2 Corinthians 2:12-17 (NIV)
Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
On his way looping back to Corinth before he headed back east to Judea and Jerusalem, Paul headed north to Troas, the site of ancient Troy on the northwest coast of what is now Turkey. He preached a few times there and had an abundant harvest of souls for the kingdom.
But his heart was troubled because Titus, whom he had sent ahead of him to Corinth to check things out, had not come to Troas with word from them as planned. So, rather than taking time in Troas to reap more souls for the kingdom, he finished up his work there and started back west into Macedonia, headed for Corinth.
Paul’s spontaneous praise to God as he dictated this letter to his scribe was about the work he had accomplished in Troas that had produced much of the same lifegiving fruit that it had in Corinth. Paul reflects that everywhere he went, his evangelistic endeavors tended to quickly split people into two groups. Those who were open to the message of salvation received it gladly, like the fragrance of sweet incense. But to those who are closed to the gospel, his message struck them like the reek of death. That sharply divided response made Paul’s work the most joy-filled work, and at the same time the most difficult and dangerous work imaginable.
But, as he is quick to point out, Paul is not doing the work for monetary gain, unlike some so-called apostles, who charged fees for speaking and for teaching. Even though some churches contributed to Paul’s support, and some sent gifts that helped Paul in his ministry, he didn’t charge the people he ministered to and worked among. He supported himself to the extent possible as a leatherworker, and trusted God for everything else that he needed.
Father, I wonder if the Corinthians really understood how much they meant to Paul. Even though they were a challenge to him, even though they caused him grief by their divisions and heresies, he loved them enough to change his whole agenda to meet their needs. Paul was indeed driven by his obligation to preach the gospel. But that obligation was tempered by his mercy and love, which You gave him in abundance. Help me, Lord, to never get so driven by my agenda that I lose the people in the process. Amen.
If you are enjoying these devotional thoughts, Pastor Will’s new book, When We Listen, a Devotional Commentary on Matthew, has been released, and can be ordered on Amazon in paperback or on Kindle. Just follow this link!