Dec 2, 2007

Romans 13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do
not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

I was thinking about clothes the other day. Thinking about how there
are times when clothes can say a lot about a person. We don't like to
admit it, because after all our parents spent lots of time telling us
"you can't judge a book by its cover." While it is true you can't judge
a book by its cover that cover can still tell you lots. For instance,
when I pick up a book and the cover is a picture of a nurse swooning in
the arms of a doctor, I can pretty well tell you that I don't want to
read that book.
Actually years ago clothes probably said much more than today. Years
ago, you could pinpoint who a person was just by their clothes. The
style of lederhosen could tell you exactly what part of Bavaria you came
from. The pattern of your plaid could tell what part of Scotland you
were from. In many cases, the very style of dress identified you as
German, Italian, Greek, Hebrew and the like. But like I said, clothes
back then said more than today. Or did they?
Today when you see a particular set of clothes, commonly called a
uniform, that uniform can tell you lots. Doctor, nurse, policeman, state
trooper, soldier (what branch and rank) and so on. Clothes like that can
tell us a lot. Clothes can be an indication of education or occupation
or both. It's just something we recognize but don't think lots about.
There are other things clothes can tell us. Take our children for
instance, especially those in the teen years or so. Their clothes can
tell you lots. The kid who wants such and such to wear "because everyone
else is wearing that" is a kid who has made the world and the things of
the world very important. That's especially true when our kids are
wearing inappropriate clothes just because everyone else is. Hey, I've
heard the complaints from parents about their daughters dressing like
street girls because that's all there is to buy. Yet we all know that's
not entirely true. We end up buying that stuff because "everyone else is
wearing it" and we are just going along with the flow. Clothes say
something.
Take a look at adults. The Red Hat society is a group that wants to
emphasize bold, courageous and in your face by the clothes they wear.
Nuns dress (at least they used to) so that the last thing identifiable
was their feminine side. And adults expect each other to dress age
appropriately because the most common complaint I have heard is "they
must think they're a teenager or something!" Clothes can tell you that a
person is quiet, shy, bold and the like. Clothes say something. Not all
the time, but clothes say something
. How interesting that our text then speaks to us about what we wear,
about our clothes. But it is not speaking about our physical clothes but
rather our spiritual clothes. It is a great text to think about and
consider. Our theme will be: CLOTHE YOURSELF WITH JESUS. 1st. Think of
Jesus. 2nd. Live like Jesus. 3rd. Be truly alive with Jesus.
The reason for the Lord to speak like this is made rather clear in our
text. It's an appropriate text to consider for the first Sunday of
Advent. Advent is that season where we work at preparing our hearts for
the coming Christmas season, to remind ourselves very dearly that Jesus
is the reason for the season. But Advent is more than that. Advent is
also a time when we can focus on the second coming of Jesus. That's
right, preparing our hearts and minds for the coming Judgment of the
world. That is the context of our words for today. Just listen again to
what was said, "And do this, understanding the present time. The hour
has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is
nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the
day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on
the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in
orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in
dissension and jealousy." Following those words is our text. "Rather,
clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ."
Clearly then as we listened to those words the intent and meaning of
"clothe yourselves" comes out. It means that we are to be like Jesus.
It means we are to act like we are children of God rather than the
offspring of Satan. But before we can even contemplate what it means to
be like Jesus we need to think on Jesus.
What I mean by that is to contemplate who and what Jesus is. For you
and I, as Christians here, that's pretty easy for us to do, we hear about
Jesus all the time. Not everyone gets to hear about Jesus and not
everyone is encouraged to think about Jesus. We do, because we realize
he is the heart and core of our faith and our lives.
And why not! Jesus is the Son of God who came into this world to
fulfill the very promises of God. Those promises told us how God would
come and forgive our sins. We were quite unworthy of earning forgiveness
and so God sent Jesus. Perfect, holy, innocent Jesus. True God and true
man. He came into our world, humbled himself that he might endure every
temptation known to man and remained pure and holy his entire life. Then
he became the atoning sacrifice for us. I like that phrase "He is the
atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the
sins of the whole world" (1Jn2:2). That phrase references Jesus whole
passion on the cross. That phrase tells you what Jesus was doing on the
cross, dying the eternal death of hell for our sins. Then in the most
marvelous event this world has ever known Jesus came back to life that we
might know that all things concerning him are true.
This is who and what Jesus is. You can't think on Jesus without
thinking about what he did for you. You can't think about Jesus without
grasping his love and care, his compassion and grace, his patience and
humility in being our Savior. The message of Jesus is not that he came
to get you started or to show you that you can live up to God's
demands...the message of Jesus is how he did those things, how he did
them for us and how out of grace and mercy he takes and gives us of his
perfection. Through faith in Jesus we become clothed with the
righteousness of Jesus. That means that before God we are forgiven and
granted eternal life and salvation. You can't think on Jesus without
thinking on this or you have not really thought of Jesus.
Once you have truly thought on Jesus you will then find that you will
live like Jesus. I know that sounds simple but that's the way it is.
Look at it this way. You and I were like the dead sticks in the yard.
God, through Jesus, came to give us new life. He has taken us dead stick
sinners, and planted us in the soil of his love and grace so that we
might live. Spring to life we do! Not only do we spring to life but we
find that God has made us fruit trees, blossoming and budding to his
glory. I like the picture because I don't know of anyone who goes out
and causes his fruit tree to bear fruit by threatening it. Fruit trees
just naturally grow fruit and so do we Christians. We are moved and
motivated by the love of Jesus to do loving and good things for the glory
of God.
Please notice that in our text is found in a section encouraging our
good works or if you would our living like Jesus. We are encouraged to
submit to the authorities of the government to the glory of God.
Following that section we are then encouraged to Love one another. It is
explained that love is the fulfillment of the law. Love is exactly what
Jesus had for us! Then there is what our text spoke of. It spoke of
avoiding those things that were evil. Specifically orgies and
drunkenness, sexual immorality and debauchery, dissension and jealousy
were pointed out. God wants his children to avoid these things, these
negative and destructive things.
Most important is our attitude to the Father. Jesus willingly and
eagerly listened to the Father. Jesus willingly and eagerly obeyed the
Father. Not because he had to, but because He knew the perfect love of
the Father and simply wanted to please the Father with his life. Jesus'
attitude is to be our attitude. We might not be perfect like him but
that's not an excuse for going out and sinning. Our attitude is to be
like Jesus'.
Here is the interesting part. I want you think all the more about
Jesus. We know and teach that Jesus was the perfect Son of God. Jesus
never did a thing wrong, never even thought a thing wrong. Jesus
deserved only the very best that this world had to offer. Think of what
he got. Once he began his ministry and the Jews realized he wasn't going
to bring them political and world power but rather had a spiritual
message concerned with sin, they hated his guts. By the third year of
his ministry they worked hard to oppose Jesus in every way. Finally they
came up with a plan to get rid of Jesus. They plotted and then carried
out his death.
There is tremendous irony in that. Jesus was totally perfect and yet
look at what this world gave him. Jesus is still totally perfect and
even more, he is totally in charge of everything in every way. The world
still hates and despises him. None of that mattered to Jesus. He went
through all of this in our sinful world for our sins just because he
loved the Father.
A big part of what motivated Jesus was that Jesus knew what the realm of
eternal life and love was all about. Again think about it. Jesus came,
endured all of this stuff and then returned to the Father. It would have
been much easier for him to have stayed home and not endured anything.
He did it all for us! He did it all because he wanted us to have life,
real life, eternal life with God.
If you want to do an interesting thing, take your Bibles and do a study
on just the word life. Look up and read every passage, especially every
New Testament passage that uses the word life. What you will find is
that in most contexts the word is used to imply eternal and perfect life.
Consider just one particular passage. In John 10:10 Jesus said to us,
"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."
Clearly there is something more out there than this piddly little world
of ours? Clearly there is more, something greater, something worth
enduring all the troubles and turmoil of this world. It's true, we've
managed to smooth this world's ride a bit, but if we are honest with
ourselves we will admit that this life is hard. Jesus is offering us
more than this life. He is offering us eternal life. A life so grand
and wonderful that we can only begin to grasp just a small portion of the
wonder and joy it will be. That's what is truly found in Jesus. True
life. Life to the full. Eternal life and joy with God. Here is what
Jesus came to give and here is what we get when clothed by our faith in
Jesus.
Because of Jesus I this world is more tolerable. I believe it is that
way because of the promise of eternal life. In Jesus that eternal life
is ours and that's what really matters. No wonder we are encouraged to
clothe ourselves with Jesus. We are being prepared in the clothing to be
with the Lord forever. That's the hope that motivates and invigorates.
That's the promise of our Savior. Amen.

St. Paul Lutheran Church
6115 First Street
Mayville, MI 48744
(989) 843-5851

Pastor Terry G. Balogh

website provided by Karen Morse
© 2004-2007

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