THINK TOGETHER.
Do you remember what a parable is?
READ TOGETHER.
Mathew 13:31-33. 31He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Jesus loved telling parables. Do you remember what a parable is? When I was a kid I was told that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. That’s not a bad definition. Parables used every day things to teach us about spiritual things.
What do you think the two parables in Matthew 13 are teaching us? If you’re little, you’re gonna love these two parables. They both have to do with small things making a big difference.
The first parable is about a tiny seed, a mustard seed. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds that exists. But Jesus says that when you plant a tiny mustard seed in the ground it becomes a big bush in the garden. So big that even birds can make nests in it.
The second parable is about leaven or yeast. When you put a little bit of yeast in your bread dough it makes the dough grow bigger and bigger into a loaf of bread. A tiny bit of leaven makes a big difference.
What is Jesus teaching us in these two stories?
He wants us all to know that his kingdom, the Kingdom of God, always starts small and gets bigger. Just like you. You started small and are getting bigger. That’s always how God works. You don’t have to do great big things for God, you can do small things for God and he can grow them into big things. Do you remember the story of the boy who gave his lunch to Jesus and then Jesus turned it into enough food for over five thousand people? That’s the kind of thing God does all the time – takes something small and makes it big.
When your life seems small and unimportant just remember that Jesus loves using things that are small and seemingly unimportant, like you and me. One little word of praise to someone, or a small act of kindness, is exactly what God will use to change things in big ways.
Because of Jesus small things are used by God for big purposes.
With Jesus we don’t have to do big things, he will use our simple acts of obedience and love.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
If you have any seeds at home, look at them together (or look up pictures of mustard seeds). What will those little seeds become one day? Help your kids to see how God loves to turn little things into big things.
PRAY TOGETHER
Father, even though I am small you are big and can turn my small acts of love into big deals. Help me to never stop believing this. Amen.
TLICfamily 