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Robed for SecurityJohn 10: 22-30THE NOVICE'S ROBEZwingli noted that, when a young man joined a monastery in the Middle Ages, he was given a monk's cowl. All of the monk's robes were made in one size. A young man, wearing the large robe of an adult monk, looked rather ridiculous. Yet, given time, the young man would grow into the cowl. One day it would fit him perfectly.1 The cowl serves three purposes. It reminds the novice that he is only beginning his journey. He must grow spiritually just as he must grow physically. Secondly, it shapes the novice's thinking and perception of himself. The clothes remind him of who he is and who he wants to become. And finally it provides a sense of security for the novice. The young monk's future is set. He knows his destiny. He does not need to wonder or worry what he will do with his life. His career, his path has been chosen. From the moment the cowl is placed on the novice his future is determined. There is also security in knowing that one day he will obtain to full maturity. There will come a day when he will reach full statue in the community and be accepted by the other brothers.THE SECURITY BLANKETThe need for security is a very critical component of our psyche. Charles Schultz humorously portrays the struggle of the soul for security in the character of Linus and his security blanket. In one episode, Snoopy snatches the blanket from Linus and flies through the door in cold midwinter with Linus suspended in midair holding onto his blanket for dear life. Outside in the snow, a battle ensues. At last Linus wins, clutches his blanket, and stands exhausted at the front door. His sister Lucy admonishes him, "Are you crazy?" It is cold outside! You could catch pneumonia rolling around out there in the snow." Linus replies, "the struggle for security knows no season!"2Much of our daily effort is directed toward making and keeping ourselves secure. All three Scripture passages from the lectionary address the need for security. The psalmist speaks of a God who gives strength and courage to walk through dangerous and perilous times. The book of Revelation give us a vision of all the faithful of God who have given their lives for the faith standing before the throne in white robes. This picture served as a reminder to the early church that even through they had to pass through persecution and suffering, God would bring them through. It reassured of their eternal security. They would one day be clothed in white and brought into his presence. And Jesus continues this theme by telling the people that no one can snatch his sheep from his care. His words are a marvelous promise of God's protection and overriding care. While I reflected on these Scriptures I asked myself, knowing that we
are secure in Christ, what impact should that have on the life of the believer?
Knowing that my eternal destiny is secure, what difference does it make
in my life?
OUR FUTURE IS SECURE ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRISTJesus tells the people that his sheep possess a rich destiny. He is not teaching that each person is automatically entitled to this eternal reward. In Greek thought in that time period, people believed that the soul was trapped within the mortal flesh. The soul had its own essence and would survive for eternity. Death was only the destruction of the physical body, liberating the soul for immortality. This is not too far off from the common view of the soul today.Life magazine dedicated an issue to the topic of the soul. They asked people from all walks of life to offer a brief definition or explanation of their understanding of the soul. The magazine contained several unusual theories. Sometimes, late at night, I feel a soft warmth wrap around me: This is the souls of people I once dearly loved returning to me for a visit. The souls of loved ones will guide one through life like a sixth sense. Jakucho Setouchi Buddhist Nun And Prominent Japanese Writer It also contained several that express a basic Christian understanding of the doctrine of the soul. I chose to believe the soul survives death--I needed that--because not to believe there's a master plan, that there's something beyond this life, would have been too devastating. (Joseph Lychner executive who lost his wife and daughters on TWA flight 800) This is both good news and bad news. The good news is that it indicates that the general public has heard at least half of the Christian message. We have done a great job of convincing people of the existence of heaven. Unfortunately they have failed to hear the other half of the message. Jesus says that only those who hear his voice have the security of their eternal destiny. Salvation is a free gift but only to those who believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God. That is a wonderful promise. I do not intend to deal with the "but what about questions" that this
promise raises. That is not to ignore those difficult questions but to
prevent them from distracting us from the beauty of the promise and the
urgency of its message. Jesus is giving his followers a promise- there
eternal destiny is not in a doctrine about the soul but in a relationship
with the shepherd.
GOD'S SECURITY LIBERATES US FROM SELF IMPOSED PRISONSWe can make incredible adjustments to uncertain or even threatening situations. We create walls, sometimes emotional or psychological to protect ourselves from threatens real or imagined. While these walls may serve to provide safety they also serve to impose limitations. They end up restricting our freedom to explore or expand our horizons.The movie Shawshank's Redemption is a fascinating movie about prisons and freedom. It is the story of not just one but many men's struggle for freedom, both real and imagined. One of the prisoner is named Brooks. He is the librarian. To find his peace of mind, Brooks succumb to the limitations and restrictions of prison life. Over the years he lost his hope for freedom and adjust to the routine of institutional life and its imposing constraints. He came to depend on his role as the librarian so much that after 50 years his world fell apart when he was paroled. He tried to make the adjustment. He checked into a halfway house and worked as a bagger in the local grocery story, but the real world was too alien and strange for Brooks. It was too threatening. He had lost his sense of security that the prison walls provided. So, after serving 50 years of a life sentence, Brooks hung himself shortly after his release. Each of us has some form of self imposed wall that we have erected to protect ourselves from a threat or danger. Several weeks ago Kathy Stephens and I met with a couple from First PC, who shared with us that their need for a steady income and long term friendship had become their self imposed prison. When God began to call them to serve on the mission field, their anxiety level rose. They had a difficult time considering stepping out beyond the security of a set paycheck and established relationships. They had to be reminded that their security came not from the material world but from their relationship with God. Knowing that are final destiny is set, knowing that are future is secure,
should prompt us to risk, to try new things, to take on new projects, to
walk with confidence into any situation or experience.
GOD'S SECURES OUR ETERNAL DESTINY NOT OUR EARTHLY FORTUNESFlannery O'Connor has been recognized as one of America's great writers. She was something of an oddity among American writers. She was a literary success who wrote from an orthodox Catholic point of view, during an age of skepticism. That Christian point of view, however, was far from pious or even obvious. Her stories are blunt and harsh. Upon the recommendation of a friend I tried to read some of them and found them very difficult, because she deals with the such a real world.She wrote about people who are real-self-centered, misled, silly, sometimes brutal, often ignorant, crude, mean, ordinary people who refuse grace and remain unredeemed. Her characters struggle with evil and one another before they finally accept grace. In A Good Man is Hard to Find a flighty, talkative grandmother leads her son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren on a wild goose chase down a deserted dirt road to find a house she thinks she remembers as a young girl. The car crashes but they all clamber out. Soon a black car that looks like a hearse drives down the road carrying three men. The grandmother recognizes one of the men as a criminal called The Misfit and she shrieks. While his pals escort the rest of the family into the woods The Misfit begins to talk with her about Christ. He wishes he had been there to see if Jesus raised the dead. IF he had seen it himself he would have known, and maybe turned out differently. As he talks the grandmother hears three shots in the distance. After the man talks, the old woman looks into his face and sees a broken man abut to cry. She murmurs, "Why you're one of my babies. Your one of my own children!" As she reaches out to touch him he spring back as if a snake has bitten him and shoot her threes times through the chest. The ending is shocking. When I first read about it I wondered, why didn't she end the story with The Misfit dropping the gun when he realized that his was loved. Why didn't the love of a godly woman transform this cruel man? Where was God when all this was going on? Flannery O'Conner writes about life as it is and not about happy endings that we wish would happen. She could have never written for Disney, but then again Disney could never have written for God. God does not promise that we will walk through every valley of death unscathed and unharmed. He promises to be our rod and staff to strengthen us and give us courage.3 Although O'Connor never says it, I wonder if the old woman was able to reach out to that Misfit because she knew the security of God's love. She was able to face danger because she knew that God was with her. Knowing the voice of God does not bring the dead back to life. It does not prevent us from dying of cancer or a heart attack. It does not prevent accidents, it does not prevent drunken drivers from during stupid things and it does not prevent cruel people from inflicting great suffering and pain. However, because we know the voice of God, we know that even through our suffering God will never lose us. The apostle Paul had his own way of saying it, 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.This is the love of God for us which was supremely displayed in the cross and poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Its essential steadfast character will never let us go, since it is committed to bringing us home to glory in the end. Our confidence is not in our love for him, which is fickle, frail and faltering but in his love for us which is steadfast, faithful and persevering. A English preacher captured the essences of the thought in a sermon on Romans when he wrote4 Let me no more my comfort draw 1 William Willimon, Pulpit Resource, Vol. 26 No. 2, April, May June 1998, p.26. 2 Glendon Harris, Pulpit Resource, Vol. 20, No. 2, p. 20,21. 3 Glendon Harris, Pulpit Resource, Vol. 11, No. 2, p. 16. 4 John R. W. Stott, Roman's Good News for the World, (Downers Grove, 1994), p.260 Robed For Security Page 6:6 Crossroads Presbyterian Church
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