While watching Grantchester recently, I was
struck by the simplicity of life at that time.
No internet. No cell phones.
little television and very few possessions
For those of you who are not familiar with Grantchester. It's a
murder mystery set in 1950s England
with an Anglican priest as the main character.
Now I don't know about you, but this is not what
my life is like.
With mobile phones that are like many computers not
only are we contactable 24 hours
a day, but people expect us to
answer emails and text messages 24 hours
a day.
A world of information is right there at our
fingertips and we have far more
possessions than we will ever need.
In contrast, the Grantchester characters
were able to focus their time and efforts on
pursuits that further their relationships and
their vocations.
In some ways this simplicity is
pretty appealing.
A break from technology, being out
of contact.
Seems like bliss to me - time for silence
and contemplation not to mention time
to do the practical things that in my
life often get left undone.
But it's not just about getting a break from the world. It's about
where we put our energy, our
time, our resources.
In our reading from Luke today, Jesus says "from
where your treasure is there
your heart will be also".
Now we expect the gospels and perhaps Luke especially
to reassure us that we find our
security in Jesus Christ.
What we sometimes neglect is that the gospels also
speak about our condition and obligations
in ways that make
us fear for our security.
Luke is no exception to this.
There's an urgency and a volatility in this part of
Luke much like we hear from Mary and
Zechariah prior to Jesus birth.
The promise and terror embedded in
their declarations about a God who remembers
God's people and turns the
status quo on its head,
Continue here as Jesus continues
his journey to Jerusalem.
There are a number of movements in the passage
and while they're not disconnected, they are
a bit clunky.
The passage begins with that delightful statement
found only in Luke.
Do not be afraid little flock for it
is God's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
It's an unqualified promise about God.
Just prior to this text, Jesus has
spoken about trusting God while also
seeking or striving for the
kingdom.
And now he reminds everyone that the
point isn't about coaxing a grumpy
or frugal God into being nice to us. No - God
eagerly awaits the kingdom a
kingdom that would reflect God's intentions
for human flourishing.
To take root in the real lived experiences
of Jesus' followers.
Why?
Because that's God's good pleasure.
It is in this context of good news and
reassurance,
that Jesus moves on to the more disquieting
material in the rest of today's passage.
The second section is very brief and involves
Jesus teaching about cashing in
one's possessions giving alms (that
is food money or possessions) to
the poor and securing treasure
in heaven.
It's something we find pretty challenging as
we fret about having enough to live
on in our retirement.
Then Jesus tells a parable about slaves who
wait vigilantly for their lord to return
home.
This is not passive waiting.
They're not sitting nodding off.
They're preparing, waiting with
a purpose.
It would be easy to think that these verses point
to salvation.
But there is no simple trade-off here.
If you are prepared., you will be saved.
No.
This text is about vocation. Not
justification.
For Luke, the idea is to be ready so
that when God calls you to action you
seize the opportunity and spread the
good news.
Being alert and being ready are like
potential energy ready for you to jump into
action when prompted.
But it's not just any energy. Rather, it's
energy for work that
is Gospel-centered ;
Healing - Justice
Love
Grace
Peace and so on.
Then curiously almost shockingly those
who are ready for the return of
the master will be served by the master.
Now if the master represents God this turns
the idea that we are to serve
God on its head.
Instead. God will be serving you.
Again, this is not a simple equation. If you
do good you will be rewarded.
It's a promise of what will happen when we
begin to re-center our lives around God.
Many of us know the reality of this equation.
Ask anyone who devotes time and energy and money
to help others.
the vast majority of volunteers will tell you that they
gain as much as they give
but there's a risk involved, just as there's a
risk involved in being a disciple of Jesus.
This Jesus, the Jesus of this text, doesn't
calm every fear,
doesn't assure us that all will be well.
If we define security only in
relation to ourselves or try
to measure it according to the world's terms,
security remains elusive in this passage
but Jesus is pretty clear.
It's as it's through relinquishing possessions
and giving alms that we become
secure.
It frees us from our perpetual
economic anxiety and correlates
to depositing treasure in
heaven that is securely held.
When Jesus declares where your
treasure is there, your heart will be also,
he's saying that we can train our wills and our ways
of thinking
through the ways we use our money.
Spend it all on yourself.
Guess where your heart will go?
Give it to those in need and your heart will
go where God wants it to go.
And the good news -
your heart will find God in that
process.
For there is a sacramental aspect to charity in
which God becomes present to the givers through
those who receive and need
their gifts.
So often we church people fret about
how to connect with God in our daily lives.
But the answer isn't so complex according to
these verses.
Nevertheless, we don't find it easy.
Give it to those in need and your heart will
go where God wants it to go.
It's as simple and as difficult as that.
My God, give us all the courage to put
our Treasures in others.
Amen