“I Smell Jesus”

Exodus 30:22-31

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³ “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, ²⁴ 500 shekels of cassia all according to the sanctuary shekel and a hin of olive oil. ²⁵ Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. ²⁶ Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, ²⁷ the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, ²⁸ the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. ²⁹ You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy.

³⁰ “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. ³¹ Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come.

As we pass each fragrance around the room tonight, I want you to take a moment to smell it and allow the Holy Spirit to remind you that every ingredient points us to a deeper spiritual truth. We are not recreating the holy anointing oil of Exodus 30, for God declared that oil belonged to Him alone and was never to be reproduced for common use (Exodus 30:32–33). Instead, we are using these fragrances as a teaching illustration to help us understand what God desires to produce in every life He anoints.

The first fragrance is Myrrh (Exodus 30:23). As you smell it, remember the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ. Myrrh was one of the gifts presented to Jesus by the wise men at His birth (Matthew 2:11), pointing prophetically toward His sacrificial death. It was also used to prepare His body for burial after the crucifixion (John 19:39–40).

Myrrh reminds us that there is no crown without a cross and no resurrection without sacrifice. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). The fragrance of myrrh speaks of surrender, obedience, and a life laid down for the will of God. Before God pours out His power, He first teaches us to surrender our hearts.

The second fragrance is Sweet Cinnamon (Exodus 30:23). Cinnamon reminds us of holy passion and a heart that burns with love for Christ. Paul exhorted believers to be “fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11). After Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, they said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road?” (Luke 24:32). The Holy Spirit does not produce cold religion but a heart that burns with love, worship, and devotion to Jesus.

The third fragrance is Sweet Calamus (Exodus 30:23). Calamus reminds us that God is the Restorer. Though life bruises us, disappointments wound us, and trials bend us, God is able to lift us up again. David testified, “He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:3), and Isaiah declared concerning the Messiah, “A bruised reed He will not break” (Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20). God does not discard broken people—He restores them and causes them to stand again.

The fourth fragrance is Cassia (Exodus 30:24). Cassia speaks of humility, cleansing, submission, and the authority that flows from a yielded life. James reminds us, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Jesus Himself humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, “therefore God also has highly exalted Him” (Philippians 2:8–9). In God’s Kingdom, true authority is never rooted in pride but in humble obedience to the Father’s will.

The fifth ingredient is Olive Oil (Exodus 30:24–25). Throughout Scripture, olive oil represents the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit. Samuel anointed David with oil, “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13). Zechariah heard the Lord declare, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). Every grace, every gift, every act of ministry, and every expression of God’s power is carried by the Holy Spirit. Without Him there is no true anointing.

Every time you smell this oil, let it remind you of Jesus. Remember His suffering, His holy love, His restoring grace, His humility, and the gift of His Holy Spirit. May this simple oil never become a superstition or a religious object, but a reminder that God is still shaping His people into the image of His Son. The greatest evidence of the anointing is not that people know our name it is that when they encounter our lives, they encounter Jesus.

Before anyone ever smelled the fragrance of the holy anointing oil, every ingredient had first been touched by the hand of God.

And before the world can smell the fragrance of Christ in us, our lives must first be touched by the hand of God. Paul wrote:

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14–15)

The oil was fragrant, but our lives are now meant to carry the fragrance of Christ.

“I Smell Jesus”

The Fragrance of Christ Seen in the Lives of God’s People

Before the holy anointing oil was ever poured upon a priest, every ingredient had its own fragrance. Individually they each revealed something beautiful, but when blended together they produced one holy aroma that belonged to God alone (Exodus 30:22–33).

The same is true in the lives of God’s people. Throughout Scripture, God allowed different men and women to display various aspects of His nature. One life revealed surrender, another holy passion, another restoration, another humility, another the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet none of them alone revealed the fullness of God’s heart.

They were individual fragrances pointing toward one perfect Person Jesus Christ. When all these characteristics come together in a believer’s life, the world begins to smell the fragrance of Christ.

Myrrh  Abraham and Isaac: The Fragrance of Sacrifice

Scriptures: Genesis 22:1–18; Matthew 2:11; Luke 9:23; John 19:39–40

The fragrance of myrrh speaks first of sacrifice, and no Old Testament picture illustrates this better than Abraham walking with Isaac toward Mount Moriah. Every step up that mountain carried the scent of surrender. Abraham was willing to lay upon the altar the very promise God had given him because he trusted the One who made the promise more than the promise itself (Genesis 22:1–18; Hebrews 11:17–19).

Centuries later, wise men presented myrrh to the infant Jesus, prophetically declaring that He had been born to die (Matthew 2:11). At Calvary, the true Lamb carried our sacrifice to completion, and after His death Nicodemus brought myrrh to prepare His body for burial (John 19:39–40).

Every disciple who follows Christ must carry this same fragrance, for Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). The world smells Jesus when it encounters believers who have laid their lives upon God’s altar.

Sweet Cinnamon — David: The Fragrance of Passion

Scriptures: Psalm 63:1–8; Psalm 84:1–2; Acts 13:22; Luke 24:32; Romans 12:11

If Myrrh speaks of surrender, cinnamon speaks of a heart burning with holy affection for God. David beautifully illustrates this fragrance. Though he was king, shepherd, warrior, and musician, the defining characteristic of his life was his longing for God’s presence. He cried, “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You” (Psalm 63:1). Again he declared, “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord” (Psalm 84:2).

God Himself called David “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). His life reminds us that genuine anointing is never fueled by talent but by love for God. This same holy fire burned in the hearts of the disciples on the Emmaus road as they exclaimed, “Did not our heart burn within us?” (Luke 24:32). Paul urged believers to be “fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11). The fragrance of Christ is carried by hearts that burn for Him.

Sweet Calamus  Peter: The Fragrance of Restoration

Scriptures: Luke 22:31–32, 54–62; John 21:15–19; Psalm 23:3; Isaiah 42:3

Sweet calamus reminds us that God specializes in restoring what has been bruised. Peter illustrates this fragrance perhaps more than anyone else. Though he boldly declared he would never deny Christ, fear overtook him, and before sunrise he had denied the Lord three times (Luke 22:54–62). Yet Jesus did not abandon Peter in his failure. After the resurrection, beside another fire, Jesus lovingly restored him with three questions: “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15–17). Peter was not discarded because of his weakness; he was restored and entrusted again with the care of God’s flock.

David declared, “He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:3), while Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would not break a bruised reed (Isaiah 42:3). Every restored believer becomes living proof that God’s grace is greater than human failure. When people see broken lives healed by God’s mercy, they smell Jesus.

Cassia  John the Baptist: The Fragrance of Humility

Scriptures: John 1:19–30; John 3:27–30; James 4:6; Philippians 2:5–11

Cassia reminds us that true authority grows in the soil of humility. Few lives illustrate this more beautifully than John the Baptist. Though multitudes followed him, John continually redirected every eye toward Jesus. When asked who he was, he refused every title except “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (John 1:23).

When Jesus began increasing in influence, John’s disciples became concerned, but John simply replied, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). John never built his own kingdom because his joy was found in exalting Christ alone. James teaches that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6), and Jesus Himself humbled Himself unto death before being exalted above every name (Philippians 2:8–9).

Wherever humility is found, heaven entrusts authority. The fragrance of Christ is strongest in people who desire His name to be remembered more than their own.

Olive Oil  Stephen: The Fragrance of the Holy Spirit

Scriptures: Acts 6:3–10; Acts 7:54–60; Acts 1:8; Zechariah 4:6; 1 Samuel 16:13

Olive oil throughout Scripture represents the ministry and power of the Holy Spirit. Stephen beautifully demonstrates what a Spirit-filled life looks like. Chosen simply to serve tables, he was described as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). His wisdom could not be resisted because the Spirit spoke through him (Acts 6:10). Even while being stoned, Stephen reflected Christ by praying, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin” (Acts 7:60). His face shone like an angel because the Spirit of God rested upon him (Acts 6:15).

Just as the Spirit came mightily upon David when Samuel anointed him with oil (1 Samuel 16:13), every believer is called to live “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). The Holy Spirit is not merely an experience; He is the One who reproduces the character of Jesus within us.

The Complete Fragrance  Jesus Christ

Each of these lives reveals only one note of heaven’s fragrance. Abraham teaches surrender. David reveals holy passion. Peter displays restoring grace. John the Baptist radiates humility. Stephen demonstrates the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Yet only Jesus embodies every fragrance perfectly. He is the true Myrrh who willingly laid down His life. He is the holy Passion that loved the Father completely. He is the great Restorer who heals broken souls. He is Humility clothed in flesh, washing the feet of His disciples. He is the One anointed with the Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34). Everything the holy anointing oil symbolized finds its fulfillment in Him.

The greatest evidence of the anointing is not miracles alone, nor gifted preaching, nor recognition among people. The greatest evidence of the anointing is that when others encounter our lives, they encounter Jesus.

As Paul declared,

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ…”

—2 Corinthians 2:14–15

May the world never simply smell religion on us. May they smell Jesus.

In the 20^th century the oil is still present

Myrrh  The Fragrance of Sacrifice

Corrie ten Boom

Scriptures: Matthew 6:14–15; Ephesians 4:32; John 15:13

Myrrh speaks of suffering, sacrifice, forgiveness, and laying down one’s life. Corrie ten Boom carried the fragrance of Myrrh. She endured the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, watched her beloved sister Betsie die, and yet chose to forgive those who had inflicted unimaginable pain. Like Christ, she allowed suffering to produce compassion instead of bitterness. Every time she spoke of forgiveness, people smelled the sacrifice of Jesus. “Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34)

Sweet Cinnamon  The Fragrance of Holy Passion

Keith Green wrote that song when Love Broke thru

Scriptures: Romans 12:11; Revelation 2:4–5; Mark 12:30

Cinnamon speaks of holy love and burning devotion. Keith Green’s life burned with passion for Jesus. His songs were not performances; they were worship flowing from a heart consumed by first love. He challenged believers to return to wholehearted devotion, reminding the Church that God desires hearts on fire more than polished religion.

“Never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor.” (Romans 12:11)

Sweet Calamus The Fragrance of Restoration

David Wilkerson

Scriptures: Psalm 23:3; Isaiah 61:1–3; Luke 4:18

Calamus represents restoration. David Wilkerson walked into New York’s toughest neighborhoods believing Jesus could restore gang members, addicts, prostitutes, and broken families. Through Teen Challenge, thousands found freedom because he believed no life was beyond God’s redeeming grace. His ministry carried the fragrance of the Great Restorer. “He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:3)

Cassia — The Fragrance of Humility

Mother Teresa

Scriptures: James 4:6; Philippians 2:5–8; Matthew 25:40

Cassia reminds us that authority flows through humility and servant-heartedness. Mother Teresa chose not the platform but the streets. She washed wounds, embraced the dying, and served those the world ignored. Whether or not one agrees with every aspect of her theology, her life demonstrated Christlike humility through selfless service.

“Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26)

Olive Oil — The Fragrance of the Holy Spirit

Leonard Ravenhill

Scriptures: Acts 1:8; Zechariah 4:6; James 5:16

Olive oil represents the Holy Spirit’s power. Leonard Ravenhill’s ministry was marked by prayer, conviction, and a longing for revival. He continually reminded the Church that true ministry is not produced by talent or organization but by the Spirit of God. Those who heard him often came away hungry for prayer and for the presence of God.

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” (Zechariah 4:6)

The Complete Fragrance

Billy Graham

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 2:14–15; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:2

If I were to choose one twentieth-century believer who seemed to carry all five fragrances together, it would be Billy Graham.

He knew Myrrh because he surrendered his life completely to Christ. He carried Cinnamon through his unwavering love for the Gospel. He proclaimed Calamus, preaching that Christ restores every sinner who comes to Him. He wore Cassia, remaining remarkably humble despite worldwide influence.

He ministered in the power of the Olive Oil, depending upon the Holy Spirit rather than human wisdom.

His life became one blended fragrance pointing people to Jesus rather than to Billy Graham himself.

I might add one more… there is another twentieth-century believer whom I believe carried a fragrance that especially fits Olive Oil:

Smith Wigglesworth  Olive Oil

Scriptures: Acts 1:8; Mark 16:17–18; 1 Corinthians 2:4–5

Smith Wigglesworth was known for extraordinary faith and complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit. His ministry was accompanied by miracles, healings, and bold preaching, but those who knew him testified that he spent hours reading Scripture and praying. He often said, “I am not moved by what I see. I am moved only by what I believe.” His life reminds us that the anointing is not emotional excitement it is the Spirit of God working through a surrendered vessel.