Notice I didn't just say read, but I mentioned study now, I did

some research and I got onto difference between dotnet did on

on, on the difference between dotnet page, this is what it

defines. Studying is the process of fully

concentrating and devoting, ample time to the completion and

research of a particular task. So when I'm saying Studies is

scriptures, that means fully concentrating, concentrating and

devoting. Ample time to complete what you

are reading and to understand for that time to come for you to

understand and to comprehend reading.

However, on the other hand, implies the process of

understanding and gasping the objectives and meanings behind

the related content within the subject.

Oh yeah, I understand that. That's fine and I understand but

there's no devotion. There is no commitment.

So when I say study it means devoting ample time

concentrating with an undivided mind.

That's why it's nice to read your scriptures in the church

because there's no distractions. Read your scriptures when you

are in your room away from distractions so that you can

truly contemplate and devote time.

And Jesus says this in 539, he says these two is the to his

opposition's who thought that they had live in the scriptures.

They were eating. By the way, with scriptures is

Jesus. Talking about is the Old

Testament search the scriptures. For in them, you hope or you

think that you have eternal life but you don't because you are

not at hearing and obeying the scriptures that you claim that

you read and they testify concerning me.

The Old Testament is about Jesus Christ, is a prophecy about

Jesus Christ. Praise vehicle is to his name.

So in John, chrysostom rights again on this on John 5:39, do

John 5:39

not read about, do not only read, but also examine

scriptures. And he goes on to say, he tells

them that his Jesus tells them not to Simply read the

scriptures, but search the scriptures.

Why? Because what he said, Saint

John's goes on, says, these sayings that all the scriptures

testify concerning him are not on the surface.

Or out in the open but were hidden with deep like some

treasure, very deep like some treasure.

So when you search this and I said, studies are scriptures so

that you can understand the depth of the scriptures, which

have the treasures that are not on the surface.

Anyone Saint, John chrysostom goes on to say, anyone who

searches for hidden things, unless they are careful and

diligent will never find the object of their search.

This is why Jesus says In them. You think you have eternal life,

meaning Saint John. Chrysostom goes on to say,

meaning that they did not reap much fruit from the scriptures

thinking as they did that they should be saved by the mere

reading of them without faith. Search the script believe in the

Holy scriptures, believe that the holy scriptures were

written. Authorized authenticated

canonized by the church because when the church was in practice,

lack of a better term. When we read the book of Acts,

they want a holy scriptures when st.

Paul says, to in his career Epistles that I I, you know, let

me let me just use my own terms. I groomed you with the

scriptures. What scriptures was he talking

about? There was no written Scriptures.

It was the oral tradition and we're going to talk about that.

They what was spoken so they should they thought that they

should be saved by reading of the Holy scriptures without

faith. Not believing first believe that

the holy scriptures as I said that have been canonized by the

church, that is the only. Let me likely use this term and

it's not at the church, is not an institution.

Is the body of Christ is a living living, body of Christ.

Let's use the word the The only place that's where the only

Center, the only fountain that the Bible can be authentic and

which is the church and having faith in those scriptures and

studying the scriptures living the scriptures.

Converting your life changing your life.

According to the scriptures, then we become a sweet fragrance

to God and to others. And so he goes on to say it was

with good reason that he said you think, because they did not

actually listen to what the scriptures had to say.

But merely prided themselves on a, on the bar bear reading

searching the scriptures studying the scriptures beloved

doesn't merely until finding versus to be tailored to our

lives. Some people try to find

scripture to justify the immorality, and the sin that

they live in, Jesus didn't spoke to speak about this.

Jesus didn't speak about many things beloved, but Jesus spoke

one word that entailed everything.

And when you truly search study set proper time.

Devote ample time and concentrate, you'll find that

that one word that has come out of the mouth of God incarnate

Kane, Jesus Christ. The only son of God Intel's,

everything searching, the scriptures studying the

scriptures doesn't merely Min or until finding versus for dispute

or four arguments or so you can you know condemn people to hell

because of skip some people do that.

Searching, the scriptures helps us see where we are standing

with Jesus Christ. In our war work of the works of

life in our work of a life in Jesus Christ.

And once we find ourselves living in the scriptures,

beloved reflecting the scriptures, not just being

ambitious to preach the scriptures.

Saint Francis of Assisi and I quote this Commands.

Preach, the gospel at all times. Use words, if necessary, leave

the holy scriptures, search the scriptures find yourself.

Evaluate yourself. Correct yourself live.

That correction, that evaluation your, then preaching the script

you become that sweet fragrance to others and to God, and even

to those who don't accept you, but you are still a sweet

fragrance. This is how we become a sweet

fragrance. Beloved God smells the fragrance

of his son Worf that from us. God is a piste notice.

It's all about Jesus Christ, everything to the father must go

through Jesus. Sighs God is appeased with us

when we are obedient and living the holy scriptures.

Another fundamental work of the work of our life in Christ,

which we spoke about two programs ago, is reading the

holy scriptures when we need to do in fear.

And in trembling that's how we find our work, our walk with

Christ in the scriptures. As with fear and trembling Saint

Paul instructs. And how do we read the

scriptures? Some people say, how do I do?

What do I do Lobby? I pick up the gospel and I just

start reading the scriptures. I encourage people to start with

the gospel of Mark because it's precise, it's short, it's simple

to read and to understand. But you you choose any book

before you start to read the Holy scriptures, pray before the

before you commence, reading the holy scriptures.

Let me, excuse me. I'm going to have to turn some

pages. Let Read to you some of the

prayers that the priest recites audibly, or silently, before the

holy gospel is read and presented to the faithful in the

church. God, the Lord of all strengthen

your thoughts, make your choose melodious.

So that you may sing Glory by his grace and his compassion.

I mean, and everyone says I mean glory to the mercies that sent

you to us, oh, Christ the light of the world and the life of all

armed in grant us wisdom by your law and lighten our impulses by

your truth sanctify. Our souls by your truth.

Give us that we may be obedient to your words and to fulfill

your And so, you know, these are all the Preparatory prayers we

pray before we read the Holy scope gospels.

So before you pick up the holy gospels and the gospel or the or

the holy scriptures pray because, you know, this is the

written word of Jesus Christ. The power of Jesus Christ in his

words praying before the reading of the Holy gospels or the

scriptures. Saint ephrem advisors on the

study of scriptures and this is what he writes.

I found this on the internet. Listen to this it's a long read

but please bear with me. Lord who can grasp all the

wealth of just one of your words.

One of your words and that's what I was saying before.

Lord who can crack grasp all the wealth of just one of your words

that we understand in. Sorry what we understand is much

less than We Leave Behind, like, thirsty people who drink from a

fountain for your word. Lord has many shades of meaning.

Just as those who study it, have many different points of views,

the Lord has colored his word with Many Hues so that each

person who studies it can see it in what he loves, he has hidden

many Treasures, Treasures in his word so that each of us is

enriched as we meditate on it. The word of God is a tree of

life that from all its parts offers you fruit.

That is blessed. It is like the rock opened in

the desert that from all its parts gave forth, a spiritual

drink, when Simon Rowan. Moses struck his rod on the Rock

which was Jesus Christ, he who comes into contact with some

share of its treasure that is the word of God should not think

that the only thing contained in the word is what he himself has

found. Whoa, he should realize that he

has only been able to find that one thing from among many

others. Not, because only that one part

has been Come. He's should he say that the word

is void and empty and looked down on it?

So when the word doesn't coincide with your life and

you're thinking, don't dare to say that the word of God is

empty and void. No, it's not.

It's full of fruits and Saint ephrem continues to write just

Google st. Ephram's, advice on the side, a

study of the Sacred Scriptures, and I'm going to close off with

Saint. John, chrysostom says prayer

before reading the scriptures. Those who'd like to cut a copy

of this prayer reach out to us that the producers would be more

than happy to provide it to you after doing the sign of the

cross. Everything is in the name of the

Holy Trinity, the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

The prayer begins. Oh Lord, Jesus Christ.

Open the Eyes of My Heart that I may hear your word and

understand and do your will for I am a Sojourner upon the Earth

hide. Not your Commandments from me,

but open my eyes that I may perceive the wonders of your law

speak unto me, the hidden and secret things of your wisdom on

you. I Set My Hope.

Oh my God, that you will Enlighten my mind and

understanding with the light of your knowledge, not only to

cherish those things. Which are written, but to do

them that in reading the lives and sayings of the Saints.

I may not sin, but that such may serve for my restoration and

Lightman and sanctification, for the Salvation of my soul.

And the inheritance of Life Everlasting for you, Lord are

the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness and from you

comes every good deed and every gift a lot of all, Father and

Son, and Holy Spirit forever Amen.

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