Parable of the Mustard Seed and Leaven Lesson Plan

Grade: 3-5


Pray: Dear God, Thank you for bringing us all together today to study Your Word. As we read, let our mind and hearts be open to hear. Amen

Activity: Create dough for bread using yeast. Leave some yeast in warm water with sugar aside to view shortly. Put some prepared dough in the oven to cook and enjoy later in the lesson.

Find: Matthew 13:31

Read: Matthew 13:31-33 (NIV version below)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
"31He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."
33He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Discuss: Show the students a mustard seed & a picture of a mustard plant.
Discuss what this comparison might imply?

Look at yeast mixture and the dough that you put aside. What has happened? What might Jesus be saying about heaven?

Explain and Create: Review the idea of a simile (comparisons using the words like or as). Have students make a few silly similes. Then reorder and brainstorm a list of similes about heaven. Record on large sheet or chalkboard.

(Extra activity if time: Have students illustrate one simile and post around room)

Discuss -why do you think Jesus spoke in parables. (Fulfilling prophecy, illustrative ideas to help people understand difficult concepts, intrigue people into asking more questions)

Enjoy fresh baked bread.

Close with Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for feeding us today both in Your word and with substance. Watch over each of us this week as we return to our daily lives. AMEN

Homework: Have students look through New Testament to find another parable that they can share with class next time.

Children's Sermon - Parable of the Wheat

As we talked about last time, this book, the Bible, is full of stories. Some of the stories that you will find are called parables. Jesus actually tells many parables in the New Testament. Does anyone know any parables? (if you get them to respond and get a good list of them, you do not need to continue with the next line)

Some parables that you may be familiar with are the Mustard Seed, the Lost Sheep, Laborers in the Vineyard, the Talents, the Good Samaritans, the Prodigal Son, but there are also many, many more.

I looked the word up parable online; this is the definition that I found: "1. A short moral story 2. Any of the stories told by Jesus to convey his religious message." A synonymous word is fable. See the unique thing about a parable is you are hearing one story, but if you think about what you are hearing you will realize that there is another story hidden inside it. The hidden story often carries with it a moral.

Today, I am going to read you the parable of the Wheat in Matthew 13:24-30.
“Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'

" 'An enemy did this,' he replied.

"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'

" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' “(NIV)

In this particular case, Jesus helps us along in our understanding by explaining the parable a few verses later in Matthew 13:36-43, but I think that if we really put our thinking caps on, we can figure it out for ourselves.

Have any of you gardened?

Have you planted seeds? What did you plant?

Did you have to weed after that? Was it hard sometimes to tell the difference between the weed & the plant?

Which is good, the weed or the plant?

Which is bad?

What if we imagine that this garden was full of people instead of plants? Are there good and bad people?

Ok, what if the garden wasn’t a garden but the whole world? Who do you think the gardener of the world might be? (make sure that they come to the conclusion that the Gardener is God).

You guys are very smart! So when we hear the parable of the wheat we are to understand that Jesus is talking about us. That at the end of times God will separate the good from the evil. The good will be rewarded in the Kingdom of heaven.

Some of Jesus’ parables are easy to understand and other times they take a lot of thought and consideration, but I encourage you to read more of them by yourself or with your parents. If you ever want additional help understanding them or you are not sure if you have discovered the real secret message – I’m sure that (insert your minister's name) will happily discuss your thoughts.

Before my words of prayer are said, I fold my hands and bow my head:
Dear God, Please be with us as we explore your words. Help us to uncover the meanings in your world and to lead our life in the way your word directs.
Amen

Am I Mary or Martha?

I have been mulling over the devotional that I read the other day. It spoke to working for the church, but not working with the spirit. This devotional spoke directly to me. I tend to get so caught up in plans and activities that I forget what I am there for. Church can become a chore and not a joy. It made me think of the story of Mary and Martha:


"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:38-42 (New International Version)

I need to take a breath and focus on my real purpose. This certainly does not mean that I cannot help out at church. It just means that I need to remember what I am really there for.

Tax collecting - Righting the Wrongs of Government

Tax collectors are not exactly shown in a good light in the Bible. Not per say because Jesus was against the idea of taxes that needed to support government, in fact Jesus says:

“And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.” (KJV) Luke 20:25

He was against corruption and usury that came along with this job. Tonight and tomorrow morning, I have the unique blessing to right the government wrongs just a bit. I sit on the board of assessment appeals: A unique board where people can come to complain that their taxes were set too high and if they can provide proof, this board can adjust their taxes as deemed reasonable. While this is not exactly throwing over the tax collector’s table, it is trying to make the tax assessment fairer.

One of the disciples was actually a tax collector. Matthew 9:9 describes his transformation from tax collector to disciple:

“And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.” (KJV)

I don’t expect to have such an experience tonight, but I hope that I would have the faith the Matthew had. How scary and difficult to walk away from a sure job to follow a man that many of the priests were speaking against? Matthew’s choice reminds us all to keep our priorities straight. Nothing should take precedence above the call of God, least of all money or other earthly assets.

“And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (KJV) Matthew 19:24

Matthew’s choice is an example to all of us how simple the choice should be. Let us all pray to have the strength that Matthew had.

Creationism vs Evolution

Ds has started 7th grade in our church Sunday school. This is a big deal because the 7th grade teacher is very serious and very literal in his biblical teachings. Ds is very nervous about this teacher. Teachers before Mr. R have been smiley and helpful. Mr. R. (although I personally know him to be very friendly) come across very conservative. He almost always has a suit on with a bow tie. His posture is perfect and he is often known to crrect the students’ English.

“Can I go to the bathroom, Mr. R?”

“I don’t know. Can you? May you is a whole other question.”

DS survived his first class with Mr. R without any complaints but with homework. Ready for this . . . This could either be your 7th grade Sunday school homework or a Nobel Prize winning thesis. “Which do you believe to be true: creationism or evolution? Bring in proof to support your choice.”

So I asked DS his opinion so that we could start working on his project. Without batting an eye, he replied, “I believe in both. I think they are both right.” I figure with a response like that next Sunday may be very interesting. Maybe I can talk DH into staying at the campsite just a little longer.

Life Lessons from the Titanic

Two things struck me as my dd, my father, and I toured the Titanic exhibit today:

-Small Actions Can Make a Difference
-Things that seem bad at the time can be a blessing

Small Action Can Make a Difference. This idea struck me twice during the exhibit. Once, we read about the band playing even as ship sank. Apparently, without concern for their own life they continued to play to comfort and entertain others. This seems so selfless. And I’m sure to people that realized that they were not getting onto those final lifeboats, the music they played offered some kind of consolation. The second small action was a priest that stayed behind and prayed with the passengers that had been consigned to death after the last lifeboat was launched. Compare this action with president and Chairmen of White Star Lines (the manufacturer of the Titanic) J. Brue Ismay, who bore some responsibility for the sinking and yet ensured his own survival by taking one of the few seats available in the life boats, while so many others were set to die.

What use is it,my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
James 2:14 (KJV)

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:20 (KJV)

Things that seem bad at the time can be a blessing. There were so many stories about people not getting aboard because of sprained ankles, colds, a change in plans, or, the most interesting to me, getting kidnapped. Harold Irwin was kidnapped the night before the sailing and forced to labor on a ship heading to Egypt to pay his gambling debt. I’m sure at the time, it seemed that the worst thing possible had occurred in his life. If he was a religious man, he may have prayed to be saved and not realized that God had already answered his prayer. This made me think of the many times that I may pray for specific intercession by God instead of asking for courage to accept HIS will.

Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.
~Socrates

Lessons can be found everywhere, if we are open to see them.