Clothes Make The Man

Sermon for 3/18/2007

Clothes Make the Man

Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11

Introduction:

A. Clothes are important in our society. In the third world they are thankful just to have clothes but here we must have a certain brand of clothing or we are not happy. What we wear says a lot about who we are and what we stand for.

B. I remember coming from a farming community and moving to Carmel, Indiana the wealthiest suburb of Indianapolis, and going to my first day of Middle School. I was introduced to my peers and many of them asked me, “And what are you wearing?” I said, “Clothes.” “No, what kind of clothes and where did you get them?” They would laugh at me and make fun of my clothes.

C. To help us understand many people’s feelings about clothes lets watch this clip from the movie Joe Vs. the Volcano: Scene #9 to 00:38:25 on the counter.

WBTU:

A. I know what some of you are thinking. I am going to talk about what kind of clothes to wear to church. What a waste of time? Let me tell you on that issue no one is going to win. Since you brought it up, let’s talk about the Two schools of thought on that issue:

1. We should wear our best to church. For men this includes a suit and a tie, nicely pressed and often dry cleaned. For women this includes a full length dress, high heels, well groomed hair, and a modestly painted face. They back it up with Scriptures like (Mal 1:8 NIV) When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.

2. We should dress in casual attire because if we come in formal clothes then we drive away those who are outside of Christ. We want people to feel comfortable and relaxed when they come to church. Many people do not have formal clothes and so we should not encourage formal attire because that would exclude a large portion of the population. They back up this thought with (1 Cor 9:22 NIV) To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

B. Preacher what do you think we should wear? The Bible says that we should dress modestly. Beyond that, I don’t have a thus sayest the Lord! I wear a suit and tie because that is how I was taught in college. When you get up to preach you can’t go wrong with a suit and tie. Then I watch preachers on TV get up and preach in a golf shirt. Oh well!

C. I don’t mind wearing a suit, if we could just get rid of the tie. Women are the same way with high heeled shoes.

D. This morning I want to do something more productive and look at Isaiah 61. Read vs. 1 and 2a. This is the Messiah talking. We know this to be the case.

E. Read Luke 4:16-21.

F. This whole chapter is about the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and his ministry and the results of his death, burial and resurrection. Jesus stops reading in vs. 2 of Isaiah because he wanted to emphasize the results of his first coming. This is the acceptable year (long year) of the Lord. The day of vengeance is coming when Christ comes again.

G. Go back to Isaiah 61:2, 3.

H. Skip down to Isaiah 61:10-11. This switches from the Messiah speaking to a Christian speaking about the results of the Messiah’s ministry. Read vs. 10-11.

I. We see in these verses 3 pieces of clothing that we should be wearing as Christians. Not physically wearing but spiritually wearing.

Thesis: Let’s talk about these three articles of clothing that all Christians should be wearing.

For instances:

1. Garments of salvation Vs. 10

A. This must be put on first before we can have the other two articles of clothing.

B. How do we put on the garments of salvation? 5 garments of salvation:

1. Hear. (Mark 4:23 NIV) If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

2. Believe. (John 6:29 NIV) Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

3. Repent. (2 Cor 7:10 NIV) Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

4. Confess. (Rom 10:9 NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:10 NIV) For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.