Where Christ's Heart Beats: Luke 12:32-40 - Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

[Jesus said:] ³²“Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
  ³⁵“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; ³⁶be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. ³⁷Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
  ³⁹“But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” (NRSV)

2019 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. ELCA Facebook page

“You bought a what?”

“It’s a purple Subaru, mom!”

I was just about the leave the dealership, and my next stop was my parents’ home. I needed to prepare to them for the strange vehicle that was about to park in their driveway.

Purple does not rank highly on my list of ideal colors for a car—but you don’t get much in the way of choice when you’re buying used. I certainly did dream of driving such a car in my childhood. I dreamt of cars with significantly more flash and more speed; not to mention a much higher price tag.

But what if my childhood dream had come true? Would my pride and excitement turn to discontent as my treasure ages and loses its luster? Would my heart be burdened by it? Would it jeopardize my relationship with what I now consider the greatest treasures in my life—all of which are not possessions?

Jesus says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” So what is your treasure?

This question laid heavy on my heart last week, as I was one of over 1,000 children of God at the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. My heart was filled with many emotions as major decisions were made about our life and mission.

My heart was thrilled at the re-election of Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, by an 81% majority.

My heart was disgusted that the egg salad sandwich on Wonder Bread I ate for lunch on Monday cost the church $9.50, and one 20-ounce bottle of Diet Pepsi cost the church $4.50.

My heart was delighted by the kinship of our national church body. My heart was uplifted by a choir of Native American Lutherans led us in song on Monday, and by the Lutheran gospel choir who led us in song on Friday.

My heart was filled with gratitude for the 50^th anniversary of the ordination of women, the 40^th anniversary of the ordination of people of color, and the 10^th anniversary of the ordination of persons in same-gendered relationships. Our church is stronger than we could have ever been without them.

My heart was angered by the heartbreaking stories of God’s children who’ve been excluded, silenced, ridiculed, and abused by this church.

My heart was unprepared for those who introduced themselves not only by their name but also by their preferred personal pronouns. My heart was annoyed by those who expressed contempt towards those who fell short of their political correctness, wokeness, or high holiness. My heart was encouraged by the Assembly’s commitment to hear the voices and affirm the value of those who disagree with the majority’s decisions. I hope we can live up to that commitment.

My heart was filled with excitement as I was joined by the first African American woman to be ordained in our synod—while at the same time filled with sadness that it took us this long.

My heart struggles with the Assembly’s decision to name the ELCA as a “sanctuary body;” for while the Church exists to give sanctuary to the weary, frightened, and vulnerable, I’m unsure what “sanctuary body” means, and if we have the resources and resolve to make good on this promise as a denomination.

With any controversial decision, I’m concerned about further divisions weakening this church, when we need everyone’s presence and ideas to bear witness to Christ’s love in these times.

Being church is complicated—especially when that church is changing, shrinking, and trying to straddle the rapidly-growing chasm between progressives and traditionalists.

I learned that I can love and loathe the church—all in the same day…

On the other hand, I leaned that if I treasure a church solely for what I get out of it, can that church be a gift to the community? The world? If I treasure it because it conforms 100% to my visions, beliefs, and convictions, why should anyone who’s not me treasure it? If I treasure it because I’m totally comfortable in it, how can I grow in my relationship with Christ? How can I be freed of sin? How can it change me? How can I be awakened into faith? And if I treasure this church because it leans towards the left or to the right, how can it magnify the reign of God?

Our church is broken, troubled, and flawed. But I treasure this Church because it brought me into relationship with Jesus Christ, my greatest treasure.

Jesus is my treasure because he first treasured me, and so treasured the world that he gave his life for it—and his heart beats among us as we hear his Gospel, wash in his water, share in his Supper, and participate in his work for the sake of the world. And I treasure this church, and not because it conforms to my expectations or even because it treasures me, but because Jesus is at work within it to increase my knowledge of the graciousness of God, improve the lives of neighbors, and affirm the value of all God’s children. I know Jesus is at work when I am being convicted of sin; awakened from complacency; washed clean with forgiveness; and delivered into repentance. I know Jesus is at work in this church as people come together and become kin. And I know Jesus is at work as I, as you, and as others are transformed and made new by his power at work within us.

Little children, it is God’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. That’s the treasure Jesus is unveiling—and the church is where human hearts can be at home with his. Greed is turned to gratitude; fear is turned to hope; loneliness becomes belonging; and death turns into life. In Christ’s church, the treasures you give will pale in comparison to the treasures you find: the love of God revealed in the promises of the Gospel; the kinship of people you otherwise would not have known; and the open arms of Jesus open to welcome you to where you belong.