Outer Rim Territories

Sermon: Theologia I: Baptism - "White Garment" - Text : Mark 9:2-13

Sermon 3 Baptismal symbol “White Garment” Text: Mark 9:2-13 Christopher Gillespie Theologia I - Baptism Dr. Arthur Just Have you ever had a nasty stain on your favorite white clothing which you couldn’t get out? The special rinse procedure, bleach, or mom’s secret method just doesn’t seem to do the trick. So you throw it into the laundry for another “pass” in hopes of a miracle. Sure enough, the garment is extracted... And the stain intact as well the article damaged from the overuse of bleach. All of your effort to restore this white garment to its original brilliance has failed. Our Gospel text features a curious phrase in verse 3. “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” Mark has chosen to highlight Jesus’ clothing rather than his face as described in the other Synoptic gospels. The Gospel writer’s motivation may be a mystery for us. Yet we can see this language of white garment throughout scripture. The Son of Man within Daniel’s dream in Daniel 7:9 predicts Jesus’ transfiguration with his description “his clothing was as white as snow.” Perhaps this is Mark’s referent? Regardless of his intent, the language of white garments continues. The angel of the Lord in the tomb greeting the women is described in Matthew 28 as “white as snow.” No other book of the Bible conveys the language of white garments more prominently than John’s Revelation. The language of being dressed in white is directly stated 6 times with possible inferences in others. Those who wear white are worthy to walk with God. Those who wear white do so to cover their shameful nakedness. The vision of the great multitude before the throne of the Lamb are wearing white garments. The twenty four elders around the throne are wearing white. Those who had been slain because of the Word of God are given white robes. The armies of heaven riding on white horses are dressed in clean and white fine linen. The white garment or robe of these texts are a sign of entry into the midst of God. Daniel, Mark and John all conceive of white garments being the garb of the heavenly host. Unfortunately this is not the kind of garment one can purchase, rather it is one that is given as a gift to those without merit. Just as you can never restore the brilliance of your white clothing, you are seen as bloodied in the face of God. Your sinful flesh excludes you from the kingdom of God. He cannot stand the sight of it and wants no part in it. God’s grace was stripped from Adam and Eve at the fall. They no longer were blameless in the sight of God but recognized their sin, the corruption of their flesh. The covered themselves with fig leaves in their shame. As a result of their sin they were cast from the garden, aware of their nakedness. You too carry this burden, you carry this shame. You know your old Adam is real and is present. Fortunately for you he sent his Son as a new Adam to this world to cleanse you of this sin. Christ took on sin in his baptism and died at the hands of our evil on the cross. He completed the restoration which was promised to Eve as the one who would crush the serpent’s head. In this white gown which we gave today at the baptism, we see a sign of God’s action in baptism. God himself works through sensory means like water, bread, and wine. In a similar fashion we have chosen to use the white garment as a reflection of his action in saving this child. No longer will he suffer the fate of the one who appeared bloody before God. That man was rejected and forsaken by his father as a result of our sin which he bore. God has taken away the bloodied rags and the fig leaves and has given us a new flesh, a white garment which is His Son. This blessed atonement has left us with a marvelous gift. As St. Ambrose said, “You have taken off the clothing of sin and are clad in the pure garments of innocence.” When was this accomplished? Just like the infant today who was baptized, this happened in your baptism. You are now covered with the new Adam... You are clothed in Christ. As Paul says in Galatians 3:27 "All you who have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ." In God’s eyes, he no longer sees you but sees the robe of righteousness that is Christ on you. As the prophet Isaiah says: "For he has clothed me with the garment of salvation and He has covered me with the robe of righteousness." In our baptism, we too will be arrayed before God like the vision of Jesus transfigured in our text. God will see not us but Christ in us. You know that the bloody stain that was your flesh was buried and covered with a new flesh, a white garment in your baptism. This was not your doing, the action of bleach or mom’s secret method. No one on this earth can create a garment white enough. Rather God’s ultimate sacrifice of his son is given a free gift. Christ’s perfect atonement covers you so that you now can join with the heavenly host, praising God and saying “Holy, Holy Holy!”