Looking Back: The Stories Jesus Told Us
Month 6: Stories Jesus Told · Family Worship
Today's Scripture
Read together: Matthew 13:51-52 & Luke 15:10
51 Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered. 52 Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” — Matthew 13:51-52
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” — Luke 15:10
Memory Verse
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’”— Matthew 25:21 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Psalms 103-105
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 179 of 365 — songs that remember all God's benefits.)The Heart of It
When Jesus finished a long string of parables, He turned to His disciples and asked one simple question. "Have you understood all these things?" (). He wasn't testing them to shame them. He wanted the stories to land, to take root and grow. Then He said something beautiful. A disciple who has been taught about the kingdom is like a homeowner "who brings out of his treasure things new and old" (). Think of the stories we have walked through this month. There were the soils, the Good Samaritan, the prodigal son, the hidden treasure, and the faithful servant. They are treasure now stored in our hearts, ready to bring out whenever we need them.
So tonight we look back together and let the King's stories shape us. Every parable was a window into how His kingdom really works. Hearts soften like good soil and bear fruit. Love crosses the road to help a stranger. A father runs to welcome a child home. The kingdom is worth selling everything to have. Faithfulness with small things matters to the Master. And heaven cheers. "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (). The God who told these stories is not distant or cold. He is the kind of King whose servants get a "Well done." He throws a welcome-home party for His lost children. And His every word is meant to draw us closer to Him.
Around the Table
Jesus told the best stories ever! He told about soil, a kind helper, a boy who came home, and buried treasure. He told them so we could know God.
Let's do it: Act out your favorite story from this month with your whole body. Run home like the boy, or pour out kindness like the helper!
Jesus said a disciple has "treasure" inside, both old truths and new ones to share. The stories we learned are treasure in our hearts.
Let's talk: Which parable from this month do you remember best, and what did it teach you about God?
Jesus asked, "Have you understood all these things?" Understanding isn't just knowing the story. It's letting it change how you live.
Let's go deeper: Pick one parable from this month. How is it actually changing a choice you make this week?
💬 Conversation Starter
Say you had to teach a five-year-old one of Jesus' stories using only the toys at our house. Which story would you pick? And how would you act it out?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Skeptics sometimes say Jesus was just a nice moral teacher. But His parables claim that He brings the very kingdom of God to earth. They claim that our forever future depends on how we respond to Him. That is not the language of an ordinary teacher. It is the authority of the Lord ().
For Dad · Go Deeper
Notice the rhythm in . Jesus teaches. Then He checks for understanding. Then He sends His disciples out to bring treasure "new and old" to others. That's a discipleship pattern for your home. You are not just delivering information at the table. You are training "scribes." These are kids who will one day pull the right truth out of their hearts at the right moment for someone else. The goal of this month was never that they could recite five parables. It was that the parables would become part of how they see God, themselves, and their neighbor. Before you close the month, ask yourself which story God most wants to finish working in you. Children imitate the father who is still being shaped far more than the father who pretends he has arrived.
Draws on: Klyne Snodgrass, Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for the stories Jesus told us. Plant them deep in our hearts like good soil. Help us share Your treasure to bless others. Make us faithful servants who one day hear You say, 'Well done.' In Jesus' name, amen."
The King's stories are treasure in my heart. And they're meant to come back out in how I live.