Rev. David Holwick B
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
January 8, 1989
Revelation 3:14-20
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I. Importance of clothes.
A. Grade school fear of discovering you are at your school desk,
stark naked.
B. Looking for a church - Mom gives "Dress for Success" book.
1) Dark colors.
2) Conservative cut.
a) Hides my youthfulness.
C. Churches operate under this principle. - James 2:2
1) Dressed nice? Sit over here!
2) Dress in dignified manner = dress like us.
II. Clothes tell a lot about a person.
A. Fashion trends slavishly followed.
1) Especially by young.
2) Women.
3) But now men are into it in a big way.
B. Bible commands:
1) Isaiah 3:22 - lavish clothes hated by God.
2) Deut 22:5 - Limits - female/male attire.
a) Pants on women?
3) 1 Peter 3:3 - Christian dress.
a) How not to dress.
1> Show-off, artificial, approach.
b) Positive way to dress - good works.
1> 1 Peter 5:5 - clothed with humility.
III. Clothes as a symbol of the old sinful nature.
A. Rev. 3:14. Laodicea.
1) They thought they were clothed.
a) Had money, so probably well-clothed.
b) But in reality they were naked.
B. Churches.
1) We look on appearances (1 Samuel 16:7).
a) False judging of people.
b) More likely - superficial judging of people.
1> You can be stylish, beautiful, and miserable.
A> Living a lie.
2> You can be frumpy, but inwardly beautiful.
2) God looks on the heart.
a) We should as well.
IV. Come as you are - How are You?
A. Some may have wanted to make a statement about tattered clothes.
1) Draw attention to self.
B. Look deeper.
V. Christianity is about changing clothes.
A. Personal illustrations.
1) Rebecca and Sarah can change clothes 5 times a day.
a) Sarah - yellow shoes, purple pants, red skirt, ...
2) I dump clothes on my sit-up board.
a) They are also piled all over my office.
B. God's goal - we should "put on" Jesus Christ. Romans 13:14
1) New nature.
a) Attitudes
b) Actions
c) Feelings - Colossians 3:12 - gentleness, love.
1> Must come as gift from God.
2) Become more like him, less like us.
a) Have others appraise you.
b) Compare yourself with Scripture.
c) Compare yourself with Jesus.
1> Only comes from personal dedication, commitment.
VI. Clothing in our church.
A. Many Christians are lax.
B. No different than world.
1) Petty, indifferent.
C. Be clothed with Christ.
1) Then we will not have that first-grade nightmare fulfilled.
(Rev 16:15)
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