The Mustard Seed
The Mustard Seed
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 this parable helps us love. (Pause.)
Imagine a place where everyone can feel God’s love. That may be hard to imagine, but Jesus once told a story a parable to help us imagine such a place.
Jesus began by saying that the place of great love starts with a very, very, very, very small mustard seed.
Even though it is very small it can grow to become a large plant if people take care of it. (Taking care of a plant includes water, sun, and a little bit of care.)
When the very, very, very, very small mustard seed has grown, it can be a place that protects others. It becomes really big!
Place the tree/heart/seed in front of you.
It becomes a home where many different birds can live with their families.
Share the nests and birds with each person in the family.
Have everyone place a nest and a bird in the tree.
Homes are places where we can feel protected and know God’s love.
Pause
There are many who don’t have safe homes.
Pause
All of us must plant seeds of love and take better care of one another.
Matthew 13:31-32 (Common English Bible)
Jesus told them another story:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a farmer plants a mustard seed in a field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, it grows larger than any garden plant and becomes a tree. Birds even come and nest on its branches.
I wonder…
. . . how this parable helps us love?
. . . if the birds have names?
. . . how many birds can live in this tree?
. . . if the birds feel safe in this tree?
. . . where this place is?
. . . how such a small seed can become a tree?
. . . Can you tell this story differently?