"What You Most Treasure"
Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
During our midweek Lenten worship services we will hear the Words of
our Lord as set forth in the Catechism. I say the Words of our Lord
because it's a misconception to think of the words of the Catechism as
the words of a human being. I suppose the reason this is is because
the title of the little book we know as the Catechism is *Luther's*
Small Catechism. The meanings Luther attached to the Catechism are
indeed his words. But the words of the Catechism itself are straight
out of the Bible, with the exception of the Apostle's Creed, which is
a compilation of phrases that are straight from the Bible or based
directly on the Bible.
Think about what the Catechism consists of: The Ten Commandments, the
Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Baptism, Confession and Absolution, and the
Lord's Supper. These are all from God in His Word. If we think of them
as only human made things it is easy to dismiss them. But if we
recognize and believe and take to heart that they are given to us by
God then we will hold them in the high esteem they deserve. This is
one of the reasons we have Lent. We need times of reflection. We need
times where we meditate on God's Word. We are so inundated in our
lives with human words that we may hear very little of God's Word.
Jesus brings this home with His words in the Gospel reading:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust
destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys
and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also.
What do we think of God's Word? We Christians believe it's the Word of
God. That it's entirely true and profitable toward salvation. But do
we treasure God's Word? Is it more valuable to us than earthly riches?
This is really brought home when we take a look at a portion of God's
Word such as the Ten Commandments. It's hard to treasure words like
these, isn't it? Even though we know they're fully the Word of God.
It's hard to treasure them because it's hard to hear them. Even harder
to take them to heart. It's impossible for us to obey them perfectly.
We try, but we fall short.
Yet treasure the Words of God is what God calls us to do. Even these.
The ones that put demands on us. And you know something about God?
When He makes demands, it's as if that's not even enough to put on us.
It's as if He makes it even harder. How does Jesus describe the kind
of life He calls us to in the Gospel reading? When you do things that
are pleasing to God, don't do it in a way that people will know about
it. In other words, we're not to do them so that others can see how
good we are. Holiness is not spectacular. It doesn't seek the
spotlight.
The only one getting the spotlight is Jesus Christ. And He set the
example for us. He rightly belongs in the spotlight and yet He humbled
Himself. He did this for us. He suffered and died so that we may have
salvation. That we are called upon by God to be holy is an outgrowth
of the salvation He has given us.
In the Gospel reading Jesus summarizes the second table of the Law
with His words on helping others. Commandments four through ten
describe how this looks. We honor our parents and those in authority.
We do not seek harm against others and we don't hate them. We honor
the marriage bond, both in our actions and in our thoughts. We leave
other people's stuff alone and help them take care of it. We honor the
reputation of others and do not drag it through the mud. We remain
content with what we have and do not look upon the possessions of
others as what we should have.
Though these things are hard to do, it's pretty straightforward. What
Jesus is getting at is why we do it. And that extends into how we do
it. When we're good boys and girls that makes us feel good. It makes
us feel really good when other people notice. And if that's the reward
we want, that's the reward we'll get. But God gave us the Ten
Commandments so that we may *help* our neighbor, not to be well
thought of by others.
If there's one thing the Ten Commandments drive home it's that it's
not about us. Against the Ten Commandments we see just how much we
fall short of God's will. Do we always treat others the way we want to
be treated? How often do we say things about others that are
speculation and don't build up their reputation? And why do we feel
that it's perfectly fine to talk back to our parents? But even if we
were to convince ourselves that these things aren't that big of deal,
we are soon brought down to size, because Jesus once again ratchets
things up a notch.
After He's through talking about how we are to love our neighbor, He
goes to the first table of the Law. Here is probably where we most see
that we would like our righteousness to be known by others. We can do
a fine job of convincing ourselves of how good we are. But there is no
getting around the one thing that puts to rest our mistaken notions:
you shall have no other gods. Ultimately, we want to please ourselves.
We so often do not look to God for our highest good but seek to please
ourselves. What we most treasure is ourselves.
But God has a treasure, too. He treasures us. He loves us. He has done
all things to bring about salvation for us. And it is His gift to us.
He offers it freely. He doesn't demand that we obey the Ten
Commandments first. He forgives our falling short of it. He placed His
demand on His only-begotten Son. This is the greatest treasure of all.
The abundance of blessing He pours out on us doesn't end just with our
salvation but also in the opportunity to serve others as He has first
served us. Amen.
SDG
--
Pastor Paul L. Willweber
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church [LCMS]
San Diego, California
princeofpeacesd.net
three-taverns.blogspot.com
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