CLOTHING

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND DISCUSS SOME

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLOTHING.BOTH IN HISTORY AND MODERN

TIMES. WHEN AND WHERE YOU MIGHT

TYPICALLY EXPECT TO SEE CERTAIN CLOTHINGS

PROVIDE AND ANSWER TO THE QUESTION “WHAT IS APPROPRIATE”?

RECENT HISTORY/CLOTHING20 YEARS AGO A RESTAURANT WOULD HAVE

SIGNAGE “ PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED”WHICH MEANT

DRESS PANTS/TIESAND OFTEN “COAT” (SUIT JACKET)

NOW

NO SHIRTNO SHOESNO SERVICE

AS A CHURCH WE MUSTFACILITATE A NON THREATENING

ENVIRONMENT FOR NON CHURCH PEOPLE TO VISIT/LEARN REGARDLESS OF THEIR PERSONAL CLOTHING

ARE THERE SPECIFIC CLOTHINGS THAT YOU DO NOT WANT IN A CHURCH?

WHY?

THERE ARE A FEW MAIN CATAGORIESOF CLOTHING

MALE CLOTHINGFEMALE CLOTHING

APPROPRIATE/INAPPROPRIATE

A GOOD PLACE TO START

EXAMINE HEBREWS 4:12 “THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE

HEART”IS THE CLOTHING A SIN?

DOES IT PROVIDE MODEST COVERING?WHAT IF IT IS ALL THE PERSON HAS?

DISCRIMINATION???James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus

Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of persons.

James 2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in

vile raiment;

James 2:3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say

to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: James 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become

judges of evil thoughts?

PREJUDICEOR “PRE - JUDGE - ING”WE HAVE HEARD THE STORIES, AND MANY

CAN TELL THE STORIES OF HARD TIMES. THESE “HARD TIMES” OCCURRED AND WERE MOST

NOTICEABLE DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSIONCNN RECENTLY REPORTED 3 BILLION PEOPLE,,, WERE CLASSIFIED AS POOR

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?WORLD POPULATION 6.7 BILLION (NEAR HALF THE WORLD IS BELOW POVERTY LEVEL -POOR)

US POPULATION = 307 MILLION

YOU ARE AMONG THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, AND HISTORY!!!

“GOD’S CHOSEN”WHO IS GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE?

THE HEBREWS

“GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE”

WHAT GROUP OF PEOPLE DOESTHE NEW TESTAMENT ALSO

REFERENCE AS THE CHOSEN?

JAMES 2:5“HATH NOT GOD CHOSEN THE POOR OF THIS WORLD RICH IN FAITH”

JOHN THE BAPTIST , IN PRISON SENDS 2 OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO JESUS TO ASK

“ART THOU HE THAT SHOULD COME OR DO WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER”

“DO WE (INCLUDING JOHN THE BAPTIST) LOOK FOR ANOTHER”

A VERY SERIOUS CHARGE TO JESUS, HOW DID JESUS QUALIFY HIMSELF TO JOHN?

MATTHEW 11:4-5Matthew 11:4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew

John again those things which ye do hear and see:

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised

up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.“THE POOR”

“THE POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED UNTO THEM”THIS WAS A QUALIFING ACTION (TO JOHN) THAT JESUS WAS THE

TRUE MESSIAHLOOKING AT MATTHEW 11:5 (BLIND,LAME,LEPERS,DEAF,DEAD-

ALL MIRACLES) WHERE DOES THE POOR FIT INTO THIS EQUATION?

A SERIOUS QUESTION

ARE ALL THE CLOTHING CUSTOMS THAT WE OBSERVE “REQUIRED” ALL OVER THE

WORLD?HEBREWS 13:8 JESUS CHRIST THE SAME

YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER

CLOTHING SHOULD BE APPROPRIATE

THE OCCASION:I NOTICE PEOPLE AT WEDDINGS,

FUNERALS ALL WEAR (EVEN BORROW, OR RENT) THEIR BEST CLOTHES.

SHOULDN’T WE TAKE THIS SAME RESPECT AND FEELING TOWARD THE CHURCH, THE

HOUSE OF GOD, THE PULPIT?

NOT SAYING 2 DIFFERENT THINGS AT ALL

I AM ASKING YOU, IN YOUR HEART,,,SHOULD IT BE REQUIRED?????

IF IT IS “APPROPRIATE” OUTSIDE THE CHURCH TO WEAR (AS A MINIMUM)

ONE MUST BE CAREFUL TO FIND A FAIR BALANCE. REQUUIRING AND

RECOMMENDING PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

WEIGH ALL THINGS OUT

CAN YOU TAKE NICE CLOTHES TOO FAR?

YOU BE THE JUDGE?

LET’S LOOK AT THE CHURCH PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE

THE PHARISEES23:1-61Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

Phylacteries ‘fill-lack-turees’“scripture pouches” used to carry

scriptures“the bigger the bible, the holier”

ENLARGINGTHEIR GARMENTS

Numbers 15:38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make

them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the

borders a ribband of blue:

Numbers 15:39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it,

and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own

eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: Numbers 15:40 That ye may remember,

and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

PHARISEES

NOT JUST CLOTHING, REMEMBER THE “PRAYER”

Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust,

adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luke 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,

God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be

abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

ALL VISITORS AND YOUNG IN THE LORD

Luke 18:15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when [his] disciples saw [it], they rebuked them.

Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Luke 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

1Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1Peter 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious.

WHAT DO YOU GIVE BABIES?

PROVERBS 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

A HEARER OF THE WORD

A DOER OF THE WORD

PRESENTED BY STEVE P. GEARY 10-22-09