Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Shame, Nakedness, and Being Clothed by Another

"I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."
-Adam to God in Genesis 3:10

“And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.”
-Genesis 3:21

“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
-Hebrews 4:13
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“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!".
–Revelation 7:9-10



Dear Christ Our Redeemer Family and Friends,

We all have a problem. We know it, others know it, and most importantly God knows it. The problem is nakedness. Ever since the Fall we have been on a dead run, lest our nakedness be exposed. Our answer is fear, running, and hiding. God’s answer is to arrest us mid-stride, show us our nakedness, and then provide clothing for us. Even going back to the Garden, and on the cusp of man’s betrayal, God provided clothing for man. To cover man’s nakedness blood had to be shed. From the beginning God’s initiative was seek to man on the run, reconcile alienated man to Himself by the shedding of blood, and cover man’s nakedness in garments He provided. This has been done gloriously for us in the gospel. The Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost (Luke19:10). God provided reconciliation to sinners by the shedding of blood of His Son (Hebrews 9:22-28). And, God has clothed the sinner’s nakedness with the righteousness of His Son (Romans 4:7). What makes the gospel good news is the knowledge that this is God’s doing. He has pursued us when we were running the opposite direction. He will accomplish what he has begun. He has taken away our nakedness and shame. He has clothed us with unspotted righteousness. And, He has reconciled us to Himself. What was lost in a garden was restored on a desolate Cross.

Grateful to be dressed in the righteousness of Another,

Pastor Dan

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