Jesus Clothed His People In (His) Righteousness

What Did Jesus Do?

Jesus Clothed His People in (His) Righteousness

“He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.”

                                                                        Isaiah 61:10

God takes no pleasure in, is not impressed with, our raiment.  So who are we to take a quick glance, or a lingering gaze, in the mirror, and take satisfaction in how we are dressed?  Tie straight.  Shiny shoes.  The most flattering style.  The hottest designer label.  Damn, we look good!  Or do we?

When I was a boy most people who went to church still made kind of a big deal out of putting on one’s “Sunday Best.”  It was only years later when I realized that God wasn’t pleased with, much less fooled by, our “put-ons.”  While many folks, myself sometimes included, now dress in a much more casual manner on Sunday mornings than would have been acceptable when I was growing up, I am pretty sure many of us still have that approving moment or two in front of the mirror before we head out to worship at least somewhat pleased/proud/satisfied with ourselves.

But you know what?  I don’t believe God is any more pleased with or impressed by our raiment these days than he was 50, or even 2,000 years ago.  Why?  Well, unlike us, God doesn’t look on the outside.  We get all excited over attractive packaging, but God looks deeper.  It’s the content, not the cover, that matters to God.  And, um, sorry, but there are way too many of us whose Christianity isn’t much more than a nice looking cover inside of which hides, well, stuff we’d prefer no one gets a good look at.

Here’s the thing, no matter how dazzling the outside, true colors will eventually, and always, show out.  And, in truth, they show much more than we seem to realize.  Think about it.  Christ’s disciples were mightily impressed when they beheld the Jerusalem temple.  But the Lord cautioned them that it wasn’t anything more than a condemned building soon to be torn down, and those who frequented it were like so many freshly painted mausoleums (Matthew 24:1-2; 23:27).

What do others see when they look at us, look at our churches?  Sure, we may have a tall steeple and priceless stained glass.  And we might be dressed up in comparatively formal attire or the latest from L.L. Bean.  How could anyone not want to come and join us, isn’t it obvious that we are, as they used to say, the “in” crowd?  But God isn’t the only one who can see past the wrapper.  Sure, people can be taken in by attractive appearances.  But reality sooner or later, and usually sooner, reveals itself over and above appearances.

The truth is, many of the people now unchurched were not always so.  Most people have a reason they don’t attend worship Sunday morning.  Lots of them might well accept an invitation to visit a friend’s church.  But, this is painful to say, when the formerly churched come back for a visit after a long absence, they quickly remember why it was that they stopped coming, and the one visit is more than enough to reaffirm that there are better things to do, better places to be, than sitting in a pew with us on Sundays.  Ouch!

Now, I’m not saying we shouldn’t check out the image in the mirror, not just Sundays, but every day.  But we have to have the determination, the courage even, to look deeply at, not just the wardrobe, but the person staring back at us.  How is his/her mind clothed?  What sort of attire adorns the heart of the person in the mirror.  Is he/she dressed merely for worldly success, or dressed for kingdom service?

You see, even better than Joseph’s amazing Technicolor dreamcoat, the Father has a garment for each of his sons and daughters to put on daily.  The cut and style are exactly the same as the very character of Christ.  The fabric is an unbeatable combination of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, which come together to make for an ever-present forgiving perspective towards our brothers and sisters.  And, completing this out-of-this-world-because-it’s-of-the-Kingdom ensemble, is the most breathtakingly beautiful and transformingly captivating “accessory” of all time because it is eternal—LOVE (see Colossians 3:12-14).

The truth is, if we only think to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-18) every day, we’re very likely going out the door less than half dressed.  Forget about “Sunday Best,” God would have us put on Christ every day!  I tell you, the world wouldn’t see bunch of “new Georgey girls” (and guys) in the latest from Carnaby Street, but the daughters and sons of the Father, the brothers and sisters of the Son, the Body of Christ, the very family of God,  and they would want to be a part of it!

I am not pasturing at this time, but if I was, I believe I would get a full body length mirror to set up at the entrance to the church.  The mirror would be framed with “Compassion,” “Kindness,” “Humility,” “Meekness,” “Patience,” “Forgiveness,” and “Love.”  And everyone who passed the mirror would be reminded to put-off any and all facades of self-righteousness, and be clothed from the inside with the righteousness of the risen and glorified One, even Jesus Christ,

Christ IS All!