John 19:23-24

God clothes himself in glory. He becomes man, so man can become like God. All creation is a divine work. He makes us into an entirely new creation, so we can be welcome in his house.

The Holy Spirit changes our nature before we can respond to God. We're naturally at enmity with him.

God covered the earth with soil, plants, flowers... replicating God's glory. Man is made of the soil, also destined to be covered in glory. God produces this in our lives. Beauty has the power to arrest our attention, demand a response, inspires wonder. We share that beauty with others.

The Spirit is the glorifier, the matchmaker of God's bride.

Adam and Eve caused the whole earth to be filled with violence. In the period of the judges, everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Today, we follow our own personal gods, political, social. Abortion has wiped out 1/5 of our country since it became legalized. Abortion says, "you must die so I can live"... Jesus said I must die so you can live!

Our society renames evil to make it more palatable.

Grace is restored to the garden by Jesus, the second Adam! He is spiritual food for us, who hunger for him!

He went to the cross for us, we were drawn from a cursed ground, we're preserved through his wooden cross, Noah and his family were preserved through a wooden vessel.

Great attention is given to clothing, to priestly robes. One day we will be clothed in light like Jesus is now.

Luke 2... Mary asks Gabriel how she's going to bear Jesus... The Holy Spirit is portrayed like a flying creature coming over her.

Ruth... A widow, no way to provide for herself. She goes to Boaz's field, he liked her and left her a trail to find him... She followed... He covered her in his blanket, a sign of marital unity.

Matthew 27... Jesus died, the sun went dark, the veil of the temple was torn top to bottom. Tombs opened. So everything from heaven to earth to below the earth was affected. He shook the whole universe!

Creation was being dismantled to recreate it.

Jesus's tomb became a womb.

The veil is removed so we can see God face to face.

God's glory is described as a bridal chamber. Deep intimacy with the Father so we can come boldly to the throne of grace.

We wear God for glory, God wears us for glory.

He's undeterred by man's waywardness.

We're born again from his wounded side. The Pharisees didn't seek redemption because they followed their own righteousness.

His clothing is stripped three times...

In Matthew 9:20, woman with flow of blood was healed by touching his garment. Many other examples of touching God's garment healing, providing.

Aaron the high priest would set aside his garments to make the sacrifice. Jesus's garments were taken away; he's the new high priest.

The Israelites' clothing was referred to as wings... We are a winged people who will fly up to Yahweh.

The first product of humanity was clothing, to hide their shame.

Don't take the Lord's name in vain: a warning against hypocrisy. Don't carry his name emptily.

Those who don't carry Jesus are doomed to their own sins. We must take his name wherever we go.

The Old Testament is the swaddling clothes of Jesus. He judged the temple of Jerusalem, but raised us up as a temple of stones. Through the church, God builds the new humanity.

The hem of his robe fills the temple.

Nobody, even Isaiah, has any business being in the presence of God.

When Jesus is stripped of his garments, the old priesthood is destroyed, and the new priesthood begins.

Revelation 19: the saints are clothes in linen, not animal skins.

As Jesus died, "It is finished": Jesus's work is complete. The great purposes of God have been accomplished. A new humanity begins.

2Sam9:3.. Saul is killed, David becomes King. David asks if anyone of Saul needs the kindness of God, he finds Mephibosheth. He was lame, but invited to sit at the King's table. He sees all are afflicted as he is.

Jesus will hold us up as trophies of his grace... we will be glorified at the altar with him for all time, and we can eat at his table for the rest of eternity!