Matthew Chapter 13
By Pastor Chris
Y’all come back now, hear?
I watched a lot of reruns when I was growing up. There was a show that I did not particularly enjoy, but since there was no such thing as cable TV or more than 3 channels, I ended up watching almost every episode of it. I can still sing the theme song from memory even though I have not seen it in 25 years. This might not be that odd since it was #44 on the music charts in 1962 and a #1 country hit. The lyrics go like this:
Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
Then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground came a bubblin crude.
Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.
Well the first thing you know ol Jed’s a millionaire,
Kinfolk said “Jed move away from there”
Said “Californy is the place you ought to be”
So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly.
Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.
Well now its time to say good by to Jed and all his kin
And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.
You’re all invited back a gain to this locality
To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality
Hillbilly, that is, set a spell, take your shoes off
Y’all come back now, hear?
What do we learn about Jed in this song?
He was poor and could barely feed his family.
He was desperate, so he was hunting raccoon.
He was a poor shot and hit the ground which caused the discovery of oil on his land!
He sold his land and Jed was now wealthy.
He was so wealthy that Mr. Drysdale, the bank manager where he kept his money, would do anything to keep Jed’s money in his bank … aaaaaaand from there 9 seasons of high jinx ensue.
In Matthew 13:44-46 Jesus tells two stories similar to Jed’s. These stories begin with the phrase “God’s Kingdom is like …” In both stories valuable discoveries are made and the people who find them risk everything in order to purchase the items of value. Jesus makes it clear in both stories that these lucky people have to sell EVERYTHING in order to get the prize.
In reflecting on these stories we can easily apply them to our lives. Without God we live as spiritually poor and morally bankrupt people; having made such a mess of our lives that each day is full of struggle. We do not deserve it, but we have stumbled upon the good news of Christ and His kingdom and it can become real in our lives both now and forever. We cannot hold anything back from this sure-thing investment. The hope of God’s redemption is worth putting your entire life on the line so that you too load up the truck and move to Beverly … I mean become part of God’s Kingdom.
