Mark Twain said, “Clothes make the man. Naked people
have little or no influence on society.” Obviously, I am not one that pays a lot of attention to
fashion trends. In fact, I think they are a little silly. But women have it much worse than men in
the fashion department. I saw a story on the women’s styles for 2021 and if a person wanted to
follow the crowd, one would have to purchase a whole new wardrobe every season. Frankly,
guys, we have it pretty easy. the tie gets wider… the tie gets skinnier and that’s about it.
The good news is that the fashion for the well-dressed Christian doesn’t change. It
hasn’t changed since Paul wrote Colossians in the second half of the 1st century AD.
In today’s passage Paul starts with a “Therefore” or a “So then” depending on your
translation. When we see that we must back up the preceding verses to see what he is saying. In
the early part of Chapter 3, Paul is preaching transformation. “If you have been raised with
Christ, you have died to your old self and its sinful ways.” He says,
“you have stripped off the old self with its
practices” He names the dirty rags of the old self as things like “anger, wrath, malice,
slander, and abusive language.”
However, neither Paul nor God wants us to run around naked. So, Paul
continues “THEREFORE”… “THEREFORE.” Now that we have gotten rid of the old clothes,
Paul is ready to dress us in the newest and best of faith fashion. He goes on to say, “You have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is
being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” We are being
fitted with a wardrobe suited for the chosen, holy, and beloved children of God.
Maybe you aren’t sure you are chosen holy and beloved. Try this.
Every day when you shower and the water is running over us, remember your
baptism. Then remember God’s words at Jesus' baptism This is my beloved son. Say 3
times very slowly and intentionally
“I am God’s beloved child.” “I am God’s beloved
child.” “I am God’s beloved child.” If our ears were to hear that 3 times every day we
might begin to feel like we are chosen, holy, and beloved. I have only been doing it for 5
days now and I can tell the difference.
You are God’s chosen, holy, and beloved children who have given up your old
ways. At least in principle, right. None of us is perfect. We all slip into a little anger or
foul language, or greed on occasion. We still slip back into those old dirty rags that used
to be our wardrobe.
Paul, however, is saying, don’t do that! Those rags are not you anymore.
Fornication is not you anymore
Impurity is not you anymore
Evil passion is not you anymore
Evil desire is not you anymore
Greed (which is idolatry) is not you anymore The vestments of sin are not you anymore and, anyway, people get enough of
that stuff on the news and at the local coffee shop.
We have seen enough hard-heartedness for a lifetime. We don’t want to
be like that.
We have all read enough vitriolic hatred on Facebook. We need a new
dress because that one is worn out.
We have seen enough ugly egomaniacal pride in politics and business. We
must not put on that ugly tie.
We have seen enough violence not only from war zones, but from
DesMoines, Seattle, and Washington DC. We have seen enough killing on our TV’s,
movies, and video games. It is time to get rid of that old blood-spattered coat and put
on something new.
We have seen enough ignorant intolerance, judgment, rumors, lies,
rudeness, and selfishness to last a lifetime. It is time to dress in love.
Just as Colossians 3 gives us an abridged list of old, dirty laundry. It also gives us
a shopping list of the most stylish and trendy Christian chic available.
Paul starts with “dress yourself with
compassion.” Compassion by etymology means to “feel with.” And that’s is exactly what
the stylish Christian will be wearing this winter the willingness and commitment to sit
down (Either literally or figuratively) with another person to “feel with” the other person.
The stylish Christian will care enough to stop talking and sit and listen and just feel pain,
or anger, or joy with the friend. Dress in compassion. The second style is an oldy but a goody.
Kindness. You could say kindness grows out of compassion because compassion in the
heart and kindness is an action that others can see. The Old Testament speaks of God’s
hesed- lovingkindness. Never giving up and always acting in loving grace. This year the
stylish Christian Will be seen wearing a lot of kindness.
Third, the classy disciple will accessorize just
about any outfit with humility. Humility comes from the root word HUMUS which means
earth. Human is another word that is in that same family. The sense is that to be
humble is to realize that we are little more than dust. Humility is having a realistic view
of one’s littleness and insignificance in the universe. Jesus Humbled Himself, Paul
writes in Philippians 2 “Being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Christ humbled himself making himself like the earth creatures the ones we call human
so we might be saved from our overinflated egos. Dress in humility
Of course, if we are going to accessorize with
humility, we must throw in a little bit of color, don’t we? That’s where gentleness comes in. In a world that respects power and ignores the weak. In a world where more is always
better; we need gentleness to remind us that sometimes less is better. Less squeezing,
less pushing, less demanding. Less noise. Life is a rough and tumble game, but there is a
time out to kiss a child’s booboo. Hold a loved one’s hand. Or speak a word of
encouragement. Spice up your look with a bright splash of gentleness.
Finally, Paul says pull it all together with
patience. That’s what makes the whole style work. Patience is being willing to wait. To
wait on God, to wait on others, to wait for the right moment to do the right thing. It
means being patient with those who wrong us. And being patient with ourselves even
when we do not do the right thing. Put on patience.
There you have it. We take compassion, kindness, and humility. Weave them
over and under, under and over, over and under with gentleness, patience, forgiveness,
and love into the most beautiful, fabric you have ever seen. Perfect for every season,
every situation, every day, it never goes out of style. The garments of the new creature
are made from that rich material perfectly tailored to each one of us.
It comes down to this. It is very practical. What kind of people do you want in
your life?
Do you want people who are compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient,
forgiving, and loving? Or not. Do you want people who will bear with you in all
circumstances or not?
I know it is hard to maintain relationships and build community when the church
is scattered like it is now. Believe me, I know. But the community of the church is where people are trying to live in this fashion
so to speak. It is not just theory… we are real people … imperfect people…doing our best
to live into the fashion of the new creature I Christ.
There is an old preacher story about a little girl who was afraid of the
thunderstorm her dad who was a preacher reminded her that she's not alone Jesus is
with her that she can go back to bed and trust that Jesus will take care of her. She
thought for a little while and then responded daddy I know Jesus is with me, but I think
tonight I need someone with skin.
We are Jesus in skin as we live into the new reality, into the new fashion of the
new creation.
We are God in skin when we treat one another with compassion.
We are God in skin as we share with people who need help.
We are God in skin as we support the elderly and those with mental illness.
Notice the church is not God in a brick building as some have thought. God’s
church is bigger than that.
I challenge you to be God in skin this week. Chose someone an old friend or
new friend, someone in the church or not, someone like you or not, whether they ask for
your love or not, find someone and wrap them in compassion, gentleness, humility,
kindness, patience, forgiveness, and love.
For that moment you are God in skin to them. Who knows, it might go further
than a simple act of love… it might change their lives.
It might change your life.
Go be God in skin.
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