Please Explain Week 2

[Riddle}

I am very large but look very small. When night falls, I am cherished by all. What am I?

A star!

A "star" isn't necessarily one of those bright shining balls of gas in outer space. Sometimes it's a person — like, a really famous one.

Who are some of the biggest stars alive today?

Some of the stars we mentioned had a pretty slow and steady rise to fame. But for others, their stardom happened seemingly overnight.

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, who became famous through their roles in Star Wars.

Billie Eilish, who recorded her first album in her bedroom before quickly reaching the top of the music charts.

Patrick Mahomes, quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, who rose to fame after winning a Super Bowl.

There are probably a lot of reasons why these stars collect such big following so quickly. Maybe it's because because their talent really is amazing! But there might be other reasons too, like . . .

People not wanting to miss out on the excitement.

People wanting to be into what their friends are into.

People wanting to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

[ACTIVITY]

These stars saw their fandoms grow from something small to something really big, really quickly. Kind of like this…

See how quickly a group of people can grow? Sometimes the growth is slow and steady. Other times, a group can grow exponentially.

Jump rope challenge.

Have you loved something so much you wanted others to experience it too? What was it?

Whether it's a favorite musician, movie, hobby, or viral video, it makes sense that we want to share the things we love with others. And when we hear about something someone else loves, it makes sense that we want to learn more about it too.

There's something inside all of us that wants to be part of something bigger than ourselves — something that's meaningful and something that's still growing.

[TRANSITION]

Sometimes when we talk about following Jesus, we make it sound like something we do all on our own.

In some ways, that's true. Much of our faith journeys are personal and individual. We're the only ones who can choose to follow Jesus, decide to spend time with God on our own, and take responsibility for our own faith.

But when Jesus talked about following God, he often talked about it differently. He talked about something bigger than any of us on our own. He talked about something that was always growing.

A few weeks ago we started this series of stories that Jesus taught. He often taught in the form of parables.

These fictional stories were designed to illustrate a big truth Jesus wanted us to remember. He chose to communicate these truths in story form because he knew stories and images often stick in our minds better than words alone.

But sometimes Jesus' stories got a little confusing and left his followers wondering what in the world Jesus was trying to say.

As we wrap up this series this week, we're going to look at one more story Jesus told and wonder about what he was trying to explain.

I have a coin with a mustard seed in the middle. I am going to pass it around and I want you to notice how small that seed is.

Does anyone here know a lot about mustard seeds?

Maybe you know a thing or two (or maybe you've just eaten mustard a lot), but it's understandable if you're not exactly a mustard seed expert.

You and I might not be particularly familiar with mustard seeds today, but the people who would have heard this parable the first time Jesus told it would have been pretty familiar. That's because Jesus liked to use images in his stories his listeners would have easily been able to identify and relate to.

[TRANSITION]

As you listen to this story, here are a few questions to think about:

What do you think this parable is about?

What is confusing about this parable?

What do you think the spiritual lesson in this story could be?

Matthew 13:31-32

31 He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

What do you think this parable is about?

What is confusing about this parable?

What do you think the spiritual lesson in this story could be?

In this parable, Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is compared to a mustard seed — a tiny seed that has the potential to grow into a much larger plant. But what is "the kingdom of heaven?" And what does Jesus want us to understand about it? Let's break it down.

Usually when we hear the word "heaven," we think about another world or a place we go when we die. Do you think that's what Jesus is talking about here? Or could he be talking about something else?

If Jesus isn't talking about what happens when we die, what do you think he is talking about? What do you think Jesus meant by "the kingdom of heaven?"

When you see the Bible talk about "the kingdom of heaven," we're talking about God's will becoming a reality here on earth. If God is the ruler of "the kingdom of heaven," then anything that happens according to God's will is part of God's kingdom! In the words of Jesus, we're bringing "the kingdom of heaven" to earth when . . .

We love God with our hearts, souls, and minds.

We love others like we love ourselves.

And we help others do the same.

So now that we know what "the kingdom of heaven" is, let's find out why it's like a mustard tree.

A mustard tree is actually considered an invasive species. If left unattended, this plant will grow out of control and continue expanding, as long as it finds good soil in which to grow. With that in mind, what do you think Jesus might be trying to say about "the kingdom of heaven"?

A mustard tree isn't a particularly rare or expensive plant. It's not hard to find or difficult to get your hands on! What do you think that might tell us about what God's kingdom is like?

Jesus said the mustard tree could grow large enough to let birds rest in its branches. What do you think that might tell us about what God's kingdom is like?

One thing I love about Jesus' parables is how they encourage us to think, question, and wonder about what Jesus was saying. And, like we've said before in this series, that's a big part of why Jesus taught this way! He wanted us to use our minds to try to decipher what he was trying to say.

There are so many things we could say about what this metaphor of a mustard seed could mean, but here are a few things I see:

Like a mustard tree (which grows easily and in so many places), the kingdom of heaven isn't difficult to find or access. God's love is available to anyone who's looking for it.

Like the birds in Jesus' parable discovered, God's kingdom provides a place for us to find rest, safety, and comfort. With Jesus, we always have a safe place to land.

Like this "invasive species," God's kingdom doesn't require expert gardeners in order to get it to grow. God's kingdom is going to keep growing even when you or I mess up, fall short, or aren't the best representatives of Jesus we could be.

Like that tiny little mustard seed, in God's kingdom, small insignificant things often grow into things that are hugely important — and nothing can stop what God is doing.

And when you join in on what God is up in the world, by sharing the good news of Jesus with your words and actions, you get to be part of that growth.

[TRANISITION]

But before God uses us to help the kingdom of heaven grow here on earth, God wants to make the kingdom of heaven grow in our hearts too. It isn't just here on earth where God's will can be done — it's in our own lives too.

If you want to see the kingdom grow in your life, you might try praying something like this . . .

Psalm 86:11–13 (CSB)

11 Teach me your way, Lord,

and I will live by your truth.

Give me an undivided mind to fear your name.

12 I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God,

and will honor your name forever.

13 For your faithful love for me is great,

and you rescue my life from the depths of Sheol.

You can see God's kingdom grow as you . . .

Learn to follow God's ways.

Learn to trust God.

Learn to focus on God.

Choose to worship God with your life.

Let Jesus' love transform you and give you a new life.

This is how a seed becomes a tree. When Jesus transforms people like you and me, his work doesn't end with us. As we learn to follow him and tell others about the new life we've found in him, we become part of something so much bigger than us. God's kingdom is always growing, and we get to be a part of it.

God's kingdom is going to grow whether you or I participate in it or not. But don't you want to be a part of something so much bigger than you? Don't you want to see what happens when heaven comes to earth?

It starts by letting God's kingdom grow in our own lives. Remember, "the kingdom of heaven" is wherever God's will is done! So how could your life fall more in line with what God wants for you? Does it look like . . .

Getting to know Jesus for the very first time?

Spending more time with God on your own?

Following God's ways instead of your own?

Trusting God more?Worshiping God with your life?

Letting Jesus transform you in an area where you're feeling stuck?

God's kingdom grows in us when we learn to love God more and look more like Jesus.

As God's kingdom grows within us, we're invited to join Jesus in his work to see God's kingdom grow all around us too.

If "the kingdom of heaven" is wherever God's will is done, how could you be a part of making this world look more like the way God wants it to look? Could it mean . . .

Reaching out to someone who needs a friend?

Meeting a need no one else has met?

Loving someone like Jesus loves them?

Standing up for someone no one else is standing up for?

Sharing your story of faith with someone who's never heard it before?

Setting an example that inspires others to know Jesus better?

Like that tiny mustard seed teaches us, tiny actions and choices can help the kingdom of heaven grow. When we show the world what Jesus is like through our love, mercy, and compassion (instead of hate, violence, or fear), we're inviting others to experience the goodness of God! God's kingdom grows in the world when people are loved like Jesus — and when new people choose to love Jesus in return.