Matthew's Passion Reading - "Sabbath Consecration" (3-16-08)

The disciples took their cloaks and placed it on the seat of the donkey. The cloak was the outer garment, like this one piece of long clothe wrapped around the person. We still have cloak rooms in school where the coats are placed. The disciples’ cloaks for personal use are now set apart for special use. Jesus would sit on them for comfort as he road into the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The people who were wrapped in cloaks would spread them on the floor, like a royal carpet welcome for Jesus. These cloaks they would then wear again, marked with the hoof prints of the donkey Jesus rode. What was used for regular use is now used for a special, holy task; consecrated for his entry into this special week.

We remember the Sabbath day is to be kept holy. Holy means that it is to be set apart. Whether we think of it as a holy day or not it is holy day or a holiday. This day is set apart and consecrated. This day we put our small hands in God’s big hands; where we the restoration of the rhythm of life takes place; and where we know God enters our lives as we pursuit true happiness. Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "setting apart." Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups.[1]

Not only is the Sabbath day a Holy day to be set apart. This week is a HOLY WEEK and is SET APART because we remember and walk through the week when Christ was set apart for us. Our sins that are burdens we carry on our back will be set apart and placed upon Christ by Friday. We may celebrate today with laying out our cloaks but the cloak and dagger will be pulled from under our clothes and Jesus will wear and bear our sins upon his shoulders.

For Christian, this week is set apart and consecrated. We set this week apart, starting on Palm Sunday and through Good Friday because we remember that our sins have been set apart and placed on Christ. Jesus was set apart for this purpose that we might be set free. Jesus stood before us and we chose to set apart and set free Barabbas. One was guilty and one was not. One was of sin and one would take on sin.

In the show Star Trek, the klingon could make their ship disappear. The devise they used to do this was called the “cloaking devise” and it made them invisible. Frodo Baggans from Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter had cloaks that made them disappear. We stand before God today and this week because we have been set apart, we are a holy priesthood. We have been clothed and cloaked with the Holy Spirit so that people may see not us but the one who saves us from sin, death and the grave. We wear the cloak of Christ and our sins have been set apart that God may be praised. The power of this holy week will be seen as we are cloaked in Christ, set apart and consecrated for a holy purpose. We have been set apart. The sin is placed not upon us but upon Christ.

Prayer: Gracious God, we give you thanks that you have cloaked us with your mercy and our sins have been set apart and placed on Christ. Clothe us with your Holy Spirit, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consecration