The Neck Tie

    Do you wear a neck tie or not?  I recall that the church in which I was ordained had a dress code that was strictly adhered to and enforced by the pastor.  If you were going to speak from the pulpit, you would wear a neck tie.  If you didn't have one, there was one hanging on a nail in the small hallway leading up to the pulpit..  It was the wearing of your own tie, or the wearing of the not so pretty brown striped tie hanging on the nail.  There are certainly many different views on how to dress when you are standing behind the "sacred desk."   This is also illustrated by the true story of the man from Viet Nam who was the product of Lutheran theological teaching, who when he saw the Lutheran missionary arriving, quickly ran into the house and put on a neck tie, even though he still had no shirt on.   John 14:6 says, " Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." 
       We can learn much when we observe the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, in His ministry.  While it was only a short time on earth, He is indeed the "Way", not only to salvation, but the way to minister.  He did not stand out due to His dress, but by His actions.  He used parables, illustrations and lessons of various types in His presentation of His message.  His clothes were not the attraction, but His speech and His lesson were.  One of His first messages was preached on the Mount of Olives, outside, on the grass, outside of Jerusalem and outside of the temple.  There were no tricks, gimmicks or a 2,000 voice choir to announce His message.  He spoke God's Word and people listened.   The Lord Jesus Christ is not only the Way to heaven, He is also the way to preach, the way to teach, the way to love, the way to show compassion, and the way to be stern with a stiff necked generation.  He showed us the way to do a lot of things and it is important for us to follow His example.  That's what makes us disciples in the first place.  We want to be like Him in all that we do.  Praise God today for the life of Christ as given in His holy word, the Bible.