Matthew 26:15

Exchanges

What are ye willing to give me? Matthew 26:15.

I want to speak this morning about some of the bargains we make. You know in some ways life is just like a big market. We are always exchanging one thing for another, and it is very important that we should make good exchanges.

We are not very old before we begin to bargain. There are the exchanges we make at school. Every boy knows about them. You have an old pen-knife that the other boy has taken a fancy to and that you could do without; but before you part with it you ask him, “What are you willing to give me for it?” And if he doesn't make a good offer, the chances are you keep it to yourself. Of course, if you are a wise boy, you see to it that you are getting back as good a thing as you are giving; and if you are a straight boy you see that you are giving as good as you are getting. It's a shabby sort of trick to palm off trash on anyone for something of real worth.

It was very much in this way that trade began long, long ago. From far across the desert men travelled with their camels and they exchanged the things which one country produced for those which another yielded.

Perhaps they brought spices or rare woods and took back gold or precious stones, and so what one needed and did not possess the other supplied.

And that was how the trade of Britain began too. The Romans came to us and they saw that we had a large supply of tin that we could not use and many skins of wild animals that we did not require, and they said, “We will take these things from you.” And the Britons asked, “What are you willing to give us for them?” Then the Romans showed them pieces of beautiful finely-woven cloth, and the Britons said, “We will take those, for we are not able to make them, and you may have our skins and our tin.”

And it is the same today. Our great ships carry far over the seas our iron and steel goods and our manufactures of cotton and wool and linen, and they bring back raw material gold and silver and copper ore, wool and flax and hides, and hundreds of other things that we can't grow here.

But those are not the only things that people exchange. There are all sorts of wise and foolish exchanges going on unseen every day, and I want you to think of some of the things that are going about asking us what we will give in order to possess them.

First Pleasure comes along and says, “What are you willing to give me?” And some people reply, “I will give you all my time,” and others, “all my money,” and others, “all my health,” and others, “all myself.” But if you are sensible you say, “No, you are a very good thing in your own place, and we could not get on very well without some of you, but a little goes a long way and we are not going to give up everything for you”

Then Money arrives and asks, “What are you willing to give me?” And some people say, “For your sake I will give up generosity, or honesty, or my peace of conscience.” But those who are wise reply, “It is a bad bargain. For these are things we value above anything that money can buy.”

Ambition comes next and asks, “What are you willing to give me?” And there are some who answer, “I will give you all my better feelings; I will cut out my heart and you shall have it if you replace it with a stone.” But those who are thoughtful reply, “The sacrifice is too great. A right ambition is a good thing in its place, but to give up everything for ambition is a poor exchange.”

Then Honor comes along and says, “What are you willing to give me?” And those who are wise and brave reply, “I will give you even life itself if need be,” for they know that there are things of more value than life.

There are many other things in life which demand something for their possession, but what of the things that are given us freely, and for which we ought in honor to make some return?

Every day your parents are giving you food, and clothing, and care, and love. Many a weary night your mother has watched over you when you were sick, or given up her own sleep to hush you to rest when you were fretful. Many a long day your father has worked till his limbs ached or his brain was weary that you might have food and clothing and a roof to cover you. They do not ask money from you in return, for they know that you have none to give, and they do it all for love of you; but what are you willing to give them? The only gifts worth offering are obedience and reverence and, above all, love.

And God has given us freely of His best. He has given us home and friends and books, the beauty of the world and the glory of the sky. Above all He has given His only Son for us because He loves us with an everlasting love. What are we willing to give Him? There is only one thing that can satisfy Him. It is only love that can repay love. And He longs for our love although it is such a poor, feeble thing.

There is just one thing more I want to say. You know that the words of our text were spoken by Judas Iscariot when he bargained with the chief priests to sell Christ for the price of a slave. Never try to take anything in exchange for Christ. Some people give Christ up for pleasure, and some for money, and some for fame, and some for ease. If you do that you will find that you have concluded the worst bargain you ever made.