Day 13: Jesus tells three stories about God’s kingdom
In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, while the children are playing hide-and-seek in the professor’s house, Lucy stumbles into the magical land of Narnia. It’s like our world in some ways, and completely unlike it in others. When she gets out of Narnia again, Lucy tries to tell her brothers and sister about this other reality. But they don’t believe her. In our passage today, Jesus tells a string of mini parables about the kingdom of God, which may seem just as unbelievable as the land of Narnia. Except that it’s completely real.
The first thing Lucy sees in Narnia is a lamppost. The first thing Jesus talks about in this passage is a lamp. What question does Jesus ask in verse 21?
In Jesus’ day, people didn’t have electric lights like we do. So, you couldn’t just turn on a light. You had to light a lamp. You wouldn’t do that just to put it under a cover!
In verse 22, Jesus explains that whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed. How do you think God’s kingdom might be like a lamp that reveals things that were previously hidden in the dark?
In verses 24–25, Jesus is talking about how we receive His Word. Today, He might have said, “You get out what you put in—with some extra!” The more we listen to Jesus, the more we hear. How does this help us understand what we read yesterday, when Jesus said that the secret of God had been given to His disciples, but that those who weren’t truly following Him would hear but not understand (Mark 4:10–11)?
Jesus’ offer of forgiveness for all who trust in Him is a free gift and not something we have to try to earn. It’s really important that we don’t get confused about that. He’s done all the work for us! But Jesus teaches here that we do need to put effort into listening to God’s Word. How can you grow in listening to Jesus in your own life?
In verses 26–29, Jesus tells another story about a man sowing seed. But the message is different from the parable of the sower that we looked at yesterday. After the sower in today’s story has sowed the seed, how much work does he have to do to make it grow?
How do you think seeds growing roots underground and then sprouting up and becoming a great harvest is like the kingdom of God?
In verses 30–32, Jesus tells another parable connected to farming. What does He say about the mustard seed (v. 31)?
What does Jesus say about the plant that the tiny mustard seed becomes (v. 32)?
How do you think God’s kingdom is like a tiny, unimpressive mustard seed that grows into a massive plant?
You might be the only Christian in your group of friends at school or one of only a few Christians in your neighborhood, so to those around you it might seem like God’s kingdom is very small and unimpressive. How can Jesus’ parables that we’ve read today encourage us when it seems like hardly anyone around us is following Jesus?
Ask the Lord to help you grow as a listener to His Word, and ask Him to help you believe that His kingdom is growing all around you even when it doesn’t look impressive. If you’re feeling alone as a Christian at school or in your neighborhood, ask God for help to trust Him, and pray for each of your friends to come to know Him!