February 1, 2015: Treasure in Heaven

Matthew 6:7-21

⁷ [Jesus said:] ”When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think that by saying many words they’ll be heard. ⁸ Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask. ⁹ Pray like this:

Our Father who is in heaven,

uphold the holiness of your name.

¹⁰ Bring in your kingdom

so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven.

¹¹ Give us the bread we need for today.

¹² Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you,

just as we also forgive those who have wronged us.

¹³ And don’t lead us into temptation,

but rescue us from the evil one.

¹⁴ “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you don’t forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

¹⁶ “And when you fast, don’t put on a sad face like the hypocrites. They distort their faces so people will know they are fasting. I assure you that they have their reward. ¹⁷ When you fast, brush your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then you won’t look like you are fasting to people, but only to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

¹⁹ “Stop collecting treasures for your own benefit on earth, where moth and rust eat them and where thieves break in and steal them. ²⁰ Instead, collect treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moth and rust don’t eat them and where thieves don’t break in and steal them. ²¹ Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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“What’s my motivation?” This is one of the stereotypical questions you might hear an actor say to themselves as they prepare to portray a character.  I haven’t been around enough actual actors to know if this sort of question is used often, but I believe it there is really something to it.  When an actor knows their character’s motivation, it changes how that character will speak, react to events, or even walk down the street.  In other words, a character’s motivation changes EVERYTHING.

This is very true for followers of Jesus as well.  Why do we do the things we do?  Why do we pray out loud, why do we fast, or attend bible studies, or help the poor, or sing worship songs, or…well, just about anything?  What’s out motivation?

When we pray are we attempting to impress God with plenty of eloquent words, in the way Jesus describes in verses 7 and 8?  When we practice other types of piety, like the fasting mentioned in verse 16, do we do it in order to be noticed by others in a way that will gain the approval and envy of others?  Or is does our “motivation” lead us to something else?  An authentic relationship with God that gives God glory and gives us the strength that we need to live our lives in the way they were intended to be lived. 

“Okay, okay,” you might reply, “Now I just have one more thing to do, one more thing to worry about, one more thing to check off on the gargantuan list of things I need to be a good person. It’s exhausting!” If you are starting to feel this way, I have good news.  Jesus doesn’t want to give you “one more thing to do.” Instead, Jesus wants to change your life.  Instead of adding weight to your already weighty load, Jesus wants you to put that load down.  Jesus is offering us a new way of life, where things don’t own us, where we aren’t always striving to make the grade, where we can look toward heaven and not all around us. The prayer he teaches us fits into this.

Here’s an example:

I’ve finally reached the age where my parents are giving me all of the boxes of my STUFF that had been sitting in their basement for years.  I’m talking about toys, school papers, and countless other mementos.  Now that my wife and I own our own home and aren’t living in seminary housing or a small Boston apartment, I suppose my parents (quite rightly) assume that these things are better off with me.  It’s been a lot of fun to go through my old papers, show my daughters some of my old Star Wars toys and shake my head at the “souvenirs” that I thought were important to keep from a trip to England many years ago (hello, British Airways in-flight menu).

All of that was wonderful, but it was soon clear that all of this STUFF was starting to mount up. It began to weigh on us.  Finally, my wife and I decided to begin clearing the house.  With every box that was thrown away or donated, my heart lifted a bit. We didn’t throw everything away (the Star Wars Ewok Village is packed away in our basement), but we were able to say that “stuff” doesn’t rule us.  Collecting treasures on earth can be exhausting and nerve-wracking. Letting that urge go is liberating.  I believe this this is what Jesus is talking about here. Storing up treasures in heaven isn't "one more thing to do" or some "transaction that we had better get right or else..." it's an invitation to freedom.

It’s not easy, and it certainly isn’t possible without his help.  But through prayer (especially the one he taught us) transformation is possible. 

What’s my motivation?  A new life, freedom, and significance, all found in the name of Jesus.