Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43
- Students will learn Jesus told parables to help people understand godly principles.
- Students will learn parables have important lessons God wants us to learn and follow.
- Students will learn those who follow God will spend eternity in Heaven.
- Students will learn how to use natural types of weed preventions.
Guiding Question: How do parables help us learn how to follow God?
Materials: “weed” seeds, plastic cups, soil, natural methods for weed prevention https://thestir.cafemom.com/home_garden/175437/5_nontoxic_ways_to_kill
Procedure: Review the story of the Parable of Weeds. Have the students share what they believe the lesson of the parable is and why. Expand on students’ ideas by explaining that “weeds” can be the sin in our lives and things that keep us from living life fully with Jesus. Explain that Satan can work in our lives to tempt us to sin, magnify our worries, and work in our weaknesses to keep us from keeping God as a priority and following His plan for our life. Satan wants to keep us from spending eternity in Heaven. Explain that parables are important to read and study because they teach us how to live our life in a godly way and what lessons God wants us to learn so that we can have a great Christian life and spend eternity in Heaven with Him.
Introduce the activity. (This may span a couple weeks). Have the students plant “weed” seeds in a plastic cup. Have students brainstorm how they could kill the weeds using natural prevention methods. Share with the students the methods from the materials above and have them decide which they would like to use on their plant. (Students can use their own idea if they want to). Discuss how these methods can kill the weed and then bring in materials the following week to use on the students’ plants.
Additional Questions: How can students identify weeds in nature?
Supplemental Activity: Explain that sometimes when working in a garden or out in nature, it may be difficult to determine what is a weed and what is not. Give students characteristics of weeds (http://www.thekidsgarden.co.uk/kidsweedswildflowers.html) and have them go outside to look for weeds around the church.