COURT ATTIRE

I have been in pastoral ministry for almost 40 years now.  As my time at CCC is coming to an end I have been reflecting on a number of things.  What do I want to preach as my last four sermons here?  What has changed since I started ministry in 1975?  What were some of the memorable happenings of these past 40 years?   

I started with my years in youth ministry, grinning at the memories of camps, retreats, boundary waters experiences, and seeing where some of those youth are today while rejoicing in the small part Mary Ann and I played in those lives.  I reviewed the years of my first pastorate.  I had one driving passion, love people in Jesus name, and preach the Word.  I met all kinds of interesting people.  

I remember visiting a family who never, I mean never, threw anything away, whether it was a magazine or an empty TV tray.  My visit was prompted by the arrest of their fifth child on 3^rd degree terrorism charges.  They asked if I would be a character witness at his trial.  (He was a character alright).  I remember showing up in court and not recognizing him.  Instead of a thermal shirt and overalls, his lawyer had him dressed up in a suit and tie.  Instead of a scraggly beard he was clean shaven, with his hair cut and groomed.  

That seems to happen a lot.  We want to look good in court. 

Have you ever thought how you’re going to dress when you stand in the court of the Holy God some day?  That day is going to come for all mankind, when we are one on one with the God who created us, who is going to hold us accountable for our lives.  Thank God we as Christians have Jesus for our attorney, our advocate.  He realizes our dress code is not going to cut it.  There will be no mercy in the court if we show up in our sinful rags.  So because of His death on the cross he is able to clean us up, exchange the old rags for His righteous ones.   When we stand in His clothes of righteousness there will be no condemning sentence of guilt coming from the judge.  Jesus bore all our sin on the cross and leaves us now guilt free.   As the song writer so beautifully penned, “Dressed in His righteousness alone faultless I stand before the throne.”

What a great gift.  Get happy!! Get elated!!!  You’ve got an amazing Savior.