Several years ago, several sisters were discussing the meaning of treasure in Scripture. After that discussion, I gathered and edited some of the comments to make a lesson that could be used in most any setting. The following “saves” are what came out of that discussion for me.
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Just a few scriptures that deal with treasure. This might be a place to start. I thought of running some scriptures on wisdom and understanding being part of our treasure. That would bring in the Proverbs and Psalms again.
Dt 28:9-14–thought here is God’s physical blessings on the chosen people of the OT. See particularly vs. 12.
The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
1 John 2:15
Matthew 6:24
Luke 16:13
Mt 6:19-21
Mt 13:44-45
Mt 13:52
Mt 19:21
Mk 10:21
Lk 18:22-23
Mt 12:33-37
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Luke 6:45 same idea
Lk 12:16-21
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Lk 12:22-34
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 18:22 giving to the poor…
2 Co 4:5-7
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Jas 5:1-5
5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
ONE SISTER’S COMMENT:
This lesson to little ones is best taught by godly examples. Sometimes it is easier to come up with visuals etc…than it is to come up with enough consistent examples!! All the visuals/lessons, etc. in the world won’t help without the examples. I say this because my parents gave me strong consistent examples. I remember when I was a child my uncle’s cows got out and someone ran over them and they were going to sue my uncle for the damages. I assume my uncle’s lawyer told him or he decided on his own to deny that they were his because there was no way to prove that they were his. We lived next door to my Uncle and I remember my Dad and Mom throwing a fit about how wrong that was. It made a huge impression on me especially as I watched my parents thru the years always taking their lumps rather than do anything unethical. We were very poor financially and some people even looked down on us….my Uncle and Aunt had a lot more money than we did thru the years but I wouldn’t trade the “godly rich” upbringing I had for all the money in the world. A sad note on all of this is that my uncle was an elder in the church. Concerning my parents’ example, what they did in being ethical in all financial dealings is part of how God wants us to lay up treasures in Heaven. Do we fully comprehend what all this command to lay up treasure encompasses when it comes to our thoughts and actions! It is more than what we give on Sunday mornings! The Bible teaches that the love of money is the root of all evil!
ANOTHER:
It’s funny but the only illustration that comes to my mind is a picture that hangs on the wall in many homes, including ours. It is an old man sitting at a table. Beside him is his closed Bible with his folded glasses laying on top…..an indication that he had been studying. Before him is a humble meal of bread and bean porridge. His eyes are closed, his elbows are on the table, his forehead rests on his folded hands….He is praying and/or is in deep meditation….he appears to be in no hurry and is aware nothing around him, only His thoughts of prayer, thanksgiving and meditation….his body language shows this by the fact that his hands though folded in prayer are supporting his physically weary head at the same time… The poignant message this picture conveys is what draws us to this picture and is why so many people love this picture. It teaches us and calls out to us to slow down, thank God and be grateful for all of life’s treasures, both spiritual and physical. But the kids probably wouldn’t catch all the implications provided by this picture. ….Why? Life teaches us to appreciate these things. And if all we value is in the physical world and if that is what we teach our children to value above everything else, the lessons taught in such a picture will forever remain lost. Feel free to share any of my comments.
ANOTHER:
What about pictures of “things” Christians are “supposed” to do. I guess I am thinking of activities like people singing, praying, reading the Bible, serving (helping) others. Things that the little ones will understand. Maybe put them in a treasure chest? I don’t think they understand treasure the way we do, but I am sure they understand the concept of things being “special.” Last August when we went on vacation, my then one year old was awed by the different colors of leaves, acorns, and other things he found. We called them “treasures” and he took joy in bringing them to us.
TREASURE (From Nave’s Topical Bible)
A THING OF HIGHLY ESTEEMED VALUE
Money
Ge 42:25
Ge 42:27-28
Ge 42:35
Ge 43:23 with Ge 43:18
Ge 43:21-22
Precious stones
1 Ch 29:8
Jesus forbids the hoarding of
Mt 6:19
Mt 19:21
Lk 12:33
Hidden
Mt 13:44
FIGURATIVE
Of the graces of the spirit
Pro 21:20
Isa 33:6
Of Spiritual understanding
Matt 12:52
Col 2:3
Of the object of the affections
Matt 6:21
Luke 12:34
Of Spiritual calling
2 Cor 4:6-7
Gospel called
2 Cor 4:7
Parable of
Matt 13:44
TREASURE CITIES
Built for the storage of the king’s substance
Exodus 1:11
1 Kings 9:19
2 Chro 8:4
2 Chro 8:6
-Beth Johnson