Proper 12A sermon

Here is a sermon I gave back in 1996. The sermon I found on my computer was missing the last page, so I wrote what I think I probably said.
In this sermon I look at Solomon's choice of wisdom in relationship with the merchant who sold everything for the pearl of great price. By looking at the wisdom literature we can see that Jesus was picking up images from Job, Proverbs and Psalms.

Sermon

Proper 12 A

I Kings 3:5-12 & Matthew 13:31-33,44-49a

St Alban’s Episcopal Church, Brentwood CA

By Rev. Valerie Hart

7/28/96

         Remember when there was the big fire in the Oakland and Berkeley hills? On TV they interviewed people who had had to quickly leave their homes. They talked about what they took with them and what they had to leave behind. Some took pets, others pictures, others jewelry, some their financial records, others art work. I can remember thinking about what I would have taken. What in my home is really important to me? What do I value?

         We also seem to enjoy stories about a hero who gets a limited number of wishes, like Aladdin and his lamp. We can’t help but think about what wishes we would make. Would we make better choices than the person in the story? Instead of something immediate like riches, would we think to ask for something long lasting, like the ability to earn money, or a business that would produce income indefinitely. Would we foolishly ask harm to an enemy?  What is it that we truly want? The story of Solomon is similar. In a prophetic dream, Solomon is asked by God what one gift he wants. What would you ask for? How would you respond to God saying I will give you whatever you want? What is it that our hearts really long for? Solomon asked for an understanding mind so that he could be a wise king, able to discern between good and evil. That response pleased God. Would I be so wise as to ask for wisdom?

         In the Gospel reading today, Jesus presents two parables of people discovering and prizing something. In the first one, someone comes accidently upon a treasure in a field, and is so excited to have found this treasure that he sells all that he owns to buy the field. In the second story, a merchant has been actively searching for fine pearls, and when he finds one pearl of great value he sold all that he had and bought it. What could possibly be of enough value to sell everything we own in order to possess it? What is more valuable than any possession? What is it that we truly long for deep in our hearts?

         Jesus begins these parables with the introduction he often uses “the kingdom of heaven is like.” So there is something about the kingdom of heaven that is like finding a treasure of such great value that you give up everything else in order to possess it.

         Now we must remember that Jesus was well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures. He often alluded to material in them, and much of what he says is similar to a type of writing in what we call the Old Testament that is called the Wisdom Literature such as Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and many of the psalms. Does anything sound familiar in this statement from Job (ch28)?

12         "But where shall wisdom be found?

         And where is the place of understanding?

13         Mortals do not know the way to it,

         and it is not found in the land of the living.

14         The deep says, 'It is not in me,'

         and the sea says, 'It is not with me.'

15         It cannot be gotten for gold,

         and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.

16         It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

         in precious onyx or sapphire.

17         Gold and glass cannot equal it,

         nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

18         No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;

         the price of wisdom is above pearls.

“The price of wisdom is above pearls” Could it be that the pearl of great value is wisdom? In Proverbs Ch 3 it states

13         Happy are those who find wisdom,

         and those who get understanding,

14         for her income is better than silver,

         and her revenue better than gold.

15         She is more precious than jewels,

         and nothing you desire can compare with her.

We can also assume that those who listened to Jesus also were familiar with the wisdom literature and probably made the association of the treasure and the pearl with wisdom. So, Jesus may be telling us to be like Solomon and choose Wisdom, to give up everything for Wisdom to value wisdom above all else.

         But what are these writers referring to when they say wisdom. It is not the kind of education and collection of facts that we might call smart or even wise, it has a much deeper and more spiritual meaning. Let me continue from Job

20         "Where then does wisdom come from?

         And where is the place of understanding?

23         "God understands the way to it,

         and he knows its place.

24         For he looks to the ends of the earth,

         and sees everything under the heavens.

25         When he gave to the wind its weight,

         and apportioned out the waters by measure;

26         when he made a decree for the rain,

         and a way for the thunderbolt;

27         then he saw it and declared it;

         he established it, and searched it out.

28         And he said to humankind,

         'Truly, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom;

         and to depart from evil is understanding.'"

Or from psalm 111

10         The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;

         all those who practice it* have a good understanding.

         His praise endures forever.

Or

Proverbs 1

7         The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

         fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Or Proverbs

Ch 9

10         The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

         and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Or Proverbs

Ch 15

33         The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,

         and humility goes before honor.

Fear of the Lord, Love of God, Honor to God and to God’s teachings - That is Wisdom, and that is the Pearl of great value and that is the treasure found in a field.

         Let’s take a look again at these two parables of Jesus. In both cases the individual discovers something wonderful, one by accident, the other after a long search. Suppose you were living a normal life, not giving much thought to God, and then something happens quite unexpectedly, like a door opening you have an experience of the presence of the divine. What would you do? What would that experience be worth to you?

         Or suppose that after years of seeking God you have and experience where you have the sense of being asked what you wanted, and that you could choose anything. What would you choose? Would you make a choice you would celebrate or one that you would later regret?

         We have that choice right now. We have that choice each day. How do we spend our time, how do we invest our energy? How much of our time and energy is spent seeking out a deeper relationship with God? How much of our time and energy is spent seeking out material wealth, fame, respect and pleasure? Not that these are necessarily bad in and of themselves, but we need to ask what purpose do they serve? Do we work hard to make money in order to support our families and give to those in need, or are we making money just to hoard it? Rarely are thing purely black and white. Our motives are almost always mixed.

         Yet, we can ask ourselves if we are satisfied with the amount of time and energy we spend on seeking God’s wisdom. We can consider how much we are willing to pay for the pearl of great price. And we can decide to make a change.