I Samuel 2:18-20, 26, Colossians 3:12-17 and Luke 2:41-52
The young Samuel is described as wearing a linen ephod. Paul talk about “clothing ourselves in love.” The Luke passage says little about what Jesus as an adolescent wore! But he was “about his Fathers business!”
As we approach yet another new calendar year many will have some gift items from Christmas to wear about at work, school, and community. Since it may get colder some are bringing out anything to wear other than a “linen ephod.”
Back to Paul and Jesus. I suspect they wore whatever was common in the day. Clothes of the era would have been primarily functional for ease of movement, warmth, or cooling. However, if you were a person of royalty or of some wealth you might have some expensive varieties of cloth and color! Today one can have much variety and not at great cost! Clothes express who we are quite often, e.g., uniforms, suits, leisure, t-shirts with messages.
Paul knew this about our human nature and knew that the expression of “being clothed” with certain attitudes would reach the hearers of this message about Christian living.
How we “clothe” ourselves always gives some message to others whether implied or explicit.
“Get out your Sunday best” is perhaps attire for a previous generation but only as to physical clothing. Our “Sunday best” of love is to be showing all the days of the week!
Blessings in the New Year 2019!
Pastor Barry