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/CLOTHING 20 YEARS AGO A RESTAURANT WOULD HAVE SIGNAGE PROPER ATTIRE REQUIRED WHICH MEANT DRESS PANTS/TIES AND OFTEN COAT (SUIT JACKET) NOW NO SHIRT NO SHOES NO SERVICE

AS A CHURCH WE MUST FACILITATE 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 CATAGORIES OF CLOTHING MALE CLOTHING FEMALE 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 2:1James 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 2:2 James 2:3 James 2:4James 2:4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

PREJUDICE OR 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 DEPRESSION CNN 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!!!

GODS CHOSEN WHO IS GODS CHOSEN PEOPLE?

THE HEBREWS GODS CHOSEN PEOPLE

WHAT GROUP OF PEOPLE DOES THE 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 11:4-5 Matthew 11:4Matthew 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. Matthew 11:5 THE POOR THE POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED UNTO THEM THIS WAS A QUALIFING ACTION (TO JOHN) THAT JESUS WAS THE TRUE MESSIAH LOOKING 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. SHOULDNT 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?

LETS LOOK AT THE CHURCH PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE THE PHARISEES 23:1-6 1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For 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. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And 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

ENLARGING THEIR GARMENTS Numbers 15:38Numbers 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. Numbers 15:39 Numbers 15:40

PHARISEES NOT JUST CLOTHING, REMEMBER THE PRAYER Luke 18:10Luke 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. Luke 18:11 Luke 18:12 Luke 18:13 Luke 18:14

ALL VISITORS AND YOUNG IN THE LORD Luke 18:15Luke 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. Luke 18:16 Luke 18:17 1Peter 2:11Peter 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. 1Peter 2:2 1Peter 2:3 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