Isaiah 61:10 *
In the name of Christ Jesus, dear members of
By my calculations our catechism class met just shy of one hundred times since the beginning of the school year. Assuming that each class ran for about forty-five minutes, we spent somewhere between seventy and seventy-five hours together studying and discussing and applying God’s Word.
When you spend that much time in a classroom with a group of people, you get to know them. You find out who has perfect penmanship and who doesn’t. You find out who likes to talk and who doesn’t. But even before that, before the students say a word, you can learn a lot about them by what they wear.
Here are some of my fashion observations for the class of 2005. It’s no surprise that the boys were into sports clothing, but on any given day I was just as likely to see a t-shirt with a one-liner printed on it as a Packer jersey. I would describe the girls’ taste in clothes as comfortable casual. Sweaters were out. Sweatshirts were in. And dresses were an endangered species.
All of this makes today even more remarkable. Not only are you all dressed up. You are all dressed the same. You are wearing the same clothes that
confirmation classes have been wearing at
Did you ever wonder how this tradition began? Did you ever wonder why you are wearing
gowns? Did you ever wonder why you are
wearing white gowns? I don’t know the
history of the custom at
The Bible talks about people “who have washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the lamb” (Revelation
The wearing of gowns for confirmation is not just a silly custom. The white gown you are wearing today is more than a strange piece of clothing. There is more to it. There is meaning behind it.
Your white gown reminds you of everything that happened that brought you to this day. Your white gown reinforces the significance of what you are about to do here today. And it is my prayer on this special day, on the day of your confirmation, that you will…
WEAR YOUR ROBE PROUDLY
I. It is the perfect symbol of
your status
II. It is the perfect clothing for your
confession
The prophet Isaiah is the author of the book that bears his
name, but his writing style is not always the easiest to follow. Sometimes he writes in the first person,
sometimes from the perspective of God, and at other times from the perspective
of the people of
Isaiah 61:10 is a perfect example. Isaiah writes: “I delight greatly in the LORD; my spirit rejoices in my God.” The question we are left to answer is: Who? Who delights greatly in the LORD? Whose spirit rejoices in the true God?
It is unlikely that God would rejoice or delight in himself, so that narrows down our options. Did Isaiah believe in the true God? Yes. Did this saving knowledge fill his heart with joy? Yes. So the person speaking could be Isaiah.
But couldn’t the same things be attributed to us? We believe in the Lord. We trust in God. And we’re happy about it. If you think about it, words like these could come out of the mouth of any believer. And they did.
After the Lord delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians
by allowing them to pass through the waters of the
After the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that the Lord had
chosen her to give birth to the promised Messiah, she proclaimed: “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke
When we hear about the great things God has done for us,
when we come to understand what Jesus was willing to endure to save us, when we
think about where we would be if the Lord had not rescued us, you and I declare
with Isaiah: “I delight greatly in the
LORD; my spirit rejoices in my God.”
What was it that filled Isaiah with great delight? What was the source of his joy? “For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.” Isaiah wasn’t excited because he had just gone out and bought some new clothes. He was speaking figuratively. The source of his joy was his saving relationship with God.
You have the same joy. You have the same kind of relationship with God. And the white robes you are wearing today are a symbol of your status before God. Oddly enough, there is a good chance that your status changed on another day when you were wearing a white gown. And there is a strong possibility that you were in a church, maybe even this church.
It was a happy day for your family. It was a happy day because you became a part of God’s family. The ceremony didn’t take very long, but it was long enough for a miracle to take place. With only a few drops of water and few words the Holy Spirit created faith in your heart.
On the day of your Baptism Jesus washed away your sins. On the day of your Baptism Jesus claimed you to be his own. You have carried the blessings of your baptism to this day. And you will carry those blessings with you for the rest of your life.
Our society is obsessed with status symbols. In order to be accepted, in order to be a part of the “in” crowd, you have to go to the right schools. You have to live in a certain part of town. You have to drive a certain car. For many young people status is closely associated with the brand of clothes they wear.
If you look at the gowns of the people sitting next to you, you will notice that there is not a wide variety of patterns or colors. There are no swooshes or polo players embroidered on the chest. Your gowns are very simple, very basic, and that is just perfect.
The gown you are wearing today is perfect because it is a symbol of your status before God.
White is the color of holiness and perfection. And that is what you are. Or more accurately, that is what God has made you.
Just like your white robes cover your bodies, Jesus has covered up your sins. He became a human being just like you. He faced temptations just like you. He lived a perfect life for you. He died on the cross for you. Jesus loaded your sins onto his sinless shoulders and wrapped you up with the robe of his righteousness.
Each one of you is living proof of Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they
shall be as white as snow.” You are
counted among those who have come out of the great tribulation, who “have washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation
Because of Jesus, your sins are forgiven. Because of Jesus, you have a new relationship with God. Because of Jesus, you have a new status before God. You are clean. You are pure. You are holy. And as a visual reminder, your white gown is the perfect symbol.
This is a day for you to rejoice in your salvation. This is a day for you to remember everything God has done for you. But this is also the day when you will do something very special. This is the day when you will publicly confess your faith in God. And I believe that your white robe is the perfect clothing for your confession.
In just a few moments you will be asked to stand and answer a series of questions. This is nothing new for you. You sat up here and answered 158 questions at your examination service on Thursday. But the nine questions I am about to ask you are different. They are not head questions. They are heart questions. They have less to do with facts and more to do with faith.
Do you believe that God forgave your sins in baptism? Do you reject the devil’s lies? Do you believe in the triune God? Do you believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God? Do you intend to remain faithful to God even if it means dying for what you believe?
These are serious questions for anyone to consider. And so if you feel the butterflies fluttering, if your knees start shaking, if you palms start sweating, let me give you some advice. Stop, take deep breath, and look at your white robe. Why? Because your robe is the perfect clothing for your confession.
Your white robe reminds you who you are. You are a redeemed child of God. Your white robe reminds you what you are. You are holy because Jesus has made you holy. You are clean because Jesus has washed away all your sins. You are perfect in the eyes of God because he now looks at you through the filter of his Son.
Your white robe acts as a shield to ward off the attacks of the devil. When Satan challenges your faith, when he tempts you to question what you believe, when he suggests that you aren’t good enough for God, you can say to him: “Satan, look at me. Look at my white robe. Do you know what it means? It means that you are not my master. It means that I belong to Jesus.”
The white robe you wear today also anticipates your glorious future. The life of a young Christian is not easy. You will feel the pressure to do the wrong thing. You will probably make some enemies when you choose to do the right thing. Life can be very lonely when you stand up for what you believe.
But it’s worth it.
It’s worth it because Jesus promises you something much better. It’s worth it because Jesus offers you
something far greater. It’s worth it
because “our present sufferings are not
worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans
Nicolaus von Zinzendorf isn’t exactly a household name. He is the author of the hymn we just
sang. He wrote the words: “Jesus, your blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress” (CW 376:1).
These words are perfect for this occasion. These are words I want you to remember on the day of your confirmation. And I hope that these words will mean just a little bit more to you today as you sit up in the front of the church in your white robes.
Confirmands, wear your robes proudly. Wear them proudly because they are the perfect symbol of your status. Wear them proudly because they are the perfect clothing for your confession. Amen.