Luke Study #128 – Treasure

Luke 12:32-34 (CEV)

³² My little group of disciples, don’t be afraid! Your Father wants to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell what you have and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves moneybags that never wear out. Make sure your treasure is safe in heaven, where thieves cannot steal it and moths cannot destroy it. ³⁴ Your heart will always be where your treasure is.

Treasure

What do you consider a treasure?

Do you treasure things?

Do you treasure the people in your life?

Maybe it’s a place?

Do you treasure a degree or a job?

Maybe a hobby or a sport?

Maybe it comes down to the trips that you take, or the medals in your box?

A couple of years ago one of the houses in our neighbourhood was engulfed in flames. No one was at home when an electrical fault began the fire in the kitchen. No one, that is, except for the dog. It was a neighbour, going outside to start his barbecue, who heard the dog’s frantic yelping, jumped the fence, and release the animal just in time.

He called the fire department, who came in as quickly as they could, but by the time they had arrived and put out the flames, not only had the first house burnt to a crisp, but the houses on each side had been damaged to the point where the occupants had to be evacuated for a number of months to do the necessary repairs.

Although these days a house fire is likely to be contained before everything is destroyed, the smoke and water damage alone can leave the contents of the house unsalvageable.

If you lived in Grenfell Tower in London a few weeks ago, then you might not have been that lucky. Not only did the fire – probably caused by an electrical fault in a refrigerator – result in significant property loss, but the absence of proper fire alarms, sprinkler systems, and fireproofing between units resulted in catastrophic loss of life.

So Jesus makes what to me – and I think to his original audience – is an absolutely ludicrous suggestion: put your treasure somewhere where even the Grenfell fire can’t destroy it.

I’m not going to try to use this to tell you what to do or to try to control you – that’s not the point.

I’m not going to try to soften it or explain it – that would only lessen its power.

I’m not going to try to mould it or shape it or simplify it or turn it into a metaphor for us, because I think if I did that we would lose out.

I just want us to sit and think about it today …

And this week…

What would it take for you to put your treasure where no fire or thief or moth or rust – no war or government or terrorist, no move or lost job or unexpected outcome – could take it away from you?Journal Questions:

1. If none of that mattered, then what would you do?
2. If none of that mattered, then how would you focus your time or your energy?
3. If none of that mattered, then how would you use your financial resources?
4. If none of that mattered, then what would?