STS | What Is It That You Have Found? | OCT. 12th 2025

Devotional

Day 1: The Hidden Treasure of the Kingdom

The kingdom of God is not a physical reality that can be perceived with the senses; it is a profound spiritual truth. It remains concealed from casual observation and is only revealed to genuine, seeking hearts. This treasure is of such immense value that it is not found in common places or through superficial searching. It requires a heart that is eager to learn and willing to let go of preconceived notions to embrace its truth. [23:25]

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44 ESV)

Reflection: As you consider your own spiritual journey, can you recall the initial moment you encountered the reality of God's kingdom? What was it about that encounter that made it feel so valuable and worth pursuing?

Day 2: The Compulsory Path of Suffering and Sonship

Growth into spiritual maturity and true sonship is not an optional elective. It is a required course that every believer must go through, a process designed by God Himself. This path involves necessary pruning, dying to self, and embracing suffering, just as Christ did. There are no shortcuts or promotions that bypass this essential training. The purpose of this process is to shape us into vessels fit for the Master's use, capable of providing shelter and refuge for others. [05:22]

“And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” (Hebrews 5:9 ESV)

Reflection: Where in your current walk with God are you facing the challenge of dying to self or your own desires? What is one specific area where you can choose to embrace this process rather than resist it this week?

Day 3: The Joy That Motivates Sacrifice

A genuine encounter with the kingdom of God produces a deep, spiritual joy that becomes the primary motivator for our actions. This joy is not dependent on external circumstances but springs from an inward relationship with Christ. It is this profound joy that empowers a believer to willingly sell all they have—to relinquish status, possessions, or relationships—for the sake of gaining the greater treasure. Serving God should flow from this place of gladness, not mere duty or obligation. [40:53]

“Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”” (Nehemiah 8:10 ESV)

Reflection: Is your service to God and engagement in spiritual disciplines currently fueled by a sense of joy and delight, or has it become a laborious task? What practical step could you take to reconnect with the joy of your salvation?

Day 4: The Ultimate Value We Place on Christ

The decisions we make daily reveal the true value we place on Jesus Christ. When we choose to prioritize our needs, reputation, or relationships over God's commands, we demonstrate that we value those things more highly than Him. The cost of not following Christ wholeheartedly will ultimately far outweigh any temporary comfort or security we might gain by holding back. The heroes of faith understood this, which is why they considered no price too high to pay for the ultimate treasure of knowing Him. [13:46]

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8 ESV)

Reflection: What is one thing—a relationship, a possession, a point of pride—that you have been hesitant to fully surrender to Christ because you have, perhaps unknowingly, valued it on par with or above Him?

Day 5: Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Spirit

The nature of God's kingdom is not primarily about material blessing but about spiritual realities that cannot be taken away. These core attributes are righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. This joy is a deep well within that remains untouched by external trials, persecution, or lack. When we are established in God's righteousness and surrounded by His peace, His joy becomes our unshakable strength. This is the abundant life Christ offers, a treasure that the world can neither give nor take away. [49:29]

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 ESV)

Reflection: In the midst of your current circumstances, whether challenging or comfortable, how can you intentionally draw from the well of God's joy that is within you through the Holy Spirit?

Sermon Summary

Family month opens with a focus on spiritual formation, sonship, and the cost of following Christ. Reflection on the mustard seed parable reframes growth as kingdom fruitfulness: believers must be pruned and trained through suffering to become sheltering trees for the vulnerable. The teaching insists that discipleship requires compulsory courses of loss and dying-to-self; no one bypasses the school of suffering if they are to attain true sonship and glory. Questions about readiness accompany the call to follow: many recognize what God requires yet hesitate because status, relationships, or possessions appear more valuable than the kingdom.

Matthew 13:44—the parable of the hidden treasure—frames the kingdom as a hidden, spiritual reality that cannot be perceived by casual observation. The kingdom reveals itself either to seekers who search diligently or to those whose steps God orders unexpectedly; Isaiah 65 and Acts 10 illustrate both kinds of discovery. In either case the discovered treasure produces an unmistakable response: the finder hides the treasure, secures what is needed, and joyfully sacrifices all to possess it. That joy becomes the motive and measure of genuine possession.

A fervent intercession for missionaries suffering violence highlights a discipleship lived under threat: those on the front lines model a posture that values the kingdom above comfort and life. Prayer urges southern brethren to remember and support those who risk everything in hostile contexts, trusting that suffering can catalyze conversions and reveal God’s sovereignty.

Practical application presses inward: the kingdom’s fruit—righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit—must become the believer’s inner well. Joy serves as proof of an authentic encounter; where joy dies, service becomes mere duty and the soul needs recalibration. Personal testimony underscores that external loss cannot remove the joy that wells from knowing God. Finally, an invitation extends to anyone who has not yet encountered that treasure: the kingdom offers joy, strength, and unfading riches that no earthly loss can match.

Key Takeaways

1. Kingdom hides until God reveals The kingdom remains a spiritual reality unseen by casual sight; it requires either an intentional seeking heart or God’s sovereign direction to become known. Recognition demands inner sensitivity and a willingness to jettison prior assumptions. Those who experience revelation respond by reordering life around the newly found treasure rather than trying to fit the treasure into old priorities. [23:25]
2. Encounter obliges radical surrender Finding the kingdom triggers an unmistakable willingness to sell all— not because the finder lacks discernment but because nothing compares to the discovered treasure. True possession converts calculation into joyful abandonment: possessions, status, and loyalties fall away when measured against eternal worth. This surrender does not produce loss so much as a reallocation of trust and identity toward Christ’s reign. [36:32]
3. Joy authenticates genuine discipleship Joy issues from an interior encounter with righteousness, peace, and the Holy Spirit and proves that an encounter with God is real. When service, scripture reading, and relationships become burdensome, the absence of joy signals a misalignment that requires repentance and reorientation. Restored joy then becomes both strength for suffering and the visible fruit that sustains faithful endurance. [39:43]
4. Seekers and surprised discoverers God meets two sorts of people: those who intentionally search and those whose steps He orders unexpectedly; both responses lead to the same ultimate reordering of life. This dual pattern affirms divine sovereignty without excusing passivity—seekers must seek seriously, and the unwitting must recognize God’s providence in surprise encounters. Both pathways demand an accountable response: protect the treasure, secure what it costs, and live with its priorities. [29:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Family Month & Virtual Sessions
[01:20] - Peace Salutation
[02:35] - Mustard Seed & Sonship Recap
[06:12] - Cost of Discipleship Questions
[13:07] - Assessing Kingdom's Value
[15:27] - Prayer for Missionaries
[21:41] - Parable Introduced: Hidden Treasure
[23:25] - Kingdom Hidden, Then Revealed
[29:24] - Two Paths to Finding God
[36:32] - Response: Sell All For Joy
[39:43] - Joy in Service and Life
[48:19] - Joy's Source and Resilience
[50:37] - Invitation to Encounter

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 13:44 (ESV)
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Observation questions

According to the parable, what two actions did the man take immediately after finding the hidden treasure?
What motivated the man to sell everything he owned?
The kingdom of God is described as a hidden reality. What does this imply about how it is discovered? [23:25]
What two categories of people find the kingdom, as illustrated by the parables in Matthew 13:44–46? [29:24]

Interpretation questions

Why is joy specifically mentioned as the reason the man sold all his possessions? What does this reveal about the nature of true discipleship?
The kingdom remains hidden until God reveals it. How does this tension between divine sovereignty and human seeking play out in a person’s journey to faith? [25:32]
The parable speaks of “selling all” to obtain the treasure. Is this a one-time decision or an ongoing posture? How does this look in daily life?
How can a person distinguish between joy that comes from God and temporary happiness based on circumstances? [40:53]

Application questions

Joy authenticates a genuine encounter with God. Where in your life has service or spiritual discipline become duty rather than delight? What practical step can you take this week to reconnect with the joy of your salvation? [39:43]
The kingdom demands radical surrender. Is there a relationship, possession, or area of your life you’ve valued more than following Christ? What would it look like to “sell it” joyfully this week?
Some discover the kingdom through seeking; others are surprised by God’s grace. How has your own encounter with Christ shaped your willingness to surrender everything to Him?
Missionaries in hostile contexts model joyful sacrifice. How can you tangibly support or pray for those risking everything for the gospel? [15:27]
When external circumstances—loss, hardship, or disappointment—threaten your joy, how do you draw from the “inner well” of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit? [48:19]
Has your marriage, work, or service become a place of endurance rather than joy? What would it look like to ask God to restore His joy in that area today? [42:38]
If someone were to observe your life this week, what evidence would they see that you’ve found a treasure worth everything?

Sermon Clips

31s

#DontRunFromGod

“Because many times our needs outweigh God's instructions, God's command. It outweighs even our responsibilities in church. Because of our needs, we run away from our responsibilities. And we think that by doing so, it solves our problem. No, it doesn't. Because the person who will solve that problem is the same person you are running away from.”

37s

#HiddenKingdom

“The first thing I want us to see from this particular verse is that the kingdom of God is hidden until it's revealed or it's found. I will take it again. The kingdom of heaven is hidden until it's revealed or found. It cannot be perceived by outward or physical observation. Because of its preciousness, it's not something that is common that you can found that you can find just anywhere, anyhow.”

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STS | What Is It That You Have Found? | OCT. 12th 2025 | Pastor Babafemi Famuyide