Pentecost 10, 2005
Matthew 13:44-52
Grace, Mercy, and Peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Webster dictionary defines treasure as: “wealth (as money, jewels, or precious metals) stored up or hoarded (like a buried treasure).” “Wealth of any kind or in any form.” “A Store of money in Reserve.” Or “something of great worth or value; also a person esteemed as rare or precious. A collection of precious things.” I’m sure each and every one of you can think of a personal treasure that you have. Whether it is a family heirloom, your favorite baseball card, your brand-new tractor or truck. Maybe its even a family member or some other person you hold dear to your heart.
People seem interested in finding a treasure. There have been countless movies and books written that focus on treasure hunting like “Treasure Island and Peter Pan”. People go out and buy gadgets and metal detectors in the hopes that they might find something of value. Our country has seen gold rushes where thousands of people scrambled to a number of places in search of the mother load. Even you and I look for treasure. Sometimes we look for treasure at a garage sale or an antique mall. We always try to get something at a bargain price. Every once in a while we find something of value that another does not know. Sometimes we find something we haven’t seen for years that has been boxed up. I know that I have found countless “treasures” while unpacking boxes at the parsonage.
We have been given a treasure. There are so many blessings that we have been given to count. Take a look around you. God has given us loved ones like husbands and wives, children and parents. God has given us jobs to work, food to sustain us, our homes and our clothing. All of these are treasures and gifts. Most importantly God the Father gave us the gift of His Son on the cross. Many of you are parents. Could you ever even think about giving your child up to die for the sake of others…others that have rejected you and despise you? God gives us salvation. God gives us faith. This very day Jesus our Lord will give you the gift of His body and blood in Communion. God gives you these treasures because of His great love for each of you.
Sure we know all so many gifts that God has given us. But you may be thinking about the work that you did. You went to school and graduated with an education. You took that job that earns you the money to buy the things you need and want. You work hard at your job as well. You chose to marry your spouse and have children. You chose to come to church this morning.
Sure…you did a lot of work but you couldn’t have done it without God. It is God that gives life. It is God that created all of us and everything around us. It is God that gave you the will, the desire, and the ability to learn and work. It is God that makes the plants grow. It is God that keeps this world running not you or me. It is God…Jesus…that died on the cross so that we may have life. All of these gifts…these treasures…have always been prepared and waiting for us. Just like the man that found the treasure in the field our gifts have been given to us.
Sometimes we abuse the gifts that we are given. Many times we take our families and loved ones for-granted. Many times we complain about our jobs…that they take too much time or don’t pay enough money. All too often we take God for-granted as well as His church. There is never enough time for ourselves and the things we want to do. Church becomes an “option” on Sunday morning along with camping, fishing, golfing, or sleeping in. The time we spend with God can dwindle away if we don’t watch it. The more time we spend on our own…the further we may push God out of our lives.
Look at the world around you. There is death and heartache and anxiety…fear, loneliness and despair all around. There are people that are desperately seeking out “something” to help them. Sometimes those people out there are the same that are sitting here in this church. Yes, we do have problems and despair. Yet we have faith and trust in God. Too many people in this world…many we call friends and neighbors and even family…look inward or to working…or drinking…or countless other things to solve their problems and ease their minds. While we have Christ…they seemingly have nothing. Yet Christ is there for them. Christ is watching over them. Christ is working to bring them closer to Him.
The sermon hymn was “Jesus, Priceless Treasure.” We sang of Jesus being our treasure, the source of purest pleasure and truest friend to me. We know the Love of Christ Jesus. Yet we often abuse it. We forget the words we sing “Yours, I am, O Spotless Lamb: Nothing I’ll allow to hide you, nothing ask beside you.” Many people do not know the love that Christ has for them and would give everything up for the faith…the treasure that we have in Jesus. Yet we make time for other things and find excuses for not coming to church to worship our Lord or even to pray. A treasure that others would die for, we seem to squander and waste instead of giving everything up for it.
Christ is our treasure. He is a treasure that we should willingly and joyfully give everything up for. Yet Christ requires nothing in return. As Christians joy and love should flow from our very being. The love that we have and share are witnesses to our faith. God has given us all of these gifts so that we may have eternal life. He uses each of us as tools to share this treasure with those around us that are searching and those that have given up that search. We share the love of Christ. We share our faith in a Living and Loving God. We share Christ and the joyous news that He died for each one of us and bore our sins. Thanks be to God for our treasure we have in Christ Jesus. And thanks be to God that he led others in our lives to be tools in bringing us to Himself. Amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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