The Clothes That Make The Man

Exodus 28:1-6

1“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. 2Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron, to give him dignity and honor. 3Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. 4These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. 5Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

6“Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of a skilled craftsman.

40Make tunics, sashes and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them dignity and honor. 41After you put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint and ordain them. Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

42“Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. 43Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.

Introduction

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." – Mark Twain

What you wear is important

It says a lot about you

A small group of “cultural experts” a few years back put it this way…

Clean shirt, new shoes

And I don’t know where I am goin’ to.

Silk suit, black tie,

I don’t need a reason why.

They come runnin’ just as fast as they can

Coz every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man.

Gold watch, diamond ring,

I ain’t missin’ a single thing.

And cufflinks, stick pin,

When I step out I’m gonna do you in.

They come runnin’ just as fast as they can

Coz every girl crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man.

“Sharp Dressed Man” by ZZ Top

I. Separation

2“To give him dignity and honor” – NIV

“To show his separation to God” – NLT

See also verse 36, “HOLY TO THE LORD”

They were worn during the performance of his duties as priest.

Anyone who saw him would know who he was

He would be the only blood covered, jewel encrusted guy in the place

You couldn’t miss him

God’s intent – revere the man who wears my clothes

Going home in uniform

Those who put on the clothing of Christianity are, like Aaron, separate and dignified

That’s the way God intended it and modeled it

Matthew 3:16-17, “16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”

There was no mistaking this guy was different

1 Peter 1:16, “for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

We are to be separated because that is what God is.

Romans 13: 14, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Not a suggestion any more than giving Aaron the option of wearing blue jeans

If we don’t he will,

Matthew 25:31-46, The Sheep and The Goats

II. Service

4“So they may serve me as priests”

Aaron and his sons were clothed like they were to serve

Service was part of the outfit

The priest, by definition was a servant

He killed and offered the sacrifices of the people

He received no monetary pay for his duties

He stood between God and the people on the Day of Atonement

He did a lot

More than just, “Have you seen my Thumim? It’s really nice.”

Guy wearing the Ranger Tab

At the core of being a priest are the duties he performed

Service

Jesus modeling again

Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Hebrews calls Jesus our High Priest

And he carried on with the sevice of the high priest

Asked us to do the same

1 Corinthians 10:24, “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Service, in some form should be a part of our lives as we seed the good of others

1000’s ways to serve others

Philippians 2:3-8

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.