Many people came to hear Jesus teach by the sea. Jesus sat in a boat while the people listened on the shore. On that day, Jesus tried to help his followers understand more about the kingdom of heaven. So, he told them a parable about leaven, which is another name for yeast. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven,” which a woman placed into some flour when making bread. Jesus knew the people understood how to make bread and the helpfulness of leaven.
What does leaven do for a loaf of bread? Can you explain why the kingdom of heaven is like leaven? We can think of the kingdom as the indwelling spirit of God. Remember that Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you.”
Why would Jesus get into trouble if he healed someone on the Sabbath? It is right to follow laws, but we should also try to be responsive and good like God. We believe that God is always good. How can we be more responsive to those in need?
What are “signs and wonders”? Why did Jesus want people to believe without seeing signs and wonders? It turned out that the nobleman and his family became believers. What does it mean to believe wholeheartedly?
Jesus said we should “pray always and not become discouraged.“ Then, he told a story about a persistent widow and an unjust judge. The widow needed help because someone in the city was being unfair to her. So she went to the judge, but he would not listen to her. He had no respect for God or people. The widow, however, did not give up. She kept coming to him for justice. Finally, the judge said, “I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.”
Discussion Questions
We are advised to pray persistently, but what do we need to understand about God? When we faithfully keep praying, something good will happen. But it might not be what we expect. How does prayer change us on the inside?
The disciples knew that Jesus thought private prayer time was very important. But they also prayed together, such as when they gave thanks before the breaking of bread at the beginning of a meal. One day, a disciple said to Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray,” like John the Baptist taught his disciples. So, Jesus gave them a model prayer that became known as the Lord’s Prayer. Part of the prayer says, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
We naturally want to pray for the things we need. We need food for our bodies as well as refreshment for our souls. What are some things that people like to pray for? We should also remember to give thanks. Why does that help us?
