Wed Mar 19

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words lamp and small and large.

Reading

Matthew 13:31-32— The Unconventional Growth of the Kingdom

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

Questions

(some read these before notes, then ask them after)
  1. Compare the mustard seed to Nebuchadnezzar’s tree.
  2. What fills the branches of the mustard plant?
  3. Who will fill the kingdom of heaven?

Notes

(Today’s notes are from a commentary on Matthew by John Legg) The parable of the wheat and the weeds focuses on the discouragement caused by the continuing presence of unbelievers and opposition to the gospel. In this next parable the discouragement comes because of the smallness of the kingdom. The mustard seed is proverbially small, especially by comparison with a tree. The minute seed grows into a shrub, which could have a height of six to twelve feet. Jesus encourages his disciples by telling them that the kingdom will prosper and grow, in spite of the small beginnings. The point is not size as such. The mustard plant is not large compared with a real tree, although there will be such largeness: ‘For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea’ (Hab. 2:14). It is the principle of growth from small beginnings that is important. All necessary potential for growth is there in the twelve apostles, the gospel and the future working of the Holy Spirit. …

In Daniel King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream in which he sees a large tree in whose branches the birds of the air live. Daniel’s interpretation of this is that Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom had grown until it reached the sky and his dominion extended to the distant parts of the earth (Dan. 4:22), that is, it included many nations. The same explanation applies here. The kingdom of heaven will grow until, like that of the Son of Man in Daniel 7:14, it includes ‘all peoples, nations and men of every language’.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday reading for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 72c, 133a

Prayer

  1. Pray for the growth of the kingdom as the gospel is preached.
  2. Pray for change in you from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
  3. Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.
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