As a kid I ate some pretty crummy cereal all because of the promise of a great prize in the box. And I mean “ate it” because I was not allowed to dig around in the box to get the prize before the cereal was gone. To this day I cannot stand to see or smell a box of Sugar Smacks! But I was going to claim that prize.
Early in our marriage Dana and I received a letter from a place four hours away telling us we had won a variety of prizes worth hundreds—even thousands—of dollars including the possibility of a new car. All we had to do was come and take a tour of a place selling time shares. So, we packed ourselves up, drove the four hours, sat in a trailer for several hours with a person trying to hard sell us a time share that basically sat out in the middle of a pasture. All I wanted was my prizes and the chance to win a that car. After enduring the sales pitch and demanding our prizes, we were told that they would be mailed to us. Several weeks later we got our prizes in the mail . . . a cheap transistor radio (which was supposed to be a stereo) and some really cheap vinyl luggage. All total it was probably worth maybe twenty bucks if that much. Plus, we were told that we did not win the car . . . which was probably good because it was a Yugo.
I have always been a sucker for claiming prizes . . . especially when I have been told that I have already won. I think that we all are . . . so, again, I ask: Have you claimed yours yet?
In our reading this morning Jesus says: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Then he goes on to tell them to sell everything . . . give it to the poor and claim your prize! And what a prize it is! It will never fail. It will never lose value. It won’t become obsolete. It cannot be destroyed or taken away. It is prize that keeps on giving. All anyone has to do to receive this prize is to claim it. And, get this, God gives it to everyone whether they deserve it or not. It is all there for the taking. So . . . have you claimed yours yet?
The Kingdom of God . . . God’s presence in our lives and in the world around us. That relationship with the Holy that changes us . . . changes the way we live and relate . . . changes the world we live in to focus on loving God and others. This is the Kingdom of God. It is God’s pleasure to give us this prize—this gift and God wants this gift to be celebrated. God wants us to know that God’s presence is with us no matter where life leads us . . . through trials and tribulations, whatever comes our way, that we are not alone . . . that God is with us, and we are going to be okay. We are loved.
Through Jesus we are invited to live life as Jesus did, knowing that our sins are forgiven, knowing that despite what we might think of ourselves or what others might think about us, we are deeply loved by the one who created us. God loves us. The value of our lives is not to be measured by our bank account, not by how we look, not by our standing in the community, not even by the amount of good we have done, but simply by this: that God values us highly enough to give us the joy of the kingdom. It is a prize . . . a gift . . . God willingly gives to us and it is all ours for the taking. We just need to claim it.
So . . . have you claimed yours yet?
As I stated earlier . . . I am a sucker for prizes especially if they are free. At the same time, I have been burned enough that I just don’t jump on the prize bandwagon to claim just any old prize. I have learned that if it sounds too good to be true that it is probably a scam waiting to happen. Because of that I am a little leery about claiming my prize when it is offered even if it is free.
God wants us to pick up our prize . . . to pick up our gift. It is a matter of the heart. Jesus tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” There is a lot of truth to that statement. When something is important to us we put in a lot of time, energy, money, and resources. When we look around our lives where do we find ourselves putting in lots of time, energy, money, and resources? What we discover in the answer to that question tells us a lot about what is important to us. Hopefully it is the things of the kingdom . . . relationships and people . . . God and creation . . . love. These are the “treasure that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
It is a life that we live out of gratitude. It is the way that Jesus lived his life—which is by faith which calls for forgiveness over revenge, hope over despair, generosity over stinginess, love over apathy. It is a life in which God calls us to be watchful for the ways in which joy is breaking in around us. Where Jesus is always coming . . . is always present when we least expect it.
That is why Jesus tells his listeners to be “ready for service and keep your lamps burning”. Be ready, for the presence of God is all around us and may manifest itself at any moment. Will we be ready to receive the gift? Will we be ready to respond with gratitude and joy? Ready to follow our hearts that reveal our true treasure? A life of faith is a matter of the heart.
Remember from last week the story of the rich fool who built for himself great treasure from the crops that had been harvested and then discovered that he would not live through the night to enjoy them. You just never know. Because life is too short and we do not know at what moment it could all end, we should not waste our lives in things that do not build the Kingdom of God. We should be about those things that build the kingdom . . . be about relating to God, relating to others, discovering community, making peace, ending the woes of life. We should be about loving. These are where the Kingdom of God lie and for where our hearts should be drawn.
Treasure that never ends. Treasure marked by the heart. Treasure that God freely gives to each and every one of us. Given because God loves us and wants us to be blessed. And in return, out of our gratefulness, God wants us to become a gift to others . . . to share God’s love as demonstrated by Jesus himself. God wants us to live out of our hearts from which we are called to bless others.
So . . . have you claimed yours yet? Have you fully embraced it yet? Consider your life . . . where does your treasure lie? What does your heart reveal? God knows . . . do you? When it comes to matters of the heart . . . the heart never lies
God offers the greatest gift of all . . . the Kingdom of God. Offers it for free to each and every one of us. It is ours for the taking. What are we waiting for? Come and receive God’s love and grace for today, tomorrow, and every day. It all comes down to the heart. Get yours today and know the gift that never stops giving . . . God’s love and grace. Jesus shows us the way. Amen.
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