1. How do you think Jesus started preaching, when he began his ministry?
Think of what he could have said.

2. The Kingdom of God: Parables
““The time has come. The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
What do you think this “Kingdom of God” is?
Why would its arrival be good?
The good news that Jesus wants people to know, is that the mysterious Kingdom of God has ARRIVED!!
To define “Kingdom of God”
To explain the parables about the KoG
To evaluate what the teaching about KoG means to Christians today

3. “The time has come. The Kingdom of God has come near
“The time has come. The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
The Kingdom of God is NOT a place
It is God’s RULE over his people.
The rule of God comes over a person gradually, silently. It slowly changes them.
The Rule of God brings them good order in their life, bringing them peace and joy.
They gradually stop being ruled by sin and selfish desires
They begin to see God’s power at work in their life.
In Jesus’ life, we can see the power and rule of God acting in fullness.
What is the “Kingdom of God”?
Why is the arrival of the Kingdom of God “good news”
Now write out how Jesus started his preaching & explain what it means in your own words.
**How did Jesus show that the Kingdom of God had arrived?

4. The Parable of the Mustard Seed The Parable of the Sower
Complete the sheet about your parable
Complete the gap fill - compare to the text (Sower: Mark 4:3-9,14-20 and Mustard Seed: Mark 4:30-32)
Choose from the meanings below & write it out for each parable
**How do you think this parable would help Christians today?
The Kingdom of God, or God’s rule, comes invisibly & gradually over a person. You can’t really see it. You can’t really be sure it’s happening in your own life (we all struggle with sin). So Jesus used stories, called Parables, to explain things in a homely way. He explained how the Kingdom of God comes to rule, in parables, in a way that everyone could understand. Mark 4:3-9, 14-20
Meaning 1
There may be many challenges, like enemies taking you away from God (birds); problems & hassles of life (weeds); loss of faith & motivation (shallow soil); but if someone has a good heart & patiently keeps to God’s teaching, the Kingdom of God will triumph & grow
Meaning 2
You may not think Christianity has much impact in the world today. You may not think you are much of a Christians. However, God’s word is like a small seed, that once sown, grows bigger and bigger until it becomes like a home to everybody who is seeking truth and rest.

5. Tell your partner the parable of the Sower
Tell your partner the parable of the Sower. What does it teach, about how the Kingdom of God comes about?

6. The Kingdom of God Parables: Sower & Mustard seed Which parable tells these truths?
Grows by itself
Will win out given a faithful & listening heart
Will benefit everybody around
The KoG may suffer difficulties and set backs
Do you think the parables are still relevant today, as we do not live in 1st century Israel?