The Story of the Very Small Seed

Reference

Mark 4:30-32

Introduction

The country that a king rules is called a kingdom. God is a king with a kingdom. People who love God and obey his rules belong to God's kingdom.

Jesus wanted to explain what God's kingdom is like. He wanted to explain how God rules his kingdom.

The seed of the mustard plant is very small when someone plants it. But it grows and becomes the biggest bush. The bush has very big branches. Many birds fly to the bush. Then they make their nests in the shade of the branches. Jesus was talking about a common seed. The people had seen those vey small seeds.

And the bushes were the biggest bushes that they had seen.

God's kingdom grows like the very small seed. God's kingdom began with few disciples. Then it grew bigger and bigger. Now many people have come into God's kingdom. It is the best place to live.

Questions to ask

(v30) Jesus wanted to explain what the kingdom of God is like? It is hard to do that. Why did he tell a story to explain it?

(v31) Why did Jesus talk about a mustard seed?

(v32) Why did birds fly to the big bush?

(v31-32) How does God's kingdom grow?

(v31-32) What was the very small seed from which God's kingdom grew?

(v31-32) How big will God's kingdom grow?

Something to do

The people that Jesus talked to did not live in big towns. They knew about growing seeds. How would you explain the kingdom of God to people who have never planted seeds?

Jesus' friends, the disciples, told many people about God. And God's kingdom has grown bigger. Can you talk to people about God?