Coated in Christ!

22th october 2023

This Sunday’s Word of God says that it is God who prepares a banquet. It is God who prepares everything and offers everything, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to do anything.

In his parable, Jesus tells us what our part is: “The banquet hall was filled with guests. When the king went in to see the guests, he saw a man who was not dressed in his wedding garment and said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without your wedding clothes? The man was speechless” (Matthew 22:11-12)

It’s not enough to enter the banquet hall, we need to put on the wedding garment to experience the feast.

What do we have to wear to take part in the banquet prepared by the King of the universe?

The Bible says what we need to put on: “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:14) and “Put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14), in other words, we must allow ourselves to be transformed by God’s grace so that we are configured to Christ.

This is the path of discipleship. We seek to be configured, to become like Christ in the way we think, feel and act.

I.       What does it mean to be clothed in grace?

It means that I need to receive from God:

– The forgiveness of my sins

– The healing of the wounds caused by my sin.

– The reconstruction/restoration of my dignity as a child of God

– Transfiguration into the image of Christ. “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20). As in the risen Jesus, his wounds are resplendent.

II.       Why be configured to Christ or coated in Christ?

– We are an “unfinished work” “For we are God’s creation, made in Christ Jesus to live in good works, which God prepared in the past for us to do today. The new humanity in Christ” (Ephesians 2:10)

– We need it because we are sinners: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

– Without God we can do nothing: “Without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5)

– It is the purpose of our life: “For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

III.      How can we be configured to Christ or clothed in Christ?

– Desiring: “He who created you without you, will not save you without you!” (St. Augustine)

– Asking for God’s grace: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and temperance” (Galatians 5:22).

– Living with Jesus – looking like him and picking up his tics: “Have the same mind in you that was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

– Helped by the group or community: “A brother helped by his brother is like a fortified city” (Proverbs 18:19)

IV.      NSS – Next Small Step

– Read the Gospel of John to see how Jesus thinks, feels and acts.

– Talk to Jesus about your life choices.

– Share about it in your Small Group.