A New Wardrobe

INTRODUCTION

 Last week we took some time out of our day to clean our closets out. As we cleaned out the closet, we examined each thing we found to see if we need to take it with us to our new address in heaven. Out were the disco shirts, the leisure suits, and the powder blue tuxedos and so forth.

 Today as we peer into the near empty closet it is time to fill that closet with a wardrobe befitting where we are going and what we are going to do.

 As we move to our new address, we will have many new things that go along with that change.

 Today was we decide what kind of wardrobe we need to put back into our closets to wear, we will look at some of the new things that come along with our new address.

 They are:

1. A New Position.

2. A New Wardrobe.

3. New Responsibilities.

SERMON

I. THE NEW POSITION VERSE 12

 When we come to Christ, we receive a new position. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says the following: Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

 When we become Christians, we now have the job of representing Christ to the world. Here are some of the implications of our new position.

A. We are chosen of God.

 Whenever the United States wants to send an ambassador to another country, they go through a process of selecting a person.

 Everyone who comes to Jesus is chosen by God to be His ambassador.

 We belong to God’s team and we must carry ourselves in such a manner.

B. We are set apart. (Holy)

 Holy means to be set apart. When we become a Christian, we are set apart as a royal priesthood. 1 PETER 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

C. We are special to God (Dearly beloved). This is a term of endearment that God has for His chosen people!

 I remember when I used to work at Square D Company. I started out on the assembly line. My goal was to get into upper management. I worked hard to get on that ladder, then one day, I got on the first rung of the ladder. I received a salaried position that got me off the assembly line.

 When I got this new position, I could no longer wear my greasy ragged looking wardrobe that I used to wear.

 My new position required a new wardrobe.

 When we accept our new position in the Kingdom of God, we too need a new wardrobe. Let’s look at what our boss tells us what we need to wear to represent Christ.

II. THE NEW WARDROBE VERSES 12,14

In verse 12, Paul tells us to “put on” these things that he will mention to us. It is like he is telling us to put on these new clean clothes.

A. The heart of compassion. The tee shirt.

 Compassion is an expression of tenderness towards the suffering and miserable.

 It is easy for us to look at the suffering with a hard heart, but a person with compassion will feel a warm spot for them in their heart. A tee shirt is worn next to the heart and helps keep a person warm.

 Compassion should be part of our character. Our compassion should come from the depths of our soul. It is an essential part of the wardrobe of one who is going to reside in heaven.

B. The shoes of Kindness

 This is a sweetness of disposition. The first people that come to mind when I think of kind people are Glen and Harriet Mitchell. Glen is the preacher at Farber Christian Church. You will be hard pressed to find kinder, sweeter people. They seem to have a calming, caring presence about them. They have a tenderness about them that is impressive.

 Compassion and kindness sum up how we are to treat other people, the next two articles of our wardrobe represent our state of mind.

C. The jacket of Humility

 Humility is being able to put others ahead of self and it is the ability to seeing others as more important than oneself. READ PHILIPPIANS 2:1-8

 A jacket covers our other garments, humility should cover all that we are.

D. The socks of Gentleness

 We need to be gentle when we deal with people. Gentleness was not considered a virtue in the pagan world of Jesus day.