You’re Wearing That?
Kingdom Citizenship - Part 3
Sunday, October 11, 2020
Matthew 22:1-14
“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:11-14
Getting ready to head out the door to take our 6 year-old daughter to gymnastics, we call her asking, “Are you ready to go.” She comes bounding out of her room cheerfully shouting, “I’m ready.”
“You’re wearing that?” we ask.
She hates wearing short sleeves, even when it is 90 degrees outside, and so she comes down wearing a long sleeved red shirt and thin silk sky blue Princess Elsa pants from last year’s Halloween costume. Not only do the colors not match, but these are about the worst clothes you could find for doing gymnastics.
The truth is that we have all been in situations where we find ourselves dressed inappropriately. We are either underdressed, overdressed, or simply not dressed for the occasion.
The same is true in God’s Kingdom. We’re not talking about what we wear to church. Jesus is not demanding that men wear three piece suites and ladies go back to hats and gloves for Sunday morning worship. But when it comes to the Kingdom of God on earth, there is a dress code and it doesn’t just apply on Sunday mornings.
In Romans 13:14 Paul tells us to “put on Christ” and to the Galatians he writes, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27).
As you prepare to clothe yourself with Christ this week, consider Paul’s words to the Colossians…
12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:12-17
Listen to this week’s sermon here:
Video of the complete worship service available at http://asburyumc-huntersville.com/live