God's Takeover ~ Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 ~ July 2011

It was Christmas morning, and all eyes are on my two pre-school-aged cousins as they opened their presents.  Their grandma and grandpa broke the bank to buy them the ultimate gift.  They walk the gigantic gift into the living room—which took almost a whole roll of wrapping paper to wrap up.  The girls light up with joy at the sight of this grand present.  They quickly tear off the wrapping paper and jump and shout for joy over their new present. 

While mom and dad unpack the present, the girls’ attention turns toward the giant box it came in.

Once it’s all ready to go, Grandma and grandpa ask them: “aren’t you going to play with your new toy?”  “Later,” they say.  “We’re playing house!” 

With dozens of presents are scattered all over the living room floor, the girls fall asleep from all the excitement.  Their dad takes away the giant box.  An hour later the girls wake up, and they cry “where’s our house?”  Mom says “it’s in the garbage.  Don’t you want to play with all your new toys?”  The older girl cries “we want our house back!”

It turns out that it wasn’t the expensive gift that girls loved most that morning—they loved the box it came in.  Now we’d be inclined to think that this is something only a child would do.  But unfortunately, this is what happens all too often with the gift of our baptismal faith.  Baptism is God’s version of Christmas morning—for that is when all of the treasures of God’s kingdom become ours.  We’re forgiven of our sins, delivered from the powers of death and evil, and given eternal life.  We’re sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. 

At first, we receive our faith with great joy, because we know how great a gift it is.  We know that when it comes to eternity, the heavenly treasures are worth far more than any treasures that can be amassed in this world.  But we end up doing exactly what my cousins did on Christmas morning: we forget our greatest treasure.  Even though we still believe in God, we fail to live for God.  We live for lesser treasures.  Everyday day life ends up ruling over us. 

Think for a moment about the two areas of our lives where we feel the most pressure: our schedule books and our pocketbooks.  Between our jobs, our families, and all of our other commitments that demand so much of our time—where does God fit in?  Where does God fit in during these tough economic times?  With so little time and money to go around, life’s pressures take us over—and they drain the life out of us.  We don’t pray or read Scripture, we don’t come to church, and we don’t give of our time and talents.  The world and its pressures are in control.  We believe in God—but we live as though God doesn’t exist…

But hear the words of Jesus’ parable:           

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in joy went and sold everything to buy that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold everything and bought it.”

In these two parables, people are caught up in their everyday routines when, suddenly, they stumble upon a great treasure.  And finding this treasure changes everything.  The treasure is now the cornerstone upon which these persons’ lives are built. 

The treasure they find is God’s kingdom.  Whenever you hear the terms “kingdom of God” or “kingdom of heaven” don’t be thinking of a place.  God’s kingdom is God’s rule.  In these parables, people’s lives are taken over by the rule of God. 

And what these parables teach us is that God breaks in to our lives in the midst of our day-to-day drudgeries—in the simplest and most unexpected ways.  In the midst of our routines, our frustrations, and even our hurts, God comes and takes us over.  In other words, we may not be seeking God—but God is seeking us.  And God doesn’t get frustrated by our stubbornness and give up.  God is out to claim us—and this is good news, because unless God is in control of us, this world and all of its pressures will be in control—and they will destroy us. 

Today God’s Word announces God’s takeover of creation.  It challenges us to stop; to pause in the midst of all the busyness and pressures we face and ask ourselves: are we ready for that?  Are we ready for God to come and turn everything upside-down?  Are we willing risk letting God be in control of our schedule books and pocketbooks?  Are we ready for God to reset and reorder our priorities?  Are we ready for God to break apart our routines, drive us out of comfort zones, and lead us forward into the unknown?  Are you ready for God to transform you from a Christian to disciple? 

This all may sound quite intimidating—as if God is going to make you even busier or take away things that bring you joy and rest.  We can’t help feeling uneasy at the thought of our lives being dramatically changed.  We can’t help pondering the cost of being a disciple—because when God rules over us, there’s a part of us that dies.  No longer do we live for our own sake or for the sake of gaining the world’s treasures.  But something new comes alive—and that is the life of Jesus Christ.  No longer are we bound to a life that will destroy us; for God gives us a life that is everlasting.  And even though a disciple is never guaranteed an easy and carefree life, we have peace and we have hope because our God reigns.  We rest in the assurance God’s Word speaks to us in Romans:

“…neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Today our God is taking over.  Today our God is breaking into our busy and chaotic lives to claim every one of us.  The powers of chaos and evil—and the hardness of our own hearts may seem so great as to be unstoppable—but they are no match for our God. 

Today Christ invites you to his table.  In order that Christ may claim you as his own, he gives his body and blood for us to eat and to drink.  So if you are ready for God to come and take you over, come to the feast.  Be prepared for Christ to change you.  Be prepared to be a disciple.  But also be ready for Christ to give you peace and calm.  With God in charge, there’s nothing in this world that tear us away from God’s all-surpassing love.  So when you come forward today, be prepared to receive the greatest treasure of all that is Jesus Christ, and all of his forgiveness, mercy, and grace.