The Kin-dom of God
The Kin-dom of Heaven
Light a candle and remember the presence of God is with you.
Cut out the pieces to help you tell this story.
Jesus told us sacred stories called parables.
Sacred means that something is extra special. Jesus was extra special and so were the stories he told.
The extra special stories Jesus told were messages about how to love God and love each other. Let us wonder how these parables helps us love. (Pause.)
The kingdom or kin-dom of heaven sounds like the name of a place.
Maybe it is a special and sacred place where we can really love one another. (Pause)
Maybe it is a place we can create on Earth.
Once, Jesus said the kin-dom of heaven is like yeast for bread. Bread is like a cracker when it doesn’t have yeast to bake it. Yeast helps the dough rise and become fluffy.
Place the bread in front of you.
Jesus also said that the kin-dom of heaven is like a hidden treasure in a field. Once a person finds the treasure, there is such joy that all the person wants is the treasure and its field.
Place the treasure box in front of you.
Later, Jesus said the kin-dom of heaven is like someone who buys fine pearls. Once the person finds the most precious pearl, they sell everything else they own just to purchase the small precious pearl.
Place the pearl in front of you.
Then, Jesus said the kin-dom of heaven is like a fishing net. It catches a lot of fish, but then the good fish are removed from the bad fish.
Place the fish on the table with the net on top.
When Jesus was at the end of telling these parables, he spoke to his friends to see if they understood these strange stories about the kin-dom of heaven; stories of
yummy food, treasures, precious jewels, and good fish.
Point to the bread, treasure, pearl and fish
Matthew 13:52 (Common English Bible)
Then Jesus said to them, “Therefore, every legal expert who has been trained as a disciple for the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings old and new things out of their treasure chest.”
I wonder…
. . . How this parable helps us love?
. . . Where the kin-dom of God could be.
. . . How it feels to sell everything you own?
. . . If these stories confuse you?
. . . Why there are bad fish?
. . . How to be a good fish?
. . . Is there a place where you feel joy?
. . . Can you tell this story differently?