Saturday's Scripture Story
Parable of the Hidden Treasure
Matthew 13:44-46
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Pondering Point
Notice in this parable that the treasure involved is not easily found – hence the term “hidden”. Once the treasure is discovered, the one who found it is willing to sell (give up) everything else he has in order to gain this hidden treasure.
Often it is like that with the kingdom of God (salvation and what comes with it): It is overlooked in favor of lesser, cheaper “treasures.” There is an irony here when compared with the devotions from earlier this week. If we seek God first and give everything up for this "hidden treasure," he commits to provide even such things that previously had displaced him in our lives – the lesser treasures (see Matthew 6:33).
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Prayer
[Pray about what the Holy Spirit has placed upon your heart.]
Hook Questions
Use these questions with your group when you are using Bible stories as central piece to your time together:
- Share a time when you found money or some other object of value; what did you do with it?
Bible Storying’s Core Questions
- What did you like (or learn new) about the story?
- What did you not like (or not understand) about it?
- What are the various people doing in the story? With whom do you identify within the story?
- What is God doing in the story?
- What might God be asking of you triggered by this
story? How is he challenging you?
A great way to get God’s stories to stick with you is telling them to other people.