Messages, Meditations, and Musings on the Life of Faith by Rev. Dr. Scott E. Olson, Interim Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Preston, MN

Sunday, May 12, 2013

"Putting On Christ" - Sermon for the Seventh Sunday of Easter


Putting On Christ
Easter 7 (Narrative Lectionary 3)
May 12, 2013
Galatians 3.1-9, 23-29

As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3.27)

Following the death and resurrection of Jesus and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the good news that God has healed the broken relationship between God and all creation is spreading. No longer confined to Israel and the Jewish people, this good news includes everyone everywhere. One of those places is the Roman province of Galatia, also known as Asia Minor or today’s Turkey. The Apostle Paul writes a letter to the churches who are struggling with their identity and mission. He does so because these Gentile Christians have been told by some Jewish Christians that in order to be acceptable to God, they must observe the laws of Moses. Paul is furious, at the Jewish Christians who are adding this burden even the Jews couldn’t bear, and at the Galatians who are falling for it.

After reestablishing his credentials as an apostle, he reminds the Galatians that they cannot do anything to earn God’s love, and that they are made right with God only through the faithfulness of Jesus. In today’s text, Paul first appeals to their experiences, and that the gift of the Holy Spirit and the blessings received came through believing in the promises, not through their efforts. Furthermore, they have become heirs of Abraham to the promises not by any outward marks or observances but because as Abraham, they trusted God. Yes, the laws that God gave through Moses had a purpose, but that purpose has changed dramatically since Jesus appeared.

Finally, he tells them that for as many who have been baptized into Christ have now clothed themselves with Christ. When I think about clothing—or putting on—Christ I think back on my life to those things I “put on.” As a young boy, when I put on a cowboy hat, holster, and stick pony I became the Lone Ranger. Later, as I tucked my blanket-cape under my white dress shirt I became Clark Kent/Superman. As a young college graduate I put on a tie and name badge and became Mr. Olson to women old enough to be my mother yet who I was called to lead. Almost 17 years ago a red stole was laid on my shoulders and I became pastor.

Yet, the most important garment I put on was the one God gave to me, my baptismal garment. When we are baptized, we are baptized into Christ Jesus, baptized into his death. All of the brokenness in our lives is put onto Jesus and crucified with him. All of his goodness is put onto us. Through Jesus Christ, the breach in our relationship with God has been healed forever. One of the reasons I appreciate our practice of infant baptism is that it highlights the fact that baptism is a gift of God’s grace, mercy, and love, one which we can never earn on our own. Baptism moves us into a new relationship with God, one that is not dependant on what we do or don’t do.

It is also true that baptism is not only a gift but also a call on our lives; baptism changes us. As we have been baptized into Christ’s death, because of his resurrection to new life we also rise to new life. Our baptisms remind us that we have been clothed with Christ, saved by God’s grace, and that everyone in our world is a child who God loves deeply and who must be treated with respect. Just as my clerical collar identifies me as a pastor, with whatever blessing that entails, it is also a call on my life, to be who God calls me to be in service to you, the greater church and community. You all have your own baptismal identities, which are both gift and call on your lives.

One of the gifts of putting on Christ is that we are all made one people in, with, and through Jesus. The old distinctions and differences don’t disappear but rather take on a new perspective. We are called to see the gift in being different, how it enriches the life of our community. And when those differences threaten to divide us, we are called to be creative unifiers. We have had a lot of practice with this in the past several years as we have discussed issues of biblical interpretation, authority of scripture, and sexuality to name a few; and we are still talking.

My hunch is that there will always be occasions to haul out our baptismal garments and put them on, because with live in a world that desperately needs to know God’s life-changing love. We don’t always get it right, but the promise of God is that he will continually pick us up, clean us off, and straighten our clothing, sending us on our way to be the healing presence our world needs. That’s no put-on. Amen.

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