Jesus taught about God's Kingdom

Watch the Bible story video or read all or parts of Matthew 13:1-52 from the Bible.

In 1989, a man shopping at a flea market in Adamstown, Pennsylvania, found and purchased a framed painting for a grand total of $4. He didn’t care much for the painting but liked the frame, so it seemed to be a fair price. While inspecting his purchase, the torn canvas and old frame fell apart and revealed a small, folded note inside the frame. The small note was one of the original printings of the Declaration of Independence from 1776. It had been hidden and preserved for more than 200 years. This man didn’t quite get what he was expecting because his $4 purchase turned into a rare treasure that he later sold for $2.5 million.

This week, we learned that Jesus used stories, called parables, to help people understand what the kingdom of God is like. Many of the people who heard about Jesus expected Him to be a king who would overthrow the Roman empire. They expected a great kingdom on Earth that would bring wealth and power to God’s people. But that’s not how Jesus described His kingdom.

In Matthew 13, Jesus compared the kingdom of God to things like a tiny mustard seed, a priceless pearl, and a hidden treasure. Jesus wanted those who could understand to see how the kingdom of God would begin small but grow and spread throughout the world. He also wanted them to see that knowing Him and belonging to this Kingdom was far more valuable than anything else we could possess. While this type of kingdom wasn’t what the people expected, Jesus is the King of kings, and He is growing the Kingdom above all kingdoms!

The kingdom of God is growing in the world. This kingdom is valuable and worth giving everything for. While we wait for Jesus to return and fully set up His kingdom, we carry out the mission of telling others about King Jesus, who rescues sinners.

Pray: Jesus, we praise You because Your kingdom is greater than everything else! Help us to know you as the King of kings. And give us the courage and the opportunity to tell others about Your amazing love. Amen.

FOR FUN THIS WEEK

Draw names to choose a “King/Queen for the Day.” (Or set aside an hour or two!) The selected family member will get to choose the foods you eat, activities for the day, and maybe even the TV show you watch. Draw a new name each day until everyone has a turn. At the end of each day, spend time talking about how our “kingdoms” differ from the kingdom of God. Remind kids that His kingdom is far greater than anything we could imagine!