Hey Kids, Let's Talk
Hey Kids, Let's Talk
WHEAT AND WEEDS
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Marty, Travis, Anthony and Carmella join Pastor Jim for a look at the parable about the WHEAT and WEEDS, from Matthew 13.
Hey kids, let's talk. Thank you for listening to the Parkway Kids Podcast. Today we're talking about something very important. And here's your host, Pastor Jim.
SPEAKER_08Alright, everybody. Hey, we're on the road today, and I'm at uh our North Katie location for Parkway Fellowship. I'm Pastor Jim, and today I have a bunch of amazing young people here sitting around the table, and the children's pastor at North Katie Location. So I'm gonna let everybody introduce themselves, and um yeah, so we're in a room that kind of has a little bit of an echo, so if it sounds a little bit different, that's why. So uh we're here at the North Katie location. Tell me something, Travis. I'm gonna say something. What's going on with this church and what the uh like something new that's happening with your church in in North Katy? What's happening with your church?
SPEAKER_09Yeah, we are um we are in the building phases of a new building. Yeah, just opening up a couple blocks away. Um it is so exciting. We are in desperate need of just some more space. Yeah. Uh because we are we are growing at a fast rate. So we are so excited for the future and for kids to just get to hang out at the new locations. Oh, that's so great.
SPEAKER_08Yesterday, they what what what were they doing yesterday? Do you do you know what they did at the at the uh property yesterday? I didn't I don't know. They poured all the concrete.
SPEAKER_09I didn't see that. I haven't seen that yet.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, so I I saw something on Facebook, I think. Okay. And they were excited about the concrete and all the pores and everything, and then they there's us a few pictures, I think, up there. So that's so exciting. So excited. New new building, new spaces, making room for a lot more people to be able to come to Parkway Fellowship in Katy. And uh, we're so excited. So uh I'm gonna start over here with this young man sitting on my left. Uh tell us your name, your grade, and what's your favorite salty snack is.
SPEAKER_06So, my name is Marty, and I'm in fourth grade. Okay. And my favorite salty snack is chips and paste.
SPEAKER_08Oh, yeah. Nice. I I have to say, that's one of my favorites too.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, they're so good.
SPEAKER_08So good.
SPEAKER_09Okay, next. Well, hi, my name is Travis Walters. Um, I am the kids pastor here at our North Katie location. And my favorite salty snack is Cheese Its. Cheese Its. Cheese It. Like this. Have you seen the puff ones? Uh-huh. Have you tried those? I have tried those. They're good. I you can't go wrong with the classic though. Just the classic square. Or the grits, the little ones, the ones that are like I haven't seen them. They're tiny.
SPEAKER_01They're like they are very good.
SPEAKER_09Is that for babies? Unless you just put a whole bunch at the same time in your mouth. Oh. It's the same. It's the same.
SPEAKER_08I love it. So fun. I love it. So awesome. Nice to uh nice to have you here, Travis. Uh and next, right here.
SPEAKER_04Hi, my name is Anthony, and what grade are you in? I am in fourth grade and fourth grade. My favorite snack is my cheese.
SPEAKER_08Good. Cheese, it's a good choice. Travis. Travis is very much. I'm with you. So, um, good. Well, it's nice to have you, Anthony. Thanks for being here. And last but not least.
SPEAKER_05My name is Carmela. I'm in grade four, and uh I like sea salt, caramel ice cream.
SPEAKER_08Ooh, I like that stuff too. I love it. Uh so so yummy. So let me see. Um, I'm gonna turn your mic up just a little bit. Say your favorite salty snack again.
SPEAKER_05Sea salt, caramel ice cream.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, nice. Sea salt. Man, whoever thought of that is a genius. Genius. Okay, so today's scripture uh comes from the book of 2 Peter 3.9. And I'm gonna have the kids read it from different versions because sometimes uh you don't really even know that you're reading a certain version of the Bible, but there's a lot of different versions and a lot of different uh translations, and so um you might want to ask your parents, like the Bible that you use, and look how have them help you find out what translation you're using, what version of the Bible you're using. And it's just uh kind of interesting to hear it from different perspectives. And uh, so the Bible we believe is God's inspired word, and um, but they're just different ways to say things. So uh Marty, go ahead and start with 2 Peter 3.9 from the easy to read version.
SPEAKER_062 Peter 3.9 says, The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised. In the way some people understand slowness, people, but God is being patient with you. He doesn't want anyone to be lost, he wants everyone to change their ways and stop sinning.
SPEAKER_08Ooh, such a good reverse. Thank you. Thank you for that, Marty. Um Pastor Travis, go ahead with the uh good news translation.
SPEAKER_09Alright, 2 Peter 3 9 says, The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins.
SPEAKER_08Oh, so good. That's the good news translation. Okay, Anthony, from the message.
SPEAKER_042 Peter 3 9 says, God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the end because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change.
SPEAKER_08I really like that version. He's giving everyone space and time to change. That's so good. Alright, Kamala, you're up with uh the living Bible.
SPEAKER_052 Peter 3 9 says he isn't really being slow about his prom promised return, even though it sometimes seems that way. But he is waiting.
SPEAKER_08Take your time, take your time. Clear your throat. Okay, everybody, clear your throat. One, two, three. Okay, go ahead, come on.
SPEAKER_02But he is waiting for the he is waiting for the good reason that he's not now you got the giggles.
SPEAKER_08Now we got the giggles, okay.
SPEAKER_03Uh but he is waiting for the good reason that he is not willing that any should perish.
SPEAKER_08Should perish.
SPEAKER_03And he's again.
SPEAKER_08But he is giving lots of laughter around the more time for sinners to repent. Yes. Thank you so much, Carmella. That is such a good good verse. And so 2 Peter 3.9 uh really talks about us a couple different things. Um God makes promises. What's uh what do what do you think the promise he's talking about is in this in this scripture? Uh anybody have any ideas about what what the promise is? Uh some of the versions give a little bit of a hint. Um like the uh good news translation that says the Lord is not slow to do what he promised, as some think instead he is patient. So maybe that's not the one. Um which one was it? Oh, here it is. The Living Bible says he isn't really being slow about his promised return. So what do you know about the promised return? Is Jesus was here a long time ago, but what's happening in the future? Can anybody tell me what happens in the future with Jesus?
SPEAKER_04He's gonna like come back to earth.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, say he's gonna he's gonna come back to earth, and that's it says he isn't he isn't being slow on purp uh yes, he's being on he's being slow on purpose to make sure everybody has a chance to accept him. So I literally like that. Okay, good stuff. Okay, now we're gonna do a story, and I got a I got a song to introduce the story. Here it goes. It's time for our story. So, Marty, can you scoot up a little bit closer to the microphone? There you go. And everybody get really close to the microphone as good as you can. So today's story comes from the book of Matthew, chapter 13, and we're gonna start with verse 24, and it's a great story that Jesus is telling as part of our storyteller series that we're doing at church. And so I'm gonna be the narrator. Uh, Marty is going to be the farmer. Uh, see, Travis is gonna be the hired men that works for the farmer, and then Anthony and Carmella. I gotta I got a sound effect for this. You are the enemy. All right, I gotta do this.
SPEAKER_07Time for the story!
SPEAKER_08Nice. He, Jesus, told another story. God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
SPEAKER_06That's some good seed right there.
SPEAKER_08Right on. That night while his hired men were asleep. That's some good snoring there, Travis. You must have some practice. His enemy. I got a sound effect for that. His enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn.
SPEAKER_04Let's get out of here.
SPEAKER_08Do it together! One, two, three, go.
SPEAKER_04Let's get out of here.
SPEAKER_08Right on. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up too. Oh man, the farm hand oh wait.
SPEAKER_09The farm hands came to the farmer and said, Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?
SPEAKER_06He answered Some enemy did this.
SPEAKER_08The farm hands asked, Should we weed out the thistles?
SPEAKER_06He said No, if you weed the thistles, you will pull up the wheat too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the f fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.
SPEAKER_08Oh, so good. Okay, that's our story for today. Okay, so I have a quote that uh have you guys ever heard of Mahatma Gandhi?
SPEAKER_01No.
SPEAKER_08Okay, so he was a very influential uh person in India, and he wasn't a Christian, but he was Hindu, I believe. And so Mahatma Gandhi said this about Christians. I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. So, what do you think he meant by that? What do you think Mahatma Gandhi meant by that statement? Anybody got any ideas about what sh what he meant? Yes, Carmela.
SPEAKER_05Um, like Jesus was perfect, but we're not.
SPEAKER_08Ooh, I like that answer. That's a good answer. Uh what else? Anybody got any other ideas about what that means?
SPEAKER_06Um not really.
SPEAKER_08Okay. That's fine. Um so have you ever planted anything from a seed?
SPEAKER_06Yes.
SPEAKER_08Oh, okay. Marty, answer first. Go ahead, Marty. Tell us about the seed.
SPEAKER_06I planted some radishes.
SPEAKER_08Radishes? In in your uh backyard?
SPEAKER_06In our garden.
SPEAKER_08In your garden. What happened when the the you planted the seed, and then what happened when it started to come through? How did you feel when you started to see that come through?
SPEAKER_06I felt amazing. Finally, all that work of watering it came to radish. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08So did it have a certain did it did it have a certain look? And where was the radish when when you planted that seed? Where was the radish? Where did it form?
SPEAKER_06At like the roots, pretty much.
SPEAKER_08Yeah. So it was underneath the dirt, wasn't it? So you couldn't really see it. Okay, so anybody else got a story about planting some from seed?
SPEAKER_04I've planted a bean.
SPEAKER_08Anthony planted a bean? Not a human bean.
SPEAKER_05It was kind of like a school project. School project. So we didn't really grow like in the dirt outside.
SPEAKER_08We we it was in a styrofoam cup, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_04No, it is. We put it in a bag with a wet paper towel and we taped it to the window hoping it would grow. I don't know what was going on.
SPEAKER_08What happened?
SPEAKER_04It never really grew, it kind of just really made the classroom stink.
SPEAKER_08That sounds like this. Yeah. Nice. So uh yes, Carmela, do you remember that too? Yes.
SPEAKER_05Well, some of the beans grew like a seeds.
SPEAKER_04Some of them sprouting from the bean. They didn't fully grow though.
SPEAKER_08Yeah. Yeah. None of them did. None of them did. None of them did. Oh wow. How about you, Travis? You ever planted anything in a seed? I've planted some strawberries before. How did that go?
SPEAKER_09It went really well. We we built a planter, um, and yeah, we planted the seeds, and uh, we're really lucky when it comes to strawberries, because strawberries come up from out of the ground, like and you can see them grow uh unlike radishes or or beans. Yeah.
SPEAKER_08Yeah. And and I we planted strawberries too, and I like how when they first start to form, they're a flower, and then they then they turn white, and then and then as they mature, then they get start getting more red and red and red. Yeah. So one time when I was a kid, um, I I don't know why, but we planted some pumpkin seeds in our backyard. Oh, we and it was like it was like months and months, it seemed like well, I was a kid, so everything's but when that thing first started to show up, oh I ran inside the house and I was like, Mom, the watermelon seeds are are they're coming up, the watermelons are coming up, and it didn't look anything like a watermelon, it was just like a flower, but it it was it was beautiful flower, and then it started to grow the the the the actual pumpkin, and I remember thinking this thing is amazingly huge, but but then my mom was like, Okay, so make sure you go out there and turn it every so often so that it doesn't get one really bad side, and so you had to turn it, but you had to be real gentle because you didn't want to separate it from the from the stem. Yeah, and so you had to be real careful. But I remember we I don't I don't remember what we did with it. I think we probably just carved it up for Halloween because it was like the same perfect time.
SPEAKER_09That's what you do.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, yeah. So that's what you do. It's really exciting when you see that that seed start to come up. And think about the story that we told about Jesus and how he told the story about the farmer and he planted this seed. Did do you guys remember what what seed he planted, what he wanted to what he wanted to grow from that seed? Wheat. Wheat, yes. And so there's this there's this plant that the enemy came, uh oh. The enemy came in and planted what's called, it's called Darnell, and it's a thistle, but it looks exactly like wheat when it first comes up. And so when when the farmer asked or the farmhands asked the farmer if he they should just go ahead and start pulling out the darnell, the thistle, the the bad the like the weed, he said no. Why do you think he said no?
SPEAKER_06Because he didn't want to like pull up our wheat too, because the thistles have like deeper roots, I'm guessing.
SPEAKER_08Well, g get closer to the mic, say it again.
SPEAKER_06Because the thistles have like deeper like roots, so I think it would pull up the dirt that the wheat is in.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, it would destroy the wheat as well.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_08So why did he want him to wait until the end? Does anybody have any ideas?
SPEAKER_04So that then when they do pull up the like the actual wheat, the thistles come up too.
SPEAKER_08So what they did well, yes, that's that's good c good thought. So uh what they did is they pulled out the Darnell first because it didn't have the grain. It didn't develop grain. It was just a green plant that looked exactly like wheat. And so it it didn't have the fruit of the plant. Like it would have been like me planting some seeds and one and the and the one seed that was the pumpkin look started to look like a flower, and then another one came up and looked just like it, and I was like, wait, which one is which? And but then the the one that didn't have like didn't have the pumpkin on the end of it would be very obvious. So this wheat was very obviously wheat because it had seed. It had the the wheat that they they processed to make bread and all that stuff, but the Darnell did not have that. So that's why they waited until the end. So who is the enemy in this story? Who is the enemy in our story today? Who do you think?
SPEAKER_06The enemy.
SPEAKER_08The enemy. So uh so when Jesus told stories, what was he why he he told stories for a reason? He told he told the story for a reason. And so he was he was telling the people that were listening, there's this enemy that comes in and and s and and plants things in people's lives that kind of look like something the Christian might do, but then it it's not. So who is the enemy that is infiltrating people's uh lives? Anybody got any ideas?
SPEAKER_07Yes, Anthony.
SPEAKER_08Um you're just scratching your back.
SPEAKER_04Um it doesn't really tell.
SPEAKER_06It doesn't really tell, but meaning or the enemy, the thistles almost in the world.
SPEAKER_08So who who is the enemy? So there's a there's a person in the story that sowed the bad seed. And who is it that uh opposes God?
SPEAKER_04The devil.
SPEAKER_08Oh yeah, the devil is the person that uh infiltrates and plants seeds in people that make them do bad stuff. So the the s the the plants that are coming up, Jesus says that they take the good the bad seed, that they take the bla bad sorry, the bad plant and up first so that they can preserve the the wheat that the good seed that has been planted and has taken fruit and is is ready to be harvested and used to make something good. So have you um let's see, oh I and I should go to number five on my on my list of questions, explanation of the story. In this parable, Jesus symbolically described two groups of people, those who will be gathered into the barn and those who will be burned up. The barn represents the kingdom of heaven that has been preached, preaching about, that he has been preaching about. The fire represents God's judgment, which is sometimes compared to a harvest. Jesus, then, is answering the question of how he has brought the kingdom without bringing the judgment. He is allowing both the kingdom people and those destined for God's wrath to remain together until the day of the Lord when the judgment will come, and he will establish his political kingdom on earth. Man, that's gonna be so awesome. So there's a whole group of people that followed God and do the good things and follow him with all their hearts, and and sure, we mess up sometimes, but we ask for forgiveness and we keep moving on and we grow from those things. But then there's a whole group of people that don't follow God that is like the the thistle, like the the Darnell plant. They keep doing bad stuff, but we can't let them influence us to do bad stuff because judgment is coming for them. We don't want the to be judgment, we want them to follow God, we want them to have a chance to follow Jesus. That's why the Bible says in that scripture we did today that he's delaying his return because he wants everybody to he wants everybody to have a chance to follow him, because he loves everybody. He doesn't want them to be judged, but they're bringing it on themselves. And so there's this whole group of people. That uh follow Jesus, and I hope you guys are are some of those people that follow Jesus your whole life and give him first place in your life, and don't let the the bad seed influence you to start doing bad stuff. I think that's that's pretty much the uh the story today that we've talked about. So, what was that scripture? Uh let's see in the different versions. He wants everyone to change their ways and stop sinning. He won because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins. He's giving everyone space and time to change. He is giving more time for sinners to repent. That is the bottom line. We want everybody to come to know Jesus because it's an amazing life that we can live for him. So, um, any questions about any of that? No. Anyway, okay. Well, you guys, awesome. I want to give you a chance to do a shout out, and then I'm gonna ask somebody to pray. So, who do you want to give a shout out to? Make sure you get close to the microphone when you want to give a shout out. Who wants to go first? Give a shout out. Do you know what shout-outs are? Like you say, so you say, Marty, do you know what a shout-out is?
SPEAKER_06Uh, like asking for prayer pretty much, right?
SPEAKER_08No, a shout-out is like, hey, I want to give a shout-out to my wife. Uh, you don't have a wife yet, Marty. Um I want to give a shout-out to my grandpa. I want to give a shout-out to my my friend Jeff at school. I want to give a shout out to blah blah blah, my mom for making cupcakes last night, you know, whatever it is. So you give a shout-out to somebody like I really appreciate you. That's like you telling them that you love them and and all that stuff. So who wants to give a shout-out? Oh, Carmela first, go for it.
SPEAKER_05Uh, I want to give a shout-out to my mom and dad for taking us to the game last night.
SPEAKER_08Oh, that was so fun, wasn't it? Yeah. I had to leave early, but the game pretty much was terrible. For the fireworks. Oh, nice. I saw a video.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I went there too.
SPEAKER_08Yeah. Did you guys have fun? Yeah. Yeah. We we had a volunteer appreciation uh night at the baseball game at the Sugarland Space Cowboy game. Yeah. So that was fun. And every time somebody from Parkway came up to our section, we wave our flags and go Parkway! And we it was fun to watch people get embarrassed. So who else wants to give a shout out? And a good shout out, Kamarla. Good one. Good one. Anybody else want to give a shout-out?
SPEAKER_05Um Anthony. Yeah, they chose.
SPEAKER_04Uh I guess to my parents for also bringing like basically our whole family to the baseball game.
SPEAKER_08So good.
SPEAKER_04Um and to my mom for bringing us to like here.
SPEAKER_08Do the podcast. Yeah. Yes. Awesome. Thanks, mom. Okay, Marty, you want to give a shout-out to anybody?
SPEAKER_06Probably my grandpa. Nice. Like last time last time we went there, like, he brought he bought or yeah, he brought me a lure that he made.
SPEAKER_08Oh, okay, for fishing. Yes. Nice. You like enjoy fishing? Yes. Nice. So fun. Good good job, grandpa. Uh Travis, you want to give a shout-out to anybody?
SPEAKER_09Uh, shout out to my wife, Ashley. Uh, love you so much. And also, shout out to all the kids. Thanks for coming out. Thanks for having uh a blast. And yeah, um, yeah, I I hope to do this again.
SPEAKER_08That would be awesome. It would be fun. So uh this story is kind of a difficult story to think about sometimes because we don't want people to be judged, but we just have to realize people are gonna be judged at some point because they're either living for God or they're not. And so we want them to follow Jesus and get in line with what he wants. And because we don't want this in their lives.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_08Don't want that. We do not want that. So anybody want to pray? Anyone want to pray? Just talk to God for a couple seconds and say thank you for today and blah, blah, blah. Anybody want they're all looking at me like who's gonna do it? Me?
SPEAKER_09I could pray for us.
SPEAKER_08Oh, Travis, good. Let's go.
SPEAKER_09Uh, Father, just thank you for today. Thank you for the opportunity to uh just get to come here and talk about your word. Um, I just pray that we could just um you know live our lives as wheat and just you know, just grow um as wheat and father. Pray that we would just uh not be uh judgmental of others either, uh, knowing that you are the judge um at the end of the day. So uh, Father, we love you. Just uh pray for uh a good rest of today and a good uh week uh for next week, Father. And so we love you to your sons and we pray. Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER_08Okay, everybody say bye.
SPEAKER_01Bye. Let's talk.