Opening Prayer
Lord, teach me to know the shame of my nakedness, and clothe me in the dearly-bought robe of righteousness. Amen.
Text: John 19:23–24
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.
They strip off the Lord’s clothing. God’s Son is to hang on the cross naked and pay for the world’s vanity and love of fancy clothing, and purchase for us a robe of righteousness.
But when they divide His clothes and cast lots for His tunic, they unwittingly fulfill the decree of God and the prophets’ prediction. How could David 1000 years earlier know this and describe it so correctly and exactly in Psalm 22 as if he stood there and saw it? Or did the soldiers know the Scripture and do this to fulfill it? No, but God wants to help us to believe. If we learned to know the Scriptures well, then we must believe, for the whole Old Testament contains the New. So human wisdom could not possibly write it. Only God’s Spirit knew what would happen thousands of years later.
The robe, without seam, woven from the top in one piece, which could not be taken apart, and which God did not allow the soldiers to tear apart, reminds us of the seamless wedding garment of righteousness, which Christ gives His believers, and which is woven for us by His laying aside His glory and by dying on the cross in nakedness and shame. The robe cannot be divided. If you have Christ’s righteousness, then you have it whole, not a part of it, but the full robe. In other words: If you believe in the Lord Jesus from your heart, then you are entirely justified before God, all your sins are forgiven you. He shelters you completely. There is no condemnation for you at all. You can be fully assured of eternal life. Your original sin and your actual sins, your old transgressions and your daily weaknesses, the disobedience which you know and your secret faults, Jesus has atoned for all, and all He did and suffered is given to you in Baptism. If you believe, then it is all yours. What you are required to do, to love and to carry out: perfectly to fulfill the law, to be holy in all things, behold, it is done by Him in your place, and it is accounted to you. Then you have put on Christ, since you are baptized into Him. Blessed are you – if you believe! Then you have the wedding garment. The shame of your nakedness is taken away. Christ was lifted on the cross naked. You shall be lifted up to the throne of glory in the robe of salvation.
Closing Prayer
So we praise You, Lord Jesus, for all that You did and suffered for us, though we still understand it only a little. Give us more and more of the light of the Spirit. Explain to our soul the meaning of Your holy suffering, and help us to believe with a simple heart, so that we can stand clothed in Your righteousness and praise You eternally. Amen.
Hymn
Lamb of God, pure and holy,
Who on the cross didst suffer,
Ever patient and lowly,
Thyself to scorn didst offer.
All sins Thou borest for us,
Else had despair reigned o’er us:
1. Have mercy on us, O Jesus!
2. Have mercy on us, O Jesus!
3. Thy peace be with us, O Jesus!
Decius: L 65 ELH 41 tr. Composite;
tune: O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig