Sermon
Biblical Modesty - 12/28/25 - Pastor Charlie Branch
Publisher transcript
Transcript
-
Welcome to Meadows Baptist Church of
-
Walnut Cove, North Carolina. We're so
-
glad you joined us today. If you enjoy
-
today's message, be sure to subscribe,
-
follow, and share with your friends.
-
Now, let's join Pastor Charlie Branch
-
with a word from God.
-
Amen. I can say to you tonight for
-
assurance if he's all you got, he's all
-
that you need. Amen.
-
>> I appreciate the good singing tonight.
-
Appreciate the good singing. All right.
-
If you have a Bible, take it and turn
-
just anywhere. It's all good. Somebody
-
say, "Amen."
-
>> Amen. And uh that might be the most
-
joyful thing to get said tonight. So
-
just buckle up. Amen. But uh I'm just
-
kidding. Amen. Going to deal with the
-
subject tonight. Be honest with you, I
-
don't really have a springboard text.
-
I'm just going to start somewhere and
-
kind of see where we end up tonight.
-
Don't never preach like this. Just kind
-
of felt what the Lord pressed upon my
-
heart for tonight. And uh uh say this.
-
I'll give you my subject tonight. My
-
subject this evening is biblical
-
modesty.
-
Biblical modesty. And uh I hear the
-
crickets chirping.
-
>> Amen. And uh I want to deal with this
-
subject. I'm going to tell you tonight.
-
I'm not going to speak any of my
-
opinions. I'm going to give you all
-
scripture tonight and uh consider this
-
subject. And I just ask that the Lord
-
would help us. You pray for us. I want
-
to be obedient to the Lord. I Let's
-
Let's look. Let's go back to where it
-
started. Genesis chapter number three.
-
Genesis chapter number three. Keep your
-
Bible handy tonight and a notepad and
-
you might want to mark these verses
-
down, study them for yourself. We're
-
going to kind of take a helicopter ride
-
tonight through the scriptures and uh
-
it's not going to be uh taking them out
-
of context. I'm going to give you uh the
-
text in context and give you some truths
-
here out of this. And uh let's read
-
Genesis 3 verse number 7. Genesis 3
-
verse number 7.
-
And uh I doubt I get too wound up
-
tonight, but just as soon as I say that,
-
I might anyway. So So uh I'm just going
-
to preach. Amen. I don't know. It just
-
feels good in here tonight.
-
>> And I appreciate the Lord's presence.
-
You know what I I know it's whether it's
-
a house for a handful. Amen. Two or
-
three are gathered in his name. He said
-
there I'd be in the midst of them.
-
>> And man, I'm telling you, I'm just glad
-
I'm saved. Amen. And I'm on the winning
-
side. Let's look in the text tonight.
-
Genesis 3 verse number 7. Bible says,
-
"And the eyes of them both were open."
-
This, of course, is Adam and Eve. The
-
Bible says, "And they knew that they
-
were naked. They sewed fig leaves
-
together and made themselves aprons.
-
They heard the voice of the Lord God
-
walking in the garden in the cool of the
-
day. And Adam and his wife hid
-
themselves from the presence of the Lord
-
God amongst the trees of the garden. And
-
the Lord God called unto Adam, said unto
-
him, Where art thou? And he said, I
-
heard thy voice in the garden, and I was
-
afraid because I was naked and hid
-
myself. Let's pray real quick tonight
-
and ask the Lord to help us. Father,
-
thank you for this time tonight. Thank
-
you for this service. And Lord, I know
-
it's different, but God, I know this is
-
your word. And so I pray that you would
-
help me. I ask that you would give me
-
liberty, give me vocabulary. I pray
-
you'd set a watch about my lips, God,
-
that I would say nothing. It would bring
-
dishonor or displeasure to you, but
-
Lord, I pray that it would exalt you.
-
And Lord, I know you're holy. And you
-
told us in your word to be you holy, for
-
I am holy. And so, God, I pray that you
-
will help us to consider the text
-
tonight that I'm going to share. And
-
Lord, I pray that you would uh use it
-
for your glory and honor and cleanse us
-
of sin and self, rid us of the flesh,
-
and do the work that only you can do.
-
We'll be sure to thank you for it
-
because we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> This text tonight, of course, we know
-
this is the beginning of beginnings here
-
in the book of Genesis. And Adam and Eve
-
have sinned in the garden. And uh I find
-
it interesting. I was thinking about
-
this this morning. We I made the comment
-
in the message this morning concerning
-
the doctrine of separation that
-
separation is really as big a Bible
-
doctrine as salvation is. And the more
-
I've studied and read, I've cons conss
-
of immodesty and nakedness is just as
-
big. And uh I want to give you some
-
principles this evening. The Lord
-
helping me from these text. And uh I
-
look through my Bible and just praying
-
this afternoon and I want to give you a
-
few just to help us get off the the
-
precipice tonight looking at this this
-
thought of biblical modesty and
-
nakedness. We come to this text in
-
Genesis 3. We know it's Adam and Eve.
-
And I want to point out to you here in
-
the text, the Bible says that when their
-
eyes were open, they knew that they were
-
naked. Now we know that spiritual death
-
had brought this upon them in verse
-
number seven. And so out of that man's
-
effort is seen. In verse 7, they sewed
-
fig leaves together and made themselves
-
aprons. Now aprons by definition is a
-
clothing. It's a piece of garment that
-
goes about the waist. And the Bible says
-
in verse number eight that they heard
-
the voice of the Lord God walking in the
-
garden, the cool of the day. And Adam
-
and his wife hid themselves from the
-
presence of the Lord God amongst the
-
trees of the garden. And the Lord God
-
called unto Adam and said unto him,
-
Where art thou? And he said, 'I heard
-
thy voice in the garden. I was afraid
-
because I was naked and I hid myself.'
-
Now, I want to ask you this question at
-
this point in time in this scripture.
-
Had Adam not just made himself a
-
garment.
-
Adam had already made himself a garment
-
here out of those branches. It's off
-
it's often assumed that they use well,
-
it says they're fig leaves, but it said
-
that um you know there's other things
-
that they say is assumed that they use
-
in this text. But I do know it says they
-
made aprons and so these were garments
-
that went about their waist. Of course,
-
we know covering the private areas of
-
their body. And the Bible says that
-
after here God calls unto them. He asks
-
where they at and they go hide
-
themselves. Well, the Bible says that
-
they've got a garment on. But it also
-
says that even though they had a garment
-
on, they were still naked.
-
>> Right?
-
>> And so here begins this first principle.
-
Well, Adam and Eve knew they were naked,
-
and they sewed fig leaves together, but
-
it did not cover their nakedness. And
-
so, the world today says that as long as
-
your uh genitals are covered, your
-
private parts are covered, that that's
-
not nakedness.
-
But I submit to you that's not what the
-
Bible teaches,
-
>> right?
-
>> They were naked and they went and hid
-
themselves because they were ashamed of
-
their nakedness. So, I we consider Adam
-
and Eve first of all. I want to consider
-
second of all Noah and his son Ham.
-
Notice Genesis chapter number nine.
-
Genesis chapter number N.
-
I'm going to take a walk through the
-
pages of scripture here. Consider some
-
events. Genesis 9. Notice verse number
-
21. Verse number 20.
-
Genesis 9:20.
-
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and
-
he planted a vineyard, and he drank of
-
the wine, and was drunken, and he was
-
uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the
-
father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of
-
his father, and told his two brethren
-
without. And Shim and Japheth took a
-
garment, laid it upon both their
-
shoulders, and went backward, and
-
covered the nakedness of their father,
-
and their faces were backward, and they
-
saw not their father's nakedness. So, we
-
revealed already that there's shame in
-
this thought of just not being
-
completely unclothed, but partially
-
unclothed. in this text reveals to us
-
the thought that Canaan here receives a
-
curse. Now Canaan is not the even the
-
one that is mentioned. But I find it
-
interesting in verse 22. Notice what
-
your Bible says. Ham the father of
-
Canaan. Isn't that interesting? Your
-
Bible says that you see Canaan had
-
absolutely nothing to do with this
-
event. The first mention of wine in your
-
Bible is in verse number 21. And because
-
Noah had become drunken off of this
-
wine, he found himself in a stouper and
-
he was uncovered in his tent. And his
-
son Ham walks into the tent and he lays
-
eyes on his father there unclothed. And
-
the Bible says that out of this there
-
arises a curse. Now there's two schools
-
of thought on what Ham did in this text
-
and I'm not going to take time to deal
-
with that tonight, but I am going to
-
deal with the application of this just
-
because in this text, let let me say
-
this. You may be able to dress how you
-
want to, all right, and get by with it.
-
But you might cause somebody else to be
-
in a deeper curse or sin than you ever
-
could have imagined,
-
>> right?
-
>> Noah cursed this child with a curse that
-
would last for perpetual generations.
-
All of Ham's children were cursed,
-
>> right?
-
>> Because of his nakedness. And I want to
-
remind you that just because you can get
-
by with it doesn't mean that those that
-
see you will.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Amen. Notice this. Not only Adam and Eve
-
and Noah and Ham. Consider Exodus 32.
-
Exodus chapter number 32.
-
Exodus 32 and verse number 20 to get you
-
up to speed on where we're at. Aaron and
-
Moses here have uh Moses is up on the
-
mountain with Joshua. Verse number 20
-
here. The uh the calf that Aaron has
-
made, the children of Israel have danced
-
around it. Verse number six, they rose
-
up early on the morning and offered
-
burnt offerings, brought peace
-
offerings, and the people sat down to
-
eat and to drink and to and rose up to
-
play. And uh the Lord tells Moses, "Go
-
down." He goes down. Joshua hears the
-
noise of war. Verse 17, verse number 20,
-
they come to the calf. Verse 19, angry.
-
Moses was angry. Verse 20, they took the
-
calf. They burn it in the fire. Verse
-
21, Aaron begins his excuse. Listen to
-
what the Bible says in verse 24. Aaron
-
said, he said, I said unto them,
-
whosoever hath any gold, let them break
-
it off, so they gave it me. Then I cast
-
it into the fire. And there came out
-
this calf.
-
Now, let's just stop there for a minute.
-
That already shows you how big of a
-
gross lie this is.
-
>> Notice verse 25. And when Moses saw that
-
the people were what? Naked. For Aaron,
-
notice this, had made them naked unto
-
their shame among their enemies. Now,
-
I'm just going to go ahead and put this
-
out and begin the message. Every text
-
that I deal with, nakedness is going to
-
lead to shame.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Every one of them. All right? So, that's
-
off the table. Now, consider this. Okay?
-
Aaron has made this molten calf. All of
-
Israel is worshiping, worshiping it,
-
drinking and dancing according to verse
-
number six. And not only this, they are
-
drinking and dancing unclothed.
-
You say, "What's the evidence of this?"
-
Well, basically what this tells us that
-
nakedness is a part of devil worship.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You look at rituals that go on in the
-
world today, and I'll not elaborate on
-
this, but many of the demonic rituals
-
that take place in the church of Satan
-
involve this.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Offering of little babies unclothed.
-
Telling you, it's godless. You say,
-
"Preacher, well, that's all Old
-
Testament." Well, there's more examples
-
than just that.
-
>> We think of David and Ba Sheba. David,
-
the sweet psalmist of Israel. He was
-
plunged into this because of him being
-
at the wrong place at the wrong time and
-
with the wrong mindset. Amnan and Tamar
-
had the same problem. Azerus and Vast in
-
the book of Ezra in in the book of
-
Esther had the same problem. Nakedness
-
is obviously a sin according to the Old
-
Testament. Let's consider the New
-
Testament for a minute. You you say,
-
"Preacher, what does the New Testament
-
have to say about it?" Well, it has a
-
whole lot to say about it in the New
-
Testament. The one of the instances that
-
come to mind first of all, let me begin
-
with this. The first instance that comes
-
to mind in the New Testament is our
-
Lord.
-
>> Right?
-
>> Our Lord. You say, "Preacher, what do
-
you mean about Jesus?" Well, turn to the
-
book of John, chapter number 19.
-
I'm going somewhere with all this. Just
-
stay with me. John, chapter number 19.
-
Verse 23 and 24. John 19 23 and 24. The
-
Bible says, "Then the soldiers
-
when they had crucified Jesus took his
-
garments and made four parts to every
-
soldier apart and also his coat. Now the
-
coat was without seam woven from the top
-
throughout. They said therefore among
-
themselves, let us not rend it but cast
-
lots for it. whose it shall be that the
-
scripture might be fulfilled which said
-
they parted my raignment and among them
-
and for my vesture they did cast lots
-
these things therefore the soldiers did.
-
Now Jesus is is hanging there on the
-
cross and he and not like the pictures
-
portray he does not have a loin cloth on
-
him. Jesus is completely stripped.
-
>> Jesus is there on Calvar's cross and the
-
Bible says notice what they're doing
-
with his garments. They're gambling.
-
Isn't it interesting, and I'm just put
-
this out there, okay? Isn't it
-
interesting that literally every sin has
-
come up with these verses,
-
>> right?
-
>> There's just nakedness, then there's
-
drinking and nakedness, there's partying
-
and ga and nakedness, now there's
-
gambling and nakedness.
-
You say, "Preacher, that's just that's
-
just stretched an application." It's the
-
Bible. That's
-
>> right.
-
>> You think about this. Jesus there on the
-
cross, what what did that nakedness
-
represent? They were trying to shame
-
him.
-
>> That's right. You say, "Well, how do you
-
know that?" Well, the Bible says in
-
Hebrews 12 and verse number two that he
-
despised the shame. What was that shame?
-
Being born about before the whole world
-
completely unclothed as the son of God.
-
You say, "Preacher, that's not what that
-
means." Well, then if that's not what it
-
means, why did God turn the light out?
-
>> Yeah.
-
>> When Jesus was hanging on that cross,
-
God cut the sun off. Why'd he do that?
-
So he could hide the shame,
-
>> right,
-
>> of his son's nakedness.
-
So there's the first one I think of. It
-
was his nakedness that was a part of his
-
shame. He despised that shame and the
-
darkness. It was a It was God covering
-
the shame of his son's nakedness on the
-
cross. I I think not only of this, but I
-
think about Peter.
-
Turn over two pages. John 21. This is
-
where the rubber is really going to
-
start to meet the road here. All right.
-
John 21
-
talking about nakedness. John 21 verse
-
number verse number five verse4 let's
-
read there
-
Peter's going fishing verse 3 verse4
-
when the morning was now come Jesus
-
stood on the shore but the disciples
-
knew not that it was Jesus then Jesus
-
saith unto them children have you any
-
meat they answered him no he said unto
-
them cast the net on the right side of
-
the ship and ye shall find they cast
-
therefore now they were not able to draw
-
it for the multitude of fishes verse
-
seven therefore that disciple whom Jesus
-
Jesus, love sitha unto the pet unto
-
Peter, it is the Lord. Now when Simon
-
Peter heard that it was the Lord, notice
-
what your Bible says, he g his fisher's
-
coat unto him, for he was naked. Did he
-
cast himself into the sea? I'm talking
-
about what the Bible says about this
-
subject. Okay, you say, "Preacher, was
-
Peter completely unclothed?" No.
-
No. Matter of fact, the only thing that
-
Peter was missing was a shirt.
-
You say, "How is that?" Well, notice the
-
text again. And the Bible says that he g
-
his fisher's coat unto him. You look up
-
that that that word fisher's coat. It
-
literally means the top garment.
-
>> He was missing his upper garment. Do you
-
know what that tells us? Men walking
-
around shirtless. That's nakedness,
-
>> right?
-
>> Amen.
-
>> By the Bible, that's nakedness.
-
So we consider Peter. Peter was naked.
-
The fisher's coat, that upper garment,
-
it's this bare chestedness. its
-
nakedness. So Jesus was seen naked.
-
Peter was found naked. And I know this
-
is a weird sermon. It's weird for me to
-
preach it, but I'm telling you the
-
truth. All right? You consider not only
-
Jesus and Peter, but consider this young
-
man. Mark chapter number 11.
-
Mark chapter number 11. I'm giving you
-
principles here.
-
Mark chapter number 11. Actually, Mark
-
14. Excuse me. I wrote this wrong in my
-
notes. Wrote too many verses down. Mark
Mark 14 chapter mention
-
chapter 14.
-
Mark chapter 14 verse 50.
-
Mark chapter 14:E 50.
-
The Bible says, "And they all forsook
-
him and fled." That's the disciples. The
-
enemy has come to take Jesus away. The
-
Jews are come to take him. They all
-
forsake him and fled. Verse 51. And
-
there followed him a certain young man
-
having a linen cloth cast about his
-
naked body. and the young man young the
-
young men laid hold on him. Verse 52 and
-
he left the linen cloth and fled from
-
them naked. You say, "Preacher, what's
-
the emphasis of that?" Well, what this
-
emphasizes is is that this young man had
-
he had an outward appearance of
-
godliness. That linen cloth is a picture
-
of purity. But you know what happened
-
when adversity struck? You know what
-
happened? He left the purity behind.
-
You're
-
>> right.
-
>> And what resulted in that? Well, he
-
turned his back on his savior. Number
-
one. Number two, he left in shame.
-
What I'm saying to you, it's it's always
-
shame. It's always condemnation. Notice
-
this. Fourthly, there's three re three
-
men in the New Testament that deal with
-
this subject. Let's consider this one.
-
The book of Mark, chapter number five.
-
Mark chapter 5.
Mark 5 chapter mention
-
The Bible says in verse number two of
-
Mark chapter number five, when he was
-
come out of the ship, this Jesus
-
immediately there met him out of the
-
tombs a man with an unclean spirit.
-
He had his dwelling among the tombs, no
-
man could bind him, no not with chains,
-
cause that he'd been often bound with
-
feathers and chains, and the chains had
-
been plucked to sunder by him, and the
-
feathers broke in pieces. Neither could
-
any man tame him. This is the demoniac
-
of Gadine.
-
This man's crazy. Bible says, and I
-
believe it's Luke's account, that he has
-
seven, I think it's a legion of of
-
devils that's in him. Bible says that
-
demon literally spoke and said, "We are
-
many." And you notice in this text that
-
Jesus here, he he comes to Jesus and he
-
cries out to him as those demons speak
-
in verse 7, "What have I to do with
-
thee, Jesus, thou son of the most high
-
God?" And he is he is naked in our text.
-
Verse number let's see here verse number
-
12. Verse 13. The devils there. They
-
leave in verse 12. Verse 13. They went
-
out entered into the swine. The herd ran
-
violently down a steep place in the sea.
-
They were about 2,000. They were choked
-
in the sea. Verse 15, notice this. And
-
they come to Jesus. This is the crowd
-
that's in the country. And see him that
-
was possessed with the devil and had the
-
legion sitting. And what's the next
-
word?
-
>> Clothed.
-
Sitting and clothed. And what's the next
-
phrase?
-
>> And in his right mind.
-
While he was possessed, he was
-
unclothed. While he was possessed, he
-
was uncontrolled. While he was
-
possessed, he was unckempt. But when he
-
got right with God and the demons got
-
out, what happened? He put some clothes
-
on.
-
>> Right?
-
>> Amen.
-
So the de demoniac was naked. I'll say
-
this. When you consider this thought,
-
our stance on immodesty reveals what's
-
in our mind.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Somebody's consumed by pride, consumed
-
by lust, selfishness, they don't have a
-
problem unclo themselves because they
-
think really highly of themselves.
-
Notice this. I want to move on here.
-
We'll be done early tonight. I just just
-
had this burden on my heart. So we
-
considered all these truths, all these
-
times in the Bible where nakedness is
-
dealt with. Now what is some principles
-
in scripture? How do we measure that? We
-
know that God's against nakedness. We
-
know that's not right. Okay? We know
-
that's that's wrong. But we've already
-
considered some principles about what
-
nakedness is. You see, who defines the
-
term wins the battle. Amen.
-
So, we've discovered by Adam and Eve
-
that nakedness is not only just being
-
completely uncovered, but only have
-
certain portions of your body covered is
-
nakedness.
-
Those parts that are deemed the private
-
parts. And then not only that, but a a
-
man's having his upper body uncovered is
-
nakedness by the scripture.
-
So, we move on from that. And you say,
-
"Preacher, well, what else is said?"
-
Well, there's another text I want to
-
deal with and I'll say this. All right,
-
and hear me out. Okay, these short
-
shorts that people are wearing this day
-
and time. That's nakedness.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> That's nakedness.
-
So, how do you get that, preacher? Well,
-
I told you I was going to give you Bible
-
for everything. So, turn with me to the
-
book of Isaiah.
-
Isaiah 47.
-
Isaiah chapter number 47.
-
And if you don't make it there, you can
-
write them down and come back to them
-
later. Isaiah 47. There's a text here
-
that's revealed. It's the prophecy of
-
the virgin daughter of Babylon. Verse
-
number one, come down, sit in the dust,
-
oh virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit on
-
the ground. There is no throne. Oh
-
daughter of the Chaldans, for thou shalt
-
no more be called tender and delicate.
-
Verse two, take the millstones and grind
-
meal. Uncover thy locks, make bear the
-
leg, uncover
-
the thigh,
-
pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness
-
shall be uncovered. Isn't that
-
interesting? Yay, thy shame shall be
-
seen. I will take vengeance, and I will
-
not meet thee as a man. As for our
-
redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name,
-
the Holy One of Israel. Sit thou silent
-
and get thee into darkness, oh daughter
-
of the Chaldans. Notice this. For thou
-
shalt no more be called the Lady of
-
Kingdoms.
-
The implication of this text, to make a
-
long story short, is this, that the
-
virgin daughter of Babylon is still a
-
virgin, but she loses her virginity in
-
showing her nakedness.
-
She loses her standing
-
as a lady. Notice it again. He said in
-
verse five, he said, "No more shall you
-
be called the lady of kingdoms." Verse
-
number two, what was the reason why he
-
said, "Make bear the leg, uncover thy
-
thigh." Verse three, "Thy nakedness
-
shall be uncovered." So that tells me
-
that the thigh is nakedness.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You say, "Preacher, that's stretching."
-
No, that's what what the text says.
-
If you uncover the thigh, that is
-
nakedness.
-
You say, "Preacher, well, what's not?"
-
If you're saying all of this, well,
-
being clothed properly,
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Rick Grley said this. He said, "Clothes
-
are not made to reveal, but they're made
-
to conceal."
-
>> Right?
-
>> Some people, I don't even know why they
-
wear clothes.
-
>> I mean, I'm being honest. Being honest.
-
Sad thing is, it's happened in church.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> It's happening in churches all over our
-
country. Why is that? Because people
-
have refused to see what the Bible says
-
about these matters. All exposure of the
-
thighs is thus condemned by scripture.
-
It represents nakedness. Notice this in
-
our text. Not only is the all these
-
other points I've covered, I want to
-
rehearse that again, but I'll say this.
-
It goes much further than that.
-
So, it goes beyond just being uncovered,
-
having certain parts uncovered. But it
-
even goes to the place of where you
-
wearing something that's fitting that
-
you're covered, but you're showing
-
everything.
-
You say, "Well, how do you see that?"
-
Well, basically this is tight clothing,
-
spandex pants, painted on skirts, men
-
wearing muscle shirts and short shirt,
-
short shorts, and trying to show off
-
their physique. God ain't within a
-
million miles of that,
-
>> right?
-
>> Notice the book of Exodus 28. And this
-
is next to last thing I'm going to share
-
with you tonight.
-
Exodus 28.
-
And the one verse that we use for
-
modesty in our church, I've not even
-
touched it tonight.
-
Not even touched it. I'm going to read
-
it here in a little while, but I I'll
-
mention that in a minute. But notice
-
this. Exodus 28 verse number 39.
-
Exodus 28:39.
-
Here this is the this is the instruction
-
of God to Moses here to make the coat
-
for Aaron and his sons the priest
-
without stretching the scripture too
-
very much we are all priests amen
-
believer priest in Christ Jesus kings
-
and priests amen notice what the Bible
-
says in verse 40
-
and for Aaron's sons thou shalt make
-
coats and thou shalt make for them
-
girdles and bonnets shalt thou make for
-
them for glory and for beauty. And thou
-
shalt put them upon Aaron thy brethren,
-
his sons with him, and shalt anoint
-
them, and consecrate them, and sanctify
-
them, that they minister, may minister
-
unto me in the priest's office. Now, I
-
missed verse 39. They made a coat of
-
fine linen. So, that outward apparel of
-
the priest was that coat of fine linen
-
that was made. It had those miders upon
-
it and and and the girdle that they
-
would wear with that. But it does not
-
stop there. Notice verse 42.
-
And thou shalt make them linen breaches
-
to cover their nakedness. From the
-
loins, even unto the thighs shall they
-
shall reach, and they shall be upon
-
Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come
-
in unto the tabernacle of the
-
congregation, or when they come near
-
unto the altar to minister in the holy
-
place, that they bear not iniquity and
-
die, it shall be a statute forever unto
-
him and his seed after him. So what this
-
is, all right, verse 42, those linen
-
breaches, look what it says they do. It
-
says it covers their nakedness. Now, I
-
want to remind you this linen shaw that
-
the priest wore was completely from head
-
to toe. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> They were completely covered. Now, what
-
was their nakedness then? Well, when the
-
shadow would pass by and the sun would
-
cast on them, that white cloth, the
-
shadow would be seen through it. They're
-
completely covered, but they're
-
completely seen because of the shadow.
-
And so, what was made for that? These
-
breaches were made to cover their
-
nakedness. You say that's the only place
-
in scripture you find that. Well, I I
-
can show you another place here in the
-
Bible where some men were wearing these.
-
We actually dealt with this not too long
-
ago. Daniel chapter number three.
-
I ain't no hurry tonight, y'all. All
-
right. Daniel chapter number three. I
-
want I want to read here. Let's look
-
Daniel 3
-
verse number 21 verse 20. Daniel 3:20.
-
He commanded the most mighty men that
-
were in his army to bind Shadrach,
-
Meshach, and Abedneo and to cast them
-
into the burning fiery furnace. Now
-
verse 21, notice this. Then these men
-
were bound in their coats, their hos,
-
and their hats, and their other
-
garments, and were cast into the midst
-
of the burning fiery furnace. That
-
little word in the midst of that verse,
-
their coats, that's the outer covering
-
that that tunic that they would wear.
-
And then that hos, and that is that
-
those breaches
-
>> that they would wear that would cover up
-
the inside. That's why ladies wear
-
slips.
-
>> You're right.
-
Come on.
-
>> I know this is uncomfortable. I know it
-
is, but it needs to be preached. Okay.
-
>> That's why men wear undershirts. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Okay. You say, "Preacher, you you have
-
lost your mind." I might have, but I'm
-
telling you, it's in that book.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> What did it do? It covered their
-
nakedness. You should not wear something
-
that form fits you.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You're not m It's not meant for you to
-
be seen. You are meant to be covered and
-
concealed.
-
And so what does this this tell us? All
-
right, you say, "Well, preacher, I I
-
wear what I want to wear because I'm not
-
hurting anybody by what I wear. I'm
-
confident in the way I look, and that
-
does not bother me."
-
Well, you see, if you show yourself off
-
to the world, you need to remember
-
something. You're not just showing
-
yourself off,
-
>> but you're showing your family off.
-
>> You're right,
-
>> son. You're showing your dad. You're
-
showing your brother. You're showing
-
your children.
-
Daughter. You're showing your mama.
-
You're showing your sister. You're
-
showing your children.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Say, "How is that, preacher?" Well,
-
notice Leviticus chapter 20.
Leviticus 20 chapter mention
-
Leviticus 20. It's found in chapter 18
-
6-19, but it's found in chapter 20 verse
-
number 19- 21.
-
Leviticus 20 19 through 21.
-
Leviticus 20:1 19. Thou shalt not
-
uncover the nakedness of thy mother's
-
sister, nor thy father's sister. For he
-
uncoverth his near kin, they shall bear
-
their iniquity. And if a man shall lie
-
with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered
-
his uncle's nakedness. They shall bear
-
their sin. They shall die childless.
-
Verse 21. And if a man shall take his
-
brother's wife as an unclean thing,
-
heath uncovered his brother's nakedness.
-
They shall be childless. When you reveal
-
yourself, this is what you're doing.
-
You are saying to the entire world that
-
you don't care about yourself and your
-
family.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You don't care about what you look like
-
and you don't care about your family and
-
how the world sees them. Let me say
-
this. All right. Just some principles
-
throw out at you tonight. And I have
-
used literally none of the verses that I
-
would normally preach for this to preach
-
this message to you tonight. Let me say
-
this to you. Dress should not be
-
primarily for comfort.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Dress should not primarily be for
-
attraction. Dress primarily is meant to
-
conceal, but secondarily, it's meant to
-
promote character. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> You know, people judge you by the way
-
you dress. If you show up at your place
-
of business, Amen. dressed down and you
-
are high ranking individual in that
-
thing and everybody else in there is
-
wearing suits and ties and nice clothes
-
and you show up dressed down like you
-
just got out of bed. You know what
-
they're going to do? They're going to
-
look at you and say, "Man, he's not
-
ready for the job.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> She's not ready for the job." Why is it
-
we think it's any different in our life?
-
>> That's good. As the church of the living
-
God, we have been called out as a
-
peculiar people to look different than
-
the rest of the world.
-
>> Right?
-
>> And the way we dress is number one to
-
conceal. Amen. We're not to see
-
ourselves. We're to be hidden behind the
-
cross. And so if you're bearing flesh,
-
that means that you are revealing
-
yourself to the world.
-
And you're definitely not promoting
-
character.
-
>> You're right. Because you know what
-
happens when you reveal yourself? It has
-
the tend it will ha it will have the
-
ability to cause others to sin. Right?
-
>> I'll say this. You say, "Preacher, but I
-
don't want to lose my individuality."
-
>> Come on.
-
>> Let me say this to you. Okay?
-
Individuality ain't nowhere in that
-
book.
-
>> Right?
-
>> Jesus, the Bible said, he made himself
-
of no what? Reputation.
-
>> Right?
-
>> No reputation. You think about this. the
-
very son of God himself. He became a man
-
so that we might be made like him.
-
>> I'm individuality is off the table for a
-
child of God.
-
>> Amen. We're made to be like him. Amen.
-
>> We're made to be conformed to his image.
-
For by grace are you saved through faith
-
and that not of yourselves. It's the
-
gift of God, not of works, lest any man
-
should boast. We are his workmanship
-
created in Christ Jesus unto good works
-
which God hath verely for ordained that
-
we should walk in them. Our life should
-
represent Jesus and that includes what
-
we wear.
-
>> Amen.
-
People fear losing their individuality.
-
This is not a servant's heart. Let me
-
say this to you. And I've had people say
-
this, preacher, you might as well just
-
make us all wear robes.
-
Well, one of these days you all are
-
going to be wearing robes.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Just putting that out there. Okay.
-
>> Say, "Preacher, that's legalism." Let me
-
let me ask you something, okay? What do
-
you think Jesus is most pleased with?
-
>> Amen.
-
>> When you stand in front of the mirror
-
wearing what you're going to wear to
-
work or school or whatever it is
-
tomorrow, ask yourself this question.
-
Jesus, would you approve of how I look
-
today?
-
>> Right?
-
I'll tell you, he'll make it clear.
-
>> Right?
-
>> Immodesty brings distraction. I'm not
-
just talking about women. We always link
-
modesty to a a female problem. I'll say
-
this, it's as much as a male problem as
-
it is a woman problem. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> I think the reason why a lot of churches
-
fall out of sorts about it is because
-
the men are always hounding on the women
-
and nobody ever says nothing about the
-
men. Preachers and pastors and Sunday
-
school teachers and men in the church
-
ought not go around. day, man, showing
-
their muscles and looking like Hulk to
-
everybody cuz it's not about us.
-
>> Conceal yourself.
-
>> I know it's funny, but it's the truth,
-
>> right?
-
>> We are not meant to reveal ourselves.
-
Immodesty brings distraction. That
-
distraction often leads to digression.
-
That degression leads to defilement.
-
That defilement brings division. And you
-
know what happens when division comes?
-
You know what that leads to? Divorce.
-
That's what it leads to.
-
>> Some man gets his eyes on a lady that
-
won't wear no clothes.
-
>> That's good.
-
>> Thinking the grass is greener on the
-
other side because she looks better.
-
That doesn't matter. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> When you get married, young people
-
that's here tonight, everybody's sick.
-
Amen. I feel like I'm preaching to A. I
-
don't know what I'm preaching to
-
tonight. Somebody help me. Amen.
-
We don't we young people, they're not to
-
marry somebody for the container.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> That container is going to go away.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> That's right.
-
>> Ricky Grabley said this. He said he
-
might have a tattoo that says mom. He
-
said one of these days it'll say wow.
-
>> I'm being real with you.
-
>> Why is this such a problem in our
-
churches today?
-
>> You know what? Here's here's what it
-
comes down to. I think preachers have
-
failed to preach on it.
-
>> Wouldn't you agree with that? I think
-
they failed to preach on it. That's why
-
I'm preaching it tonight.
-
>> Cuz here's what it comes down to. I know
-
if we're going to be right with God on
-
the inside, we're going to have to get
-
the outside right at some point.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You're not going to live and walk in sin
-
and parade yourself around in pride
-
because that's what it is. That's what
-
individuality is. I I I said something
-
this afternoon to some men. I said
-
individuality is found nowhere in the
-
Bible except in a fiveletter word and
-
it's pride.
-
>> That's what that is.
-
>> Yes.
-
>> You say, "Preacher, are you telling us
-
all to wear this?" No, that's not what
-
I'm telling you. Just had some common
-
sense.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Man, God help us. That's just that's a
-
famine in this day and time.
-
>> It is.
-
>> I'll say this. It's the dressing of the
-
outward that often hinders the ministry
-
of the spirit inward.
-
>> You know what? There's been many times
-
in church services down through the
-
years where God wanted to do a work and
-
you know what happened? A young lady
-
come in or a young man come in. You know
-
what? Our flesh we get distracted.
-
You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Say, "Preacher, that don't happen here."
-
I'm going to tell you,
-
>> young ladies that come in here and they
-
don't listen to their mom and daddy.
-
Either that or their mom and daddy don't
-
care. And and and the men in here, Amen.
-
Not indicting all of you, but I know
-
that that it's it's a distraction.
-
>> It is. You say, "Preacher, well that's
-
their problem." Let let me say this to
-
you, okay? Every one of us have the
-
flesh inside of us.
-
>> Both sides of the aisle,
-
>> if a young man walked in here dressed
-
improperly, he would draw attention to
-
himself.
-
>> Right?
-
>> And it's that dressing that often
-
hinders the ministry of the inward. If
-
we do not have the outward right, the
-
inward, there's no way it can be right.
-
>> Right.
-
So, in essence, this is what I'm saying
-
tonight. Modesty comes down to this. Be
-
covered.
-
>> Be covered.
-
I, you know, it's not that hard. Really,
-
it's not. You know, we got more clothes
-
in this dead time.
-
We can get all kinds.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> There's no excuse.
-
No excuse.
-
I don't know how to give an altar call
-
for this message tonight.
-
>> Well, let me ask you this. Is it real to
-
you?
-
>> You see, my wife and I, we had to come
-
to this conclusion in our life.
-
Our standard couldn't be her parents'
-
standard
-
>> and it couldn't be my parents' standard,
-
>> right?
-
>> And it couldn't be any other preacher,
-
pastor's standard.
-
>> But we had to go to that book for
-
oursel, didn't we, baby?
-
and figure out what God said to us and
-
do our best to follow that.
-
>> Right?
-
>> And anything decision that I make for
-
this church as far as this matter is
-
concerned, it's going to be based on
-
that. It's not going to be based on
-
somebody else's opinion.
-
>> And the truth is tonight, biblical
-
modesty come down comes down to one
-
thing. When we get up every morning, we
-
ought to dress with one purpose in mind
-
that I ought to look like I want to
-
glorify God.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Yes, sir. Good.
-
>> I want to look like God can use me.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Every head bowed and every eye closed
-
for just a moment of time.
-
I think if nothing else tonight, it'd be
-
good to pray for our children,
-
grandchildren, young people. Pray for
-
our youth. God would help them. See,
-
this is what the devil's fighting them
-
on.
-
He'd love to wipe them out.
-
And it's like I said to you tonight,
-
every sin can be traced back to this
-
very thing. If you allow this to slip,
-
it's the door that allows the floodgates
-
of hell to rush in.
-
Father, thank you so much for the truth
-
tonight. God, I know it's a lot
-
different, but Lord, I'm thankful that
-
you're the same and your word is true.
-
And God, I've done my best to mind you
-
tonight,
-
to be obedient to you.
-
Lord, I thank you for this church and I
-
thank you for these people. God, I pray
-
you'd help us to live this every day of
-
our life.
-
Lord that we would dress to glorify you,
-
exalt you.
-
Thank you, Father, for so much for
-
giving us salvation,
-
the precious blood to save us from sin.
-
Lord, I love you. Thank you for loving
-
me. And I ask it all in Jesus name.
-
Amen. Amen.
-
>> Thank you for joining our service today.
-
We'd love it if you'd join us in person
-
the next time you are able at Meadows
-
Baptist Church. Our physical address is
-
2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
-
Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
-
school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
-
worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
-
worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
-
evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For
-
more information, visit us at
-
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
-
Thanks again for tuning in.