Going for Gold

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Bulletin: February 12, 2012
The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Psalm 100, Philippians 3:8-9, Matthew 13:44-47

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Rev. Mark McKim

Buried Treasure!!

This phrase conjures up images of “Indiana Jones,” swashbuckling (how exactly does one swash a buckle?) buccaneers, or pirates like those in Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous tale of buried gold, Treasure Island. Immediately we imagine adventure, feats of “daring-do,” and taking great risks to find and claim the treasure.

Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to buried treasure in one of the stories he told. These stories are called parables. (You can read the story for yourself in Matthew 13.44-47.) In the parable a man was out ploughing a leased field. All of a sudden, his plough struck something. He checked and discovered…a buried treasure! Hastily he covered up his find, hurried to the bank, sold everything he had and bought the field. Now Jesus wasn’t commenting on the ethics or morality of non-disclosure or lack of transparency in business transactions. Parables are a special kind of storytelling. A parable always has ONE single main point and you need to figure that out and not get “hung up” on other details.

For Jesus the main point in a parable was always something to do with the Kingdom of God. (The Kingdom of God means whenever and wherever God’s rule, reign, or will is accomplished, is actually happening.)

And the main point, the Kingdom point of this parable was: Risk everything, do whatever it takes to get that field, to grab that treasure! The Kingdom is NOT for people who want to play it safe. It is for those who are going for broke. The kingdom belongs to those with the guts to risk everything, stake it all, on gaining the treasure which is the Kingdom. Go big – or go home. Go for the gold! It is only those who make the Kingdom, their commitment to God’s kingship, his reign, his rule, their top priority who will enjoy its blessings.

And THAT is VERY disturbing. Is the Kingdom really my priority? Do I value it over anything and everything else?

Who said the Bible is for people who “need that sort of thing,” a sort of crutch to comfort weak, spineless people, pale faced parson’s pets? This Sunday’s sermon, based on the parable Jesus told about buried treasure definitely isn’t going to be comfortable, or comforting. Jesus didn’t intend it to be. But we need to hear what he had to say anyway….

Parables of Jesus Quiz

Try a quick quiz on the parables of Jesus.

 
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