What And How Are We Hunting?
Categories: Bible Study LessonsEach year around this time it is popular for different social groups to host egg hunts. Someone takes the eggs and hides them in various “secret” places in a designated area and then children go out and look for the eggs. There are, among the children, various different kinds of hunters. There are those who do not know they are hunting at all; most of these are the little children who need to be taught what to do. There are those who are hunting the egg itself for the sheer joy of hunting the egg. Then there are those who hunt the egg for the prize that they will find inside the egg. Different children have different motives for participating in the hunt. Life is kind of like an egg hunt.
There are those who have no idea that for which they are hunting. They hurry about their daily lives doing the things that those around them seem to do simply because it appears that everyone else is doing it not knowing why they do it. Jesus described these in Matthew 9:36, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” These are like sheep having no shepherd. They wander around following the other sheep; they don’t know why they go where they go or do the things they do. These are often led down the wrong path and end up being devoured by wolves (Matthew 7:15, Acts 20:29). These need Jesus to be their shepherd and so Jesus invites them to come to him for the leadership that they need (Matthew 11:28-30).
On the other hand, there are those who know what to hunt for but don’t believe you can find that for which you are hunting. These say they are concerned about truth. They say that we must look for truth. Yet in some way or another they say you really can’t know and find the truth. The agnostic says that you can’t know the truth regarding God’s existence. The skeptic says you can’t know the truth regarding the origin of the Bible. The modernist says that you can’t know that Jesus is the Son of God. The denominational person says that you cannot know the true church of Christ. Each seemingly takes one step closer to the truth, but never seems to arrive at the truth. It reminds us of Paul’s statement to Timothy regarding similar men, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). They are hunting something, but they stop before they find what they truly need to find. They hunt merely for the thrill of the hunt, but for nothing more; so they walk away empty handed.
Finally, there are those who hunt with the knowledge that something wonderful is going to be revealed that they can call their own. These hunt based upon faith — a faith that rewards those who diligently seek God (Hebrews 11:6). These understand that they need a Good Shepherd to guide them and so they follow (John 10:14). These understand that they can know and obey ALL of God’s truth and be free (John 8:32). These, like Abraham, set their spiritual eyes upon that which is unseen to let it motivate them to live in a way that is pleasing to God. It is said regarding Abraham, “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). And regarding all who would live their lives by faith, we read, “For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:14-16).
How are we hunting? Do we simply follow the crowd content to let come whatever may? Do we seek for something yet declare that there is no way we can obtain it? Or do we hunt with the goal in mind of something better than what we have in the here and now? Placing our complete trust in God and His word for eternity? Do we let this motivate us to live faithful to the Lord each day? Yes, there is a great prize that is laid up for those who are faithful to God (2 Timothy 4:8). Let us lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12) by seeking the Lord each day and finding Him!