(Back
to Study Home Page) Sermon
March 7, 2004
(Back
to Sermons Home Page) (Back
to Shultz Home Page)
March 7, 2004 - Matthew 13.44-50.
Open It
What two or three expensive items do you wish you could afford?
What are some good ways to determine what our priorities really are?
What is the difference between value and price?
Explore It
What is the kingdom of heaven like? Why? (13:44)
Where was treasure hidden? (13:44)
What happened when the man uncovered the hidden treasure? (13:44)
How did the man feel when he discovered the treasure? (13:44)
How badly did the man want the treasure? (13:44)
What did the man in the parable of the pearl find? (13:46)
How valuable was the pearl? (13:47)
How did the man who found the pearl react to its discovery? (13:47)
How was the net used, and what was the result? (13:47)
In the parable of the net, what did the fishermen do with the full net? (13:48)
What happened to the good fish? (13:48)
What happened to the bad fish? (13:48)
Why did Jesus use this analogy? (13:49)
What group did the fishermen in the story represent? (13:49)
Get It
If the gospel is true and heaven is our destiny, why are we often "ho-hum" about Christ and the Christian life?
How can we recover the joy and excitement that we had when we first met Christ?
When, if ever, has your faith cost you something?
What would you say to a someone who says that you can be a good Christian without completely "selling all" to follow Christ?
Other than buried treasure or a precious pearl, what illustrations could you use to explain to a friend the value of knowing Christ?
What new insight into God's kingdom do you have as a result of studying this passage?
Apply It
With what person will you try to share the wealth you have in Christ today or tomorrow?
What first step will you take today to recover the joy of knowing Christ?
In what way can you remind yourself of heaven this week?
Matthew 13:44-46: The kingdom of heaven is more valuable than anything else we can have, and a person must be willing to spend everything to obtain it. The man who discovered the treasure in the field stumbled upon it by accident but knew its value when he found it. The merchant was earnestly searching for the pearl of great value, and, when he found it, he sold everything he had to purchase it.
Matthew 13:47-49: The parable of the fishing net has the same meaning as the parable of the wheat and weeds. We are to obey God and tell others about his grace and goodness, but we cannot dictate who is part of the kingdom of heaven and who is not. This sorting will be done at the last judgment by those infinitely more qualified than we.
Matthew 13:52: There is a double benefit to those who understand Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of heaven. This was a new treasure that Jesus was revealing. Both the old and new teaching give practical guidelines for faith and for living in the world. The religious leaders, however, were trapped in the old and blind to the new. They were looking for a future kingdom preceded by judgment. Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was now and the judgment was future. The religious leaders were looking for a physical and temporal kingdom (via military rebellion and physical rule), but they were blind to the spiritual significance of the kingdom that Christ brought.
(Back
to Study Home Page) Sermon
March 7, 2004
(Back
to Sermons Home Page) (Back
to Shultz Home Page)