Matthew 13:44-52

The car was too small! - John needed a bigger car for a growing family. Beth, their latest addition to the family was newly born. Their five-seater was inadequate; they needed six seats and a bit! John realised the limitations. John had just broken his arm - ice-skating at Taikooshing! His wife Helen had to take over, driving him around the place and they were scrunched up all together in the car. They need something bigger. They almost found one. It was a van - perfect for their needs and wants. They bargained with the dealer, but the deal fell through. It would be some time, later in the future, before they can find something similar that would meet their needs and wants. It's like the fish that got away! Just when you think you've got it in the net, it snaps away. That's how John felt about the car. It's probably how we feel about many things in life. We wish we had a better car - for a good price, of course. Or a better apartment. Perhaps we wish to be well regarded by many. Maybe it's wanting a boat. Holiday home at the beach. The world's wealth is what we wish all the time to be at our doorstep. But then we find the hard way that wealth, or popularity, or having everything go our way is not necessarily the good life! We build our Kingdoms on earth where, Jesus warns, things rust, or robbers steal, where flowers fade and moths eat through. No, seek Ye first the Kingdom of God - and God's Goodness - God's Right Way..... and then the good life, the truly good life, will come your way. And it's not a life of having things go our way all the time. But having things going the right way. God's way. That's a hard lesson to learn. I want things to go perfectly - don't you? John was depressed about losing the sale, and people noticed it. They tried to cheer him up with goodly advice. One friend said: John, If it didn't happen, it just wasn't meant to be! Another said, Be patient, John, something better will come along. Another said, Now you know exactly what you want for the next time. Another said: Don't worry. Be happy. But what is happiness? Sometimes, I want to put my happiness in possessions. Perhaps you do, too. But happiness, true joy, is found in what cannot be possessed but only received. And that joy is what comes from above. The Kingdom of Heaven, said Jesus, is like a man who came across a treasure hidden in a field. He was so happy that he went and sold everything he had and bought that field. The field came at enormous cost, but the man knew what was beyond. Jesus told a story about a pearl buyer who found a special pearl. So he sold all his other pearls and bought the one perfect gem. Was that a good business proposition? I suppose not. But the man wanted what was the best - everything else paled in significance. Another parable about the Kingdom, Jesus told. The fishing boat went out on the lake. And all sorts of fish were caught; everything was pulled in. Both the good and the bad. They did the sorting out. And they kept the best. Here the issue seems to be about collecting valuable things. But some of the fish weren't valuable yet. They were too small. Or they were the wrong kind of fish. Perhaps at a later time, perhaps in another season, those fish returned to the sea would be valuable to catch again. Some things in life we want now! How often do you hear that term? - NOW. And it is appropriate for some things. But not everything. Older people, more so than us younger people, understand better what it means to have patience and wait. In due season. Let us remember the advice of St. Paul: All things come together for good for them that trust God. You probably don't come across treasures in fields, or collect pearls, or go out on a trawler fishing. Jesus' hearers were, perhaps, in better position to understand them. But the parables are simple truths about God and His Kingdom, about Christ and His Love. Perhaps in order to understand them we can hear this modern-day one: The Kingdom of heaven is like a boy who went fishing. He caught several nice fish and thought he had a good catch. Then he caught one big fish. So he threw all the small fish back in the lake and ran home to show everyone the one big fish. It's a good story with a good outcome. But don't forget that it started by saying "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE ..." That story is like our being in the Kingdom of Heaven, because we, like the boy with the several small fish, have many nice things happen to us. We often complain and gripe about what we don't have. We forget what we've got. And we fail to appreciate our blessings. This small fish may be like the good car you've got already. Call it a blessing. This one is for your home. This one's for your family. This one's for your friends. This is your club or sporting interest. This is your well-earned holiday. This is your hobby. Perhaps you can think of many other good things that have happened to you. All of those good things make us happy. We like to talk about them. But something much greater has happened to us. God has sent His Son to be our Saviour. He's the big fish! God loves us so much that He asked Jesus to live with us and show us a new way to live. He makes it possible for us to live a new way by giving us His Holy Spirit - the power of God that comes with the new life. It is because Jesus is our Saviour, we can enjoy our life on earth. Even when we have pain and sorrow, we know He is with us. Even when things does not always go our way. We can forgive others because we are forgiven. We can help others because He has helped us. Even when we die, we know He will raise us from the dead and we will live with Him forever. Our faith in Jesus is like this one big fish. It makes us forget the other blessings in life. Or at least it lets us put them into their proper perspective. Knowing Jesus becomes the most important part of our life. We want to tell others about Him. We want to tell what He has done for us. Yes, the Kingdom of heaven is like this one big fish. And it's the fish that doesn't get away! All other things in life pale in significance when measured up to Jesus. And this is true joy! This is true living! This is the Kingdom! Well, the van finally showed up. It was even better than the one that was snatched up by another buyer in the car yard. As it turned out, there was a young couple who wanted to start a young family. They wanted the station wagon … wanted their van. Some cash was exchanged, but John cut out the middleman. They got what they wanted and John got the van! Isn't it marvellous how things can turn out better, once you put your worries and fears behind you and simply trust in the Lord? 'Seek Ye First the Kingdom' the words of Jesus ring truth in my ears time and time again 'Seek Ye First the Kingdom'! What is the chief end of man? The Shorter Catechism asked. Our chief end - isn't it simply this - To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever? When we learn this simple lesson of faith - this simple truth for life - it reduces the anxieties that we have, or the pains and ills that we experience. The other gifts in our life are good gifts, too. Let us not discount them. Because they also come from God. Whether it be that new car, or new flat, holiday or friend. But remember, the gift of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of all. Knowing Him as our Saviour is the gift that will last forever! And that for me, is what the Kingdom is on about! That for me, is true living. That for me, is true joy!