"God Has No Need For McGruff"

(Luke 12:32-40)

INTRODUCTION:

In this passage Jesus talks about the thief coming in the middle of the night. That made me think of the books and stories about America's dumbest criminals.

Take for instance the one who liked the finer things in life, especially expensive jewelry. One night he decided to rob a jewelry store. He spotted a manhole cover. He proceeded to pry up this hundred pound mass of steel, haul it to the window and heave it through. He grabbed all the rings, watches and diamonds he could carry and took off. When he turned the corner he almost ran over a couple who was out doing some late night window shopping. The guy panicked and took off back the way he had come only to suddenly disappear from sight, as he fell down the open manhole. (1)

Or how about the purse snatcher who was on trial and decided to defend himself. The victim was describing what happened. The woman said, "That's him. That's the man who stole my purse. I saw him as clear as day. I'd recognize his face anywhere."

The alleged purse snatcher couldn't stand it. He let his anger get the best of him and shouted out: "There's no way you could have seen my face! I was wearing a mask!" (2)

Those are funny but unfortunately crime is not. Even though the crime rate seems to be on the decline, theft is still around. It has always been around and I guess it always will be. Why? Because we have possessions. And we fail to follow the 10th Commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Covet." Whenever there is people, possessions and greed, the 8th Commandment usually gets broken. There is theft. The Have Nots want what the Haves possess.

In this passage Jesus continues his discourse on possessions and treasure. He says: "Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:33-34) Today I want to look at the difference between possessions and treasure.

I. POSSESSIONS:

A. We live in a time when we've built elaborate systems of security. That seems to be one of the hot topics, especially security on the internet. We password our computers. We have all kinds of security and alarm systems for our offices, our cars and our homes. Why? Because we have to protect our stuff.

It really amazes me, my little brother and his family live in a small town. He and his wife both commute everyday. But they don't have a security system in their home. They don't even lock the doors. I personally think he's an idiot. But he trusts his neighbors and they all watch out for each other. If you stop and think about it, especially in light of this passage. It's just material things. And they can be replaced. Besides, most of our stuff is pretty transient in value.

B. Take the music industry, for instance. How many of you still have albums and a turn table? How many of you still have 8-track tapes and players? Most of us have cassette decks and CD players.

Kitchen gadgets are just as bad. Peruse the garage sales and you can see the kitchen gadgets that we all couldn't live without a couple of years ago. Remember the Fry Baby and the bigger version the Fry Daddy. (That was before we all started worrying about fat grams and cholesterol.) Or how about that crepe maker; the Salad Shooter, the Air Popper, Ginsu Knives, The Bamboo Steamer, Seal-a-meal and anything made by Ronco.

None of that stuff was bad. We still have and occasionally use some of those things. But the point is that they really aren't necessities. There is always going to be something that becomes more popular. Material possessions are transient.

Shel Silverstein, in his latest collection of poems entitled, FALLING UP, has a little poem that I think sums up the transient nature of things and possessions. It is entitled "Snowball."

"I made myself a snowball

As perfect as could be.

I thought I'd keep it as a pet

And let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas

And a pillow for its head.

Then last night it ran away,

But first--it wet the bed." (3)

Jesus reminds us that material things, possessions, our stuff as George Carlin calls it, is really transient, like that snowball. It's not bad. It just isn't the real treasure. That's why Jesus tells us to "Make purses for ourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:33-34)

II. TREASURE:

A. We make purses for ourselves through our own generosity toward others. Through reaching out with that helping hand to those in less fortunate circumstances. I remember something President Bush said in one of his State of the Union Addresses. He said, "We all have something to give. So if you know how to read, find someone who can't. If you've got a hammer, find a nail. If you're not hungry, not lonely, not in trouble - seek out someone who is." (4) That's a pretty good way of describing how we can make purses for ourselves and build that treasure in heaven.

B. But the best way is simply through placing our trust in God, not in things or McGruff or any other security system. Things don't really offer any of security. Only God through Christ can offer the real security that we are all looking for.

The security of belonging. The security of knowing that we are loved and accepted no matter what bonehead mistake we might make. We all long for the security of the knowledge that we CAN be forgiven for whatever it is we have done that has driven a wedge between us and our friends; between us and our family; or between us and God. That kind of security comes from putting our life in the hands and control of Christ our Savior. For it is Christ and our relationship with God that is the real treasure.

CONCLUSION:

I want to close with a story my brother sent me a few months back. He said he thought it might fit in a sermon someday. And he was right.

Jenny was a cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls and was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand one day, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face. "A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere - Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving father and every night when she was ready for bed, daddy would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story.

One night when he finished, he asked, "Jenny, do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."

Daddy said, "Then give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

Again Jenny said, "Daddy, you know I love you."

And again Daddy said, "Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. He noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?" he asked.

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind father reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure. (5)

That is so much like God and we are so much like Jenny. We want to hang on to things of this world, the transient, dime store things when God has a greater treasure waiting for each of us. A treasure beyond compare. That treasure begins with Christ.

What are you hanging on to? What are you afraid to give up? Whatever it is, know this, the treasure God offers will delight your soul and make you rich beyond compare. So, what are you waiting for?

This is the Word of the Lord for this day.

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1. Daniel Butler, Alan Ray, Leland Gregory, America's Dumbest Criminals, (Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, TN) p.183.

2. Parables, Etc. August 1998, (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), p. 2.

3. Shel Silverstein, FALLING UP: Poems and Drawing by Shel Silverstein (HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. New York, NY) 1996, p. 11.

4. SermonWriter, for Aug 9, 1998. Copyright, Richard Niell Donovan

5. Alice Gray, More Stories for the Heart, (Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, OR. USA.) pp. 147-148.