It's time to get dressed!

Psalm 148 / Colossians 3:1-17

Getting Properly Dressed

Revelation 19:7-8 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

This is about the redeemed; the church; the bride of Christ

This is about our words, relationships, thoughts, desires, choices, and actions; about the entirety of our lives

Inappropriate Dress

v5-11

It is idolatry - v5 SELF idolatry

Luke 12 - the parable of the rich fool and his barns

You are not the same person - v9

Just Christ is all and in all - v11

Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Not a costume

What is the difference between a uniform & a costume?

authenticity of the garment

Identity of the one wearing it

Coordinate and Accessorize

v12-13 Looking to others

1 Corinthians 10:24 “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.”

Mark 12:30-31 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””

v14 LOVE BINDS AND HARMONIZES!

Agape: the doing kind of love;

caring for, not just caring

v15-16 Peace… found in The Word and Worship

Corporate, Familial, Personal

In the Name of Jesus

4th CE Augustine:

“Man turns away from God to himself.

16th CE Martin Luther:

“homo incurvatus in se”, humanity curved in upon itself.

It’s not that scripture is opposed to self-love.

Philippians 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Ephesians 5:29-30 “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.”

It’s that self-love apart from loving God and His purposes winds up being abuse of self.

v17 - WHATEVER YOU DO...

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

So, ALL that we do, even what we do for ourselves, needs to be connected and aligned with loving God.

Church Family, let us be like people who shop and dress only for certain labels or designers. When it’s time to get dressed (meaning how we live our lives), only put on those things from the Jesus collection. In fact, let’s just go ahead and get rid of everything in our closets that isn’t.