What to wear in Wanaka?
Especially when it’s been so hot. Not.
But there is there a Wanaka clothing identity. Isn’t there.
Blank slide
It’s smart but casual. You could go golfing or rock climbing or to a café... and not look out of place.
Of course Hawea’s a little different...more alternative...more greenie maybe...unless you’ve owned a farm for generations. But here in Wanaka its
Montage of brands
Ice breaker Rodd and Gunn... McKensie Country...perhaps... a Janice Jones...or the op shop at Wastebusters. [pause]
...what we wear identifies us... what you wear identifies you...where you fit in to the local culture...where you live... what you like to do ... and whether your old or young... here in Wanaka... we like to relax.
...and we wear identifies us as relaxed people...
Wanaka slide with suit and dress pop ups
We’d look twice and likely stare... if we saw someone walking down the street in a three piece suit. Or dress up to the nines in New World.
But there are places where it’s cool to dress like that. Places where you’d be asked to leave...
if you were wearing... your tramping boots and your gortex jacket.
Blank Wanaka slide
How we dress sends a signal to the world...
about who we are...or who we aren’t.
It communicates a great deal... about our identity.
And it was even true in Biblical times... even in Colossae west of Ephesus in the Lycus River Valley. Looks a lot like Wanaka don’t you think? But today it’s actually in Turkey.
And that’s why the prophet Isaiah... and the apostle Paul... loved to use dressing up... as a metaphor when they wrote. Like when you’re depressed...put on the garments of praise. Or if you want to be spiritually safe... ‘put on the armour of God’
and in today’s letter to the Colossians... Paul tells us...
if you’re gonna be a community of Jesus’ followers... then you’re gonna have to dress right. You gotta put on your Jesus clothes. Clothe yourself in Christ...if you’re gonna have any show of carrying on his work together ...and here’s what you have to put on...
you gotta clothe yourselves with
Word slide
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...tolerance, forgiveness.’ [pause]
Blank slide
Disciples of Jesus don’t just go around naked... or dress in any old scungy gear... At no time... are we to take off our Jesus clothes... and never ever... are we to parade around without them!
Why is it so important? Because there’s far too much at stake...Unless we clothe ourselves in Christ...we’re too vulnerable...as individuals and as a community...
and there would be no recognizable followers of Jesus. [pause]
Paul long shot
Paul is writing from prison...to a new community of Jesus followers at Colossae. Paul had never been to meet them... but through the grapevine...he got word things weren’t going too well... in the new church...
Colossae
old habits die hard...
these people had become baptised followers of Jesus... but their families and friends and community... were still knee deep in...well...other stuff ...
some worshipped angels, some sought to control the elements through witchcraft and wizardry...still others were followers of the great Greek secular philosophies...
And they had all these complicated rules...about what you could eat and what you should wear...
every culture has them... regulations like "Don’t handle those thing! Don’t taste that! Definitely don’t touch that!" [pause]
So it was hard for the new Christian’s in Colossae...
to figure out how to separate...
their culture from their faith.
Arguments were common over...
what identifies a person.... or a community...
as truly Christian... and these conflicts were threatening the peace and unity of the new congregation.
Paul slide
And Paul is worried for them... he doesn’t want them to get even more confused...so Paul uses the kiss principle... Dear Colossians just so you’re not taken in by phony arguments... keep it simple...because it’s actually quite simple...
word slide
‘just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord...
walk in him, be rooted in him... and built upon him... and established in the faith as you were taught... abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one captivates you... with an empty seductive philosophy... according to human tradition... or elemental powers.
Blank slide
Paul tells them...all these are only shadows...
Paul doesn’t get into debate over the existence of angels... he says...Christians don’t have to worry about placating spirits... or fret about defiling themselves through food and drink...
Paul simply affirms for the Colossians...that Jesus Christ and his teaching.... offer everything necessary for life.
And in such a complex environment... they’re gonna have to go easy on each other...instead of arguing all the time... as baptised Christians....they need to trust...
they’re a cherished part of God’s new covenant...
and for heaven sake.. keep it simple... ‘just clothe yourself in Christ’.
Word slide
‘as God's chosen people... holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion...kindness...humility ...gentleness and patience. Bear with each other... and forgive whatever grievances... you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put... on... love,
which binds them all together... in perfect unity.
Blank slide
In other words take off... stop covering yourself with –– coldness, cruelty and indifference, arrogance, harshness, irritability, blaming, intolerance,
and the things that really destroy...
absolutely every community – hate and conflict.
And don’t pretend it doesn’t matter if a fellow Christian is parading around in unloving clothes...it does matter... so point it out to them... gently and with wisdom...
that they might like to change their clothes. Take off those old stinky rags… that are so contrary to Jesus’ teaching.
Hey...and instead of wearing chaos and turmoil...
why don’t you just...
Word slide
‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... since as members of one body... you were called to peace...
And be thankful.’
Blank slide
Just stick with Jesus way and put on an attitude of gratitude... while you’re at it? [pause]
But how do we do it?
Well... Paul tells the Colossians... and us... here at the ends of the earth. How you do it is this...
Word slide
‘Let the word of Christ... dwell in you... richly...’
‘Let the word of Christ... dwell in you... richly...’
especially when your tempted to criticise each other.
[pause]
St Andrew’s with raidbow slide [I don’t have it handy]
and when you worship together...
do it all in the name of Jesus... giving thanks to God the Father... through him.’ [pause]
In other words...absorb Jesus word...
into your very being...let his word and his Shalom....
his peace...[pause] live in you. [pause]
Step out of those old stinky rags... and put on some new ones. Because, if Jesus’ good news
is gonna be spread to every creature under heaven...
then Christians had better be clothed in his gospel of peace. [pause]
You know, a few days ago on Christmas morning...
we asked what we’d learned about God...
from the story of Jesus birth. I think what we learned then...isn’t so different... from what the apostle Paul was trying to teach... the new Christians at Colossae.
If we are to have any hope... of convincing our families and friends in the culture that surrounds us...convincing them that following Jesus is worthwhile...
then with the help of the Holy Spirit...we must simply be like him...like Jesus...like the one who reveals God to us. You see Christmas is never over…
when we’re clothed in Christ.
Especially when it’s been so hot. Not.
But there is there a Wanaka clothing identity. Isn’t there.
Blank slide
It’s smart but casual. You could go golfing or rock climbing or to a café... and not look out of place.
Of course Hawea’s a little different...more alternative...more greenie maybe...unless you’ve owned a farm for generations. But here in Wanaka its
Montage of brands
Ice breaker Rodd and Gunn... McKensie Country...perhaps... a Janice Jones...or the op shop at Wastebusters. [pause]
...what we wear identifies us... what you wear identifies you...where you fit in to the local culture...where you live... what you like to do ... and whether your old or young... here in Wanaka... we like to relax.
...and we wear identifies us as relaxed people...
Wanaka slide with suit and dress pop ups
We’d look twice and likely stare... if we saw someone walking down the street in a three piece suit. Or dress up to the nines in New World.
But there are places where it’s cool to dress like that. Places where you’d be asked to leave...
if you were wearing... your tramping boots and your gortex jacket.
Blank Wanaka slide
How we dress sends a signal to the world...
about who we are...or who we aren’t.
It communicates a great deal... about our identity.
And it was even true in Biblical times... even in Colossae west of Ephesus in the Lycus River Valley. Looks a lot like Wanaka don’t you think? But today it’s actually in Turkey.
And that’s why the prophet Isaiah... and the apostle Paul... loved to use dressing up... as a metaphor when they wrote. Like when you’re depressed...put on the garments of praise. Or if you want to be spiritually safe... ‘put on the armour of God’
and in today’s letter to the Colossians... Paul tells us...
if you’re gonna be a community of Jesus’ followers... then you’re gonna have to dress right. You gotta put on your Jesus clothes. Clothe yourself in Christ...if you’re gonna have any show of carrying on his work together ...and here’s what you have to put on...
you gotta clothe yourselves with
Word slide
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...tolerance, forgiveness.’ [pause]
Blank slide
Disciples of Jesus don’t just go around naked... or dress in any old scungy gear... At no time... are we to take off our Jesus clothes... and never ever... are we to parade around without them!
Why is it so important? Because there’s far too much at stake...Unless we clothe ourselves in Christ...we’re too vulnerable...as individuals and as a community...
and there would be no recognizable followers of Jesus. [pause]
Paul long shot
Paul is writing from prison...to a new community of Jesus followers at Colossae. Paul had never been to meet them... but through the grapevine...he got word things weren’t going too well... in the new church...
Colossae
old habits die hard...
these people had become baptised followers of Jesus... but their families and friends and community... were still knee deep in...well...other stuff ...
some worshipped angels, some sought to control the elements through witchcraft and wizardry...still others were followers of the great Greek secular philosophies...
And they had all these complicated rules...about what you could eat and what you should wear...
every culture has them... regulations like "Don’t handle those thing! Don’t taste that! Definitely don’t touch that!" [pause]
So it was hard for the new Christian’s in Colossae...
to figure out how to separate...
their culture from their faith.
Arguments were common over...
what identifies a person.... or a community...
as truly Christian... and these conflicts were threatening the peace and unity of the new congregation.
Paul slide
And Paul is worried for them... he doesn’t want them to get even more confused...so Paul uses the kiss principle... Dear Colossians just so you’re not taken in by phony arguments... keep it simple...because it’s actually quite simple...
word slide
‘just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord...
walk in him, be rooted in him... and built upon him... and established in the faith as you were taught... abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one captivates you... with an empty seductive philosophy... according to human tradition... or elemental powers.
Blank slide
Paul tells them...all these are only shadows...
Paul doesn’t get into debate over the existence of angels... he says...Christians don’t have to worry about placating spirits... or fret about defiling themselves through food and drink...
Paul simply affirms for the Colossians...that Jesus Christ and his teaching.... offer everything necessary for life.
And in such a complex environment... they’re gonna have to go easy on each other...instead of arguing all the time... as baptised Christians....they need to trust...
they’re a cherished part of God’s new covenant...
and for heaven sake.. keep it simple... ‘just clothe yourself in Christ’.
Word slide
‘as God's chosen people... holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion...kindness...humility ...gentleness and patience. Bear with each other... and forgive whatever grievances... you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put... on... love,
which binds them all together... in perfect unity.
Blank slide
In other words take off... stop covering yourself with –– coldness, cruelty and indifference, arrogance, harshness, irritability, blaming, intolerance,
and the things that really destroy...
absolutely every community – hate and conflict.
And don’t pretend it doesn’t matter if a fellow Christian is parading around in unloving clothes...it does matter... so point it out to them... gently and with wisdom...
that they might like to change their clothes. Take off those old stinky rags… that are so contrary to Jesus’ teaching.
Hey...and instead of wearing chaos and turmoil...
why don’t you just...
Word slide
‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... since as members of one body... you were called to peace...
And be thankful.’
Blank slide
Just stick with Jesus way and put on an attitude of gratitude... while you’re at it? [pause]
But how do we do it?
Well... Paul tells the Colossians... and us... here at the ends of the earth. How you do it is this...
Word slide
‘Let the word of Christ... dwell in you... richly...’
‘Let the word of Christ... dwell in you... richly...’
especially when your tempted to criticise each other.
[pause]
St Andrew’s with raidbow slide [I don’t have it handy]
and when you worship together...
do it all in the name of Jesus... giving thanks to God the Father... through him.’ [pause]
In other words...absorb Jesus word...
into your very being...let his word and his Shalom....
his peace...[pause] live in you. [pause]
Step out of those old stinky rags... and put on some new ones. Because, if Jesus’ good news
is gonna be spread to every creature under heaven...
then Christians had better be clothed in his gospel of peace. [pause]
You know, a few days ago on Christmas morning...
we asked what we’d learned about God...
from the story of Jesus birth. I think what we learned then...isn’t so different... from what the apostle Paul was trying to teach... the new Christians at Colossae.
If we are to have any hope... of convincing our families and friends in the culture that surrounds us...convincing them that following Jesus is worthwhile...
then with the help of the Holy Spirit...we must simply be like him...like Jesus...like the one who reveals God to us. You see Christmas is never over…
when we’re clothed in Christ.
