Signs & Stories of the Kingdom: A Change in Perspective

Read Matthew 13:24-33 and 36-43

• What do you notice?
• What is challenging for you?
• What parts do you have observations or questions about?

Discuss

These parables sit the midst of a group of parables Matthew has gathered together to illustrate the Kingdom at work. The stories Jesus uses are common experiences, like farming, fishing and making bread (along with rarer events like finding buried treasure!) But these parables place the Kingdom within the everyday lives of everyday people.

• How much overlap do you perceive between the kingdom of God and your everyday life?
• What would it look like for God to move in your normal weekly rhythms?
• If Jesus tagged along with you through your normal days for a week, who would He meet and what would he see?

The stories of weeds, seeds and yeast have elements of things growing without us necessarily being aware of them.

• Have you experienced a belief or conviction (helpful or not) ‘creeping up on you’ - where without a conscious choice, you discovered that you were acting on something you didn’t realise you believed? Tell us about that
• What conscious choices did you need to make once you had realised this?
• What encouragement is it when we think of the Kingdom expanding in this way?
• What would need to be happening for the faith that you have to start influencing others around you in this way?

As Jesus talks about what the kingdom is like, there is an invitation to step into the identity of people of the kingdom in different ways.

• Which of these identities do you feel most comfortable with or most challenged by?
• An agent of the kingdom planted in a specific place for His purpose
• A strong tree offering shelter to others
• Leaven – bringing not just Kingdom change but also multiplying yourself by making more disciples

Pray – for opportunities to see and join in the infiltration of the kingdom as it expands and influences individuals and cultures.