Dressed for Success
Speaker: Pastor Darin Browne
Colossians 3:12-17
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 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.
Fiona and I went out last week to a store and bought some new clothes. New pants, new socks and undies, new tops. I like it when she looks sharp and dresses nice, and she assures me that she appreciates it when I dress less slovenly. I was once nearly detained by hotel security in LA because, and I quote the hotel security guard, “He was dressed like a homeless guy.”
But some people, not you, have no dress sense. They dress badly. I have three daughters and one wife, and I used to walk out of the bedroom to cries of, “Dad, you’re not wearing that are you?”
ROBES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
I don’t have much dress sense, but I can wear robes of righteousness. In verses leading up to the passage we just read, Paul talks about putting away things like anger, filthy language, slander and lying because they are part of your old self. They don’t belong in your life. The Bible then talks about salvation like being clothed, in new, beautiful, clean clothes.
Isaiah 61:10
my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
When you come to Jesus and ask Him to be your Lord and Saviour, you become a new creation…
1 Peter 1:23
born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
You cannot do anything to be saved. You just have to accept Jesus’ free gift. People say, I not good enough to be a Christian, I’ve done these horrible things in the past. If you feel that way, great! You are ready to accept life instead of the death you were living. You can be made clean and whole and righteous.
When you have taken a shower, you naturally put on clean clothes. They complement what the shower was designed to do. Jesus Christ washed you and cleansed you by his blood. Why would you put your old dirty clothes back onto a freshly cleaned body?
You must ask yourself concerning your actions, “Will those clothes match what Jesus did in my life? Or will they dirty up what Jesus made clean when I came to Him?” Christ has set you free, so your mouth no longer rules you. Your lusts and desires no longer rule. Anger, unforgiveness, spite, jealousy no longer have dominion. Jesus rules!
WHAT DOES (this new) HOLY SPIRIT FASHION LOOK LIKE?
Your good works can never save you; the Bible is clear on that.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Come as you are, sinful and dirty, and allow Jesus to clean your life. But once you are clean and once you are clothed in righteousness, what does it look like?
Colossians 3:17
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.
Whatever you do, either in word or deed. The Bible presents general principles that help Holy Spirit-led believers determine the rightness or wrongness of activities and behaviours not specifically mentioned in God’s Word. To dress right in life, everything that we say, do, think or enjoy, should be guided by asking ourselves the following questions…
1: CAN IT BE DONE FOR GOD’S GLORY?
1 Corinthians 10:31-32
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offence to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
If you are clothed with righteousness, is what you are about to do going to bring glory to God? This is a great question to ask before you do anything or respond to anything. So many people get offended by everything these days and they will be offended by your godly behaviours at times, so make sure nothing you do or say offends God.
2: CAN IT BE DONE IN THE NAME OF JESUS?
What you are about to do, can it be done in Jesus’ name? (i.e., with a complete awareness of who he is, all he stands for and that you are to represent him), and could you ask his blessing and approval on the activity.
John 14:13
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Saying “in Jesus’ name” is not a recipe for getting prayers answered. It’s a way of life. Therefore, I cannot pray. “Lord, let me win lotto this week, in Jesus’ name,” because I believe that gambling is not something Jesus sanctions. Asking in His name is asking for something that you know brings Him joy and honour. Wearing robes of righteousness means speaking and acting in a way that aligns with and brings joy to Jesus.
3: CAN IT BE DONE TRULY GIVING THANKS?
1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
God’s will is for you to be thankful, to have a gratitude attitude, in every circumstance. You can choose how you see things. You can choose to be thankful, or not. When it comes to robes of righteousness, wearing is not whinging. Whining is not thankfulness. Complaining is not being thankful. I always try and see every obstacle, every hurt, every pain not as an imposition, or a pain, or a frustration, but as an opportunity to shine for Jesus.
Having to move my Optometry practice seemed like a tough situation, but I gave thanks and now we are joining with Kat and Andy, and Rene and others building a health Hub.
4: IS IT A CHRIST LIKE ACTION?
Would Jesus do this? Would He be happy wearing this robe? Remember the old WWJD wristbands? Peter said…
1 John 2:6
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
If we stopped every time and asked, “What would Jesus do?” And obeyed, our decisions would always reflect what God wants us to do. Those wristbands are based on an old book called In His Steps, about a group of believers who pledges to ask WWJD before every action, then obey. This commitment changed their lives, and it will change yours.
5: COULD IT COMPROMISE OTHER BELIEVERS?
Is what I’m about to do or say going to cause another Christian to compromise their conscience and convictions and, at some point, weaken their devotion to Christ? This is important. Paul talks about eating meat offered to idols and says we have the right to eat what we want…
1 Corinthians 8:9
But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
It might be ok for you, but how does your action or speech effect others around you?
6: WILL IT AFFECT MY SPIRITUAL DESIRE?
Will it strengthen or weaken my desire for spiritual things, God’s Word and prayer. This is a pretty good measure of whether you are dressed for spiritual success. If you are contemplating something that decreases your desire for God. If your longing for God is decreased by your love of alcohol, sex, money, success, etc. I can guarantee you this is not what He wants. Your desire to know God more intimately is paramount.
Jesus reminds us that the Word of God is like seed sown…
Luke 8:14
And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
How many of us are choked by cares of the world? By the temptations of this world? I confess that recently, I have been overwhelmed by the needs and pressures of the world. None of them were bad, but it has affected my heart’s desire for the things of God. So, I took my eyes off Christ for a time and focussed on the matters at hand. I needed to seek God more, I needed to read His Word, come to church, love His people more. Anything that doesn’t strengthen your desire for God and His Word is simply not of God!
7: WILL IT AFFECT MY WITNESS?
I must tell you that people are watching. They are scrutinising every move you make, every vow you break, they are watching you. No matter what goes down, I want everything I do to bring honour to Jesus. I want what I am clothed in to point them to Jesus.
I had a great mate install a sink for us recently, and he let a few F bombs go. He promptly apologised because he was worried he had offended me. He was aware of my Christian faith and embarrassed on my behalf. I just shone a light, and he reacted as he saw fit. And that’s the key. Does what you are clothed in shine a light for Jesus?
Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Does what you clothe yourself in weaken or hinder your influence for Christ on others who do not know him, or who may look to you as an example of Christlike behaviour? D.L. Moody said, “A Holy life produces the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they only shine.” Will what you are dressed in shine brightly in this dark world?
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW?
Romans 13:14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Why not stop right now and have a good, long look at yourself. When we put on clothes, we often examine ourselves in a mirror. Its time to do that for your robes of righteousness. Examine your heart. What do you see?
The Bible says that when you ask Jesus into your life, you are a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Some of you need to hear that it’s time to throw off the old you and start again. If you have never done that, then it’s time to take off the old, dirty rags. Don’t take a shower then put the old rags back on! Come to Jesus now, and take off the old rags of addiction, the old rags of moral failure, of unforgiveness, of pain, of self reliance. Put on the new garment of praise, of salvation, of eternal life!
And some of you here have been born again, washed in the precious blood of Jesus, but your clothes are getting a little tattered. In the past, you’ve put new clothes on, but sometimes our clothes just get tattered and torn. Sometimes we love God, but we still go through trying times, and we feel stretched, bruised, tattered.
If you are feeling battered and bruised today, I have a renewed set of clothes for you. Pure, shining, full of grace and Holiness.
Matthew 11:28-29
James 4:8
Psalm 1:1
1 John 5:4
James 1:2-4
Psalm 37:4
2 Corinthians 5:7
Romans 8:28
Isaiah 61:1-2