Friday, June 22, 2012

“Our Yesterdays” Conclusion The Best Robe

(Friends: this is a repeat that I feel illustrates the point we considered yesterday regarding God coordinating together our yesterdays for good to those who love Him.)


"Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him" (Luke 15:22).

    Who is blessed with “the best robe?"

     Is it the Lord Jesus Christ upon His triumphant return to Heaven, after He victoriously trampled sin, hell, and the grave under His nail-scarred feet? Might it be David upon his coronation as the king of Israel? Or, could it refer to an overcoming saint finally reaching glory after living an earthly lifetime of faith, obedience, and sacrifice for God and others?

     While the Lord Jesus, David, and the godly believer seem likely candidates for such Biblical affirmation, the truth is that they are not the subjects of this blessing. No, the best robe in this passage graces one who expected nothing of the sort, and who would seem unworthy for such exalted garb.

    "And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father.  But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:15-24).

    We have all sinned against our Father and wasted His inheritance to the degree that we most appropriately wear the odor of swine. If we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, however, God bestows the best robe upon us.  He enrobes us with our Savior's righteousness and remembers no more our rejection of Him.  Our Heavenly Father looks upon us and sees the robe, the best robe.  Forever thereafter He relates to us as the loving Father of sons and daughters who were dead, and are alive again, who were lost, and are found.

    Such grace presently motivates our loving response of faith and a life lived for the glory of the Lord Jesus.  Upon our arrival in Heaven, the extent of our Lord's redemption will bless us in even greater awareness and appreciation. The realization will take our breath away, and we will feel that we cannot bow low enough to exalt the Author and Finisher of our salvation.  This will be true.  However, we will also hear our Father's command that we stand so that the universe can view the Blood-washed garment of righteousness we wear.  The glory of the Lord Jesus will shine forth from us in a splendor heretofore unknown, and the display of grace will begin that requires an eternity to fulfill...

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
(Ephesians 2:4-7)

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