Get your party clothes on - Part 1

For a man it may be a tuxedo, for a woman that 'little black number' but dressing approriately for a party makes you feel you've made the effort to look your best.

Sometimes however we can be dressed inappropriately.

I had a last minute lunch date with my father in law. He was dressed in a sharp suit whereas I was in leisurewear. I knew the Malone Golf club was a tad prestigious, and sure enough as we entered the dining room I saw the sign "denims not permitted"! 

My entrepreneurial father in law was a member. He said to me "it'll be all right," so on his say so I confidently sat down and we ordered our meal. Some time had passed when we had the rather awkward moment.

The manager approached us to inform us that  my denim jeans were not allowed! We pleaded ignorance and reassured the manager that I'd be properly attired on any subsequent visit. How embarrassing.

Golf clubs are notorious for insisting on wearing the right gear. While playing in the USA I was approached on a putting green by golf managers and asked to tuck my shirt into my trousers as loose shirts were not permitted!

It's a little like coming to a fancy dress party and wearing ordinary clothes, or coming to a wedding without the appropriate clothes on.

It's an interesting turn of phrase but the Apostle Paul tells us to 'put off' certain things and 'put on' certain things. I like to call these "God's garments of the heart." He says that we are to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ."

There is a story about a wedding banquet in chapter 22 of the gospel of Matthew which says that...Jesus responded by telling still more stories. “God’s kingdom,” he said, “is like a king who threw a wedding banquet for his son. He sent out servants to call in all the invited guests. And they wouldn’t come!

“He sent out another round of servants, instructing them to tell the guests, ‘Look, everything is on the table, the prime rib is ready for carving. Come to the feast!’

“They only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up on the messengers and then killed them. The king was outraged and sent his soldiers to destroy those thugs and level their city.

“Then he told his servants, ‘We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests. The ones I invited weren’t up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet.’ The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on—every place filled.

“When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn’t properly dressed. He said to him, ‘Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!’ The man was speechless. Then the king told his servants, ‘Get him out of here—fast. Tie him up and ship him to hell. And make sure he doesn’t get back in.’

“That’s what I mean when I say, ‘Many get invited; only a few make it.

Seems a bit harsh for not being properly dressed but this is Jesus speaking.

I say that to say this - I've read the end of the book. There is a party being thrown by Jesus called "the marriage supper of the Lamb".

Will I be properly dressed when Jesus returns?

Will we have the right garments on?

What are these garments?

How can I be sure I am not "in denims" and thrown out of the great final feast?

Maybe you don't care and are prepared to believe in annihilation rather than a conscious afterlife?

For those who are interested read on. To

say, I've spent a lifetime getting prepared for "the life after life after death" would be an understatement. I am assured of where I'm going and know those who are going with me. Please consider coming too.

As I read the scriptures, I have uncovered what I like to call 'The 5 Garments of the Heart'. The first two are essential.

#1. The Garment of Salvation (Isaiah 61:10)

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

The word salvation or saved means "rescue or deliverance". Jesus has atoned for the sins of mankind. I see this as a red garment because of His shed blood. This garment offers us a lifejacket type garment that rescues us from the sea of sin and death. He is "the way, the truth and the life - noone comes to the Father but by him". Romans 10 indicates that we put the garment of salvation on by "confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised him from the dead".

Please ensure that you have got your garment of salvation on.

#2. The Garment of Righteousness (Isaiah 61:10)

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

There is a known fact that in medieval times young princes, because they were royalty could not be punished. But their misdemeanours and bad behaviour had still to be justly dealt with in the form of a substitute. He was called a whipping boy. He took the punishment for the Prince's bad behaviour.

This is what Jesus has done. He was the sinless, holy Son of God and on the cross of Calvary became our whipping boy - He took our punishment to atone for our sins.

Mercy is not getting what we deserved, Grace is getting what was undeserved.

Jesus has therefore given us a white garment - the garment of righteousness - allowing us to stand before a holy God.

You are cordially invited.

#EternalLifeAssured 

#Heaventogain

#Getyourpartyclotheson!

There are three more Garments of the Heart but rather than give you too much at once I'll let you ponder.

Maybe you don't darken the door of a church?

Maybe you're considering your spirituality?

Maybe this makes sense to you in your quest for answers to the life hereafter?

I'll have a subsequent blog in the next few days entitled "Get your party clothes on" PART 2 which outlines the other 3 Garments of the Heart.