What Not To Wear
August 23, 2009 Colossians 3:1-11
What not to wear. I’ve seen ads and commercials for this television program, but I’ve never actually seen it. I did watch a few minutes of it once when channel surfing, but it didn’t hold my attention. Do any of you watch it? I’m told the premise is that a couple of fashion “experts” tell someone whom they deem has no fashion sense that they need to get rid of their entire wardrobe and wear only what they say looks good. I guess it helps some folks. In my opinion, a lot of folks need to be told “What not to Wear.”
Some of you are having a hard time listening to me today because you are thinking “Why didn’t somebody tell him What Not To Wear?” (Note: I was wearing shorts, sandals and an T-shirt with no vestments for this worship service) In your minds I am a prime example of what not to wear to church. I would guess that some of you are so upset with the casual attire I have on, the fact that I am not wearing vestments, that you have had trouble getting yourselves in a proper frame of mind for worship today. Hopefully you’ve figured out that I have been preaching since I walked in here. My appearance today is part of the message. It goes back to last week’s sermon about improperly judging people on the basis of human standards and regulations.
A question we need to consider is whether or not we are more concerned about what someone is wearing – trying to make them conform to our likes and dislikes – than we are about sharing Jesus with those who need to hear it? We tell ourselves that if they are going to come to our church, they should show proper respect and dress in a certain manner. That’s the way we were raised! But the vast majority of people who need to hear about Jesus would never listen if I was in a clerical collar and vestments or wearing a shirt and tie. I get the same kinds of looks from them that I got from you this morning! And how welcome would someone casually dressed feel walking in here? And what if their clothes were dirty?
Colossians 3:1-11 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
When God tells you “What Not To Wear” He is not talking about clothes. That is not what is important to God. Paul gives us quite a list of things “Not to Wear”: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, idolatry, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, lies. He lumps all those things together and says we should be rid of them because you have taken off your old self with its practices. What not to wear. The comparison is to taking off old clothes and putting on new. The text does not say, “take off your filthy garments of sin, wash them, patch them and put them on again.” It says “Take them off! Throw them away! Get rid of them for good!” God doesn’t even try to change the old me: He kills it! God’s will is not that you reform your old self, but that you put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature. Get rid of it forever. God tells you not to “wear” your old sinful self any longer.
The problem we have is that we get so caught up in our traditions and customs and likes and dislikes, we settle into our routines that may make us feel comfortable, but are actually an impediment to reaching out with the Gospel message. I can remember not too long ago there being a big discussion about whether or not it was appropriate for acolytes to wear tennis shoes with no socks while serving as acolytes. While I understood the mindset that raised this objection, I asked the question: “What’s more important – what these young people are wearing, or being in worship to hear the message of Jesus as Savior?”
There was a college student who had just become a believer in Christ. He had wild hair, wore a t-shirt and jeans with holes in them. Across the street from his campus is a congregation of conservative, well-dressed people. One Sunday morning he decides to go there. Just as the sermon was about to begin, he walked in with no shoes, wild hair and t-shirt and jeans. He walked down the center aisle looking for a seat. The church was pretty full, and some folks didn’t want to scoot over for him, so he could not find a seat anywhere. People were looking at him and becoming uncomfortable, but no one says anything. He finally finds himself at the front of the church, and having no where else to sit, squats down on the carpet, right in front of the pulpit. Everyone tenses up. The tension in the air is thick. About this time, one of the old-timers gets up from his seat in the back of the church and starts making his way toward the front. He is in his eighties, silver-haired, wearing a three-piece-suit with a pocket watch. A pillar in the church, very dignified and elegant. Walking with his cane, he slowly makes his way up the aisle. Everyone is thinking, “You can’t blame him for what he is about to do. How can someone his age understand a college kid sitting on the floor.” It seems to take an eternity for the old man to reach the boy. It is silent except for his cane clicking on the floor as he makes his way forward. Every eye in the place is focused on him. The people are thinking, “The preacher can’t even preach the sermon until this old man does what he has to do.” And when he finally gets to the front, he drops his cane to the floor. With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits next to the boy. He didn’t do what everyone was expecting. He went up there to sit next to the young man and worship with him so he wouldn’t have to be alone. Everyone is astonished, and also a little embarrassed for thinking the old man was going to act otherwise. The preacher says, “What I am about to preach today you won’t remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget.”
What’s more important. We hear “What not to wear” and think about clothes. But God is talking about sinful attitudes. Are we able to shed our hang-ups and expand our comfort levels for the sake of sharing Jesus? Or are we more concerned about our personal comfort?
I heard another story about an old cowboy visiting a town looking for work. On his way in to town, he passed by a Church. So, on Sunday, he got washed up and put on some clothes that were pretty worn, but clean. He arrived early for Church that morning and took his place in one of the back pews. Upon his arrival, he received a few glares and couldn’t help but hear the whispers of some of the parishioners. It didn’t bother him much…he was there to be with God.
At the end of the service, the preacher pulled him off to the side and said, “We’re glad to have you here…but, perhaps you should have a talk with God about the proper attire to wear to Church.” “Yes, reverend, I will, ” the old cowboy replied politely.
The following Sunday the old cowboy decided to attend that Church again – it was second nature for him to go to worship each week. He arrived especially early – in similar old worn-out clothes. The preacher noticed him walking up and made a point to meet him in front of the Church. “I thought you were going to have a talk with God about the proper attire for Church?” the preacher said. The old cowboy replied, “Yes, reverend, I did.” The preacher looking confused and somewhat perturbed responded, “And what did he have to say?” The old cowboy looked him in the eye and said, “God said He didn’t know what the proper attire was…he had never been here before.”
We get so caught up in attire – remember what God sees and what He tells us not to wear. We need to shed our “rules taught by men” and concentrate on sharing the Good News of our Savior.
