NOTES: 1] Three tiny parables in quick succession, verging on a fourth, each beginning with, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like..." & about a consequence of discovering that Rule. 2] 'Kingdom' = God's active Rule. Heaven isn't a place, but a state of affairs when & where God rules. 3] The net in 47-50 is reminiscent of the wheat & the weeds in vv. 24-30 & 37-43.

WARMING UP:  What's the most interesting thing we've ever found, by design or accident?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Identify God at work in anything this week?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

44         Has we ever 'uncovered' God's Rule by accident in some way, as in the parable? If we have ever uncovered or discovered it, did we in any way 'cover it up' again? If so, did that work to our advantage or disadvantage; to the advantage of God's Rule, or its disadvantage? Could we really bring ourself to sell everything, or give everything up for God's Rule?

45-46    This time, like the trader, have we ever gone actively looking for God's Rule? Did we find it? Or, are we still looking? In the right places? What about the selling up everything bit that appears again? If we won't do that, does it mean what we've found isn't worth as much as Jesus suggests? How do we measure the true worth of anything?

47-50    How difficult do we find it to live in a 'net' (God's Rule) with so many other different kinds of 'catch'? Do we ever feel we're 'waiting to be sorted'? 'Basketed'? 'Discarded'? Does this 'net' imagery appeal to us any more or less than some of Jesus' other imagery? Given both church & society are a very mixed lot, what message can we see here for a) ourself? b) the church? c) others who don't give evidence of faith in God? Seeing this is a parable, how literally do we need to take the hellfire & damnation bit? How do we, & others like us, normally respond to extreme language like this (even if it's an illustration) today?

51-53     How well do we understand what Jesus is saying in this batch of mini-parables? Can we answer as confidently as the disciples did then? Which of our store of Christian 'treasures' are new, & which ones are old? Are they equally valuable? Can we always make room for new ones? Do we know when to draw on the new, stick to the old ones?

54-58     Are we ever 'astounded' by what we're taught in church? Where does Jesus get his wisdom & power? Are we as strong on wisdom & 'deeds of power' (what might they be today?) as we should be? Do we ever dismiss people who want to teach us about God today because something about them doesn't appeal to us? Can we identify something not happening in our church community today that we put down to unbelief or lack of faith? Whose?  Is there something positive we can do to change that?