Sow the Seed. Focus on Matthew 13:1 9, n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION. WHAT is important to know? WHERE is God in these words?

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1 July 16, 2017 Proper 10 Semicontinuous Gen. 25:19 34 Ps. 119: Complementary Isa. 55:10 13 Ps. 65:(1 8), 9 13 Rom. 8:1 11 Matt. 13:1 9, Sow the Seed Goal for the Session Children will be encouraged by Jesus story of the sower to consider how they can plant God s love in the world. n PREPARING FOR THE SESSION Focus on Matthew 13:1 9, WHAT is important to know? From Exegetical Perspective by J. David Waugh That both the sower and the seed are constant, while the results across the four types of soil change, implies that the purpose of the parable is to assist the disciples, and perhaps Jesus himself, in understanding why the response to the gospel message shared so consistently varies so greatly. The sower and soil are understood as good. That some soils are labeled bad is not because of any choice of their own, nor is the good soil good because of what it does or does not do to make it more productive. The kingdom of heaven is like a bountiful crop produced in spite of what seem to be overwhelming setbacks. WHERE is God in these words? From Theological Perspective by Gary Peluso-Verdend Considering the powerful opposition to the gospel the evil one, hardened hearts, persecution, the anxietydriven lure of wealth it is a miracle that there are disciples and that the empire of the heavens grows. The yields are miraculous because, ultimately, all growth comes from God. Opposition may eliminate three-fourths of the seed, but the remaining seeds yield abundant fruit. Faith that initiates discipleship is a gift. Fruitful yield as the outcome of discipleship is a gift. Faith is a gift from God, and fruitful discipleship is the work of God in us. SO WHAT does this mean for our lives? From Pastoral Perspective by Talitha J. Arnold That is our job, our calling. To sow the seed and to bear the heartache when it falls on rocky, arid, or weedinfested ground. In accepting that calling, we stand in solidarity with the people in our congregations who also know the hard truth of this parable. The parent whose words of guidance and compassion fall on their teenager s deaf ears knows hard-packed ground. The businessperson who produces a quality product and pays employees a living wage, only to see clients go where things are cheaper, is well acquainted with shallow roots. This parable reminds us all that we are not alone in such times, even as it reminded the first crowd who heard it. NOW WHAT is God s word calling us to do? From Homiletical Perspective by Theodore J. Wardlaw Ultimately, though, this parable is not so much about good soil as it is about a good sower. This sower is not so cautious and strategic as to throw the seed in only those places where the chances for growth are best. No, this sower is a high-risk sower, relentless in indiscriminately throwing seed on all soil as if it were all potentially good soil. On the rocks, amid the thorns, on the well-worn path, maybe even in a jail! Which leaves us to wonder if there is any place or circumstance in which God s seed cannot sprout and take root. 1

2 Sow the Seed FOCUS SCRIPTURE Matthew 13:1 9, Focus on Your Teaching Children love to plant seeds and watch them grow. Something about the process of germination captures their imagination. Making the connection between sowing seeds and planting God s love in the world may be hard for concrete thinkers. Still the parable of the Sower is a good story on its own, and it is fine to allow young children to enjoy it as such. However, with a little encouragement, most children will understand that small acts of kindness can make a difference in the world, just like tiny seeds. God of new life, may the words of this parable take root in my life. Help me as I endeavor to plant your love in the world. Amen. YOU WILL NEED small table or sturdy box green cloth candle and matches Bible offering basket Color Pack 1, 12, 29 Resource Sheet 1 large seeds, such as beans or sunflowers bowl Singing the Feast, ; CD player For Responding option 1: Color Pack 13, copies of Resource Sheet 2, crayons, scissors, tape option 2: small pots, potting soil, spoons, bowl of seeds option 3: calculators, computer with Internet access (optional) option 4: computer with Internet access (optional) n LEADING THE SESSION GATHERING Before the session, display Color Pack 1 where the group gathers for the Bible story. Place a marker at Matthew 13 in the worship table Bible. For option 4 in Responding, if most of the children are young, visit choose a project for the children to support, and print the profile. Welcome each child by name. Invite the children to help you prepare the worship table. Light the candle. Receive the offering. Recall that this is the season after Pentecost, a time of learning and growing. The color is green. In this season, the stories help Christians grow in faith and follow Jesus way. Invite an older child to lead the following litany. Remind everyone else that they are to clap twice and shout Amen at the signal. Leader: God is with us. All: (Clap twice, shouting) Amen! Leader: Loving God, we are gathered to hear Bible stories. Teach us to walk in Jesus ways. Amen. All: (Clap twice, shouting) Amen! Extinguish the candle. Give each child a seed. Ask: P What kind of plant might grow from your seed? P When have you planted seeds? P What does a seed need to grow into a strong and healthy plant? P Where might be a good place to plant these seeds? Gather the seeds in a bowl and place them on the worship table. Comment that today s story is about a sower, someone who planted seeds. 2

3 Sow the Seed EXPLORING Ask a child to retrieve the Bible from the worship table, and open it to the marker at Matthew 13. Recall that Matthew s Gospel is one of the books that tells about the life and teachings of Jesus. Ask a child to point to it on Color Pack 1. Explain that today s Bible story is a story Jesus told. Tell the story on Resource Sheet 1 (The Sower). Acting out the story will enable the children to connect with the story s symbolism. Lead the children through a dramatic retelling of the story. A teacher will play the role of the sower. The children will be the seeds. As the sower scatters the seed, the children move throughout the space and curl up like a ball. Then say, Some seeds fell on hard soil. The children act out what happens to the seeds that land on hard soil. Repeat for the other three soils (rocky/weedy/good). Ask: P Where did the sower plant the seed? P What stopped some of the seeds from growing? P What kind of soil helped the seeds grow? P Why do you think Jesus told this story? Show Color Pack 12 and ask the children to describe what they see. Invite them to guess how many plants will grow from these seeds. Ask a child to retrieve the bowl of seeds from the worship table. Explain that every time they show kindness and follow in God s loving ways they plant the seeds of God s love. Ask: P How might you plant the seeds of God s love in the world? For every suggestion given, place a seed on the poster. EASY PREP RESPONDING If possible, offer at least two options so the children have a choice. One might be more challenging to interest older children who can work on their own. 1. Art Picture of Growing Seed Children will create art that suggests ways they plant God s love in the world. Gather around the drawing materials and Color Pack 13. Distribute copies of Resource Sheet 2 (Plant God s Love). Read aloud the instructions. Pause at the question for the children s responses. Invite them to create pictures of plants that might grow from the seeds of God s love. Have them cut out their seed pictures and tape them to Color Pack Planting Seeds Children will plant seeds and talk about ways to plant God s love in the world. Ask a child to retrieve the bowl of seeds used earlier. Provide spoons, pots, and soil. Help each child prepare a pot to plant seeds. Distribute seeds, and talk about how small the seeds are and how much they will grow. Imagine together how these seeds may eventually provide food for insects and beautiful flowers for people to enjoy. Ask: P What is one way you might plant a seed of God s love this week? Encourage children to give their pots to a neighbor or family member. 3

4 Sow the Seed If you have access to the Internet, watch the video Random Act of Kindness!! and how it spreads!! at: watch?v=g3hvxgaw0w4 3. Acts of Kindness Children will discuss practical ways of planting God s love and imagine how that love might grow. Explain that when we show kindness to someone we plant the seeds of God s love. Ask: P What is one way you might plant a seed of God s love this week? Observe that often people who receive kindness pass it on to others. With calculators, calculate how many acts of kindness might occur if everyone in your group was kind to two people, and those people were kind to two others, who were kind to two others, and so on. Ask the children to imagine a community full of people doing kind acts. Ask: P How does this idea remind you of Jesus story about the sower? 4. Kiva Loan This option provides an opportunity for the children to plant a seed of God s love and watch it grow. Explain that in some countries it is difficult for people to find work. Organizations try to help these people. If you have an older group, go to and explore the site together. Watch the video in the How Kiva Works section and choose a project to support. If you have a younger group, tell them about the project you have chosen and how it will help a family. Explain that giving money is a way of planting God s love. Talk together about how the group might raise $25 and what project they would choose. Finally, raise the money and open a Kiva account. When the loan is repaid, choose another project to support. Watch your investment grow. Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise God, all creatures here below; praise God above, ye heavenly hosts; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. CLOSING Play Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow (Color Pack 29 and track 21 on Singing the Feast, ) as the children gather at the worship table. Sing the song together. Light the candle. Ask the children to take deep breaths and feel the breath as it comes in and goes out. Observe that God is as close to them as their breath. God is always with them. Pray: God of stories, thank you for stories that help us discover more about you and what it means to live in Jesus ways. Amen. Speak to individual children as they leave. Thank them for coming, and affirm any positive contribution they have made. Remind them that you will be praying for them throughout the coming week. 4

5 July 16, 2017 Sow the Seed Multi-Age Resource Sheet 1 The Sower based on Matthew 13:1 9, One day Jesus told this story: A farmer went out to sow some seeds. He put the seeds into a bag and walked out to the field to scatter them on the soil. He threw them to the left and he threw them to the right. He threw them in front and he threw them behind. The farmer walked through the field, scattering seeds everywhere. When the bag was empty, he went home. Now some seeds fell on hard ground. They laid on the soil, and birds came and ate them up. Some seeds fell on rocky ground. The seeds sprouted and grew quickly at first. But when the sun came out, they died because they could not put down deep roots. Some seeds fell in the weeds. The seeds started to grow, but the weeds grew faster. The seeds did not get enough sun and water and didn t grow. But some seeds fell on the good soil. This soil was soft and rich. The seeds put down deep roots and began to grow. God sent lots of water and sunshine. Soon the seeds grew into strong plants. They grew and grew and grew until they produced lots of grain. The disciples were puzzled, and asked, What does this story mean? The seed is God s love, Jesus explained. You are the sower. You must plant God s love everywhere. The people you meet are like the soil. You will find that some people are like the hard ground. They are not ready to hear about God s love, so it won t grow in them. Don t worry; just keep on sowing. Other people are like the rocky soil. At first they are happy to hear about God s love, but when trouble comes they forget. Don t worry; just keep on sowing. Other people are like the weedy soil. They welcome God s love, but then they get too busy and others things distract them. Don t worry; just keep on sowing. But sometimes people are ready to hear about God s love and it grows deep down inside them. When that happens, they tell others about God s love too. These people are like the good soil and God s love grows and grows in them Westminster John Knox Press

6 July 16, 2017 Sow the Seed Multi-Age Resource Sheet 2 Plant God s Love Every time you show kindness and follow in God s loving ways, you plant the seeds of God s love. When you smile at someone, open the door for another person, pick up something for someone, or share with others, you show God s love. What seeds of God s love will you plant this week? Draw them in the seed below Westminster John Knox Press