Childrens' Message--Parable of the Sower--Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23--July 10--4th Sunday after Pentecost

Jesus used to tell stories to help people understand lessons that he wanted to teach them. He told these stories using everyday people and everyday things as examples.

I’d like to tell you a story that Jesus told. It is called the Parable of the Sower, but I’d like to tell it to you in a way that I imagine that Jesus would tell it if he were talking to a group of kids today.

There was once a piano teacher who had four students.

The first student made an appointment for a lesson, but before he could have the lesson, he joined the soccer team and started karate classes and before long, he realized that his schedule was full and he did not have time for piano.

The second student started out very excited about playing piano and played every day for a week, but soon, she lost interest and before long, her piano was covered in dust.

The third student played piano for a while, but all the other kids made fun of him when he went to practice, and before long, he quit too.

The last student faithfully attended her lesson each week. She practiced and played regularly for years until finally she had learned well and became a piano teacher herself. She taught many students—many of whom taught others to play as they grew up.

When Jesus told this story, he was trying to give us an example of how he wanted us to be as Christians. and just like a piano teacher wants his students to work hard and spend time and grow to love playing the piano, so too, God wants us to pray and spend time and grow in our faith.

Let’s have a moment of prayer:

God our teacher,
Help our faith to grow,
Like a seed planted in good soil.
And help us to share it with others.
Amen.