Kingdom Beach Party, Part 3

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

One of the enduring and retold myths of books and movies is that of the buried pirate’s treasure. The details vary, but the story is essentially the same: a lone surviving pirate buries the treasure, makes a map, and plans to return at a more opportune time to retrieve the treasure. We are interested in this story becausethe pirate is somehow kept from retrieving his treasure, so it remains lost and unclaimed until someone else finds the map and goes in search of the treasure. For those of a certain generation, this is the story of “Treasure Island.” For others, it is the story of the movie “Goonies.” And for others, it is the series of Nicolas Cage movies titled “National Treasure.”

In each case, there is the promise of problems solved and lives changed if the treasure can be found. The treasure is so valuable that it encourages the seekers to take risks and to make sacrifices in order to gain the treasure. These risks and sacrifices can look foolish to those who do not have the map, and to those who do not believe the treasure is real. But to those who both have the map and believe, it is worth every risk and every sacrifice to keep looking for the treasure until it is found!

Some people make it their job to look for buried treasures. Every so often, there will be reports on the news of an expensive expedition looking for sunken ships off the eastern coast of the United States and finding them, sometimes with chests of gold and silver coins. Sometimes, it is off the coast of one of the Caribbean Islands or in the Gulf of Mexico, and the treasure might be a shipwreck of one of the early explorers or a military vessel from the Civil War.

You don’t have to go to the coasts, though, in order to find buried treasure. The Steamboat Arabia was found buried in a field where the Missouri River once flowed, and now its artifacts are on display in a Kansas City museum – whichprovides the finders with a pretty good living.

And sometimes, rarely, people just stumble upon these buried treasures by accident. This past February, a couple walking a trail in California saw just the corner of a can sticking up from the ground, uncovered by erosion. They dug up the can, which was very heavy, and then they searched the area with a metal detector, finding seven more buried cans. The cans contained rare gold coins in uncirculated mint condition, dating to the mid-to-late 1800’s.The estimated value of those coins is around $10 million. It pays to keep your eyes open!

Well, our scripture readings for the past two weeks have been focused on a kingdom beach party thrown by Jesus. It began with Jesus telling a story about how he comes to save us all, which the people were glad to hear. It continued with the news that patience on our part helps Jesus do his part in saving all of us, which sure takes the pressure off us. And the kingdom beach party ends with Jesus sending the people out on a treasure hunt. We are sent out to find the treasure known as the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God.

Jesus tells them that some of the treasure will be buried, some will be in plain sight, and some will take a little work to gather it in. Jesus gives us a map, and we know that it may take some risks and sacrifices to acquire the treasure. But we also know that getting the treasure will solve some very big problems – and it will definitely change our lives. The treasure Jesus wants us to seek will be worth the adventure!

The first clue to the map Jesus gives us for this treasure hunt is a mustard seed. That doesn’t sound like much of a treasure, and even less of a clue. But, Jesus tells us, the kingdom of God is like discovering that something as small and insignificant looking as a mustard seed is actually a valuable treasure. It is a treasure because it provides homes to the birds, and provides a little spice to our lives. And, oh, while we are looking out for something as small and insignificant as a mustard seed, we might also notice that there are other things, and other people, thoughtsmall and insignificant, who are actually a source of significant blessings in our lives.

The next clue to the map Jesus gives us for this treasure hunt is yeast. Even smaller than the mustard seed, and used by people the culture said were even more insignificant, yeast makes the bread rise – if you work it into the flour, and if you give it time to do its work.

This yeast is a clue to the treasure because we know we can survive on unleavened bread hastily prepared, but we can really enjoy bread that has had yeast introduced into it, and has been given the time to rise before baking. This is a treasure because, while you can put something on unleavened bread to give it taste, a nice yeasty bread engages your sense of smellbefore that first bite, which enhances the taste. It is a treasure because while we may not see anything happening when we first work in the yeast, we trust that if we give it time, the dough will rise, and the end result will be so much better.

Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is not just having the basics of life covered, but having that life abundant with God. That life is celebrated, and the treasure is discovered, when something as small as a little yeast, and a little time, go into our efforts to provide for others. The treasure is discovered when the little things we do, the little things we keep working at, help transform the world for Jesus Christ.

We may not see results immediately when we do the little things, but our faith believes the little things matter, and that they add up to a significant witness.

Another clue to the map Jesus gives us for this treasure hunt is actual treasure that has been hidden in a field. The treasure of the kingdom is not the buried treasure itself, but what the buried treasure leads us to find. And if we are not careful, this is where we can get lost on the map, when we confuse worldly treasure with heavenly treasure.

You may have heard this before, but it was a not uncommon practice in the ancient world to bury your valuables when the invading armies came passing through, which seemed to happen often in the Promised Land. The people knew that soldiers were looking for the quick cash, and the easy grab, to finance their conquests. With some quick digging, and a subtle marker, a treasure could be kept away from the invaders and kept in the family – as long as the one burying the treasure didn’t die in a battle or get taken away as a slave. This, unfortunately, also seemed to happen often in the Promised Land.

Sometimes, that which was carefully kept out of the wrong hands ends up in the right hands, much like those buried cans filled with gold coins. The treasure that isvalued and kept safe becomes a blessing later for thosewho keep their eyes open, looking for the treasure.

As Jesus taught and showed us, the kingdom of Godis a treasure also meant for people with no prior connection to the treasure – whether they are lepers, or Samaritans, or the people of the Boonslick region. The kingdom of God is not just for those with the right blood line or who are listed on the proper social registry, but for all who find it.

Now, just in case we are starting to think that the only way to find the treasure of the kingdom of heaven is by looking for small signs, Jesus then gives us a big clue that the world is already looking for – the pearl of great price. People know where to look to find pearls; it is just a matter of actively searching for it and doing what needs to be done to get it.

Sometimes, the treasure of the kingdom of God is found by looking exactly where you would expect to find it. Our search and efforts are focused ongetting the treasure. To find the treasure which is the kingdom of God means looking for God where we know God can be found. We can find the treasure of the kingdom by going to worship every Sunday, and reading our Bible, and spending time in both prayer and service to others.

And then, to reinforce that we know the treasure can be found through a little sweat and effort, Jesus gives us the last clue to the map. Finding the kingdom of heaven is a lot like throwing the fishing nets into the sea and seeing what gets drawn in. In addition to the faithful practices of attention (the clue of the mustard seed), patience (the clue of yeast), focus (the clue of the hidden treasure), and expectation (the clue of the pearl), we can now add persistence (the clue of the fishing nets) – or, if you want the $5 expression, “faithful reiteration.”

The people at this beach party know that the nets don’t always come up full when they are cast out, but you keep tossing out the net. The people at this beach party know that the nets don’t always come back with the fish you want, but you keep tossing out the net. The people at this beach party know that the results and experiences of today may not be repeated tomorrow, but you keep tossing out the net. You keep tossing out the net because you continually need to be fed by God. And while God can choose to feed people with miracles like manna and the multiplication of the fish and loaves, most days most people get spiritually fed by living a disciplined life that seeks the treasureof the kingdom of God continually.

The way to find the treasure that is the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven is by paying attention to the little things. It is found when we have patience for God’s will to be done. It is found when we focus on God’s will, and not our own. It is found when we seek God where God may be found. It is found when we keep at it, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, for as long as we are hungry for God.

Jesus ends the beach party by declaring that those who are trained for the kingdom are like a master of a household who brings out of their treasures what is new and what is old. This is a restatement of what Jesus said in one of the verses just before the kingdom beach party started. At Matthew 12:35, he said that “the good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure.”

What this means is that sometimes we are called to bring careful attention and focus on what is newly in front of us. Sometimes it means that we are called to bring out the tried and true old practices of the means of grace. The good treasure is brought out by seeking that which is good, that which is in keeping with the will of God, revealing the kingdom of God. The bad treasure is brought out by seeking that which seems good to us, in keeping with our own will, apart from the will of God.

If we follow the clues of our treasure map in order to find the kingdom of God, if we faithfully practice the disciplines of attention, patience, focus, expectation, and persistence, we will find the treasure of the kingdom of God, as we are enabled by the Holy Spirit. That which the world thinks is hidden and buried, and perhaps even thinks is not real, will be revealed and given to those who seek first the kingdom of God.

One thing that should be clear to us is that the treasure map is only as valuable to us as we are willing to take the risks and make the sacrifices to follow where the clues may lead us. And that might seem foolish to those who do not believe, but to those who do believe and follow the map, the treasure is worth everything.

Unlike other treasure hunts, however, we don’t have to seek this treasure by our self, and we don’t have to worry about there being enough to share with others when we find it. This is a treasure hunt we can do together – and in truth, we must do together. This is a treasure hunt where we can all receive the treasure, for this treasure grows as more people find it. This is a treasure hunt that is limited only by the grace of the God who made heaven and earth, and who is revealed to us in Jesus Christ.

We have been given the map by the one who makes the treasure possible. Not only have we been given the map, God will even give us the Holy Spirit to lead us as we go. So let us stand and accept that Jesus is sending us on a treasure hunt to find the kingdom of God, as we sing together UMH 580 “Lead On, O King Eternal.”