Winterfest 2011 Post-Event Lesson- 4

Winterfest 2011 Post-Event Lesson- 4 “Real Treasure”

Before the lesson: 1. Say a prayer for your students and for your words. Make this lesson your own. Feel free to use the material that best suits your group. Pick and choose. Mix and match.

2. Proof all the video options.

3. Have index card, pen or pencil for each student to use in the concluding exercise.

Introduction

To kick-off the discussion of real treasure and to illustrate the joy that comes from finding real treasure, show a movie clip from “A Christmas Carol-The Musical.” The clip can be found online at: http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/a-christmas-carol-the-musical/christmas-heart

After his change of heart, Ebenezer Scrooge takes a stroll through town with kindness, generosity and joy in his heart. He experienced the life-changing joy that comes from discovering what is really important. Let’s look at a short parable from Matthew 13 that speaks to this. ------

Additional Video Options for Introducing the Topic:

Both of these youtube videos show everyday, normal people using metal detectors to seek treasure. There’s something in all of us that gets excited about finding a treasure.

Metal Detecting Florida Beaches with Bill Myers http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=Bh2cxMcyqb4&feature=related

Austrailan Super Snoopy Searching for Buried Treasure http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3LnAtXTVDE&NR=1 ------

Read Matthew 13:44 “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.”

This man made an awesome discovery. He gladly swapped everything he had so that he could possess the object of his devotion. Jesus points out that this man knows how to use life. He knows what really has worth and value. He knows that the Kingdom of God is worthy. Finding a buried treasure in the time of Jesus was not all that uncommon. In those days, they didn’t have banks on every corner like many towns and cities do today. Most people didn’t have the option to store their money or valuables in a safe, secure spot. So, often, what people did was to hide their treasured possessions in the ground. (Remember that in the parable of the talents, the one talent man played it safe and buried his talent in the ground, too).

For whatever reason, the man who buried his treasure wasn’t able to return and recover what belonged to him. Maybe he was killed in battle. We don’t know, but the man who came across the treasure was ecstatic, overjoyed! What should he do? He decided that he would cover it back up, leave it in the ground and go and do whatever it took to be able to buy the entire field, then the treasure would legally be his.

To some today, this might seem underhanded, unscrupulous, or wrong. Was this man being honest? There are a couple of things to say to this:

1) According to Jewish Law of the day, “The finds belong to the finder - if a man finds scattered fruit, scattered money…these belong to the finder.” So, this man was in good legal standing. It was very clear according to the Law that the man did nothing wrong.

2) It is good to remember that when dealing with any parable, the details are never meant to be the focal point. Don’t get lost on an insignificant detail and miss the larger point. In this parable, the point is that there is great joy because of the discovery; such great joy that the man was eager and willing to give up everything to make the treasure his own. Nothing else in the parable equals that importance.

Exercise to Illustrate Value

 Tell the students to take 60 seconds to go and find an object nearby that has the most significant value. The object can be on their person or somewhere from around your meeting area. Items can be Bibles, books, silverware, photos, toys, electronics, etc., anything that has value. Encourage them to use their imaginations.  After everyone returns, ask each student to explain his or her valuable treasure. For example, a student who had an i-Pod in their purse might say that it is unique and special and contains lots of priceless music. It represents many hours of hard work in the collection and organizing of the songs. Or maybe a student would present a spoon and say that it is valuable because it is an original masterpiece made of pure silver.  Re-Read the Matthew 13:44 passage again. Tell the students to look for ways their items relate to the parable in this text. What is it that these valuables have to do with this parable? (It would be worth selling all other possessions to keep THE most valuable, priceless, unequalled treasure. Bible Exploration

Focus on Three Words from this Passage:

1. Treasure Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, that it is a treasure, that it is the most awesome of all treasures. It’s value has no equal. It is worth every thing and every effort.

How many people really believe this with all their hearts?

Many people acknowledge this truth with their mouths. Many will admit that they should be seeking the kingdom. Many will lean on it in times of crisis, sickness, pain and hurt. They want Jesus to be close by on those days. The kingdom is a treasure on those days. But if they really believed they would sell out all day, every day. 31556926.

Is the Kingdom your greatest treasure? If the kingdom is valuable…if it is a real treasure, then it will be worth everything we’ve got. Which leads us to our second word…

2. All The man who found the treasure went and sold ALL he had to buy the field. Nothing else mattered. He made the necessary sacrifice. He will pay the price, whatever it is. Have you made such a sacrifice? What has the kingdom cost you? If the kingdom is really a treasure to us, we will not let anything come between us and Jesus.

Unfortunately, the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-24) let something stand between himself and God. He allowed temporary possessions block him from eternal treasure. Jesus told the young man that he could have real treasure in heaven, but the young man chose poorly and hung on to earthly treasure. The text says that the young man went away sad.

The obvious question for us is…. What do I have to sacrifice for the Kingdom of God? What is it going to cost me to make Jesus my treasure? What is my “field?” What is my real treasure? Will making Jesus my real treasure cost me a relationship, a dream, a habit or a lifestyle? Will it cost me comfort, stability, security?

It may be a challenge to let go of what we currently grasp and hang on to Jesus. It may be difficult to give up what we have, to become a disciple, to become disciplined and to deny ourselves. The man in the parable made an awesome discovery. He gladly swapped everything he had so that he could possess the object of his devotion. Jesus points out that this man knew how to use life. He knew what really had worth and value. He knew that the Kingdom of God is worthy. Do you know that? Do you believe that?

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) Discipleship demands denial. This is the way to joy and peace in this life and to glory in the next life. It is, for sure, WORTH giving up everything to accept and obey God. The rich young ruler went away sad, but we don’t have to. We can have what this other guy who found the treasure had….the third word… 3. Joy Joy is a key part of this story. It is important to recognize that the man did not complain about having to sell his stuff. He shows no regret in selling his possessions to obtain the field. It cost him a lot, but he got more. The pain of letting go of his stuff is forgotten in the sheer joy of his treasure.

This is the kind of joy we should have when we find our real treasure…the treasure of Jesus. A person who is genuinely saved from being lost, rescued from darkness, granted hope and promise and purpose and peace will not grudgingly give up the past. He gives up his past for something far better.

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

These are the words of a man who knows the treasure…he has the joy. He knows the value of real treasure. He knows that God the Father, His Son Jesus and the blessed Holy Spirit are WORTHY! Paul suffered a great deal for the Kingdom, but it never robbed him of joy. In 2 Corinthians7:4 he used the phrase, “in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.” THAT is the kind of joy that comes from finding REAL, eternal treasure. Boundless joy!

Conclusion

Distribute index cards to the students. Make sure each student has an index card and a pen or pencil. Begin by saying: Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24)

Have each teen write the following three statements on their card, then prayerfully consider what they will write in the blanks.

My greatest treasure in life is ______.

To be able to take hold of the treasure that God has given me, I need to sacrifice ______.

Worship is…our response, both personal and corporate, to God - for who He is! And what He has done! Expressed in and by the things we say and the way we live.

Conclude in prayer. Additional Discussion Questions:

 How will Satan try to stop you? What will he put in your path to get in the way?  What has the treasure cost you?  Why does discipleship require denial of self?  What is it that I need to sacrifice for the Kingdom of God?