Treasure Hunt! Lesson 1

​     Fall greetings to you! At the start of this month, we are beginning, as always, a new story from The Jesus Storybook Bible. If you would like one of these books, please come to our church and ask for a free copy, or the book can also be ordered online by yourself.
     Children: Are you ready to listen and read and imagine and create about the story “Treasure Hunt!” found on pages 250-255? It is a fun story that Jesus told a small group of people, but there are real lessons to be learned back then and now.
     Please begin by making yourself comfy and listening to today’s story being orally read to you. Close your eyes and paint your own pictures in your head as you are listening.
     Jesus often told stories to explain his teachings. These stories are called parables. Parables are simple stories used to teach a religious lesson. He believed that people would understand His message easier if He did this. 

     Any questions or comments so far? Pastor Steve is ready to respond to you on this blog.
     Adults: The Biblical reference for this story is Matthew 13.
     When people talk about the ministry of Jesus, it’s easy to focus on his miracles. Jesus performed some amazing feats that the world had never seen (and hasn’t seen since), but one of the most exciting things about His ministry was His teaching style.
     Jesus taught using parables - simple stories intended to impart a spiritual lesson. He’s so identified with this teaching style that Mark’s Gospel tells us that “He did not say anything to them without using a parable” (Mark 4:34a), although He personally spoke to the disciples in more direct ways.
     Matthew combines a lot of Jesus’ parables in his Gospel. In Matthew chapter 13, we find eight parables. They begin with a tale about a sower and end with a story about a fisherman’s net. In the middle of all these parables, Jesus drops a couple of parables with similar themes:
     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. (Matthew 13:44-46). Jesus wants us to buy God’s treasure of eternal life.
     As with the Children’s section, Pastor Steve welcomes any questions or comments you may have through this blog.
~This Week’s Prayer: Jesus, loving You is our treasure of eternal life. Amen
     This month of October will bring two more weekly online lessons, and then Sunday School will meet in person on Sunday, October 27 at 11 am-12 pm right after our church service. There will be a tasty snack, an oral reading and discussion of the story, and a fun craft. All are invited!
Enjoy the developing fall color,
Margo Greer