Art Work Stolen To Order

 

On New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1999, thieves used construction scaffolding on a building next to the Ashmolean to break into the Museum and steal a £3m painting by French impressionist Paul Cezanne. The painting – Auvers-sur-Oise – is an oil on canvas, dated between 1879 and 1882. This museum was founded in 1683 and is the oldest public museum in the world. It houses famous works by such artists as Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci.

The thieves broke through the skylight of the museum. They then broke in through the glass roof and lowered rope ladders into the gallery to snatch the painting. Since it never showed up for auction or has not been heard from, authorities believe it was stolen to order.

When we hear of a theft like this, at least for the Christian, several things come to mind.

First, this action violates the commandment not to steal, and it goes against the Pauline admonition not to steal, but rather work with your hands so that you can have something to give to others who are in need.

Second, it immediately makes us revisit the following words from Jesus:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).

In the “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus is challenging his listeners to re-think their priorities. “Storing up treasures” in Jesus’ day and time was more of a necessity than we might think today. They did not have banks like we do, nor was there a Social Security system for retirement. That’s what makes this challenge by Jesus even more astounding!

One writer makes this observation: “The true value of any treasure is measured by its location.” The greatest treasure is not in the ground, in the bank, or in a museum. Because no matter how secure we think it might be, thieves apparently can always find it!

The challenge is for us to store our treasures in heaven. If the word of Jesus is treasured in our hearts, then thieves cannot steal it there! And, words and works pursued because of our love for Jesus and others will be stored in heaven, i.e., God knows and sees what we do, and He will never forget.

So, how am I challenged by this saying of Jesus? What needs to happen in my life? Allow me to suggest the following:

1. Push the “re-set” button on my thinking regarding priorities. Financial and physical treasures are not going to last forever.


2. Think of my thoughts as providing the context for spiritual treasures to be discovered.


3. Think of my words as offering treasures of wisdom and commitment to God and others.


4. Think of my works as specific acts of love being buried within the heart of hungering souls. And, as such, I am storing up treasures in heaven.

I guess all of us need to be challenged daily with asking where our priorities are. Am I spending my time and energy on something that can be stolen and taken away? Or, am I spending my time and energy storing up treasures in heaven?

This makes me think…how about “treasures in heaven” made to order?!

In Christian love, Curtis

Wars and Rumors of War

 

Have you noticed we live in unsettled times? I am amazed at “freedom demonstrations” that are occurring in countries all over the Middle East and other places in Europe. Civil and political unrest almost seem to be the normal thing now.

Jesus once said to his disciples, “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” This astounding response of Jesus came one day after he was leaving the temple and one of his disciples (with a strong measure of national pride) exclaimed, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1, 7)

We should not be alarmed at world events because…

• Human nature seems to thrive on conflict.


• People do not like to be oppressed.


• National pride is on the line in many cases.


• Power does not like to be challenged.

In the  midst of all this world unrest, can there be a Christian way to perceive it? This is in view of the fact that many are praying for freedom of religion in the areas of unrest so that Christians may worship.

Allow me to be the fly in the ointment at this point. In all of the New Testament we never find the writers asking their readers to pray for freedom of religion so that Christians could worship “without molestation” (an old cliché and phrase that commonly comes up in public prayer). Instead of praying for freedom of religion, we should be praying for the religion of freedom.

This kind of freedom is not attached to any civil, governmental, ideological, or national rights or powers. It is hard for American Christians to separate their fundamental identity from being an American from being a Christian. But the freedom that comes from being a Christian is  precisely identified by Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.”

This is a kind of freedom that reflects the Lord’s glory. This is a kind of freedom that allows us to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. This is a freedom from bondage (sin and legalism) that enables us to be free from self and free for others. This is the kind of freedom that allowed Paul and Silas to sing in prison in Philippi.

Our fundamental freedom of soul and self is found only in Jesus. War and conflict were never meant by God to be the methodology for spreading the kingdom. The kingdom of God is the opposite of that. Yes, it is a blessing when citizens of a country can live with the blessing of political freedom. But Jesus never came to offer political freedom. In fact, his own people expected that from a messiah, but he would not fall prey to such a misconception.

So, what should we do? Pray that conflict, war, demonstrations, violence, death and destruction should end. And for those of us who are Christian, we should exemplify in our words and actions the peace of God in areas of thought and life where Satan finds it easy to accomplish his evil will!

In Christian love, Curtis

A Trophy That Will Last

 

If you watched the Super Bowl last night, you saw a game played with heart and pride. Too bad that one team had to lose. You could tell that each one was playing their heart out to win. The quarterback for Green Bay hoisted the Lombardi trophy high above his head with confetti  flowing down and around the players and reporters. The setting was perfect for claiming a trophy.

When the Green Bay players return home victorious, they will have a prize to show. It just seems appropriate to come to the city and team where the trophy got its name. But the excitement, jubilation, celebration and accolades will eventually die down. Over time we know that trophies collect dust, lose their luster, languish with forgotten memories, and become a silent sentinel to the passage of time. Fortunately, for the  Christian, we can claim our trophy that will be an eternal possession.

The apostle Peter talks about “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you….”(1 Peter 1:4). Peter wants to encourage his readers to remember the ground of their living hope and the goal of that hope. Think of how trophies can perish, be spoiled, or just fade away. They can accidentally be tossed out, an arm or a leg can be broken off a trophy statue, and they can be put back on a shelf just to fade away.

The preparation, the  hype, the game and the final score all make for an amazing week leading up to the Super Bowl. This expectation has a Christian counterpart. Our hope is a living hope that will culminate in earnest expectation. Many were “hoping” that Green Bay would win. There were no guarantees. That hope turned into reality.

We know that our earnest expectation and hope is, however, guaranteed as a Christian! God has in store for us a trophy, the crown of life. Through perseverance we can overcome for the prize. One player was asked by a reporter how a team could have so much adversity and injury over the season end up winning it all. His answer was short and to the point…perseverance.

Perseverance for the eternal things of God…this defines our Christian journey together. We are here to support one another. We are here to help each other stay focused on the prize and the trophy. We are here to help remind one another how lasting and permanent that trophy is. Perseverance…a word fitly spoken for a time such as this. I want to challenge all of our thinking in the church at Highland View with this question:

Can I stay the course and persevere until the end of my life in order to claim the ultimate trophy and prize?

In Christian love, Curtis