What are Parables?
Take this opportunity to teach your children what parables are. They are little stories Jesus told that teach us about the Kingdom of God. They are similar to fables in that they are stories with a deeper meaning. But fables give moral or ethical lessons. For example, the Tortoise and the Hare teaches us not to give up (if you are the tortoise) and not to be too full of yourself (if you are the hare). The Boy Who Cried Wolf teaches us that if we lie repeatedly, people won't believe us even when we are telling the truth. Parables teach us about life in the Kingdom of God, or life as a Christian.
Parable Summaries
These 2 parables are contained in only 3 verses in Matthew 13:44-46. While there are only 3 verses, they are chock-full of meaning.
The Kingdom lesson in this parable: God is worth more than anything else in the world. He should be more important to us than anything!
Have you ever found money somewhere (not in your house)? How much did you find?
Today, we're going to learn about a parable about a man who finds a hidden treasure and about a merchant who is searching for fine pearls.
Teach the children what a parable is (see the Story Summary above)
Read the story directly from an age-appropriate Bible translation. Use the parable summaries above to help the kids think through the setting of the parables and really understand them.
Just imagine the scene at the end of the first parable: a man has nothing - no house, no car, no clothes, no food - but he's sitting in the middle of his new field, on top of buried treasure.
Imagine the scene at the end of the second parable: a merchant has nothing to sell, but he has one of the finest pearls in the world.
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud: Matthew 13:44-46
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
Scripture The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again. He was very happy. So he went and sold everything he had. And he bought that field. Matthew 13:44
Supplies three matching cups, plastic coin
Scripture The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again. He was very happy. So he went and sold everything he had. And he bought that field. Matthew 13:44
Supplies coin
Scripture The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it...he went and sold everything he had. And he bought that field. Matthew 13:44
Supplies rock cut out, construction paper, treasure cut out, glue, scissors, Bible verse cut out
Scripture The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again. He was very happy. So he went and sold everything he had. And he bought that field. Matthew 13: 44
Supplies tub of dirt or sandbox, pennies and other small treasures
Scripture Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who was looking for fine pearls. He found one that was very valuable. So he went away and sold everything he had. And he bought that pearl. Matthew 13:45
Supplies pearl beads, necklace string, or oven baked clay, toothpick, white paint
Scripture Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who was looking for fine pearls. He found one that was very valuable. So he went away and sold everything he had. And he bought that pearl. Matthew 13:45-46
Supplies Treasure hunt clues, pearls
Scripture Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who was looking for fine pearls. He found one that was very valuable. So he went away and sold everything he had. And he bought that pearl. Matthew 13:45
Supplies Paper, Pens, Various items for players to guess the price of