Reflection: Hoarding Rubbish (March 17, 2013)

The 5th Sunday in Lent
Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:4-14; Luke 20:9-20


Along with the increase of channels on cable television there are now more TV shows than ever. Many of the offerings of cable networks are “reality TV” shows. Although slanted by the presence of cameras, these programs give us a look at the way that other people live. And some of those ways are mind boggling. Shows like “American Pickers” and “Hoarders” feature examples of people who fill their lives with material things of little or no value. Sifting through mountains of trash may result in an occasional item of value, but for the most part these people are hoarding rubbish.

Most people aren't hoarders of worthless things and may not even know someone who is. But we’re all guilty of hoarding rubbish when it comes to spiritual matters. In today’s Epistle lesson, Paul confesses to being a spiritual hoarder before he came to know Christ. Over the course of his life he had worked hard to gather up all sorts of impressive spiritual treasures. He started with the advantage of being born into a rich spiritual tradition and he diligently added to what he had inherited. He had great zeal for collecting spiritual accolades. But when he realized that all of the things that he had accomplished and was hoarding were of no real spiritual value, Paul did what few hoarders can being themselves to do. Recognizing that everything he had hoarded was spiritual rubbish, he got rid of all of it. With empty hands he was freed to take hold of Jesus and His righteousness.

If we think that our spiritual clutter is different than the rubbish that filled Paul’s life, we need to stop and take inventory of what we've hoarded. It’s actually rather simple to determine if our good works, pious behavior, sacrificial contributions, etc. are of any value. All we have to do is compare them to “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus.” Anything that we hold onto in order to have a righteousness of our own apart from the righteousness that comes to us by the grace of God is rubbish. When we cling to it we make no room in our lives for Christ and His righteousness. Paul knew this and did the only thing that could free him from destructive hoarding: “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” It’s the very thing that frees us whenever we turn away from squeezing God’s grace out of our lives by hoarding rubbish.

Audio file of the sermon "Hoarding Rubbish."