Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Feb 9 2020 - Luke 20:27-47 – Impressive robes

When I was at secondary school (many years ago), every morning began with an assembly. The boys (yes, we were all boys), would be assembled in the hall waiting for the ceremonies to begin. Then the teachers would march in, beginning with the headmaster and deputy head. They would all be wearing academic gowns and would sweep in with gowns following – a bit like cloned versions of Batman. Their gowns were marks of authority and they certainly impressed us boys.

Some masters even taught in gowns, some of which were a little worse for wear. The eccentric English master wore a gown that was ragged and green with mould towards the hem. But on more special occasions such as prize-giving, the gowns were supplemented with academic hoods and hats in a variety of shapes and colours. It was an awe inspiring spectacle for teenage boys. It also gave us something to aspire to – a longing to wear the scarlet hood trimmed with fur and the fancy hat.

Jesus is critical of the scribes of his day (the academics), who loved to sweep about in long robes – to flaunt their status by their elaborate dress. I don’t know whether they were in a variety of colours, but clearly they were intended to impress. They were intended to draw attention to themselves so that they would be greeted with reverence and seated with honour.

Jesus has little time for such outward show. We are to impress others with a humble Christ-like character and servant spirit. If we are to aspire to attire, let it be to this:

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3:12-14).

Imagine a people clothed like that. They would stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression as those who do not seek the best for themselves, but seek the best for others. Such lives might even be inspirational and aspirational for others, drawing them to the Lord Jesus.

Here’s a few more texts that encourage us to be well dressed:

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10).

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27).

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)

And finally, some words from Count Zinzendorf; words which speak of a robe that never gets ragged at the edges or green with mould:

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
’Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head…

This spotless robe the same appears,
When ruined nature sinks in years;
No age can change its glorious hue,
The robe of Christ is ever new.

Lord Jesus, let me aspire to be clothed in the robe of righteousness that you alone can give me. And by your Spirit clothe me now with your own beautiful character that I may draw attention not to myself but to you and seek honour not for myself but for your holy name. As you have loved me, let me be clothed with love for you and for others.

Feb 9 2019 - Exodus 1:1-22 – Genocide

God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the sea-shore. God promised Jacob that his descendants would become like the dust of the earth in number. During the many years that the Israelites had been in Egypt, God had been fulfilling his promises; the Israelites had "multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them" (Exodus 1:7).

But God's faithfulness in blessing his people created its own problems. Joseph and the blessings he brought to Egypt had long been forgotten. The current Pharaoh can only see that these foreigners are multiplying in number and could become a threat to his country – an attitude with which we are sadly all too familiar.

But threats can also become opportunities. Pharaoh decides to use these people as slave labour to build store cities for the Egyptians. Joseph had once advised Pharaoh on the building of store cities and may even have overseen their construction; his descendants, and those of his brothers, are now at the bottom of the heap in the construction of similar facilities. Moreover, they were worked ruthlessly; Pharaoh is not content simply to have them as slave labour, he wants also to break their spirit and their power.

Despite this harsh treatment, the Israelites continue to multiply to the dismay of the Egyptians. So Pharaoh decides on the time-honoured tactic of tyrants, he will murder those whom he perceives to be a threat to his own power. He does not wish to destroy his own workforce, but he does want to stop their numbers growing. He calls in the Hebrew midwives – two of their representatives are mentioned here by name. They are told to strangle every male child at birth. But the midwives are not in the business of death; they have the privilege of partnering with God and bringing new life into the world in the fulfilment of his promises. They may be afraid of the power of Pharaoh, but they have a far greater reverential fear of the God of Abraham.

Pharaoh cannot recruit the Hebrew midwives to his cause, so he decides that he will now recruit the whole population of Egypt. Anyone who sees an Israelite baby boy must throw him into the river so that the child will drown.

God is still at work to fulfil his promises and ultimately to bring blessing to all nations of the earth. But this does not mean that his people will always have an easy time. There are those who are determined to oppose the purposes of God. Such people are sometimes in positions of power and can make life hard for those who know God, even to the point of threatening their lives. Many Christians face such opposition and persecution today. They need our prayers.

We too may be called to live in challenging times and we always face the temptation to conform to the prevailing behaviour of those around us. It takes courage to stand up for what is right and good and, like the Hebrew midwives, challenge those who are in positions of power. 

Father, we pray for those of your children who today are facing persecution and the threat of death. Enable them to know that you are with them and have not abandoned them. Give them the spirit of the Hebrew midwives who feared and trusted you more than they feared the power of their oppressors. Keep us also from becoming conformed to the spirit of our age. By your Spirit, transform and renew our minds so that we might stand up for what is right and good and do what is pleasing to you.

Peter Misselbrook