Sunday 3rd April

InterActive

This week we explored the parable 'Treasures new and old.' This is found in Matthew's gospel 13:51-53. It was another of those, is it or isn't it a parable?

Paula Gooder, in her book, The Parables, suggests that it is a parable for two reasons:

If you include verse 53, then it is referring to this and the 6 other parables/stories in the 52 verses preceding the statement.

Also verse 52 contain a ‘likening’ - where Jesus says “…is like…”

Our first activity was to make a russian doll teachers (they didn’t have to be dolls!) out of squares of paper.

In our reading, it talks about a treasure storeroom. Now the size of the treasure, the storeroom depends on wealth [russian doll sizes]. Also the storeroom refers to a place in which treasure of any kind can be stored. So, it might be varied in size from a grain store, a strong room, a strong box, or a casket.

Next we began to decorate the russian doll teachers and reflected on our reading.

In our Bible reading version it said teachers of the law, in other versions – scribe. In this context, that is those who read and understand the scriptures. We can read into that as simply being disciples, believers who share an understanding of a Bible passage. That means all of us, to a greater or lesser degree, hence the Russian doll teachers we made. We asked the question - Which size are you? We also noted that we are not ALL teachers but we do all have something to teach, or story to share.

What about the new and old treasures?

You could almost say that this is the new testament and the old testament of the Bible. Certainly, the new treasure is Jesus’ teachings and parables and the old treasure is the scriptures. But also out of the old comes the new, in that when you read the old with the Jesus lens, the Jesus glasses - you find new treasures. Jesus himself demonstrated that on the road to Emmaus when he opened the scriptures to the disciples and how what happened at Easter fulfilled the Old treasure and brought New life.

As we are focussing on the parables we could interpret this passage as Paula Gooder says:

“the parables, complex though they may be, are to be used as a treasure store to help in interpreting the world around us.“

Our final activity was to write/draw our favourite passage, verse, story in the Bible.

Our reflections drew to a close with thinking about how we all have something to teach, to share. Again the Russian doll teachers. Which size is you? We are not ALL teachers but we do all have something to teach, or story to share.

Our treasure storeroom might vary in size, our wealth of Biblical knowledge might vary in size, our faith experience might vary in size, but we all have some new and old treasure to share. Even if it is just our favourite passage.

After our prayers we ended the service with a feast of blueberry muffins thanks to Josh's baking skills :-)

Monday 4th April

Quote of the Week

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes including you." - Anne Lamott

Wednesday 6th April

Question of the Week:

"How does savouring make you happier?"

Thursday 7th April

Picture of the Week:

Lent - day 32 of 40.  What do you see in this picture? (see download) How might this picture connect with Lent or Easter?

Friday 8th April

Bible verse of the Week:

'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' - Matthew 6:21