On our trip to the Caribbean there was a fatality; my wallet.  It didn’t get along well with the beautiful blue salt water of the Caribbean Ocean. I think that it is mostly dead, not completely dead but mostly. So, I need a new wallet.  Interestingly enough - here is an odd coincident - this morning I am going to tell you how to make a wallet.  I don’t think I have ever preached a sermon before on how to make a wallet?  Out of 747 sermons, and completing 20 years today, I have never preached a sermon on wallet construction. That may be surprising to you, “Wow, I thought for sure Tim would have preached about wallets in 20 years.” I am going to correct that oversight this morning.  As we continue in Luke, chapter 12 contains instructions about how to make really cool wallets.

However, there is a problem.  Like everything nice… it is expensive.  The wallets discussed in chapter 12 are high dollar and are going to cost you a great deal. So, you are going to have to decide if you really want one of Luke’s wallets or are you going to live with a cheap one; worthless wallet or step up and pay the price. The choice will be yours.  This sermon will prove the old adage, “You get what you pay for.”  But I will leave that up to you to decide. 

You may be thinking, did Tim spend too much time in the sun?  Has he lost it?  To show you I did not spend too much time in the sun on our vacation, let me read just part of Luke 12:33.

NRS Luke 12:33 Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out.

The word purses in this verse is translated most translations as purses and in some older ones as bags or money bags, but since I don’t carry a purse nor a money bag I am going to translate it as wallet. 

TIM Luke 12:33 Make wallets for yourselves that do not wear out.

You women can go with purses and some of you may want to go with money bags; that’s okay.  But the point is, Jesus tells us to make for ourselves wallets which will not wear out.  The “not wear out” is literally “become not old,” but the thought is to become obsolete or get holes in it or get trashed by the Caribbean ocean.  

So, we have a command from Jesus to make an indestructible wallet.  Obviously, we are working with another… metaphor.  There is something about how we live our lives that is like an indestructible purse/wallet.  There is something about who we should be that is important enough to put in an eternal bag.  What is the message of this metaphor and how do we make this eternal wallet and what do we put in it?  These are the questions of the morning.

For our trip Tanya and I decided we needed two new suitcases.  We had never been on a cruise before and we were going to be gone for most of 12 days, so we needed some appropriate suitcases, which is sort of like a wallet.  I picked out a nice attractive teal one.  That will be cool.  It will stand out against all the other black ones and be real easy to pick out in the baggage claim thing.  But I found out why every other one is black. Mine was mostly black by the time it got to Baltimore. Bags start out as different colors and all end up black. I would have like to have had an indestructible bag on our trip.  

Let’s get on with finding out what this metaphor means and how we make this really cool eternal purse. Let’s begin by going shopping.  In Luke 12 I have identified – with a little creative exegesis - four kinds of purses you can choose from.  Three of them are relatively cheap and one is not.  Everyone enjoys shopping for purses. I went purse shopping with Tanya last week and it was… Let’s see what kind of purse you want.

First, there is the Praise Purse.  Some people live for praise.  Some people want to be accepted by others more than anything else.  They crave popularity.  They want to be cool.  They want to have the recognition of others. They want to be accepted, to be loved, to be honored.  Their lives are centered around the praise of people.  This purse is for all those who love attention.

This wallet is bought by all kinds of people.  The last “show” on our cruise featured an ex-Olympic athlete who had won a couple of gold medals in the late eighties and early nineties.  He did some amazing things as a gymnast.  He did iron crosses and hung all kinds of different ways from these curtains hanging from the ceiling.  It was impressive.  After if was over both Tanya and I looked at each other and said it was sad.  He still craved the applause.  He couldn’t get out the limelight.  Some people have to have the Praise Purse. The Praise Purse is a nice purse.  Perhaps you have purchased this popular purse.

Second there is the Wealthy Wallet.  Isn’t the metaphor of a wallet right on the money?   I thought that was a good pun.  Many people want the glory of money.  They want the feeling of spending.  Do you know what I mean?  There is a rush that comes from buying.  “I have enough money to buy that.”  Purchasing is as addictive as drugs.  Shopping Malls are built on this feeling.  Casinos thrive on this compulsion.  States run lotteries for this very reason.  The wealthy wallet has lots of purchasers.

We did some shopping in Haiti. Which, as you, know is a very poor country.  I found myself haggling with a Haitian over a couple of dollars.  What’s with that?  I bought some maracas for Tony.  I argued with the guy for 5 minutes over a couple bucks.  Why?  The craving for money is contagious.  People do all sorts of terrible things for the love of money.

Is this the purse you would pick if you had a choice?  Would you choose to be wealthy over most anything?  In our shopping spree would you pick the Wealthy Wallet?

The third of fourth purses is the Security Satchel. Isn’t the alliteration fun?  I know Jimmy loves the alliteration.  There are some who aren’t all that interested in what people think or even in having tons of money to spend.  They would rather be safe.  They want to be healthy and secure.  They don’t want to be afraid or take any risks or get hurt.  They want to feel protected. They want to know that nothing is ever going to happen to them.  Safety, security, protection is what they want.

It was amazing to what lengths we are willing to go for the allusion of safety.  We are willing to stand in line for hours and take off most of our clothes and put our shoes on a conveyer belt and allow others to rummage through all our stuff and x-ray our belongs for the allusion of being safe on an airplane.  That is amazing.  Some people will give most anything to be secure. This is another popular purse. 

Now we come to our last and as you might suspect the most expensive of our purses. Four is our Heavenly Handbag.  Look at another alliteration.   Before I tell you how much this purse costs let me show you its characteristics.  This purse accomplishes what all three of the others attempt.  There is some irony here.

This purse gives you popularity beyond the Popularity Purse. Listen as Jesus explains.

Luke 12:4-9   "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!   Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.   Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.  And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.”

Wow.  I shouldn’t be concerned with what people think.  They can’t really harm me.  I should want to be popular with God.  He is the one who truly cares about me. He knows and deeply cares for me. If we purchase the eternal purse it comes with Jesus confessing us before the angels.  What will that be like?  “Here is my buddy Tim!” Jesus says and all the angels applaud.  That is real popularity. 

Guess what the Heavenly Handbag comes with real wealth.  Once again listen to Jesus as he explains.

Luke 12:15-21  Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."   And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive.  And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'  But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’  So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

That is scary. If we pursue the Wealthy Wallet we could be in deep trouble. But then he tells us good news.

Luke 12:22-38  And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!  And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span?  If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?  Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!

All the stuff you need God will provide. Wow, that is a better deal than winning the lottery. How much more will he clothe us?   And it comes with security as well.

Luke 12:29-32  "And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.  For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.  Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

Do not be afraid God is happy to give you his kingdom.  Wow.  If God is glad to give us his kingdom don’t you think he will take care of us as well?  Security backed up by the Creator of everything. 

Let’s see if we buy the Heavenly Handbag; we have popularity with Jesus.  Who would you rather have applaud you?  We have a guarantee from God to give us all we need and we get the kingdom of God with the security that goes with it.  It has all the advantages of the other three purses, only better. These are not allusions.  They will never wear out? 

How much is such a purse worth?  What would you be willing to give for such a purse? Well before you get too excited let me tell you it is expensive.  I kind of feel like an infomercial this morning.  “And you can get all this for three easy payments of $19.99.  But wait there is more.  If you order now we will throw in eternal life as well.  Order now!  Don’t miss out on your very own Heavenly Handbag!”  But it is going to be more than 3 payments of $19.99.

Luke 12:33-34   "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

How much?  You must give up your earthly attachments and connect your heart to eternity.  “Wow. That is expensive.  Turn loose of all my attachments and put my heart in eternity. How do I do that?”

Jesus brings it home and makes it real.
®Sell your possessions. As an exercise in giving up your attachment to money Jesus says to sell something and give the money to charity. If you can sell something you cherish and give the money away that would be making a down payment on your Eternal Purse.
®By extension I can say do something to give up your popularity.  Do something unpopular.  Stand up for your faith and be unpopular.  Do something that confesses Jesus.
®Take a chance.  We live such safe lives.  Do something that is risky for God.  Show God that you are willing to do whatever he calls you to do. Do something bold for God.

That is the price of the Purse. You must give up your earthly attachments and connect your heart to eternity.   Let me challenge you to examine which purse you are currently tempted to purchase and do something to demonstrate that you are not going to buy a cheap purse but rather you want the eternal one.  Give up your worldly attachments and put your heart in the eternal purse.  That is the price.  The question is are you willing to pay for it?