"The Thing Is…." …Or

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be"

I do not recall the details, but I do recall the experience of standing in line for some time waiting to pay my money, receive a special pair of glasses and join the crowd to see the incredible world of the first 3-D movie. Did you see it?

Like I say, I do not recall the details of the movie, but I do remember ducking the arrows of Indian warriors and the half-cup of coffee emptied by an old cowpoke sitting by the fire. I missed much of the movie because my curiosity about how this whole thing worked kept me taking those glasses off and trying to see without them. Without the glasses, the whole screen was a blur.

Something Jesus said in today’s scripture should alert us to the fact that our ability to clearly see the point – or the meaning of life requires a special kind of vision. His statement is one of those assertions that stops you cold and makes you want to say, "Huh? Come again?"

Luke 12: 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

On the surface, this seems to be really out of touch with the real world! If I could add an hour to my life or someone else’s life, it would not be considered a "very little" thing in our world. Try to imagine situations where this kind of power would make an impact:

* A chance for one last goodbye at my father’s death bed. * A chance to make good on a promise broken. * Imagine what you could do with life extending power!

No…. If you or I had some kind of power over time – it would be a "big thing"… Yet, Jesus says it is a very "little thing". Wow! So what IS the big thing? Thus the theme: "The Thing Is…"

What is life really … truly all about? What is "The thing in life?" And… is your life centered on the real thing?

In our scripture, Jesus says, "Don’t worry about little things ..like food, clothing, shelter, or the length of your life – this is the kind of thing the pagan world runs after! This is the outer, materialistic view of what life is all about… listen… God wants to give you something much greater… {Now attend carefully}

God wants to give you the kingdom!"

Three critical things here:

1. What is the Kingdom? (Where God is in charge – both now and for all eternity)

2. What is the Kingdom about? God created us for and wants us to have… Life, peace, love and joy –for all eternity!"

3. Since God wants to "give" us the Kingdom… how do we get it? [Let’s look at a familiar passage]

John 3:1-3: 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

This is likely the most misunderstood, abused verse of scripture in contemporary Western Christianity. 1. The term "born again" should not be translated "born again" at all. It is the Greek word "anothen" which should be translated "from above". 2. In other words, Jesus is saying, "Look Nicodemus – unless you get insight from God about the Kingdom of God, there’s no way you’re going to get it on your own! You can’t see it unless God shows it to you!"

Why is that? Here’s the key point of Jesus’ discussion with his disciples in today’s scripture from Luke. We don’t "get it" – or see the big thing about life because we are way too materialistic to have a clue about spiritual things – until we ask God to show us!

Hear this: The greatest barrier you or I will ever face in trying to center our hearts in spiritual things is our struggle with material things – UNTIL – life brings us to an experience where we are forced to the realization that we may have missed the point!

Let me try to show you … going back to where we started. If I could extend someone’s life by an hour … would that not be seen as a "big thing?" (Would I not be able to get rich?) Why does Jesus say it is a "little thing?" Because: Can you create life? Can you bring someone back from the dead? Can you give the gift of eternal life? These are big things but they are things we don’t give much thought to … as long as our lives are going along at least somewhat as we wish.

Jesus says to his followers: "Look, I’m talking ultimate things here… don’t get hung up on the material… seek God’s Kingdom… Peace, joy, love and life … for eternity … and in fact, this is what God wants for you… But you have to learn something… Wherever your treasure is… there your heart will also be!

Here are three keys:

I. The thing is – "Life is primarily a spiritual thing!"

* Life is a physical thing … important … but when you hit a snag – problem with the physical – it is clear that there is more – much more!

* Life is an emotional thing – and that is important – but when you hit a crisis – it is clear – there is more – much more!

II. Secondly – "What you value most determines the course and the meaning of your life!". That is what you finally treasure … that’s where your heart – the center of your life will be.

III. Third Point – "The fact is that God wants to give you the kingdom – i.e. the big thing!" !" Which is: Life, peace, love and joy – forever!"

Here’s the key point… that is, here’s "the thing"… You and I can conduct our lives in a "business as usual" manner, until something comes along to shake up our world. It is at that time we are likely to face the fact that something is missing. If we are honest with ourselves and listen to the spiritual dimension of life, we can make some real gains in what our life is all about by coming back to these words of Jesus. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will also be."

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