The Parable of the Mustard Seed

The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Matthew 13:1-3, 31-32

One day Jesus sat by the sea side and many people came to listen to him so he went into a boat and sat down and all the people stood on the sea shore. He told them many stories (called parables) and this is one of them:

The kingdom of heaven is very much like a mustard seed which a man planted in his field. The mustard seed is the tiniest seed of all, but when it has grown to its full size, it is the biggest herb of all and becomes a tree, so that the birds can come and find shelter in its branches.

That is the story and here is what it means:

The mustard seed is being compared to the gospel, that God loved the world so much that He gave his only begotten son (that is the Lord Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary).. Jesus lived a perfect life without sin, teaching, preaching and healing. Then at the appointed time he was crucified, and took upon himself the penalty for our sins.. (sin is doing things you know you should not do, and not doing things you know you should do. All people ever born (except for the Lord Jesus) do sin things. Then the Lord Jesus died on the cross and was buried, and three days later he arose from the grave, this is the resurrection. Jesus is our Saviour, and if you believe these things in your heart and thank the Lord Jesus for dying for you, then you become a Christian, and one day you will be with the Lord Jesus where he is.

The mustard seed, starts very tiny, but grows and grows until it is very large and becomes a shelter for the birds.. In the same way, the gospel began with only a few people, but when they received the Lord Jesus and became Christians, then they told others who believed, and soon more and more people heard the gospel and received the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and over the years since the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, many, many people have become Christians.. this will continue until Jesus comes for his own.. by that time from the tiny way the gospel started after the resurrection, the number of people who have become Christians will be very, very large, just like the mustard seed becomes a very large plant. All these people will make up part of the kingdom of Heaven, and all Christians find peace and shelter because Jesus cares for them all the time, just like the birds find shelter in the big tree the mustard seed becomes.

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Note to parents and teachers: No specific memory verse for this story, please have the children learn the meaning of the parable, and most importantly the meaning of the gospel... also no questions or answers for this, it will be enough if they understand the meaning and the importance of receiving the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.

May God bless this story..

V. Gross/Aug'06