Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-52
Many people go on eBay in search of precious items…and sometimes they are surprised by what they find.
- A man named Morace Park…a British antiques dealer…paid $5 for an old film container.
- When he opened it…he found a never-released Charlie Chaplain moved called “Zepped” worth $60,000.
Then there was Philip Gura…an American literature professor.
- He paid $481 for a photograph of poet Emily Dickinson.
- No big deal…you might say.
- Well…in fact it is a big deal.
- His photograph of Dickinson is only the second photo known to exist.
- He discovered it was priceless.
- Maria Ariz…a community nurse from New Jersey…
- Went on eBay and paid $16 for a pair of jeans.
- When she wrote the seller to ask about other sizes…the two fell in love.
- And then they got married.
Unexpected treasures:
- Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is like a tiny mustard seed.
- But once planted…it grows into the greatest of shrubs and provides a hospitable home for the birds of the air.
- Or it is almost invisible…like yeast.
- But when added to flour it has a powerful effect…causing a loaf of bread to rise.
Jesus described the kingdom of heaven as a set of unexpected finds:
- A treasure hidden in a field.
- A pearl of great value.
- A net that catches fish of every kind.
- He wanted his disciples to know that the kingdom is an unexpected treasure…hidden in everyday life.
- He wanted them each to see themselves as the master “who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
- To see the kingdom of God in both the new parables of Jesus and the old teachings of the Hebrew lawgivers and prophets.
- This acknowledgment of value in the new and the old fits the agenda of Matthew…the writer of the gospel.
- Who wanted to connect the ministry of Jesus to the history of Israel.
- Throughout his gospel he presents Jesus as a second Moses…
- Giving new laws and teachings to Israel and to the world.
Choosing the right prize is important because there will be a final reckoning.
- The parable of the net speaks of a separation of good fish and bad fish.
- “So…it will be at the end of the age” says Jesus.
- The decision to pursue the treasure of the kingdom of heaven has eternal consequences.
- The kingdom is a prize that changes a person’s life for all time.
- You must pick your prize well…Jesus pronounces.
- And pursue it with sacrifice…passion and purpose.
So…what are our treasures?
- Are they small but valuable?
- Unattractive but important?
- Old or new?
- Are they hidden in a field…or on eBay?
- Our treasures say a lot about ourselves and what we value.
- Jesus says elsewhere that “where your treasure is…there your heart will be also.”
- The treasures that we pursue in this life give the clearest indication of what inhabits our hearts.
My friend…Rabbi Naomi Levy tells the story of Beth and Eric.
- Rabbi Naomi was to officiate at their wedding.
- But a week before…it was all coming apart.
- When they met with Naomi…they could barely look at each other.
“What’s the matter?” the rabbi asked.
- After an awkward silence…Beth began sobbing:
- “Eric wants to wear red Converse high-tops with his tuxedo.
- He’s making a joke of our wedding.”
Then Eric blurted out:
- “What about the tablecloths! Tablecloths…tablecloths.
- I’m sick of hearing about tablecloths.
- Beth wants pink…my mother wants blue…and I’m caught between two bickering hens.”
Rabbi Naomi smiled.
- This was not the first time she had seen a couple get stuck in the trivialities of planning a day instead of a life.
- Then Rabbi Naomi said:
- “Listen…we can talk about the sneakers in a little while.
- But first…tell me again how you first met.”
A long awkward silence.
- Then Eric finally spoke.
- “I was at Starbucks and my eyes landed on this beautiful creature just sitting there drinking coffee and reading a book.
- And I thought to myself…if I could just get up the nerve to talk to her and she smiles back at me…
- I’ll be the luckiest guy in the world.”
Beth laughed and continued the story.
- “So…he comes up to me and he smiles at me and there is a giant hunk of food caught between his two front teeth.”
Rabbi Naomi remembers:
- “Now they both started laughing and suddenly Beth saw how red Converse high-tops actually kind of matched Eric’s quirkiness.
- And that it would not ruin the wedding if he wore them.
- It might even give it warmth and flavor.
“Next Eric said he was sorry he did not back Beth up on the tablecloths.
- And he admitted his mother has really bad taste.
- He said: ‘I know you want things to be beautiful.
- I so admire how you care about creating something special.’”
Before long…their laughter mixed with tears and their hearts softened.
- And Beth and Eric were back on the road to creating a beautiful life together.
We often become so obsessed with the “search” that we miss the “treasure.”
- We are so focused on the “net” that we miss the good we have collected.
- Beth and Eric got stuck in the details of planning a day instead of a life.
In the parables of the buried treasure…the pearl and the net…
- Jesus challenges us to see our lives and the world around us with eyes of faith.
- To recognize the many blessings and good things that are ours already.
- The “treasures” and “pearls” of lasting value are the things of God.
- The love of family and friends.
- The support found in being part of a community.
- The sense of joy and fulfillment found in serving and giving for the sake of one other.