Saint Luke Ev. Lutheran Church of Watertown

Sermon delivered by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

Matthew 13:44f Pentecost 10 July 25 and 28, 2002

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes”, they replied. He said to them. “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

People of God—rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God:

It was a sunny day in a nice neighborhood in New York A nice neighborhood—not one of those rat infested garbage smelly homeless people drunk and passed out in doorways neighborhood. It was a nice neighborhood where a very pretty lady named Katherine Genovese was viciously attacked. She was the victim of unspeakable violence. She was stabbed 30 times. She was murdered. Terrible murders happen all the time. What makes this even more horrible is the fact that some 38 people heard her cries for help—or saw her being attacked and did absolutely nothing. 38 people knew at least in part what was happening and nobody did anything to save her!

That’s horrible. But before we sit here in all sorts of righteous indignation—stop and ask yourself—what would you have done? Would you have called 911? Would you have opened your window wide and shouted down there—stop that? Would you have grabbed a baseball bat or a golf club or a hockey stock and made the attacker stop? Would you have thrown yourself upon the attacker—grabbed hold of them—put your body between the attacker and Katherine’s so that in order to hurt her—the attacker would have to take your life first? Would you? Or would you do what some of those people must have done? Would you turn up your TV—close the windows—close the curtains—go to the refrigerator and get something to eat and drink—and tell yourself—that’s surely none of my business? There are people being attacked by Satan and somebody needs to do something before it’s too late!

Today we hear the Lord Jesus remind us:

The Kingdom of Heaven Is A Treasure!

1. Treasure it
2. Share it

From practically Pentecost to this coming Advent we are working through the Gospel of the tax collector Matthew. For several Sundays now we have heard Jesus’ parables—Jesus’ teaching stories. We had the familiar sower and the seed. Remember the seed scattered everywhere? Some falls on the path—some between the rocks—some beside the thorns and thistles—some on good soil where it takes root and grows. The birds come—the little plants are in such shallow soil they have no decent roots. The thorns and thistles choke the little plants—choke them to death! There is danger to our faith all around. Only the power of the Holy Spirit can make our faith grow and grow and grow—till we bear sweet and juicy fruits of faith. The love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that gives all glory to Jesus! We heard just last Sunday about the wheat and the weeds. The devil comes along and puts spiritual danger all around us. We need to be very careful—as we wait for Judgment Day. That’s when Jesus will send his angels to separate the wheat from the weeds. It’s not for us to judge anyone else’s heart. We can’t see into their heart. It isn’t our job to play God and pretend we can see into any one else’s heart—because we can’t!

Today we are considering more parables—more teaching stories with a very simple—and at the same time profound messages. The kingdom of heaven is a treasure. Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” The kingdom of heaven –the sweet Gospel—the precious good news of sins forgiven and heaven won is all that matters! The man in this first parable realized what a precious treasure the Gospel is. In his joy (he) went and sold all he had and bought that field. The kingdom of heaven—forgiveness that fills and overflows your heart is more precious than everything else in your life put together!

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” God’s Word is talking about commitment! What are you committed to? Are you committed to your yard? Do you mow—not just once—but criss-cross so that you mow every blade of grass two times? Then get out the weed-wacker and trim around everything? Do you water—moving your sprinkler again and again? Do you pay hundreds of dollars for weed and feed—juice that kills weeds and makes grass green? Do you landscape until your yard looks like a little corner of the garden of Eden? That’s wonderful! Do you put anywhere near that effort into your faith—your Bible reading—your thank offerings—your prayers—your marriage—your family—your grandchildren? Are you committed to your car? Do you wash and wax and vacuum it—check the oil, check the tire pressure and the tread. Do you pull your car into the garage—park in the shade—treat the leather seats—take Q-tips to get the dust and dirt out of those hard to reach corners? Do you have fine details painted under the door handles—have fine stereo and vanity license plates? That’s cool too! Do we give the same attention to our Savior? Jesus’ love is more important than sports or making money—more precious than life itself!

“This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” There are people in this world who spend a lifetime mocking and ridiculing Jesus and all he did to save us. Very many stand up comedians stand in front of literally thousands of people—poking fun at the Ten Commandments—ridiculing the LORD’s rescue of his people from slavery in Egypt. They stand in front of hundreds of people who have been drinking and drinking—and they stick Jesus’ saving name in the midst of the most vulgar and obscene words that people are capable of. They talk of God’s wondrous gift of “hugs and kisses” and treat it as the most gross and obscene concept imaginable. There are songs on the radio and programs on TV that take what is holy and precious and treat it like garbage. People shake their puny fists at God and dare him to do something—anything about it. They treat God as if he were some little grandpa with wrinkled skin and breakable bones and trembling little muscles—unable to do anything about their grossness. Judgment Day is coming. It isn’t here yet—not because God is weak. It isn’t here yet—because God is merciful and patient beyond what we could ever imagine. But make no mistake—judgment day will come. And when it does—there will be no escape. There will be weeping that won’t stop. People will grind their teeth in unspeakable pain and suffering and it will not end! The poet Dante’ was not off the mark when he imagine a sign over the gate to hell that reads, “Abandon hope all who enter here!” We will not see hell—by grace alone—because Jesus washed away all our sins!

“Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” There are lots of new treasures to be discovered in God’s Word. Last Sunday we read about the Valley of Jehosaphat—the Valley of Decision. That was from the scroll of the prophet Joel. How much do we know about Joel? How much do we know about the locusts—the grasshoppers that Joel wrote about—bigger and bigger and bigger grasshoppers—eating more and more? How much do we know about King Solomon and Reheboam and Jereboam and Jehosaphat? Today we read about Solomon at Gibeon. Where is this Gibeon? Do you have a map where you could look it up? Gibeon is about 5 miles northwest of Jerusalem—closer to Jerusalem than the Outlet Mall in Johnson Creek. Some time before this King David had brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. But the Tabernacle—the tent church and the altar where God’s people were to bring their thank offerings and sin offerings and guilt offerings to the LORD was at Gibeon. That’s where Solomon went with the leaders and the people of God—to bring their thankofferings to the LORD. Thankofferings! That’s what God’s people do when they realize the goodness of the LORD. They bring their gifts with joyful thankful hearts—with joy that needs to find expression in some concrete way—for the greatness and goodness of God! When you come to Church you can expect to hear new things—to learn new things—to see new treasures from the Gospel as well as old treasures. You have a right to expect to hear every Sunday that Jesus died and rose again to save you. You have a right to expect that Jesus paid for all your sins when he bled and suffered and died on the cross. The simple essential Gospel is never ever something that can be assumed. It is never a given. It is precious good news to be repeated and shared!

“Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” My brother—the missionary in Peru—in the Amazon went down that mighty muddy river the other day to share the Gospel with God’s people—a whole village of people who did not know that Jesus is their only Savior from sin. The people who live in that village die. The wages of sin is death. The people of that village take the body of a person who dies and place it on a platform—on tall legs made from the trees of the rain forest. They put the body on this stretcher—this platform in their house and just leave it there. It’s terrible to think about that body—but before long it is reduced to only the bones. Still they just leave it there. They leave it there—because they believe the soul—the spirit will hover very near the body. That’s why they think—to bury a body—would make the soul feel like it was being buried alive. They are very afraid of that! The fact is—these people are very afraid. Afraid of dying—afraid of spirits that could haunt them. Afraid that after they die—their spirit is haunting the village until it finally just evaporates—simply is no more? What a wondrous thing to be able to tell these people we know exactly what happens when you die. When you die your body and soul separate. Your soul goes home to be with Jesus in Heaven. And when Judgment Day comes—our bodies will be raised from the dead. They will come out of the graves—not ugly and horrible and gross. Just the opposite—we will be glorious—shining like the sun—reflecting the glory of the Son of God and the Savior of the world! What a precious treasure it is to know that Jesus loves us and forgives us. That our Heavenly Father has adopted us. The Kingdom of Heave is a treasure to be treasured and to be shared. Amen!

To God alone all glory!