You Are Well-Suited

Ephesians 6:10-20; Psalm 34:15-22; John 6:56-69

Much of what we experience in our world is driven by advertising which creates brand recognition. Some of it is intended for the ears, such as theme songs and advertising jingles. Other kinds of branding appeal to the eyes, such as catchy logos, color combinations, catchwords, and acronyms. We learned a lot of these when we were young children when everything we didn’t need to know stuck to our memories like velcro. Would that the times table had worked that way. 

Branding is all around us. We pay an extra $5 to have the little LaCoste lizard on our polo shirts. Politicians of particular persuasions often indicate their party affiliation by the color of the tie they wear. Recognition is everything. Whenever we see a person in a brown dress shirt and shorts we automatically know that the person works for UPS. Every fast food restaurant has its particular apron or shirt or cap to help cement the brand firmly in our memory.

We live in a world filled with people wearing uniforms. Doctors have their white coats for making rounds and their scrubs if they are in surgical specialties. Nurses used to have starched caps. Now, depending if they are state tested nurse assistants, licensed practical nurses, or registered nurses, they may have a variety of different uniform offerings such as colorful smocks which help to designate their position.

The military has always had a variety of uniforms and insignia to denote branch of service and rank, as well as skill set and responsibility. Sports teams have uniforms to distinguish one team from another and to rally supporters. I wonder how much money the NFL makes on team branded clothing. 

If clothes make the man or woman, then a uniform makes the position. Judges wear robes. British judges add the wig. Tutus define a ballerina. Firefighters wear water and heat resistant clothing. Traditional corporate executives wear suits. In fact a slang term for bosses is “suits.” They are often well-suited: Brooks Brothers, Armani, Savile Row, Gucci. They don’t come off the rack at J. C. Penney or Kohl’s.

As we hear today’s reading from the Ephesian Letter, we can imagine the apostle Paul himself in prison guarded by a well-suited Roman soldier. We know that Paul did time in a number of prisons. Since Paul was a high-profile prisoner, he may have been shackled to the guard night and day. After having spent such quality time with Caesar’s finest, Paul was intimately acquainted with the uniform of the Roman military man. Without much else to do each day, Paul allowed his curiosity to engage the soldier in conversation about the different pieces of the uniform. And Paul the wordsmith quickly translated each piece of the guard’s equipment into a spiritual armor which every Christian needed for his or her daily conflict with the evil forces seeking to dominate life. We can wonder if Paul then used these metaphors in his attempt to convert his guard. Given Paul’s persuasiveness, I wouldn’t be surprised that the guard had to be changed regularly to keep Paul’s evangelism to a minimum. On the other hand that may only have increased it.

On a larger scale, the passage epitomizes the tension in which every life must be lived. Beyond the immediate image we can see the ongoing tension between what is and what we wait for. In faith we have accepted Jesus as Lord and subjected ourselves to his sovereignty. But this is an incomplete goal and a future hope. For all of us, there is a moral and existential tension between “being” Christian and “becoming Christian.” This is as true for the individual believer and it is also true for the whole church, the aggregated community of believers, whether we talk about a congregation, a denomination, or the church universal. We have not yet achieved the fullness of Christ who is all in all. So there remains a constant tension between being incorporated into Christ and our earthly existence in a world that is not yet subject to his dominion. While believing and fervently desiring to belong wholly to Christ, we still live in the “old age” which has not yet fully burst the gravitational bonds that keep us from becoming what faith tells us we shall become.

Not all uniforms are solely for identification purposes. Some uniforms enable the wearer to better function in his or her appointed work. Gymnasts wear form fitting clothing to enable them to physically do the routines. Loose-fitting clothes would get in the way and perhaps endanger some of their moves. Or some parts of uniforms are for protection. An apron may be handsome, but its primary function is to keep kitchen spills from getting on our everyday clothes. Steel-toed work shoes with metatarsal guards may look clunky, but they help protect feet from a variety of dangers. 

Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians is directed to a much wider audience than simply the initial readers/hearers. And the “you” in today’s gospel reading, which concludes and sums up the “Bread of Life” discourse, includes more than the disciples who were within earshot. 

The Spirit directs these words to a company of readers, ancient and modern, who, at the end of the narrative, are actual participants in the story.  Every reader, every listener – you, I – are witnesses, and none of us is allowed to put the book down like a good novel or turn off the audio book and return to business as usual. This is a story, which grabs us by the heart, by the throat. This is a story, which hits us in the stomach. We are convicted by its truths and conscripted by its hope into the service of the Master Jesus Christ.

We are commanded to proclaim this story.  We are compelled to call for repentance, we are required to declare divine forgiveness.  We are called to proclaim just how far God goes to save a people who constantly choose sin and death. We, like the original hearers, are recipients of the power, love, and protection that God promises.  God does not leave us defenseless. God continues the work of salvation according to the plans laid out for the completion of creation long before it was begun. 

At the same time God does not promise that life in this world will be easy. In his asking as in his teaching, Jesus does not compromise. He does not water down his message so that it will be easier for us. He does not go chasing after the people who walk away from him as did the crowd at Capernaum. He does not change the truth so that his disciples will not leave him.

All that means that we have been equipped with a suit of armor. Or perhaps the better image in today’s world would be a uniform. 

God in Jesus Christ has clothed us in a uniform of righteousness that is stain resistant and as strong as kevlar, the stuff bullet-proof vests are made of, so that the verbal slurs and snide remarks will slide off us like water off a duck’s back. And we will be safe from the barbs, lies, and other calumny that are hurled at us like so much rotten fruit at a poor vaudeville act.

Our footwear is cleated and waterproof to provide protection from the muck that non-believers and disparaging critics strew around us. The Spirit fits us with night-vision goggles to see through the dimness of the collective ignorance of all who reject the possibility of God’s gracious sovereignty. 

We are in covenant relationship with the living God, who has tailored it perfectly for us. It’s the finest suit that grace can buy. Wearing it well, gracefully, humbly, is challenging. Nonetheless, we are committed to stick with the God who sticks with us. Just as it was in Jesus’ and Paul’s day, the world today doesn’t always welcome that covenant-keeping, steadfast love. For many the offense is too great – so great it must be crucified. That means we need the strength of our Lord’s power. Paul’s words to the Ephesians make it clear that we will need to commit to following Jesus Christ over and over again. And that’s why we have been well-suited. It fits like a glove and makes us witnesses to be taken seriously, no matter how the world treats us. 

We are well-suited because we have his words of eternal life. We believe and know that he is God’s holy one.

Amen.


Unless noted otherwise, all scripture references are from The Common English Bible, © 2011 www.commonenglishbible.com. 
Copyright © 2015 First Presbyterian Church of Waverly, Ohio. Reprinted by permission.